Rookie Goes to Minnesota

Since I spent all winter wiring the bike with all the gadgets it only seems right that I would actually do a rally this year. It would be my first. The Minnesota 1000 was the perfect choice. I have a friend with first hand experience with the rally and the rally is only a 300 mile ride from my house. On top of that Team Strange knows how to host a rally and knows how to have fun so it was the obvious choice.

I rode up the weekend before to get the mandatory stops only to find out when I got back that two more were added. So I rode up on Friday and got the last two before I headed to my hotel. Lesson learned, check the web site often for changes before you do anything. Reading the rules over and over doesn't hurt either along with past rally reports. I unpacked at the hotel to find out that my Gold Bond had spilled all over my shave kit. It makes for some fresh breath in your toothpaste but it's a bitch to clean up. Lesson learned, put your gold bond in a baggie. I also made up my Endurox so it would be cold for the next day. After that I was off to the dinner meeting in Montrose. It was a 30 mile ride to Montrose.

I arrived and the usual routine of shooting the breeze was well underway in the parking lot. Team Strange members were working hard to get everyone registered. Hats off to those guys. Eddie and the rest know how to run this event. All kinds of bikes and all kinds of ideas are running through my head of what to do this winter. Got to chat with a few before the meeting started and the introductions started. Dinner was served and then it was down to business, the reason we were all there. The packets were handed out. Everyone opened them at the same time except for Will Outlaw who was ordered to wait. ;) After that you would have thought the race was on because everyone piled on their bikes and they were gone. The place was cleared out in about 30 minutes. I packed up and headed the 30 miles back to the hotel. Lesson learned, get a hotel that's closer or you'll be up half the night planning your route.

I got back to the hotel and busted out the maps and the laptop. This was my first time and getting a system down was my goal of the night besides deciding on a route. It took me about 2 hours to decide on a route but only because it took me over an hour to find all of the places that were marked as bonus stops. I stayed up until 2:00 am and about that time I kicked myself in the ass and told myself to pick one of the routes I knew I could do, screw the points, and worry about finishing. I decided on a route, ripped up my maps into what I needed, marked my route, loaded the GPS and went to bed. Four hours of sleep and I was up packed and out the door by 7:00.

I arrived back in Montrose after the 30 mile ride. Did I mention get a hotel that's close? However my ride today would make that 30 miles seem like a ride to the mailbox and back. Team Strange greeted people as they came in to make sure you were ready to check in because after that there's no leaving the parking lot until the start. HA! I sure as hell ain't goin' back to my f'in hotel again. So I was checked in and the next meeting started soon after that. The next packet was handed out and I thought to myself "not again". Crap, it better not take me 2 hours to do this. I checked all points and decided that even though there were big points to be had elsewhere I was sticking to my route and I would be able to pick up a couple more spots along the route I had chosen. Good enough I thought and it was time to leave. I packed the bike and got ready for the horn. 10:00 am came, the siren sounded, and like a pack of caged dogs everyone shot out of the parking lot like their ass was on fire. It would be cool to watch an aerial video of the bikes leaving. Everyone shooting out at the same time headed in every direction.

It was 20 to 30 miles before Minneapolis and the interstate. It was nerve racking to have to wait to get to the interstate but it was nice to know I was riding with experienced riders who knew how to behave and keep it under control. Obviously everyone is in a hurry but keeping it safe was on everyone's mind too. Remember it's just a plaque people. Soon enough we were on I-94 and everyone fanned out again. Soon I was alone as I decided to head straight through the city on 94. I think I made the right decision because I never had to really slow down for anything. The city was behind me, no other bikes in sight, and I was off to Wisconsin to collect my first bonus at the Highground outside Neillsville. Convenient since I was just there the weekend before so I knew exactly what I needed to do. It was good for my first stop to help me worry about my routine instead of worrying about finding it and collecting the right information. I wrote down "Vietnam Vets Motorcycle Club WI USA" off of the concrete pillar second from the right in the parking lot at the Highground and I was off to the next stop. Got it. Next?

