Day 55; Spearfish South Dakota to Butte Montana
We had a late night, so we got a late start to make up for it. I got up around 730 and took a shower (I needed one badly!). Then we took a while to break down camp. In the process of putting things away, I keep thinking I'm forgetting things because I keep having more and more space available after I pack everything. I hope I'm not leaving things behind.
The four of us (JR, my parents and I) went out to breakfast because it was our last day together on our trip. JR and his monkey Clyde took off heading home (safe travels to you both). We finally got moving around 11, and headed into the storm.
I'm not really sure how it happened, but we seemed to miss all of the really bad areas of the storm. It was like the road new how to maneuver is between raining spots. Don't get me wrong because we did hit some heavy rain, but not as much as I expected. The whole day was riding until the end of the day. Then it became frustrating, tiring, and incredibly beautiful!
Our original goal was to make it to Livingston, and we did...But there was no place to stay. Tired from the days ride, my dad fought the Internet looking for a place to crash for the night. He found one in Butte that had vacancies, so we booked a room. It is over 100 miles to Butte from Livingston. We got to the hotel around 10am after riding a grand total of 503 miles. With that said, I'm glad we kept going because the sunset was, like I said before, incredible!
Bright red clouds on a blue background. Many places we have gone have people that claim to have beautiful sunsets, but none of them were like this one! It stayed beautiful even as the color faded and it turned into layered shades on the horizon.
Needless to say, I was too tired to write this last night (I fell asleep in the bath tub).
Bye now, LB
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Friday, August 7, 2015
Day 54
Day 54; ended up in spearfish (near Sturgis).
To be honest, this trip is wearing me thin. I am constantly exhausted, but have to continue on. That is why today's post (even though it was an eventful day) will be short.
Clayton (mom's cousin) and his friend came to our campsite and we loaded up or stuff on his truck, so that climbing the hills to get to mount Rushmore would be easier on the bikes. We went there and checked out the mountain as well as the sculptors that preceded the actual mountain. Over 90% of the sculpting done to the mountain was done using dynamite!
Then we went to the spearfish KOA to set up camp before heading into Sturgis for the evening. My goal was to find one specific patch, and buy lots of others. Mission successful. There were thousands of bikes lining the roads, and tons of places to find cool stuff to spend money on. I restricted myself to one shirt so I could justify buying over 20 patches. Granted not all of them are for me, but I think I'm an addict. I still need to get some sewn on my vest, but I guess I'll have to find someone back home with the right sewing machine to do it.
Just to see if I can grow you out, today is my fourth day without a shower. I wanted to take one tonight, but I have to write this and it's late. Don't worry though. Tomorrow morning, I will be clean once again! Hopefully that will help revive my loveliness :)
Bye now, LB
To be honest, this trip is wearing me thin. I am constantly exhausted, but have to continue on. That is why today's post (even though it was an eventful day) will be short.
Clayton (mom's cousin) and his friend came to our campsite and we loaded up or stuff on his truck, so that climbing the hills to get to mount Rushmore would be easier on the bikes. We went there and checked out the mountain as well as the sculptors that preceded the actual mountain. Over 90% of the sculpting done to the mountain was done using dynamite!
Then we went to the spearfish KOA to set up camp before heading into Sturgis for the evening. My goal was to find one specific patch, and buy lots of others. Mission successful. There were thousands of bikes lining the roads, and tons of places to find cool stuff to spend money on. I restricted myself to one shirt so I could justify buying over 20 patches. Granted not all of them are for me, but I think I'm an addict. I still need to get some sewn on my vest, but I guess I'll have to find someone back home with the right sewing machine to do it.
Just to see if I can grow you out, today is my fourth day without a shower. I wanted to take one tonight, but I have to write this and it's late. Don't worry though. Tomorrow morning, I will be clean once again! Hopefully that will help revive my loveliness :)
Bye now, LB
Day 53
Day 53; still in Sturgis South Dakota
I'm a little bit conflicted tonight. Typically I talk about everything that happens in a day, but I've been told that Sturgis is kind of like Vegas... What happens here, stay here. I'll try to find a happy medium.
Last year, when I came with my dad and two uncles, Harley test rides were held at the Harley dealership in Rapid City. We went there today only to find out that test rides for Harleys are in Sturgis. Fortunately, there were a few vendors that my dad wanted to talk to about their products. Then we headed back to Sturgis.
My mom's cousin JR doesn't ever want to ride a Harley (something about having a reputation to maintain), so we went to the Indian and canam demo instead. Let me start with the canam. It may resemble a motorcycle with regards to looks, but drives completely different! The steering for me was stiff and touchy. You have to put force into it to turn, but then it shoots off in the direction quickly. You also can't lean into turns; making it harder to stay on. Back to the fun stuff, the bikes!
I had never ridden an Indian motorcycle until today. So when the lady asked which bike I wanted to ride, I had no idea. I told her that I wanted to go fast and she directed me to the Scout. It's 69 cubic inches (1133 cubic centimeters), which is a bigger engine than I have in my bike. The Scout is also about half the size of mine. Bigger engine on a smaller bike makes a happier Gregg! That bike has enough power to accelerate quickly in 6th gear going up a hill! Might be a future bike of mine. Then I tried the vintage (a bagger). Has a bigger engine, yet I was not impressed by its performance on the road. It was hard to maneuver and sluggish. I think I'll stick to the quick ones.
Then we went back to the Buffalo Chip to witness history. Doug Dangers (pretty sure that's a stage name) jumped 22 cars on the same bike that evil kenievil used when he attempted the same jump (and crashed). Dangers came screaming down the runway, launch himself through the air and almost went over his landing ramp! He probably could have jumped 24 cars and it would have been the perfect distance. JR got a great slow motion video of it!
After that came the concert! Dancers, fire breathers, and naked people... What's not to love? There is also a dog that does a great job being a cashier! I asked one of the vendors who to pay for some patches I wanted, and he told me to pay the dog. Are you confused too? I thought the guy was nuts (he kind of looked like it). I was on my way to ask the lady working there when I took out a 20 dollar bill. The dog (chihuahua) came over, bit my 20, and took it to the lady. I was in disbelief! What's even better is that she made change, gave it to the dog, and the dog brought it to me! Talk about being mind blown!
Bye now, LB
I'm a little bit conflicted tonight. Typically I talk about everything that happens in a day, but I've been told that Sturgis is kind of like Vegas... What happens here, stay here. I'll try to find a happy medium.
Last year, when I came with my dad and two uncles, Harley test rides were held at the Harley dealership in Rapid City. We went there today only to find out that test rides for Harleys are in Sturgis. Fortunately, there were a few vendors that my dad wanted to talk to about their products. Then we headed back to Sturgis.
My mom's cousin JR doesn't ever want to ride a Harley (something about having a reputation to maintain), so we went to the Indian and canam demo instead. Let me start with the canam. It may resemble a motorcycle with regards to looks, but drives completely different! The steering for me was stiff and touchy. You have to put force into it to turn, but then it shoots off in the direction quickly. You also can't lean into turns; making it harder to stay on. Back to the fun stuff, the bikes!
I had never ridden an Indian motorcycle until today. So when the lady asked which bike I wanted to ride, I had no idea. I told her that I wanted to go fast and she directed me to the Scout. It's 69 cubic inches (1133 cubic centimeters), which is a bigger engine than I have in my bike. The Scout is also about half the size of mine. Bigger engine on a smaller bike makes a happier Gregg! That bike has enough power to accelerate quickly in 6th gear going up a hill! Might be a future bike of mine. Then I tried the vintage (a bagger). Has a bigger engine, yet I was not impressed by its performance on the road. It was hard to maneuver and sluggish. I think I'll stick to the quick ones.
Then we went back to the Buffalo Chip to witness history. Doug Dangers (pretty sure that's a stage name) jumped 22 cars on the same bike that evil kenievil used when he attempted the same jump (and crashed). Dangers came screaming down the runway, launch himself through the air and almost went over his landing ramp! He probably could have jumped 24 cars and it would have been the perfect distance. JR got a great slow motion video of it!
After that came the concert! Dancers, fire breathers, and naked people... What's not to love? There is also a dog that does a great job being a cashier! I asked one of the vendors who to pay for some patches I wanted, and he told me to pay the dog. Are you confused too? I thought the guy was nuts (he kind of looked like it). I was on my way to ask the lady working there when I took out a 20 dollar bill. The dog (chihuahua) came over, bit my 20, and took it to the lady. I was in disbelief! What's even better is that she made change, gave it to the dog, and the dog brought it to me! Talk about being mind blown!
Bye now, LB
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Day 52
Day 52; Miller South Dakota to Sturgis South Dakota
Hello there! I can't believe it, but we made it to Sturgis today! For some reason, I remember getting to Sturgis a lot faster last year. Must be the last 42 states that I skipped in 2014... Let's start from the beginning of my day.
We got up, broke down camp, and had yogurt for breakfast. Then we got some pictures of the lake we camped next to on our way out. We did a little bit of backtracking because we desperately needed gas. Then we headed out on highway 14 which would take us directly toward Sturgis. By now you should realize that nothing we plan turns out the way we plan it. There was a ton of construction, so they had set up a detour. The detour never took us back to 14... We ended up going through an Indian reservation instead, but eventually meet up with my mom's cousin JR.
