The Ride
2006
February 22, 2006
Bought this journal today. I guess it is just a way of getting started on the journey. If I buy the journal – then I have to go. I have always wanted to see the WEST, but not through the window of a car. After loosing Mom, and three good friends (Roger, Jimmy, and Max) I know that it has to be now. I do not want someone else taking “my ride” and saying how much I “would” have enjoyed it. I don’t mind if they take a ride and say how much I “did” enjoy it.
Friday, July 14, 2006 – Day 1 174.9 miles
Left home at 1:45 pm on the way to say goodbyes to Tina at Turbotville and Mindy in Milton. Tina is really emotional over the trip and I understand where she is coming from. I really do wish she was going along. Sharing things with her has always been fun. Didn’t get to see Mindy when I stopped. I called her and found out that she had just had another seizure. I really wish she could catch a break. Great weather – sunny, mid 80’s to low 90’s. Arrived at the Farm at 6:45.
Saturday, July 15, 2006 – Day 2 558.4 miles (733.3)
Left the Farm at 7:45 am. Foggy and about 75 degrees. Stopped for gas in Belmont OH. Realized that the rear brake pedal was sticking. Valley Harley Davidson was at the exit. The brake pedal was scalded and the service tech suggested new brake pads since we were going to be traveling so far. Repairs were made costing $117.00. There was a Country Music Jamboree going on. People all over the exit. A real Redneck Party. Drove on to Terre Haute IN to spend the night. Had dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Al and I discussed what we expected from the trip. We both wanted to see and experience America, not run down the interstate at 70 mph.. States: WV, OH, IN
Sunday, July 16, 2006 – Day 3 422.9 miles (1156.2)
Left IN at 7:50 am headed west on I-70. Temperature in the mid 70’s, clear skies. The cool morning air felt wonderful at 70 mph. I knew it would not last forever. “It” happened around 9:00 am on I-70 somewhere in IL. A feeling that started in my chest and went to the top of my head….a tingling sensation, a decompression, a release of tension. And I cried. Shortly after that we left I-70 and traveled Rt 40. Nice ride. Had a late breakfast in Pocahontas. Rt 40 merged with I-70 just before St Louis. Visited the Great Arch – nice view. We continued on west on I-70. It was so hot…..99 degrees – felt like 130. We stopped to get gas about 80 miles before the Kansas border and decided to head north on Rt 65. We were looking to see a slower pace America. Spent the night in Chillicothe MO. Weather looks to be hot and sunny the rest of the week. Got on a computer tonight and was able to send emails. Tired and sore, but looking forward to tomorrow. Forgot to mention the blue flowers along Rt 40. At almost every stop someone will begin a conversation with us. Usually one or more males. “Hot, isn’t it?” or “Where ya headed?”. It is as though we are heroes of some sort to them. You can almost see their jaws drop when we tell them we are headed to Colorado and back through Sturgis, and we have 3 weeks to get there. I am tempted to say “Well, hang in there” Sometimes you can see them watching as we pull out. States: IL and MO
Monday, July 17, 2006 – Day 4 415.5 miles (1571.8)
Good day. Left Chillicothe MO at 7:10 am headed west on Rt 36. Stopped in St Joseph MO for gas and met a man who was going to Sturgis. Got some good information on where to stay in Sturgis. Iron Horse Campground. Again we were approached almost every time we stopped. Even the clerks at the gas station came out to talk. St Joseph MO was the eastern starting point for the Pony Express. We saw many signs along the way out Rt 36 indicating the Pony Express route and the Oregon Trail. Stopped in Marysville KS to see Pony Express Station #1, the only remaining on the original location. Noticed in the guest book that the people before us were from PA as well. The guy came back in when he saw the plates on my bike. They were from the Delaware Water Gap area. Turned north toward Nebraska. Had lunch in Furbury NE. Headed west to Red Cloud, then south to the geographic center of the USA, which was one mile north of Lebanon KS. Stopped in Lebanon for liquids. The only place to get a drink was a little store. The people were friendly and we were told to just sit on the other side of the store and cool down. Laughed at the old computer and thought it must be a KS version of an internet café. Turned west again on Rt 36 ending up in Norton KS. Had a great hot roast beef supper in Norton. Again the cool air was wonderful during the morning, but it got hot….103 degrees. I was impressed with the low rolling hills. The corn and soy bean fields went on forever. Further west in Kansas the terrain turned to prairie. You could see forever. States: KS and NE