The next stop was a special geographical location in northern Wisconsin. It's the intersection 90 degrees longitude and 45 degrees latitude. Half way between the equator and the north pole and 45 degrees from Greenwich, England. It's a unique location and there's only, I guess, 8 of them in the world and some are underwater. Take the trip and check your GPS. I almost missed this one twice before I spotted it. Lesson learned, don't focus on the road so hard when you're looking for something that probably isn't ON the road. Appleton was my next stop so I set the next waypoint in the GPS and off I went.

The GPS sent me down the wrong road or I flat out missed it but overall it only delayed me about 15 minutes or so. I got to Appleton after another gas stop and found the cemetary with relative ease. Lesson learned, if you can locate the exact location in your GPS mark that. It makes navigating urban areas easier. The cemetary was in Streets and Trips and I was able to mark it as a waypoint in the GPS. The bonus was to find the unusual tool in the Saddler gravesite. Well it's the first marble drinking fountain I've seen and it's in a gravesite on top of that so I'm guessing that's it. Next waypoint is Dundee Wisconsin and time to move on.

I've been to Dundee quite a few times and always stop for gas across from where the bonus location was. Lesson learned, read the bonus sheets over and over again. Team Strange provides pretty good directions and they don't try and play mind games or tricks on you. That would be just plain mean after 20+ hours on the road but I wouldn't put it past them so be prepared anyway. ;) I found the bonus and the picture under the door on a rock in the park across the street from the gas station. I never knew that was there. Who the hell finds this crap? The picture was of Dundee Catholic Church #5. I think I forgot to put the door down. Sorry! If someone goes through Dundee put it back down for me please. Thanks.

The next point was the Clown Hall of Fame in downtown Milwaukee. This I knew would be harder but I forgot about Summerfest going on so it was going to be even harder. Luckily I knew enough side streets to help me out and let the GPS do the rest. It took 45 minutes to collect that one but it was worth the points because I knew I got the photo I needed of the entrance. Getting out of downtown was easy if you knew the right way and hitting a Culvers for the cheese curds bonus was something I wasn't going to miss. Only hot food I had that day but I saved the rest to give to Team Strange in case my receipt didn't hold up. ;) I figured I could start a food fight if they didn't give me the points. I started snacking and looking at my sheets. Did I mention I was cruising down the interstate? Yep, lesson learned, don't read, eat, and ride at the same time. Lost page 4 of my bonus stops!!! Dammit. Turn around and look and look and look. Nothing! Dammit! Call Team Strange and ask if I can get the bonus points if I know what to get but don't have the sheet. Sure dumbass! They didn't say that but that's what I thought to myself before I called. Nope, I needed the sheet. Hung up the phone and looked at my stops. You didn't have anything ON page 4. DUMBASS! Why aren't you 50 miles down the road. So much for the time I made up in the morning. It's all gone now so get moving.

Rolled into Grand Detour Illinois just before dusk. What a great road, Hwy 2. I highly recommend heading there for a quick stop and you can jump back on the interstate just south or west of there once you're ready to head out again. The bonus stop was to get a picture of the sign at the gate entrance of John Deere Historic Site. I found the site without issue and pulled up by the sign to take the picture. I thought about the "gate" mentioned in the description but interpreted that as the entrance and took the picture. Then I was off for Iowa as it started to grow dark. I would find out later that I didn't take the right picture and lost the points. Ugh.

Riverside Iowa had a town celebration going on which didn't hinder my efforts to find the Starship Enterprise mock up on a wheels sitting in the park across from the gas station. I actually enjoyed having people out and having a good time with music in the background. It was a welcomed scene after being alone on the bike for 12 hours. Thought William Shatner had something to do with this town but I guess not. He was born in Montreal Quebec. Anyway it was over to Grinnell Iowa to check out a bank constructed by the person who instructed Frank Lloyd Wright. The bank had a lot of great and interesting features with winged lions on either side of the door and ornate metal work covered the entrance way. Taking it in I wrote down the answers to the questions on the bonus sheet, set in my next way point, and off I went. At the bank I met up with two other riders who were winding down for the night and we thought staying together for the next stop was a good idea because it looked like it may be hard to find. We were right.

