Topic: Team Northern - NEB; N & S DAK; IOWA; MINN; WIS; MAN & SASK

[Old Scrambler]

Hello to all interested relay riders. At this time we will likely be carrying IT from the Michigan riders (UP) and will include the Dakotas; Nebraska; Manitoba and Saskatchewan, CA. So far, timing looks to be mid-summer 2011.

I will try to coordinate and accommodate all riders from my location in Cascade, Wisconsin, between Milwaukee and Green Bay and near Road America. I ride a CB750 K3 and have ridden most of the interesting roads in North Amercia since I bought the bike new. As we get to know one-another, we will try to set up a route to include the state capitols and your favorite roads or special events.  We have an offer to stop at Two Brothers HONDA near La Crosse and I would hope several other dealers will be contacted.  We are trying to have steady media coverage with blog posts and articles (photos) by MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS magazine. If any of you have a bike show or event for IT to make an appearance, we will try to make arrangements.  This is not a race, but IT should stay on the move as others will be waiting to continue the relay.

This event should help to grow the SOHC/4 community and provide a solid base for the preservation and continued enjoyment of these wonderful bikes. Please use this post for all communication regarding your participation.  Thanks.........Old Scrambler........Dennis Weinhold   

[ZanVooden]

It'd be awesome to hit Road America, especially during the vintage race weekend.
In Milwaukee, apart from any of dealership, Fuel Cafe would be a decent shop. Maybe a stop at the Harley Museum (be one hell of site to see a bunch of SOHC4's outside their front door). Another stop could be (depending on timing) the mod vs Rockers bike event on the eastside.
Over towards Madison depending on timing, the restaurant Quaker Steak and Lube has a bike night ever Wednesday night during the summer. Only ever seen 1 or 2 other SOHC4's  other than mine there.

Well that the limit of my knowledge. Just between Milwaukee and Madison (went to school in MKE, work in Madison)

[BeSeeingYou]

In Minneapolis the Bearded Lady Motorcycle and Freak Show would make a good stop.  Large turnout with plenty of SOHC4's.  Usually happens July 23/4.

[750]

In Minneapolis the Bearded Lady Motorcycle and Freak Show would make a good stop.  Large turnout with plenty of SOHC4's.  Usually happens July 23/4.

Also in minneapolis Dalonos (spelling) pizza has the biggest bike night I have ever been to on the first thurs of every month. Many SOHC bikes there.

[db22]

db22 here, checking in from the bluffs overlooking the beautiful, frozen-solid Mississippi.  Our contact at Two Brothers Honda is Ben George, 608-781-3360, ben@2brotherspowersports.com.  Two Brothers is in for shop space and publicity -- I'll call the local radio and TV outlets as the relay approaches.  

We should ask the banner/logo people to run up a banner that will feature all the sponsors' logos -- Road America and one or two of the MC magazines would look great up there, and having them sign on would be a big encouragement to smaller outfits to get on board.

On another note, I kinda hope we drop the Godzilla mascot . . . here we'll be, riding our "Jappers" through HD's home turf in time of war . . . we shouldn't do or show anything that might paint us as unpatriotic.  Remind people that CB750s were made in Ohio for a while, and all veterans on the ride should wear some emblem of service.  And somebody should display the U.S. flag as we ride into towns where media coverage will be present.  Maybe I'm being too image-conscious, but I want this party to rock through the Upper Midwest without incident.

Dennis, I hope you had a great trip and got home from NY without trouble.

[Old Scrambler]

Good suggestions....all.............Yes, Fuel Cafe, Lulu's, Culver's (124th south of Capitol Dr) are popular Milwaukee stops on Tuesdays.  Capitol Square in Madison is a must stop for a photo with IT.  I don't know the exact route yet but we need to get IT from Wisconsin to zig-zag through Iowa, Minnesota, N & S Dakota, Nebraska, and somehow include Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Timing looks like July and getting into August by the time we hand IT to someone in Wyoming or Montana.  It would be great to get IT from Michigan on June 10 or 11 to make an appearance at the Road America Vintage Bike Festival.  But that looks a bit tight. The handoff from Michigan will likely come from the UP so I can get a pic at Road America on the way to Milwaukee and then to Madison.

As IT travels westerly, stops may include Sturgis and Mount Rushmore. We need riders in Iowa, Nebraska and the Dakotas. This is not a race but it would be nice to get IT to the northern Rockies by early August

[BeSeeingYou]

In Minneapolis the Bearded Lady Motorcycle and Freak Show would make a good stop.  Large turnout with plenty of SOHC4's.  Usually happens July 23/4.

