RideAcrossAmerica

Day 34 - HOME

2007-08-11T05:37:00.000-07:00

We left St. Augustine at 8:15am and headed down I95 for home. We had mixed emotions - we wanted the adventure to continue, but at the same time were anxious to get home and see all our friends. We arrived home at 11:30am (pic) with 34 days and 8,100 miles under our belts and began the unloading process - wow we took a lot of stuff! We know now what we really needed and what was unnecessary - that is to say most of what we took!

The hurricane shutters are now down, the vehicles have been thoroughly washed and cleaned, and we are ready to resume our normal routine. The trip was wonderful, challenging and the greatest adventure of our lives, but home is where the heart is.

We hope you all enjoyed reading about the trip. We enjoyed writing the commentary. Until the next adventure - cheers!

Day 33 - Columbia to St. Augustine

2007-08-09T11:53:00.000-07:00

We left Columbia at 8:15am, thanking God that we decided to take the extra three hours yesterday and ride from Morganton, NC to Columbia. Yesterday it was 102 late in the afternoon. Today it was 87 at 8:00am and is set to reach 106 by noon. We are glad to be gone early, and thankful we only have 335 miles to go today and not 493 as per the original schedule.

What can I say about the ride down US26 and I95? We all know what it is like to ride on the interstates with all the trucks - not much fun! But, it is time to go home and the interstate does get you there fast - unless there is an accident or too much traffic congestion - which there wasn't!

However, once into Florida, one of those "scattered," or "isolated" thunderstorm decided to isolate itself right over us on I95 right at the World Golf Village. How appropriate. I got rained on when I visited my old home (Seattle), and now I get rained on when I return to my new home. Suzanne, in the car, laughed. Oh well, it was a short rain, as most are in Florida, unlike Seattle where the rain can go on for days (and did when we were there)!

We have been extremely fortunate with the weather for the most part, and with the vehicles. The Hyundai and the Harley have performed flawlessly ("knock on wood"). Indeed, I think the two of them have "bonded!" The only thing I am scratching my head about is the extreme variability in the gas mileage on the Harley. I am wondering if the fact that the fuel in the Midwest is often a methanol mixture had anything to do with it? I am sure the wind was a factor as well.

We are going to "do the town" tonight in St. Augustine. It is one of our favorite towns and it is time to celebrate a great adventure (pics). Wish you were all here with us! See you soon and "cheers!"

Day 32 - Pikesville to Columbia

2007-08-08T17:40:00.000-07:00

We left Pikesville at 8:15am after having had a great visit with our friend Jeff, heading down US 23 East toward Virginia. Highway 23 is quite a marvel. It is cut through the mountain of Kentucky with precision and great engineering skill. Some hills are cut by 400 or so feet. The drill marks in the rock are clearly evident, and the blasting took place in tiers of 30 to 40 feet high each. In some cases there are 10 or more tiers to open the path for the highway. It is truly something to see. According to Jeff, carving highway 23 thought the Kentucky mountains moved more rock and earth than was moved in digging the Panama Canal and took 15 years to do it!

Reaching Virginia, we continued on US 23, but it can't compare to 23 in Kentucky. We reached Norton, VA and had breakfast at the Dairy Queen. The eggs were fine, but in my opinion, biscuit, egg and sausage doesn't make it in comparison with either the McDonalds or Burger King variety. The biscuit sticks to the roof of your mouth!

We left Norton and headed South into Tennessee for a short way on Hwy 91, what a scenic ride. Then we headed to Boone, NC, a truly scenic town with much "tourist" about it. From there we headed South to Morganton, NC, our original destination for the day. However, we arrived at 2:10pm and decided that we would rather spend more time in St. Augustine tomorrow, than in Morganton today, so we cancelled our reservation at the Comfort Inn, made another at the Comfort Inn in Columbia, SC, and hit the road for another three hours.

The ride was largely uneventful, given that it was on I-40 and I-77 at 75 plus mph, but the heat was a bit much. At times the thermometer on the bike registered 105 degrees. Several stops for water were required!

We arrived safely in Columbia at 5:00pm, unpacked and headed for Applebees for dinner. They have the greatest new appetizer menu. You can choose three appetizers for $10.95 - and they are all pretty good!

Tomorrow we head for St. Augustine. So far we have accumulated over 75 points on our ABCs of Touring, with one more to go "Georgia". Until tomorrow - cheers!

Day 31 - Crawfordsville to Pikeville

2007-08-08T03:19:00.000-07:00

We left Crawfordsville at 8:15am on our way to visit our friend Jeff Joyce in Pikesville, KY. The first leg of the trip was on the Interstate to Indianapolis, then South into Kentucky. Flat Indiana farmland turned into rolling green hills in Kentucky, and the trip was uneventful. That is, until we got deeper into Eastern Kentucky and off the interstate! There, the Garmin once again had seizures as a result of road re-alignments, and we once again we did some circles.

Finally, I stopped at a Kentucky Highway Patrol office and asked directions (pic). While we had wanted to follow the beautiful parkway into Pikesville - and should have in retrospect - the advice from the officer was to get back on I-64 East to the Virginia border, then take US 23 South to Pikesville. The route was easy to follow, but it also added an hour and a half and 70 or so miles to the trip.

We finally arrived at Jeff Joyce's beautiful house in a tight valley off US 23 in Pikesville around 4:45pm. I was thoroughly exhausted after having endured temperatures that hit 100 degrees. Thank goodness I drank lots of water! We had a great evening with Jeff and he gave us directions for our next leg to Morganton, NC. He advised against the route we were planning to take as it is very arduous. I think at this stage, we are ready for a scenic, but less challenging ride! Until tomorrow, cheers!

Day 30 - Milwaukee to Crawfordsville, Indiana

2007-08-06T17:07:00.000-07:00

We left the Holiday Inn for the Harley plant at 8:15am so we could get the first tour of the day (pic). The tour began with a video detailing the history of Harley Davidson, then a tour of the powertrain facility. The Wauwatasa plant (pic) makes the engines for the Sportster and the Bueul, manufactures the Quality Parts for older engines and does the Re manufacturing of older engines.

The tour was interesting for an engine nut like me, but not very interesting for Suzanne. Like all Harley plants, this one has its Eagle, manufactured from old car bumpers and other scrap metal (pic).

We got out of the tour around 9:45am and headed South - but not without incident. There is a lot of new construction in Milwaukee and the Garmin couldn't figure it out. We did three round trips through not so desirable neighborhoods before I noticed a sign for 41 to Chicago - I took it and the Garmin finally settled down and took us where we wanted to go.

The trip down I-94 through Chicago was hair raising to say the least. It is three lanes, two of which were full of trucks! Not only that, but the Interstate is a toll road, and you had to come up with $.80 every few miles - not a pleasant thing on a motorcycle!