We coordinated with JR to meet at a gas station not far from the badlands. We got there slightly before he did, so we made lunch there on the sidewalk. When he arrived, we all took off through the national park. If you don't know what the badlands are, you should definately look into them! It's like a miniature mountain range, and looks awesome. It's one of my favorite national parks in the country. We rode through them (stopping occasionally for pictures) and out the other side in the city of Wall.
Wall is the home of Wall Drug. It is a huge store/attraction for people all over the country. (They have a life size Jackalope that you can sit on for photos!). A Jackalope is a cross between a jack rabbit and an antelope (think giant rabbit with antlers). We got ice cream there and then continued on to Sturgis.
We got in and set up camp just in time to make dinner in the rain. My cousin Clayton and his friend Jay met us at our campsite for dinner. The only catch was that we all had to eat outside in a thunderstorm (it's like we take normal processes and make them extreme). The six of us huddle behind someone's trailer for some protection from the wind and rain while we ate.
Everyone else went to a concert, but I really didn't feel like getting more wet, so I cuddled up in my sleeping bag for the night. I probably need the sleep for tomorrow anyway if I can get to sleep. The concert is so loud that I can hear it perfectly clear from my tent.
Bye now, LB
Hello there! I can't believe it, but we made it to Sturgis today! For some reason, I remember getting to Sturgis a lot faster last year. Must be the last 42 states that I skipped in 2014... Let's start from the beginning of my day.
We got up, broke down camp, and had yogurt for breakfast. Then we got some pictures of the lake we camped next to on our way out. We did a little bit of backtracking because we desperately needed gas. Then we headed out on highway 14 which would take us directly toward Sturgis. By now you should realize that nothing we plan turns out the way we plan it. There was a ton of construction, so they had set up a detour. The detour never took us back to 14... We ended up going through an Indian reservation instead, but eventually meet up with my mom's cousin JR.
We coordinated with JR to meet at a gas station not far from the badlands. We got there slightly before he did, so we made lunch there on the sidewalk. When he arrived, we all took off through the national park. If you don't know what the badlands are, you should definately look into them! It's like a miniature mountain range, and looks awesome. It's one of my favorite national parks in the country. We rode through them (stopping occasionally for pictures) and out the other side in the city of Wall.
Wall is the home of Wall Drug. It is a huge store/attraction for people all over the country. (They have a life size Jackalope that you can sit on for photos!). A Jackalope is a cross between a jack rabbit and an antelope (think giant rabbit with antlers). We got ice cream there and then continued on to Sturgis.
We got in and set up camp just in time to make dinner in the rain. My cousin Clayton and his friend Jay met us at our campsite for dinner. The only catch was that we all had to eat outside in a thunderstorm (it's like we take normal processes and make them extreme). The six of us huddle behind someone's trailer for some protection from the wind and rain while we ate.
Everyone else went to a concert, but I really didn't feel like getting more wet, so I cuddled up in my sleeping bag for the night. I probably need the sleep for tomorrow anyway if I can get to sleep. The concert is so loud that I can hear it perfectly clear from my tent.
Bye now, LB
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Day 51
Day 51; St Cloud Minnesota to Miller South Dakota
For some reason, we always wake up before I would like to. That makes for a sleepy Gregg and today was no exception. Recently I've been pretty exhausted throughout the day and into the night (sleeping on the ground can make for some rough nights). My mom had a rough night also, so we stopped for breakfast at McDonald's and got her an iced coffee (her wake up call of choice). Then we rode.
We went about 100 miles between stops today (longer than usual), and rode roughly 380 miles overall. We don't have much family or interesting things to see around here, so we just rode. We knocked off two more states today bringing the count up to 42 states (only 6 more to go!). The cool thing about today is that I have now ridden my motorcycle through all 48 states because the last 6 I rode with my dad and two uncles last year on our way to Sturgis. (You would think my butt wouldn't get sore anymore... unfortunately, you would think wrong).
We stopped for lunch at a nice neighborhood park and made sandwiches. After eating seemed like the perfect time to take a nap, so I tried. Before finishing that thought, let me take you on a tangent. When I was 17, I went to church camp. Being in a room with 10 to 20 guys is difficult, so we made some ground rules. Stuff like respect everyone else's belongings, play nice, and most importantly... HONOR THE SIESTA! Now, back to before.
It's really hard to sleep when someone (mom) keeps asking questions about how to work her phone or whatever else. I am declaring on this blog post that honoring the siesta is now a road trip rule (you are my witness and I know she reads my posts). I'm thinking the punishment needs to be doing the dishes because I hate doing dishes :)
We had some pasta with tuna for dinner and played cribbage. For some reason, I win when we use my deck and dad wins when we use his deck. I can't figure this out, but he can't find his deck. Guess who won cribbage. Then the bugs started coming out, so we all are hiding in our tents. I think there is a frog underneath my because the bottom of it keeps moving... I hope I don't crush him.
Bye now, LB
For some reason, we always wake up before I would like to. That makes for a sleepy Gregg and today was no exception. Recently I've been pretty exhausted throughout the day and into the night (sleeping on the ground can make for some rough nights). My mom had a rough night also, so we stopped for breakfast at McDonald's and got her an iced coffee (her wake up call of choice). Then we rode.
We went about 100 miles between stops today (longer than usual), and rode roughly 380 miles overall. We don't have much family or interesting things to see around here, so we just rode. We knocked off two more states today bringing the count up to 42 states (only 6 more to go!). The cool thing about today is that I have now ridden my motorcycle through all 48 states because the last 6 I rode with my dad and two uncles last year on our way to Sturgis. (You would think my butt wouldn't get sore anymore... unfortunately, you would think wrong).
We stopped for lunch at a nice neighborhood park and made sandwiches. After eating seemed like the perfect time to take a nap, so I tried. Before finishing that thought, let me take you on a tangent. When I was 17, I went to church camp. Being in a room with 10 to 20 guys is difficult, so we made some ground rules. Stuff like respect everyone else's belongings, play nice, and most importantly... HONOR THE SIESTA! Now, back to before.
It's really hard to sleep when someone (mom) keeps asking questions about how to work her phone or whatever else. I am declaring on this blog post that honoring the siesta is now a road trip rule (you are my witness and I know she reads my posts). I'm thinking the punishment needs to be doing the dishes because I hate doing dishes :)
We had some pasta with tuna for dinner and played cribbage. For some reason, I win when we use my deck and dad wins when we use his deck. I can't figure this out, but he can't find his deck. Guess who won cribbage. Then the bugs started coming out, so we all are hiding in our tents. I think there is a frog underneath my because the bottom of it keeps moving... I hope I don't crush him.
Bye now, LB
Monday, August 3, 2015
Day 50
Day 50; Boone Iowa to St Cloud Minnesota
What is a road trip without engine trouble? I don't know either, but I'll go with not adventurous enough. I assure you, today made me realize how rough this trip has been on my motorcycle. This morning as we tried to leave the house, my motorcycle wouldn't start.
I turned the key and all I heard was a click. Again I tried, only a click. We got out the jumper cables and tried to get it to start... Still nothing. After about half an hour, we finally got it started. We had to fill up with gas right off the bat, so I kept it running while filling up because I wasn't about to turn it off.
Then we rode about 100 miles below having to fill up again. I made the mistake of shutting off the engine. When I tried to go park it, all I got was a click! I was frustrated to say the least. We knew it wasn't the charging system (the bike wouldn't have gone 100 miles if that were the problem). We took the battery out and all the cells were empty! Batteries disassociate H2O which turns it into hydrogen and oxygen. The gasses float away and you're left with nothing... well I'm left with nothing. My mother did a fantastic job of refilling the cells with water and it fired right up!
With the bike fixed, we hit the road. Now I told you I was frustrated. So much so that I forgot to put my vest back on before we left. It didn't want to continue on today's journey. Some nice folks saw it fall off my bike, picked it up, and chased me down to give it back. Whoever you are, I really appreciate that!
Finally back on the open road! We rode up into Stewartville Minnesota where my dad lived in the fourth grade. We met some of his cousins for lunch, and then set out to find the houses he lived in (we think we found them). He stayed telling us stories of when he was young, and how the town had changed in 45 years.
After that we took to the highway again until we arrived at our campsite. We had beef pasta for dinner (my mom's first camping meal of the trip), and we all turned in for the night to avoid mosquitoes. Minnesota is the land of a thousand lakes. I think that directly translates to land of a thousand mosquito breeding grounds. Anyway, it's time for bed.
Bye now, LB
What is a road trip without engine trouble? I don't know either, but I'll go with not adventurous enough. I assure you, today made me realize how rough this trip has been on my motorcycle. This morning as we tried to leave the house, my motorcycle wouldn't start.
I turned the key and all I heard was a click. Again I tried, only a click. We got out the jumper cables and tried to get it to start... Still nothing. After about half an hour, we finally got it started. We had to fill up with gas right off the bat, so I kept it running while filling up because I wasn't about to turn it off.
Then we rode about 100 miles below having to fill up again. I made the mistake of shutting off the engine. When I tried to go park it, all I got was a click! I was frustrated to say the least. We knew it wasn't the charging system (the bike wouldn't have gone 100 miles if that were the problem). We took the battery out and all the cells were empty! Batteries disassociate H2O which turns it into hydrogen and oxygen. The gasses float away and you're left with nothing... well I'm left with nothing. My mother did a fantastic job of refilling the cells with water and it fired right up!
