Day 17 Iron Butt

There is an Iron Butt Association which is a group of motorcycle riders who are dedicated to long distance safe riding. In order to qualify for the exclusive club you have to ride 1000 miles in a 24 hour period and certify it with certain documents. This is just the minimum ride to join the club. There are others rides that are even longer and can last for many days. I have never done an Iron Butt ride and don’t have the desire to do one. However I feel Tom and I are some type of associate members. After 17 days on the road we have traveled 8000 miles and visited most of the western states except Washington, Oregon, and Texas. It doesn’t qualify for the IBA club but it sure qualifies for the Dream Come True club.
I received a wakeup call this morning at 5:30. It wasn’t the front desk at my request either. It was work from back home calling with a question. Claimed they forgot about the time difference. Oh well, I did tell them to call if they needed me.
As we were leaving Glenwood Springs at 8:00 AM, I saw the hot spring pool that the town is known for just before we got on I70. It was 55 degrees and this huge pool was full of people. People out west seem to be much more health conscious then back home. Outdoor activities are a life style around here.
We only took the interstate about 30 miles and it was really beautiful as it weaved through the base of the mountains, sometimes through tunnels and along a raging river. We looked on a map and saw this small road off the interstate that looked interesting. It had no route number but meandered north along the mountain range still following the river. As we got about 10 miles down the road it became all crushed stone for the next 12 miles. We then picked up 134 east which was a nice high speed twisty road. We came to route 40 and stopped in a small sportsman town named Kremmling for a quick snack and some gas. While we were there we spoke to a couple from Michigan who just came from Rocky Mountain NP. They told us it was in the 40’s up on top so we decided to but some warmer clothes on. We picked up 34 east and entered the park on the west side at Grand Lake. The drive through the park, except for some road construction, was spectacular. We climbed 12,200 feet over a mountain pass where the temperature dropped to about 48 and exited the park on the east side at Estes Park. We continued to Loveland and got on interstate 25 north bound through Cheyenne, Wyoming. We stopped around 6:30 in the town of Douglas, WY.
Tomorrow we’re heading north to the Devil’s tower and then east into the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Life is good.

Total miles: 418 Butt factor: 3

Day 16 Extremes

Today was a day of extremes. Temperatures, landscape, weather, you name it we saw some big swings. The first extreme is that Theis is not writing the post today, Tom is. I hope you will forgive the change in prose and literary style. Although Theis did tell me he would censor this before it made it to print.
We started the day in Durango, CO at the corner of Highways 550 and 160. Heading east to Pagosa Springs, we swung south on Hwy 64 into New Mexico just to visit the state. We rode through Chama, NM and headed northeast from Chama on Rte 17 past the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic RR. A narrow gauge coal fired historic passenger train that toured the San Juan National Forest. Our first stop came in Antonito, CO where we met an extreme of living standard but where I encountered an excellent breakfast burrito. The terrain from Durango to Antonito was mainly the rolling hills and ridges of the San Juan NF, with lots of cattle ranches and RV parks, but as we left Antonito, the terrain suddenly changed to the long flat plain of the San Luis Valley.
Our next stop was San Luis, CO, the county seat of Costilla County and the oldest city in Colorado. Founded in 1851, it was not the first colony, but is the oldest surviving one. Although still surviving, it is by no means flourishing with 22% unemployment. But the valley is surrounded on all sides by some beautiful scenery. With the Culebra range to the East, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the north and the San Juan mountains to the west, the views are spectacular in all directions. But the ride out of San Luis up through Fort Garland on 159 and then west on 160 to Alamosa where we turned North on Rte 17 was flat and in straight lines. An extreme contrast to yesterdays twisty mountain roads. At one point on route 17, we rode north for 40 miles watching a thunderstorm drift east toward us. It was a nip and tuck, but we got around the storm with just a few miles of precipitation.
Route 17 turned into 285 and then into 24 as we made our way north into the Rockies. Up to this point the weather was co-operating and we had most of the day in the high 60’s and low 70’s, but a big dark cloud was up ahead. With every turn of the road, we seemed to be steering into the storm. We turned west on Route 82 heading toward the Independence Pass, a 12 thousand foot pass, and our first time above the tree line. As we turned onto 82, we decided to don the raingear. At first it appeared that we would miss the rain as we wound up the steep narrow climb to the top. But, at the top as we pulled out to get a quick photo of the summit, the rain started. We had to make our way down a steep narrow road at 40 degrees in rain and hail; some nerve racking riding. Apparently not as bad as the bicyclist I followed down the mountainside. As I rode, I could hear him yelping as the cold rain and hail left him shivering in his shorts and t-shirt.
But we finally wound our way down from Independence Pass into Aspen and stopped for fuel. We seem to be getting high mileage out here. The ride from Antonito to Aspen was about 260 miles and we took on 4 gallons of gas. At the gas station, the proprietor suggested we stop in Glenwood Springs where we could find some good accommodations for a reasonable price. The trip to Glenwood Springs was about 40 miles, and we passed some extremely high dollar properties, and the Aspen airport where there was an endless line of private jets. One took off as we rode by, probably winging some executive back to the east coast on Sunday evening in time to be in the office on Monday morning.
We made it to Glenwood in just about 450 miles from Durango and stopped at a nice local place called the Caravan Inn where the pool, restaurant (and beer) were welcome refreshments to end the day. A day where we saw extremes of temperature from 40 to 87 degrees; altitude from just over 6K to 12K feet; wealth from Antonito to Aspen; weather from bright sunshine to thunderstorms and hail; terrain from the rolling San Juan NF to the flat plain of the San Luis Valley to the jagged peaks of the Rockies and the Independence Pass. They call Denver the mile high city. I guess that was a better tag line than the “lowest spot in Colorado”.
Well, I expect Theis will return tomorrow.

