The Suckers and Losers Tour 2020 - Three Shipmates Ride Again
Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2020 11:13 pm
Forty years ago we rode the waves aboard the favorite ship of my career, the USS Joseph Strauss DDG-16
Once known as "The Fastest Ship in Pearl Harbor" with a speed of 35.7 knots.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Joseph_Strauss
I was the Weapons Officer, Robert (Burt) Upchurch was the Main Propulsion Assistant, and Mark Bauer was the Communications Officer.
L to R - Me, Bauer, Upchurch.
Burt has long been a motorcyclist, on the order of Abercrombie FJR, a confirmed bachelor, he has three motorcycles in his living room, has eight or ten depending upon if you count the Norton's in boxes in the basement, and has long been the President of the Washington DC Norton Owners Club. His ride for this adventure was a '14 BMW GS "Superba" as in "superb". This was my first time riding with Burt.
Mark, worked in the Cellular industry and did rather well. Mark , also a long time rider, is also a pilot. He recently sold his T-28 and purchased a T-34 which he flies around his home in Tuscon and in airshows around the country. Mark was on a brand new BMW R1250 GS HP. Mark rode with me to Inuvik in 2017. Mark named the trip.
Kip Walker, Marks step-brother, also rode with Mark and I to Inuvik in 2017 aboard the infamous Buell, Kip was a soldier long ago. On this trip he was aboard his Triumph 850 Tiger.
Day 1 - Spearfish to Laramie WY
Day 2 - Laramie WY to Alamosa CO down the spine of the Rockies
Day 3 - a loop ride out of Alamosa - to Chama NM for breakfast and a rendezvous with the "Commo" then a circuitous route to Taos for lunch and back to Alamosa over a little bit of gravel.
Day 4 - Alamosa CO to East Portal, deep in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
The Relive operator screwed the pooch today.
somehow the pause button got pushed early in the day 
We left Alamosa about 0800 and took a rambling route to the East Portal. Highlights of the ride were lunch in Lake City, The North Rim of the Black Canyon, and some great roads and scenery along the way.
Day 5 - East Portal to Moab via the Grand Mesa, CO 141 through Gateway and South to Naturita then 92 to 191 to Moab
Day 6 - Arrividerci to the Boys at 0630 - Moab to Spearfish via Grand Junction for petrol, Rifle for a Burrito, Rawlins Wy for petrol, Casper, Gillette, Moorcroft for a quick Splash of gas to arrive in Spearfish at 1745.
Once known as "The Fastest Ship in Pearl Harbor" with a speed of 35.7 knots.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Joseph_Strauss
I was the Weapons Officer, Robert (Burt) Upchurch was the Main Propulsion Assistant, and Mark Bauer was the Communications Officer.
L to R - Me, Bauer, Upchurch.
Burt has long been a motorcyclist, on the order of Abercrombie FJR, a confirmed bachelor, he has three motorcycles in his living room, has eight or ten depending upon if you count the Norton's in boxes in the basement, and has long been the President of the Washington DC Norton Owners Club. His ride for this adventure was a '14 BMW GS "Superba" as in "superb". This was my first time riding with Burt.
Mark, worked in the Cellular industry and did rather well. Mark , also a long time rider, is also a pilot. He recently sold his T-28 and purchased a T-34 which he flies around his home in Tuscon and in airshows around the country. Mark was on a brand new BMW R1250 GS HP. Mark rode with me to Inuvik in 2017. Mark named the trip.
Kip Walker, Marks step-brother, also rode with Mark and I to Inuvik in 2017 aboard the infamous Buell, Kip was a soldier long ago. On this trip he was aboard his Triumph 850 Tiger.
Day 1 - Spearfish to Laramie WY
Day 2 - Laramie WY to Alamosa CO down the spine of the Rockies
Day 3 - a loop ride out of Alamosa - to Chama NM for breakfast and a rendezvous with the "Commo" then a circuitous route to Taos for lunch and back to Alamosa over a little bit of gravel.
Day 4 - Alamosa CO to East Portal, deep in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
The Relive operator screwed the pooch today.
somehow the pause button got pushed early in the day We left Alamosa about 0800 and took a rambling route to the East Portal. Highlights of the ride were lunch in Lake City, The North Rim of the Black Canyon, and some great roads and scenery along the way.
Day 5 - East Portal to Moab via the Grand Mesa, CO 141 through Gateway and South to Naturita then 92 to 191 to Moab
Day 6 - Arrividerci to the Boys at 0630 - Moab to Spearfish via Grand Junction for petrol, Rifle for a Burrito, Rawlins Wy for petrol, Casper, Gillette, Moorcroft for a quick Splash of gas to arrive in Spearfish at 1745.