Quiet days...Got the bike serviced, visited with family and friends, and met some new friends during the HOG registration events. Ready to hit the road!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
D+2 Chicago Already!
Canton Ohio to Tinley Park Illinois, Leg = 398 mi, cumulative mileage 1018.5
Left Canton around 8:30. Beautiful, fall-like day, and needed to put the liner in my jacket. Blew down US 30, a beautiful four lane divided highway. Stops in Mansfield and Van Wert, Ohio and Plymouth, Indiana. Miles and miles of woodland and farms.
Besides making Chicago a day earlier than I expected, a highlight of the day was stopping for lunch at Balyeat's Coffee Shop in downtown Van Wert, Ohio. One of my "goals" on this trip is to try to avoid chains and find local cuisine.
Home run first time out. This place has been open for 75 years: a classic coffee shop with counter and rows of four-tops.
Here's a shot of the Pearl outside Balyeat's. It pays to get off the interstates!
Arrived in Tinley Park, Illinois around 7:15 CDT. Uneventful trip except for driving down US 30 westbound at sunset! 
Here's our arrival shot! Folks at the Holiday Inn were able to put me up two days early. I was the first to arrive.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
D+1 - Canton Ohio Already! - 620.5 miles
D-Day Burke to York PA: 129.5 mi leg/ 210.5 mi cummulative
Ran up to York PA (the bike's birthplace) and bunked at my nephew's place at York College.
D+1 York PA to Canton OH: 410 mi leg/ 620.5 mi cummulative
Started at HD plant tour then headed west on US 30 which follows the old Lincoln Highway. Great little towns with town squares like Gettysburg! Quick tour of the battlefield then into the mountains. Past Chambersburg road gets nice and twisty, but westerly winds really kicked up in Laurel Highlands. GIANT ALERT - Pied Piper along road, windmills dotting landscape! And why is the Applacian section of 30 guarded by large ceramic elephants?
Lunch stop in Greensburg, then through the Pittsburgh area, West Virginia and after a few misqueues got to Canton OH around 8 pm. Could not believe that I knocked off so much distance.
Ran up to York PA (the bike's birthplace) and bunked at my nephew's place at York College.
D+1 York PA to Canton OH: 410 mi leg/ 620.5 mi cummulative
Started at HD plant tour then headed west on US 30 which follows the old Lincoln Highway. Great little towns with town squares like Gettysburg! Quick tour of the battlefield then into the mountains. Past Chambersburg road gets nice and twisty, but westerly winds really kicked up in Laurel Highlands. GIANT ALERT - Pied Piper along road, windmills dotting landscape! And why is the Applacian section of 30 guarded by large ceramic elephants?
Lunch stop in Greensburg, then through the Pittsburgh area, West Virginia and after a few misqueues got to Canton OH around 8 pm. Could not believe that I knocked off so much distance.
Monday, September 6, 2010
D-Day
45 minutes left before my planned departure time. May start a bit later but today is the day.
Final preps and packing, loaded the bike. Off to York in a few.
Final preps and packing, loaded the bike. Off to York in a few.
D-1: And Early Start -- 88 miles Sunday 9/5
Some good friends invited me down to their place on the Northern Neck on Saturday...good friends, good food and incredible weather. On the return Sunday, I stopped at the George Washington Birthplace National Monument. Decided this was an auspicious time and place to start the cross county trip by officially punching the button on the Trip 1 odometer!
Final packing and preparations Sunday night. Tomorrow is D-Day!
Final packing and preparations Sunday night. Tomorrow is D-Day!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
D-3 and Counting
I love it when a plan comes together! Wrapping things up at home, the bike's serviced, and I've done a trial pack out. This darn thing might just work! I'll start updating things more regularly now, but in the meantime here's a thought. The words have often been attributed to Nelson Mandela, but the orignal source is Marianne Williamson from "A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles" Getting ready to fly free!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Getting On the Road
So, if anyone is out there sorry for the long pause. Its been a busy summer both professionally and personally. I am REALLY looking forward to this Mother Road trip!
Once I got licenced, I was not shy about riding. I put on just at 1000 miles between September and November when the season came to close as Snowmageddon closed in on us. Some nice longer rides out towards Front Royal and back. Crowning achievement was heading down to Richmond in late fall to see my daughter at VCU! Does an old dude good to get complements on your motorcycle from the university crowd.
Once the weather and snow cleared this spring I have hit it in earnest. I'm over 2300 miles for the season. The big difference this year is that I finally worked in the over-nighters. Fourth of July weekend I ran up to Confluence PA on a camping trip with friends (thank you Tim & Laurie!) and did another over-nighter up to the Phila area to celebrate my goddaughter's 21st birthday (yes KT your uncle is crazy!). So I know I can live out of a backpack and ride.
I think I am learning something every ride. Not trying to be cosmic about it. One of the things I'm learning is that this can tire out an old dude. This is a new skill and needs to be honed. There are some situations I may not like, but I don't regret the miles. Lesson: get out and ride. Find your grove, find your style. This only comes with time and miles!
Once I got licenced, I was not shy about riding. I put on just at 1000 miles between September and November when the season came to close as Snowmageddon closed in on us. Some nice longer rides out towards Front Royal and back. Crowning achievement was heading down to Richmond in late fall to see my daughter at VCU! Does an old dude good to get complements on your motorcycle from the university crowd.
Once the weather and snow cleared this spring I have hit it in earnest. I'm over 2300 miles for the season. The big difference this year is that I finally worked in the over-nighters. Fourth of July weekend I ran up to Confluence PA on a camping trip with friends (thank you Tim & Laurie!) and did another over-nighter up to the Phila area to celebrate my goddaughter's 21st birthday (yes KT your uncle is crazy!). So I know I can live out of a backpack and ride.
I think I am learning something every ride. Not trying to be cosmic about it. One of the things I'm learning is that this can tire out an old dude. This is a new skill and needs to be honed. There are some situations I may not like, but I don't regret the miles. Lesson: get out and ride. Find your grove, find your style. This only comes with time and miles!
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