Total miles: 464 Butt factor: 1

Day 15 Chicken stripes and dragging pegs

We had 2 different plans for today depending on the weather. When we awoke the sun was shining. It was 52 degrees and the forecast for the day was sunny with a high of 70. Since we were staying at the same motel for another night we did not have to pack the bike with the extra weight of our luggage. For that reason we chose to ride the more challenging mountain loop. It was time to get rid of those chicken stripes on the new rear tire and drag some pegs through those mountain switchbacks.
After a quick gas stop and a tire pressure check, we headed north around 8:00 AM on 550 out of Durango. It’s known as the Million Dollar Highway. This road takes you into some high mountain passes with altitudes over 11,000 feet as you pass through the old mining towns of Silverton and Ouway. This is truly God’s country. I felt I was in motorcycle heaven as we passed beautiful mountain streams and waterfalls all along the route.
When we reached the town of Montrose, we turned east on 50 and headed to Gunnison. We then took 149 south through the Rio Grande National Forest. As we motored through the forest the large Cottonwood trees were shedding their cotton and as it drifted in the breeze it appeared as if it was snowing in June.
We picked up 160 west in South Fork and traveled through Pagosa Springs and Chimney Rock as we headed back to Durango. We arrived at home base around 6:00, cleaned the bugs off the bike and had some dinner again at the Texas BBQ place across the street.
Tomorrow we’re heading east and dropping down into New Mexico briefly before visiting San Luis where Tom’s family has some property.
Life is good.

Total miles: 402 Butt factor: 3

Day 14 T.G.I.F. part 2

When you’re riding a motorcycle for 10 to 12 hours a day you have plenty of time to think to yourself. During most of this trip my thoughts are as pleasant as the sights around me. Today was the second Friday that I’ve been on the road and my thoughts often returned to the dreaded days of last summer. Those Fridays will be forever in my mind but today the visual pleasures sure helped me to forget.
This morning our primary task was to get my rear tire fixed. We found a Honda dealer in Monticello which was about 20 miles North from where we were staying. We were in no hurry to get on the road because the dealership didn’t open till 9:00 AM. We left Blanding at 8:15 and arrived at 8:45. As we pulled into the parking lot we met a couple from Tennessee who were waiting to have their Goldwing repaired too. So Tom and I decided to go have some breakfast while we waited our turn. It was 11:30 when we finally pulled out of Monticello with my new Dunlop Elite III.
With a new confidence in my bike we took 191 North to 211. This is the entrance road to the Canyonlands NP. The colorful grandeur spires of cedar mesa sandstone that have been eroded over time, dominated the area. We left the park and took 46 east into the state of Colorado where it became 90. We continued till 90 became 145 and as we came over a mountain we could see the giant, white capped mountains of the Rockies. It was so nice to see mountains covered with green foliage again instead of the bare rock monuments we saw in Utah. As we drove into the mountains the air smelled so clean and fresh. It was obvious that the area has been receiving an abundance of rain because as we traveled along the creeks and streams at the base of the mountains, the waters were high and the current was fast.
We continued south on 145 past Telluride were we climbed to the elevation of 10,200 ft over Lizard Head Pass. I was literally higher than I’ve ever been, pure euphoria. We descended down into Cortez and took 160 east and arrived at our destination of Durango around 7:00 PM.
There are 2 possible loop rides we can take from here. One will take us east and then south into New Mexico and other north to Silverton and Ouray. So we’ll be staying here for 2 nights and deciding which ride to take depending on the weather in that direction.
Life is good.

