Great River Road Ride Report

[ZLTFUL]

Few things in this life are better than a great motorcycle ride with some good friends. Couple that with some good food and conversation and a dash of humor and you have the making for a trip you can tell your kids about someday. Hopefully, the telling can come while taking a similar trip with said children.

The plan was simple. Take a few guys, their bikes, and enough gear to last a weekend and head for the Great River Road. Like every well planned trip, there is bound to be a few unplanned hiccups. Ours started when I received a phone call on Friday morning from Tim advising me that his tire was going to need to be replaced before hitting the road. I told him that we weren’t planning on leaving until around 1 pm and that he had plenty of time to get a tire.
Around 12:15, Troy and his uncle, Jeff, arrived at my house. Troy astride his Harley FLHX and Jeff about his Honda ST1300. Introductions took place and I informed my ride companions of Tim’s bad luck. I then called to check on Tim’s status and left him a voicemail. I gave Troy and Jeff a brief tour and we hung out in the kitchen chatting about all things motorcycle.
Shortly thereafter, Robert arrived on his incredible sounding RC51. He just recently put a set of Sato pipes on it and I have to say this is one of the sexiest sounding bikes I have heard in a long time. The sound when it fires is like a quick solid punch in the chest. I introduced him to our riding mates and gave him the status on Tim. Since I told Tim we weren’t leaving until 1 pm, I gave him the benefit of the doubt and we hung out for a while.
At 1 pm, I called Tim for a status update. He informed me that they had brought an 18 inch rear tire for his bike but that his bike takes a 16 inch rear and it was going to be a couple of hours to get another tire. He told us to go on ahead and he would try to catch up with us at our stop for that night. I gave him the info and we geared up and headed for the road.
After a brief stop in Ankeny for some gas, we headed for Marshaltown on highway 330 to pick up US Highway 30 (The Lincoln Highway) for the trip out to Cedar Rapids. We stopped for gas at Marion, Iowa on the east side of Cedar Rapids. We then hit hwy 151 up to Anamosa (home of the National Motorcycle Museum and a must see attraction, but alas, time was against us and we skipped it this trip). At Anamosa, we struck off eastward on state highway 64 towards our stop for the night in Maquoketa. Highway 64 is a meandering road lined with idyllic farms and freshly harvested fields. It offers some great vistas and is nice for a nice speedy pace. We passed through the town of Baldwin, Iowa but unfortunately, were unable to stop at the Tabor Home Winery and Vineyards. Another great place to stop and visit if you have an hour or 2. The family is very friendly and the samples are out of this world.
We arrived at our destination for the night at Maquoketa, Iowa late in the afternoon and unloaded our gear at the hotel. After a brief break, we got back on the bikes and headed out on highway 62 for the river town of Bellevue, Iowa and a place called Potter’s Mill for dinner.
But first, we headed up into Bellevue State Park to take a look at the area from the scenic overlook 500 feet about the town of Bellevue. The view from this overlook is spectacular and you can see for quite some ways up the Mississippi River. The trees have not yet started to fully change but it is still spectacular. A tug was preparing to make it’s trip through the lock on it’s way upstream hauling barges of coal to some of the power plants that dot the banks of the river.
Heading back down into Bellevue, we hit up Potter’s Mill for dinner. The mill is Iowa’s oldest grist mill and at the height of it’s production in the late 1800s was supplying flour to cities as far away as Chicago, New York, and St. Louis. In the late 1980s, the mill was converted into a restaurant, lounge, and suites. The first floor is an English style pub that is made to feel even more authentic because of the massive stonework and wooden beams that were part of the original construction and can be seen throughout. On the second level is a great restaurant that serves a variety of foods. Most of us went for the all you can eat beer battered Cod dinner while Robert, had to be different and spring for the Alfredo Lasagna…which looked awesome. The fish was great, but sad to say, the initial serving was big enough to fill the 3 of us who went fish up. So much for breaking even on the fish!
After dinner, we rode back to the hotel in Maquoketa with full stomachs and an eager desire to find a warm bed.