The roads in Illinois are also very bad. The interstate is full of potholes, and a lot of high speed avoidance exercise was had! We finally got to Indiana and the roads improved. We arrived at the Comfort Inn - Crawfordsville at 5:00pm (we are back on Eastern Daylight Time), checked in and headed for the Applebees for a light dinner and a few beers - we needed the latter!

Tomorrow we head for Pikesville, KY to stay with our friend Jeff Joyce. We look forward to seeing a familiar face and sharing a casual evening. More later. Cheers

Day 29 - Prairie du Chien to Milwaukee

2007-08-05T17:29:00.000-07:00

We left Prairie du Chien at 8:00am and headed East on WI60 to Madison. the first part of the trip was through wonderful Wisconsin farmland with lots of dairy (Wisconsin is "Dairyland" after all) and "corn as high as an Elephant's eye" (I know that was a reference to Iowa I think in a Broadway musical). Anyway, the farmland was very picturesque and it was not raining!

Of course, I was fully dressed in my defective rain gear for the expected rain - which never materialized all the way to Milwaukee. The trip was short - 173 miles - but it was a nice ride. After 90 or so miles on WI60, we switched over to I90/94 at Madison, and then onto I94 to Milwaukee. We arrived in Milwaukee at the Holiday Inn Express at 1:30pm. we couldn't check in so we went to the Harley Davidson engine plant, which was only two miles away and took a photo (pic).

We then returned to the motel and checked in, went to the laundromat and did a much needed load of wash, then went to dinner at a great steak house (Boulder Junction). Tomorrow we go to the Harley plant for a tour, and then head South to Crawfordsville, Indiana. Only a few days to go until we are back home. Until tomorrow - cheers!

Day 28 - Mitchell to Prairie du Chien

2007-08-04T17:17:00.000-07:00

Mitchell, SD is famous for the Corn Palace. This is a civic center that is annually decorated with ears of corn cut in half lengthwise (pics). It also has a great little pub and restaurant called The Depot (pic). We ate at The Depot, not the Corn Palace.

This morning, we left Mitchell at 8:00am with 423 miles ahead of us, and the tail end of the same nasty storm we dealt with yesterday only a hundred or so miles ahead of us. The ride down I-90 was uneventful for the first 150 miles. The sky was heavily overcast, but there was no rain. However, after that we caught up with the tail end of the storm and had heavy rain all the way to the Mississippi River - some 220 miles to the East. The rain was bad enough, but the temperature never got above 62 degrees and was sometimes in the fifties.

Once again the rain gear failed the test in all the wrong places. By the time we got to the Mississippi and started down towards Harper's Ferry and Prairie du Chien, I was thoroughly wet and very cold. However, the rain had stopped. Despite that fact, the last 60 miles were not much fun. Too bad, because we were traveling down a scenic highway called The Great River Road. It would have been very scenic if the clouds had been a bit higher and I had been a bit less soaked! We couldn't even see across the river most of the time - and it's not very wide at this point!

We arrived at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin at 5:00pm. It had been a very long, and not very pleasant ride. Hopefully the storm moves faster tonight and we don't meet up with it again tomorrow on the way to Milwaukee!

Day 27 - Sturgis to Mitchell

2007-08-03T14:24:00.000-07:00

We awoke in Sturgis to a light rain. We were on the road by 8:15am, headed for Mitchell, SD on I-90 with hopes of traveling through the scenic Brule Indian Reservation. However, a few miles outside Sturgis it became clear that Mother Nature had other ideas. We pulled off the road and I donned the Frogg Togs (rain gear) and off we went. The rain was ahead of us for the next 100 or so miles, but the wind was hard from the Southeast at 30 to 40 mph and made it rough to hold the road. We stopped for gas after only 120 miles. Thanks to the wind, the mileage dropped from 40 mpg to under 30 mpg!

Shortly after the gas stop we reached the famous "Wall Drug" in Wall, SD (pic). Of course, we had to stop for a "walk about." No purchase of the vast array of tourist junk was made. For those who haven't been there, Wall Drug is to South Dakota what "South of the Border" is to South Carolina - enough said.

Leaving Wall, it was clear that we were headed for some even nastier weather, so we gassed up early. About 175 miles from Mitchell, the sky opened up with a continuous drenching rain, very low visibility, occasional lightning and hail, and the same heavy wind. This lasted for a full 100 miles, and speeds were held down to the low 50s.

The Frogg Togs proved to be no match for this drenching - they leaked wherever there was a zipper and I was soon wet in all the wrong places. We stopped for gas about 65 miles out from Mitchell and I changed shirts and tried to dry off a bit. Then it was back to the road and another 35 miles of rain. We finally outran the storm front, but this brought only limited cheer since moving in the same direction as are we. It will easily overtake us tonight and get out in front again. Indeed, the rain has already started in Mitchell, and it is only 5 pm. We fear that tomorrow could be an unwelcome repeat of today. Oh well, it's only water, and the people here definitely need the rain!

Sorry for the lack of photos, but you all know what rain looks like.

Before signing off, I should note that for the entire trip to Mitchell, there was a continuous flow of motorcycles heading West to Sturgis. Indeed, I estimate that fully half the vehicles traveling West on I-90 today were motorcycles! There was also a large number of bikes going East after having been in Sturgis during the week before the Rally. The following explains part of the reason for the exodus.

We paid $98.50 per night at the Best Western in Sturgis for the three nights before the Rally starts. It is a very nice motel, with an attached restaurant and bar, an indoor pool and a rudimentary casino. It is owned and operated by Guy Edwards, a great individual and fellow biker. As an economist, I understand the laws of supply and demand. And in Sturgis, at the time of the Rally, here is how it works.

Three weeks ago, we believe the rate for our motel room was $49.50 a night. The rate for the week ahead of the Rally was what we paid or higher. Starting tonight, the rate for the next ten days is a whopping $325 per night, AND, all the local motels reportedly require a $900 deposit and a guarantee that no more than four people will share a room and that there will be no sleeping bags on the floor. Violation of the guarantee reportedly forfeits the $900! Now that's and extreme example of how massive demand affects price when there is a limited supply!

And talk about massive demand - it is estimated that there will be over 750,000 visitors in Sturgis during Rally week! The total population of South Dakota is normally under 730,000! Cheers.

Day 26 - Sturgis

2007-08-02T15:38:00.000-07:00

We got off to a later start this morning, around 10am, and decided to take a short ride through the Spearfish Canyon - about 70 miles return. To get to the canyon, you leave Sturgis on US14a through Deadwood and Lead. Deadwood has an interesting history as a goldmining town and scene of numerous shootouts. For example, today (August 2) is the 131st anniversary of the shooting death of Wild Bill Hickock in Deadwood.

