The direct link to my imgur profile is here. There are three albums, Cross Country DSLR, Dad's phone, and my own phone pictures. I don't want to slow down people's computers by posting all the photos on one blog post.
Below you'll find my daily log. Thanks for reading!
Also you can find some time lapse videos on my youtube channel here.
Day 1-June 11th From
Portland, Oregon to Mill Creek Campground in Del Norte Redwood State
Park
Mileage-415.2
Took Highway 20 to 6 to Tillamook, then
got on 101 all the way south to California. Went very well, and I
attribute the comfort of the ride to the AirHawk seat pad. High
winds and gusts made some open stretches somewhat perilous for me,
but my dad, on the heavier bike, managed well. Passing semi-trucks
gave me quite a jolt from what seemed to be a massive shock wave of
air. Other than that the weather was the best anyone could ask for.
Partly cloudy in the morning through North Plains and just outside of
Tillamook but cleared to about 70 degrees and sunny. Not a cloud in
sight.
My Givi engine guard has failed me. An
Allen screw possibly sheared off and part of the guard no longer
holds to the bike due to vibration. It did save me from a lot of
damage when I laid it down some time ago on gravel near Crown Point
and it may be seeking revenge for being dragged on the ground. The
vibration at 6,000 revs gave me a huge worry. Transmission issues?
Head gaskets? Luckily it was none of the above after a quick
investigation tapping everywhere on the bike and hearing for
vibrations. To just take it off and ship it home or to fix it on the
road? We'll decide tomorrow.
The Sena headsets are working
perfectly, easy and clear communication is something that was missing
on our last quick test trip to Bend. Maybe I'll have to buy my own.
Not much in the way of deep reflective
thought today, more concerned with staying upright during the massive
wind gusts as well as getting a feel for the bike under a heavy load
in tight corners. Non-ethanol gas makes my bike run like a champ!
Well, day one is in the books and overall it was a huge success.
Although I feel a pang of sadness not experiencing the journey with
my girlfriend I'm still unquestionably happy I get to do this trip
with my dad. I do miss her a lot and I hope she is OK while I'm
gone. Calling and texting at stops (and maybe on the road thanks to
the Sena) helps ease the longing to see her. (Its only day one!)
Day 2-June 12th from Del
Norte Redwoods State Park to Reno, Nevada
Mileage-421.9
We left Del Norte Redwoods State Park
around 7:30am. We passed through a scenic byway where I made a GoPro
time lapse. The wind wasn't nearly as bad as yesterday as I'm slowly
learning when and where you're likely to get larger gusts (or I could
just be imagining patterns. In Arcata we jumped off the 101 and onto
the 299 to Willow Creek passing through Weaverville and continuing on
to Redding, California. My namesake city (Douglas) is where we
didn't stop (maybe we should have! At least for a sign picture.)
Passed through Redding on to Highway 44
through Shingletown. Not much of note there besides the Mad Maxesque
name. Continued on to Susanville after getting through some pretty
serious road work. Turns out between Shingletown and Susanville they
are taking out many of the tight corners and bends. Probably safer,
but not as fun. Took a few hours of baking in full gear to get
through the construction mess.
We arrived in Reno late(ish) and
looking for a place on Friday night in the city sized old folks home.
No joke, everyone driving was well over the retired age. We settled
on La Quinta which turned out to be a horrible choice. Bad choice,
very bad choice, do not stay there! It is situated in a somewhat
seedy part of town (I could have sworn I saw a cops episode filmed on
Harvard Way, a block away from our motel). The room strongly reeked
of chemicals and solvents. My guess is that it was once a smoking
room.
Another clue to the seediness of the
area was where we ate. Denny's. I know, but I was starving and I was
ready to eat dog food. Turns out I did eat dog food (Denny's
specialty) while I was being watched by more cameras than that on the
main floor of the bellagio. Not even exaggerating. Counted twenty
cameras from my seat! Got a long island at the nearby bar to finish
the day and slept. OK, two long islands.
Day 3-June 13th From
Reno, Nevada to Ely, Nevada.
Mileage-337
Awoke still basking in the stench of a
chemical spill at La Quinta. While examining the map we decided to
stay off the interstate across Nevada and decided to travel instead
on Highway 50, dubbed the Loneliest Road, through Fallon, Austin,
Eureka, and finally Ely. By the way, I want to apologize to my fellow
Oregonians for representing our drivers in a poor light. No one,
literally no one in Nevada drives the speed limit. We were
constantly passed and now a whole lot of people think Oregon drivers
are terribly slow. So my apologies.
Anyway, Highway 50 was awe inspiring.
