MADE IT TO MOAB, UT...SO DID MY BROTHER AND MY GOOD FRIEND TANK!

WHAT A GORGEOUS DAY OF RIDING YESTERDAY.  PROBABLY THE BEST OF THE TRIP SO FAR.  LEFT BRYCE CANYON EARLY (0730 HRS).  DID  A RIDE THROUGH OF BRYCE AND THEN UP HWY 12.

 

I HAD READ BEFORE THIS TRIP THAT HWY 12 WAS ONE OF THOSE ROADS THAT EVERY MOTORCYCLIST SHOULD RIDE IN THE US BEFORE YOU DIE.  ALL I CAN SAY IS THEY WERE "SPOT ON!"  IT WAS NOTHING SHORT OF SPECTACULAR!  NOTHING I CAN WRITE WILL DO IT JUSTICE.  AS SOON AS I CAN GET SOMEWHERE THAT HAS FAST ENOUGH WIFI I WILL POST A VIDEO.  YOU WENT FROM TIGHT CANYON WALLS TO BASICALLY TIGHT WIRING A MESA WITH DROP OFFS ON BOTH SIDES WITH NO GUARD RAILS.  JUST AMAZING!  I'M READY TO DO IT AGAIN!

 

FROM HWY 12 WE MADE IT TO HWY 24 IN UTAH.   JUST ANOTHER FANTASTIC ROAD!   CANYONS, RIVERS, AND BEAUTIFUL ROCK FORMATIONS.  THERE WERE SOME MOUNTAINS TOWARDS THE END THAT REMINDED ME OF SOME OF THE SMALLER PYRAMIDS I HAD SEEN IN EGYPT.  JUST SIMPLY AMAZING!  I PROMISE TO GET VIDEO UP LATER TODAY!

 

NOW THAT MY BROTHER AND MIKE IS HERE, WE HAVE DECIDED TO CHANGE RIDE PLANS! (I KNOW, CALL 911....RICK GOFORTH THE RIDE NAZI IS CHANGING HIS RIDE SCHEDULE)  SINCE THE TWO OF THEM KNOCKED OUT OVER 2,000 MILES IN TWO DAYS I'VE DECIDED TO DO SOME SHORTER RIDES HERE IN UT/CO BEFORE POINTING TOWARD TO SANTA FE.  TODAY WILL BE OVER IN THE DIRECTION OF CARBONDALE, CO.  TOMORROW I'M TAKING THEM TO THE TOP OF MT EVANS!  ON TUESDAY WE WILL FINALLY MAKE IT TO SANTA FE.

 

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE  THAT WE ARE STARTING WEEK THREE SO SOON!  I JUST DON'T GET PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY GET BORED WITH RETIREMENT!  I WILL NOT BE ONE OF THEM!  

 

UNTIL LATER....

 

TRAVEL QUOTE OF THE DAY:

 

  “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.”

TUBA CITY, AZ TO GRAND CANYON....THEN TO BRYCE CANYON

OK, NEEDLESS TO SAY, NO WIFI AT GRAND CANYON.  AND I MIGHT ADD, RIGHTFULLY SO!  

NICE RIDE UP TO GRAND CANYON FROM TUBA CITY.  WIND WAS STILL STRONG, BUT NO WHERE CLOSE TO THE DAY BEFORE. 

GOT AN EARLY START AND TOOK OUR TIME UP TO THE GRAND CANYON.  GOT IN AROUND 2ISH.  ALL I CAN SAY IS IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TO THE GRAND CANYON....YOU ARE MISSING OUT ON LIFE!  

IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY FOREIGNERS VISIT COMPARED TO ACTUAL AMERICANS.  AND OF ALL THE PEOPLE I HAVE TO RUN IN TO AT THE GRAND CANYON, A NORTH CAROLINA STATE GRAD!  ASKED HIM IF HE KNEW MY NEIGHBOR WALT, THANK GOD HE DIDN'T!

I SENT A COUPLE FRIENDS A QUICK PICTURE FROM THE DECK OF THE NORTH RIM LAST NIGHT.  JUST PERFECT SITTING OUT THERE.  TALKED TO ANOTHER RIDER FROM QUEBEC.  HE RIDES A TON AS WELL.

A LADY MADE SUCH A VALID POINT.  SHE SAID SHE HAD TO COME OUTSIDE.  SHE COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY FOLKS WERE TALKING ON CELL PHONES AND PLAYING ON THEIR IPADS VS ENJOYING THE GRAND CANYON.  I WALKED IN TO GET A BEER (I KNOW...I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAME OVER ME TO WANT ONE) AND ONE COUPLE WAS THERE WITH TWO IPADS.  ONE PLAYING SOLITAIRE AND THE OTHER  CHECKING TEXT MESSAGES.  BOTH LOOKING AWAY FROM THE CANYON.  HERE ARE A FEW PICS I SNAPPED LAST NIGHT:

 COLORADO RIVER

 B&W OF COLORADO RIVER

 HERB STANDING ON NAVAJO WALK BRIDGE

VERMILION MESA

MY CABIN MATE AT THE GRAND CANYON

 SUNSET AT GRAND CANYON

(THANKS AGAIN TO MOPIC FOR SOME QUICK SETTINGS)

PROBABLY ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE PICS I'VE TAKEN

 THIS IS ALSO A FAVORITE

 MOON OVER GRAND CANYON

TODAY'S RIDE WAS FROM GRAND CANYON UP TO BRYCE CANYON, UT VIA ZION NATIONAL PARK AND BREAKERS NP AS WELL.