US14a then heads down the Spearfish Canyon toward the town of Spearfish. It is not a particularly hard ride - kind of "twisties for beginners" I guess, but it is quite scenic. The canyon is very narrow and the walls rise almost vertically (pics). In Spearfish, you return to Sturgis on I-90.

We were back in Sturgis by 11:30am and headed downtown for a day of shopping at the numerous vendor tents. The action takes place on Main Street (pic). We are here early, the real action starts tomorrow and goes through next weekend. Nonetheless, there are thousands of bikers here already.

Mandatory t-shirts, pins, hats and other memorabilia were acquired and we had lunch and drinks at several of the local watering holes. Of particular note was One Eyed Jacks, a magnificent and expansive bar (pic) with a particularly attractive bar tender from Phoenix (pic). It seems that most of the bartenders and others arrive in Sturgis from elsewhere for the two weeks of the rally. There is no way the locals could staff all the needs of the hundreds of thousands of bikes that will descend on Sturgis next week.

Day 25 - Sturgis, Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills

2007-08-01T15:24:00.000-07:00

We slept in this morning - well, kind of - I got up at 3:30 to do my work and then went back to bed until 7:30am. We did a load of wash and then headed down I-90 to Rapid City to see Mt. Rushmore and ride through Custer State Park. Mt. Rushmore is what one would expect, a spectacular achievement turned into a tourist spectacle. We took the mandatory photo (pic), had an ice cream cone and headed out of the area.

From there we took US16a through the Black hills National Forest and encountered some of the best twisties ever. On two occasions we did a complete 360 degree turn to the right climbing to pass over a bridge over the road we had just traveled. The second time it was more like a 720 degree spiral to the right with two such bridges! Never in my life have I seen anything like that. It almost made you dizzy! Apart from that, there were many 10 and 15 mph switchbacks, true "peg scrapers," and a couple of one lane tunnels (pic)! While it is hard to make out in the photo, you can see the president's faces on Mt. Rushmore through the tunnel.

We continued on 16a through the Custer State Park. By the way, the park has nothing to do with the defeat of Gen. George Custer at the hands of the Sioux, as Little Big Horn in Wyoming. Whatever - the park is spectacular and its roads are as full of twisties as described above.

After Custer State park, we took the Needles Highway (SD 87) to Sylvan Lake. Once again, the road was full of twists and turns, and at the summit were the most spectacular rock formations (pics). I don't know how they were formed, nor how they remain standing! And while there were no 360 turns as in Black Hills National Forest ride, there were very tight twisties and one lane tunnels that were even narrower (pic). One particular 10 mph turn took a significant chunk of chrome off my left foot board. I definitely found the "limit of my lean angle" as Jerry Paladino would say. I was thrilled - Suzanne was, shall I say, "less than amused."

At Sylvan Lake we turned onto US16/385 toward Deadwood. The road was fast and scenic, but not as memorable as what we had just gone through. From Deadwood we took 14a back to Sturgis. We spent 6 hours on the loop and covered 160 miles. I now understand the real reason people come to Sturgis - the riding is phenomenal!

After arriving back at the motel, we took a tour of Sturgis, where we will spend all of tomorrow. There are more vendor tents than you can shake a stick at - plus some interesting looking saloons! It is now close to 5pm Mountain time and you know what that means!! Cheers!

Day 24 - Cody to Sturgis - Part 1

2007-08-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

We had planned to leave Cody and take US 14a through the Bighorn National Forest to Ranchester and I-90, then follow the interstate to Sturgis. But during dinner, my friend Mick Barrus mentioned that a great ride could be had by going North up US 296, the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway, then picking up US 212, the highway over Beartooth Pass.

I had not known that the Beartooth was so close, and long wanting to experience this great ride, Suzanne and I calculated how much longer our trip to Sturgis would be taking this new and exciting route. As it turned out, the added time was about 4 hours to add the 140 or so miles. Suzanne said she was game and that was all I needed.

The new route took us up WY 120 out of Cody, up the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway through the Shoshone National Forest. We left Cody at 8am. The ride was all that Mick had said it would be (pics). We rose from about 3,500 feet to well over 9,000 feet at the summit.

Day 24 - Cody to Sturgis - Part 2

2007-08-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

Dropping down again to around 3,500 feet, we turned onto US 212 and headed up the Beartooth Pass. This road is legendary with bikers for its scenic beauty and challenging twisties. It was all I had heard it would be. We stopped at Top Of The Earth for pins and a break, before heading over the summit at 10,947 feet (pics)

Dropping down into Red Lodge, we stopped at the Harley shop for the mandatory t-shit and more Beartooth pins, then took MT 306 to Belfry; MT 72 to Bridger; and MT 310/WY 789 to Lovell, WY.

Day 24 - Cody to Sturgis - Part 3

2007-08-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

(I added a photo here of Red Lodge). We arrived in Lovell at noon and had lunch. We then picked up US 14a through the Bighorn National Forest. I had not known what a spectacular ride this would be from the maps, but it turned out to be just as great as the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway, but not as great as the Beartooth. We rose from 3,500 feet very rapidly to the summit at 9,430 feet. The scenery was breathtaking. (pics).

We finally hit I-90 around 3:30pm and pounded our way the final 220 odd miles to Sturgis. While the scenery was sometimes beautiful, there is not really a lot to say for interstate travel, especially after having ridden three of the most scenic and challenging roads a biker could imagine. Barring the long treck on I-90, this, along with the ride from Durango, CO to Ouray, CO, was my most memorable day of riding so far. It will be hard to beat it in the future, but you know I will try!

We arrived in Sturgis after 7:00pm after having been on the road for 11 hours. Suzanne was a trooper all the way and loved the scenery as much as I did. We now spend three nights in Sturgis and will report on the events.

Day 23 - Yelloswtone to Cody

2007-07-30T15:33:00.000-07:00

We left West Yellowstone after breakfast at about 8:15am and headed back into the park. Since I was on the bike and Suzanne was in the car, and I had the "Senior Citizen Lifetime Parks Pass," Suzanne had to pay the $25 weekly pass rate. Oh well, the alternative was a 150 to 200 mile detour around the park.

Se saw more wildlife, bull Elk (for the first time - pic) and more buffalo (pic). The park is truly beautiful with massive stands of Lodgepole Pine so thick it makes walking difficult. Lodgepole are interesting in that they reseed themselves with an incredibly thick cover of new trees after the forest is destroyed by fire. Forest fires are the regenerating force of the forest.

