Monday, September 24, 2012
Day 2 Lake Michigan Oblong
>Milwaukee is Aok...it has beer and Starbucks.
>Harley Museum was very cool...and surprisingly there wasn't a lot of oil on the floor from the exhibited Harley's.
>Riding north we hit high winds carrying a big by product of the Wisconsin cheese industry...the pungent smell of cow manure. Sorry Linda your jacket you loaned Devon will forever smell of Golden Gernsey.
>lunch at Lambeau Field...actually Curly's Pub at Lambeau field...very cool...strange we keep ending up at pubs but don't forget we went to a museum too!
>met Muke's friend Claudia for lunch...a German/American Green Bay resident...cute & funny!
>Left Lambeau Field and Mike tried to find the house he lived in when he worked in Green Bay...he couldn't find it...this is our leader..."help us". Every trip I go on we look for one of Mike's houses..I think he was in the witness relocation program.
>Pat likes to fall back in line and light up a stogie every now and then...at least that's what he tells us.
>Made it to Escanaba, Michigan where we're luxuriating (do bikers say that) at the Super 8 with some great pizza, salad and of course martinis, Jack, and wine...a great life.
>looking forward to a great ride to Traverse City tomorrow.
>Devon enjoying her Cheese Koozy wine holder from the Pro Shop at Lambeau Field...should sleep well after she "TPs" those stinking Hondas parked by our Harley's...you go bad ass biker chick.
I feel compelled to add to Mike's excellent commentary with the following observations:
Cincy to Milwaukee:
> very cold but thanks to the Hoffman Outfitters Devon was able to brave the elemen albeit while looking like one of the South Park characters dressed for the snow.
> Chicago traffic was typical of large urban centers....an adrenaline rush. Soccer mom driven mini-van attempted to force us off the road...bitch.
>I knew Wisconsin was liberal but when I saw the sign for the "Bong Recreation Park" I thought really!
>Wisconsin has permanent road signs for Accident Investigation Sites....maybe they need to change some behaviors or stretches of road.
>Bartender at hotel too goofy...wouldn't leave us alone...forced us to go to an Irish Pub
>Irish Pub too loud...forced us to drink
>Mike kept mistaking the The Lumineers concert for the iPhone 5 sales line
>Succesfully found our way back to the hotel...not as easy as it sounds.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Day 1: Lake Michigan Circle Ride
Mixed reviews about my poetry. Some ask why no poem when there is none; others say, "quit with the poems!"
To the latter, I say, "chill."
If I feel the urge, I will.
And, if I don't
I won't.
So, that's all I have to say,
And that's my poem for today.
Well, we're off! Pat and Kevin rode up to my house right on time. They warmed up a bit in the house, while I did some final prep. Then, at 8am, right on time, we fired 'em up and hit the highways to Chicago.
Today was all business...just trying to get to the actual route, starting in Milwaukee. It was a long, cold ride. Seemed like a lot of traffic around Chicago and into Milwaukee for a Sunday. But, riding with Pat, even in traffic, is fun. Looking at him stopped in traffic, lighting up his cigar just makes me smile! Often, he'll pull up next to me, say something that I can't hear, and then he'll start laughing and laughing. It cracks me up. He sees me laugh, and concludes I must have heard whatever he said. Cool with me..... lol
It was a relatively tough ride today: it was cold, it was all interstate, quite a bit of traffic around Chicago, and it was long. I was particularly impressed with Kevin's daughter, Devon. This is her first attempt at a long ride, and she's held up like a champ. It's fun watching the dynamics between her and her dad. Once she figured out how to secure her own helmet, things went very well.... :) But, in the interim, it was kind of cute watching Kevin having to fasten it for her after every stop...
After arriving to the hotel in Milwaukee, we all went to our rooms to rest. Then came the text message from Kevin: "The bar is open." Well, you can imagine the rest. After a couple drinks, we walked about a mile to an Irish restaurant, and have now returned to the rooms. Tomorrow, we'll see the Harley-Davidson museum when it opens at 9am, then on up to Green Bay for lunch at Curly's with an old friend from my working days at the Paper Plant there. Hopefully, some pics tomorrow of Lambeau Field. Then, motor north for the night at Escanaba, MI.
