March 29

Taking the dog for a ride

Everyone has to get in to the act, even the dog. 

When this couple cruised by me on the way up River Road north of Bismarck, I had to do what I could to get their photograph.  Fortunately, they were accommodating and I actually got several pictures.

They weren’t the only ones out for a warm spring day cruise.

River Road is a tree-line winding road that follows the Missouri River north of Bismarck. It joins up with Hwy 1804 which is named for the year the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery went upstream exploring the Louisiana Purchase.  Along the west side of the river is Hwy 1806, the year the Corps came back down the river.

These days, Bismarck-area bikers, not explorers are often on River Road. It’s about 40 miles of very scenic riding, so on a warm spring day, it’s going to be well-traveled.

I positioned myself in a way that I could see bikes coming and going, taking the curves riding through the trees.  I was rewarded with several good shots of riders who know a good spring ride is closer than you think.

March 28

A cold ride in the Badlands

It’s a week in to the official “spring” in North Dakota and bikers are ready to ride even if there is still snow in the Badlands.  I caught these riders on a 50 degree day on Scenic Highway 22 on the southern edge of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. That’s the Little Missouri River in the background under that plain flat jersey barrier bridge that replaced the through-truss bridge that once stood there.

These riders had used up the warm part of the day and now were re-grouping at the pull over between Killdeer and Mandaree.  They were from various parts of the nearby region, mostly from Killdeer and were excited and happy to get out to ride.

It’s an early season ride like this that leathers are not fashion statements, they’re required wearing for warmth.  The chick in the middle with the long reddish-brown hair?  It would have been a miserably cold ride for her, under-dressed as she was.