We crossed over the "Fishing Bridge," from which there is no longer any fishing permitted (since 1973) due to the near decimation of the Cutthroat Trout population by fishermen. As we reached the summit of Sylvan Pass (8530 feet), we ran across the "Road Work" sign (pic). The East Entrance to the park has been under repair for over two years now due to a massive slide. Supposedly, it will be completed this year, but in the meantime, travelers are required to follow a lead vehicle down the very steep descent over a largely gravel road into the Shoshone River valley on the way to Cody. The speed rarely exceeded 15 mph and the dust was abundant! Needless to say, the car and Goldie both got baths when we arrived in Cody.

Once out the East Gate, we traveled through some beautiful landscape with very interesting features (pic). Once in Cody, we checked into the Best Western, washed the vehicles, had lunch at the historic Irma Hotel (Buffalo Bills hotel), visited the Beartooth Harley Davidson shop for the mandatory T-shirt, and then took in the marvelous Buffalo Bill Cody Museum (pic). There are five museums in the center, covering all aspects of life in the West from arms, to wildlife, to Buffalo Bill's life, to western art and history. A truly remarkable museum.

We are now about to meet Mick Barrus, a very old friend with whom I went to undergraduate school and lived with in Elwood Manor, our cooperative living group. Mick lives in Cody and I haven't seen him in 43 or so years, so the visit is long overdue.

Tomorrow it's on to Sturgis!

Day 22 - Yellowstone (South Loop)

2007-07-29T15:25:00.000-07:00

We headed back into the park around 10:00am, this time to see the much more popular South Loop. We saw more Elk early on, then stopped at Fountain Paint Pot (pic). Lots of colorful geysers. Next was the Firehole Lake Drive and more active and colorful geysers (pic). Finally, we stopped at the grandaddy of them all - Old Faithful - and after a quick lunch, the geyser erupted right on schedule at 12:44pm (pic).

We then drove over Craig Pass (8262 ft.), crossing the Continental Divide twice, and stopped at the West Thumb geyser basin for a quick look. We drove along Yellowstone Lake and stopped at the beautiful Lake Yellowstone Hotel for a look. The lake is beautiful and someone was actually swimming (it's COLD). Then we headed down the Yellowston River and stopped at the Upper Falls for a (pic). Heading to Canyon Village, we ran across a couple of herd of Buffalo (pic).

The rest of the journey was effectively retracing the last part of yesterday's route, however, we did spot a Coyote alongside the road. Suzanne was happy with all the animal siteings!

Tomorrow we head back through the park for the third time on the way to Cody. A short day of about 131 miles. More later.

Day 21 - Butte to Yellowstone

2007-07-28T21:18:00.000-07:00

We left Butte on I-90 at 8:15am. After a few miles we reached the continental divide at 6,900 plus feet. From here on, all the water flowe=s to the Gulf of Mexico. Twenty odd miles later, we switched onto US 287 and headed up the Madison River Valley. What a beautiful ride. It goes through cattle country and the fields are mainly devoted to growing hay. As one acquaintance in a bar told me: "Montana and the other western states have banned the use of square hay bales in favor of round ones." I naively asked why, he said because the square ones constipate the cattle. One on me!

We passed through Ennis, a great little town completely restored to the 1800s. Further on, we stopped at Cameron, where we me four fellow bikers from Kansas City, Missouri (pic). Monte, Shannon, George and Sharron were riding softails (Loaded with chrome) and were a delight to talk to. Monte informed me that if you bought your bike in Montana, and you owned a piece of property in Montana, there was no sales tax and you could license the bike for about $125 for the life of the bike! Montana loves bikers!

Further up the Madison River Valley we saw many fly fishermen in the river and in boats with guides, fishing for trout. The river is absolutely beautiful and I was full of envy.

We arrived in West Yellowstone at 11:30 and checked into the Holiday Inn. We had lunch ane headed into the park (I have a seniors lifetime pass!). Our route was the North circuit to see some geysers and the Mammoth Hot Springs. If we had it to do over again, we would skip the North circuit. The roads are narrow and there are many places where the speed is less than 20 mph. We did see a few herds of elk, but no other wildlife. Some of the scenic sites were quite nice (pics).

We arrived back in West Yellowstone at 5:30pm and had a walk up Yellowstone Ave. Several nice shops, including a biker shop! We then returned to the Best Western and had a beer or two and dinner. Any typos are the fault of the bar in the hotel.

Talk to you tomorrow after we see Old Faithful and the other sites on the South Loop.

Cheers

Day 20 - Lewiston to Butte

2007-07-27T19:25:00.000-07:00

We left Lewiston at 8:15am and headed East on US 12 up the Clearwater River Valley. What a wonderful ride. The first half took us up to Lolo Pass, following the river all the way with twists and turns all the way. The second half took us down to Missoula, Montana, again with twists and turns all the way. In total, the ride from Lewiston, Idaho to Missoula covered nearly 200 miles of wonderful riding road!

The scenery was great, with the crystal clear river and the Pine, Cedar and Douglas Fir forests on the West side and Pine and prairie grasses on the East side. We stopped for gas at Cougar Canonyon on the way up - a one pump station that loves bikers. We stopped for lunch on the way down at Lolo Hot Springs, where there really are hot springs that keep a spa at 103 degrees.

The whole route followed that taken by the Lewis and Clark expedition as it made its way over the Rockies down the Clearwater River to the Snake, and then to the Columbia and the Pacific.

Leaving Missoula, we headed down I-90 to Butte, one of the great mining towns in the U.S. and, coincidentally, the birthplace of my Mom! We checked into the Best Western at 5:00pm (mountain time) and headed up the hill to Walkerville to see what was left of Mom's old neighborhood. Unfortunately, not much is left, and what is, is in serious disrepair. But this is not hard to understand. My great grandfather bought the house (two or three rooms) my mother was born in from the Indians in the 1880's!

We also witnessed the beginning of Evel Knievel Days in Butte. This is an annual affair that honors Evel Knievel, who was born in Butte - and who is here for the event and staying in our very hotel! The entire "uptown" area is closed to traffic for the weekend. There are hundreds of bikes, some of which are headed to Sturgis after the event, and much music, drinking and frivolity! A good time by any standard.

Tomorrow we head for West Yellowstone and two day of touring the park. Talk to you later!

Day 19 - Wenatchee to Lewiston

2007-07-26T19:21:00.000-07:00

We left Wenatchee at 8:15am and headed North to see Dry Falls and the Grand Coulee Dam. We stopped in Coulee City for a coffee and bought some wonderful snacks called "Wheat Dudes." They are only made in Coulee City and are simply whole wheat kernels treated with something, and they taste great. Bringing some home, and have the address to have more shipped.

From Coulee City it is about 3 miles to Dry Falls. This is a most interesting spot. The falls were created about 15,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age. The glaciers had moved down from Canada and blocked both the Columbia River and the John Clark River in Idaho. The latter, backed up into Montana and created Lake Missoula, which at its peak covered over 500 square miles and was up to 2,000 feet deep - larger than any lake in North America.

