Day 10: Benito, MB to Willingston, ND

Like the ride from Billings to Swift Current, there isn't much to see. But there were some colorful fields.

I crossed the border with fewer issues than any other time coming across with the Gold Wing. Perhaps the guards were more impressed with Trigger than they had been with Lucille. Williston has been taken over by the fracking industry. The only room I could find was a brand new motel north of the city. When I looked it up on Google Earth all it showed was a bare patch of ground. Apparently, the most recent satellite pass occurred when they were just building. The room was functional, and the towels were soft. They let me park Trigger right outside my window between the curb and the building. When I took the rain cover off the next morning a bat had taken up residence under the bike.  Weird. North Dakota doesn't have much for tourism.

Two weeks in Benito

Deb, along with her sister Marilyn and Arnold Staples were at their home in Benito to greet me when I arrived. Our room is in the basement. It is cool and dark. The best place to sleep...or grow mushrooms. We have a new niece, Emmaley, to show off.

Here she is with her proud grandmother, Marilyn.

And if we haven't bragged about this newborn enough, here is one with Deb's left ear.

I was able to play some great golf at Madge Lake. It has 10 holes on the front side and 8 on the back. Check out the water hazard on the approach to #10.

My niece Keitha has a great friend, Nick, who took me to play golf twice at Madge Lake. It is amazing how much a little course knowledge helps the play. Here is Nick's shot on 18.

Nick should consider joining the tour...the beer tour. His score is related to the number of beer remaining in the cooler.

But it is time to head back toward home. Deb is flying out of Regina, and I want to swing through the Black Hills on the ride home. Heading home at the end of vacation is the worst. Vacation is nearly done, except for the work needed to get home.

Day 9: Swift Current, SK to Benito, MB

Finally, I'll have a bed for more than one night! The ride from Swift Current to Regina was hard. A strong wind out of the north had me riding at an angle, and kept pushing my helmet to the right. My neck was getting tired keeping my face on the road. I stopped in Moose Jaw at the Subway for a sandwich, but my mind was on getting to Benito as fast as possible. This part of the country is great for growing grain. But it isn't a great place to take pictures.

Day 8: Billings, WY to Swift Current, SK

I was concerned that Trigger has a problem in the front forks. The front forks, on both sides are leaking fluid. I'm getting spatter on my boots, and it is collecting on the header guard I put on before I left Andrews. If I hadn't put this guard on the fluid would be spattering on the header and making smoke. I cleaned off the spatter. There isn't much I can do until I get to a Ducati dealership to deal with this leak. Stay calm and carry on.

 This is the most boring part of the trip. When I get to the top of a hill, the next hill is 20 miles away. I had to get off Trigger several times because I get drowsy. There wasn't much to take pictures of except this abandoned grain hauler just after I crossed the international border.

I hooked up with my nephew Boyd and his lovely wife Nichole in Swift Current before hitting the sack for a much needed rest. Damn, these long flat rides suck the energy right out of you.