Mike
To the latter, I say, "chill."
If I feel the urge, I will.
And, if I don't
I won't.
So, that's all I have to say,
And that's my poem for today.
Well, we're off! Pat and Kevin rode up to my house right on time. They warmed up a bit in the house, while I did some final prep. Then, at 8am, right on time, we fired 'em up and hit the highways to Chicago.
Today was all business...just trying to get to the actual route, starting in Milwaukee. It was a long, cold ride. Seemed like a lot of traffic around Chicago and into Milwaukee for a Sunday. But, riding with Pat, even in traffic, is fun. Looking at him stopped in traffic, lighting up his cigar just makes me smile! Often, he'll pull up next to me, say something that I can't hear, and then he'll start laughing and laughing. It cracks me up. He sees me laugh, and concludes I must have heard whatever he said. Cool with me..... lol
It was a relatively tough ride today: it was cold, it was all interstate, quite a bit of traffic around Chicago, and it was long. I was particularly impressed with Kevin's daughter, Devon. This is her first attempt at a long ride, and she's held up like a champ. It's fun watching the dynamics between her and her dad. Once she figured out how to secure her own helmet, things went very well.... :) But, in the interim, it was kind of cute watching Kevin having to fasten it for her after every stop...
After arriving to the hotel in Milwaukee, we all went to our rooms to rest. Then came the text message from Kevin: "The bar is open." Well, you can imagine the rest. After a couple drinks, we walked about a mile to an Irish restaurant, and have now returned to the rooms. Tomorrow, we'll see the Harley-Davidson museum when it opens at 9am, then on up to Green Bay for lunch at Curly's with an old friend from my working days at the Paper Plant there. Hopefully, some pics tomorrow of Lambeau Field. Then, motor north for the night at Escanaba, MI.
Mike
Monday, September 17, 2012
Lake Michigan Circle Ride
Weather permitting, Kevin Paradise, Pat Dobbling, and I will leave for a 5 day excursion around Lake Michigan. I've been working on the ride plan, and I'm just about done with that. We plan to go through Chicago on Sunday (hopefully avoiding the weekday traffic), and make our first stop in Milwaukee. Then, north through Green Bay to Escanaba, MI. Then, over the top via Mackinaw, and then down the east coast of the lake. Our plan has us arriving home on Thursday.
I can't seem to insert the link to the map, so here's a pic of the route instead:
--Mike
I can't seem to insert the link to the map, so here's a pic of the route instead:
--Mike
Monday, June 18, 2012
Day 18: Vinita, OK to home
The original plan was to take two days to get home from here...two nice and easy days of about 350 miles each. But, as in past years, the smell of the barn is overwhelming. You can pull on those reigns as hard as you want...throw in long distances, crazy drivers all around you, forbidding heat, etc... but when a horse smells the barn, he tends to just keep going toward it. That's what we did today. A long day of around 700 miles, 12 hours from time we left to when we arrived.
We had one incident riding back. There was a huge piece of plastic flipping around the highway, being dodged by cars. It was the kind of stuff you might cover your fresh concrete from a pending rain...heavy and big. Curt was leading (he, Kevin, and I take turns leading). I was behind him. He dodged it, but his wake flipped it up and right into my track. There was lots of traffic, so my instincts said not to dodge it...go straight over it. My kickstand caught it, and dragged it. I tried to get Curt's attention to pull over, but he was focused on doing 75mph in traffic with his cruise control on.... I gave up trying to get his attention, and worked my way to the breakdown lane. It pretty much destroyed my left side muffler. Kevin said he could smell it burning, as he was following me to the breakdown lane. I'll remove the muffler this week, and see if there's anything I can do to salvage it. But, it looks pretty bad...