Finally, the pressure of the water broke through the ice dam and Lake Missoula drained rapidly through eastern Washington and Oregon to the Pacific. At its peak, the flow was over 500 feet deep and rushed along at over 65 miles per hour creating the largest flood the world has ever experienced. It scoured the area and was hundreds of miles wide. It carried with it pieces of the shattered glacier and deposited boulders, some weighing up to 200 toms, across thousands of square miles of Eastern Washington and Oregon. The main flow created Dry Falls, which is over 400 feet high and 3 miles wide, dwarfing Niagra, and once the largest waterfall in the world. I saw it when I was very young and was awed, I am still awed.

We then went to the Grand Coulee Dam, once the largest Dam in the world. There is enough concrete in the dam to pave a highway across America, and it generates an enormous amount of hydro electricity. While there we met a few other bikers from Utah and shared tales. We also ran across a number of antique racing cars, all of which ran and sounded like they were brand new. Amazing to see and hear.

We then turned East and headed for Spokane and then South to Lewiston. This area is the "Breadbasket of America." It is mile after mile of wheat and other grain fields. It is like a sea of grain for hundreds and hundreds of square miles.

We arrived in Lewiston at 4:30pm after the two Garmins took us on a merry chase over some side roads - can't figure out why. Ultimately, and with the help of a road worker, we found our Comfort Inn, checked in and went for drinks and dinner.

Lewiston is a nice town of 31,000 people, but it is really hot in the summer! As I dropped down from the high plateau to the Lewiston, which is located at the confluence of the Clearwater and Snake Rivers, the temperature was around 100 degrees. I was glad I had my Cool Vest on.

All is good and tomorrow we head for Butte, Montana - where my Mom was born. More from there.

Day 18 - Seattle to Wenatchee

2007-07-25T19:41:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Seattle in the rain and, fortunately, left Seattle in brilliant sunshine. The sun came out, for the first time, on Tuesday and continued today. Of course, as we leave, the sun is expected to continue for the next week or so! I knew the sun God would get me for leaving the Northwest!

We said goodbye to Mom this morning, picked up "Goldie" at HD of Seattle, and headed over Stevens Pass to Wenatchee. The rivers flowing both West and East are beautiful - emerald green and crystal clear (photo). Exactly as I left them and fished them as a youth.

We had an easy day, not meant to cover lots of miles. We got into Wenatchee at 2:30pm and took "Goldie" to the car wash for a much needed bath. By 4:30 we were at Applewood Bar and Grill (photo). Then to the Buzz Inn for dinner and to watch the Seattle Mariners game on TV.

Wenatchee is an interesting town, with lots of folks from Seattle moving in when they retire. While Seattle gets around 40 inches of rain a year - in excruciatingly continuous doses, Wenatchee, Ellensburg and the rest of Eastern Washington get around 8 inches of rain a year. The result is semi-desert (photo), all 100 to 150 miles from Seattle.

If you don't like the rain - drive 100 miles East and bask in the sun - in the summer that is. Of course it is HOT in the Summer, and in the Winter it is COLD. Well, you can't have everything - unless you live in Florida that is!

Cheer

John and Suz

The Interlude

2007-07-22T06:11:00.000-07:00

We did go fishing in Sekiu. I caught a small sole (which I released), but no salmon. It was good to be back on the water again after so many years, but the on-and-off rain made the experience a bit less enjoyable than it could have been!

On Friday, we headed back to Seattle in the rain, and it has been raining off and on since. We stopped at the Harley shop on the way to Mom's and said hello to "goldie." They had put on the new Metzler tires, but had not yet done the oil change. The dealership doesn't carry Mobil 1 for V-Twins, so I drove to another cycle shop and bought some and had it put in. HD of Seattle has been most helpful and accommodating in all respects.

We had dinner with my daughter, her husband and my two grandsons last night. What a great time. I will miss them when we leave. The rest of the time here is going to be busy visiting relatives and catching up with old college buddies that I haven't seen in 40 or so years.

Talk to you again from the road.

Day 12 - Sekiu and the Pacific

2007-07-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

This morning was partially sunny and warm. I went out and talked to the morning fishermen who were cleaning a good catch of Coho (Silvers) and a few Chinook. We then drove to Neah Bay and Cape Flattery - the western most tip of the lower 48 states. Along the way, we stopped at a smoke house and bought some wonderful tasting Alder smoked salmon. Suzanne and I are supposed to go out later this afternoon for a little fishing - if it doesn't rain, which it is doing at the moment.

Tomorrow we head back to Seattle, and will be there for five days, so this is the last Blog entry for a while. We will be back online when we begin the journey back East.

Talk to you next week!

Day 11 - Yakim a to Seattle and then Sekiu

2007-07-19T12:43:00.000-07:00

We left Yakima at 7:15am and headed West on Hwy 12. We reached White Pass (4,500 ft.) and began the descent toward HWY 123 around the East side of Mt. Ranier. Unfortunately, 123 was closed due to a mudslide, so we had to continue on Hwy 12 to Packwood, Randle and Morton. The diversion cost us 2 hours. Not only that, but as soon as we started down the mountain, it started to rain, which it did the rest of the day! The rain gear works reasonable well - something I could have gone without knowing.

We finally arrived at Mom's apartment in Seattle around 12:30pm, had lunch and departed (in the rain) to drop off the bike at the Harley dealership for an oil change and a set of new tires. In the rain, we (Suzanne) decided we would take to car to Sekiu - a wise choice as it runs out.

We caught the 3:00pm ferry from Edmonds to Kingston (a 25 minute ride) then headed West on WA 104 to Port Angeles and Sekiu. We stopped between Sequim and Port Angeles for dinner at a wonderful seafood and steak restaurant called Dupuis, which my family had stopped at for cracked Dungeness crab since the late 40's. The food was great. We had a single cracked crab and spaghetti dinner for two, and it was all we could eat. We finally arrived at Sekiu, still in the rain, at 6:30pm. the rain subsided so we walked the "street" and went out on the floats to look at boats.

Cheers. John and Suz

Day 10 - Pendelton to Yakima - Part 1

2007-07-17T17:44:00.000-07:00

We left Pendelton at 7:15am and headed Northwest on I-84 to I-82 North and crossed the Columbia River into Washington state. We turned onto WA 14, which runs down the North shore of the Columbia for nearly 90 miles through the famous Columbia Gorge. The Columbia is one of the largest rivers in the world and drains a basin that begins just South of the Yukon in Canada. Along the way we saw an old stern wheeler heading down the river (pics).

We turned North on US 97 toward Goldendale, where we stopped in the old town for a coffee (cappuccino and a latte) at Coyote Coffee, a coffee shop run by a fellow and his wife transplanted from Tucson, Arizona. The coffee was great, and the conversation about Goldendale and things in general most interesting.

