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Devil's Tower Wyoming

Devil's Tower, Wyoming is pretty isolated, and only reached by a rough, two lane blacktop. The road has plenty of twisties, but the irregular road surface keeps you wondering what is waiting around the next curve.



There were a lot of deer in the area and several darted across the road ahead of me. A friend of mine recently hit a deer with his KLR, (more on that later) so I was hyper-alert that a deer could be waiting around each curve or leap from the side of the road at any moment.


A lot of people love this place, but I would be less than honest to say I found it "awesome" or "spectacular." It was a neat site and I am glad I made the trip, but mountain was not as impressive as I had hoped. If you are in the area, have a look for yourself and I hope you find it completely spectacular. 



On the Road at Mount Rushmore

I am posting from the road in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Yesterday, I had a perfect day for the 25 mile ride from Rapid City up to Mount Rushmore. The ride was sunny and warm with beautiful scenery and as an added bonus, very little traffic this early in the tourist season.

I passed many other bikes during my time in Rapid City, but saw two other KLR's. They were riding together and we exchanged big waves as we passed. Our group is small, but dedicated and it is always good to see other KLR adventurers in a world dominated by cruisers and sport bikes.

If you have never been to Mount Rushmore, it is really worth the trip. Lots to see and do in this area, more than I have time to cover on this visit. Today I am leaving Rapid City for Estes Park, Colorado and Rocky Mountain National Park. Here are few pictures from Mount Rushmore. I will be posting videos later on.








The JNS Engineering KLR 650 Skid Plate

I replaced the KLR's plastic skid plate with the  JNS Engineering skid plate because the JNS was specifically designed to fit with my SW Motech crash bars. I ordered online and the box came with everything needed; the plate, instructions, new stainless steel mounting hardware, even a tube of blue Permatex. Sweet.

Everything you need is in the box.
I liked the JNS skid plate right away. It was a heavy duty, quality, part and the black powder coating was another plus. This plate is a bit taller and longer than the stock skid plate and protects a larger area of your engine. The JNS easily bolted up and as advertised, fit perfectly with the SW Motech bars. This armor plate under my engine added something else I had not counted on.

The difference is night and day.
I stood back to admire the bike with the new skid plate, while still holding the old, plastic, plate. I wondered if anyone on eBay would want it. Just then my wife walked by and paused to look at the bike. She said, "The new one makes it look a lot tougher." I asked, "Do you really think so?" She gave the bike a second look and replied, "Definitely."

I tossed the plastic skid plate into the garbage can.

Oil drain plug is easy to access through the plate.

KLRs at the Hidden Lake

Here are some pictures from a recent ride. This picturesque spot is completely hidden behind some low hills. I discovered the lake on Google maps and had to check it out. The only access is on a narrow, rutted, two-track dirt road that provided a fun hill-climb on the way out.