Valley after valley of perfectly straight roads punctuated every 30
or so miles of rising passes. In Austin we stopped to check out a
neat castle built by a mining/railroad mogul and good some good shots
with the DSLR. Ate lunch in Eureka at a place called Sloppy Joe's (a
million times better than Denny's as Purina makes better dishes than
their cooks). The waiter at Sloppy Joe's recognized my Starman
sticker on my luggage case (Rush for those not aware of the Holy
Triumvirate). He then played some songs on the jukebox and we talked
concerts. He was in Mexico City when they played with 50,000 fans in
attendance which sounded spectacular. The songs he played were
Superconductor and Manhattan Project. Don't know why readers may
care, but Rush rules.
We arrived in Ely (pronounced Elly as I
soon found out, not Eli). I had originally planned to reach Baker
and camp in the park near Lehman to make 450 miles. When I got off
the bike to fill up I was unbearably tired. Decided not to stay at
the neighborhood La Quinta and settled with Motel 6. Got our room,
went to Taco Time, talked to my girlfriend, and went to bed.
Hopefully the bug guts on the GoPro doesn't ruin the time lapse,
fingers crossed!
Day 4-June 14th from Ely,
Nevada to Jacobs Lake Campground through Zion National Park
Mileage 352.0
Another day in the books! (And another
night in y overly cozy single man tent). The ride today started with
a bit of worry as the previous day I began to notice a random
clunking noise. Not at any specific RPM, nor at any particular
speed. Took the cover off the front chain sprocket to inspect for
any abnormalities. While doing so a man named Bill, who so happened
to work for Kawasaki and BMW doing warranty work and asked if
everything was alright (the camaraderie of two wheels!) I went to go
buy proper sockets to remove the cover and none of the sizes matched.
Used a comparable sized standard socket and got it off. No issues
there. The chain tolerance was off, tightened it up and all was fine
so great news!
Stopped by NAPA to procure some chain
cleaner and lube and parked next to a dirt bike rider on his way to
Bend, Oregon via mostly dirt roads. Now that sounds exciting! He
also mentioned he was a contributor on ADVrider internet forums.
After talking to him for a few minutes we were on our way. We are
off course from the original path, but oh well, as is the way of
riding.
We made it to Utah after a late start
waiting for NAPA to open at 9am on a Sunday. Utah was obscenely hot,
but the change of scenery was striking and most welcome (amazing rock
formations and cliffs everywhere). Passed through Hurricane, Utah on
the way to Zion National Park. And what a park! My words cant really
do it justice but the ride time lapse should. The time lapse should
be incredible, can't really view it on the road which is a bit of a
drag but no matter.
Ended the day perfectly. On our way to
Jacobs Lake campground my dad told me to take a look at where we had
come from in the rear view mirror and what a sight! We came through a
bit of rain for one second and felt refreshed. The sun was setting
breaking through the clouds and cascading onto the valley floor
making for an incredible cap to the day. The campground is excellent
and the host was very gracious and kind. A+ day!
Day 5-June 15th from
Jacobs Lake Campground to Gallup, New Mexico through Grand Canyon
Mileage-457.4
Left Jacobs lake in the morning.
Headed out towards the Grand Canyon. We came upon more road
construction, though not a long wait, about 15 minutes. Met a man
and his dog during the wait after he rode up to the front of the line
where we were at. His name was Don and we exchanged a few stories
about motorcycles and our trips. Traffic was released after a few
minutes and we parted ways. He had the look of a grizzled fellow but
a very pleasant demeanor. He gave his dog some water and we were
off.
We made it to Grand Canyon around 2 or
3 PM and it had the ambiance of Disneyland without the mouse. It
wasn't packed, but with a $50 fee for two motorcycles to pass
through? Seemed steep but after seeing the grand vistas I could see
how they can charge what they do. The view was spectacular and I
took some pictures at every place we stopped. Admittedly we did skip
a few pull outs due to being fully outfitted in motorcycle and taking
it off and doing any walking was sort of out of the question.
Overall an amazing experience. Many many international travelers
there, I probably heard 10 different languages spoken!
After the park we took Highway 180 off
Highway 64 to Flagstaff. Great road, and I highly recommend it if
you are ever heading south from the Grand Canyon. People we talked to
later asked if we went on that road and we could answer yes! Glad we
didn't miss that.
We hit the I-40 and made it to Gallup,
New Mexico later that night. Did a bit of night riding which wasn't
too pleasant but it made for a nice change in temperature! Right
before Winslow we saw tons of signs for Meteor Crater, and I could
have sworn it was in New Mexico. Had to stop and check it out so we
took the exit and read it was closed at 6! Made it just in time to
get a solid hour of seeing the amazing crater which makes our total
of looking at massive holes in the ground two for the day! Passed
right by Petrified Forest which was unfortunate but can't fit
everything into a full day like today.
Day 6-June 16th from
Gallup, New Mexico to Roswell, New Mexico.
