Day 1. Colorado, Nebraska and South Dakota

 

A great first day on the road covering about 360 miles on a sunny and warm day. 

 

After good bye hugs with Angela and her sister Sandy, in from Ft. Lauderdale for a visit, I'm ready to leave home right on time at 8:00. 

The first stop was about an hour away in Fort Collins. I had an invitation from my friend Chad Shryock and his wife Richelle to stop and say hello and have my picture taken with Chad's 100 year old camera using tin plate and silver processing.  Chad's only been doing this for a year or two but has some really good success and truly enjoys the art and science of this old time photography. 

 

This is the tin/silver photo he took. I got to watch him process the plate by coating the plate in a silver solution then later developing it minutes after the photo was taken. The picture will last just about forever. I had to be still for 3 seconds for the proper exposure. This is a picture I'll always cherish Chad. Thanks!

You can find Chad's Porkpie Hat Photography Facebook page here: https://m.facebook.com/Porkpiephotography/

 

Lots of wide open and verdant prairie as I road mostly north.  This is God's, black angus and antelope country for sure.  I was on 2 lane back roads for 95% of the ride today with almost no traffic. An excellent riding day!  I love living in the West. 

 

Hello Nebraska. 

 

This was a sad coincidence. I could tell as I slowly gained on this flat bed truck that there was something unusual about the load.  As I got closer I realized it was a horses tail blowing in the wind. The horse lived in beautiful part of the country, I hope he had a happy and peaceful life. 

 

Hello South Dakota!

 It seems like I've been gradually climbing in elevation as I've ridden north. Now, about 3 in the afternoon I'm about to enter the Black Hills Natuonal Forest. The topography is getting more interesting and I'm starting to see more evergreen trees. 

 

Rick Giles is a good friend and colleague from my days at GE. A fellow motorcyclist who lives in Buffalo, WY, Rick has always expressed interest in taking a ride with me. We were never able to make a ride to Sturgis,SD for the humongous motorcycle rally but this trips timing worked out great.  Rick rides a 2007 Yamaha V-twin.  Rick stands on the porch of our accommodations for the night in Custer, SD, the Shady Rest Getaway, Unit #9. 

 

After a tasty dinner a short walk away at the Dakota Cowboy we sauntered back to our cozy porch to watch nightfall and the end of our first day.  Tomorrow we'll take in more of the Black Hills of South Dakota as we push further towards North Dakota.