That dotted line on my state map had been calling me since the day I bought my motorcycle. I thought the scenic byway running through the Killdeer Mountains, not too far from Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota, would be part of a great weekend ride. So last weekend, everything finally came together and I went for it.

I headed out from Bismarck on Saturday afternoon after tinkering with the bike to make sure it was ready to go. I headed West along the Interstate until exit 147, where I turned off into the rolling hills and prairies.

I stopped for a break near Beulah and continued on through the small towns of Zap, Golden Valley, Dodge, and Halliday. This part of the state is extremely beautiful, if not somewhat forgotten by the rest of the state. The traffic was light and everything was great.

I stayed over in Halliday at a friend's house. She was anxious to get a ride on the bike, so she scrounged up a helmet and jacket and we rode to Killdeer for supper.

Sunday the weather was great, aside from the intense 30-40 mph winds from the southeast. I headed west to Killdeer, fueled up at a Cenex, and questioned how smart it really was to ride in that terrible wind.

Cruising north on the scenic byway out of Killdeer, I was almost disappointed. And then I rounded a curve and the full grandeur of all-out badlands was spread before me. I slowed down and tried to take in the great view.

Suddenly, a steep descent appeared and I snaked down into a valley between breathtaking buttes. Dare I say.... a curvy road in North Dakota? The next few miles were intense. I was struggling to navigate the curves, take in the scenery, and keep the bike upright in the wind.

I stopped in a valley and snapped a few photographs before continuing northward. I neared New Town, where I would turn around and head back South and East, into the wind. Just before getting to New Town, I passed the Four Bears Casino and rode across the big lake on the infamous Four Bears Bridge.

The wind made the extremely narrow bridge particularly frightening. This two-lane bridge is so narrow that the mirrors of trucks nearly hit as they pass. They are building a wider replacement for the bridge right next to the existing one. I noticed one of the piers for the new bridge is in place.

After surviving the bridge, I drove up to the top of a hill on the east side of the bridge. The wind up there was frightening. Initially, I parked the bike perpendicular to the wind. The bike was shaking so badly I was worried it would fall off the side stand, so I reoriented it into the wind.

Looking down on the lake from high above, I saw sand blowing off the beaches and forming clouds. Whitecaps topped the large waves. I removed my helmet and sand poured out of the vents. The view was worth the trip, but the wind was relentless. And at that point, the really fun part of the trip was over.

I cruised on to Parshall, where I had a quick lunch at a gas station and filled my tank. I found some ear plugs to help protect my ears from the wind, and continued back toward home.

To fight the wind, I leaned forward on my bike, my elbows resting on my knees. This actually got quite comfortable and I enjoyed the rest of the ride.

All told, I put about 450 miles on the motorcycle during the weekend. The ride was a blast. If you ever pass through North Dakota, try to work some of our scenic byways into your route. They'll take you off the beaten path and expose you to the awesome variety to be found in our borders.