DAY 21 ONE MORE NIGHT ON THE ROAD

Clear skies, pleasant temperatures, smoth roads ending the trip with a perfect day of riding. Headed south out of Belen and soon found ourselves back on 60. Followed a new road (for me), route 14,  into Reserve for lunch at Jo-Jo's Canteen.

Map of days ride CLICK HERE approximate from cell phone.

This hotel room got a lot of stuff
A laundry bag and a shoe shine cloth
Thirty-two hangers and a touch-tone phone
Well a light that comes on when I'm not home
I ain't home, I ain't home

You better leave a message cause I ain't home

Oh this ole' hotel's alright with me

They pay the postage if you loose the key

This hotel has got a lot of stuff

But I do believe I have had enough

Call my baby said, don't you pout

I'm packin' my bags and I'm checking out

Just as soon as you hang up the telephone

Stick a candle in the window I'm comin' home

Comin' home, comin home

Stick a candle in the window, I'm comin' home

Jimmy Buffett

One last night talking about the trip, thinking about next spring and slightly delaying the trip home. All of us are ready for that final few hours and to see the ones we left behind.

DAY 20 ALMOST OVER

Today's route was pretty simple but included lots of miles of two lane roads in three different states. Left Guyman on US 54 to 385 to 60 to 47 into Belen and done for the day.

Started off under cloudy skies but weather gradually warmed, clouds disappeared, road turned smooth, the miles just rolled by. Mile after mile in weather just cool enough to require a jacket through undulating hills on smooth road, I felt like I could ride forever. The only thing slowing us down was the necessity for fuel and food.

Finished the day in Belen south of Albuquerque with a walk over to Penny's Dinner, sat at the counter watching a cook fix our dinner at an impressive rate of speed. He must not have been entirely human, but then we weren't to far from Roswell.  

DAY 18 AND 19

DAY 18 RAIN

Waited at the hotel using a late check-out option until the rain stopped. wait it never stopped.

After watching the storm on radar continue to circle above us and with nothing to do at the hotel I was getting antsy. 

Finally about noon we decided to throw on rain gear and get riding. Route was easy, west on 18 south on 83. Rain and wind not a fun combo the wind was blowing hard from the side helping the rain find its way into any opening that leads to bare skin. Towards the end of the day the sky turned to light puffy clouds the weather warmed and the sun came out allowing us to dry before reaching the hotel. This was a plus for the hotel judging by the mess we left the sole employee of a Subway at lunch. Riding is always better than sitting around and riding in a storm really wakes the senses. Oh, did  I mention it rained.

DAY 19

After leaving JB our tentative plan had been to stay north and turn south in either Colorado or Utah. After watching the weather and listening to the brimstone and fire from the doomsday (weather) channel alternate plans had to be considered.The reality of tornado's to our east and heave snow to our west left us with one decent option. We exercised our option and headed straight south on 83 under cloudy cool skies with temps in the low 50's. After lunch the weather warmed and we finally finished the day in 80 degree temps stopping for the night in Guymon Oklahoma.

It was a great ride today watching storm cells develop rapidly to either side while threading the middle at 75 mph shivering in the morning to a mandatory stop to put all the warm gear away in the afternoon. The road was straight, for the most part, but the varying winds and bouncing around from the cattle trucks going the other way kept everyone alert, fun stuff.

One finally observation about two lane roads in the rain. You occasionally get behind a semi throwing up a ton of spray coating your visor and windshield so that you can barely see anything. You keep creeping out into the opposing traffic lane to try to pass only to find at the last second a car without any lights on hurtling towards you. All while the do/don't pass lines are washed out in the rain, sends the old adrenal gland into overdrive! 

DAY 17 MAY 16, 2017

The wind and rain had pounded the area all night but the day was looking like beautiful weather. Headed southwest to Sioux City Iowa were we said a sad goodbye to JB. We then turned west and headed on as a half dozen.

Our roads just got better all day, not twisty roads but beautiful scenery with green grasses and farm equipment working the fields. All the while we rode in shirt sleeves under partially cloudy skies, absolutely gorgeous.

Map of the day-  CLI CK HERE

After dinner we sometimes sit around and talk about our past careers, since we all have that in common. It always reminds me of Springsteen's Glory Days.

Now I think I'm going down to the well tonight 
and I'm going to drink till I get my fill 
And I hope when I get old I don't sit around thinking about it 
but I probably will 
Yeah, just sitting back trying to recapture 
a little of the glory of, well time slips away 
and leaves you with nothing mister but 
boring stories of glory days 

Glory days well they'll pass you by 
Glory days in the wink of a young girl's eye 
Glory days, glory days 

The other night after dinner JB began talking about the sand running out of the hour glass and how it seemed to be running faster the lower the top half became. I think that is the reason we're all here, that sand is running faster and faster. We are out here trying to squeeze every last bit out of every last last grain reliving some youth on high speed and two wheels.

In the future, hopefully along time down the road, we can sit around trying to recapture a little of these new glory days. 