With the bike fixed, we hit the road. Now I told you I was frustrated. So much so that I forgot to put my vest back on before we left. It didn't want to continue on today's journey. Some nice folks saw it fall off my bike, picked it up, and chased me down to give it back. Whoever you are, I really appreciate that!
Finally back on the open road! We rode up into Stewartville Minnesota where my dad lived in the fourth grade. We met some of his cousins for lunch, and then set out to find the houses he lived in (we think we found them). He stayed telling us stories of when he was young, and how the town had changed in 45 years.
After that we took to the highway again until we arrived at our campsite. We had beef pasta for dinner (my mom's first camping meal of the trip), and we all turned in for the night to avoid mosquitoes. Minnesota is the land of a thousand lakes. I think that directly translates to land of a thousand mosquito breeding grounds. Anyway, it's time for bed.
Bye now, LB
Day 49
Day 49, the day of many naps
Guess who got to sleep in! My dad woke me up at 11 for breakfast. We had eggs, sausage, and cinnamon rolls. It was good. Then I decided that since I was woken up prematurely, I would go back to sleep (this trip takes so much energy). Half an hour later I got up and took a shower so I could be nice and clean for our days adventure.
My dad is a huge fan of trains, and Boone has a locomotive from the 1920's that runs tours. Of course we had to go check this out. Now, I have been on reasons plenty of times commuting to school in San Jose, but none like this one. This one was old school all the way! Air conditioning? Yeah, open up the windows and stick your head out. We crossed over bridges and rivers where we saw turtles swimming around. The conductor told us that on occasion, when the river is low, people will go out on the sand bars and moon the train. We were fortunate enough not to see any butts.
We went into the train museum when we got back to the station, but it was only open for a few minutes after we got there. I didn't have time to read about all the fun facts about trains so I could share them with you. When the museum closed, we drove around town. When I say we drove around, I mean I feel asleep in the car as everyone else saw the town.
I got up when we stopped at DQ for a blizzard, and then stayed awake long enough to see a little bit of the town until we got home. Would you like to guess what happened next? If you guessed I feel asleep, you're right! My dad woke me up for dinner. We had braut burgers and beans. Now we are just relaxing, talking to our lovely hosts, and I'm feeling like it's bed time:)
Bye now, LB
Guess who got to sleep in! My dad woke me up at 11 for breakfast. We had eggs, sausage, and cinnamon rolls. It was good. Then I decided that since I was woken up prematurely, I would go back to sleep (this trip takes so much energy). Half an hour later I got up and took a shower so I could be nice and clean for our days adventure.
My dad is a huge fan of trains, and Boone has a locomotive from the 1920's that runs tours. Of course we had to go check this out. Now, I have been on reasons plenty of times commuting to school in San Jose, but none like this one. This one was old school all the way! Air conditioning? Yeah, open up the windows and stick your head out. We crossed over bridges and rivers where we saw turtles swimming around. The conductor told us that on occasion, when the river is low, people will go out on the sand bars and moon the train. We were fortunate enough not to see any butts.
We went into the train museum when we got back to the station, but it was only open for a few minutes after we got there. I didn't have time to read about all the fun facts about trains so I could share them with you. When the museum closed, we drove around town. When I say we drove around, I mean I feel asleep in the car as everyone else saw the town.
I got up when we stopped at DQ for a blizzard, and then stayed awake long enough to see a little bit of the town until we got home. Would you like to guess what happened next? If you guessed I feel asleep, you're right! My dad woke me up for dinner. We had braut burgers and beans. Now we are just relaxing, talking to our lovely hosts, and I'm feeling like it's bed time:)
Bye now, LB
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Day 48
Day 48; Lee's Summit Missouri to Boone Iowa
We got up early today because we had to go 350 miles. We packed all our stuff, said or goodbyes, and took to the open road. One of the first things I did was get temporarily disoriented (aka lost), trying to find the right highway. I like to think we took the scenic route. Knowing that we had to go north, I used the sun and my good sense of direction to figure out where we needed to go.
Once we got on the highway, we cruised! My parents were talking over the intercom and I listened to music until I lost phone coverage. The only stops we really made today were for gas, but that doesn't mean the day wasn't interesting! (My mom made sure of that). My dad said she tried to start a fight!
There was a group of bikers at a gas station that we stopped at, so naturally my dad started talking to them about our trip and where they are headed (Sturgis). Think typical, big, badass, biker dudes. One of them was telling us that he had to get some maintenance done on his Harley. That's when my mom thought it would be appropriate to ask if he was riding a Harley, and say that's why he had to stop at the dealership (Harleys have maintenance problems). My dad said he thought he was going to get his butt kicked, however most bikers are nicer than they look.
We headed out again riding toward my mom's friend's house (Marcy) in Boone. We got into town a little late, so we got pizza at ballucci's pizzaria. It wasn't bad, but not really worth mentioning. Then we rode to the house. We were greeted as we pulled into the driveway, and met Marcy's husband. We all headed inside to chat, and drank mojitos.
As it started getting late, we had to prepare sleeping arrangements. Mine is an air mattress in their office, and there is not a lot of space. It was pretty funny watching everyone try to set up the mattress when it covers the whole floor (not enough room to really move around in, but everyone seemed to enjoy being in the room). We eventually got everything squared away and can now be used for sleeping, which is my exact intention!
Bye now, LB
We got up early today because we had to go 350 miles. We packed all our stuff, said or goodbyes, and took to the open road. One of the first things I did was get temporarily disoriented (aka lost), trying to find the right highway. I like to think we took the scenic route. Knowing that we had to go north, I used the sun and my good sense of direction to figure out where we needed to go.
Once we got on the highway, we cruised! My parents were talking over the intercom and I listened to music until I lost phone coverage. The only stops we really made today were for gas, but that doesn't mean the day wasn't interesting! (My mom made sure of that). My dad said she tried to start a fight!
There was a group of bikers at a gas station that we stopped at, so naturally my dad started talking to them about our trip and where they are headed (Sturgis). Think typical, big, badass, biker dudes. One of them was telling us that he had to get some maintenance done on his Harley. That's when my mom thought it would be appropriate to ask if he was riding a Harley, and say that's why he had to stop at the dealership (Harleys have maintenance problems). My dad said he thought he was going to get his butt kicked, however most bikers are nicer than they look.
We headed out again riding toward my mom's friend's house (Marcy) in Boone. We got into town a little late, so we got pizza at ballucci's pizzaria. It wasn't bad, but not really worth mentioning. Then we rode to the house. We were greeted as we pulled into the driveway, and met Marcy's husband. We all headed inside to chat, and drank mojitos.
As it started getting late, we had to prepare sleeping arrangements. Mine is an air mattress in their office, and there is not a lot of space. It was pretty funny watching everyone try to set up the mattress when it covers the whole floor (not enough room to really move around in, but everyone seemed to enjoy being in the room). We eventually got everything squared away and can now be used for sleeping, which is my exact intention!
Bye now, LB
Friday, July 31, 2015
Day 47
Day 47; another day in Lee's Summit
As we all know, family is important. That's why I love seeing mine on this trip. If you didn't know, one of my cousins is deaf. I have always wanted to take an American sign language course, but it always conflicted with other classes. Problem? Not for my cousin Mary! Shortly after going upstairs this morning to visit, she grabbed a pen and paper and started writing. We spent the whole morning talking to each other (I think we wrote close to 15 pages).
She told me about her friends and family add I did the same with her. She asked about my parents (they had not arrived yet), my sister and nephew, and my brother. Then she asked about a game I was playing, so I taught her the basics and let her play around until it was time for me to head out.
I met my parents in Louisburg Kansas where my great great great grandparents are buried along with a few others from my family. My aunt told us all about it and how the McDowell family (mine from a long long time ago) owned 100 acres in that town and opened up an auto mechanic shop. That building is still standing and has been converted into the town's library. It still has a name plate high on the wall with the name McDowell on it. We are learning so much about our family on this trip!
Then we headed back to my cousin's house and hung out until it was time to gain some weight. We found a great BBQ place called Jacks stack here in town. I have to say, I like it better than Kansas City BBQ. Both my parents and I are still having fun visiting with family and friends, and are looking forward to the days ahead.
Bye now, LB
As we all know, family is important. That's why I love seeing mine on this trip. If you didn't know, one of my cousins is deaf. I have always wanted to take an American sign language course, but it always conflicted with other classes. Problem? Not for my cousin Mary! Shortly after going upstairs this morning to visit, she grabbed a pen and paper and started writing. We spent the whole morning talking to each other (I think we wrote close to 15 pages).
She told me about her friends and family add I did the same with her. She asked about my parents (they had not arrived yet), my sister and nephew, and my brother. Then she asked about a game I was playing, so I taught her the basics and let her play around until it was time for me to head out.
I met my parents in Louisburg Kansas where my great great great grandparents are buried along with a few others from my family. My aunt told us all about it and how the McDowell family (mine from a long long time ago) owned 100 acres in that town and opened up an auto mechanic shop. That building is still standing and has been converted into the town's library. It still has a name plate high on the wall with the name McDowell on it. We are learning so much about our family on this trip!
Then we headed back to my cousin's house and hung out until it was time to gain some weight. We found a great BBQ place called Jacks stack here in town. I have to say, I like it better than Kansas City BBQ. Both my parents and I are still having fun visiting with family and friends, and are looking forward to the days ahead.