Mileage-385
Before we left Gallup my dad received
some bad news. There is a tropical storm headed right to Texas
making landfall in Galveston. Not on our route but it is going to
cross our path. Lightning, flooding, the works. We are going to play
it day by day but it is looking pretty bad. Terrible news, and
disheartening. We pressed on, deciding to head south to see if we
could get behind the storm and pass in its wake. We continued on
I-40 towards Albuquerque, New Mexico and took Highway 6 just before
the city. Got on Highway 85/I-25 south to see the Trinity Test Site.
Took the 380 towards White Sands Missile Range, but unfortunately I
failed to do any research into the Trinity Site and thought we could
just ride up to it. Turns out you cant, and radiation isn't good for
your health. It is only open twice a year to the public. We were
stopped by a security guard right at the entrance of Stullion Air
Force Base? Not sure of the spelling and it isn't really on the maps.
Next time do your research! Kind of a
let down but never the less, the expedition continues. Back on to
the 380 to Carrizoso and for fuel. Met a woman working behind the
counter at Allsups Convenience Store. She has a fiance that lives in
Carrizozo but she is originally from Portland (heard it mentioned to
another customer). Always a pleasure seeing someone else from the
pacific northwest.
Stayed on the 380 through Lincoln which
was a beautiful part of the state. Home of Jesse James or someone of
the like. We merged onto Highway 70 towards Roswell NM, and wow,
everything was alien themed in some way or another. Nice city though
from what I saw arriving at night. Also as we entered we saw a
Harley and Suzuki dealership! Great luck as my dad's Harley used
almost as much oil as it does gas. Time to get my Givi guard fixed
and new oil for my dad's bike. For tomorrow!
Day 7-June 17th From
Roswell, New Mexico to Sonora Caverns, Texas
Mileage-380.2
We were not abducted in the night, so I
count myself as a survivor of Roswell. Got the bikes loaded and
headed to the dealership we saw yesterday which opened at 9. The
place was called Champion Motorsports and a great group of guys work
there. Everything was fixed, oil replaced, in about an hour. We
chatted with one of the sales reps about Roswell and how it was
inundated with alien bullshit. “I see aliens everyday” and he
wasn't talking about the ones from spaceships. One thing I did learn
from talking with him was the fact that Roswell is replete with dairy
farms and one of their main exports is cheese supplied to almost
every pizza chain. So if you have ever eaten Papa Johns, Murphy's,
Pizza Hut, or Dominos you've eaten mozzarella cheese from Roswell.
I thought (perhaps wished) I had
spotted Neil Peart riding his BMW GS1200 in the shop (Schuberth
helmet and all) but it wasn't. We headed south on the 285 towards
Carlsbad and Texas. I hadn't even considered stopping at the Carlsbad
Caverns before embarking on this trip so we passed them, and we
didn't have much time allotted to the adventure. I should have taken
the bird strike I had earlier in the day as a sign of bad things to
come.
We passed over the border of Texas and
entered the oil fields, and I'm not going to mince my words, it was a
fucking nightmare. The speed limit was 75 and everyone, including
massive crude oil tankers were pushing 100mph. The road was laden
with gargantuan pot holes from the trucks, littered with debris and
torn apart truck tires. In other words, pure shit. It was by far
the worst road so far and we should have had some indication of its
dilapidated and dangerous state when we didn't see any motorcycles
headed north on it.
We got to Pecos for fuel and a much
needed breather after that harrowing experience. It hit me as we sat
down how absolutely depressed the town was and what an absolute hell
hole the entire area was. Boarded up shops, dust everywhere, sad and
hunched over old folks shuffling down the torn up sidewalks and
deserted side streets. A few blocks over from where we rested was
nothing but speeding trucks hauling crude to the refineries. We had
to get out of there.
We got to the I-10 and found the speed
limit is 80mph! Shit I thought, my bike does 80 with a tail wind and
going downhill. And if Highway 285 was any indication how people
drive here 80 in Texas means 150 everywhere else. I had picked up a
brochure for Sonora Caverns at the Budget Inn we stayed at in Roswell
and decided that would be the goal for tonight. Rode past windmills
on the I-10 (windmills in Texas! I couldn't believe my eyes). We
arrived at the caverns just after dark and noticed that due east,
probably in Junction or Kerrville I estimated, was the largest
lightning storm I think I have ever seen. So far Texas has been
terrible and it is not looking to get any better.
Before I bedded down I took the coldest
shower I could bear. I needed a breath, things didn't seem to go our
way today and I was becoming a bit disappointed with how things were
turning out given the weather we were likely to encounter. We have no
solid plan for tomorrow, a massive storm was looming on the horizon,
and I just felt like garbage after that hell road we were on. I took
a few breaths and thought this was all part of it, not everyone gets
to experience this, and you got to do it. The stars were shining
bright above us, and the thunderstorm loomed heavy in the distance
igniting the cloud every second. For a moment there I felt a bit
more content and at ease, and for a fleeting second I thought
everything was going to be fine. Still a lot to look forward to.