On Saturday, we set out for Bellevue again and went back up into the park for some pictures. (to be posted soon…) and then headed south out of Bellevue on US 52 towards Sabula, IA and the crossing to Savanna, IL. We crossed the river and headed north on Illinois hwy 84. We followed the Great River Road up into Galena, IL where we were confronted by a huge traffic jam. Little did we know that this was the weekend of Galena’s annual Oktoberfest. Unfortunately, the rain didn’t rear its ugly head and force us to partake in the consumption of bier and bratwurst. Damn unreliable rain.
After clearing Galena, we continued north into Wisconsin and picked up US 61 outside of East Dubuque. Outside of Potosi, WI we picked up WI Hwy 133 and continued along the river. The views are incredible alternating between sweeping vistas of the Mississippi and climbs up into the bluffs flanking the river. Once north of Prairie Du Chien, the Great River Road hugs the river banks rather closely and provides for some spectacular views with water on your left and shear rock faces on your right. One lesson learned along this stretch was to not always believe the Road Closed signs. Sometimes, you get lucky and find virgin blacktop with no traffic and some of the better views on the trip.
We continued north through La Crosse and up through Trempeleau and Pepin, WI. Finally, we crossed over the river again at Red Wing Minnesota and started looking for a hotel. We were surprised to find that the hotels in Red Wing were booked solid as the Red Wing Art Festival was underway. After some hotel directory browsing and a couple of phone calls, we were able to find lodging in Zambrota, MN about 20 minutes away. We got to the hotel and got checked in. And not a moment too soon as I was starving and about to fall out of the saddle.
After unloading and securing rooms, we walked across the parking lot to the neighboring sports bar for dinner. I must say, this was one of the best tasting burgers I have had in a very long time. More good food and good conversation. Made even better by the fact that I finally got to find out that my Wolverines had beaten the Boilermakers that day. I could go to bed happy now.

Sunday morning we awoke to find that old man weather had finally caught up with us. A steady drizzle with a few spotty showers had given everything a kind of sleepy chilly demeanor and also brought up a very important problem…Robert has no raingear!
So after checking to see if the town has any place that may sell raingear, we finally decide to make a run for Rochester and to hit up Walmart for some wet weather gear for him. Troy was gracious enough to loan him his rain jacket and even though it SAID Harley Davidson on it, it didn’t make Robert’s bike leak oil or him stop for a beer at every bar he passed. Thanks for the loaner Troy. ;-)
For rain pants, the hotel provided us with a couple of heavy duty garbage bags and a roll of duct tape. And we made a pretty durable pair of pants for him out of it (did you get a pic of that Troy?)
We got checked out of the hotel and loaded up and back on the road. 20 minutes later, we were in Rochester and Troy and Jeff headed for I90 and home while Robert and I decided to grab him some raingear and make out way home in a more indirect route back down the river.

We got Robert geared up and headed south out of Rochester on US Hwy 52. This is a fun road in itself. Nice hilly terrain and great sweeping corners and some nice picturesque downs dot the landscape. The rain was pretty much gone by now and it was just damp with occasional drizzle here and there. Robert and I wicked it up a bit and attacked the road with an eager abandon.
Following US 52, I quickly realized that this was going to take us to Decorah, Iowa. A great down with some nice roads but not the destination I want. So I spot a county highway and head east on it. I am glad I did. Other than the horse piles from the Amish buggies in the area, the road was GREAT. It was county Highway 23 outside of Canton, MN. It winded around and connected with county highway 24 which then spit us out on state route 43. We took that south into the town of Mabel were we stopped for a break and a quick snack.
From Mabel, MN we took state route 44 east to the town of Spring Grove, MN and took route 16 south into Iowa. Route 16 turned into Alamakee county route A16 which led us down into the quaint little town of Dorchester, IA. Outside of Dochester, we picked up state route 76 south into Waukon, IA where we stopped to fuel up and stretch our legs. From Waukon we took state highway 9 east to Lansing, IA.
If you have never been to Lansing, IA, I highly suggest you visit. This picturesque town is right on the river and is a very friendly town with several roads leading out of it that are a motorcyclists dream come true.
Back on the Great River Road, we head south out of Lansing towards the towns of Maquette and MacGregor. The town of MacGregor has one of the best little secrets in Iowa. It is a small restaurant on Main Street called the Twisted Chicken. Words can’t describe how good the food is and the atmosphere is out of this world. Not to mention the town simply feels like late 1800s river boomtown. If you can spend a day or two, do. The town and area attractions speak for themselves.
On the south end of MacGregor, we find another Road Closed sign, and decide to go for it again as this approach has worked well so far this weekend. Sure enough, after about ½ mile of gravel road bed from a resurfacing project, we are back in business with little traffic to deal with.
We continue south along the Great River Road into the town of Guttenberg where we pick up US 52 for the run south into Dyersville, IA (Is this heaven? No. It’s Iowa.). We gas up in Dyersville and hit MacDs for some sustenance and then jump on to US Hwy 20 for the drone to I35 and south to home. The real rain holds off most of the rest of the way home but we are running through drizzle when we stop for gas near Grundy Center. From there, we head west to I35 and then south on I35 towards home. About Ames, the rain hits hard. A car has hydroplaned into the ditch up ahead of us and an officer is on his way to check on the victims. I jump off at my home exit 96 and wave to Robert as he continues south towards Des Moines and his home.

