The National Long Distance Motorcycle Tour continues

Hi Everybody,
I'm sorry to be so slow with updates. New Tablet computer and much too high tech.

The National Long Distance Motorcycle Tour continues, following the adventure called The Saddlesore 1000 -1. The Iron Butt Association web page had all the forms I needed to qualify for the Iron Butt ride. Sidecar Bill Ryder had the Yamaha and sidecar tuned up and ready to go. Barry Reddick of Collision Pro Auto Body service in Helena, MT  agreed to be my official Start Witness and my twin brother Dean Lonnquist  agreed to be my End witness in Monticello, MN. Monticello is 1,041 miles from Helena.

The 1,000 mile ride begaN AT 4am,m Sept. 27th at the High Country Travel Center on Highway 12 on Helena,s east side. A cold rain was falling. It was 51 degrees.

I filled the gas tank, received the required computer generated Time & Date stamped receipt and Barry signed the IBA form. Bill did a final check of the bike, my son Roger took pictures and I rode off into the cold, rainy night. I was well equipped and had read the suggestions for a successful ride on the IBA web page.

Six children offered all of the suggestions and support that an 80 year old rider would need.
The rain eased off after 30 miles or  so, but began in earnest as I left the sixty miles of two lane highway behind and rode across the steel Cattle Guards and onto Interstate 94.

Now, I thought the real ride begins.

The next 1,000 miles would be all Interstate and should be a great, long, but easy fun-filled ride. That thought left me as I passed Bozeman, MT and began the climb up the Bozeman Pass. A lot of traffic was already on the road, despite the early hour. As the Yamaha smoothly climbed the pass, the wind whistling through the mountain seemed like it was coming at me from all directions.

Half way up light fog started drifting across the four lanes of the Interstate. The intensity of the rain increased and soon it was a downpour. It was then that I realized that when I stopped for gas in Three Forks I had failed to zip the rain coat up all the way and the leathers underneath it were getting soaked.

Too late to do anything about that. I was not about to stop on the edge of the road and start rearranging rain gear. Near the top the first snow flakes hit the winbd screen.

Not flakes really. More like hard frozen rain.