Road Trip

Welcome to Part 4/4 of our 18-day cross-country motorcycle trip on a Honda Goldwing from Annapolis, Maryland, to Seattle, Washington. We did a one-way rental through EagleRider.  The trip took place at the end of August. If you want to start at the beginning, see Part 1.

Cross Country Motorcycle Trip Google Map

Day 13: Billings, MT to Pony, MT

Miles: 210
Ride Time (Not including stops): 5 hours

We left Billings and took Old US-10 to Bozeman, MT. Most of the route followed close to the highway, but it brought us into small towns that we otherwise would have driven right by. We stopped to get a treat at the Sweet Grass Pharmacy and Old Fashioned Soda Fountain in Big Timber, MT, talked to the friendly owner for a few minutes, and then continued to Livingston, MT, for lunch at Neptune’s. I highly recommend Neptune’s. If we had extra time, I would have liked to stay in Livingston, but I was more excited to get to Pony, MT, for the night.

Where is Pony, MT? We got that question a lot in Montana. I read a blog about the best small-town bars in America, and that’s how I found the Pony Bar. We had to go a little off-route to get there, but isn’t that what road trips are about? Finding the hidden gems. 

I found a unique Airbnb in town called the Pony Jail. It was the only accommodation in the small town of just over 100 people. We walked over to the Pony Bar and spent the evening talking to locals and playing pool. They also had great food, which they proved by being a hotspot for side-by-side.

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Maple Moose Coffee and Pop Shop (Billing, MT)
Neptunes Tap House (Livingston, MT)
Sweet Grass Pharmacy and Old Fashioned Soda Fountain (Formerly Cole Drug) (Big Timber, MT)
Pony Bar (Pony, MT)
Pony Jail Airbnb (Pony, MT)

Day 14: Pony, MT to Missoula, MT

Miles: 232
Ride Time (Not including stops): 4.5 Hours

We were officially out of the plains. Today was one of the prettiest rides through several national forests. We took M-1 to M-271 into Missoula, MT, stopping at the Big Bull and getting a Huckleberry shake at Stoney’s Qwik Stop. Cliff was excited that he could park the motorcycle on the curb in front of the hotel. We walked by the river, rode the carousel, checked out a local brewery, and ate dinner. We also did much-needed laundry at the hotel. 

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Mountain View Coffee (Butte, MT)
Tamarack Brewery (Missoula, MT)
Top Hat Restaurant (Missoula, MT)
Big Bull and Milk Shakes – Stoney’s Qwik Stop (Clearwater, MT) 
A Carousel for Missoula (Missoula, MT)
Residence Inn Missoula (Missoula, MT)

Day 15: Missoula, MT to Coeur D’Alene, ID

Miles 233
Ride Time (Not including stops) 4.5 Hours

First, get breakfast at Market on Front in Missoula. So good and worth the wait. 

Another beautiful ride today. We took the MT-200 through the mountains and along the Clark Fork River into Sandpoint, ID. We stopped in Paradise, MT, to see the only surviving metal fire escape slide. The children would slide from the second floor to the ground in a fire. Sandpoint was the quintessential beach town. If you have extra time, it would be worth staying a night. From there, we continued into Coeur d’Alene, ID. Our hotel was a little ways away from the downtown area, a renovated old motel. There was a brewery and an ice cream shop across the street. It was perfect after a long day. 

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Market on Front (Missoula, MT)
Big Eddy’s (and Tacos) (Thompson Falls, MT)
CDA Cider Company (Coeur d’Alene, ID)
Metal Fire Escape Tube (Paradise, MT)
North Idaho Inn (Coeur d’Alene)

Day 16: Coeur D’Alene, ID to Methow, WA

Miles: 210
Ride Time (Not including stops): 5 hours

We originally planned to stay in Leavenworth, WA, but received a last-minute invite to stay with a friend we hadn’t seen in a while. Home cooking and a fantastic view—yes, please. We did stop to take a picture with Wilbur from Charlotte’s Web.

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Wilbur the Pig (Wilbur, WA)

Day 17: Methow, WA to Seattle, WA

Miles: 201
Ride Time (Not including stops): 4.5 Hours

Today was our last official day of riding. We left our friend’s early in the morning. We stopped in Leavenworth, WA, for lunch. It is a Dutch town, and I recommend stopping or even staying the night. We continued on WA-2 over Steven’s Pass for one last scenic ride before Seattle. When we hit the pass, the temperature plummeted 20 degrees with light rain and we pulled over to put on our rain gear, mainly for the cold. We were fortunate as this was only the second time I wore my rain gear the whole trip. 

Our waiter at lunch suggested getting off at Skykomish, WA and riding up W Old Cascade Highway. It’s 4 miles out and back but scenic and ends at an old bridge. It is the original WA-2. I love following old roads, so I wish we had time, but we were already rushing to Seattle to meet family. 

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Larch Brunch Company (Leavenworth, WA)
EagleRider Seattle (Seattle, WA)

Day 18: Seattle, WA

Sadly, we had to return our motorcycle this morning. We dropped it off at EagleRider in Seattle. The drop-off was seamless. 