Total miles: 365 Butt factor: 3

Day 13 Slow, Look, Press and Roll

As an MSF instructor, we teach our students the most common single vehicle accident on a motorcycle is caused by the driver not using good cornering techniques and running off the road in a curve. The proper technique is to first SLOW to your entry speed, then LOOK through the turn to where you’re going, PRESS down on the handle in the direction your turning, and ROLL on the throttle to accelerate through the turn. The roads we traveled today, up and down mountains, through canyons with the roads cut through rock passages, demanded the highest skills. Unfortunately as we rounded one big turn we came upon someone who did not slow enough to get the proper entry speed and locked up the rear wheel. He made his second mistake by releasing the brake causing the bike to high side. Tom and I were the first to come upon him. He was OK. He had some road rash and possibly a sprained wrist. He was lucky, his bike was not. We helped him move it off the roadway and then I waited with him while Tom drove to the next town for some cell service to call 911. As we continued on after the state cops arrived, I concentrated on my technique which was even more challenging because of the livestock wandering in the middle of the road and the tar snakes in the middle of the turns.
After breaking down the camp site this morning it was 73 degrees when we left Cedar City. We didn’t think we would need the warm weather gear. We headed out of town on route 14 east towards Bryce NP. We were only about 15 miles out of town and climbing into the mountains when the temperature dropped almost 20 degrees. So we made a quick stop to add some layers of clothes. We picked up 89 north for a short distance and then east again on 12 through an area with tall cedar trees and occasional Aspen groves. We dropped into the park entrance off 12. The park has one 18 mile road in and then turns around and runs back out. The landscape was spectacular again. There were big sandstone cliffs with layer after layer of brilliant colors. We also saw natural bridges formed by erosion long ago when the earth was in its angry stage.
We continued back on 12 east to 24 were we again traveled through massive canyons of volcanic rock. As we were descending the last mountain in the town of Torrey, I could tell my bike was handling strangely. I radioed up to Tom to pull over so I could check my bike, but before I finished the sentence I knew I had a flat tire. I had packed everything needed to fix it. It took about an hour, so we were really running behind today. We started to head for Blanding, Utah and only made it about 70 more miles and the first plug failed. We couldn’t have been in a more desolate area. There was nowhere to pull off the road so we plugged it again right on the side of the road. It seemed about 1 car passed us every 15 minutes so it wasn’t a problem. We had about 93 miles to get to Blanding, we took it slow and arrived around 9:15 tonight.
Tomorrow we need to find a place to get the tire replaced. Then hopefully head north to see Canyonlands NP.
Life is good.

Total miles: 429 Butt factor:2

Day 12 Beer is good

I’ve always enjoyed a pint or two of cold beer. There is nothing better tasting after a long day in the saddle. I always had my favorite brews too. Usually it was “more taste and less filling”. One of the biggest disappointments last year was during the dreaded days when I had my taste buds nuked and lost my taste for beer. The world just wasn’t right without my 2 favorite food groups, beer and wings. Slowly I got some tastes buds back but beer has never been the same for me. I decided to be open minded and try some different brews on this trip. Last night we ate at Cruisers in Williams, AZ. It’s a small microbrewery/restaurant. I tried one of their pale ales and it was one of the best beers I’ve had in a year. I learned a lesson last night. Be more open to other kinds of beer next time I’m doing the 12 oz. curls.
When we woke up this morning and looked out the window the sun was shining again. When I walked outside at 6:30 to load the bike the air smelled so fresh. The temperature gauge showed 54 degrees. It was a nice change from the heat we had been riding in for the last 2 days. We were back in the green landscape were the pine trees are huge, and out of the arid harsh desert climate were the biggest plant is as high as your knees. It didn’t last long. By the afternoon is was back up to 95 but it was totally different today because we were in the best riding area of the trip so far.
We started up 64 North for about 50 miles to the south entrance of the Grand Canyon NP. Within minutes of being inside the park we pulled over to a scenic look out. I can not describe my first vision of the canyon. It was spectacular. We continued on to 89 North pass Echo Cliffs and Marble Canyon making a few more stops. There were areas inside the park where they were doing control burns. Apparently they feel this will help prevent big fires and will also promote new growth.
We continued on to Zion NP which was about 125 miles north. At one gas/food stop in Fredonia we met a native American man named Navajo Elroy who taught us a few phrases in his native Navajo dialect.
When we arrived at Zion and as we drove through the park I had the same feelings as I did earlier in the day. Breath taking! What a beautiful park. The rock formations were so vivid in coral, pink and red colors. It was a great day for riding.
After exiting the park and driving through the quaint little of Zion we got on I15 North and stopped in Cedar City, Utah for the night. We decided to try another camp ground. Hopefully it will be better than the last.
Tomorrow we head northeast toward Bryce and Canyonlands NP and into Colorado.
Life is good.
Total miles: 377 Butt factor: 2

Day 11 You meet the nicest people on a Honda

I remember looking through the Sears catalog when I was a very young boy and wishing I was old enough to buy one of the mopeds they had for sale called the Sears Allstate. I think it cost about $175 back then. I saved all my money but never got near enough money. When I was 16, I worked all summer at a landscape job and saved enough to buy my first motorcycle. It was a used Honda 305 cc and cost $400. I was so happy I thought it was all I’d ever want. I saw the movie Easy Rider that same summer and that’s when the cross country dreaming got its start. Since then I’ve owned at least 25 more Hondas and today I’m riding a $20k Goldwing and doing everything I always wanted to do.
We slept in this morning after a late night in the casinos. Plus it took extra time to have our luggage picked up by the bellhop. He did help us by taking our luggage down the back service elevator and out a rear exit near the parking garage. He waited there for us to get the bikes from the garage. This was so much easier than driving to the front of the casino and loading the bikes there.
We were on the road by 11:30 and the temperature was already 95 degrees. We didn’t have time last night to discuss today’s ride. All we knew was we had nowhere to go and all day to get there. We road to the outskirts of Las Vegas on 15 north and then stopped for some coffee and to check the maps. Since it was so close, we decided to head towards the Hoover Dam on 93 south. The traffic was horrible because of a security check of all vehicles. While we were crawling along in traffic , the temperature quickly reached 106. After all that cold weather the previous week, we just weren’t prepared for the warmth.
We drove over the dam and continued on 93 to 40. We got off 40 at Seligman, Arizonza. This is a small old town were the historic route 66 went through. We drove for awhile on the old route 66 which paralleled the new interstate. Many of the original buildings are still standing as historical landmarks of this by gone era.
We continued on 40 east till we reached Williams Arizona. It’s also a historical small from the route 66 era. Tom and I decided to end the day early. The heat of the day took a toll on us today. We pulled into a Super 8 around 5:30 and had dinner downtown at an old surviving route 66 restaurant called Cruisers.
Tomorrow we’re heading into the Grand Canyon NP. The town were we are staying is the gateway to the south entrance so it’s just a short ride north from here.
Life is good.