MORE PHOTOS TO FOLLOW ON THAT.  AND VIDEO I HOPE!

TONIGHT WE ARE GOING TO A WESTERN SHOW AT EBENEZER'S SALOON IN BRYCE CANYON! 

TOMORROW OVER TO MOAB, UT TO MEET MY BROTHER AND FRIEND TANK WHO WILL HAVE RIDDEN 2,200 MILES IN TWO DAYS!


TRAVEL QUOTE OF THE DAY:


I have wandered all my life, and I have also traveled; the difference between the two being this, that we wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.

LOVELAND, CO TO DURANGO, CO, TO TUBA CITY, AZ

OK, TIME TO DO A LITTLE CATCH UP.  THE RIDE FROM LOVELAND TO DURANGO WAS GREAT.  NO RAIN, NO HAIL AND NO SNOW!  THAT IS ALWAYS GOOD ON A BIKE TRIP!

 

 

 

FROM THE DAY BEFORE

(REMEMBER, CLICK ON PICS TO ENLARGE)

 

 

 

 

 

DURANGO'S ACCOMMODATIONS WERE NOT THE BEST AND I'M BEING KIND.  I TOLD THE CHECK IN GIRL THAT THE PICTURE ONLINE VS THE HOTEL WERE DIFFERENT.  HER RESPONSE, "LOOKS THE SAME TO ME."  I ASKED TO SEE HER COMPUTER.  I ASKED HER TO GOOGLE IMAGE SEARCH.  POOF!  DIFFERENT PICTURE.  I TOLD HER I WANTED TO CANCEL.  SHE TURNED AROUND AND LOOKED AT CLOCK AND SAID I MISSED THE CANCELLATION TIME BY 15 MINS.  BUT, I COULD STILL CANCEL AND GET CHARGED.  WE STAYED!  WHAT A DUMP!

 

 

DID GO OUT AND HAD A GREAT DINNER AT STEAMWORKS BREWERY IN DURANGO. GO BY AND ORDER THE EUROPEAN (I REFUSE TO CALL IT FRENCH) DIP. THEY SMOKED THEIR OWN MEAT AND INCLUDE BEACON WITH IT. VERY GOOD.

 

 

WE ALSO NEEDED OIL CHANGES IN DURANGO.  $125 FOR A BASIC FILTER AND FOUR QUARTS OF OIL.  REMINDED ME WHY I DO MY OWN WORK AT HOME!  GOT UP EARLY YESTERDAY AND WASHED THE SNOW AND DIRT OFF AND HEADED OUT FOR TUBA, CITY WITH A STOP AT MESA VERDE TO TOUR THE RUINS.

 

ALL I CAN SAY, THIS TOO NEEDS TO BE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST OF PLACES TO SEE IN AMERICA!  BUILT AROUND 1050 TO 1200.  IT'S SIMPLY AMAZING.  PICTURES AND  THE VIDEO I WILL POST LATTER DOES NOT DO IT JUSTICE.  I THOUGHT I WOULD SPEND AN HOUR HERE.  SPENT OVER THREE!

 

 

 

"HONEY, RUN TO THE STORE AND GET SOME MILK!" 

 

THEY WOULD CARVE OUT FOOT AND HAND HOLDS WITH OTHER ROCKS TO SCALE UP AND DOWN.

 

THIS PLACE IS CALLED THE "HOUSE OF WINDOWS."

THEY LOOK LIKE WINDOWS, BUT ACTUALLY DOORS.

CLOSE UP OF THE HOUSE OF WINDOWS.

 



 

THIS IS THE CANYON WHERE MOST LIVED

 

THIS ROCK FORMATION IS CALLED "MEXICAN HAT."  THE TOWN IS NAMED AFTER IT.

 

OK, OK...HERE IS A PIC OF ME!  YES, I'M ACTUALLY ON THE TRIP.

 

THIS IS THE ROAD THAT LEADS TO MONUMENT VALLEY.  YOU CAN SEE THE DUST STORMS OBSCURING THE ROCKS.  I WAS A GOOD 10 MILES AWAY SO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW HARD THE WIND WAS BLOWING.

