DAY 23 END OF THE ROAD

Tourists don't know where they've been, travelers don't know where they're going.
Paul Theroux

Made it home late afternoon Tuesday happy to be home and sad that it's over until next year. There will be numerous short rides and a week with the wives in October but this one is in the history books.

We are so fortunate to have missed the devastating weather that has touched many of the areas we were near. Just watching it on the news brought back memories of riding in northern Arkansas Mother's Day morning. We had tornado damage on the sides of the road, parking lots with mobile insurance offices filing claims on a Sunday, and packed church parking lots.

We are all home safe, rode some unbelievable country, met incredible people, all on two wheels. The saying "It's Not The Destination, It's The Journey" isn't brand specific and certainly describes our group.

As always I must thank my family who indulge me and realize how important the trip is to my mental well being.

Chuck

DAY 22 May 23

Left this morning headed south on I-25 with jackets on to the first gas stop. Jan suggested that we head west on two lane roads instead of continuing down the interstate, we could pick up 25 again in Santa Fe. That’s all it took and we were westbound on Co 160 (I think) with 14,000 foot snow covered peaks to our side and 60 MPH lightly traveled roads.

Eventually ended up back on I-25 then I-40 to Gallup where we are stopped for our last night, luckily the motel has a restaurant and bar on site . Spent dinner talking about the ride and what we could do next year, would like to complete the river road in the future but not next year.

Today while I was riding put together some thoughts about the things that had left an impression with me on this trip. There are probably a few hundred things that have left a memory that will pop up in the months and years to come I know any list would leave out to many but here are a few in no particular order:

The Natchez Trace, a path created over 2000 years ago by migrating animals still in use by the same, us.

The Tail of The Dragon, not any more challenging than many other roads but oh so famous.

The camaraderie of other riders at Deals Gap and anywhere else we ran into fellow travelers.

Of course the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 460 mile long National Park of incredible beauty, so many shades of green on a great road.

Finding a motel with a restaurant and lounge after an afternoon in the rain south of Toledo.

Meeting the Over The Wall Crew at breakfast the next morning. These young men were from a trade school in North Carolina for, what else, pit crews.

Sitting at a picnic table in Wisconsin above the Mississippi near one of the dams eating fresh cheese sold in quarter pound little baggies while a barge heads upriver.

The color of the sky above the 45th parallel, a most incredible blue in the top quarter of the world.

At a scenic view in Iowa above the river just sitting for a few minutes to watch a bald eagle hunt along the bluffs.

The fun of talking to new people anywhere we were. A couple of nights ago sitting outside a motel on a bench when a man started as the always do, “You the fellas on the bikes?” wanted to know where we are going and where we are from. We asked this particular man where he was from and he said, CheBOYgan.

I could go on forever about things that left an impression but it’s time to skip to my favorite part of the trip.

Every morning I get up pack most of the gear and take it out to the bike. Then it’s time to meet the guys for breakfast and discuss exactly which way we are heading today and what roads we are going to start on. Then it’s back to the room grab the helmet make a last check and walk to the bike, time for my favorite part.

I toss the last of my cup of coffee into the trash, fasten the helmet, start the bike, and turn down a new road.

DAY 21

Hey frank wont ya pack your bags
And meet me tonight down at liberty hall
Just one kiss from you my brother
And well ride until we fall
Well sleep in the fields
Well sleep by the rivers and in the morning
Well make a plan
Well if you can't make it
Stay hard, stay hungry, stay alive
If you can
And meet me in a dream of this hard land
Bruce Springsteen


Ok, here is today, I-80 to I-76 to I-25 in for the night in Colorado Springs across the freeway from the Air Force Academy. Lucky to find rooms this is graduation week at the academy.

Beautiful day under partially cloudy skies in shirt sleeves all day, threatened rain the last fifty miles but other than a wet street we got lucky again today. Nebraska makes Iowa look like Rocky Mountain State Park very flat and a little windy today. The scenery was what I’ve come to think of as the usual, green trees, newly planted farm fields and the ever present grain silo on the horizon.

Almost 600 miles of interstate driving gives you a chance to let your mind wander, at 80 miles an hour it doesn’t wander far. I’ve been trying to put together a list of favorites or at least things that made a lasting impression.

I’ll try to refine it for tomorrow’s entry.

DAY 20 HEADING WEST

The other Harley riders left early to ride to the HD dealer and get some oil. After checking out the rest of us went ahead and made the 350 foot drive from the motel to the dealership. As we were preparing to leave the rain started, it looked black in every direction. Pulled the bikes into the covered parking and spent the next fifteen minutes suiting up for the rain.

Finally left Galesburg, Carl Sandburg's birth place, heading west on route 34 in the rain. Less than fifteen minutes later the rain stopped, rode the rest of the day under cloudy skies in shirt sleeves, very comfortable. If you looked at a map route 34 runs west from the river across Iowa and into Nebraska.

Last night at dinner we started talking about our time line to be home, Tuesday is the goal, and the need to start heading west. That brought out the maps this morning and we are east of Denver so....we headed that way. The Mississippi River Valley area was forecast for a few days of rain and more flooding things we would like to avoid.