Day 8-June 18th Sonora
Caverns to Buffalo, Texas
Mileage 354.9
We took the first tour of the caverns
in the morning after we got nearly everything packed up. Went with a
small family, four other people in attendance. Walking through the
caverns was a worthwhile side trek since they are still active
caverns, meaning they are still forming and have water dripping down
from the surface. Also the caves were privately owned and not
managed by the National Parks and due to that we could get much
closer to the formations but still not touch them. The path through
the caves was an incredible bit of engineering as well with concrete
paths for about 3 miles and staircases that looked impossibly
difficult to install. All with private funds and donations!
The tour was about two and a half hours
so we got back on the road around 11:30. Late, but it was worth the
time to see the caves. Back on the I-10 and headed towards Junction,
Texas. As a side note, the interstate is no way to travel. Everyone
seemed rushed, cutting in and out of lanes, passing on the right,
tailgating, any poor driving you can imagine. I personally think
that it is the worst way to see America being that most of what you
see is motels, fast food, and truck stops. I was really trying to
avoid any interstate because of this, but due to Tropical Storm Bill
it was the quickest option to head south and behind the front. The
highway is more intimate for lack of a better term. These two lane
highways seem to be only traveled by people who live there and
unfettered by speeding, tailgating, hurried traffic. A much better
way to travel.
We exited at Junction and took Highway
377 through Mason and Llano, but right before that we passed through
London. Seems it still hasn't recovered from the Luftwaffe
bombardment. The road was well maintained which was a pleasurable
change from the dreaded Highway 285 and really, it seems like every
road we have been on was nearly perfect in Texas besides that glaring
one to start. They know how to move people down here and there was a
nice lack of bike lanes and silly medians. Today I realized I
haven't seen a Subaru in nearly three states! A nice change as well.
We got on Highway 79 towards Palestine.
We stopped for a quick break and fuel in Hearne and while in the
restroom I was asked where we were headed by a thick accented older
gentleman. I told him Palestine, saying it as you would pronounce
the middle eastern country. He gave me a sideways look and said I
wasn't from around here and I promptly agreed with him. He told me
it was pronounced “palace-steen”. I seem to have a terrible
track record of pronouncing cities already. Continuing on the 79 we
encountered many deer on the side of the road which for a
motorcyclist means almost certain death. It was getting late and we
very quickly realized that palace-steen was probably out of reach.
We stopped in Buffalo for the night at a Budget Inn. It was painted
an odd yellow color and was covered in crickets, and as my dad walked
through the front door to check in I noticed a red swastika above the
door which was concerning. I know we are in Texas but damn, I was
relieved to find it was put there by the Hindu folks that ran the
place. I really should have known that.
The first room smelled strongly of cat
piss so we got another room.
Day 9-June 19th Buffalo,
Texas to Greenville, Mississippi
Mileage-393.1
We found out why the first room stank
of can urine this morning. When the owner cleans the rooms he opens
every door and walks away. We stood there speechless, packing our
things and watching several cats come out of the woodwork to lay
claim to each and every room.
We continued on Highway 79 through
Palestine and got on Highway 84 west towards Rusk. Through Mt.
Enterprise we took the 315 to Carthage and eventually got on I-20
again. It had to be done I suppose. We stayed on that until Minden,
Louisiana and got back on the 79 to Homer. As soon as we hit the
Louisiana border I began to miss the Texas road maintenance because
Shreveport was a mess. We went through Farmerville and headed north
to Strong in Arkansas. On Highway 82 we crossed many small creeks
and rivers, and to the south of us was a massive bayou called Spring
Bayou. It seemed to me to be very much above its usual waterline due
to the storms that we barely missed. The tops of trees littered the
road so we considered ourselves lucky to have missed the brunt of it.
Right before we reached Crosset a huge
bolt of lightning struck several miles off right in front of us,
making it seem like it hit the road that we were traveling on. We
stopped to take a quick break and evaluate the map. We decided on
Greenville in Mississippi and continued on our way. The storm seemed
to be headed north. We stopped just north of Portland on Highway 165
for another break and to start looking for motels. There was a small
convenience/liquor store. We pulled in there and I'm fairly certain
that we looked like aliens with all of our gear on. Everyone there,
about eight people, were very friendly to us and warned us about the
deer. However, I could barely understand most of what one gentleman
was saying. His accent was so thick I had a hard time believing he
knew what he was saying. He was kind enough to repeat himself more
time that what seemed comfortable and I think he knew we weren't used
to the southern drawl everyone had.
Crossing the Mississippi was a nice
experience and we made it to Greenville, Mississippi. We did our
laundry and I was getting tired of putting a stinking helmet on so I
cleaned the liners. After picking the bugs out of the top vent the
liners went back in smoothly and it no longer smelled like sweat and
decaying carcass from ten feet away.