 

 

 

HOW DO I DESCRIBE THE RIDE YESTERDAY.  IT WAS MORE LIKE BEING IN A WIND TUNNEL FOR FOUR HOURS.  THE FIRST HOUR OUT OF DURANGO TO MESA VERDE WAS GOOD.  AFTER THAT, IT WAS HELL!  ALMOST 50-60 KTS OF CONSTANT WIND. 

 

WE RODE SIDEWAYS 80% OF YESTERDAY'S RIDE.  WHEN WE GOT TO MONUMENT VALLEY, THE WIND HAD KICKED UP THE RED SAND SO MUCH, YOU COULD NOT EVEN SEE 50% OF THE MONUMENTS.  I WAS GLAD TO GET OFF THE BIKES YESTERDAY. 

 

NOTE TO SELF....IF STAYING ON INDIAN RESERVATION (TUBA CITY) THEY DO NOT SALE BEER!

 

OK, TIME TO PACK THE BIKE AND RIDE OVER TO THE GRAND CANYON.

 

SIDE NOTE...GOT SOME GREAT NEWS AGAIN!  MY BROTHER RANDY IS JOINING TANK FOR THE RIDE OUT TO MEET US AT MOAB, UT.  THEY ARE RIDING 2,200 MILES IN TWO DAYS.  TOLD THEM TO DOWNLOAD THE PAPER WORK FOR THEIR IRON BUTT CERTIFICATION!

QUOTE OF THE DAY:



The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience.

The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes "sight-seeing."
 

 



AL GORE CAN KISS MY BUTT!

TO SAY YESTERDAY WAS AN INTERESTING DAY WOULD BE A BIG UNDERSTATEMENT! 

 

WE LEFT LOVELAND RIGHT ON SCHEDULE.  RIGHT INTO ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK.  JUST GORGEOUS.  IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE TO GO, DO IT!  MY FAVORITE PART IS THE VERY FIRST PART WHICH REALLY IN NOT EVEN PART OF THE OFFICIAL PARK...."BIG THOMAS CANYON."  YOU ARE LITERALLY RIDING RIGHT DOWN IN THE CANYON SURROUNDED BY AWE INSPIRING SCENERY AND RUSHING RIVER!

 

STILL LOTS OF SNOW LEFT ON THE GROUND AS WE ASCEND TO THE HIGHER ALTITUDES.  I THINK THE SUMMIT WAS ALMOST 13,000'.  IT GOT A LITTLE CHILLY, BUT THEN AGAIN.....STUBBORN ME REFUSED TO STOP AND PUT A JACKET ON.  I WILL ADMIT I DID TURN ON MY HEATED GRIPS!

 

I HAVE SOME VERY GOOD VIDEO I WILL TRY TO GET EDITED AND ADDED ASAP! 

 

I HAD TO LAUGH, HERB THOUGHT THAT WAS MT EVANS!  JUST BECAUSE WE WERE ABOVE THE TREE LINE AND HOW COLD IT WAS.  I TOLD HIM THIS WAS A "STARTER" MOUNTAIN COMPARED TO MT EVANS!

 

WE DEPARTED RMNP AND HEADED TOWARD MT EVANS.  THAT IS WHEN THE WEATHER CHANGED!  IT WENT FROM SUNNY TO RAIN.  PLUS THE TEMP DROPPED FROM ABOUT 70 TO 45!  THAT IS WHEN THE HAIL STARTED GOING UP THE MOUNTAIN.  THERE WAS NO TURNING AROUND!  LOTS OF HAIRPIN TURNS AND HAIL!  PERFECT RIDING!

 

 

WE FINALLY DESCENDED OFF THAT MOUNTAIN.  I CHECKED THE WEATHER AND DUE TO A STORM SITTING ON TOP OF MT EVANS AND WITH THE HIGH BEING ONLY 43 FORECASTED, WE HAD TO BYPASS THAT RIDE.

 

ON OVER TO LOVELAND PASS TOWARD A BASIN AND BRECKENRIDGE WE WENT.  I HAD LEARNED OF LOVELAND PASS FROM MY FRIEND LYNNE A FEW YEARS AGO.....I COULD SEE RAIN RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME AND DECIDED TO JUMP ON THE LOVELAND PASS AND HEAD TOWARD BLUE SKY.  IT WAS CHILLY SO WE STOPPED AND LEATHERED UP!  GET YOUR MINDS OUT OF THE GUTTER!  NOT THAT KIND OF LEATHERED UP!  JACKETS AND GLOVES!

 

HALF WAY UP THE MOUNTAIN IT STARTED RAINING AGAIN.  TEMP DROPPED TO 45.  THEN THE RAIN TURNED TO HAIL AGAIN.  TEMP DROPPED TO LOW 40'S.  NEXT THING I KNOW, MY WHOLE WINDSHIELD IS COVERED IN SNOW! WE ARE CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A SUMMER SNOW STORM.  THAT LASTED ABOUT 20 MINS.  THEN BACK TO HAIL AND THEN BACK TO RAIN.  WHERE THE HELL IS THAT GLOBAL WARM MR. GORE?