Tuesday, July 18, 2006 – Day 5 374.4 miles (1946.2)
Left Norton KS at 7:30 am headed west toward Denver CO. It was over cast and cool at 70 mph, but later cleared up. It didn’t really ever get hot. We met two guys from Colorado while having breakfast. They told us how much we would enjoy riding in Colorado. Kansas was initially prairie, then changed to open range, then to rocky, then back to open range. The open range extended into Colorado. As we neared Castle Rock, CO more trees (Pine) appeared. It was odd seeing the sky rise out of the ground. We were used to seeing the ground, the mountains, and then the sky. It makes for an odd feeling. Stopped along the way to take pictures. The open range is beautiful, even in it’s baroness. It seems to go on forever. Planned on camping in Colorado, Castle Rock. Too much noise from I-25. With a storm approaching we made our way very quickly south to Colorado Springs hoping to camp there. The storm followed us so we decided to spend the night in a motel. We heard on the news that there were flash floods in the area we expected to camp. It appears someone is guiding us. Tina was cheerful this morning, but was down tonight. I miss her as much as she misses me. People are still coming up to us just to talk. We seem to be very interesting to them. States: CO
Wednesday, July 19, 2006 – Day 6 324.7 miles (2270.9)
Had a little problem with the Colorado Springs Police prior to checking out this morning. Someone was breaking windows out of the hotel around 4:30 am and they spotted me walking at 5:00 am. I got questioned and released. No problems with the bikes. Left the hotel at 7:10 am and stopped at the Garden of the Gods Campground to get a campsite, setup, and unload the bikes so we could Ride the Rockies. Headed out toward Mt Evans. Got part way out Rt 67 and found it was closed due to a washout and had to go back and find another route. Found a small road that ran just over 40 miles through the Rockies. My eyes must have taken a million pictures. The rock formations, the natural pastures, and the smell of pine. This was certainly a wonderful find. We stopped at a small waterfall. Exploring revealed that it came out of a dam. The water was cool and clear. Further on we saw three herds of buffalo. Finally got to Mt Evans. 14 miles up to the ranger station, and 14 miles up to the top, with many switch backs on a very narrow road with no guard rails. Part way up it started to rain, then sleet. With no guard rails the drop would have been fatal. Got to the top safely and found a mountain goat. We could see a thunder storm was coming our way and the park ranger ordered everyone to get into their vehicles. We decided to get out of Dodge. The ride down was not as bad as the ride up. Stopped at the gift shop for a patch and some post cards. Headed back to the camp site. Part way down I-25 it started to rain, really rain!!! I could hardly see Alan. I saw deer standing along the road and there was a car overturned in the medium. People were standing along the interstate. Got back to camp and Alan made supper…..freeze dried meals. Tasted pretty good since we had not eaten all day. Did laundry. One thought….I am glad the Harley Shop in OH put new back brakes on. It made the trip up and down Mt Evans safer. Talked for a long time with Tina. She is having a hard time with me being away.
Thursday, July 20, 2006 – Day 7 165.1 miles (2436.0)
Decided to stop at Pikes Peak HD in Colorado Springs before heading out to see our sites for the today. Bought some supplies to clean the bikes when we get a chance. They really need it. Stopped at the Cliff Dwellings. It was interesting, but touristy. Then headed up to Pikes Peak. 38 miles round trip. Part of the road was dirt so the bikes really look grungy now. Beautiful ride up. Temperature was 56 degrees at the top. Headed back down and we could see the rain below. We hesitated to put the rain gear on till it was too late. Got wet again!! But the rain gear came in handy for the ride south/west. Saw some pretty sites – big rock formations in the canyons and the view as we dropped out of the Rockies allowed us to see for miles and miles – and then the open range. We stopped in Buena Vista, CO for gas and to talk about where we wanted to end up for the day. We decided to get a room for the night in Buena Vista since we were wet and cold. The motel had one room left, non-smoking, double beds. And the room was lined with pine paneling which reminded Al of his grandmother’s motel back home. There was a Mexican restaurant within walking distance so we called it a night.