Day 10-June 20th
Greenville, Mississippi to Cullman, Alabama
Mileage-331.1
We left Greenville and headed due east
on Highway 82 to Eupora and got on the Natchez Trace Parkway and
exited right before Tupelo and got on the 78 to Hamilton and
continued on to Natural Bridge. I saw a few signs for Natural Bridge
and we decided to take a look. It was the largest natural land
bridge east of the Mississippi River. A neat place to check out. The
woman working the counter chatted with us a bit and we talked about
the storm that we had just barely missed. She told us about some of
the recent tornadoes that went through the area taking out several
churches and homes. I'm beginning to think that we really lucked
out. My dad was vigilant about checking the NOAA satellite images
and recommending routes and so far it is turning out alright. We got
rained on a bit but so far we have not been swept away by a tornado
or anything of the like.
We got to Cullman after stopping around
a tiny town just east of there to adjust my chain. I think it has
about 10,000 miles on it and this trip isn't doing it any favors.
Somewhere in the links is one that sticks so we've been cleaning and
lubing it nearly every day now. It is becoming annoying hearing it
clunk every now and then at low speeds. Cullman was nice and the
showers in the motel were a pleasant surprise. I even took pictures
of it and spoke with our neighbors about them when we conversed about
our motorcycle trip. They were equally amazed about the showers.
Passing through small towns and suburbs
was nice, and never setting tread on the god forsaken interstate was
a nice change of pace from the last few days. It was strange to see
that every yard we passed was perfectly groomed, from the McMansions
(everything was made from brick) to the trailers on an empty lot. At
the motel I stepped on the grass and it felt odd, like it was all
crab grass but since it was uniform maybe that's how it is supposed
to be.
Day 11-June 21st Cullman,
Alabama to Greenville, South Carolina
Mileage-363.9
We left and headed east on Highway 278
towards Gadsden then north on Highway 411 through Leesburg and
Centre. We crossed into Georgia and just south of Rome (From
Carthage to Rome in only a few days!) We headed towards Ellijay and
into the Chattahoochee National Forest on Highway 76 finally making
it to Greenville, South Carolina late in the evening.
We searched for motels and I came
across a place called Knights Inn. Decided to check it out and what
a dive. Fairly certain people were living in there and it was no
place to leave motorcycles if we wanted to ride them tomorrow
morning. Behind the motel was a immensely rowdy bar. Ended up
staying at Comfort Inn Millennium on Laurens Road. Still a dive, but
we can see the bikes from the room. If only there was an phone
application that could tell you the seedy parts of town, that would
have been handy.
Day 12-June 22nd
Greenville, South Carolina to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
Mileage-310.2
We got on Interstate 395 towards
Columbia and Florence. We got on Highway 76 past Whiteville and
through Wilmington. We stayed at The Sand Peddler Inn in
Wrightsville Beach. Whenever we arrive at a motel the first thing we
do is turn on the air conditioning and to our surprise the AC unit
went down to 45 degrees! The humidity and heat has been something
that we have been dealing with for nearly 5 days. I don't mind the
heat so much, but the humidity feels like swimming through a sauna.
Leaving our 50 degree room into the heat was jarring, especially for
my dads glasses and my camera lens as they instantly fog up upon
leaving the room.
We unpacked and headed for the beach to
say we touched the Atlantic Ocean. Afterwards we ate at the fancy
restaurant, fancy compared to what we have been eating on the road
that is. I took a time lapse of the sunrise on the 23rd
and knowing that we only had about 100 miles to go to Fayetteville I
went back to sleep.
Day 13-June 23rd
Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina to Fayetteville, North Carolina
Mileage-95
Only a short day to Fayetteville to see
my friend who lives near Fort Bragg. He is stationed there doing JAG
work. Not much to report other than the nearly unbearable humidity.
Day 14-June 24th Off.
Toured Fort Bragg with Nick
Day 15-June 25th
Fayettville, North Carolina to Cumberland Gap, Tennessee
Mileage-396
We said our goodbyes and appreciation
for letting us stay at his apartment and continued our expedition.
We headed north on Highway 24 turning north at Albermale on the 52
headed north. We passed through Statesville on Highway 64 to Lenoir
and headed north on the 321 to Elizabethton and Johnson City. Pass
Kingsport on the 23 and headed west on Highway 421 which turned into
Highway 58 and ending in Cumberland Gap.
Highway 58 was a wondrous ride through
the mountains. We hit it a bit later in the evening and I could see
why they might decide to call the place Blue Ridge. The color was
like nothing I've ever seen before. There were fireflies along the
road which at first looked like deer eyes in the headlights giving me
a startle. It was an excellent, albeit long, day.
Day 16-June 26th
Cumberland Gap, Tennessee to Scottsville, Kentucky passing through
Glasgow
Mileage-217.7
We started the day by driving up
Pinnacle View Road to an overlook above Cumberland Gap. Great way to
start the day. After my dad had diligently studied the NOAA satellite
images he said we should stay far south in Tennessee. I declined and
thought we should do a tour of the British cities in Kentucky. We
headed north on Highway 25E into London, turning west on Highway 80
through Somerset, Edmonton, and eventually the fateful town of
Glasgow.