The instructions to the 10-story high tree house were good but it was still difficult to find the road. I thought if this thing is suppose to have lights on it we should be able to see if from a distance but that would turn out to not be true. The lights were dim and blocked by some tall trees. The question was to name this site. It was an RV campground so I took that as the answer and decided to leave my temporary riding partners and headed for my last bonus in southern Minnesota. It was another jewel box bank in Owatonna. On the way there I knew I would need gas. I started looking and realized if there wasn't a gas station in the next 10 miles there wouldn't be another until Mason City and I would be screwed. The gas can that was taken because of the rally rules went through my mind at that point but Eddie wasn't around to yell at so I pressed on and luck would have it that I found a gas station. At this point it was 4:00 am and I was ready for some sleep but I made it to Owatonna with not a lot of effort so I let the GPS guide the way and when it said "destination on right" I stopped the bike, looked to the right and there was the bank. Thank YOU! I wrote down the answer for the number of windows above the night deposit box and headed for the interstate to find a truck stop.

A couple exits down the road and I found a truck stop. I knew I couldn't sleep outside so a truckstop chair/couch was the only option for me. I walked in got a receipt for my start time then found the lounge. The TV was on and one trucker was smoking in the lounge. On any other night I wouldn't be able to sleep but I had a feeling it wasn't going to be a problem tonight. I talked some with the trucker but I think he could tell I was there to sleep so he left me alone. I didn't mean to be rude but I wasn't going to stay awake for long so I set the Screamin' Meanie for 3 hours and I was out like a light. I woke up 2 and a half hours later and killed the Meanie before it started screamin'. It took me a while to get my bearings. I must have looked like warmed over death. My eyes were bloodshot but only in a line across my eyes since it was from the wind with my eyes half open. The girls working the counter kept looking at me probably thinking who is this freak stumbling around a truckstop at 8:00 am with a snowmobile suit on. I didn't care and it was time for me to get my receipt and roll out with a sure 4000 points in my pocket.

2 hours to get back and after an hour it started to rain. 30 minutes in the rain and I rolled into Montrose behind of few other riders. I made it! I made my goal. I executed the route I planned, in the time I planned, and even managed to add a few stops to the route along the way. I waited for some of the people I met to come rolling in but would find out that the Wisconsin State Patrol took issue to their riding pace. Nothing bad but enough to cause them the dreaded DNF. I felt bad when I heard the news but knew there was always next year. Everyone survived in one piece and that was more important than a plaque. The deadline was reached, lunch was served and the awards started.

The women this year would show us all how it's done. Carrie Hanson taking the Sport/Sport Touring class and Deb Nimz taking the Standard. Expert next year for both of you ladies. Hats off to both of them. John Coons would take the overall home with 45021 points and 1550 miles. Then there's Hootis. I met Paul at the rally and got to talk with him some. He's another mechanic from Donahue's HD and he had to work that day so he couldn't start until 3:00 pm that afternoon. Before he left the morning meeting though he fixed one rider's bike and that rider ended up finishing. However Hootis wasn't done. He left at 3:00 pm and headed west. He collected 22284 points and rode 1118 miles. Kick ass Paul! That's motivation. I rode all day and only rode about 60 miles more than Paul and he finished 4th in the rookie class. Way to go. It was great to see his earlier good deeds pay off for him. For those that don't believe in ying and yang you might want to reconsider it. For me I'll take my 17397 points and 1181 miles and go home with a lot of memories, maybe some new friends and plan for next year.

Thanks to Team Strange. You're dedicated and the rally was a great time in my opinion. We'll see what next year holds. Lesson learned, bring mosquito spray next time and leave the gas can at home. ;)

Later,
Curt

Some more pictures before you go. Here's the results page: Minnesota 1000 2004 Results

Is it all touring bikes this year or is it my imagination?	The lot is filling up and it's almost dinner time
The first 3-up ride. Named "Metallic Waste". Yes, they did finish.	And who says Harleys aren't good for running in a rally
Brett and the Barney Glide are ready to roll	Eddie welcomes everyone and then lets someone else lay down the rules
Eddie gets a present. The MN1K logo made from motorcycle chain	The pack is set and waiting for the word "GO!"
The HighGround near Neillsville, WI	So I guess the GPS ain't as accurate as I would like it to be
Jeff and Bill. Always smilin'. Where's your trophy Jeff?	Still in one piece. The yellow mini-skirt looks good though.