I hope we inspired you to do a ride you have been thinking about. Most people don’t realize you can rent a motorcycle. We met many people who talked about wanting to do a ride but didn’t know how to get their bike there. Please check out Parts 1-3 and follow along for more information coming soon. And please reach out if you have any questions. Check out our Google map, our route and every stop we made.

Total Miles: 3451

Start from the beginning of the trip here. Looking for Tips and Tricks? Check out Ten Tips for a Cross-Country Motorcycle Trip.

Welcome to Part 3 of our 18-day cross-country motorcycle trip. If you want to start at the beginning, see Part 1. This was the section of the journey where having flexibility was necessary, which we did, thankfully.

Cross Country Motorcycle Trip Google Map

Day 8: Le Mars, IA to Murdo, SD

Miles: 293
Ride Time (Not including stops): 4.5 hours

Today was windy, and the weather was the warmest we encountered on the trip. We took back roads up to Mitchell, SD and I-90. We got to Mitchell right at 1100. We checked out the Corn Palace and got some lunch. We broke up the ride with several roadside attractions. From there, the route ran parallel to the highway to Murdo, SD, so we jumped on the I90. We broke up the ride with several roadside attractions. We stopped in Murdo, SD, because it was 300 miles from Le Mars, but we saved a lot of time since we had jumped on the highway. Murdo was a ghost town, and we ate gas station food for dinner. We recommend continuing to Wall, SD, where there are a lot of restaurants and hotels. 

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Corn Palace (Mitchell, SD)
Dignity of Earth and Sky (Chamberlain, SD)
Westbound Tiny Church, I90, SD
South Dakota Tractor Museum (Kimball, SD)

Day 9: Murdo, SD to Sturgis, SD

Miles: 200
Ride Time (Not including stops): 3.5 hours

The plan for today was to visit the famous Wall Drug when it opened and then explore the Badlands before heading to Sturgis to meet my friends and start my birthday celebration. Wall Drug is well-known for its free ice water, with 300 billboards stretching from Minnesota to Wyoming. As mentioned above, we wished we had continued to Wall the day before. I had been there fifteen years ago, and there was nothing but Wall Drug. Now the place has many bars, restaurants and shopping. 

After, we headed into the Badlands. We discovered that the route we planned to take was a dirt road, so we had to take a detour. It added an hour, but the road was more curvy and fun than our original route. 

When we arrived in Sturgis the week after the rally, I didn’t realize that many bars had closed down to recover from the rally, and the open ones had limited menus. We went to Deadwood, SD, where everything was still open. We also didn’t realize that taxis were also on a break. Thankfully, my friend had rented a car. You should check out Deadwood. My birthday night got fuzzy after that, and most of us spent the next day recovering. 

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Badlands National Park, SD
Saloon 10 (Deadwood, SD)
Kevin’s Place Airbnb (Sturgis, SD)
Wall Drug (Wall, SD)

Day 10: Sturgis, SD

I say most of us because we had some mechanical issues, and Cliff had to spend the day dealing with them. Two to three days before Sturgis, our bike had a few episodes of losing power and being hard to start. It always fixed itself after a few minutes, but it had been more frequent. Thankfully, we made it to Sturgis without any severe issues. 

No one wants to have any problems, but after riding a motorcycle across the country 1700 miles, we assumed we might have weather, mechanical issues, etc. We had planned some buffer days in Seattle at the end of the trip.

If a mechanical issue could be a positive experience, this was. We contacted EagleRider on a Sunday morning. They were amazing. They worked with a local dealership to get the bike in early the following day. They overnighted the part, and we were back on the road within a day. EagleRider was on top of it. They were constantly in contact with us and the dealership, ensuring everything was being handled. They made the whole process stress-free if that was even possible. Although you never want to rent a vehicle and have it break down, we will continue to rent from Eagle Rider and highly recommend them. The customer service was top-notch.  

Day 11: Rapid City, SD

I had wanted to stop in Rapid City, so this delay worked out. We were still in recovery mode, but we checked out downtown. Starting in Mitchell, SD, we would see a fire truck every few miles on the side of the road advertising Fire House Brewery. The advertising worked. We asked the bartender, and the fire trucks start in Sioux Falls, SD, and include a Smokejumper plane. The company owns several restaurants in the Rapid City area, including a winery. 

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Fire House Brewing Co. (Rapid City, SD)
Fire House Wine Cellars (Rapid City, SD)
World’s Largest Quarter Pounder (Rapid City, SD)

Day 12: Rapid City, SD to Billings, MT

Miles 336
Ride Time (Not including stops): 6.5 hours

Today was a very long, windy day. We didn’t have a choice.  I had only seen one hotel on the map, which was already booked. If you plan a long road trip and avoid highways as much as possible, be prepared for sections where accommodations are scarce. It was ok because I looked forward to our next stop, Pony, MT.

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Asylum Distillery (Billings, MT)
Stacked – A Montana Grill  (Billings, MT)
Geographic Center of The Nation Monument (Belle Fourche, SD)

Start from the beginning of the trip here. Looking for Tips and Tricks? Check out Ten Tips for a Cross-Country Motorcycle Trip.