We stopped for gas and right before we
did my dad received an emergency text message. Tornado warning, take
shelter immediately. When we got gas I could hear the faint scream
of a siren. We decided to head south, as we (probably, maybe) should
have in the beginning, I'll admit. We passed through the center of
town and everyone had a panicked look about them. Everyone was in a
huge rush and as we passed a church with a firehouse across the
street I saw police officers, fire fighters, and regular town folk
looking at the sky behind us. I turned around and looked east and
saw what I think to be the beginning of a funnel cloud. We got the
hell out, even though I learned after to never try to outrun a
tornado as you don't really know if there may be others in the
vicinity.
I said at the beginning of this trip
how cool it would be to see a tornado and it turns out it isn't that
great. Absolutely terrifying if I'm perfectly honest. We got out of
town and headed to Scottsville, but along the way the wind was
picking up dramatically and lightning was hitting the ground very
close to where we were. In our panic we ended up on Old Bowling
Green Road and happened across a tornado shelter at the intersection
of Bishop Road. Decided it would be best to wait an hour and listen
to the weather reports in relative safety. The shelter was
unoccupied and I took that as good news, it can't really be that bad.
I put my motorcycle in the shelter with us as at least one of the
bikes can make it through the storm and the Harley is heavy enough to
weather a tornado just fine.
After an hour or so we headed to
Scottsville to the south. Found a motel which seemed to be built out
of nothing but cinder blocks and spoke with an older couple who
happened to be unpacking as I was outside watching the weather. They
were from Portland, Michigan which had just been hit by a tornado
right after they had left for their vacation. They were in charge of
the outreach program of their church and delayed their trip south two
times until the pastor told them to leave and no matter what, stay on
vacation. Few days after they leave the church and two others were
leveled by a tornado. Luckily no one was seriously injured. Given
that I've heard two stories now of churches being torn apart by
tornadoes it makes me think we should avoid churches for shelter
should the need arise.
Day 17-June 27th
Scottsville, Kentucky to Springfield, Missouri through the Ozarks
Mileage-495.3
We headed out of Scottsville via
Highway 231 after checking the weather. All seemed relatively clear.
Made it through Bowling Green and Hopskinsville and eventually made
our way onto I-24. We had to get some miles in after tornado day
yesterday and by mistake we cruised into Illinois so we cut back down
on I-57 on Highway 60 through Poplar Bluff and through the Ozarks
making it to Springfield around 9pm. Right before reaching town I
had a nice deer experience. One jumped out right in front of me and
I didn't even react, no brakes, no swerving, just estimated that it
would be out of my way. Probably not the best idea. I received a
thumbs up from the car that passed me moments later, I returned the
gesture while shaking my head.
The wind today was unbearable. I was
constantly tilted about 10-15 degrees off vertical but still going in
a straight line. If a trip like this is to happen again I will not be
using a Suzuki V-Strom 650. The wind has been a constant nuisance
and today really pissed me off. There isn't anything I can do but
just duck down behind the windshield and be uncomfortable.
Day 18-June 28th
Springfield, Missouri to Salina, Kansas
Mileage-365.7
We headed to Pittsburg, Kansas on the
160 then north to Fort Scott. After Fort Scott we headed west to
Iola, Eureka and El Dorado. 77 north was the next highway through
Herington criss-crossing our way to Salina, Kansas. Not really much
of note today as there is almost nothing to see in Kansas.
My chain is giving me more and more
issues and I've begun looking for places to get it replaced somewhere
in town. Everywhere in Salina would have to order a 525 120 link
chain and it would be 3-5 days delivery time. No dice, and it is
Sunday, so even less luck to be had finding a place that is open.
Day 19-June 29th Salina,
Kansas to North Platt, Nebraska
Mileage-359.6
I got my oil changed in town and
searched for more chain cleaner. So far every motorcycle shop on our
new route does not have chain cleaner which seems strange to me. I
could use kerosene I suppose. We headed due north on Highway 80 to
York, South Dakota. I continued to call around for a chain in North
Platt, Kearny, and Lexington. No where had a 525 chain. I called a
place called Great Plains Motorcycle Services and they didn't pick up
the first time calling. I tried a few other places in the mean time
and got nothing but bad news, so I called Great Plains again and they
luckily had a chain for me and would put it on that day.
We got to the shop at around 5:30pm,
about a half hour before they closed. I was perfectly content with
having to wait for tomorrow for them to put it on as that is what I
would expect from a small shop like this. Instead they told me to
bring the bike in and they put the chain on in about 15 minutes.