Bye now, LB
Day 46
Day 46; Joplin Missouri to Lee's Summit Missouri
Hello again! Today was another fantastic day. I got up and had a huge breakfast (eggs, bacon, cinnamon rolls, toast, and a glass of milk) below family members started coming over. I was packing up my stuff as people kept on strolling in.
I met tons of family members and friends I had only ever heard of, and we had a delicious potluck before I headed out on my own for the day. My parents stayed in Joplin to visit with family a little longer while I rode toward Kansas City to see an old college friend of mine.
The original plan was to go dancing... That didn't end up happening, but we still had a good time talking about the past and future. We struggled to find parking, but ended up getting it for free. Then we walked around a bit to check things out. Ultimately, we went to the Yard House because she had never been and they have over 100 beers on tap! She told me I had to try one from a Kansas City brewing company so I did, and it was pretty tasty.
As we walked around the Power and Light district, I saw a pool table in the window of a bar/pizzeria. Naturally, I wanted to play. Camille held her own throughout the game. She suggested we get frozen custard, so we did that too! It's amazing! By that time, it was getting pretty late and past both of our bed times. (Now it's really far past my bed time).
Bye now, LB
Hello again! Today was another fantastic day. I got up and had a huge breakfast (eggs, bacon, cinnamon rolls, toast, and a glass of milk) below family members started coming over. I was packing up my stuff as people kept on strolling in.
I met tons of family members and friends I had only ever heard of, and we had a delicious potluck before I headed out on my own for the day. My parents stayed in Joplin to visit with family a little longer while I rode toward Kansas City to see an old college friend of mine.
The original plan was to go dancing... That didn't end up happening, but we still had a good time talking about the past and future. We struggled to find parking, but ended up getting it for free. Then we walked around a bit to check things out. Ultimately, we went to the Yard House because she had never been and they have over 100 beers on tap! She told me I had to try one from a Kansas City brewing company so I did, and it was pretty tasty.
As we walked around the Power and Light district, I saw a pool table in the window of a bar/pizzeria. Naturally, I wanted to play. Camille held her own throughout the game. She suggested we get frozen custard, so we did that too! It's amazing! By that time, it was getting pretty late and past both of our bed times. (Now it's really far past my bed time).
Bye now, LB
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Day 45
Day 45; still hanging out with family
Today was pretty low key again. Had some sausage gravy and biscuits for breakfast. It's a typical breakfast here in Missouri and it is good! I'll have to learn how to make it one day. Then we hung around the house as a ton of family kept joining us. The plan was to go out for lunch at 3.
Eventually everyone showed up and we headed just south of Springfield to a place called Lambert's cafe. It's the home of the throwed roll. Weird thing to claim, I know, but they literally throw rolls across the restaurant to whoever wants them! Don't worry if you have terrible dexterity... you drop the roll, they throw another! It's kind of funny to see the staff kicking the rolls around to get them out of the walkways.
We got situated, ordered our food and let the fun begin! As we were eating, the staff walls around with sides and give you whatever they have to offer. I do have to warn you, only go there if you are really hungry. We went the for lunch. It is now midnight, and I still can't eat anything.
After lunch, we drove to where my aunt had previously lived. It was destroyed in a tornado not too long ago, and the rebuild was aired on television. They built 7 homes in 7 days, and gave them away. Now she loves a few blocks down the street.
We had a few more visitors when we got back to the house, and had a relaxing evening. My parents and I will be splitting up for a day (tomorrow), so I can go out with a friend of mine while they visit with family for another day.
Bye now, LB
Today was pretty low key again. Had some sausage gravy and biscuits for breakfast. It's a typical breakfast here in Missouri and it is good! I'll have to learn how to make it one day. Then we hung around the house as a ton of family kept joining us. The plan was to go out for lunch at 3.
Eventually everyone showed up and we headed just south of Springfield to a place called Lambert's cafe. It's the home of the throwed roll. Weird thing to claim, I know, but they literally throw rolls across the restaurant to whoever wants them! Don't worry if you have terrible dexterity... you drop the roll, they throw another! It's kind of funny to see the staff kicking the rolls around to get them out of the walkways.
We got situated, ordered our food and let the fun begin! As we were eating, the staff walls around with sides and give you whatever they have to offer. I do have to warn you, only go there if you are really hungry. We went the for lunch. It is now midnight, and I still can't eat anything.
After lunch, we drove to where my aunt had previously lived. It was destroyed in a tornado not too long ago, and the rebuild was aired on television. They built 7 homes in 7 days, and gave them away. Now she loves a few blocks down the street.
We had a few more visitors when we got back to the house, and had a relaxing evening. My parents and I will be splitting up for a day (tomorrow), so I can go out with a friend of mine while they visit with family for another day.
Bye now, LB
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Day 44
Day 44; chilling at my aunt's house
We stayed in Joplin today and had a very relaxing day. I've figured out that I can't sleep in well anymore. I woke up before my alarm (I forgot to turn it off) multiple times and forced myself to go back to sleep. Finally I got up at 9 and spent some time helping my aunt solve mind puzzles on her tablet for a few hours. My dad came out of the room and we all relaxed in the living room for a while.
I got to meet one of my cousins that I've never met before, so that was awesome. We started bonding over our thoughts on vegetables (disgusting) while eating pizza at Cici's. Then we did a word search puzzle on our way to the store after dinner, and continued playing games the rest of the night. We also got to sit out on the porch the way I always imagined I would when I get old.
While I was sitting out on the porch, my dad went to the airport to pick up my mom! It's really good seeing her! Now everyone is sleeping everywhere (beds, couches, air mattress, and the floor). Not much space, but we make it work (that's what family does). Hopefully I can sleep longer tonight.
Bye now, LB
We stayed in Joplin today and had a very relaxing day. I've figured out that I can't sleep in well anymore. I woke up before my alarm (I forgot to turn it off) multiple times and forced myself to go back to sleep. Finally I got up at 9 and spent some time helping my aunt solve mind puzzles on her tablet for a few hours. My dad came out of the room and we all relaxed in the living room for a while.
I got to meet one of my cousins that I've never met before, so that was awesome. We started bonding over our thoughts on vegetables (disgusting) while eating pizza at Cici's. Then we did a word search puzzle on our way to the store after dinner, and continued playing games the rest of the night. We also got to sit out on the porch the way I always imagined I would when I get old.
While I was sitting out on the porch, my dad went to the airport to pick up my mom! It's really good seeing her! Now everyone is sleeping everywhere (beds, couches, air mattress, and the floor). Not much space, but we make it work (that's what family does). Hopefully I can sleep longer tonight.
Bye now, LB
Monday, July 27, 2015
Day 43
Day 43; Ozark National Park to Joplin Missouri
I only woke up about 4 hours earlier than I wanted to (2 hours before I had to). We went to check out some of the springs in the park and they are incredible! The water coming out of the springs is 54 degrees. The cold water and warm air combine to make a thick layer of fog over the river that gives it an incredibly eerie feel. It was time to hit the road again.
We decided to do a little bit of backtracking because it would be a shorter route and I'm glad we did! Road E is one of the best roads we have ridden on this trip! Not only does it have awesome curves left and right, but also up and down! As I came to the crest of the road (on multiple occasions) I couldn't see the road in front of me until I felt my stomach floating. The feeling you get when you're free falling. It was absolutely incredible! Then we hit highway 60 and I44 to make our way to Joplin.
As we got off the interstate for gas, my dad's bike crapped out. It had barely any power going to the wheels, so we found a gas station and pulled into it (after struggling to make it through a few intersections. Slowly but surely, dad rode it 14 miles to the Honda dealer and found the cause (busted fuel filter). We had to leave his bike with them. Dad got a rental car (and I rode my bike) so we could get to my aunts house in Joplin. (It's a Kia soul. I feel like I should be wearing a hamster suit like the commercials have).
I get to see my mom tomorrow! She is flying out here and my dad will pick her up tomorrow from the airport in the car. Anyway, that's it for today.
Bye now, LB
I only woke up about 4 hours earlier than I wanted to (2 hours before I had to). We went to check out some of the springs in the park and they are incredible! The water coming out of the springs is 54 degrees. The cold water and warm air combine to make a thick layer of fog over the river that gives it an incredibly eerie feel. It was time to hit the road again.
We decided to do a little bit of backtracking because it would be a shorter route and I'm glad we did! Road E is one of the best roads we have ridden on this trip! Not only does it have awesome curves left and right, but also up and down! As I came to the crest of the road (on multiple occasions) I couldn't see the road in front of me until I felt my stomach floating. The feeling you get when you're free falling. It was absolutely incredible! Then we hit highway 60 and I44 to make our way to Joplin.
As we got off the interstate for gas, my dad's bike crapped out. It had barely any power going to the wheels, so we found a gas station and pulled into it (after struggling to make it through a few intersections. Slowly but surely, dad rode it 14 miles to the Honda dealer and found the cause (busted fuel filter). We had to leave his bike with them. Dad got a rental car (and I rode my bike) so we could get to my aunts house in Joplin. (It's a Kia soul. I feel like I should be wearing a hamster suit like the commercials have).
I get to see my mom tomorrow! She is flying out here and my dad will pick her up tomorrow from the airport in the car. Anyway, that's it for today.
Bye now, LB
Day 42
Day 42; Ekron Kentucky to the Ozarks
We got up, packed or stuff, and had our last meal with Gary and Terri. Then we had to get some photos before hitting the open road. We were hoping for another day without rain, but mother nature had another plan.
