North to Alaska – 5

June 24, 2007

This morning we got a very early start. We actually had gone almost 200 miles by 10:30. Jim 
forgot that we would cross another time zone early in the morning. He was up by 6:30 which was 
like getting up at 5:30 after the change. We actually gave the hour back though at breakfast. 
We pulled off of the interstate for breakfast. The only place around had two vans full of a 
kids soccer team already seated. There was plenty of room but we were not at the top of the 
list that was piled in front of the one cook….oh well.

Today we had about 250 miles on the interstate before we arrived at the Badlands National Park. 
It was great! Then another 50 miles before Sturgis…we just did a ride through and another 50 
miles before the exit for Devils Tower in Wyoming. Faith and I stayed near this exit in March. 
It was 10 degrees and snowing! Today was a bit different. The outside temperature was 96 
degrees. My thermometer read 118 in the sun…ouch! It was VERY hot. 
Tom, thanks for your cooling things! We both stayed well hydrated and stopped frequently. We 
did whine a lot but all and all we did ok. We did about 450 miles. Our butts are really sore 
today…maybe it was the heat. I have also learned to watch out for kamikaze birds. I saw one 
land up ahead while I was doing 75, the speed limit. As I approached he took off and flew right 
at me. I ducked but it didn’t do him any good.  My windscreen and helmet both survived but he 
didn’t.

When we stopped for coffee at the exit for Devil’s Tower we could see a huge dark thunder head 
coming towards us. It was moving northeast. We were going northwest. Once again we decided it 
was too hot and too much work to put on all our gear. By the time we got to Devil’s Tower it 
looked like we made a good decision except for the edge of the big black storm. We heard thunder 

and saw plenty of rain in the distance. From Devil’s Tower we were going southwest and it looked 
like we would clear the storm. We made a run for it. 
We almost made it. We did get some very large drops of water and a few pieces of hail hit our 
helmets but we really didn’t get too wet. We had made a good decision. I think if we would 
have stopped to put on our gear we would have been well into the storm….better lucky than 
smart. The tower looked great against the dark sky! There is also a colony of prairie dogs 
along the entrance road that was interesting to see.