Best Laid Plans
One thing is for certain: on a motorcycle, the best-laid plans can go to shit in a hurry. The key is being able to adapt and not let it get you down. That’s the part I struggle with the most. I can adjust when things don’t go as planned, but it still nags at me for the rest of the day because, once I set my heart on something, that’s what I want. This trip, in particular, really broke my heart and took a toll on my body. It wasn’t easy, but even in those moments when things didn’t go as expected, I had to remind myself that it’s all part of the adventure. Sometimes, the journey is just as valuable as the destination.
The original plan was to leave Williston, ND, and make our way over to Sidney, MT. From there, we would ride to Wibaux, MT, via Highway 261. Next, we planned to take MT Highway 7 to Baker, MT, before heading back into North Dakota and stopping in Bowman. Finally, we would make our way home, wrapping up a day that would total around 360 miles. It was a well-thought-out route that promised a day full of new sights and smooth riding. But, as with any trip on a motorcycle, things don’t always go according to plan.
The ride from Williston to Sidney was smooth and uneventful, which was a nice change. We took Highway 5 west of Williston to mix things up a bit, and it was a relaxing 45-mile stretch. With fall in full swing, the leaves were changing colors, and yes, North Dakota does have trees—just not as many as some other states. When we arrived in Sidney, we stopped at a truck stop for what was supposed to be a quick bathroom break. However, my wife decided to shop for care package items for our daughter, who’s away at college, so 30 minutes later, we were back on the road heading for Wibaux, MT.
That’s when things started to go awry. As soon as we turned onto MT 261, we saw a sign that read "rough road for the next 62 miles." Not ideal when you're on a motorcycle, but we thought we could power through. We were wrong. Only three miles in, we realized we needed to turn around. "Rough" didn’t even begin to cover it—every 30 feet or so, there was a buckle in the pavement, and hitting each one was like a full-body jolt. I knew my back wouldn’t survive that for the rest of the ride. So, we made a quick U-turn and headed back towards Sidney to regroup. Like I said earlier, the best-laid plans can go to shit in a hurry!
Once we found a safe spot to stop, we had to figure out our next move. Out here, there aren’t too many roads to choose from, so we decided to drop back into North Dakota and head south toward Beach. The ride from Sidney to Beach is roughly 80 miles, and Highway 16 is a nice, well-paved road that offers a mix of straight stretches and some Badlands terrain with rolling hills and curves. It’s a great road for any type of rider, and it's one of our go-to routes when we don't have a specific plan and just want to enjoy the ride.
However, today, the road felt longer than usual. Mostly because my original plan had fallen apart, and I’d been really looking forward to traveling a road we hadn’t been on before. But as much as I wanted to stick to that plan, the rough conditions just weren’t worth it for my body. So, we made the best of it. Every now and then, I’d catch a glimpse of my wife, phone in hand, snapping pictures and videos of the changing colors and the beautiful scenery. It always makes me smile because I know that when she’s taking photos, she’s in her element—happy and comfortable, right where she is. Even though things didn’t go as planned, those moments reminded me why we ride in the first place.
Once we reached Beach, we stopped at the Flying J to fill up with gas. At that point, my wife suggested we re-evaluate the trip. It was around lunchtime, we were off track, and we were both getting hungry. So, we decided to remap the rest of the day. We opted to take I-94 East to Dickinson, ND, for lunch, then head north on Highway 22 toward Killdeer, and from there, make our way home. It wasn’t the route we originally planned, but sometimes the best thing you can do is adapt and make the most of the situation. At least we'd get a good meal and a chance to reset before finishing the ride.
We were “Eastbound and down,” as the saying goes! We quickly hopped on I-94E, only to immediately hit road construction. 65 MPH through construction isn’t terrible, and with light traffic, it was actually pretty manageable. No complaints from me on that. Once we were through the construction zone, the speed limit bumped up to 75 MPH, so I set the cruise control just over 80 and let the road take us. I-94E is about as boring of a highway as you can get, but it's the most direct route from Beach to Dickinson.
Of course, out here in North Dakota, it’s always windy. With gusts coming from the north at 25+ MPH and us heading east, we definitely had our work cut out for us while trying to keep that 80 MPH pace. But, hey, this is ND—we’ve ridden in winds far stronger than this. So, we powered through it, as we always do.
When we arrived in Dickinson, we headed straight to the Pizza Ranch for lunch. It's not the best pizza around, but it’s definitely not the worst either, and it has a solid variety for both of us. After lunch, we decided to stretch our legs and take a walk around Dickinson to shake off the stiffness from that windy ride. A little relaxation was exactly what we needed to recharge before the final leg of our trip.
About an hour and a half later, we were back on the road, heading north toward Killdeer. Highway 22 from Dickinson to New Town is a stunning ride, one that I’d recommend to anyone visiting North Dakota on two wheels. This road takes you right through the heart of the Badlands, offering views that are simply breathtaking. Once you leave Dickinson, the first major small town you’ll pass through is Killdeer, a charming little spot nestled in the middle of some of the best scenery the state has to offer.
However, as soon as we left Killdeer, we hit another stretch of road construction. This time, we had to wait for a pilot car, so we turned off the bike and sat back to relax. I couldn’t see what my wife was doing back there, but I could feel her moving around, so I knew she was probably on her phone, likely scrolling through Facebook or catching up on something. After a short wait, the pilot car led us for about a mile, and then we were back to cruising.
Once we were back on track, we entered the Badlands and were greeted by a newly paved highway—every biker’s favorite type of road! We absolutely love this section of the ride; the hills and curves create the perfect road for a thrilling, scenic experience. And riding through it in the fall? It feels even more magical. The changing leaves add a splash of color, and the sunlight hits the rocky terrain in just the right way, bringing out all the different hues of North Dakota. I wish I could truly capture how amazing this area is, but you’ll have to come out here and experience it for yourself. It's a ride you won’t forget!
Once we made it through the Badlands, we took a turn toward Watford City via 18th St NW to Johnson’s Corner and Highway 23. This stretch goes through a tribal area, where cattle roam free-range and are often found right on the road. There are also bison along the way—fenced in, of course—but you can often spot them grazing near the fence, watching the traffic go by. My wife loves this little detour and is always fascinated by the cows in the middle of the road.
Now, some might argue that it’s not the safest place to ride a bike, but I’d counter that if you slow down, it’s as safe as any other road we travel. We’ve been on worse. Once we got into Watford City, we made a quick stop to fill up with gas before heading home.
From there, we jumped over to Highway 85N for the final stretch. It’s a straight shot home in about 45 minutes. There’s not much to see out there, but it’s a four-lane highway with plenty of oilfield traffic, so it keeps you on your toes. It’s not the most exciting part of the trip, but after a long day on the road, it’s nice to know we’re almost home.
As I said at the start, the best-laid plans can go to shit in a hurry when you're traveling on two wheels. But no matter how things turn out, at the end of the day, you can always look back and say it was still a good ride—even if nothing went according to plan. We crushed 360 miles today, faced a few ups and downs along the way, but it was still an awesome day. Sometimes it’s not about how perfectly things go; it’s about the ride itself, and this one was worth every mile.