From there we were back onto 97 climbing into the Pine and Douglas Fir forests lining Satus Pass (3,146 ft.) On the descent, Suzanne was stopped by a Wapto police officer - not for speeding, but because he didn't see a front license plate, and couldn't read "Florida" on the rear plate due to the license plate bracket. Front plates are mandatory in Washington. He apologized for his error and we had a great conversation about the trip and the area.

Day 10 - Pendelton to Yakima - Part 2

2007-07-17T17:09:00.000-07:00

Further down the pass we moved back into the prairie grass and sage brush landscape except for the Cottonwoods and Willows lining the stream that ran alongside the road. The distinctive smell of the Cottonwoods brought back vivid memories of fishing for trout in just such streams during my youth. Wonderful (and not so wonderful) smells are one thing you can enjoy when riding a bike and miss when riding in a car!

We arrived in Yakima at 12:15pm, checked in to the Best Western and headed North (by car) to Ellensburg (35 miles), home of my undergraduate Alma mater, Central Washington University. When I started there in 1960, there were 900 students. When I left in 1964 there were less than 2,000. Now there are more than 8,000 and the campus is quadruple the size or more. The old buildings are all still there, but there are many new ones. I could still find my way around - even after 43 years.

We stopped in and met the director of alumni, Jim Armstrong and he filled me in on what had happened over the past 43 years - and got my address, which the University did not have. He also gave me information on the former members of my long-since defunct fraternity - it is now a law office, how ironic (or not) given what went on there when it was a fraternity!

On the way back to Yakima we followed the old road down the Yakima River - a beautiful trout river. And wouldn't you know it, after decades without a citation - I got pulled over by an Ellensburg sheriff for going 60 in a 50. He saw that we were from out of state, and we shared information about our trip. Turns out he was a fellow Central Washington U grad - need I go on? He gave me a warning and we sat there for five or so minutes sharing memories of the area. Two pull-overs in one day!!

Back in Yakima, we visited the local Harley dealership, which by the way, is the only one I have ever seen that shares its premises with Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and others. Really unusual! We are now headed out for a drink and dinner. Tomorrow Seattle and Mom!

Day 9 - Twin Falls to Pendelton

2007-07-16T15:44:00.000-07:00

Day 9 already! We left Twin Falls at 7:15am and headed up I-84 toward Boise and ultimately, Pendelton, OR. Not initially a very stimulating drive - flat, high speed interstate. Then after Boise, "Road Work" and a long stretch of single lane.

Things got more interesting when we crossed into Oregon near Payette, ID. We stopped for lunch at Durkee, OR at an interesting little restaurant called "The Hungry Redneck Cafe." The restaurant is small and isolated. It was started a few years back by an immigrant from Croatia. A chef by training, Bozcho "Bo" Luttunich speaks 4 languages and has made it his life to serve good food, and lots of it, to Redneck truck drivers, to whom he confers a 10% discount if they have a Redneck Cafe Card - which is free to truckers. After our lunch, we agreed that "Bo" has succeeded completely.

From there to Baker City, climbing into the rolling hills of Eastern Oregon (pictures). Then into the Wallowa - Whitman National Forrest before La Grande. Until now, mostly sage brush and dry prairie grasses, but after La Grande, we climbed into the Blue Mountain Forest Scenic Corridor and to the summit at 4,193 feet. Here the hills became increasingly, for the first time, covered with a variety of conifers - mostly Pine, Douglas Fir and Hemlock (picture). The drop down to Pendelton was full of high speed sweeping curves as we dropped down 3,00 or so feet in only a few miles - a 6% grade with truck runoff lanes. Pendelton is in the Columbia River basin and is a major wheat producing area (picture).

The high temperature for the day was 96 under a hazy sky. We checked into the Best Western at 2:30pm, ready for a clean up and later for a beer or two! We are now into an area I knew as a child and young adult, and the territory will become increasingly familiar - we are looking forward to it.

Day 8 - Evanston to Twin Falls - Part 1

2007-07-15T16:26:00.001-07:00

Another early start for Suz - this is getting to be a habit! We left the motel at 7:15am for Twin Falls. Of course, I got sidetracked because I didn't have the audio on for the Garmin and missed the turn. The Garmin then attempted to get us back on track, but instead we went up a dead end road to a farmers yard. But, all was not lost. In the process, we ran across a herd of 20 to 30 Pronghorn Antelope - adults and juveniles, plus rabbits, ground squirrels and even prairie dogs. Suzanne was in heaven - "they were so adorable!"

We finally got straightened out and headed up Hwy 89 toward Randolf, UT. the route took us up an isolated valley into the Wasach - Cache National Forest. Halfway to Randolph, we turned onto Hwy 39 to Ogden, UT. the road is only passable during the summer months (pictures). The road was largely deserted, had many smooth curves and some "twisties," and when we stopped, the silence was "deafening" - and very pleasant.

Day 8 - Evanston to Twin Falls - Part 2

2007-07-15T16:02:00.000-07:00

Going done into Ogden presented much more challenging "twisties", but still manageable in the 25 to 45 mph range. As we descended, we came upon a beautiful lake formed by a dam on the river that ran down through the canyon. A popular recreation spot for those living in Ogden.

Past the dam, the canyon became increasingly narrow and we came upon a beautiful little restaurant perched between the river and the road (pictures). The "brunch" was great and reasonable. As we approached Ogden, the canyon narrowed to no more than 50 - 70 yards with only the river and the road (picture). A waterfall cascaded down the canyon wall (picture).

Once into Ogden, the fun was largely over for the day. We picked up I-84 and headed to Twin Falls. The countryside was rolling hills, with wheat and other grain fields amongst the vast expanses of sage brush and desert. Pretty in its own way.

We arrived in Twin Falls around 2:30pm, unloaded and headed for the Harley shop - closed on Sunday. I was able to get some Locktite at an auto shop to save my highway pegs from falling off.

We are now off to dinner and then a leisurely evening, doing what I don't know!

Talk to you tomorrow.

Day 7 - Montrose to Evanston - Part 1

2007-07-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

We left Montrose at 7:15am and headed to Loma, CO, passing through Grand Junction, on US 50 West. In Loma we turned North on CO 139 and headed through the mountains. The scenery was breathtaking (pictures) as was the road. Lots of switchbacks and "twisties." We climbed to 8,268 feet at Douglass Pass and headed down to Rangley, CO.

At Rangley, we turned onto US 64 to Dinosaur, CO, the South entrance to Dinosaur National Monument. Having seen all the old bones I want at the Country Club, we skipped the tour and headed to Vernal, Utah where we had lunch at the 7 11 Ranch Restaurant - good and lots of it for little money.

