Sturgis Day 2

Day 2: July 30
The thing about riding..it affords you the opportunity to block out all the day-to-day crapand think about whats really important-like family and friends andera better rain suit and seamless undershorts...and maybe a big container of Gold Bond powder.
No big dealreally.
Ive just finished the two most worry-free weeks in six years: both boys were home from war-Eric from Afghanistan for good and Mick on leave from Iraq.
For the first time in a long time, it was great to hear them bumping in their rooms like they used to growing up and not worrying about the knock on the door or the telephone or cell phone ringing.
Eric is going to grad school in a few weeks and , with a little luck, Mick will be back stateside in two months and in grad school himself by next fall.
I made it to Elyria, OH, just past Cleveland, riding just under 7 hours and covering 415 miles. The first 4 hours were in a miserable rain with temperatures dropping to the low 70s/high 60s as I rode through the cold front.
I usually forget an item or two when I travel, but I really goofed this time. I left in a rain suit without my riding jacket, so I dropped by Performance HD in Syracuse to get a replacement. Then, as I swung my leg over the bike, my rain suit ripped. I like to think that its the suits fault, but maybe not. Anyway, I stayed dry the whole time. It was nice the have the rain end at the NY/PA border and the temp. go up as I got to Cleveland. Some call Cleveland the mistake by the lake, but its skyline is actually very photogenic at night.
And, there are wineries in Western NY. The vines looked very green in the rain and the fog.
I run a headlight modulator on my bike and I had a vivid yellow vest on over my rainsuit, so, thanks to the flashing lights, I kept being mistaken for the police. Its nice to have so many cagers pull over and let you go by.. When they saw that I wasnt the police, they werent upset and remained very nice by signaling that I was #1.
I am off to Sioux City, IA. Originally, I was going take I 90 to Gary, IN, then I-80 to Omaha, but my GPS is telling me to go through Chicago and go directly up to I-90, so I was considering that. I am always worried about the traffic around Chicago, but I might try lane-splitting. Kory takes I-90 through Chicago and advises against going through at any times other than very early or very late. Since Ill be in the area by mid-morning, Ill probably drop south of Gary to I-80, go west and turn right at Omaha.
I think theres the worlds biggest truck stop in Iowa along I-80, so Ill look for it and stop if I find it.
Happy trails!
Thug