 

 

ON TO BRECKENRIDGE AND SOME HOT CHOCOLATE TO WARM UP.  ONE MORE BIG PASS TO GO BEFORE DROPPING DOWN TOWARD PONCHO SPRINGS.  YEP, YOU GOT IT.....ONE MORE HAIL STORM AND ONE MORE SNOW STORM! 

 

YESTERDAY WAS NOT FOR THE LIGHT OF HEART RIDER!  WAS GLAD TO GET TO PONCHO SPRINGS, CO.  GREAT LODGING.  OWNED BY A POLISH WOMAN.  SPOTLESS AND NICE.  ROCKY MOUNTAIN LODGE.  WOULD STAY HERE AGAIN FOR SURE!  JUST WENT TO GET MY COFFEE AND SHE CAME OUT TO MAKE IT FOR ME! (SEE, YOU WOMEN COULD LEARN SOMETHING!!)  =-)

 

TWO GERMAN'S FROM FRANKFURT ARE STAYING HERE AS WELL.  THEY FLEW OVER AND RENTED BIKES IN DENVER FOR EIGHT DAYS.  BOTH ARE IN THERE 70'S!  I LOVE IT.  IT TAKES ONE ABOUT 5 MINS TO GET HIS LEG OVER THE SEAT, AFTER THAT HE IS GOOD TO GO!

 

OK, TIME TO SADDLE UP AND RIDE TO DURANGO, CO VIA WOLFCREEK PASS.  IT'S OVER 14,000!  PRAY FOR NO HAIL OR SNOW TODAY!

 

UNTIL NEXT TIME:

 

 

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.

Saint Augustine

RECAPPING YESTERDAY AND TODAY.....DAYS 8 & 9

WELL, TIME TO RECAP YESTERDAY. (SATURDAY)  GORGEOUS DAY TO RIDE.  SHERPA AND HIS WIFE LOIS JOINED US FOR A 200 MILE PLUS RIDE.

 

 

 

YEP, THAT IS SOME OF MY HANDY WORK ON SHERPA'S LEFT EYE! 

SHERPA VS GLASS WALL....WALL 1 --  SHERPA 0!

 

 

 

FIRST SEGMENT WAS SPEARFISH CANYON.  OF COURSE THAT WAS AFTER ANOTHER BIG OMELET AT THE WHITEWOOD FAMILY RESTAURANT.

 

 

AS MANY TIMES AS I HAVE DONE THAT ROAD, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IT WAS NOT BUSY.  GOOD START.

 

 

DID THE LOOP DOWN BY BUCKHORN, WY AND OVER TO CUSTER STATE PARK.  SHERPA HAD NEVER DONE THE NEEDLES HWY.  IT WAS PERFECT.  VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC AND GREAT RIDE.

 

 

HERB

 

JACK & LOIS AT ONE OF THE TUNNELS ON NEEDLES HWY!

(SHOULD I SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE CAR?)

 



 

 

 

ON THE WAY HOME WE HAD DECIDED TO GO VISIT THE MOONSHINE GULCH SALOON.  IT WAS AN HOUR RIDE RIDE VIA PAVED ROADS.  WELL, AFTER GOADING BY SHERPA FOR NOT RIDING ON DIRT ROADS....I SAID, "WHAT THE HECK....SWITCHING TO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE." CLICK ON LINK BELOW:

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP_J9ptJIOs&feature=youtu.be

 

 

 

CAN'T SAY MUCH FOR THE BURGER, BUT THE BEER WAS COLD!  HAD A FEW BEERS AND TONS OF LAUGHS!

 

RODE BACK TO CABIN.  PACKED UP THIS MORNING AND RODE TO LOVELAND, CO.  RIDING TO PONCHA SPRINGS, CO VIA ROCKY MOUNTAIN NP AND MT EVANS... 14,440' RIDE TO TOP!  HIGH TODAY WAS 46 DEGREES UP THERE.

 

I WILL END WITH SOME GREAT NEWS...MY BUDDY TANK CALLED TODAY...HIS VACATION WAS APPROVED..HE IS LEAVING NC ON EARLY FRIDAY MORNING AND MEETING US IN MOAB, UT SATURDAY NIGHT!  ONLY A 2,100 MILE RIDE IN TWO DAYS!



Sunday...HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all of you!!

WILL WRITE MORE LATER!  INTERNET SUCKS HERE.  DIALUP AT BEST.  RIDING TO LOVELAND, CO!  YESTERDAY'S RIDE WAS CLOSE TO PERFECT!

MORE TO FOLLOW.........

DAY 7.......2,600 MILES LATER & THE MYSTERY IS SOLVED!