As we rode west on highway 60, the clouds started looking pretty scary. It was time to fill up the bikes anyway, so we got off t the highway in Princeton, filled up and found shelter. By shelter I mean we found a combination kfc/a&w that we stopped at for lunch. We covered up the motorcycles and headed on inside.
KFC was having an all you can eat buffet (their mistake). We had some time to kill as we waited out the storm, so we both ate our fill to the point that we skipped dinner (four pieces of chicken and sides plus dessert).
When the bulk of the storm passed, we hit the road again. We got rained on a little bit as we rode, and again when we got to our campsite in the Ozark National Park. Setting up a tent in the rain usually sucks, but it was so hot I didn't care. I set up my stuff and then walked around in the rain for a few minutes before going to sleep. It was a really early night, but not add restful as I had hoped due to the heat and humidity. I slept without my bag or pad. I woke up multiple times sweating because of the heat.
Bye now, LB
We got up, packed or stuff, and had our last meal with Gary and Terri. Then we had to get some photos before hitting the open road. We were hoping for another day without rain, but mother nature had another plan.
As we rode west on highway 60, the clouds started looking pretty scary. It was time to fill up the bikes anyway, so we got off t the highway in Princeton, filled up and found shelter. By shelter I mean we found a combination kfc/a&w that we stopped at for lunch. We covered up the motorcycles and headed on inside.
KFC was having an all you can eat buffet (their mistake). We had some time to kill as we waited out the storm, so we both ate our fill to the point that we skipped dinner (four pieces of chicken and sides plus dessert).
When the bulk of the storm passed, we hit the road again. We got rained on a little bit as we rode, and again when we got to our campsite in the Ozark National Park. Setting up a tent in the rain usually sucks, but it was so hot I didn't care. I set up my stuff and then walked around in the rain for a few minutes before going to sleep. It was a really early night, but not add restful as I had hoped due to the heat and humidity. I slept without my bag or pad. I woke up multiple times sweating because of the heat.
Bye now, LB
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Day 41
Day 41; hanging out with the cousin
What an eventful day! I didn't know we could pack this much awesomeness into one day! It started out with a nice breakfast (eggs, bacon, potatoes), and getting on the motorcycles. We had a third rider today because Gary (my dad's cousin)rides a Harley. We went about 30 miles before finding president Lincoln's birthplace here in Kentucky. There was a visitor center that played a short film about his family and reasons for movingaround so much. It also touched on his interest for writing words, that he learned in his limited schooling, in the dirt. He only had 2 years of formal school. That combined with his humble beginnings (lived in a cabin much like the way Lincoln logs work) went to show that the American dream could be accomplished.
From there, we headed out to go see the corvette museum. My dad used to have a corvette until it caught fire about ten years ago. After today, we may need to get another :) is a really good thing I'm not a cleptomaniac because there are so many corvettes that I want to have. They too had a short video to watch before going through the museum, and they had corvettes from each era on display. One cool thing they had, let people pick up half of the corvette chassis to see how light it is (extremely light weight!). They also had fun facts about each car on display which is cool. Then we had to rush home for my favorite part of the day (yes better than looking at corvettes).
We got back and I had high hopes for riding a horse (Gary and his wife Terri have three). Horses weren't the first priority, so I got to do chores. Used the chain saw to cut down a few low hanging tree limbs and cut them into small pieces. Then we got to the horses.
I started out learning how to groom them (brushing them and picking their hooves), and then saddled up Fancy (the horse I got to ride). We did some ground work so I could get the full experience and then I basically got free reign of the yard to run around in. I'm just going to say, horses are awesome!
I suppose that's all for today. Bye now, LB
What an eventful day! I didn't know we could pack this much awesomeness into one day! It started out with a nice breakfast (eggs, bacon, potatoes), and getting on the motorcycles. We had a third rider today because Gary (my dad's cousin)rides a Harley. We went about 30 miles before finding president Lincoln's birthplace here in Kentucky. There was a visitor center that played a short film about his family and reasons for movingaround so much. It also touched on his interest for writing words, that he learned in his limited schooling, in the dirt. He only had 2 years of formal school. That combined with his humble beginnings (lived in a cabin much like the way Lincoln logs work) went to show that the American dream could be accomplished.
From there, we headed out to go see the corvette museum. My dad used to have a corvette until it caught fire about ten years ago. After today, we may need to get another :) is a really good thing I'm not a cleptomaniac because there are so many corvettes that I want to have. They too had a short video to watch before going through the museum, and they had corvettes from each era on display. One cool thing they had, let people pick up half of the corvette chassis to see how light it is (extremely light weight!). They also had fun facts about each car on display which is cool. Then we had to rush home for my favorite part of the day (yes better than looking at corvettes).
We got back and I had high hopes for riding a horse (Gary and his wife Terri have three). Horses weren't the first priority, so I got to do chores. Used the chain saw to cut down a few low hanging tree limbs and cut them into small pieces. Then we got to the horses.
I started out learning how to groom them (brushing them and picking their hooves), and then saddled up Fancy (the horse I got to ride). We did some ground work so I could get the full experience and then I basically got free reign of the yard to run around in. I'm just going to say, horses are awesome!
I suppose that's all for today. Bye now, LB
Friday, July 24, 2015
Day 40
Day 40; Mount Vernon Illinois to Ekron Kentucky
I'm not going to lie to you, today was limiting on exciting stuff to write about. We got up, packed and headed out. The speakers we bought worked great for the first part until we got on the highway. That's when the noandise from the motorcycles andand I wind were too overwhelming for the speaker to compete. I just turned it off and listened to music through my communicator.
The ride was really pretty, and we had great weather (warm enough to warrant using our cooling vests again). Speaking of cooling vests... mom, I'm keeping this one. We bought you a new one from cycle gear along with a few phone holders and shirts. I also traded in my chaps for new ones because mine were already beginning to tear at the seems (I bought them on this trip).
After shopping, we rode to my dad's cousin's house and went out to pizza in an old jail house. Believe it or not, it's called Jailhouse Pizza! It was transformed into a restaurant, but still had jail cells upstairs with a place to hang people (kinda scary). It also had a bunch of wanted posters and am old police car as decorations. Awesome place to check out if you're ever near by.
Well that was our entire day, so bye for now. LB
I'm not going to lie to you, today was limiting on exciting stuff to write about. We got up, packed and headed out. The speakers we bought worked great for the first part until we got on the highway. That's when the noandise from the motorcycles andand I wind were too overwhelming for the speaker to compete. I just turned it off and listened to music through my communicator.
The ride was really pretty, and we had great weather (warm enough to warrant using our cooling vests again). Speaking of cooling vests... mom, I'm keeping this one. We bought you a new one from cycle gear along with a few phone holders and shirts. I also traded in my chaps for new ones because mine were already beginning to tear at the seems (I bought them on this trip).
After shopping, we rode to my dad's cousin's house and went out to pizza in an old jail house. Believe it or not, it's called Jailhouse Pizza! It was transformed into a restaurant, but still had jail cells upstairs with a place to hang people (kinda scary). It also had a bunch of wanted posters and am old police car as decorations. Awesome place to check out if you're ever near by.
Well that was our entire day, so bye for now. LB
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Day 39
Day 39; Lincoln Illinois to Mount Vernon Illinois by way of the St Louis Arch
Our original plan for today was to go check out the arch. We added on to that plan because our campground had some papers that showed interesting things about president Lincoln and the town. We rode to Lincoln's tomb (he has a huge memorial that was paid for by donations, $170,000). His body was kept in a temporary tomb while his final resting place was being built. Now it also contains other family members, and it is magnificent.
We also checked out the Vietnam and World War II memorials while we were in the cemetery. Then we took off to St Louis Missouri. We saw the arch as we crossed the bridge into Missouri, but we didn't go directly there. We found a place that had been on television for lunch called Pappy's. There was a huge line, but the ribs, brisket, and sausage made it worth the wait! Pappy's has won competitions and been named the country's best barbie que multiple times. I keep eating at these wonderful places and my stomach keeps getting larger... Anyway, this is when we finally headed to the arch.
We had to walk a little ways to get tickets for the tram to get to the top, and then walk to the arch from there. My boots were not made for waking and I almost got a blister on my foot. We got to the arch when I realized I had my knife in my pocket (we had to go through a metal detector). I put it in my bag and sent it through the scanner. Apparently knives don't count as weapons :) We went up to the top of the arch where we could see the whole city! The view from the top is amazing, and the ride up and down is pretty cool. (A little cramped, but cool).
We headed out of the city and back into Illinois to find a best buy. We bought some new toys today (waterproof Bluetooth speakers), so we can listen to music and talk on communicators at the same time. After that we headed back east to go to my dad's cousin's house. We will get there tomorrow. For tonight we got a motel and made pasta for dinner. Now I'm exhausted and is time for bed.
Bye now, LB
Our original plan for today was to go check out the arch. We added on to that plan because our campground had some papers that showed interesting things about president Lincoln and the town. We rode to Lincoln's tomb (he has a huge memorial that was paid for by donations, $170,000). His body was kept in a temporary tomb while his final resting place was being built. Now it also contains other family members, and it is magnificent.
We also checked out the Vietnam and World War II memorials while we were in the cemetery. Then we took off to St Louis Missouri. We saw the arch as we crossed the bridge into Missouri, but we didn't go directly there. We found a place that had been on television for lunch called Pappy's. There was a huge line, but the ribs, brisket, and sausage made it worth the wait! Pappy's has won competitions and been named the country's best barbie que multiple times. I keep eating at these wonderful places and my stomach keeps getting larger... Anyway, this is when we finally headed to the arch.