Friday, July 21, 2006 – Day 8 266.7 miles (2702.7)
Still in Colorado. Left Buena Vista headed for 4 Corners. In the process of checking the air pressure in the tires I found that I could not put any air in the rear tire. It was showing 39 pounds and should have been 46 pounds. The closest HD was in Durango CO, 266 miles away. We headed out Rt 285 to Rt 50 toward Gunnison and Montrose. Stopped in Gunnison to eat an early lunch and mail some stuff home. Talked to Mindy and learned that she was still having seizures. Got to Montrose and took Rt 550 south to Durango. The ride was beautiful as usual. Saw warning signs for deer, elk, and Rocky Mountain sheep, though all we saw was a deer.
20 miles from Durango we got stopped for construction.
It started to rain, then really rain as we got started again. Then it
started to hail. We pulled over and
spent about 45 minutes standing under the backside of someone’s garage ---
totally soaked and shivering like dogs. Made
it to Durango Harley Davidson 5 minutes before the service department closed.
Service removed a small piece of rubber from the valve and told us to
have a good trip. Bought a shirt since they didn’t charge us for the repair.
We decided to get a room since we were wet and cold.
Found a cheap room much like the one in Colorado Springs (I would not be
wandering around at 5:00 am). Also
made reservations to camp at the Grand Canyon.
Tomorrow night I will fulfill the promise I made to myself to see The
Grand Canyon on a bike. I expect it
to be an emotional event.
Saturday, July 22, 2006 - Day 9
327.5 miles (3030.2)
Tina called this morning to tell me that Mike Hollister
from Vreeland’s was killed Thursday night at 11:35 while riding his
motorcycle. I was shocked and
saddened. Mike was a great guy who
always made you feel welcomed at Vreeland’s.
I always hoped that he would be working when I went in.
Vreeland’s will not be the same without him. Left the hotel in Durango at 6:30 am headed for The Grand
Canyon. 58 degrees. The ride out was cool at the start, but warmed up quickly.
Saw about 6 mule deer with a few buck on the way.
Headed out into the desert and the Indian Reservation.
I thought the desert might be boring but I was totally wrong. It seemed to change over every hill. Sometimes the sand was light brown, then changing to red, and
then changing to green bushes where
water was present. We stopped at
Four Corners where Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah meet.
It was really starting to warm up. Stopped
in Tuba AZ for a late lunch at an Indian ran café.
The desert offered many wonderful sights.
Got to The Grand Canyon National Park around 4:30 pm.
Setup camp and made supper before heading down for the first official
view. Called Tina to tell her that
we had made it safely. Words and
pictures don’t tell how beautiful The Grand Canyon is.
Before walking to the canyon rim I rang Mom’s bell so it could be heard.
No cell phone service. Oh
yea…rained on the way in to the park, but we had put our raingear on this
time. Watched the stars while lying
on our backs on the picnic table. What
a view. States: NM, NV, AZ
Sunday, July 23, 2006 – Day 10 301.8 miles (3334.0)
Woke up in The Grand Canyon and got to see the sunrise.
Wish I could go home now. It
has been a long 10 days and I miss Tina. Left
The Grand Canyon headed for Las Vegas. Stopped
in Williams on old Route 66 and had lunch.
Went west on I-40 to Kingman, then turned north on I-93 toward Las Vegas.
It was “so hot”. We stopped at Hoover Dam and was told it was 115 degrees.
Well I had to stop. I really
don’t think I could have gone on much farther.
We paid the $7.00 fee to park and sat on the floor pouring water on my
head, neck, and back. Spent an hour
there till I felt better. Then we
pushed the last 30 miles to Las Vegas. The
heat was terrible and it felt like we were riding in an oven, even at 75 miles
per hour. Got a room at Binions
($30 a night). Alan will be leaving
Tuesday morning to spend some time with his girls in Santa Clara UT. My bike is really idling roughly so I may need to check the
air cleaner or have a HD tech take a look.
Monday, July 24, 2006 – Day11
Did some local sight seeing, no long runs, and took care of
the bikes. We went to the HD dealer
and got a new air cleaner. Also
washed the bikes, first time since we left.
I installed the air cleaner at the car wash and the bike seems to be
running much better.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006 – Day 12
Al left for Santa Clara UT to spend time with his
daughters. I was exhausted.
Fell asleep early afternoon and only woke up when Tina called.