Also in minneapolis Dalonos (spelling) pizza has the biggest bike night I have ever been to on the first thurs of every month. Many SOHC bikes there.

Yeah, this First Thursday at Dulono's is always huge.  I would gestimate 400 bikes show up.

[750]

400? I was thinking more like 1000+.  Man was I off.  All I know is it's standing room only in any of the 3 parking areas and down about every street surrounding it.  I go there almost every month.  Never gets old.  Lots of SOHC guys there.

[750]

Whatever the number I hope the Rally can somehow make it there.  It sure would be cool to add an extra hundred or so

[BeSeeingYou]

400? I was thinking more like 1000+.  Man was I off.  All I know is it's standing room only in any of the 3 parking areas and down about every street surrounding it.  I go there almost every month.  Never gets old.  Lots of SOHC guys there.

I think somewhere in between as I was being conservative and maybe 1000 is a bit high.  Wall to wall people and bikes.

[Old Scrambler]

Our territory has been expanded.........so now I am looking for volunteers to coordinate the rides within each state and province. Your primary responsibility will be the final route through your state and to contact all riders with last minute updates. You should also have plans to cover any bad weather or other delays. Communication along the way with a cell phone and/or a smart phone would be great. Uploads of ride info and pics to the expected event blog leader should be timely to post on the web and get to MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS magazine.  Stay tuned..........its only 9 weeks to launch at Daytona.

[db22]

Has there been any discussion about the type of roads the relay will use? Primarily main state highways and Interstate, or will county and rural roads be mixed in?  Has a route through Wisconsin been chosen yet?

Will the relay enter Wisconsin from the UP for sure? A stop at Lambeau would be appropriate. Then down the lakeshore to Milwaukee, west through the Kettle Moraine stopping at Road America, and up to Highway 33 (photo at the Pyramid outside Beaver Dam -- we're in Egypt!), descend upon Madison and have the mascot/banner/whatever and group photographed at the capitol. Straight west on 94 to 90 and La Crosse, stop at Two Brothers for rest/repair, and cross the Father of Waters, turning north on the Minnesota-side River Road through Winona and eventually the Twin Cities. Then up into Canada to loop through our newly-added Provinces, and back south to include the Dakotas and Nebraska, and hand off to the group to our west.

Gotta work today, but I'll look at a map this afternoon.

[Old Scrambler]

db22 and all...........Your route is similar to what is planned but mostly on local roads unless time is a requirement. Depending on timing and weather, the Illinois group may run up the Mississippi to Davenport and touch a little of Iowa and then maybe head to Milwaukee from Rockford, and then on to Chicago because of several riders in Lake and Cook County.  I plan to ride with IT and other riders from the UP through Green Bay, stop and Road America and then on to either Milwaukee or Madison.......Others will carry IT to La Crosse on Hwy 12 and 33 or other roads of their choice.  Then it looks good to connect with the Twin Cities along the Mississippi. 

I think we have someone to get to Alexandria but we need riders in Minnesota to get IT into the Dakotas or Canada.......and more riders from points west.......

[jneuf]

Checking in as a Manitoba rider...I can intercept someone at the Manitoba / North Dakota border....There is one other Manitoba rider registered, so the two of us should be able to cover our province no problem....any ideas on an approximate time that the ride will be reaching our region(s)..? I'm pretty strapped for holiday time at work, but if it hit me on a weekend, It'd give me an excuse to go on a nice long ride so I could cover a fair bit of ground (on either end possibly...North Dakota or Saskatchewan)...

[750]

I'd like more firm dates as I have a lot planned this summer but as of now the time frame we are talking about works for me and if we can get exact dates I can make sure it is free.  That said, if no one has already taken on the responsibility, and if I'm not overstepping my bounds, I'd be more than happy to intercept @ the MN border but I don't want to do it alone.  I am confident I could as I have experience leading more than a few groups, but two heads are always better than one. So if there is one or more MN riders that want to take this on I'd love to get together either @ my shop or a central meeting location to design a rout, with weather workarounds, stops, etc.  Anyone willing to take on this challenge with me?  I live in Hastings MN.

[BeSeeingYou]

I am booked the third week in June and for two weeks in late July early August for other activities so hopefully the time frame will pan out for me.  If it does I could help out 750 on the southern run into Minneapolis or from Minneapolis out to South Dakota.  Highway 12 from the city out to SD is a nice ride as is highway 55.  Highway 10 is an alternate route to Fargo but makes hitting SD a little harder.  On this route I may be able to arrange a stop at a lake cabin near Brainerd for a little R&R. I am purposely avoiding interstate 94 as I find this road to be thoroughly unpleasant with the high volume of traffic especially large trucks and weekends.

