DAY 11 JUNE 12, 2013

Left the motel this morning soon found ourselves back on the Skyline Drive heading north under partially cloudy skies and temps in the 60’s. Riding along I couldn’t help but be at peace with and at the same time consumed by the beauty of this part of the country, the motorcycle easily finding its way back and forth on smooth, lightly travelled pavement.


The road would run for a mile or so enclosed in a canopy formed by oak trees with their leaves touching overhead all but blocking out the sun. Just as you broke free from the trees you would be in an open meadow then climb several hundred feet to a ridge line looking over the Shenandoah Valley. We made several stops just to attempt to take in the sheer beauty of the area. I always picture the eastern portion of the U.S. as crowded with people and buildings but standing at a view point that looked in both directions and being unable to see any signs of civilization promote the opposite.

While riding this morning we came across two small deer standing in the trees on the edge of the roadway followed a short time later by a bear cub running across the street, finally found the reason for all the “Don’t feed Wildlife” signs. At one stop today there was a breeze coming out of the valley up the face of the mountain just down the ridgeline from where we were. Looking in that direction you could see about a dozen hawks that were just gliding back and forth riding the wind like a bunch of hang gliders apparently just for the sheer joy of it.

Ranger Jan said we were lucky to have such a clear day as the area is known for the dense fog like we experienced a few years ago. Disappointed at not having time to turn around and do it again we had to head out riding the interstate the rest of the day following a tire stop at the Honda dealer.

 During a late afternoon stop we pulled out the map to look at routes towards Maine. I had just heard the song Allentown by Billy Joel on the radio so that’s the way we went and where we are for the night.

And we're waiting here in Allentown


For the Pennsylvania we never found

For the promises our teachers gave

If we worked hard, if we behaved

So the graduations hang on the wall

But they never really helped us at all

No they never taught us what was real

Iron and coke, chromium steel

And we're waiting here in Allentown