Heartland Tour

skrider · 01-09-2013, 05:30 PM

Hey everyone,

I'm planning my main bike trip this summer and looking for any advice on this tentative plan:

Day 1 - Regina - Deadwood, SD
Day 2 - Deadwood - Omaha, NB
Day 3 - Omaha - St. Louis, MO
Day 4 - day off
Day 5 - St. Louis - Des Moines, IO
Day 6 Des Moines - Fargo, ND
Day 7 Fargo - Regina

I'll be doing it likely alone on my wee-strom. Has anyone done a similar route before? Am I giving short shrift to the Black Hills? I'm also posting this in the US forum, but I always like advice from fellow Canucks :)

OceanMtnSea · 01-09-2013, 10:20 PM

Went to the Black Hills last summer. Lots of curvy roads

.....you need a few days in the Hills for sure

!

Rest of the pics are here: http://s737.photobucket.com/albums/x...view=slideshow

The only thing I really did not like was the ride from Williston south on #85 to the South Dakota border and the reverse.........as far as i was concerned it was a death race with all the oil trucks. The US has the pressure on to pump oil and speed limits have been sacrificed in the area while they pump that oil field.

There was enough oil-field traffic 24-7 on that stretch of 2-lane highway to keep a 4-lane highway busy when I went through in August. Be real careful on that section of the route and expect oil trucks on your rear tire no matter how fast you dare make that Wee go! .........and take some spare undies along cause they might come in handy

!

Your itinerary looks pretty aggressive for riding................you might want to seriously consider less distance or more time to take in the sights along the way. Also last summer was very hot in that part of the continent and long distance in extreme heat make things much more difficult and fatiguing.

skrider · 01-10-2013, 06:50 PM

Great pics, and fair points. I like to ride from about 6am until 3pm on my big days and spend the afternoon/evening exploring wherever I stop. I went down to Willliston and Dickson for a weekend last summer on the bike and I was SHOCKED at the traffic too. I will avoid if at all possible. That's an accident waiting to happen, and I'm used to truck traffic.

BackRoader · 01-10-2013, 09:01 PM

Did part of your proposed run last year with Rugbyrtc...

We went to Devils Lake, Rugby, McClusky, Bismark and Fargo...returned to Winnipeg.

Spent two days checking out the area. Found a nice little hiway along the Missouri River just north of Bismark...plan to follow it next year to Aberdeen.

A familiar site in southern Sask... got them in North Dakota as well.

One of the stops on Hiway 1804 which runs on the east shore of the Missouri River

The road has some nice sweeping curves as it followed the river. We did not head south of Bismark, saving that for next season. Both 1804 and 1806 track the river.

skrider · 01-11-2013, 06:28 PM

Wow that looks like a great highway. You can take that all the way to Aberdeen?

BackRoader · 01-11-2013, 08:54 PM

Take the 1806 to just a little south of Fort Yates... jog over to McLaughlin and catch #12 to Aberdeen through Mobridge.
I plan on finishing the run next year... two days were not enough, with all the points of interest to visit.

RobbieO · 01-18-2013, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BackRoader

Backroader.....that photo makes me almost want to ride to Winnipeg just to meet you.

Almost......

01-09-2013, 10:20 PM	#2
OceanMtnSea Pretty Dogged Joined: Apr 2010 Location: entering middle Saskatchewan Oddometer: 442	Went to the Black Hills last summer. Lots of curvy roads .....you need a few days in the Hills for sure! Rest of the pics are here: http://s737.photobucket.com/albums/x...view=slideshow The only thing I really did not like was the ride from Williston south on #85 to the South Dakota border and the reverse.........as far as i was concerned it was a death race with all the oil trucks. The US has the pressure on to pump oil and speed limits have been sacrificed in the area while they pump that oil field. There was enough oil-field traffic 24-7 on that stretch of 2-lane highway to keep a 4-lane highway busy when I went through in August. Be real careful on that section of the route and expect oil trucks on your rear tire no matter how fast you dare make that Wee go! .........and take some spare undies along cause they might come in handy! Your itinerary looks pretty aggressive for riding................you might want to seriously consider less distance or more time to take in the sights along the way. Also last summer was very hot in that part of the continent and long distance in extreme heat make things much more difficult and fatiguing. __________________ 2007 BMW Dakar & 2009 Ducati Multistrada entering the middle of the in-land sea called Saskatchewan Canada http://s737.photobucket.com/home/OceanMtnSea OceanMtnSea screwed with this post 01-09-2013 at 10:26 PM

01-10-2013, 09:01 PM	#4
BackRoader Heading There Next Joined: Nov 2007 Location: The PEG, Center of Canada Oddometer: 3,393	Did part of your proposed run last year with Rugbyrtc... We went to Devils Lake, Rugby, McClusky, Bismark and Fargo...returned to Winnipeg. Spent two days checking out the area. Found a nice little hiway along the Missouri River just north of Bismark...plan to follow it next year to Aberdeen. A familiar site in southern Sask... got them in North Dakota as well. One of the stops on Hiway 1804 which runs on the east shore of the Missouri River The road has some nice sweeping curves as it followed the river. We did not head south of Bismark, saving that for next season. Both 1804 and 1806 track the river. __________________ 2011 BMW R1200GS Triple Black, 2010 HD Heritage Softail, 1983 Yamaha RZ350, 1978 Yamaha XS650 SE,1967 Honda CD125. BackRoader screwed with this post 01-10-2013 at 09:07 PM

01-11-2013, 08:54 PM	#6
BackRoader Heading There Next Joined: Nov 2007 Location: The PEG, Center of Canada Oddometer: 3,393	Take the 1806 to just a little south of Fort Yates... jog over to McLaughlin and catch #12 to Aberdeen through Mobridge. I plan on finishing the run next year... two days were not enough, with all the points of interest to visit. __________________ 2011 BMW R1200GS Triple Black, 2010 HD Heritage Softail, 1983 Yamaha RZ350, 1978 Yamaha XS650 SE,1967 Honda CD125.

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01-09-2013, 05:30 PM	#1
skrider ^OP 2011 Strom Joined: Feb 2012 Location: Regina Oddometer: 33	Heartland Tour Hey everyone, I'm planning my main bike trip this summer and looking for any advice on this tentative plan: Day 1 - Regina - Deadwood, SD Day 2 - Deadwood - Omaha, NB Day 3 - Omaha - St. Louis, MO Day 4 - day off Day 5 - St. Louis - Des Moines, IO Day 6 Des Moines - Fargo, ND Day 7 Fargo - Regina I'll be doing it likely alone on my wee-strom. Has anyone done a similar route before? Am I giving short shrift to the Black Hills? I'm also posting this in the US forum, but I always like advice from fellow Canucks :)

01-10-2013, 06:50 PM	#3
skrider ^OP 2011 Strom Joined: Feb 2012 Location: Regina Oddometer: 33	Great pics, and fair points. I like to ride from about 6am until 3pm on my big days and spend the afternoon/evening exploring wherever I stop. I went down to Willliston and Dickson for a weekend last summer on the bike and I was SHOCKED at the traffic too. I will avoid if at all possible. That's an accident waiting to happen, and I'm used to truck traffic.

01-11-2013, 06:28 PM	#5
skrider ^OP 2011 Strom Joined: Feb 2012 Location: Regina Oddometer: 33	Wow that looks like a great highway. You can take that all the way to Aberdeen?