Plenty of miles today all but the last 70 or so on beautiful two lane of small towns and farms. These farms differ from what we are used to, no sprinkler or irrigation system, they are dependent on the rains for a good harvest. The corn is planted, about a foot tall, the lawns are green with friendly people waving from the porch. Lunch was an Iowa pork tenderloin at a small family retstaurant sitting just off the road all by itself, awesome.

In for the night in Lincoln Nebraska, dinner at a sports bar followed by quick trip to the hot tub. Got an email from a guy, Steve, we met in the U.P. he is following our trip. He is an inspiration to keep this up 74 years young and still riding, probably out ride many of us.

Posted some more pictures. We continue west tomorrow.

DAY 19

Now the rowin' gambler he was very bored
He was tryin' to create a next world war
He found a promoter who nearly fell off the floor
He said I never engaged in this kind of thing before
But yes I think it can be very easily done
We'll just put some bleachers out in the sun
And have it on Highway 61.
Bob Dylan

Left this morning headed south on Dylan's Highway 61, after all we are just down the road from where he was born.

Eventually we crossed into Wisconsin riding the river road in that state then back west into Iowa, finally back into Illinois to finish the day. About 400 miles today almost entirely on the Great American River Roads. The day was overcast and in the 70's all day perfect riding weather for six friends on motorcycles.

We rode past several dams today that help control the flow and depth of the river, each is equipped with a lock to allow the boat traffic to pass the dam. Watched barges travelling upriver fighting the current and dozens of fisherman in every kind of boat imaginable negotiating the shallows fishing pole in hand. In Iowa there is an area which actually has a hill overlooking the river and we pulled to the side just to take it all in. Most of Iowa is so flat that they put caution downgrade ahead signs on the parking lot speedbumps.

I was leading trying to find the entrance to a motel and ended up stuck in a Taco Bell parking lot going the wrong way in the drivethru. Made it around the only car in the way poor lady looked very startled.

The Mississippi is very impressive as we head south, we aren't even to the biggest tributaries and the river is huge, I can't believe that two days ago I waded across 18 feet wide two feet deep and this is the same river. The Mississippi is the fourth longest river in the world and drains the US between the Rockies and the Appalachian mountains.

DAY 18

Left this morning under beautiful sunny skies and comfortable temps. We backed tracked just a bit to get headed in the right direction and soon found ourselves on the Great River Road or at least that’s what the sign said, I still couldn’t see the river although we did cross it a few times.

We rode southeast roughly following the river towards Minneapolis past farms, forests, and lots of lakes, after all it is Minnesota. We stopped at a small store and their live bait section was larger than the combined candy, chips, and soft drinks.. Of course they also had a winch in the parking lot to hang your deer and get a photo op. Passed lots of resorts getting ready for the summer season.

Jumped on the highway to get around Minneapolis then back onto the river road. Stopped for the night in Red Wing MN just down the road from the shoe factory at the River View Inn. This is where Highway 61 becomes the Minnesota River Road.

Met and old friend, Gary, for dinner and reminiscing had a great visit over all too soon.
On down the river tomorrow for at least a few more days before we turn for home with mixed emotions.

Map of todays ride: http://goo.gl/maps/MY5S

DAY 17 THE HEADWATERS

Woke this morning to Lake Superior looking like a giant mirror. Left Ashland headed west and soon rode into Superior/Duluth at the western end of Lake Superior. It’s the western most port on the great lakes, they ship grain and iron ore all over the world. Superior is in Wisconsin and Duluth is in Minnesota but they are only separated by a river.

Does any one know where the love of god goes
When the waves turn the minutes to hours?
The searches all say they'd have made whitefish bay
If they'd put fifteen more miles behind her.
They might have split up or they might have capsized;
May have broke deep and took water.
And all that remains is the faces and the names
Of the wives and the sons and the daughters.

Lake huron rolls, superior sings
In the rooms of her ice-water mansion.
Old michigan steams like a young man's dreams;
The islands and bays are for sportsmen.
And farther below lake ontario
Takes in what lake erie can send her,
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
With the gales of november remembered.

Gordon Lightfoot-The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald

Superior was the last port-of-call for the Edmund Fitzgerald which sank with all hands aboard.

Left heading west riding on beautiful country roads alternating between farms and forests for mile after mile. Stopped in some little town for lunch at a small café called Woody’s, good food with a local flavor. Left route 2 for route 200 west and made it to Lake Itasca, stopped at the visitors center before driving down to the headwaters of the Mississippi River. You remember the Mississippi River it was one of the reasons we headed this way two and a half weeks ago. Found the headwaters and Jan and I had to wade across the mighty miss-a-sip.

We took the seventeen mile ride around the lake before heading for Bemidji MN, the first town on the river, and stopping for the day. Bemidji is north of Duluth just 120 miles from the Canadian border.

The weather today was awesome, jackets in the morning turning to t-shirts by lunch. The sky is such an incredible blue with just a few wisps of white as if you were painting and had to get the last bit of white out of your brush. Traffic was almost nonexistent just a beautiful day, the kind we do this for. Tomorrow we head south, down the river we'll see how far we get.