Total miles: 253 Butt Factor: 2

Day 10 Viva Las Vegas Part 2

My internal clock went off at 5:30 AM again. No alarm clock needed. After a quick shower I walked across the street to buy some coffee for Tom and I since the motel didn’t offer a free continental breakfast. When I first checked the temperature it was 50 degrees and sunny and when we pulled out at 7:30 it was 54 and quickly warmed into the mid 60’s. Before we left we did our TCLOCS and noticed our tire pressures were down. We needed gas and some air.
Before we left we got the map out to check our route. To get to Yosemite, which was the plan, we would have to backtrack quite far north. So we changed the plan and decided to head directly east to Death Valley NP.
First, we headed south on 101 and picked up 58 east. I was leading and I was so anxious to get riding this morning I completely forgot about the gas stop. We were about 4 miles outside of town and about to get into some really nice roads when we saw a sign that said next gas, 85 miles. We were aware that there would be times when fuel stops would be far apart so we turned around and went back into town to fill the tanks and get some air.
We felt energized after a good night’s rest and with the smell of beautiful fresh air we took 58 east into Bakersfield. This rode wound down through canyons and valleys, and eventually led back into the Sierra Nevada Mountains. There were lots of high speed turns and big rollers that were very comfortable to handle.
We picked up 178 east to 385 north. I knew we were in for a big temperature change when we started to see people caring umbrellas and it wasn’t raining. Then we saw our first cactus plants. We made a right hand turn at 190. This is the road through Death Valley NP. We climbed 2 mountains to about 8000 feet before descending to the bottom of the valley twice. The temperature at the top of the mountain was 85 degrees. When we reached the valley floor which was 213 feet below sea level it was 106. The scenery was literally out of this world. It looked like the landscape you saw from the lunar landing. We climbed back out of the valley and headed east to Las Vegas on 160. We traveled over the top of one last mountain range and as we were descending , there in the distance, in the middle of the dessert was the emerald city of Las Vegas. It was an amazing sight to see from 25 miles away.
We pulled in about 7:30 and got one of the nicest rooms of the trip on the main strip for $44. The valet helped us with our bags, camping gear and all, but we parked the bikes ourselves. After a quick shower we hit the strip for some dinner and some drinks at the Bellagio and then a little gambling before we called it a late night. BTW,,,Some of my sister inlaws luck rubbed off me and I took them for some of their money and quadrupled mine.
Life is good.

Total miles: 499 Butt factor: 1

Day 10 Viva Las Vegas

Gone to the party. I'll try to back post tomorrow.

Day 9 California Dreaming

Yesterday was a big milestone for me when we crossed over the California state line. I had always wanted to visit the area and see it firsthand rather than read about it or see it in the movies and television. Tom and I needed to make the decision what today’s destination would be. We thought about continuing South in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and then turn east to Yosemite. But after we got the map out and saw how close we were to the Pacific Ocean we decided to continue our trip all the way west till we couldn’t go any further. After seeing it more today it hasn’t been a disappointment.
We were up at 5:45 and after packing, some coffee and a bowl of oatmeal we both made phone calls home for some Fathers Day wishes. We hit the road by 7:00. The weather was perfect. Sunny and 46 degrees but it warmed into the 60’s quickly. From the motel we got back on 50 west. It was a good thing Tom decided to lead today and me follow. As he was entering the highway I noticed something fall off his bike. It was his tank bag. I radioed up to him with the info and then stopped and ran back to fetch it off the road. When I caught back up to him he said he hadn’t even noticed it was missing.
After just a short distance we turned on 49 south into Mariposa. The road traveled through many small towns that dated back to the gold rush days. Much of the old abandoned adobe architecture was still standing. We saw many riders on dual sport bikes which must be fun because it’s a very rugged area. One long section of the road was cut into the side of a canyon and twisted through the mountains for about 20 miles. It was an extremely challenging ride that made Deals Gap seem like the Concord Pike.
We ran on 140 west out of Mariposa till we reached 59 south in Merced which is mainly an agriculture area. There was acre after acre of farms growing avocados, figs, artichokes and many other fruits and veggies. Then we picked up 152 over the Diablo mountain range into Hollister. We took route 101 towards the Monterey Bay and soon reached coastal highway 1 and the Pacific Ocean. We drove south along the most beautiful road that took us through Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur. After about 90 miles of the most scenic road we reached Cambria and made the big turn back to the east. We had gone to the edge, as far as we could, and it was time to head towards home.
Of course the ride home won’t be direct. We still have almost 2 weeks to get back east. We have gone just under 5000 miles in 9 days to reach the west coast. We still have lots to see on the return ride. Tomorrow we’re heading to Yosemite NP.
Life is good!