WOW!  HARD TO BELIEVE SEVEN DAYS HAS ALREADY GONE BY!  THREE YEARS AGO MY GOOD FRIEND STEVE CLARK AND I TOOK OFF CROSS COUNTRY FOR AN 11,000 MILE JAUNT.  CLARK ASKED ME ONE DAY, "GOFORTH, HOW LONG WE BEEN OUT?"   I ANSWERED, "A WEEK AND HALF OR SO."  WE STARTED ADDING IT UP AND LAUGHED....IT HAD BEEN THREE WEEKS ALREADY WHEN HE ASKED.  JUST PROVE TIMES FLIES WHEN YOU ARE HAVING FUN!

 

ANOTHER GORGEOUS DAY OF RIDING YESTERDAY. ON THE ADVICE OF THE CABIN OWNER, DAVE COLE WE PARTED FROM MY PRE-PLANNED ROUTE. (OK, I WILL GIVE SOME OF YOU TIME TO GET BACK IN YOUR CHAIR....YES, RICK GOFORTH ACTUALLY CHANGED HIS RIDE PLAN)  HE TOLD US OF A GREAT RIDE NOT FAR FROM THE CABIN ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF LEAD/DEADWOOD.  WE TOOK IT.  WHAT AN AWESOME RIDE.  OVER 30 MILES AND NO OTHER BIKES!  HE TOLD US ABOUT A GREAT BAR/PUB WE SHOULD CHECK OUT.  SAM ELLIOTT HANGS OUT THERE.  THE MOONSHINE GULCH SALOON!  UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS CLOSED YESTERDAY. GOOD NEWS, IT WILL BE OPEN TODAY AND WE ARE GOING BACK!

 

 

 

YESTERDAY WAS ALSO A "BATTERY" CHALLENGING DAY.  I PUT MY CAMERA BATTERY IN THE CHARGER EARLY IN THE MORNING TO GIVE IT A LITTLE JUICE.  A LOT OF GOOD IT DID ME WHEN I PULLED THE CAMERA OUT TO TAKE THE ABOVE PICTURE.  THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED THE BATTERY WAS STILL IN THE CHARGER BACK AT THE CABIN.  AT LEAST IT WAS A GOOD REASON TO COME BACK AND HAVE A SALAD FOR LUNCH!

 

GOT GOING A SECOND TIME AND HEADED FOR MT RUSHMORE.  FIRST TIME HERB HAD BEEN.  IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN, PUT IT ON YOUR BUCKET LIST.  IT'S JUST AMAZING!

 

LEFT THERE TO DO MY TWO FAVORITE ROADS HERE IN SD.  IRON MOUNTAIN HWY AND NEEDLES HWY.  WAS SO PSYCHED ON THE GOOD VIDEO I WAS GOING TO GET.  AND THEN THE HELMET CAMERA BATTERY DIED!  I WAS PISSED.  WE GOT BACK TO CABIN AND I WAS GOOGLING TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BATTERY LIFE IN THE NEW GHOST CAMERA.  I PLUGGED THE CAMERA IN TO MY COMPUTER TO JUST SEE IF I GOT ANY FOOTAGE AT ALL.  WELL, I'M GLAD TO ANNOUNCE HERB IS NOT STEALING CEREAL AND PUTTING CRAP IN MY COFFEE!  I REALIZED THAT I HAD TURNED THE CAMERA ON SITTING AT THE TABLE AND HAD VIDEOED OVER AN HOUR OF US HAVING BREAKFAST AND COFFEE!  WHAT A DUMBASS!

 

SO, IT'S OVER TO SPEARFISH CANYON TODAY AND A TRIP BACK TO NEEDLES HWY TO GET SOME MORE GREAT FOOTAGE.  TONIGHT IS LAUNDRY NIGHT AND TOMORROW WE WILL HEAD TO LOVELAND, CO AND ON TO GRAND CANYON.

 

 

DAY 6 IS HISTORY....DEVILS TOWER

WELL, DAY SIX WAS A GREAT RIDE.  MET UP WITH MY GOOD FRIEND JACK "SHERPA" ALBRIGHT FROM THE ASHEVILLE AREA AND TOOK OFF FOR DEVILS TOWER. 

 

NO TRIP TO THIS AREA IS NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT AT LEAST ONE STOP AT THE WHITEWOOD FAMILY RESTAURANT.  I'VE BEEN GOING THERE SINCE THE FIRST TIME MY BROTHER, FRINGY AND I CAME OUT ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO.  I THINK THEY USE HALF A DOZEN EGGS IN EACH OMELET!

 

BELLIES WERE FULL AND "SOME" OF OUR GAS TANKS WERE FULL.  SOMETHING ABOUT MARINES AND STARTING A MOTORCYCLE RIDE WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS!  JUST DOES NOT SEEM TO BE IN THEIR DNA!  HOW ON GOD'S EARTH DO YOU DEPART FOR A 200 MILE RIDE WITH AN 8TH OF A TANK OF GAS?  THIS IS A TREND WITH THE MARINES! (GRUNT!)  GOT JACK SOME GAS AND AWAY WE WENT!