We had to walk a little ways to get tickets for the tram to get to the top, and then walk to the arch from there. My boots were not made for waking and I almost got a blister on my foot. We got to the arch when I realized I had my knife in my pocket (we had to go through a metal detector). I put it in my bag and sent it through the scanner. Apparently knives don't count as weapons :) We went up to the top of the arch where we could see the whole city! The view from the top is amazing, and the ride up and down is pretty cool. (A little cramped, but cool).
We headed out of the city and back into Illinois to find a best buy. We bought some new toys today (waterproof Bluetooth speakers), so we can listen to music and talk on communicators at the same time. After that we headed back east to go to my dad's cousin's house. We will get there tomorrow. For tonight we got a motel and made pasta for dinner. Now I'm exhausted and is time for bed.
Bye now, LB
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Day 38, RIP Luther and Ellen
Day 38; DeForest Wisconsin to Lincoln Illinois
Where do we come from? Who makes us who we are? Our parents...siblings, friends, extended family? I am fortunate enough to have this opportunity to learn some of this for myself. A while back, my father and I went to Ellis Island. His grandparents came to America through that island, and today I met them for the first time in Grand View Cemetery. It got me thinking about my history. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for them, and even though I never got to talk to them or have been influenced by them personally; they are a huge part of my life. Now, Luther and Ellen Keller lay in a beautiful field with a view of hills, and a big sky.
If you don't know my father, he is the greatest man I could ever hope to be. He's level headed and rarely let's his emotions get the best of him, but today was a special occasion. His grandmother passed away when he was in high school, so he could not attend her funeral. He told me today, that he never got to say goodbye until now. I'm so happy he finally had the chance to see them in their final resting place. I let him have some time alone with them as I went into town to get some flowers.
Not having any place on the bike to carry them, I placed them (vase and all) in my vest, and rode slowly back to the cemetery to keep them nice. We placed them next to their headstone and visited for some time.
The rest of the day was of little importance, but it was a good ride with fair weather. We found a small campground with a swinging chair, and people playing music. Exhausted from the day, I fell asleep before dinner and woke up a few hours later. Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight, so I can be ready to go tomorrow.
RIP Luther and Ellen
Your great grandson, Gregg Keller
Where do we come from? Who makes us who we are? Our parents...siblings, friends, extended family? I am fortunate enough to have this opportunity to learn some of this for myself. A while back, my father and I went to Ellis Island. His grandparents came to America through that island, and today I met them for the first time in Grand View Cemetery. It got me thinking about my history. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for them, and even though I never got to talk to them or have been influenced by them personally; they are a huge part of my life. Now, Luther and Ellen Keller lay in a beautiful field with a view of hills, and a big sky.
If you don't know my father, he is the greatest man I could ever hope to be. He's level headed and rarely let's his emotions get the best of him, but today was a special occasion. His grandmother passed away when he was in high school, so he could not attend her funeral. He told me today, that he never got to say goodbye until now. I'm so happy he finally had the chance to see them in their final resting place. I let him have some time alone with them as I went into town to get some flowers.
Not having any place on the bike to carry them, I placed them (vase and all) in my vest, and rode slowly back to the cemetery to keep them nice. We placed them next to their headstone and visited for some time.
The rest of the day was of little importance, but it was a good ride with fair weather. We found a small campground with a swinging chair, and people playing music. Exhausted from the day, I fell asleep before dinner and woke up a few hours later. Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight, so I can be ready to go tomorrow.
RIP Luther and Ellen
Your great grandson, Gregg Keller
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Day 37
Day 37; East Marquette Michigan to DeForest Wisconsin
We got up and packed things up when my dad went to the restroom. As I was about to put on my chaps, my dad hollered my name and told m me to come over. The campground host opened up the theater (built by hand), and let us check it out. It had a projector screen at least twice my height, surround sound, a furnace, and a bar with beer on tap. The place we stayed last night is incredible and I wish we could have stayed a while longer, but it was time to move on.
We headed out on highway 41 all the way to Wisconsin where we stopped for lunch. Right next to a river was a park with covered picnic benches, and a Marine memorial. My dad tried to post photos on Facebook after lunch, so naturally I took advantage of the situation by laying down on the bench. His upload was taking a while which gave me ample time for a cat nap. (You better believe I took advantage of that)
We found a few interesting things on our ride today. One of which was a statue of a cow flashing her utters to everyone passing on the highway! Too funny not to take photos. There was also hotdog and Bigfoot statues. Someone pull out of the driveway as we were taking photos, and they smiled and waved to us (like it was a normal thing to do). Anyway, we had a nice day of riding. I was actually a little bit worried about not having enough stuff to put on this post, but the cow and other incidents showed promise.
Later in the afternoon, we noticed some airplanes flying in formation right over our heads as we rode! 3 sets of four planes, all in formation, flew over us and out to our right side. They came back and flew over our heads a second time! We were trying to take photos, but it didn't work well for me. That gave me enough excitement to keep me going through the rest of the ride. Our day got even better when we got to camp.
I think we may have found the friendliest KOA that exists because 6 people came by to talk to us (not including the staff). 3 of them are from Los Angeles, CA! Now let's talk about the staff. Basically they are kind of old and frail. That's why they asked me to help them lift something. I didn't know what it was, but I accepted and got my dad to help. We had to lift an air conditioning unit up and put it in its place, and we got a six pack of beer as payment! Mmm :) We got the locally brewed one called spotted cow, and it was pretty good.
Some of you may be wondering how we could keep beer cold with very little space in our cooler. Well, we couldn't. We drank them while playing a few rounds of cribbage before going into the pool (I'm going to sleep well tonight). Then we went through the nightly routine and now am ready for bed.
Bye now, LB
We got up and packed things up when my dad went to the restroom. As I was about to put on my chaps, my dad hollered my name and told m me to come over. The campground host opened up the theater (built by hand), and let us check it out. It had a projector screen at least twice my height, surround sound, a furnace, and a bar with beer on tap. The place we stayed last night is incredible and I wish we could have stayed a while longer, but it was time to move on.
We headed out on highway 41 all the way to Wisconsin where we stopped for lunch. Right next to a river was a park with covered picnic benches, and a Marine memorial. My dad tried to post photos on Facebook after lunch, so naturally I took advantage of the situation by laying down on the bench. His upload was taking a while which gave me ample time for a cat nap. (You better believe I took advantage of that)
We found a few interesting things on our ride today. One of which was a statue of a cow flashing her utters to everyone passing on the highway! Too funny not to take photos. There was also hotdog and Bigfoot statues. Someone pull out of the driveway as we were taking photos, and they smiled and waved to us (like it was a normal thing to do). Anyway, we had a nice day of riding. I was actually a little bit worried about not having enough stuff to put on this post, but the cow and other incidents showed promise.
Later in the afternoon, we noticed some airplanes flying in formation right over our heads as we rode! 3 sets of four planes, all in formation, flew over us and out to our right side. They came back and flew over our heads a second time! We were trying to take photos, but it didn't work well for me. That gave me enough excitement to keep me going through the rest of the ride. Our day got even better when we got to camp.
I think we may have found the friendliest KOA that exists because 6 people came by to talk to us (not including the staff). 3 of them are from Los Angeles, CA! Now let's talk about the staff. Basically they are kind of old and frail. That's why they asked me to help them lift something. I didn't know what it was, but I accepted and got my dad to help. We had to lift an air conditioning unit up and put it in its place, and we got a six pack of beer as payment! Mmm :) We got the locally brewed one called spotted cow, and it was pretty good.
Some of you may be wondering how we could keep beer cold with very little space in our cooler. Well, we couldn't. We drank them while playing a few rounds of cribbage before going into the pool (I'm going to sleep well tonight). Then we went through the nightly routine and now am ready for bed.
Bye now, LB
Monday, July 20, 2015
Day 36
Day 36; Traverse Michigan to East Marquette Michigan
What a beautiful day! It started out with both of us forgetting to set an alarm:) so we got to sleep in. The forecast was 0% chance of rain for the day, and we had sunny skies for most of the day. We rode between lakes Heron and Michigan all the way up to Superior.
We stopped by a vacant lot with lake front for lunch at Heron (The lakes are so big that you can't see the other side). It's really humbling to sit at the edge of something so massive. We had some sandwiches and cherries that we bought from a farm on the side of the highway. They are good!
We had to cross a bridge to continue north to Lake Superior. This normally is no problem, but half the bridge has a metal deck instead of asphalt. Metal decks have grooves in them like ruts that tires get stuck in making it incredibly hard to steer the motorcycle. While trying to keep the river side down, I realized that I could see the lake through the metal grates! Freaky! Fortunately, we both made it across without incident. We continued riding up to Superior.
Lake Superior is the biggest freshwater lake in the world, covering over 31,000 square miles! It holds 10% of the world's fresh surface water. It also contains enough water to cover north and south America in a foot of water! Crazy, I know. Guess who touched it today. That's right, this guy! We found a good place to pull off the road for pictures and decided to test the water temperature. It's a tad bit nipply... I mean nippy. (Probably because it's so big and 1300 feet deep). Shortly after starting up again, we came to our campsite.