DAY 16 MAY 15, 2017

We rode for about 85 miles we stopped and checked into a motel.

Thanks for reading.

Actually, waited out the rain and weather until lunch time then rode about .2 miles to a Subway for lunch. Plans were to ride north west for a while before turning southwest into the corner of South Dakota. Needed to stop at a Honda shop to have CE's bike tweaked after last weeks repair a few things had worked loose. It was quickly tightened with a guarantee that it should reach Phoenix without a problem.

Al found a dealer easily by consulting his GWRRA book.  Goldwing Will Require Repair Again which is a good guide book to carry with you for the wing riders. Al insists it stands for GoldWing Road Riders Association, I'm not sure....

Last couple of days Al has gone in to negotiate a hotel price, we try to send in one, two max so as not to overwhelm a clerk. Not sure if it's his skill or if the big hairless guy scares the clerks but the rates have been great.

I on the other hand excel in talking to people in restaurants, last night was free dinner for all of us, tonight was a free round of drinks from a fellow rider that averages 1100 miles a year and was envious of our ride.

DAY 14-15

Left Iron Mountain Michigan with plans of visiting Lambeau Field and finishing the day somewhere south. We actually ended the day in Oshkosh which is about 140 miles from where we started, that would have made a easy short day but...

After looking at the map we managed to turn 140 into 270 without a problem and still finished the day with a trip to the laundromat.

Two lane roads completely devoid of traffic started our day. Beautiful riding varying from thick forests to open meadows and the occasional farm.  The hillsides, when visible, were alive with at least a dozen different shades of green from all the beautiful and varied foliage.

Absolutely gorgeous riding until we pulled into Green Bay were traffic got heavy. Went into the team shop for a couple of the guys to buy souvenirs then jumped on the freeway for the short ride to Oshkosh. The laundry was typical for a small college town, well used with kids putting 50 pounds of clothes into a 25 pound rated machine.  

CLICK HERE MAP OF DAY 14

DAY 15

Checking the map at breakfast found some interesting looking roads heading west across Wisconsin towards Minnesota. Had a vague plan of trying to ride through Preston MN a town of about 1200 people. I spent the first four years of my life there and still have a few leftover memories of that time.

Road into town and a few of the streets looked somewhat familiar, I'll have to return with more information to find the old house. The old courthouse was torn down and replaced sometime in the early sixties, Dad's old hardware store was long gone from main street. Stopped and talked to one local but although he looked the part he wasn't born when I left, oh well another time.

Continued on finally stopping for the day about 350 miles down the road in Mankato MN, another town with some personal significance. I was actually born in the hospital here but left afterwards. Looked for the statue commemorating my birth but couldn't find it. The desk clerk must have been new and was no help either as he didn't believe such a monument existed.

Last night at the hotel there were a lot of kids, most of which were in town to visit relatives today on Mother's Day. My favorite mothers were on my mind all day, my wife, my two daughters, and the memories of my own mother and mother-in-law.

Watching all these kids at the hotel made me really miss my grandkids and think about how they will remember me. Suddenly the answer came to me out of the sky, XM Satellite radio channel 24 to be specific. Ok it's motorcycles not boats but the sentiment is the same.

I never used to miss the chance to climb up on his knee
And listen to the many tales of life upon the sea
We'd go sailing back on Barkentines we'd talk of things he did
Tomorrow just a day away for the Captain and the kid

His world had gone from sailing ships to raking mom's backyard
He never could adjust to land although he tried so hard
We both were growing older then and wiser with the years
That's when I came to understand the course his heart still steers

Jimmy Buffet

DAY 12-13 MAY 11TH AND 12TH

DAY 12

Left Sault Ste Marie and shortly found ourselves crossing over the Saint Lawrence Seaway followed by US Customs for a perfunctory passport check. Wander back and forth before crossing over the bridge into Mackinaw City. The bridge is often closed for wind and a portion of it is open steel grate causing the bike to wobble back and forth as you ride, lots of fun.

Rode south on the Lake Huron coast, part of the Lake Huron Circle ride, beautiful two lane roads. Turned inland on another scenic drive finishing the day in Gaylord MI.

Click here for map 

DAY 13

Left Gaylord and headed west to the coast of Lake Michigan, part of the Lake Michigan Great Circle route. Our objective was county road 119 also know as the Tunnel of Trees. This was a highly recommended "best of the state" motorcycle road. It was empty of traffic, narrow, in good shape, and lived up to its hype with beautiful views interspersed with "tunnels of trees". The farther south we were in Michigan the more "spring" had found the trees we were now seeing leaves but not quite summer foliage. Through judicious fuel use and careful time management I was fortunate to be in the lead on the Tunnel of Trees ride. When we finally stopped for fuel there was a restaurant in the parking lot appropriately called "Restaurant" 

where we had a great lunch. Finished the day with a trip over the bridge northbound a photo op and a few hundred miles of route 2 in the "UP".

CLICK FOR MAP