I had thought the previous day qualified as officially turning my "trip" into an "adventure". I was wrong.
Woke up the next morning and packed up. Malcolm asked if my bike was good to go and I replied that I didn't know. It started up and idled fine but I couldn't tell until I actually rode it. He'd been pretty bummed about me always waiting up for him and was itching to get ahead for once so he took off ahead of me. I quickly found out that my bike was not fixed. Started up fine but bogged down really bad under even moderate throttle. I KNEW that it wasn't the carbs because I'd fixed that problem. I pulled over and reset the valves/timing/points several times, assuming that I'd messed it up the night before before realizing that that wasn't it. Turns out that the carb that was overflowing the day before was now dray as a bone. Hmmmm. I figured that I must've left some gunk up in the float needle area or something, maybe in my haste I'd bent the little tab that controls it? Who knows. I pulled it apart several more times and bent the tab and needle retainer deallywhopper in various configurations until I got it flowing "okay". At one point a guy on a Harley rolled up and was hanging out, chatting while I worked. He asked me about my route and i told him I was planning on taking the 18. "Oh, nice" he says. "Beautiful country through the reservations. I've ridden that road may times and it's one of my favorites. Incredible scenery. But ya know, I'm not a racist or anything but if I wasn't really sure about my bike, I wouldn't go that way." "Huh", I says. "Well, like I said, I'm no racist but if you get stuck on the side of the road after dark they will beat the #$%* outta you, steal all your stuff and destroy your bike. There's always Indians that drink way too much and hate white people. I'd take the 90 if i were you."
Hmmm. Okay. This is a side of America that I had no idea even existed but I wasn't about to learn the hard way so I detoured back up to the 90.
Stopped for gas at the 79 junction off 18 and while I was talking to my girlfriend on the cellphone noticed that my muffler was just about to fall off. The bracket I had made had broken and it was one small bump away from falling off. I found a bunch of 6" or so lengths of thick copper wire laying around the dumpster and wired it back together. I put a few pieces in my bag just in case.
Incidentally, although i didn't get any pics, 87 south through Custer State Park is phenomenal!
Here's a couple shots of flat and boring 79 north heading back up to the 90.
Got on the 90 and kept seeing signs for "Wall Drug". My need for gas coincided w/ the Wall Drug exit so I stopped to check it out. Pretty awesome tourist trap. I'd love to stop by again and spend more time there. My bike hung out w/ a very seasoned Goldwing while I gawked.
I didn't take any photos inside but it's pretty cool, if you like that sort of thing.