 

IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN UNLESS YOU HAVE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED WHAT IT IS LIKE TO MAKE THE CURVE ON HWY 24 AND SEE THE DEVILS TOWER, TOWERING ABOVE ALL OTHER LANDSCAPE!  IT LITERALLY MAKES THE HAIR STAND UP ON YOUR ARM.  AS MANY TIMES AS I HAVE BEEN THERE, YESTERDAY WAS NO EXCEPTION! 

 

 

 

JACK

 

 

HERB



 

LOOK IN THE MIDDLE OF PIC...YOU CAN SEE A CLIMBER!  IT'S A WOMAN!

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

HUNG OUT THERE FOR A WHILE AND GOT BACK ON THE STEELE STEEDS AND CONTINUED OUR ROUND ROBING JOURNEY BACK TO DEADWOOD.

 

 I TOLD HERB ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF THIS PARTICULAR RIDE IS HOW YOU FEEL LIKE YOU SHOULD BE MOUNTED UP ON A HORSE AND GALLOPING ACROSS THE LAND LIKE MARSHAL DILLION!  IT'S JUST YOU, THE VAST BEAUTY OF OUR COUNTRY AND YOUR BIKE.  NO TRAFFIC, NO STOP SIGNS, NO BILLBOARDS...JUST THE BLUEST OF BLUE SKY AND YOUR RIDE!

 

ANOTHER PART OF THIS RIDE IS NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT A STOP AT BUCKHORN, WY.  IT'S A COMBO SERVICE STATION/BAR. I DIDN'T NEED GAS!  AFTER A FEW ADULT BEVERAGES, BACK ON OUR TRUSTED TRANSPORTATION AND A GORGEOUS RIDE ON HWY 85 BACK TO LEAD/DEADWOOD!

 

STILL DECIDING IF IT'S SPEARFISH CANYON DAY OR NEEDLES HWY DAY. 

DAY 5/BADLANDS HERE WE ARE!

 

GOOD MORNING PEEPS!  LEFT VALENTINE, NE YESTERDAY FOR A SHORT 300 MILE RIDE TO DEADWOOD, SD.  THE DAY BEFORE, THE HIGH WAS 96.  YESTERDAY, THE HIGH WAS 62 AND OVERCAST ALL DAY!  BIG CHANGE.  I KNOW THIS WILL SURPRISE SOME, BUT I WAS TOO STUBBORN TO STOP AND PUT ON A JACKET.  I DID FINALLY SUCCUMB TO PUTTING ON A LONG SLEEVE SHIRT.

 

RIDING THROUGH NEBRASKA IS JUST THAT.....RIDING THROUGH NEBRASKA.  NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT!

 

THIS WAS HERBS FIRST TRIP TO THE BADLANDS OF SOUTH DAKOTA.  WE ACTUALLY RODE THROUGH TWICE.  I,VE NEVER BEEN TO THE MOON, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE IT WOULD LOOK LIKE THE BADLANDS.

 

 

 



 

 

FINALLY!  WE HAVE VIDEO!!

 

 



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmP4_NQ64sk

 

 

 

STOPPED IN INTERIOR, SD AND THE HORSESHOE BAR THAT MY CHEESEHEAD FRIENDS TURNED ME ON TO A FEW YEARS BACK.....CLOSED!  WTH?

 

THE CABIN IS PERFECT.  A LITTLE OVERKILL FOR TWO PEOPLE.  THEN AGAIN, THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOUR!

 

TODAY, IT'S OFF TO WYOMING AND DEVILS TOWER!

 

DAY 3 & 4 UPDATES!

Wow, did I get spanked for not posting yesterday!  I guess I didn't turn my GPS tracking on like I thought. 

 

Got up in Licking, MO and the weather was PERFECT!  Did a dance around the parking lot and went off to car wash to wash the 250 miles of rain and mud off the bikes!  That took about two hours and finally hit the road around 1000 hrs.

 

This ride is sponsored by Bugslide Bike Cleaner. (not really, but don't leave home without it!)

 

 

 

I think we ran everyone off!

 

Could not have asked for better weather.  Made it through "Tiger" corner as I call it where it got the best of "Gamecock Tommy" a few yrs ago without either one of us going down.  Just great roads all day long.  Due to the late start in Licking to wash the bikes, we got to Kansas City to the WWI Memorial a little later than planned. They close at 1700 hrs and the guy basically said we would be wasting our money to buy a ticket at 1530 hrs.  I was VERY disappointed in that. 

 

Herb was not impressed with my selection of roads.  A lot like my brother!

 

 

 

WWI Memorial

 

 

Sucked it up and went on over to Leavenworth, KS to spend the night.  Raj, at Days Inn was not very helpful with our reservation.  Basically said we need to go find other rooms.  I could only think that red dot on his forehead would make an excellent bulls eyes!

 

Finally found a place up the road about 20 miles his cousin Raul owned.  What a dump!  And I am being kind.  But, it was 1900 hrs and I was ready to be done!