Cross Country Motorcycle Trip Google Map

Welcome to Part 2 of our 18-day cross-country motorcycle trip on a Honda Goldwing from Annapolis, Maryland, to Seattle, Washington. The trip took place at the end of August. If you want to start at the beginning, see Part 1.

We reached Iowa on day four and quickly realized “Iowa Nice” was real. Expect to spend an extra 5 minutes at any gas station or rest stop. Be prepared for a lot of corn and wind. We were constantly fighting the wind through the Midwest.

Cross Country Motorcycle Trip Google Map

Day 4: Champaign, IL to Davenport, IA

Miles: 200
Ride Time (Not including stops):  4.5 hours

We detoured to Davenport, IA, for one reason: I wanted to see Iowa 80, the World’s Biggest Truckstop. You could skip Davenport altogether to save some time, but how do you do a cross-country motorcycle trip and not stop?

We skipped I-74 and rode up US-150 toward Bloomington, IL. We stopped at Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz’s Grave and Statue. I love quirky roadside attractions. The statue was in an actual cemetery. Riding a motorcycle up to and through a graveyard felt strange, but we were not the first with the way the groundskeepers didn’t give us a sideways glance. 

After Bloomington, we finally moved away from the interstate. We continued on US-150 up to Peoria, IL, got on IL-29 and started following the Illinois River. We stopped for lunch at the Moon Tower Bar in Chillicothe, IL. Cliff gets credit for this random find. It is your typical biker bar but sitting on the Illinois River. The view is impressive, the food is good, and the beer is cheap. It was a perfect lunch spot on our trip. We continued along Route 29 as long as we could before we headed west to Davenport, IA.

We had to drive through downtown Davenport to our hotel, the Baymont by Wyndham, but it placed us only a few miles from tomorrow’s stop at Iowa 80. The bright blue building was down a dead-end side street, and the area appeared rundown but was clean. No one bothered the bike, plus we could see it from our room.

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Moon Tower Bar (Chillicothe, IL) https://www.themoontowerbar.com/
Baymont (Days Inn) by Wyndham (Davenport, IA)
Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz’s Grave and Statue (Bloomington, IL)

Day 5: Davenport, IA, to Winterset, IA

Miles: 200
Ride Time (Not including stops): 4 hours

We started the day at the World’s Biggest Truckstop: Iowa 80. We didn’t realize it, but we spent 3 hours there, so be prepared. Make sure to check out the Truck Museum. We exited Iowa 80 onto US-61 S and headed toward Columbus Junction, IA, before heading west on IA-92 to Winterset, IA. We stopped at the Swinging Bridge Park to get out of the sun. It was a perfect way to stretch the legs and is very shaded, but they do not have bathrooms but have picnic tables if you want to bring lunch.

We stopped in Winterset, IA, and stayed at the Cobblestone Inn and Suites. It was a small hotel that felt family-run. There was a small bar with complimentary breakfast, and they had laundry. Plus, since we had a first-floor room, we could park the motorcycle right near the room. Although the hotel was on IA-92, it was a short walk from Winterset’s downtown area to get food.

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Iowa 80 Truckstop (Walcott, IA)
Swinging Bridge Park (Columbus Junction, IA)
Cobblestone Inn and Suites (Winterset, IA)

Day 6 and 7: Winterset, IA to Le Mars, IA

Miles: 200
Ride Time (Not including stops): 3.5 hours

We wove our way northwest to Le Mars, IA, where we planned to stay for two nights. We stopped at the Templeton Distillery. Even though Cliff couldn’t enjoy the whiskey, the area was beautiful and a nice place to stretch our legs. We stopped in Carroll, IA, for lunch, then took US-71 to Sac City, IA.

Sac City, IA, is a small town with quirky stops, making it a great place to stretch your legs. We passed a vintage gas station collection and pulled over a few miles up the road at the World’s Biggest Popcorn Ball. There is a small park behind it where you can walk around, plus it is right across from a gas station.

We stayed in Le Mar’s for two nights. I highly recommend planning a few 2-day stops on the trip. You might not think you need it, but riding all day, especially in the wind, can be tiring after a while. Le Mars is a small town in Iowa that happens to be the Ice Cream Capital of the world. We stayed at the Inn on Central. The six guest rooms are above an art studio and have private parking behind the hotel. It has a kitchenette with a fridge and a grocery store next door if you are sick of restaurant food. It was also an opportunity to do some much-needed laundry. Check out Iowa BBQ Company for fantastic BBQ. Then, get a beer at Wise I Brewing. Check out their food truck schedule. A food truck served tasty Thai food the day we were there.

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Wasted Grain (Carroll, IA)
Vintage Gas Station and Sign Memorabilia (Sac City, IA) – 620 E Main St, Sac City, IA 50583
World’s Largest Popcorn Ball (Sac City, IA)
Templeton Distillery (Templeton, IA)
Inn on Central (Le Mars, IA)
Iowa BBQ Company (Le Mars, IA)
Wise I Brewing (Le Mars, IA)

Start at the beginning with Part 1. Remember to check out our Google Map for our exact route and stops.