Day 7 - Montrose, CO to Evanston, WY - Part 2

2007-07-14T15:59:00.000-07:00

From there we headed North on US 191 to the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area. Very beautiful (pictures). Lots more "twisties" and ups and downs. We then left 191 and turned on to UT 44 and WY 414 on the way to Mountain View, WY. On the way, we saw miles and miles of the most beautiful light blue/green buttes and sand outcroppings. Apparently, the sand contains copper oxide that makes it turn greenish. Very striking and unique. Unfortunately, there was virtually no shoulder on the road and no pull offs - so no pictures.

Mountain View gave us a bit of a jolt as they were repaving 10 miles of WY 414, Most of it returned to dirt and sand in the process! What fun - so much for the wash job the car and the bike got in Montrose! From Mountain View we took I-80 right into Evanston. We arrived at 3:30 pm and are safely ensconced in the Comfort Inn. "Goldie" (the Harley) is under her cover for the night!

Day 6 - Over the mountains - Part 1

2007-07-13T16:54:00.000-07:00

Suzanne and I enjoyed a great evening with my cousin Susan. Had dinner at a super local restaurant with country music then went to Susan's house (very "adobe" style as are most in the area) to meet the great little two dogs. We left Bernalillo early in the morning (local time), around 6:30am and headed up US 55 to Montrose, Colorado.

The route took us up to the high desert through beautiful sandstone outcroppings and buttes to a maximum elevation of 7,000 feet where we crossed the Continental Divide. We then continued North to Durango, Colorado where we stopped at the Harley Davidson dealership for the mandatory T-shirts.

Day 6 - Over the mountains - Part 2

2007-07-13T16:51:00.000-07:00

From Durango, we continued up (literally) US550 into the San Juan Mountains, where the highest peak is Mt. Wilson at 14,246 feet, the highest one we saw was Engineer Mountain at 12,780 feet. Quite a change from Florida where the average elevation is perhaps 15 feet! We traversed four passes. The first was the Coal Bank Pass at 10,640 feet. The second was Molas Pass at 10,899 feet, the third was Lizard Head Pass at 10,242 and the last was Red Mountain Pass at 11, 075.

All the approaches and descents became increasingly more difficult and twisty as we progressed from one to the next. The descent from Red Mountain Pass was the most harrowing. It was extremely "twisty" with some hairpins requiring a speed of no more than 10 miles per hour and a "peg scraping" lean angle. Virtually all the turns kept you under 25 mph. I think this four pass stretch could give the famous "Tail of the Dragon" in the East a run for its money. All the while, we were passing abandoned mining sites. In the middle was Silverton, which is being rejuvenated as a tourist and ski area.

Day 6 - Over the Mountains - Part 3

2007-07-13T16:10:00.000-07:00

At the end of the Red Mountain descent was the beautiful little town of Ouray, which is a very active tourist and ski destination. Suzanne and I stopped for lunch and took a break to let us get our breath back. This was Suzanne's first car trip through very twisty mountain passes - and it was truly a "trial by fire." There were NO guard rails and the drop offs were several hundred and in some cases many hundreds of feet down. If you lose it, you REALLY lose it. She came through with flying colors - albeit PALE was the dominant one.

There were many bikes making the trip over the San Juans in both directions. The sport bikes had a much easier time of it than did the big cruisers, but the Harleys held their own (with a bit less chrome on the pegs).

The road from Ouray to Montrose was more gentle, but with its share of what I would have termed "twisties" before riding the San Juans. We arrived at 2:30 pm Mountain time, checked in and took the car and bike for a well deserved washing. We are now relaxing with a drink and doing a load of wash - the end to a perfect day!!

Route 66 - Day 5 - Part 2

2007-07-13T15:54:00.000-07:00

Next we stopped at the famous ghost town of Glenrio, which is half in Texas and half in New Mexico. The photos say all there is to say about the effects of the interstates on so many little towns in the U.S. The next stop was even more telling I suppose, Tucumcari. The town is now famous for so many relic motels, cafes and curio shops, some of which still operate with the trade of Route 66 junkies, and some are even in the process of renovation. I have provided photos of two, Teepee Curios, and the Blue Swallow Motel - complete with a 58 Chevy.

After Tucumcari, came Santa Rose, also fighting to stay alive, with some success. Beyond that, almost all of 66 is under I-40 until Albuquerque, where Route 66 is the main street through the city.

We had a great day, and missed one big rain storm as we approached Albuquerque. Safely in the motel, we will be having my birthday dinner with my cousin.

Route 66 - Day 5 - Part 1

2007-07-12T14:04:00.000-07:00

Another record - Suzanne and I on the road by 6:45! The whole day was spent alternating between I-40 West and Old Route 66, which is like a frontage road to I-40 in most places. As you know, Route 66 was the first connected highway across the U.S. - well from Chicago to L.A. actually. Our starting point was the Comfort Inn in Amarillo, and it had the spirit!

Route 66 is referred to as the "Mother Road," and many Americans want to retrace the old route. Unfortunately, much of the original highway - two lanes by the way - is now in total disrepair and cannot be travelled. Other parts are under the current I-40 and other interstates. But there is still come left and there are still towns that hearken back to the "old days."

We picked it up in Amarillo, TX and left it in Albuquerque, NM - not much, but better than nothing, and some of the best. Not only that, but we travelled Route 66 on my 66th birthday! We wanted to see the famous Cadillac Ranch, but were given bad directions and missed it. However, we didn't miss the famous Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, TX. It is exactly half way between Chicago and L.A. and the people are fantastic and love to talk about route 66. Needless to say (as the photo shows) Suzanne and I bought a "few" things. The Midpoint was credited in the animated movie "Cars."

Canton to Amarillo - Day 4

2007-07-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

Well, Suzanne set a record - she was up and we left at 6:45am (Central time). We left Canton on I-20 West to Dallas. Then the FUN started. The Dallas freeway system is like a plate of spaghetti, and during rush hour - yeah we hit it at around 8:15 - it is quite something! If it were not for the Garmin, we might still be there going around in circles.

Here is an example, (I may have forgotten some of it). We exited I-20 onto TX-557 Spur, then I-80 West, then I-30 West, then I-35E North and onto TX-183 West and finally onto TX 114 West. then it was US-287 North and I-44 East and back onto US-287 North, the road on which we finally settled for the next 250 miles to Amarillo. Some of the exits were to the left, some to the right - fellow travelers loved us as we tried to keep the bike and the car in touch with one another! Needless to say, Suzanne is becoming an accomplished driver (as I had intended).

Texas is a mix of flat (really flat - see photo), and rolling hills. There are trees to the East of Dallas, and scrub to the West and North. As you approach Amarillo, there is lots of sage brush and mesquite.