Went to dinner, walked for a bit, then came back to the room around 10:00
pm and went to sleep. Didn’t know
how tired I really was.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - Day 13 386.1 miles (3720.1)
Got up at 4:00 am intending to ride to Nipton CA so I could add CA to my “been there” states. Left just before 5:00 am and traffic was already heavy. Went south on I-15. Stopped at the Welcome to California sign for a picture. Then went on toward the Nipton exit till I saw that the sun was starting to rise. Stopped at the first exit to take a pictures and call Tina. I wanted to share the sunrise with her. Continued on to the Nipton exit and decided to continue on to Baker. Found the road from Baker to Death Valley Junction, 117 miles. Temperature was not too bad so I decided to give it a try. Road was for the most part straight and 80 mph seemed slow. Stopped in Shoshone for gas and a drink before heading up to Death Valley Junction. I still wasn’t to hot so I made the turn toward Death Valley. Stopped at the National Park sign for a picture. As I was leaving the front tire hit a soft spot in the stones and the bike fell on the left side, pinning my left foot under the bike. I was lying on my face at the entrance of Death Valley National Park with 700 pounds of Harley on my left foot. How embarrassing!!! A gentleman from Florida riding a Gold Wing eased the bike up so that I could get free. Together we put the bike back on it’s wheels. The only real damage, other then my ego, was to the left front turn signal. My foot was okay. I got off easy. Went on to the Death Valley Visitors Center, watched a slide show about Death Valley, and bought postcards and patches. I earned it. Temperature was 111 degrees. I was told it was 120-125 degrees at Bad Water. Decided not to make the 72 mile trip to Bad Water. Headed back to Death Valley Junction and on to Pahrump….the quickest way back to Vegas. Ran into some construction and rush hour traffic which made the ride back seem to last forever. The Mojave Desert was interesting and ever changing. As I have said before, there is a beauty in the baroness. So I really did survive Death Valley. Have to pack and get ready to leave at 6:00 am in the morning so I can meet Al in Santa Clara UT on our way to Yellowstone. One day closer to be home. States: CA
Thursday, July 27, 2006 – Day 14 605.3 miles (4325.4)
Left Vegas at
6:40 headed to Santa Clara UT to meet Al. Messed
up on the time zone thinking it would be 7:30 his time when I got there and it
really was 9:30. No big deal.
Al just got a little longer sleep. Headed
north on I-15 through Utah into Idaho. It
was warm – 100-106 degrees. Went
through The Virgin River Gorge. Very
pretty. Wish I had some pictures
left on my camera. Ran into traffic
in Provo and Salt Lake City adding to our driving time.
Saw the Great Salt Lake on the north side of Salt Lake City. Stopped at Malad and Downey looking for a room.
Ended up in Pocatello ID. Pocatello
is a good size college town (Idaho State) Had
dinner at a sports bar and was asked to a bike rally on Friday.
There was a jam session in the court yard of the bar.
Shot some pool and went back to hit the sack.
I will have to go back south 21 miles to McCammon ID in the morning to
pick up some camera cards that Ann mailed out.
States: ID
Friday, July 28, 2006 – Day 15 425.2 miles (4750.6)
Left Pocatello and drove to McCammon to pick up the camera cards while Al took a shower. Packed the bike and headed north on I-15 to Butte MT. Stopped in Lima MT for gas and Al realized that he had forgotten his bank card at the gas station in Pocatello. While he was taking care of his bank card issues I bought and mailed a birthday card to Hayden. Talked to a guy from CA who had driven in, rented a bike, and was on his way to Butte for Evil Knievel Days. We decided we would stop in Butte to see what it was all about. Also talked to two couples from British Columbia who were headed back north. They had been to Vegas and Death Valley about the same time I was there. Got to Butte and found the area blocked off for Evil’s birthday bash. Al got patches for his jacket. We heard there would be a parade. Evil came by in the Batmobile, along with about 200 bikes. As we were getting ready to leave Evil came back by. Also I believe Robby Knievel came by on a chopper. Left Butte and headed east to Bozeman to find a room. We finally found a room (Lewis and Clark 149.00). Everything else was booked. Not sure what was going on. It was a long day and Butte was a nice find. States: MT