Total miles: 452 Butt factor: 2

Day 8 The Big Chill

One of the top films ever, in my opinion, was a movie from the early 80’s called The Big Chill. It had a great cast of young actors, including Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, William Hurt , Jeff Golblum and many more, who all became stars. What made it even a better movie was the soundtrack. It had some fantastic rock music from artists like The Stones, The Rascals, The Beach Boys, The Band, Steve Miller and CCR. For some reason I identified with that movie. As I was traveling down the road today listening to the soundtrack I laughed to myself that these past few days of weather have been the big chill. And thankfully we are pointed heading south tomorrow and into a different weather system.
Last night was our first night of camping and it got a bit damp. The rain started off and on around 3:00 AM . When we woke up at 5 it was still raining, 48 degrees and looking bad. We showered and broke down camp and were on the road at 8:15. It continued to rain until about 10 when the sun finally. The temperature fluctuated all day with the altitude changes we were riding over. At one point we even had hail on one of the mountain passes. The high was 78 and the rest of the day was a beautiful ride.
We headed west on 50, “the loneliest rode in America” towards Carson City. The road took us over 7 mountain passes. We would climb these beautiful winding curves to about 7500 ft., then descend into the flatland valleys and ride for about 25 to 50 miles on the straightest road with no traffic anywhere. Then do it all over again. We stopped in Austin, NV for breakfast and as we were getting ready to leave, the annual community parade for their founding fathers started on Main street. So we were stuck. We stayed and watched this small town celebrate their western heritage. We continue on route 50 to 28 North and picked up route 89 around the west side of Lake Tahoe. We stopped for some pictures right outside Incline Village which is a beautiful lakeside tourist town. We continued around the lake to pickup 50 again and stopped around 7:30 in the small town of Pollack Pines. I’m not sure what time zone we’re in so we may have gained an hour crossing into Pacific time.
Tom followed me home from dinner last night and when we arrived at the campsite he told me I was having some lighting problems on the back of the bike. The brake light on the rear spoiler has a safety device installed that flashes the lights when the brakes are applied. The trouble was they were flashing very rapidly all the time even though the regular brake lights were working properly. It was too dark to work on it last night so when we got back from diner tonight I took the trunk apart and disabled the device. Everything is working right now. There was still one more problem I had to deal with this morning. While getting ready to leave the camp, I was putting on my Aerostich suit and a zipper in the leg got stuck right below the knee. No matter what I did I could not free it up. So finally I got the tools out and really broke it. I pulled the tab right off the zipper. No problem because I packed a couple of extra bungees and I know bungee science 101. I road all morning with the pant leg bungeed closed. It should work fine for the rest of the trip until I can get it repaired. So that’s 3 problems so far. I hope it’s the last.
We’re still trying to decide what direction to go tomorrow. One choice is head to the coast since we’re so close. There is a NASCAR race at Infineon Racetrack tomorrow. That’s not too far either. Or head to Yosemite NP according to the plan. I’ll let you know tomorrow what we decide.

Total miles: 510 Butt factor: 5

Day 7 T.G.I.F.

Isn’t it funny how we all wish our lives away wanting the weekend to come as soon as possible? That’s not the case for me this week nor was it this week exactly one year ago. I call them the dreaded days of last summer. I hated those Fridays and the rough weekends after each. Today, one year later, I try to make the most of each day and I am thankful for such a beautiful day as today.
It was a chilly start this morning. When I first got up the temperature gauge on the bike showed 40 degrees. We packed up, had breakfast at the motel and were getting on the road by 7:00 A.M. However when I started the bike I noticed an immediate problem. The audio system on my bike would not power on and I did not want to be without my tunes and GPS. I thought about the problem and remembered on Wednesday my heated hand grips died so I replaced a blown fuse with another that with a slightly larger rated. Big mistake. Now I had another blown fuse back in the main fuse box that controlled everything. After I replaced it and everything was functioning we were on the road by 7:30.
The sun was shining on us all day and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky as we headed West on route 89 which was once a part of the Oregon trail. This road is an absolute perfect motorcycling road. Following along beautiful lakes and streams it was hard for me to keep my eyes and thought on the road. It was somewhat technical through the mountain twisties but yet smooth and fast with no traffic.
After a couple of hours we got on I15 in Utah and super slabbed it down past the Great Salt Lake to Salt Lake City. We then headed west on route 50 through the western mountains and deserts of Utah and over the border into Nevada.
We pulled into a KOA campground in Ely Nevado around 5:00 P.M. and setup camp. It was also a good opportunity get some wash done before we headed out for diner.
Tomorrow well ride west on 50, aka “the loneliest road in America”, towards Carson City and then tour the Lake Tahoe area before heading into California.
Life is good!