It's called gichee gumee campground, and is the best one we have stayed at the whole trip! The guy who runs the campground built everything here. It's very natural and inviting. He built a lodge, theater, and office by hand. Most of the furniture is handmade and exquisite! At this point in time, I am sitting here with my dad as we write our posts while listening to the radio. We played a few rounds of pool earlier (completely free), and there is even cable television if that's what you're into. He even has a small library of books and movies for campers to enjoy (the movies are vhs... so cool!). I love this place!
Anyway, need time for me. Bye now, LB
What a beautiful day! It started out with both of us forgetting to set an alarm:) so we got to sleep in. The forecast was 0% chance of rain for the day, and we had sunny skies for most of the day. We rode between lakes Heron and Michigan all the way up to Superior.
We stopped by a vacant lot with lake front for lunch at Heron (The lakes are so big that you can't see the other side). It's really humbling to sit at the edge of something so massive. We had some sandwiches and cherries that we bought from a farm on the side of the highway. They are good!
We had to cross a bridge to continue north to Lake Superior. This normally is no problem, but half the bridge has a metal deck instead of asphalt. Metal decks have grooves in them like ruts that tires get stuck in making it incredibly hard to steer the motorcycle. While trying to keep the river side down, I realized that I could see the lake through the metal grates! Freaky! Fortunately, we both made it across without incident. We continued riding up to Superior.
Lake Superior is the biggest freshwater lake in the world, covering over 31,000 square miles! It holds 10% of the world's fresh surface water. It also contains enough water to cover north and south America in a foot of water! Crazy, I know. Guess who touched it today. That's right, this guy! We found a good place to pull off the road for pictures and decided to test the water temperature. It's a tad bit nipply... I mean nippy. (Probably because it's so big and 1300 feet deep). Shortly after starting up again, we came to our campsite.
It's called gichee gumee campground, and is the best one we have stayed at the whole trip! The guy who runs the campground built everything here. It's very natural and inviting. He built a lodge, theater, and office by hand. Most of the furniture is handmade and exquisite! At this point in time, I am sitting here with my dad as we write our posts while listening to the radio. We played a few rounds of pool earlier (completely free), and there is even cable television if that's what you're into. He even has a small library of books and movies for campers to enjoy (the movies are vhs... so cool!). I love this place!
Anyway, need time for me. Bye now, LB
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Day 35
Day 35; Chesterton Indiana to Traverse Michigan
I wish I had more time to spend with my cousin, but we have a schedule to keep. Well we actually make it up as we go along, but we do need to get to Missouri in time to pick up my mother. We chose to see all 5 Great Lakes which adds a few miles to our trip, but it will be cool to do (we have already seen 3). Back to today.
My aunt made breakfast burritos for us this morning, and gave us some leftover bratwursts to take. When we left, it was mid 70's with 93% humidity! Luckily the humidity dropped significantly throughout the day, but the temperature kept rising. Overall it was a beautiful ride along the eastern side of Lake Michigan.
In case you're interested, there is an application for phones that tells you where food places that have been on television are. My dad used it to find a pizza place for lunch but it is closed on Sundays. Then he found another spot, but it had closed by the time we got there. Since the original idea was to get pizza, we found a different pizza place that turned out really tasty!
We are just south of where Michigan and Heron meet at a KOA. We got in earlier than usual, so I laid down on my motorcycle while my dad took a shower. Slowly but surely we set up camp and started cooking dinner. Tonight was a special one because we used the leftover bratwursts to bring our spaghetti to the next level! It was good, but I couldn't finish it. Our normal spaghetti is enough to stud the two of us... throw in 4 brauts and it's a feast! We played a few rounds of cribbage during dinner, then cleaned up and headed off to bed (avoiding mosquitos). My tent is my safe haven from getting bit.
Now it's late, so bye for now. LB
I wish I had more time to spend with my cousin, but we have a schedule to keep. Well we actually make it up as we go along, but we do need to get to Missouri in time to pick up my mother. We chose to see all 5 Great Lakes which adds a few miles to our trip, but it will be cool to do (we have already seen 3). Back to today.
My aunt made breakfast burritos for us this morning, and gave us some leftover bratwursts to take. When we left, it was mid 70's with 93% humidity! Luckily the humidity dropped significantly throughout the day, but the temperature kept rising. Overall it was a beautiful ride along the eastern side of Lake Michigan.
In case you're interested, there is an application for phones that tells you where food places that have been on television are. My dad used it to find a pizza place for lunch but it is closed on Sundays. Then he found another spot, but it had closed by the time we got there. Since the original idea was to get pizza, we found a different pizza place that turned out really tasty!
We are just south of where Michigan and Heron meet at a KOA. We got in earlier than usual, so I laid down on my motorcycle while my dad took a shower. Slowly but surely we set up camp and started cooking dinner. Tonight was a special one because we used the leftover bratwursts to bring our spaghetti to the next level! It was good, but I couldn't finish it. Our normal spaghetti is enough to stud the two of us... throw in 4 brauts and it's a feast! We played a few rounds of cribbage during dinner, then cleaned up and headed off to bed (avoiding mosquitos). My tent is my safe haven from getting bit.
Now it's late, so bye for now. LB
Day 34
Day 34; stayed in Indiana again
I have to say that it's been nice staying with family the last couple of days. Today was pretty low key. We had some amazing pancakes and sausage for breakfast (dad had blueberry pancakes), and then relaxed for the morning. Actually I basically slept through morning, so we relaxed more in the afternoon.
It was a hot day again, and it was very humid. Even the beach was hot. We went to Lake Michigan for a dip, but only went in half way because the water temperature was a little cooler than refreshing (refreshing is code for really cold). As we got out in the lake, there was a thunderstormon the other side of it. Lightening bolts lit up the sky time and time again. Soon there after, we noticed a dark cloud coming our way. That's when we got out of the water, dried off, and then got dumped on (making drying off completely unnecessary). We were drenched when we got back to the car and the storm only got worse as we drove home.
The trunk of the car didn't close all the way, so I got out and closed it. (I didn't think I could get any more wet). Flashes of lightening and clashes of Thunder were going off constantly as we drove, and it started to hail. Luckily it was only reading cats, dogs, and tree branches when it was time to run to the house (no hail). Once again I was mistaken in thinking I couldn't get any wetter. The storm was so bad, there were huge branches in the yard that had fallen from trees!
A while after the storm passed I went with my cousin to get a bottle of wine on a bicycle (I hadn't ridden a bicycle for a while). And later on we went to the bar and played pool for a few hours (undefeated!). That's it for today.
Bye now, LB
I have to say that it's been nice staying with family the last couple of days. Today was pretty low key. We had some amazing pancakes and sausage for breakfast (dad had blueberry pancakes), and then relaxed for the morning. Actually I basically slept through morning, so we relaxed more in the afternoon.
It was a hot day again, and it was very humid. Even the beach was hot. We went to Lake Michigan for a dip, but only went in half way because the water temperature was a little cooler than refreshing (refreshing is code for really cold). As we got out in the lake, there was a thunderstormon the other side of it. Lightening bolts lit up the sky time and time again. Soon there after, we noticed a dark cloud coming our way. That's when we got out of the water, dried off, and then got dumped on (making drying off completely unnecessary). We were drenched when we got back to the car and the storm only got worse as we drove home.
The trunk of the car didn't close all the way, so I got out and closed it. (I didn't think I could get any more wet). Flashes of lightening and clashes of Thunder were going off constantly as we drove, and it started to hail. Luckily it was only reading cats, dogs, and tree branches when it was time to run to the house (no hail). Once again I was mistaken in thinking I couldn't get any wetter. The storm was so bad, there were huge branches in the yard that had fallen from trees!
A while after the storm passed I went with my cousin to get a bottle of wine on a bicycle (I hadn't ridden a bicycle for a while). And later on we went to the bar and played pool for a few hours (undefeated!). That's it for today.
Bye now, LB
Friday, July 17, 2015
Day 33
Day 33; relaxing day in Indiana
We had an appointment to get to this morning to get new front tires for our bikes, so we got up kind of early and had eggs with bacon for breakfast. Then we rode to the Honda dealer to get the maintenance done. I tend to wander around when we go to dealerships and I found an interesting looking motorcycle. It looks like batman should be riding it (it's called NM4).
The NM4 is an automatic transmission which means there is no shift lever, but it has paddle shifters. For some reason you can switch from automatic to manual. I'm still confused about how it works, but I've found more bikes that I want to buy (it's a real problem). Then we went strolling around in my cousins car.
I took a nap when we got back to the house because I was (and still am) extremely exhausted. That was slightly remedied by a stop at dairy queen for a blizzard. Shortly after that, we went to the Craft House for dinner. The steak was fantastic!
We went back to the house and relaxed watching television (the office) with my cousin and a couple others. My aunt made chicken salsa, and it was delicious! Anyway, tomorrow will be a little bit more exciting because we are going to the beach at Lake Michigan.
Bye now, LB
We had an appointment to get to this morning to get new front tires for our bikes, so we got up kind of early and had eggs with bacon for breakfast. Then we rode to the Honda dealer to get the maintenance done. I tend to wander around when we go to dealerships and I found an interesting looking motorcycle. It looks like batman should be riding it (it's called NM4).
The NM4 is an automatic transmission which means there is no shift lever, but it has paddle shifters. For some reason you can switch from automatic to manual. I'm still confused about how it works, but I've found more bikes that I want to buy (it's a real problem). Then we went strolling around in my cousins car.