Saturday, July 29, 2006 – Day 16 159.6 miles (4910.2)
Left Bozeman MT and went to Yellowstone Harley Davidson for a few shirts. Then headed back east to Livingston MT and made a turn south to Yellowstone Park. The day was sunny and warm, and the ride down to the north entrance of Yellowstone seemed to take only a few minutes, even though it was just over 50 miles. First stop was the sulfur pits. The smell was bad but the hot sulfur water running down over the rocks, constantly changing, was neat. We bought hoagies at a Subway on the way in to Yellowstone. So we stopped at Sheep Eater Cliffs to eat. Further down the road there were cars pulled over so we stopped to find a bull buffalo wandering 20 yards off the road. I got some great pictures. Later we found out that the buffalo were in rut and are dangerous to be around. We checked in and got a great campsite with no one behind us. We setup camp and then went back down to the store for patches, beer, and firewood. Our neighbors across the road came back so we walked over to get a look at their pull behind camper that they pull with a Gold Wing. Nice setup. They (Tim & Binnie) were from Arizona. Al cooked supper and we decided to walk down to the pay phones so we could call home. Neither of us were lucky enough to make a connection so we walked back up the road to our campsite. We met a group of men playing a game called Horse Balls. It was a neat game with PVC pipe and golf balls strung together with rope. We played a game, thanked the guys, and made our way back to camp. Al made a fire and we drank our last beer. We watched the stars while lying on our backs on the picnic table. Wished I had been able to talk to Tina. I miss her. States: WY
Sunday, July 30, 2006 - Day 17 239.0 miles (5149.2)
Got kind of a late start.
Al beat me up this morning (the first and probably the only time).
Stopped for breakfast at the snack bar before heading out to see Old
Faithful and the Grand Tetons. Arrived
at Old Faithful just in time to see it go off.
Walked up, joked for a few minutes, and someone said, “there it
goes”. Good timing again.
Then we headed south to the Grand Tetons.
What an outstanding view. Saw
a member of the Hell’s Angels (Germany) at the lake on the way down.
There was snow on the mountains. Saw many buffalo and some deer.
Finally saw three bull elk right along the road.
Got some great pictures. Stopped
at the store for hot dogs, buns, beer, and fire wood. Dinner was great, not freeze dried food tonight.
The day was warm, but not hot, and the night looks to be cool.
Leaving Yellowstone tomorrow headed to Sturgis.
Monday, July 31, 2006 – Day 18 296.0 miles (5442.2)
37 degrees this morning….Burrrr!!!! Packed up and left just after 9:00 am. Stopped to mail some stuff home and headed for the east entrance of Yellowstone. Stopped at the Artist Viewpoint on the way out. What a view of the waterfall and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Saw two bull elk and many buffalo. One buffalo was standing right along the road. The road out was under construction with about 10 miles of bumpy dirt road down hill. It took forever. Stopped in Cody WY for lunch. The waitress told us that the Hells Angels had left town on Sunday. They had been there for a week. The waitress said they did not cause much trouble but were harassed by the law. Took Rt 14 from Greybull to Sheridan through some beautiful red rock canyons and even saw a moose cow. Also saw a antelope, which Al just missed. After a few miscues we decided to spend the night in Sheridan. The view coming out of the Rockies was spectacular. It reminded me of Mt Aratt.
Tuesday, August 1, 2006 – Day 19 326.8 miles (5772.0)
Left Sheridan WY late. Weather was overcast and drizzle. We wore rain gear as we headed toward Little Big Horn. The weather improved and the ride up the valley was outstanding. We saw 2 heard of antelope and a dozen deer, including 2 big buck standing along the railroad tracks. Got to Little Big Horn and sat though a talk about the battle. Left and had lunch at the next exit up the interstate. Weather was changing and it became very windy. Did not make it to North Dakota, but stopped in Glendive for the night.