All told, Robert and I did just over 1300 miles according to my odometer. Not a bad run for 2.5 days. The ride and scenery were great. The weather could have been slightly better but all in all, I wouldn’t have given it up for anything. I always talk about the great road in NE Iowa and to be honest, those roads were the best part of it for me. The roads in Illinois and Wisconsin had their own merits but the most fun was had while fully suited in rain gear and blasting through those roads in extreme NE Iowa with the threat of rain ever present.

The equipment held up well. My new Pirelli Corsa Strada impressed me greatly. The grip once scrubbed in was great and the wet grip said volumes about the quality of the tire. The bike itself, I can’t say enough about. Other than wind protection, it did everything well and never complained once. My GPS which because of it being a bottom of the line model, was not much more than a glorified compass but it did what I needed it to do and it got me to roads I knew well.

But the best part of the trip was the company. Three guys who frankly didn’t car what you rode. They only cared that you were riding. The conversations were enjoyable and I would be honored to go on any ride with these three guys again. Thanks for letting me lead Troy, Jeff, and Robert. I know I took a few wrong turns, but they were worth it weren’t they?

Ryan

[CYLax]

Sounds like a great trip mang! Looking forward to the pictures.

[ZLTFUL]

There wasn't many pics. We took advantage of the time riding. But we did get a few good shots and I shot some while riding...even though alot are blurry hehe.

The tire definitely was worth it. I think when the time comes, I am getting another pair of them...now that we know how to spoon them on. >

[hondajunkie]

Great write-up!
Post some pics will ya!

[shagzomatic]

Sounds like a lot of fun. Too bad my college reunion and wedding anniversary happened to fall on this weekend as well. I'd definitely be up for a ride like that next time around.

[stealthy1]

So where's the pics ya slacker?

[ZLTFUL]

Sorry guys. Personal life is a bit in the crapper atm. After nearly 4 years, my fiancee and I have called it quits so I have lost a bit of focus. Please bear with me.

[ZLTFUL]

Tide you over pic...

[stealthy1]

Originally Posted by ZLTFUL

Sorry guys. Personal life is a bit in the crapper atm. After nearly 4 years, my fiancee and I have called it quits so I have lost a bit of focus. Please bear with me.

Sorry to hear that dude.

[ZLTFUL]

[stealthy1]

It looks like the dude all the way to the right is shitting his drawers.
I've been along the river over there...it's very nice scenery....tough luck hitting the overcast days.

[CYLax]

Originally Posted by stealthy1

It looks like the dude all the way to the right is shitting his drawers.

[scotty]

"Quote:
Originally Posted by ZLTFUL
Sorry guys. Personal life is a bit in the crapper atm. After nearly 4 years, my fiancee and I have called it quits so I have lost a bit of focus. Please bear with me.


Sorry to hear that dude."

OK. what happened to Stealthy that he's making sensitive comments? Dude you ok? You hitting male menopause?

[ZLTFUL]

ROFL @ Stealthy comment...


Robert, on the far right was having a great ole time. His is the RC51.
On Sunday, we left the other 2 at Rochester and hit the best roads in Iowa coming back. You think he is grinning in the pic above, you should have seen him when we stopped for gas on Waukon. Both of us had shit eatin' grins on our faces.

Got some more pics but I am being lazy atm...

[rusaccord]

Sounds like a great trip. I spent a few days camping up in MacGregor last year with my then-gf. We went up to see the Effigy Mounds. Great place. The view of the river from the high ground is really something.

Originally Posted by scotty

OK. what happened to Stealthy that he's making sensitive comments? Dude you ok? You hitting male menopause?

Sounds like somebody's itchin to have the oil fiter on his busa loosened.