We stopped often on the way...we paced ourselves, knowing it was going to be a long ride. Our process is to take turns leading...each person leads for 100 miles. So, long rides don't seem so long. When the new guy takes the lead, he's fresh, alert, and, in my opinion, a safer driver. And, after leading for 100 miles, you can relax and just follow. And, it's amazing how fast 100 miles go by, no matter what position you're in, after one of these role reversals.
We have a tradition where we make our final stop on our way home in Harrison, OH, which is the last place before we go our separate ways to our respective homes....a gas station that sells beer. We buy a six-pak, and toast the good, safe ride. Here are a couple pics from that stop:
A long ride DONE. Roughly 6,200 miles. Some unbelievable scenery. I will go back to see Yosemite and Sequoia Parks again, at a pace where I can stop, and just sit and look. Riding is wonderful, and it is the BEST way to see, smell, and sense these places. But, with a large pack of bikes, it's hard to stop and just look. I'll go back.
Meeting up with the gang from Eastgate HOG was particularly special. Great people and lots of fun. David Bowen does a remarkable job organizing the rides and getting everyone where he or she needs to be on time....kind of like herding cats. Thanks, David. I'll download some of his pics and post them soon.
I was pleasantly surprised when I got home: my garden survived!! I had large heads of Romaine lettuce, one of which I harvested for supper tonight...best meal in a while!
Mike
We had one incident riding back. There was a huge piece of plastic flipping around the highway, being dodged by cars. It was the kind of stuff you might cover your fresh concrete from a pending rain...heavy and big. Curt was leading (he, Kevin, and I take turns leading). I was behind him. He dodged it, but his wake flipped it up and right into my track. There was lots of traffic, so my instincts said not to dodge it...go straight over it. My kickstand caught it, and dragged it. I tried to get Curt's attention to pull over, but he was focused on doing 75mph in traffic with his cruise control on.... I gave up trying to get his attention, and worked my way to the breakdown lane. It pretty much destroyed my left side muffler. Kevin said he could smell it burning, as he was following me to the breakdown lane. I'll remove the muffler this week, and see if there's anything I can do to salvage it. But, it looks pretty bad...
We stopped often on the way...we paced ourselves, knowing it was going to be a long ride. Our process is to take turns leading...each person leads for 100 miles. So, long rides don't seem so long. When the new guy takes the lead, he's fresh, alert, and, in my opinion, a safer driver. And, after leading for 100 miles, you can relax and just follow. And, it's amazing how fast 100 miles go by, no matter what position you're in, after one of these role reversals.
We have a tradition where we make our final stop on our way home in Harrison, OH, which is the last place before we go our separate ways to our respective homes....a gas station that sells beer. We buy a six-pak, and toast the good, safe ride. Here are a couple pics from that stop:
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| Not bad for a self-portrait, eh? Me, Kevin, and Curt. |
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|
Meeting up with the gang from Eastgate HOG was particularly special. Great people and lots of fun. David Bowen does a remarkable job organizing the rides and getting everyone where he or she needs to be on time....kind of like herding cats. Thanks, David. I'll download some of his pics and post them soon.
I was pleasantly surprised when I got home: my garden survived!! I had large heads of Romaine lettuce, one of which I harvested for supper tonight...best meal in a while!
Mike
Out and Back Again
Final day. 720 miles in cool and hot weather from Vinita OK to home. Stopped for our final traditional beer in Dry Ridge before splitting up to head home our respective ways.
I always commit to taking it easy coming home, but once the bike is pointed East is it hard to not continue on. so our last day was long but a 5:15 start got us home early.
I feel the same way after running a marathon as I do after these last long bike runs. I will never do it again. But somehow time washes away the negatives of the long hot run / bike ride, and you begin to look forward to the next. So likely I will make another long bike ride, and marathon.
All in all the 6200 miles were great; good group to ride with, great scenery,met a lot of neat people, and of course saw a lot of goofy drivers. But a great trip for sure.