Wednesday, August 2, 2006 – Day 20 334.2
miles (6106.2)
Left Glendive MT around 8:15. Sunny, but cool. Wore leather till breakfast in Dickerson ND, then headed south toward Sturgis. The landscape in eastern Montana was at times rolling grass and at other times hilly with canyons. ND and SD found many Buttes and at times wheat fields that seemed to go on forever. Stopped in Belle Fourche SD, the geographical center of the United States, after Alaska and Hawaii were accepted as states. Got to Sturgis around 4:00 pm and setup camp. Very nice campground (Rush-No-More) and we got our pick of sites since we were early. Headed to the rally. Downtown was already busy, but not as busy as it would be. Many, many tee shirt vendors, etc. Visited the Harley Davidson retail shop and talked to the Hells Angels about getting our oil changed for $35. Talked to Tina and she was obviously have a very good time at convention. I miss her very much. It is a good thing I have much to keep me busy and I can not wait to hold her again. Left downtown and went “looking” for The Full Throttle, the largest biker bar in the world. And it was. Joe Santana & The Motley Band was playing. There was an interesting mix of people, hard core (been here every year) and professional people trying to look hard core. Had to be careful because there were police everywhere just waiting for someone to make a mistake. The night was cool and I am glad I have a warm sleeping bag. States: ND, SD
Thursday, August 3, 2006 – Day 21
245.6 miles (6351.8)
Morning found it cool and clear, but the sun warmed things up nicely. I was wearing my Penn State sweat shirt when the lady from behind us passed by and asked if I was from PA. Turned out they were from Williamsport PA and had ridden the west coast. Another “Rode Mine Here”. Rode to Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. Saw some Hells Angels at both places. Stopped and took a helicopter ride over Crazy Horse. First time for both Al and me in a chopper. Found the Needles Highway on the way back. Lots of twisties and at least three single lane tunnels through the rocks. Saw a buffalo, some deer, and lots of turkey. Stopped in Deadwood for some Red Bull and bought a shirt from the Harley Davidson retail store. Found our way into Sturgis and stopped for shopping and a walk along the main streets. Then back to camp. Great Day!!! I think a lot about Mindy and wonder how she is doing. I send postcards home almost every day. Talked to Tina. She was not feeling well but is headed home from convention tomorrow morning. Words can not describe how much I miss her and how much I am looking forward to seeing her again.
Friday, August 4, 2006 – Day 22 200.2 miles (6552.0)
Woke to a sunny day that warmed quickly. Took the bikes to town. Toured the Motorcycle Museum and bought shirts. Headed out early afternoon for Devils Tower. Stopped in Hulett WY for a late lunch, then on to Devils Tower. We could see it in the distance and it grew larger as we approached. We walked completely around the base of the tower, just to make Ann happy. Saw prairie dogs on the way in and out. Came back to the campsite. Called Tina on the way back while stopped at Wal-Mart. She was still feeling poorly. Wish I was with her. Will be soon. Showered and went to eat. Headed to the Full Throttle. The place was a mad house and will only get worse as the weekend goes on. The campground is really filling up
Saturday, August 5, 2006 – Day 23 232.0 miles (6784.0)
The plan was to go to Sturgis, mail some stuff home, and do
The Badlands. After looking over
the bike I realized I would be needing a rear tire before doing the ride.
So we went to Sturgis and had a rear tire installed before heading out
into the heat of The Badlands. The
weather was clear and the temperature rose quickly.
The ride out to The Badlands was hot, but the view was outstanding. I know you can only say “outstanding” and “awesome”
so many times. Beautiful might be a
better word. We stopped in Wall at
Wall Drug for some free water, then headed back west to Rapid City for the HOG
Reception and a look at the 07 bikes. After
a snack at the reception we rode back to the campground to call it a night.
For some reason Al forgot to get off the exit, which made our trip a
little longer. The riding was good
and it is easy to understand why he forgot to turn off.
Talked to Tina and she was just getting back to Warfordsburg.
Can’t wait to see her again. Still
wondering how Mindy is doing. The
campground is full and we now have tents all around us.
Sunday, August 6, 2006 – Day 24
92 miles (6876.0)
The day was overcast and cool, 70-75 degrees.
Rode to Spearfish Canyon, circling back through Leads and stopping in
Deadwood. Spent some time there
till the rain passed. Al gambled and I ate ice cream.
Rode back to the campground and did laundry in preparation for leaving
for home Monday morning. Went back
into Sturgis one more time for a bite to eat and for a few last minute items.
The rain came so we waited it out. We
broke out the rain gear and headed back to camp.