What a relief, especially riding at low speeds where I would notice
the chain clunking. No more worries about the sprockets being messed
up by a old chain! We continued on to North Platt and stayed the
night. I was thoroughly relieved to have that problem resolved.
Great Plains Motorcycle Services
received a glowing review from me.
Day 20-June 30th North
Platt, Nebraska to Keystone, South Dakota
Mileage-389.7
We kept on I-80 west until Ogalalla and
merged on to Highway 26 through Oshkosh, Bridgeport, and Scottsbluff.
We then got on 71 north to Crawford, Ardmore, and Hot Springs and
then to the Mt. Rushmore monument. We spent the night in Keystone.
The road between Oshkosh and Crawford
was nothing. Literally nothing there besides farms and flat, flat,
flat land. Seriously flat. There might have been some hills every
now and then, and maybe a town with a gas pump and nothing else, but
that was it. We stopped after Bridgeport to see Chimney Rock and the
interpretive center. Fairly interesting, but there wasn't really
anything I could learn after playing hours upon hours of Oregon Trail
computer game in elementary school. Cool to see live though.
The Oglala National Grassland is a
sight to see, a vast expanse of empty land and untouched grassland.
Very cool to ride through. Hot Springs was where the real fun riding
began. Highway 87 in the Black Hills was a road like nothing I've
experienced before. Perfect pavement, pigtail overpasses, and one
car width tunnels through solid rock. It was amazing. We made it to
Mt. Rushmore and as we queued up to get in a dolt in a Audi with
Texas plates nearly side swiped me. The place was substantially
crowded, so we took our pictures of the heads and bailed before the
lighting ceremony. We could only imagine a bunch of those Texas
morons all trying to get out of a parking structure at the same time.
Nightmare, so we left and got to the hotel in Keystone.
Day 21-July 1st Keystone,
South Dakota to Greybull, Wyoming
Mileage-463.1
Instead of leaving straight to Greybull
we rode almost every road in the Black Hills. They were all quite a
trip. 16A, 244, 87, all a very worthwhile detour on the motorcycle.
We probably spent about 2-3 hours just driving the roads. At one
turn we spotted a car parked on the side with a small child, about
8-12, puking his guts out. Not everyone can handle these ridiculous
roads. My dad felt bad for the kid, I just laughed.
When we finally got enough of the wild
roads of the Black Hills we headed to Lead and Deadwood to the north
and took Highway 14 to Sturgis. I guess I can now say I've been to
Sturgis. Not really my cup of tea. We got on I-90 west towards our
next stop, Devils Tower. We exited the I-80 at Highway 111 towards
Aladdin and Hulett and finally Devils Tower. I'm not sure why, but
seeing the tower looming off in the distance as I approached gave me
an ominous feeling of dread, nothing serious, but it was odd. It
looks so out of place and strange to see, a massive black monolith
silhouetted against blue sky.
After Devils Tower we returned to I-90
to a few miles past Sheridan where we got on Highway 14 through
Bighorn National Forest. Highway 14 is one of those roads that you
hear of, ranking high with Tail of the Dragon, or the Iron Mountain
Road, but Bighorn seems unknown. From Dayton we ascended probably
3,000 in a very short distance straight up the mountain. Arriving at
the top we were greeted by vast mountain meadows, scattered lakes,
and streams. The decent was even better as the road drops you into a
canyon which reminded me of Zion, except much more gigantic. We saw
the last eighth of the road at dusk right as the lightning began
breaking the sky off to the south of us.
We arrived in Greybull around 9:30 or
10 and had no luck finding something to eat. We headed down to the
Silver Spur Bar in hopes of finding something to eat, but all they
had were cocktails. That would have to do for tonight. We chatted
with the locals until midnight or so and headed back. Dad managed to
ride a buffalo.
Day 22-July 2nd Greybull,
Wyoming to Jackson, Wyoming
Mileage-349.7
We left Greybull around 10 after doing
some laundry. We've been getting late starts in the last few days,
could be due to being close to the finish of the trip and I don't
really mind. Probably doesn't help that we stayed out late at the
Silver Spur drinking a homemade cocktail someone had brought into the
bar. We headed west on Highway 16 towards Cody and into Yellowstone.
Perhaps I had a preconceived notion of
what riding through Yellowstone would be. The trees at the entrance
were all burned to a crisp. A lot of the geysers and hot springs were
barely flowing because of a recent earthquake that closed many of the
springs. It was very cool to see the ones that were still flowing
and the strange pools of clear water bubbling with gases. On one of
the roads bison began blocking the road which on motorcycles is a
damn scary situation. Not only were the bison giving us issues,
other drivers stopping in the middle of the road to take pictures of
the wild beasts halted us. Could people be so inconsiderate as to do
that? It was all very frustrating dealing with oblivious morons not
using the turn offs and stopping right after blind corners. That was
by far the worst part of Yellowstone. The dip shits not knowing how
to drive properly made the whole experience mind numbing frustrating.