Nothing like seeing America in the saddle. From the midwest farmlands to the coastal highway, all is good.
Sorry no pictures this time- we were motoring home. Hard to take pictures at 80 mph on a bike.
Until next time.
Curt
I always commit to taking it easy coming home, but once the bike is pointed East is it hard to not continue on. so our last day was long but a 5:15 start got us home early.
I feel the same way after running a marathon as I do after these last long bike runs. I will never do it again. But somehow time washes away the negatives of the long hot run / bike ride, and you begin to look forward to the next. So likely I will make another long bike ride, and marathon.
All in all the 6200 miles were great; good group to ride with, great scenery,met a lot of neat people, and of course saw a lot of goofy drivers. But a great trip for sure.
Nothing like seeing America in the saddle. From the midwest farmlands to the coastal highway, all is good.
Sorry no pictures this time- we were motoring home. Hard to take pictures at 80 mph on a bike.
Until next time.
Curt
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Day 17: Tucumcari, NM to Vinita, OK
Just a lot of riding today. We started early, hoping to beat the heat again. Jackets this morning, but not for long. It was a hot one...something like 550 miles. It is kind of sad looking at the old Rt 66, often a small two lane country road now, that parallels I-40. Not much left along the route often called "Mother Road."
It's been a long ride, and we're on the home stretch. Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Illinois, and Indiana...11 states, unless I missed one, and over 6,000 miles by the time we're done by Tuesday.
It's been a long ride, and we're on the home stretch. Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Illinois, and Indiana...11 states, unless I missed one, and over 6,000 miles by the time we're done by Tuesday.
Rt 66 - You can't go back again
I've been on Rt 66 a lot. We used to take it from Chicago down to Petersburg, Il to visit my grandmother. I watched on our trips as they converted it to I-55 in the late 50s.
When I was 4 we took Rt 66 all the way out from Chicago to Seligman, AZ; almost the entire road. No interstates then. Unfortunately I only have a few pictures from that trip to compare.
When Linda and I went on our honeymoon way back in 1971 we took Rt 66 from mid-Illinois all the way out through Arizona and then back on again into California. Some of it had been displaced already, especially I-44. But all the towns in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona along the route were still open for the travel business and the sections of interstate completed stopped before the towns.
I have read many of the Rt 66 "Mother Road" books over the years. The pictures in the books bring back many memories and make you want to go drive the route. But, reality is somewhat harsher.
Sure, there is still Ted Drewes selling soft serve ice cream in St. Louis. Still a Stuckeys here and there with pecan rolls, and of course we did Stand on the Corner in Winslow Arizona yesterday.
But today, we drove through Tucumcari, NM. Linda and I stayed there in a Friends Inn back on our honeymoon 41 years ago so I wanted to see if it was still open. Friends Inns gave you a token to use at another motel good for $1.00 off. Not a bad deal when motels were $8.00 - $10.00.
Tucumcari unfortunately represents what happened to a lot of small towns that the interstates bypassed. The downtown area is wall to wall court style motels, almost all closed, falling down, shuttered, etc. There are some exceptions, but not many. The Friends Inn was still there. But closed and in major disrepair. The town is one bad day away from being a ghost town. Now everyone stays at the chain motels at the interstate exit and never takes Rt 66 through town.
I was tempted to stop and take a picture of the motel for the trip. But I have a good picture in my memory of what the motel looked like on my honeymoon. I decided I would just keep that photo. Maybe I'll go home and read those books with the pictures again.
Curt
When I was 4 we took Rt 66 all the way out from Chicago to Seligman, AZ; almost the entire road. No interstates then. Unfortunately I only have a few pictures from that trip to compare.
When Linda and I went on our honeymoon way back in 1971 we took Rt 66 from mid-Illinois all the way out through Arizona and then back on again into California. Some of it had been displaced already, especially I-44. But all the towns in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona along the route were still open for the travel business and the sections of interstate completed stopped before the towns.
