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General Category >> The Cafe >> Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back to MN
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Message started by Gus on 07/01/23 at 06:50:31

Title: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back to MN
Post by Gus on 07/01/23 at 06:50:31

I left Brainerd, MN on the Savage June 29th.This morning I am in Circle MT. I will finish this leg of my journey today in Harlowton MT.
Good friend I haven't seen in 20 years lives there. We worked on a ranch together years ago. He was my boss.
Thanks to all here that helped worked through the tire thing & some other upgrades I did getting ready for this trip
Here's a link to a short on YT I took a long the way.

https://youtube.com/shorts/a5PaKAnkk-Q?feature=share

Happy trails~

Title: Re: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back t
Post by Gus on 07/01/23 at 11:36:12

East of Jordan Mt

https://youtube.com/shorts/l-dzNIPCQ1M?feature=share

Title: Re: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back t
Post by Gus on 07/02/23 at 21:38:00

East of Winnett, Mt yesterday.

https://youtube.com/shorts/NjsSyro819Y?feature=share

Title: Re: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back t
Post by MMRanch on 07/03/23 at 06:14:53

Gus

Thanks for the videos :)

Keep them coming , I'm finally getting to see some more of the world !! ;)

I'm a little surprised it's rolling hills , Big Sky country ?
Are ya finding fuel when ya want it or did ya bring some extra ?

Title: Re: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back t
Post by zevenenergie on 07/03/23 at 08:38:28

Thats the life...
Love to see more of your bike.

Title: Re: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back t
Post by Gus on 07/04/23 at 09:35:17

I'm in Big Timber as I write this probs be staying in or around Thermopolis WY. Weather is great 65 degrees. The Savage & I are loving it.
Changed oil @ my buddy's, I should be good now till I get home. Roughly 1600 miles left on my trip.
Had to tighten up the rack I put on the back of the Savage, other than that, it's been a solid ride so far.
I've had gas whenever I needed. I'm getting about 45 mpg so I've been good. Had it on reserve a couple times but have always been close to town by that time.

https://youtu.be/W474qmvqOHY

Title: Re: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back t
Post by Gus on 07/05/23 at 07:45:53

We blew through Thermopolis WY & ended up staying in Riverton WY. It rained right after I got here and rained most of the night. 8-)
Got a couple more short vids for you guys plus I turned on my helmet cam as I approached Wind River Canyon south of Thermopolis WY.
I'll have to do some editing of that video at my son's place in CO.
This is a YT short right after leaving Harlowton MT.

https://youtube.com/shorts/v34uX8GZ7-M?feature=share

Someone had mentioned seeing my bike & gear so here that is at the MT - WY border

https://youtu.be/TiH51DXZxfM

Happy trails!

Title: Re: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back t
Post by zevenenergie on 07/05/23 at 09:35:36

Tanks for the video of your ride.
I immediately feel more involved.
A Savage in action, what more do we want.

Do we get to see a campfire?

I'm loving this. Keep posting.

Title: Re: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back t
Post by Tocsik on 07/05/23 at 09:35:45

Hey Gus!
I'm down in Denver and we've been getting some really heavy rain. Last night was one of the heaviest downpours I've seen in my 28 years here. One of the heaviest rains I've actually ever seen.
You be careful out there!

How many miles on your Savage?

Title: Re: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back t
Post by Gus on 07/05/23 at 12:11:11

I m going to my son's in Craig. He's been telling me, even there where it is so dry normally, they've been getting a lot of rain.
My Savage is barely broke in. It was a garage queen prior to me getting it & showing her some country.
It has between 5-6 K on it roughly.

On the gas front~ it was sketchy between Lander & Rawlins. It's a long haul between those two towns. I did read of a lone gas pump that takes cards in Jeffery City on Google maps.
The reviews were very current so I took the chance. Sure enough there was gas & that's it!

Jeffery City was a booming uranium mining town in the early 80's. After the 3 mile island incident Jeffery City withered away to nearly nothing. Just a smattering of houses on the wide open, inhospitable, highland plains of WY.

340F0313090B600 wrote:

Title: Re: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back t
Post by Gus on 07/05/23 at 12:46:04

Looks like I linked one video twice.
Here's one South of Lander, WY

https://youtu.be/GimTCdcICHk

Title: Re: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back t
Post by Gus on 07/09/23 at 13:28:13

I'm in Pierre, SD currently. Took this video yesterday upon leaving my son's place. I just missed a whale of a hail storm in Lusk, Wy yesterday. It was 4" deep when I went thru town. Ripped the leaves off the trees all over town.
I got lucky!
Got rained on for about an hour before I got to Edgemont, SD. I just kept riding and was dry by the time I got to Hot Springs, SD. Where I spent the night.
Rode 440 miles yesterday.

Not to proud of this Conti tire I bought. Lotta wear for just a couple thousand miles

https://youtu.be/c0YnYOrBXO4

Title: Re: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back t
Post by Dave on 07/13/23 at 04:34:13

Hopefully it is a fun trip for you and not just a test of physical stamina and machine.

For a trip like that, you needed a Michelin Commander. Most of the other tire options wear out in 6-8 thousand miles.....slow/careful riders might stretch 10 thousand miles. The Michelin Commander is expensive but can go 20,000 miles.....they can be a bit slippery on wet roads so you need to slow down a bit in the wet - hard rubber sacrifices a bit of wet traction.

I hope you can make it home without needing a new tire!

Title: Re: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back t
Post by Gus on 07/13/23 at 17:52:55

I made it home Monday & turned right around & left again yesterday to a family reunion in MS.
The trip went really well. Mostly I just bee bopped a long the highways & by-ways of the country I was riding through.
Eating at greasy spoons along the way, striking up a conversation here and there
Those air cushions are a real life saver.
Got rained on once for about an hour. Just missed a massive hail storm in Lusk, WY. There was 4" of hail stones on the ground when I rode thru.
I was none the worse for ware after the trip & neither was the Savage. It was loaded good but I didn't ask much of it.
Just cruised along the highway except for 20 miles of gravel road construction.
Rode between 75-100 miles of the interstate system; that was it.
It was my goal to take all local highways as much as I could.
As far as the Conti tire is concerned. It's no better than, say, a Kenda or something inexpensive. It'll probs need replacing later in the year.
I'm thinking 5K max out of it. All toll it has about 2700 miles on it and it's half worn out.

Title: Re: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back t
Post by zevenenergie on 07/14/23 at 03:31:06

It's good that you're backhome in one piece Gus.

You've given a nice example of what you can do with a savage. ;)

And not only did you kept the rubber side down, you left a lot of rubber on the roads as well. (its all about sharing)

I found the whole topic inspiring and it's nice to see a piece of America this way.

Title: Re: Started in MN going ND, MT, WY, CO, SD Back t
Post by MMRanch on 07/14/23 at 06:42:50

Hay Gus

I'm having the same tire experience with a set of BT46's tires. The front still looks like new and the rear (w/6000+miles) tire looks about gone. There might be another 1000 miles on it but I already bought the Kenda to replace it with. The Kenda tread looks like the front BT46 tread is why I picked it. The BT46 front has transformed the bike into a MONO-RAIL ride , but that rear tire wore like bubble gum roll .

I might spend that kinda money on a new FRONT tire but its going to be the cheep stuff for the rear . The Dunlop 404 is a cheep REAR tire that last a while too ?