Monday, August 7, 2006 – Day 25
397.1 miles (7273.1)
Woke up just before 6:00 am and packed up. Headed into Sturgis for the Motor Cycle Stamp First Day Ceremony. Left Sturgis at 10:20 headed east. The day was mostly sunny, but very windy. You had to keep pulling right just to stay on the road. Then when something blocked the wind the bike would turn right. Even though it would only move a few feet, it felt more like several feet. By late afternoon the wind had died down and riding was much better. We stopped at the Corn Palace in Mitchell SD. Designs on the exterior and some of the interior were done in corn. Very interesting. Pushed on to Souix Falls SD for the night. Talked about skipping the Harley Davidson plant tour in Milwaukee and getting home a day earlier.
Tuesday, August 8 , 2006 – Day 26 598.8 miles (7862.9)
The day started out somewhat cloudy with the temperature in
the low 60’s. Left Souix Falls SD
around 7:30 am headed east. Entered
Minnesota and turned south to catch Iowa. Traveled
about 80 miles in Iowa and then turned north to get back into Minnesota and
headed east on I-90. Stopped for
lunch and decided to change our ferry reservations to 7:00 pm Tuesday.
That meant we had to cover 325 miles in less then 6 hours.
We did 144 miles the first 2 hours.
Stopped between Madison and Milwaukee for a break and decided to find a
Harley Davidson dealer so we could buy a shirt.
Traffic was bad entering Milwaukee with the State Fair, a base ball game,
and construction going on. Made it
to the ferry with 8 minutes to go, only to find out that the ferry was running
over an hour late. Called Tina and
lied to her about where we were so I could surprise her by being home a day
early. The ferry came and we loaded
the bikes. The ferry docked on the
Michigan shore around 11:45 pm. Drove
to Grand Rapids and got a room at a Motel 6 for the night.
Can’t wait to surprise Tina on Thursday. States: MN, IA, MI
Wednesday, August 9, 2006 – Day 27 393.0 miles (8255.9)
Left Grand Rapids around 7:45 headed south/east bound for Youngstown OH. Decided along the way to push for the I-79 & I-80 interchange. That would give us both a shorter ride home on Thursday. Tina still does not know that I will be home when she gets home on Thursday. I can’t wait to see the look in her eyes when she sees me sitting on the couch. The ride was good. Weather was cool at first but ended up fairly warm. It was nice to see Pennsylvania again --- the green trees and mountains of home. Tomorrow I will be home!!!! Can’t wait!!!!
Thursday, August 10, 2006 – Day 28
234.9 miles (8490.8)
Left Mercer PA around 9:00 am and headed east on I-80. We got a little mixed up after gassing up and turned the wrong way headed back into Mercer. We got stopped in construction and in the process of doing a U-turn, yes ---I dropped the bike again. No major damage, no paint issues, just knocked the left front turn signal lenses off again. Scotch tape doesn’t hold that well. Picked the bike up and stopped back at the gas station to give it a good going over. Al was pissed and blamed himself for going the wrong way. I told him “not another word”. It was a slow downhill turn with a top heavy bike and a very sore left elbow. It just happened. Got on I-80 and headed east and home. I pulled to the left lane and moved up beside Al. When he looked over I smiled and I swear there were tears in his eyes. I went east, and he went south. The day was sunny and the final 234 miles home were a treat. I stopped at a rest area about 75 miles in I-80 to use the restroom and check the bike again. Everything was fine. Stopped in Lamar for gas and a quick bite at McDonalds before closing out the trip. Called Tina from the rest area to promote my story about not getting home till Friday. Thought I might have screwed up because she said I should have still been on the ferry. Got home about 12:30. Met Michelle out front. She was surprised and I asked her to not say a word to her mom. I unpacked, washed the bike, and put it away. I took a shower and waited on the couch for Tina to come home. At 3:45 the door opened and Tina came in, check the mail on the table, then went to the pool room. She tripped over my gear and realized that I must be home. She rounded the corner and flattened me on the couch. I am glad the surprised worked and I was very happy to see her again. I hope that one day she will understand why I had to do this now and not later.
What I learned from the trip.
I learned that a bike trip is like life.
The trip had a beginning and an end.
The trip had highs and lows, literally (Mt Evans and Death Valley) and
figuratively (the beautiful views and dropping the bike in Death Valley and
Mercer PA). And it is not the
destination that is important, but the journey.
All those things experienced along the way are what makes the trip
special. And so it is with life.
I promised myself that I would see the Grand Canyon from a bike. I did that and more. And I rang mom’s bell at the Grand Canyon, I hope she heard it. I thought of her each time I heard the bells ring along the way.