Staging for new trip..

So again I am aggressively getting ready to get ready. If all goes to plan I will be leaving on another motorcycle trip. This one will be a little different than the rest in that I will be traveling solo. I have done solo trips before, but not to this extent. I am figuring to cover about 4,000 miles +/-. I have a friend out in Denver, Benny who is not doing well health-wise. I have been going out there to visit and have always flown. This is providing me a great excuse to get on the bike..

My sons are busy with that ole work thing and can’t take time this year. Same thing with others, just too much time. Its funny how that works. My rough plan is to head south to the Ohio River and follow that to the Mississippi. Follow that great river south and at some point head west maybe through Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and up into Colorado. After spending some time in Denver, head up to Wyoming and visit another friend, Mike. He has a new bike so maybe a few mountain passes while I’m there. On the way home, take the northern route. If weather and time are on my side, head north into Montana, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and then down through Minnesota and home through Northern Michigan. If I need to make time, I’ll cut through the Dakota’s. I went through the Dakota’s, Nebraska, Kansas etc on my last trip west, so it’s time for something a little new.

Rough idea of what I am thinking.. Too many variables. Hell, I could get out there, say screw it, ship the bike and fly home..

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Norton, VA.. Ever hear of it?

Long hot day…  Left early, standard routine.  Nice and cool leaving MI. Absolutely nothing to report.  The faithful were in church so traffic was light.  Construction in OH for the first 50 miles or so speed was down.  If any of you have driven trough Northern OH you can visualize.  Quite flat.  Occasional trees.  Lots of farming.  One unique feature that still amazes me after all these years is the use they make out of highway side retention ponds.  You know the small ponds that they put in to control runoff?  a couple of hundred feet long.  Right next to the highway.  Well, they turn them into summer resorts.  Put some sand at one end.   Spots for some trailers.  There ya go.  I guess you do what you can.

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New bike in the ‘herd’. Already needs repair!!

I picked up a ‘new to me’ 2007 Suzuki Bandit 1250sa a few weeks ago.  Last weekend out riding with Alex, about 50 miles from home, the bike just quit.  After a rather costly tow home (on a flatbed) I finally repaired it this weekend.  Just for grins I did a YouTube repair video.  Gotta get the bikes ready for trips this summer.  Time for a scotch.

Epilogue Pure Ramblings…

Pure ramblings a few days after.

Two lane roads. Staying off the interstates when possible. Big believer in this. It makes the trip. Any trip. People wave at you. You can easily stop. You see the people. The towns. The way they live. It takes more time. If you just need to get somewhere, highways are understandable. If you want an experience, take the time. Life is an experience. Continue reading

Day 15 and 16 Pure Michigan, a Midnight Run

Again took our time getting up and loaded.  That’s ok with me.  I microwaved some water and had Starbuck’s instant, sat outside and pushed out the blog.  930a we were ready to go.  Fueled up and went exploring the WIU campus.  Seems smaller.  Nobody on campus.  Labor Day weekend I guess.  No idea when classes start / resume.  Took some pics of the dorm I was in.  I think it was anyway.  Rumor had it torn down and rebuilt.  No worries.  Saw enough.
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Day 14  Missouri, Iowa and Illinois

A beautiful morning. Winds had abated significantly. Still warming up quick but not like yesterday. Hotel coffee while I was loading the bike. The boys taking advantage of the free breakfast. Loaded bikes generate conversations with folks passing by. Nice retired couple from Atlanta. I was moving my bike to give a lady more space. ‘You’re fine’ she says. ‘My husband has 7 of them’ with a big smile. Her husband has rented bikes all over Europe and has travelled across the US. Young gentlemen working on hotel projects outside, probably spending too much time inquiring.. Continue reading