2014 Sturgis, SD, Day 5, August 5

Rain on my windshield, Highway 385 south

Sash was absolutely giddy like a like a teenage girl getting sandwiched by Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson with all of her high school friends watching with jealousy.

The cause?

Getting to ride the 2015 Indian Scout for a full day.

Of course, it had to rain. Really rain.

The opportunity came because Women Riders Now got a chance to have the new motorcycle for a day for a ride review, and picked Sash to do the honors. Follow WRN to read Sash's review.

Part of the agreement was that Sash would participate in the 6th Annual Biker Belles Ride, a charity event created by The Legendary Buffalo Chip, to show off the bike. Biker Belles Ride is a ride for women that runs from Deadwood to Sturgis, and at the end of the ride they do a charity auction.

I didn't want to do the Biker Belles Ride, so I ran off on my own to check out the Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road, two stretches of pavement that had been suggested to me as among the most technical in the Black Hills.

But alas, the rain.  I was still miles from Needles Highway, but I managed to weather it.  But then it really started to pour. I pulled off, and actually put on my helmet which I had stored in my saddlebag. But as I continued on, everything started to fog up, the windshield, my face shield, and my glasses. The water was soaking through my jacket, and suddenly it wasn't fun anymore.

So, I turned around and figured I would try it again later in the week.

The Biker Belles Ride ended up cancelled for rain too. Stephanie, our Vespa-riding cabin mate had joined Sash, as well as Jennifer, an old friend of Sash's who had ridden out to the Rally. The three of them were stuck at the Convention Center, waiting for the rain to go away.

I eventually joined them there.

Later on in the afternoon, Sash, Stephanie, and I rode back to our cabin in Sturgis.

The three of us were holed up in the cabin when we heard a crash outside. It turned out my Honda ST1300 fell over due to the dirt turning into soft mud. It suffered a broken left-mirror, but that's it. Everyone else in the campground started shoring up their bikes.

Unfortunately for Sash, she didn't get to ride the Indian Scout much today. It was like getting sandwiched by Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson, with all of her high school friends watching, and finding out that they were really only interested in each other.

At least she has a few hours the next morning to put some more miles on it.

Sash picking up the Scout at Indian's storage facility	Breakfast burrito and chai latte at Sturgis Coffee Company	Sash on the new Indian Scout
Sash really loves this new motorcycle and wants one bad	People crowd around the new Indian Scout	I took a ride to Needles Highway and it started raining
Having a beer and burger at Deadwood Dick's Saloon	Sash at the Biker Belle's Ride that got cancelled for rain	Stephanie on her Vespa riding back to our cabin