Total miles: 465 Butt factor: 3

Day 6 Bungee Science

In my opinion the 4 most important inventions by man, in chronological order, are fire, beer, the wheel and bungee cords. Packing a motorcycle for a 3 week trip is not easy. Then having to repack it every day, it becomes almost a science. After the first week we have mastered the science of the bungee.
I was up at 6:00 this morning and decided to walk down to the Super 8’s lobby to get a cup of coffee and some oatmeal at the free continental breakfast before packing my bike. Tom decided to pack first and then grab his breakfast but just as he was heading to the lobby there was a power outage. Nothing was available unless you wanted some cold cereal so we got on the road a little early this morning.
It was 54 degrees when we pulled out at 7:15. The skies were overcast and the roads were still wet from the overnight rain. I decided to wear my heated clothes because we would be riding in some high elevations. We had rain off and on all day but it would only rain for 5 minutes and then it would be sunny skies and dry road. The temperature never got higher than 59 and as low as 41.
We started on I90 east and then took 89 South into Wyoming . We heard Beartooth Pass was still being repaired from the winter damage so we changed our plan and entered Yellowstone at the North entrance. We toured around the park all morning making stops at Mammouth Hot Springs, Tower Falls and Old Faithfull. We took the South exit from the park and picked up 89 South again and rode through Grand Teton National Park. The road, which followed along the Snake River at the bottom of the Tetons, was definitely in the top 5 roads that I have ever ridden. We continued through Jackson Hole, a quaint little western tourist town, and stopped for the night around 6:30 in Montpilier, Idaho.
Tomorrow we’re heading west through Idaho and into Salt Lake City and across Utah.
Life is good.

Total miles: 404 Butt factor: 3

Day 5 Rocky Mountain High

Last night when we checked into the St. Mary Lodge, they advertised free WIFI in the lodge area. After diner I grabbed my laptop and a 6 pack and headed for the hotspot to post my blog. I was successful connecting to their network but couldn’t get on the web. When I asked the front desk for help they told me their service is intermittent because of the remoteness. While we sat around in the lodge finishing our beverages, I noticed one of the front desk clerks bringing print outs of Google maps to one of the guests. I decided to ask about the service once again and got the same answer. I gave her my disappointed face and explained I was a writer that needed to post an article about Glacer Park and the St. Mary’s Lodge and was under a deadline. It was just a small lie but it worked. She invited me into their back office and allowed me to use their office computer and I made my deadline.
Touring the park was on the agenda this morning. Before we crashed last night, Tom and I were worried that when we woke up the weather would be foggy and overcast, but when we awoke it was clear, sunny and about 50 degrees. I decided to wear my Aerostich suit with my heated liners and I’m glad I did because I used the heat off and on all day. The weather constantly changed as we climbed to the different higher altitudes. We had mostly sunny skies all day with those big puffy clouds again and a high of 70.
We were on the road at 7:00 AM. The park entrance was right at the lodge were we stayed. As we drove through the entrance we were disappointed when we found out Going to the Sun Highway was still closed at Logan Pass from the winter but at least we were able to ride the first 15 miles. As Dark Side of the Moon, the song by Pink Floyd was playing on the satellite radio, I motored up the mountain and now know what they mean by a rocky mountain high. The mountain scenery was unbelievable. The air smelled so clean and fresh. The east coast has nothing to compare with this natural beauty.
We toured a few other areas of the park including Manny Glacer and then headed west on rt. 2 towards western Glacer NP and Kalispell. At Kalispell we turned south on rt. 35 and drove along a scenic lake that was formed from the glacers many years ago. At Polson, MT we turned onto rt. 93 which took us on some nice mountain roads at the foothills of the Rockies. From there we reached I90 in Missoula and headed east through Butte and into Bozeman were we’re staying tonight.
Today Tom led most of the way when we were traveling on the mountain roads. Once we got on the interstate I took the lead and set the cruise control at the 75 MPH speed limit or close to it.
We decided to eat dinner at Famous Dave’s BBQ which was right up the street from the Motel 8 were we’re staying. We both ordered ribs and I gotta tell you they were nothing like the ribs at Stanley’s. Tom managed to force his down, but I couldn’t. I ordered some shrimp then asked to speak to the restaurant manager. We were very diplomatic and told him this was our first visit to the franchise and how one just opened in Wilmington and then proceeded to tell him our boots would have tasted better. He was very nice and comped the whole meal, but I still will never eat there again.
Tomorrow it’s off to Yellowstone. We are only about a 100 miles from the NW entrance.
Renee, hope your feeling better.
Ken, any better?

Life is good!

Total miles: 535 Butt factor: 3

Lewis and Clark

We got up this morning and the temperature was 59 degrees when we got on the road at 7:00 AM. The motel we stayed at didn’t have a free breakfast buffet so I wasn’t able to get any coffee till the first gas stop. We headed north on 85 out of Watford City in some thick fog. The sun came out around 9:30 and the rest of the day was gorgeous with big puffy white clouds in the sky with flat bottoms that look like they’re sitting on a plate of glass and the temps were as high as 80. We road about 25 miles north and then we crossed into the Mountain Time zone. This means we gained an extra hour of riding time. When we reached Rt. 2 in Williston we turned west on Rt. 2 towards Montana. This road is called the Lewis and Clark Trail because this is the route they took when they explored the Northwest Territories. Today it was the Bob and Tom Trail. The road started out very straight and flat for a long time and the speed limit was 70 mph so we made some good time. On the east side of the state there is quite a bit of road construction and there were several times when there was only one way traffic due to the new road being built right next to it. At one point we had to wait for the escort construction truck to come back from the other side and as we wanted we had a nice chit chat with the young flag lady. When the escort truck finally started to guide our line of traffic through the construction zone there were a couple of places where I wish we had four wheel drive. Not a good place for a motorcycle but with great care we made it through. We finally stopped at a little greasy spoon in Saco Montana for breakfast. Besides for the fact they only had instant decaf coffee, the breakfast was delicious. We knew we were getting closer to Glacer when the road became more rolling hills and sweeping turns. And then in the distance, what first looked like the puffy white clouds that we were riding in all day, on the far horizon we saw the snow capped mountains of the park. Finally after 3 and a half days of hard riding from the east coast through the flat lands of the Midwest we had reached our first destination. We drove into the town of Browning which is the home of the Blackfoot Indian nation, and headed North on 89 before arriving in St. Marys which is the small town at the entrance to the park and the beginning of the “Going to the Sun Highway”. Before we checked into our motel there we explored some of the roads that surround the park. What an amazing area. I checked the altitude on my GPS and most of the time it was showing we were between 5000 and 6000 feet and the mountains were still rising way above us. We could tell a huge area of the park was ravaged by a forest fire. Most of the trees for as far as you could see were scorched. We arrived around 5:30, cleaned up and changed clothes. We had diner right here at the lodge. There is free WIFI in the lobby of the lodge but no AT&T cell service. Sorry Renee I didn’t get the chance to speak with you today. I’ll call tomorrow. Tomorrow we’ll ride into the park. We are told many of the roads are still closed from the harsh winter they had. Locals at the lodge told us it snowed as recently as May 15th. Then we’ll head south towards Yellowstone.
Life is good.