A good majority of people seemed rude and pushy while we walked the
boardwalks over the hot springs. Perhaps they were as sick of
everyone driving like blind mongoloids as we were.
An entire section, about 10 miles
worth, of road was gravel and mud. No warning given, no signs
indicating to motorcycles that this probably isn't a road you want to
go down. I think the whole place would be better off if the park
service issued a limited amount of visitation permits every year for
people to visit the park. Limit the amount of people there, and have
a knowledge test at the entrance and send people away if they fail.
It ends up being a “traffic jam in the woods” as my dad so
succinctly put it.
As we neared the south exit of the park
we both really debated seeing Old Faithful. Its a good thing we did,
I knew I would regret not seeing it if we had decided to pass it up
due to the overwhelming number of tourists and people who looked like
they just crawled out of the depths at Wal-Mart. We walked up to the
geyser and about a minute later it went off. Yellowstone was
something I had to see on this trip and seeing Old Faithful erupt was
a nice cap to an otherwise discouraging day.
We headed to Jackson via the south exit
of Yellowstone but again found ourselves riding at night. We really
shouldn't be doing that. We passed the Tetons which were still
illuminated by the full moon and made it to Jackson, the largest
tourist trap we passed through the entire trip. Motel 6 was tiny for
the price we paid, smallest room yet. But we were left without a
choice having not made any reservations for the trip, so I suppose
that is mostly my own fault.
Day 23-July 3rd Jackson,
Wyoming to Boise, Idaho
Mileage-391.2
We left south on the 189 to Highway 26
through Alpine and Palisades in Idaho and stopped for lunch in Idaho
Falls. We got on Highway 20 west to Arco but before that we saw signs
for EBR-1, the first power generating nuclear reactor. Stopping
there really made the day. We first pulled into the parking lot and
saw prototype nuclear powered jets and a lead-lined locomotive to
pull them around for testing. It was mind boggling to see something
like that just set in the middle of the high desert of Idaho. EBR-1
and the building it was housed in was free to enter and you could
guide the tour yourself. It was surreal really, being in the place
where nuclear power generation was developed and walking through the
place. Maybe like holy ground in science? Cheesy, but it did have a
neat vibe to the place and very informative.
We continued our travels to Craters of
the Moon National Park and stopped to admire the alien landscape. We
took many pictures posing as astronauts in our full gear and doing
pretend spacewalks. One man was taking pictures of the landscape as
well but when he saw us in our full armor and helmets he snapped a
few of us. Didn't think to give him my email so I could get any, but
if you ever see two fully suited up motorcyclists wandering around
Craters of the Moon you'll know it was us.
We kept on Highway 20 to I-84 and
headed west to Boise. Stayed at a Comfort Inn near the airport and
went to sleep. We think we may be able to make it to Portland
tomorrow but I'm not getting my hopes up. We are getting tired much
faster than when we started the trip, I don't think because of actual
riding fatigue but because we are so close to home.
Day 24-July 4th Boise,
Idaho to Bend, Oregon
Mileage-337.8
We kept on the
I-84 until Ontario and got on Highway 20 to Burns and Riley. We
filled up in Burns and kept at it, both of us very tired but not
really conveying that to each other. I think we are both ready for
the trip to be over and be home. We got pass Hampton and stopped at a
rest stop. We finally admitted to each other that we are not making
it to Portland tonight as both of us were ready to be done for the
day.
We made it to Bend
and stayed at a family friends house. It is the same place we stayed
when we did our test trip to Bend, the fist time being fully loaded
with gear. Seriously appreciate the hospitality, being allowed to
stay in such a beautiful house. And it allowed me to beat my dad at
pool, which he bet best of seven, whoever loses cleaned the bikes.
Good thing the drunker I get the better I am at pool. I slept well
knowing my bike would be meticulously cleaned the next day.
Day 25-July 5th Bend,
Oregon to Portland, Oregon
Mileage-218.1
Out of Bend, and what a cluster. We
got on Highway 26 knowing full well that it would be a mess of
traffic heading back to Portland after the weekend but had no idea it
would be fully stopped traffic right after Redmond. We took Highway
20 to Sisters and past Detroit. Wildfires were already starting and
we were able to see helicopters dumping water on them about 500 yards
off the road.
We got passed Salem and stopped at a
rest stop near Woodburn. I told my girlfriend we would be back
tomorrow so being home today was a surprise. We made it back to my
parents house where my mom and my girlfriend were knitting and
probably watching ID Discovery. I tapped her shoulder and she did a
double take, accusing me of being a terrible liar and a “poopy
head”. Even though I was covered in solidified bug guts and stank
of sweat I got a hug nonetheless.
It is good to be home.
I had thought that this trip may quell my wanderlust, but it hasn't, in fact it has done quite the opposite. More trips are being planned, international maybe? Let's see what work says about that...
More to come!
Total Mileage-8610.3