 

I have to mention that we went by Leavenworth and all I could think about was the concertina wire around the ball field.  Like "what idiot would reach up for a ball on the fence line?"

 

 

 

Got up this morning and made excellent time from KS to Valentine, NE.  About 525 miles in just over eight hours.  I realized after looking at my GPS and my speedometer they are off 5 mph.  The bike was at 100 mph, the GPS said max speed was 95!  I'm going to work on that!

 

Great motel here in Valentine.  Met another CVMA brother from MO.  Between the three of us....66 years of AF time! Great meal and a few adult beverages were had!

 

Do you see a trend here?

 

 

Bugslide still keeping us clean!



 

 

Recapping some of the cities so far on the trip: 

I've been to Cairo, KY & MO, Paris, TN, Geneva, MO, Climax Springs, Pilots Knob, and my favorite....

Tightwad, MO!

 

Off tomorrow for the Badlands of South Dakota and Deadwood!  So far just over 1800 miles!

 

Tomorrow's pictures should be a lot better!

 

 

 

DAY 2....DOWN AND DIRTY OR MORE LIKE....DOWN AND WET! 350 MILES!

 

WE DELAYED DEPARTING DOVER, TN BY 3.5 HOURS SO THE RAIN COULD STOP.  THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT IDEA FOR ABOUT THE FIRST HALF MILE!  THEN IT RAINED AGAIN FOR THE NEXT 200+ MILES.  I DIDN'T REALIZE TN, KY, IL, AND MO ALL HAD A TYPHOON SEASON!  OBVIOUSLY I'M RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT!

CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE GOOD PEOPLE AT THE DOVER HOTEL.  WHEN WE CHECKED IN YESTERDAY, THE ROOMS WERE A LITTLE SCREWED UP. WHEN WE CAME BACK FROM DINNER, I HAD A NOTE ON MY DOOR TO COME TO THE OFFICE.  WHILE AT DINNER SOMEONE CHECKED OUT EARLY.  THEY CLEANED THE ROOM AND MOVED HERB INTO IT TO BE ON FIRST FLOOR.  THEN TOLD US TO PULL OUR BIKES UP UNDER THE SIDEWALK!  THIS MORNING/AFTERNOON WHILE WAITING AROUND FOR RAIN TO STOP, ONE OF THE HOUSE KEEPERS GAVE US HIS CAR TO GO GET LUNCH!  AWESOME PLACE AND PEOPLE!

 

THE LAST 100 MILES TODAY WAS GREAT RIDING THROUGH THE MARK TWAIN FOREST.  MADE IT TO LICKING, MO!  I WOULD CALL IT A "ONE HORSE" TOWN, BUT THAT IS GIVING IT TWICE THE CREDIT FOR SIZE. 

 

WENT TO THE WRONG HOTEL AT FIRST.  NON-AMERICAN OWNED!  SHE ASKED IF WE HAD DISCOUNT?  I THEN SAID, "YOU TOLD ME YOU DON'T GIVE DISCOUNT SO YOU CAN KEEP PRICES DOWN."  WANTED TO CHARGE $60.  I ASKED WHERE THE OTHER HOTEL WAS IN TOWN.  SHE SAID, "I NO KNOW!  SOMEWHERE IN THAT DIRECTION."  LOL, IT WAS 200 YARDS DOWN THE ROAD!  WHAT A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH!  SUPER CLEAN, VERY FRIENDLY, AMERICAN OWNED AND ONLY $37!  BITE ME OTHER HOTEL!

 

PARKNG LOT WAS A LITTLE CROWDED!  TRY NOT TO CROWD ME!

(DON'T FORGET TO CLICK ON PICS TO ENLARGE)

 

 

PRIORITIES!  BEER COOLER IS UNLOADED FIRST!

 

 

 

FOR DINNER.....SONIC BURGER!  LIKE I SAID...LESS THAN A ONE HORSE TOWN!

 

TOMORROW IT IS KANSAS CITY AND THE WWI MEMORIAL.  YES TANK, I LOOKED UP THE WIZARD OF OZ MUSEUM FOR YOUR WIFE.  IT'S NOT CLOSE.  (NOT THAT I WOULD HAVE GONE BY FOR HER)  IT'S OVER BY WAMEGO, KS.

 

ONE LAST STORY...CAME UP TO AN INTERSECTION TODAY.  ONE DOG WAS LYING ON THE SIDE LIKE HE HAD BEEN HIT.  HIS PARTNER ON THE OTHER SIDE JUST PROTECTING HIM. (I THOUGHT)  IT SADDENED ME.  THEN AS I CUT THE CORNER TO LOOK, THE "SLEEPING" DOG LOOKED UP LIKE, "THANKS PAL FOR WAKING ME THE HELL UP, NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!"  LOL, THEY HAD THE WHOLE INTERSECTION PINNED DOWN SO THEY COULD SLEEP IN THE CORNERS!  SMART DOGS!