[750]

I am booked the third week in June and for two weeks in late July early August for other activities so hopefully the time frame will pan out for me.  If it does I could help out 750 on the southern run into Minneapolis or from Minneapolis out to South Dakota.  Highway 12 from the city out to SD is a nice ride as is highway 55.  Highway 10 is an alternate route to Fargo but makes hitting SD a little harder.  On this route I may be able to arrange a stop at a lake cabin near Brainerd for a little R&R. I am purposely avoiding interstate 94 as I find this road to be thoroughly unpleasant with the high volume of traffic especially large trucks and weekends.

We definitely think alike about 94.  I second Unpleasant, traffic, boring and just plain dangerous with people asleep at the wheel, Oh, and did I mention boring.  
I wouldn't be much help from the Twin Cities to SD as my experience is all NE and SE.  I could get us where we need to go without a problem, I just don't know the interesting roads out west.  I know eastern MN and western WI well and could offer up some great advice for some breath taking rides but once we get west of the cities I might be a bit of a bore.  So Srust58, if you know the western part of the state, we could be a deadly combination  Wait, bad choice of words  Let me rephrase.  So Srust58, if you know the western part of the state, we just might be able to give these guys the ride of there life  Anyone else interested in making MN the ride people remember when they look back at this trip???

[jneuf]

I'm just trying to get an idea of the route, and where us folk in Manitoba would be intercepting you....if you take the 12 from Minneapolis to SD, would you take I-29 up the Manitoba border?

[cootschop]

   i just joined up so i could follow this thread . i'm in manitoba and am a member of long standing at hondachopper and tcu . my sohc 4 is currently unlicenced and in a minor state of disrepair , but i would look forward to doing the ride thru manitoba on one of my other bikes . i'll keep in touch on the dates and if it is pre august (gotta go to sturgis) i'm there . also theres a hondachopper member just north of me(ov) and i'll try and get in touch with him . sounds like fun . i am in the southwest of manitoba , and we have room here for tents if needed.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Anyone have any ideas on who &/or where we hand off AFTER you Manitoba riders have to go home?? Just damn glad you guys are in 

[cafe550]

i could ride a few miles here is sd i am about 12 miles off i-29.....be nice to stop in sioux falls and chill at the falls park its a neat place

http://www.travelsd.com/Attractions/Falls-Park

[jneuf]

Anyone have any ideas on who &/or where we hand off AFTER you Manitoba riders have to go home?? Just damn glad you guys are in 

Ideally we'd be handing off to someone in Saskatchewan...if we can get anybody there on board! Do we have ANY SK riders? After SK, I guess we could get someone into Montana or Alberta...depending on what that group is thinking.

[Old Scrambler]

So Far..............Old School is planning the ride for the handoff from Ontario (Mid-July?) through lower Michigan and into the UP. I plan to meet the Michigan riders somewhere along the Hwy 41 route south from Marquette to Green Bay, and continue south on Hwy 57 for an overnight at my home near Cascade. That route could change depending on other riders joining in and the weather.

IT will then move to Milwaukee and onto Madison (suggested along Hwy 18 and 12) with Zan Vooden (Dave) carrying the load with the most likely connection (Hwys 12 and 33) to db22 for a stop in La Crosse at Two Brothers HONDA. Iowa may be covered (Davenport) as IT moves north from St. Louis and then east to Chicago and down to Indy.

From La Crosse IT will move up the Mississippi River Road to the Twin Cities to meet up with srust58 and 750. At this time the next closest rider is Cafe550 near Sioux Falls and then onto cootshop and jneuf in Manitoba.  Cootshop may be willing to carry IT to Sturgis SD in early August.   

I expect to get a few more riders in Wisconsin......but really looking for more riders in western or northern Minnesota. Would it be possible to travel from the Twin Cities through International Falls on then west into Manitoba?

[jneuf]

If you travelled from International Falls west to Warroad, MN I could probably do the pickup there...a little more out of the way, but my in-laws have property just north of there on the Manitoba side of Lake of the Woods. I could then pass off to cootschop in the western part of the province. Only problem is we miss ND and SD on that route.

[Old Scrambler]

I have a friend with a 750K0 in northern Minn but have not confirmed if he will ride.  I am not sure but maybe Cootshop would carry IT through the Dakotas to Sturgis for a handoff to someone from Wyoming.

I am sure more riders will come forward. I am also aware that some willing  riders won't be able to carry IT because of other commitments. That is why we can afford to remain flexible on the route at this time.