Total miles: 564 Butt factor: 2

Day 3 Teddy Roosevelt slept here

I was awake at 5:30 this morning again, anxious to get on the road. During the night we had some thunder storms that woke me up and it was still raining when I got up. After packing the bike and a couple cups of java we were on the road by 7:30. Because of the weather I decided to wear my Aerostich one piece suit. It has much better protection from the wet weather then my short jacket and pants. We headed North on I29 towards Fargo, ND. The rain had almost stopped and by the time we were 20 minutes out and the day was a mix of weather again. The temperature ranged from a low of 64 this morning to 75 degrees during the day. We had mostly sun but we did ride through some clouds and small showers. Once we reached Fargo we went West on I94 right across the middle of the state. At one point near Bismarck we looked north and saw the biggest, darkest clouds that started to drop down and form a funnel. I don’t think the funnel reached the ground but when we stopped for gas about a 100 miles down the road, some people told us it was quite a violent storm with hail and high winds. Tom led the way today which was nice change of pace. The speed limit on the highways around here is 75 mph so with Zoom Zoom in the lead we made some good time. The roads are really nice and smooth in North Dakota. There is a lot of highway construction going on around here. I not sure if it’s federal money helping with the reconstruction. We were talking with some locals at dinner tonight and they were telling us the economy is very good around here because there is big oil deposits in the sandstone that is so common. We also noticed quite a few casinos while we were traveling along. There was even a room in the back at one of the gas station/convenience stores we stopped at, which was filled with slot machines.
When we were almost to Montana we turned off I94 west to north on rt.38. The road was only 2 lane but with no traffic at all. It took us through some rolling hills and bluffs and as we got within 25 miles of our days destination we discovered an area called the Grassylands. It was an area were the Missouri River cut huge gorges into the landscape. It was such a nice surprise to see after almost 3 full days of super slabs and just a little glipse of what is to come. We decided to check in at the Theodore Roosevelt Inn located in Watsford City. It’s a little town in the far northwest corner on North Dakota were Teddy spent some of his life.
Tomorrow it just a short ride to Montana and then onto the Highway to the Sun in Glacer NP.
Life is good!
Total miles: 735 Butt factor: 1

Day 2 The Super Slab

We were up early again today but we didn’t get on the road till 7:30. Tom took some extra time to repack his bike. The duffel bag he was using was too big and he couldn’t use his mirrors to see anything. So he unpacked it and moved things around and things are much better now. He was also having problems with his radio so we had no communications while riding all day yesterday. He found a loose connection and all is working now.
When we woke up this morning the parking lot was full and many of the guests were up early too. I noticed many people had on Nascar clothing. Then I realized today’s race was in Michigan and the track was about 70 miles north of the town where we were. I listened to most of the race while riding today. Way to go Mark Martin!
The weather was perfect all day. It started at about 60 degrees and got as high as 77. I removed my jacket liner for the first time this afternoon.
We traveled all day on I80 through Indiana, Illinois and Iowa. Made a gas stop at the worlds larget truck stop. The place had parking for 800 trucks and the plaza had a movie theatre and a full time dentist. I think I even saw a few professional women from the world’s oldest profession. When we reached Omaha Nebraska we finally exited off of I80 and took I29 North to Sioux City. We pulled into a Days Inn at about 6:30 central time. These first 3 days will all be on super slabs, clicking off the miles, so that we can reach the good roads sooner and enjoy them more.
We’ll try to get an early start again tomorrow and make it into Montana heading toward Glacer N.P. I’m sure the scenery will start getting better soon.
Life is good!
Total distance: 684 miles Butt factor: 2

Day 1 Sturgis...not that one

I thought I wouldn't be able to sleep last night but I was actually sound asleep when the alarm went off at 5:00 AM. Everyone else showed up early. You could tell they were eager to begin the journey. We chit chatted for a bit, had a cup of coffee and were on our way promptly at 6:30. We headed north on the PA Northeast extension to our first stop in the Poconos. After breakfast, this is were Tom and Charlie headed east back home and we went west on I80. We stayed on I80 all the way across PA, into Ohio and then finally Indiana.