We were lucky with the weather - until we were about 50 miles South East of Vernon - then the black skies appeared and I once again donned the indomitable rain gear - and once again, the rain skirted us - didn't get a drop! We stopped in Vernon - which gives every impression of being an abandoned town - for lunch and a couple of photos for the ABCs of Touring (see the photo of me in the invincible rain gear!).

Lots of little towns between Dallas and Amarillo. Most with populations around 5 to 7 thousand.

All-in-all, a pleasant day. We arrived in Amarillo (440 miles) around 4:00pm (Central time). Tomorrow is an easy day - only about 300 miles, with an effort to see as much of the old Route 66 between Amarillo and Albuquerque as we can. Then it's off to a Mexican dinner with my cousin Susan.

And on to Canton!

2007-07-10T18:02:00.000-07:00

Suz and I left Hattiesburg, MS around 7:30 this morning and headed to Vicksburg, Mississippi - site of the famous Civil War battle. We headed up 49 and then turned onto Miss 28, what a wonderful riding road, Suzanne even had fun driving the car. Hiss, curves and smooth pavement. There were many stretches where the canopy of trees even outshone the Martin Grade (714 - Unfortunately, we didn't get any photos of this due to the narrow nature of the roadway. We then turned onto MS 27 North and had another wonderful ride into Vicksburg.

Once in Vicksburg, I got my Senior pass for the National Parks - $10 for a lifetime pass! Suz and I took the auto tour of the battleground - what an amazing site, and so large. The locations of all the Union and Confederate divisions are clearly set out with monuments and cannon. Truly awe inspiring - so many lives lost. The pictures of me riding are on the tour of the battleground.

After the tour, we headed to Canton by way of Shreveport, LA. Unfortunately, it was on I-20 all the way at between 75 and 80 mph. Not the most fun on a bike, but Suzanne likes driving the car fast - but 200 miles of it can wear on one. We stopped along the way at the in Monroe, LA at the Bleu Bayou Harley Davidson shop (photo) for a shirt and to say hello to the staff from the TC HOG family. It was well received.

Between Monroe and Canton, TX we ran across a couple of "single laners" on I-20 for road repairs that backed up traffic for several miles - now that's a lot of fun on a bike - but I did get a lot of slow speed practice (thank God for the TC HOG Slow Speed Skills course!). We finally pulled into the Canton Comfort Inn at 5:00 pm Central time (6:00pm our time) a bit worn but game for tomorrow (see photo).

Went to dinner at Jenny's on high recommendations, looking forward to a cold beer and a wine. No luck, while the food (Mexican) was very good, Van Zandt County is - you guessed it - DRY. Well, at least we have a beer or two in the motel room!

All-in-all, a really good day. A great ride of 95 miles or so on 28/27, an awesome tour of Vicksburg, and some good Mexican food. The rest we can set aside.

We'll drop another note tomorrow from Amarillo, TX.

Cheers to all!

John and Suz

Mississippi Moon

2007-07-09T16:51:00.000-07:00

We left Apalachicola at 7:30 - a record start for Suzanne! Across 98 through one small, neat Gulf Coast town after another. Lots of folks fishing the flats, probably for Red Fish or Trout. In Panama City we saw the black clouds so pulled over to put on the rain gear. No sooner on, than it came down in buckets - but I was dry, having tested the equipment in a Palm City gully washer (see photo)! Of course, five minutes later down the road, the rain had stopped, and rather than make a quick stop, I rode for an hour in wet rain gear. Oh well, I was dry on the inside, and it dried out on the outside, but Suzanne said I looked like a balloon riding down the road. Luckily, once I took it all off and put it away, there was no rain for the rest of the day!

We headed North to I-10 before Pensacola, then stayed on 10 to Mobile. We took a quick tour of Mobile looking for a government office that said "Alabama" (for the ABCs of touring). None to be found. Finally got Alabama and Mississippi on the side of the road (see photos) on the way down 98 to Hattiesburg. We pulled into the Quality Inn at around 4:45 our time, but 3:45 their time (means I have to get up an hour earlier tomorrow morning to do my work - it gets worse as we go further West!)

All systems were go, the car, the bike, but there was a bit of a glitch in my Garmin. It decided before Panama City that we should leave 98 and head North into some uncharted territory - don't know why, but I made an executive decision to get back to 98, and after a few "recalculations", the Garmin finally agreed. Doesn't breed great confidence, but I am sure I goofed in the programming somewhere.

Well, we are safe and sound in Hattiesburg and looking forward to Canton, Texas tomorrow. We didn't frequent a local eatery, rather decided that the Outback Steak House was the safest alternative. Will drop another note tomorrow from the "Great State of Texas"!

Cheers

John and Suzanne

Not all who wander are lost

2007-07-08T16:48:00.001-07:00

The title is the theme of our journey. We got off to a good start at 7:45 am on Sunday. We took the Tunrpike until it turned into 75 then picked up 27 and turned West onto 98 and 319. We arrived in Apalachicola around 4:15 pm with 435 miles under our belts. Suzanne handled the car without problem and the Harley ran flawlessly. Even the Garmins did what was expected of them!

The ride along the Gulf on 98/319 is really beautiful with lots of sweeping curves. Apalachicola is - well- quaint. When we arrived at the motel, we had a quick swim - ya, Suzanne too! We asked for the best seafood house in town and were directed to The Wheelhouse. It was - unique as you can see - but the food was very good, the oysters were $3.99 a dozen (for bikers - I guess you could call that a "biker's dozen"), and the beer was cold! The setting was very nice as well - lots of Bonaparte gulls.

Hope you all had a good one - we did! Will drop another note tomorrow.

Cheers

John and Suz

The preparation!

2007-07-06T12:48:00.000-07:00

Before we leave, it is essential to test the equipment - especially the rain gear! As well, it helps to have some idea of where you are going. Here are two maps - one out, one back - that show our route. I know - just another Type A.

What its all about

2007-06-06T07:44:00.000-07:00

We have created this site so that all our friends can share our experiences as we ride across America (one in a car and one on a Harley). We will be going from Palm City, Florida to Seattle, Washington and back with stops at various and sundry beautiful locations. The main purpose of our ride is to visit with John's 94 year-old mother in Seattle. But on the way and back we intend to do some "sight-seeing."

We want to see some of the the "Mother Road" - Route 66 in Texas and New Mexico. We want to see the Rockies and Cascades. Yellowstone Park is on the agenda as is the great motorcycly rally at Sturgis, South Dakota. Touring the Black Hills is on the list. Then it's on to Milwaukee to see the Harley engine plant and back home via Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, the Carolinas and Georgia.

We will be leaving Palm City on Sunday, July 8. Arrival home is expected later (around August 10). Enjoy the ride with us!