A Great Sturgis 2008, Story From A Proud ABATE Member Below!

   I stayed in Spokane WA. The night before at my brother in laws house 2611 north  Napa. We stayed up a little later
 than I wanted talking about what was about take place, I had no Idea the end would be as much of a challenge for me.
 Left his house at 3:10am went 1 mile to zip trip gas station, I was very excited I have always thought about trying this
 and now it was on, Yahoo. I was a little concerned about going over the two mountain passes forth of July in Idaho
 and Look out in Montana Only because I had hit a deer 15 years ago and have been a little gun shy every since.

  It was cold considering the time of year Lookout pass is 4700 ft I was dressed warm and the ride to St Regis was nice.
 Stopped got gas and headed out to Drummond Montana, Sun was up and I was rolling right along. From there to Butte
 was a nice ride started seeing more and more bikes because of the Sturgis Rally about time to stop waving. Arrived in
 Butte and for some reason I was very sleepy, went to MacDonald’s and got a cup of coffee and breakfast sandwich.
 That perked me up and I was on my way to Bozeman MT arrived there just before noon and did not stay long .
 Gas and go. Rode to Billings and took a lunch break felt good to stretch out and walk a bit I was about 500 miles into
 the ride. Left there for Sheridan WY The weather had been perfect up to this point arrived in Sheridan WY. And it was
 stop and go. Lots of bikes on the rode now .
 
  When I got to Gillette WY the sky was very dark to the east which was where I was headed gas up and pulled away
 from the pump ,where I put on the rain gear and other foul weather gear for the rain was coming my way. Did not get
 five miles down the rode when it started pouring down. I was ok with that dressed well and was getting her done.
 Arrived in Spearfish SD every body there and mean a lot of bikes where under cover the wind was blowing hard and it
 was raining as hard as I have ever seen. Me being from Washington State I have seen some pretty good rain storms.
 I went in to the store and asked what was up the store clerk handed me a weather report they had got from there
 computer. Now remember I am about 16 hours and close to 850 miles into this ride I sent a copy of weather report with
 paper work. It said Hail the size of golf balls and forty mile an hour winds were in the area and headed east.
 I was really set back I still need 150 or so miles and it was near 7:pm raining hard with Hail in the forecast.
 This is going to sound kind of silly but the next thing I did was start eating Twinkies I was going for the sugar to get
 pumped up for the ride I also topped it off with a five hour energy drink, not my best move.

  I do not recall the time that I left there but it was still raining ,and I forgot to get gas. Looking back I was feeling
 pretty tired at this point and a little concerned that I might not make the 1000 miles. Left in the rain and before long it
 was dark and raining hard the storm was traveling east and so was I, I Had waited for it to go past and now I was
 catching up with it again, rode on past Sturgis to a little stop called Wasta all that was there was a gas station and I
 was ready for gas. The ride out to Wasta was a little bit scary I am a crane operator Iron worker by trade and consider
 myself ready to rock and roll. But seeing the thunder and lighting and nothing but rain for over an hour was kind of
 freaky there was little or no traffic also. I figured I had the miles with the return trip to Sturgis and I was very happy to
 be going away from the storm. arrived in Sturgis 10:50 pm tired and wet, Got my signature and went to a camp ground
 threw up tent in the rain and said good night. That’s my story. Oh went to Sturgis next morning got wife and daughter a
 T-Shirt and visited with Legislative Officer Larry Nielson of A.B.A.T.E. of S.D. left town and  came home was back in
 Goldendale two days later.

         Scott Robinson Coordinator Columbia Gorge Chapter of A.B.A.T.E.