Southbound

What a great start to a day…  I was up fairly early and decided to work on the blog.  Sat out looking over the lake.  Walked over to the lodge where they had coffee, homemade muffins and all sort of stuff.  Nice.img_0717

Blustery out.  As I sat out the wind kept picking up. Sunny.  After a bit the owner comes walking over with fresh biscotti she just pulled out of the oven.  Yeah. Can I have 2?   After about 4 cups of coffee we pulled our gear together and mounted up.  20 miles and we were on I-75.  10 more miles and we were at the bridge.  Through the toll booths and prayed the paved lanes were open, they were.  The big LED signs flashing the high wind warnings.  Probably 30-35mph.  We were stopped in the middle for about 5-10 minutes.  Working on the grates.  Just hoping the bike wouldn’t blow over… Continue reading

Day Ends at Trout Lake

Today is the day we start to head back east then south.   While the UP extends another 100 miles or so west, not enough time this trip.   Mike has a late flight out to go back to his family on Tuesday night.20160911_194628

Winds abated over the night.  Sunday morning in Copper Harbor was beautiful.  There was a small bakery and fishery right next to our room (thanks to Carol Hutchinson for this tip).  Sat out on the ole Adirondack chairs on the lake, drank several cups of coffee and again pushed out the blog.   Packed up, stowed all the weather gear, pulled the liner out of my jacket and headed south. Continue reading

Retirement; It’s about time…

I am deviating somewhat from my usual boating or motorcycling related posts.. This one is truly ‘pure rambling’.  Have no fear.

Almost 6 weeks ago I retired after working for 35 years for the same company (and 10 years before that).  The company was great. The people great.  What I wanted to share is a kind of gradual ‘transformation’ (for lack of a better term) that I have noticed over the last few weeks.  It was expected, but much better experienced.

Retirement is something you plan for (hopefully).  There are a zillion articles on finances, social security blah blah blah. They all say the same thing.  There is not much to talk about the mental state.  I am talking about the first few weeks.  It’s a big change. Continue reading

The Trip Home..

Thursday, Aug. 4

Always tough to end a visit.  Spent the early morning with coffee, getting packed, wiping down the bike from the rain overnight and getting it loaded, waiting for the conversation – ‘well, I guess I should get going.’

Light rain in Henderson.  I forego-ed the rain gear.  According to the ole weatherbug app, we were on the tail end of the system.  Full tank from the night before, mounted up and Laddie got on his bike and navigated me to the interstate.  A thumbs up between us and I got on the ramp and headed north into the morning rush hour traffic in a light rain. Continue reading

Tuesday – A Good Day

I woke up after a good sound sleep.  A probable result of the natural relaxant qualities of the secret recipes of the Scots. God bless them.

A couple pots of home brewed coffee followed by efforts to focus on pushing out the blog.  Tried but nah..  We needed to become one with the countryside.  Warriors of the retired if you will.  Places to go.  Houses to look at.   Curvy roads to conquer.

We rode down to the Post Office to see if some meds arrived.  Nope.   We will live another day.  We headed to countryside.

Saluda, Tryon, the backwoods of South Carolina…  Places not in the Michelin guide. They probably should be.  But also reasons why they are not.  Very pretty.

vlcsnap-2016-08-03-08h11m09s195 Continue reading