I have read many of the Rt 66 "Mother Road" books over the years. The pictures in the books bring back many memories and make you want to go drive the route. But, reality is somewhat harsher.
Sure, there is still Ted Drewes selling soft serve ice cream in St. Louis. Still a Stuckeys here and there with pecan rolls, and of course we did Stand on the Corner in Winslow Arizona yesterday.
But today, we drove through Tucumcari, NM. Linda and I stayed there in a Friends Inn back on our honeymoon 41 years ago so I wanted to see if it was still open. Friends Inns gave you a token to use at another motel good for $1.00 off. Not a bad deal when motels were $8.00 - $10.00.
Tucumcari unfortunately represents what happened to a lot of small towns that the interstates bypassed. The downtown area is wall to wall court style motels, almost all closed, falling down, shuttered, etc. There are some exceptions, but not many. The Friends Inn was still there. But closed and in major disrepair. The town is one bad day away from being a ghost town. Now everyone stays at the chain motels at the interstate exit and never takes Rt 66 through town.
I was tempted to stop and take a picture of the motel for the trip. But I have a good picture in my memory of what the motel looked like on my honeymoon. I decided I would just keep that photo. Maybe I'll go home and read those books with the pictures again.
Curt
Day 16: Sedona, AZ to Tucumcari, NM
Today was one of those "all business" rides. We saddled up early, and made the climb (a great ride, with spectacular views) from Sedona to Flagstaff. I'm sure the sounds of our three bikes probably woke many of the campers along that road. We tend to get loud when climbing steep inclines...
Then, it was onto I-40 (the old Rt. 66). Cruise controls set at 78mph, coffee in my Starbucks cup, and warm gear on for the cool morning ride east. Nice.
Our first (and only) scheduled stop was at Winslow, AZ... 7 women on my mind, kind of place. It was GREAT.. It was early morning, nobody else around, except the owner of the adjacent gift shop, who volunteered to take our pics. Then, she invited us into her shop, before it even opened. Very nice woman, and friendly as are most of the people in this part of the country.
Here are some pics from Winslow, AZ:
On the way, Kevin thought he should pose in front of some arrows sticking in the ground. We're going to miss him...
Then, it was onto I-40 (the old Rt. 66). Cruise controls set at 78mph, coffee in my Starbucks cup, and warm gear on for the cool morning ride east. Nice.
Our first (and only) scheduled stop was at Winslow, AZ... 7 women on my mind, kind of place. It was GREAT.. It was early morning, nobody else around, except the owner of the adjacent gift shop, who volunteered to take our pics. Then, she invited us into her shop, before it even opened. Very nice woman, and friendly as are most of the people in this part of the country.
Here are some pics from Winslow, AZ:
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| Curt, standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona |
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| It's a flatbed Ford! |
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| Kevin, Curt, and I standing on the corner |
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| Kevin, standing on the corner |
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| Me, standing on the corner |
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| It's a girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford, slowing down to take a look at me! |
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| Looking in the windows in Winslow, AZ |
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| No caption needed, even if I did add this caption.. |
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Day 15: Barstow to Sedona
Today, Curt and I bid farewell to the rest of the boys and girls whom we have been riding with for the last week. They will be heading back to Vegas to turn in their bikes (to be shipped back home); and we will be heading directly east to start our journey home, and meet up with Kevin in Sedona.
Curt and I made an early departure from Barstow, to beat the heat...5:30am. Much to our surprise, David and Joy, and Hunter and Beth were there to say bye. David took a couple pics, as we were leaving.
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| Curt and I ready to leave Barstow |
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| Heading out at 5:30am. Curt leading, and me following. |
The ride to Sedona was pleasant. No traffic on I-40. We set the cruise controls on 76 mph, and motored on down "Rt. 66"!
Sedona is a cool place.. Lots of shops and great scenery all around the town. It was great hooking back up with Kevin. He showed us the town and the surrounding areas, like the car wash, where we rinsed down our bikes. Here are some pics of the place where we are staying:
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| Our hotel in Sedona |
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