The weather was mixed. It was sunny and 77 degrees at one point and 58 with rain at another. Thank goodness the rain didn't last long, only about a half hour.

At one point we got off of the main highway and drove into a small town called Dubois for gas. The town was having their Community Day so the locals were having a good time throughout the small town at different activities.

I80 was a really nice road to travel. The east and west ends of the state were recently paved and smooth. The middle of the state is the part they're repaving and at times they had one of the lanes closed in each direction. But it didn't cause any delays except to slow the speed limit down to 55.

We pulled into a Super 8 motel at about 7:15 tonight. We'll staying in Sturgis, Michigan which is a small town about 1 mile north of the Indiana border near Elkhart, IN. We had dinner was at Applebees were the locals were all friendly.

The plan is to get up early tomorrow morning and head towards Fargo, ND.

Total miles: 704 Butt factor: 2

D Day

Set the alarm for 5 o’clock this morning. Shower and shaved. The coffee is brewing right now. Got everything packed on the bike last night and I’m ready to go. There’s quite a bit of extra weight packed on it. We’ll have to take it easy on the roads for awhile and get use to the difference in the way the bike handles. Just waiting for the rest of the crew to show up and we’re out of here.

TCLOCS

Last night I did the final pre ride inspection of the mechanics of my bike. For those who don't know what TCLOCS is, it's an acronym that stands for Tires, Controls, Lights, Oil and other fluids, Chassis, and Side stand. Something that we teach every rider should do before riding their motorcycle. I've been preparing my bike for this ride since the beginning of the year and all systems are a go. I'm also packing some extra maintenance items like spare light bulbs, a tire plug kit with an air pump, some fuses, duct tape and spare tools. Since we'll be gone for so long we'll probably need an oil change while on the road. I've also packed a oil filter for both of us and the special tools needed for the job. We can get the oil, funnel and drain pan at any Walmart and do the service in their parking lot and then dispose of the oil at their auto center. Tires may be another problem. Even though we both have a new set on each bike, Tom may need to change his near the end of the journey since the ST1300 seems to wear out tires faster then the Goldwing. I have quite a few Honda motorcycle shops plugged into my GPS system for that reason.
The adventure begins tomorrow!

Free food

Tonight my brother and sister in law invited my wife and I out for a send off dinner. I think they're worried they won't see me again because I'll get lost and may not find my way home for awhile. We met at the Red Robin up the road at Brandywine Town Center and enjoyed a fun meal together. And they picked up the tab too. Thanks guys.

On the way home we stopped at a Wawa and I picked up a collapsable ice cooler that will fit in my saddlebag. A nice addition to my camping gear.

The last pre ride planning meeting

The guys got together tonight for the last of about 5 pre ride planning meetings. The first 4 meetings weren't very productive but were good excuses to get the posse out for a night to enjoy our favorite beverages. Tonight we actually had a plan to discuss (and more beverages of course) for the last time before we leave on Saturday. One of my friends, Tom (Grandpa) did the cross country ride last year so we were looking for some route input from him. The other guys are Tom (Zoom Zoom) my riding partner for the trip and Charlie (the parts guys). Since we'll be doing some camping we also discussed what to pack for the trip. Packing on a motorcycle can be a challenge so we made a list and split it up between us. The really good news is that Charlie and Tom said they would ride part of the first day with us and then turn around and head back towards home. What a great way to start the journey. Maybe we can even convince them to ride a little further with us, like all 3 weeks. I'll pack some extra underwear just in case.

Wrong turns....who cares

There's a saying by people who ride motorcycles that says "it's about the ride not the destination". Occasionally we all make wrong turns. And I have found that some of the best roads I have ridden have been after making wrongs turns.

I've installed a Garmin Zumo 450 GPS on my bike. I use it to find points of interest in the areas I'm traveling near like food, lodging and gas. There is a great website called POI Factory. Last night I downloaded files that I installed on my GPS. The files include National Park info, KOA campsites, Honda motorcycle dealers and even restaurants featured on one of my favorite shows, Diners, Drive ins and Dives. Good info to have at my finger tips when traveling in unknown areas.

Also went to the Sirrius Satellite radio site and downloaded there channel line up. I then programed my radio with some of the stations I like to listen too including of course some good old rock and roll driving music, some talk radio sports channels and even the NASCAR channel for the Sunday afternoon drive time updates of the weekly race.

Will it all fit.

Tonight I did some packing to see how things will fit on the bike. The plan is to carry 3 duffel bags with waterproof inserts. One will contain my street clothes, one will carry all my camping gear and the third small one will hold my extra riding gear. This way I'll have the saddlebags available for other needs like tools. Things look like they'll fit. Going to need some more bungee cords to tie the bags down securely.

The Dream

This is the start of my electronic diary that hopefully will chronicle the dream of my lifetime. I started riding motorcycles when I was 14 years old. I owned 5 bikes before I ever bought my first car. Riding has become a passion for me. In just about 10 days I will be riding my Honda Goldwing motorcycle round trip across the United States. The trip was something I fantasized about for a long time and I kept putting it off. Well this past year of my life has changed all my priorities and the trip was moved towards the top of the list. The plan is really a non plan. The route and schedule will be on the fly. So for the last 3 weeks of June, my friend Tom and I will be modern day explorers searching for some of the best motorcycling roads in the USA. Stay tuned for more.....