 

 

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

 

"YOU KNOW MORE OF A ROAD BY HAVING TRAVELED IT THAN BY ALL THE CONJECTURES AND DESCRIPTIONS IN THE WORLD!"

 

WILL HAZLITT

 

 

DAY1 IS IN THE BOOKS!

550 MILES AND PERFECT WEATHER.  THE THREE HOUR DELAY WAS WELL WORTH THE WAIT FOR THE RAIN.  THE WEATHER COULDN'T HAVE BEEN ANY BETTER. I GOT TO THE MOTEL AROUND 1830.  HERB BEAT ME HERE BY ABOUT AN HOUR.  CINDY'S CATFISH WAS JUST OK.  TOMORROW THE REAL FUN STARTS.

 

HEAD'EM OUT

Move 'em on, head 'em up,
Head 'em up, move 'em out,
Move 'em on, head 'em out Rawhide!
Set 'em out, ride 'em in
Ride 'em in, let 'em out,
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in Rawhide.

 

Well the time has finally come.  Time to hit the dusty, (or in today's case...WET) trail!  Am delaying departure for one more hour to try and miss some wet weather.

 

Had a great "going away" dinner last night with my brother, friends Tank, Mopic and Tank's wife Deb. (I'm still having nightmares over the pink sneakers she had on).  Wish they were all leaving with me today.  Will hook up with Herb later tonight after a short little 515 mile jaunt!!

 

To be continued.....................

 

Until we meet again, may the good Lord take a liking to you.

Roy Rogers

JUST HAVING A LITTLE FUN.  UNFORTUNATELY I AM HEADING OUT SOLO TOMORROW.  MY FRIEND TANK'S VACATION GOT CANCELED YESTERDAY.  STILL MEETING UP WITH HERB IN TN.

GPS TRACKING ON TRIP

 

I DID FORGET TO MENTION, ONCE THE TRIP GETS UNDERWAY, I WILL ENABLE MY GPS TRACKING DEVICE.  BY CLICKING ON THE LINK BELOW, IT WILL ALLOW YOU TO SEE "REAL TIME" WHERE WE ARE AT TO INCLUDE SPEED, AND TERRAIN IF YOU GO TO SATELLITE IN UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER.  IT'S KIND OF GEEKY, BUT PRETTY COOL.  ONCE YOU OPEN IT UP AND THE MAP APPEARS, OVER TO YOUR LEFT IS A BOX THAT SAYS "SWITCH TO FULL SCREEN MAP."  CLICK ON THAT AND YOU GET A GOOD SIZE MAP.  THERE IS AN EAGLE HEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MAP.  JUST LEFT CLICK ON THAT AND YOU CAN SEE REAL TIME SPEED, DIRECTION AND ELEVATION.  WITH THE SATELLITE FEATURE YOU GET A GOOGLE EARTH MAP AND THAT IS VERY COOL.  SHOWS YOU THE ACTUAL TOPOGRAPHY OF THE ROUTE:

http://www.greenalp.com/RealtimeTracker/index.php?guestmode=1&viewuser=harleyjetdriver&guestpassword=rick

GRAND CANYON BOUND JUNE 8TH!

OK, it's time to hit the road again.  I'm Grand Canyon bound for a 2-3 week road trip on Saturday, June 8th.  Joining me will be my good friends, Mike "Tank" Wilkes, Herb "Zoomie" Bright and James "Krypto" Takes.  Our first three and half days will be from NC to South Dakota via TN, KY, MO, KS, NE and then rolling in to Deadwood, SD on June 12th mid afternoon.  Tank, Krypto and myself will depart NC.  Herb will depart Montgomery and hook up with us in TN.  He is older, he needs a shorter ride!

Our first days ride is more of a "positioning" ride.  We will depart NC NLT than 0700 hrs for about a 500 mile jaunt.  Our original plans were to stay in Nashville.  But, FANFEST and rooms at $300 a night ruined that plan.  We will now be staying in Dover, TN.  The good news, Cathy's Catfish Restaurant is right next door to our hotel!  Serious, how much catfish can you really eat in an "All you can eat catfish" place?

 

DOVER MOTEL IN DOVER, TN

(VERY CLEVER NAME DON'T YOU THINK.  Who would have thunk to name a motel, "Dover Motel" in Dover, TN.  Marketing 101!)

 

The first day is about the only interstate riding we will be doing for the next 5,000 miles.  Until we head back from TX, it will be all back roads!  As normal, the blog will contain, true stories, lies, exaggerations, pictures, videos, humor and any other things worth including! Omitted will be several things!

Once in Deadwood on Wednesday, June 12th, we will base camp there until Sunday, June 15th.  At that point, Krypto will head back to NC.  The rest of us will head to CO and the second leg of our journey to include: WY, CO, NM, AZ, UT, back to AZ, NM, TX, LA, MS, TN and then back to NC.

OK, that is it for now.  Feel free to post comments (unless you are stalker Jane) suggestions, and plan to send beer money if we run low!