Random road trip notes

The mind comes up with a few thoughts while driving long distances.

The people in Montana are very friendly. As a Canadian I think Americans get a bit of a bad rap. Everyone I ran across in Montana during my brief zip through on July 30, 2016 were very nice. When I stopped at the side of the road to take photos I was asked if I needed help. I got gas and some guy on the way to the lake starting chatting me up. The lady working at the gas station was very pleasant. The Hutterites at their little produce stand in Harlem were very helpful. I do not think you can get lost in Montana. Someone will be by shortly to help you out.

Bugs. Lots and and lots of bugs. Big bugs as well. I killed lots of them with the motorcycle. I killed so many the insect world must have a contract out on me.

Weather can change quickly. I lucked out and missed two storms. Do not count on the forecast.

Wind is murder on the gas mileage. Sometimes I was down about ten miles per gallon.

Border guards at the US border crossings are a bit officious. Everyone is not out to inflict havoc on the US. Especially Montana. It would take a terrorist a few weeks to find something to attack. That is not meant as a slur, there is a lot of empty space in Montana and it would take time to find out where everything is.

When you are on the road time can seem to move a different speeds. There is the distance that the road map says. Travelling in real time you feel like you arrived in no time at all. I expected some places would take a lot of time to get there. Most of the time I made it with plenty of time. On the map everything seemed so far away, in person the opposite seemed true.

You see lots of guys on motorcycles with their wife or girlfriend on the back. You never see this reversed.

My 2006 Suzuki Burgman 650 got some attention. Some of it was the "What the hell is that thing that is passing me . . . " variety. When I stopped for gas I had one person in a friendly and polite way grill me on the motorcycle. He had never seen one before and wanted to know all about it. Technically it is a scooter.

People are honest. I carry spare gas in a small jerrycan strapped to the back of the bike. When I was in a hotel room I left it full outside on the ground beside the motorcycle overnight. I am definitely not going to bring a gallon of gas into a hotel room. Each morning it was exactly where I left it.

Places close early in very small towns.

The highways that I encountered in Montana were very good. 

My motorcycle may take some time to forgive me for subjecting it to all of the bugs and questionable Saskatchewan roads.

Other bikers are pretty friendly. No matter what they were riding if there were other bikers at any place I stopped they all engaged in some conversation.