I took a nap when we got back to the house because I was (and still am) extremely exhausted. That was slightly remedied by a stop at dairy queen for a blizzard. Shortly after that, we went to the Craft House for dinner. The steak was fantastic!
We went back to the house and relaxed watching television (the office) with my cousin and a couple others. My aunt made chicken salsa, and it was delicious! Anyway, tomorrow will be a little bit more exciting because we are going to the beach at Lake Michigan.
Bye now, LB
Day 32
Day 32; Kingsville Ohio to Chesterton Indiana
We were tired from the ride the day before, so we chose to sleep in a bit. It was almost ten by the time we left the campground. Most of our day was spent on the bikes and on the interstate because we had over 300 miles to get to my cousins house in Indiana.
I figured out that my speedometer doesn't really show my speed when I'm going fast. My speedometer showed that I was going 85 mph. My dad's only said 75. It also goes faster than the speedometer shows! It was along day, but a fast one:)
We rode along Lake Erie and found a nice park to have lunch. It was right on the lake! The lake is one of the smaller Great Lakes, yet you can barely see the land on the other side. We sat on the rocks at the water's edge and had our sandwiches. Then we hopped back on the bikes and continued riding hoping we would avoid any bad weather.
When we looked on storm tracker, we saw a pretty nasty storm coming from where we were headed. The weather stays to look gloomy, so we stopped at a service plaza for dinner. I didn't rain (and we had a place to be), so my dad put on rain gear and we kept on riding. I think mother nature noticed that he was prepared, so she didn't bother raining on us for the rest of the day. We barely beat the storm to my cousin's house (Lightening started as we were getting situated in the house). After chatting for a while, we all went out to a bar and played pool for a couple hours before going to sleep (more like passing out). It was a long day.
Bye now, LB
We were tired from the ride the day before, so we chose to sleep in a bit. It was almost ten by the time we left the campground. Most of our day was spent on the bikes and on the interstate because we had over 300 miles to get to my cousins house in Indiana.
I figured out that my speedometer doesn't really show my speed when I'm going fast. My speedometer showed that I was going 85 mph. My dad's only said 75. It also goes faster than the speedometer shows! It was along day, but a fast one:)
We rode along Lake Erie and found a nice park to have lunch. It was right on the lake! The lake is one of the smaller Great Lakes, yet you can barely see the land on the other side. We sat on the rocks at the water's edge and had our sandwiches. Then we hopped back on the bikes and continued riding hoping we would avoid any bad weather.
When we looked on storm tracker, we saw a pretty nasty storm coming from where we were headed. The weather stays to look gloomy, so we stopped at a service plaza for dinner. I didn't rain (and we had a place to be), so my dad put on rain gear and we kept on riding. I think mother nature noticed that he was prepared, so she didn't bother raining on us for the rest of the day. We barely beat the storm to my cousin's house (Lightening started as we were getting situated in the house). After chatting for a while, we all went out to a bar and played pool for a couple hours before going to sleep (more like passing out). It was a long day.
Bye now, LB
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Day 31
Day 31; Hamilton Ontario to Kingsville Ohio
There are some really cool things in Canada, eh! I also learned a few things during my short stint in that country. Canada uses kilometers to measure distance as well as speed, and I noticed something cool about the road signs. You know the yellow signs that say how fast you should take turns? I happened to notice one in particular that said 50 kmph. I was going 50 mph (almost twice as fast) and it was the perfect speed to safely make the turn while maintaining a sense of fun and speed through it. Posted kmph means it's fun at the same number put into mph. I also noticed that speed limits in Canada are ridiculously slow (I could hardly feel the wind in some places). Anyway back to cool stuff.
Heard of Niagara Falls? Incredible! Not gonna lie, the Canadians have a better view of the falls (They also have pretty good sushi in their visitors center). The falls are massive! More water used to flow through, but now is controlled to avoid erosion. Nevertheless, there are millions of gallons that fall every minute. You can't even see all of the falls due to mist produced from the fall itself. It's basically raining.
Then we crossed back in to America via the rainbow bridge and down to Buffalo New York. Being in Buffalo, we found a Buffalo Wild Wings to see if they were any better here than on the west coast. You would think Buffalo would have the best Buffalo wings, but they were the exact same. (I realize it's a chain restaurant). After that, we rode along Lake Erie to Kingsville where we are staying for the night. The mosquitos are pretty brutal, so I'm hiding in my tent :)
That's pretty much it for today. Most of it was spent taking photos... if you want to see them, you can look on my Facebook page.
https://m.facebook.com/gregg.keller.545?_rdr
Bye now, LB
There are some really cool things in Canada, eh! I also learned a few things during my short stint in that country. Canada uses kilometers to measure distance as well as speed, and I noticed something cool about the road signs. You know the yellow signs that say how fast you should take turns? I happened to notice one in particular that said 50 kmph. I was going 50 mph (almost twice as fast) and it was the perfect speed to safely make the turn while maintaining a sense of fun and speed through it. Posted kmph means it's fun at the same number put into mph. I also noticed that speed limits in Canada are ridiculously slow (I could hardly feel the wind in some places). Anyway back to cool stuff.
Heard of Niagara Falls? Incredible! Not gonna lie, the Canadians have a better view of the falls (They also have pretty good sushi in their visitors center). The falls are massive! More water used to flow through, but now is controlled to avoid erosion. Nevertheless, there are millions of gallons that fall every minute. You can't even see all of the falls due to mist produced from the fall itself. It's basically raining.
Then we crossed back in to America via the rainbow bridge and down to Buffalo New York. Being in Buffalo, we found a Buffalo Wild Wings to see if they were any better here than on the west coast. You would think Buffalo would have the best Buffalo wings, but they were the exact same. (I realize it's a chain restaurant). After that, we rode along Lake Erie to Kingsville where we are staying for the night. The mosquitos are pretty brutal, so I'm hiding in my tent :)
That's pretty much it for today. Most of it was spent taking photos... if you want to see them, you can look on my Facebook page.
https://m.facebook.com/gregg.keller.545?_rdr
Bye now, LB
Day 30
Day 30; Watertown NY to Hamilton Ontario Canada
Welcome to Canada! Well not yet because I haven't told you how we got here. When we got started this morning, so did the rain. We rode north on highway 81 up top the Canadian border crossing the Thousand Island Bridge. I can't tell you how many islands there actually were because I could barely see the river below me. Luckily we got out of the storm before we stopped for lunch.
Both of us were soaked (the rain gear couldn't stop the storm from getting in), so we found a place to go in and eat. We found John's restaurant in Napanee. John is 86 years old and runs his own restaurant because he enjoys it. restaurant He stayed telling us about himself as we were paying the bill. He emigrated from Greece and worked on a farm while sleeping with the cows. His inheritance from his father was a 2 dollar bill that he had laminated, and carries it in his wallet. Obviously he started his restaurant and continues to run it because he has fun doing it. The man is truly inspirational.
The rest of the day included a lot of good riding weather and beautiful views as we rode next to the lake. Toward the end of the day, we stopped in Toronto for dinner. Dad found a BBQ place called Montana's grill. We had terrible reception on our phones, so we asked the waitress if there were good places to stay on the west side of Toronto (so we don't have traffic in the morning). She didn't really know, but her mother (she was having dinner with her daughter) was full of helpful information! Then we got to talking about all kinds of stuff (she made the night go to the next level of awesome). Dinner ended up being two hours which made it so we didn't stop riding until after 10 tonight, but it was worth it.
We got rained on again tonight before we got to the hotel. Hopefully our gear will dry out tonight. Niagara falls tomorrow! (I guess it doesn't really matter if our stuff dries out). Anyway, time for sleep.
Bye now, LB
Welcome to Canada! Well not yet because I haven't told you how we got here. When we got started this morning, so did the rain. We rode north on highway 81 up top the Canadian border crossing the Thousand Island Bridge. I can't tell you how many islands there actually were because I could barely see the river below me. Luckily we got out of the storm before we stopped for lunch.
Both of us were soaked (the rain gear couldn't stop the storm from getting in), so we found a place to go in and eat. We found John's restaurant in Napanee. John is 86 years old and runs his own restaurant because he enjoys it. restaurant He stayed telling us about himself as we were paying the bill. He emigrated from Greece and worked on a farm while sleeping with the cows. His inheritance from his father was a 2 dollar bill that he had laminated, and carries it in his wallet. Obviously he started his restaurant and continues to run it because he has fun doing it. The man is truly inspirational.
The rest of the day included a lot of good riding weather and beautiful views as we rode next to the lake. Toward the end of the day, we stopped in Toronto for dinner. Dad found a BBQ place called Montana's grill. We had terrible reception on our phones, so we asked the waitress if there were good places to stay on the west side of Toronto (so we don't have traffic in the morning). She didn't really know, but her mother (she was having dinner with her daughter) was full of helpful information! Then we got to talking about all kinds of stuff (she made the night go to the next level of awesome). Dinner ended up being two hours which made it so we didn't stop riding until after 10 tonight, but it was worth it.
We got rained on again tonight before we got to the hotel. Hopefully our gear will dry out tonight. Niagara falls tomorrow! (I guess it doesn't really matter if our stuff dries out). Anyway, time for sleep.
Bye now, LB
Monday, July 13, 2015
Day 29
Day 29; Cooperstown New York to Watertown New York
Baseball hall of fame baby! I didn't know you could fit so much history and tangible memorabilia into such a small building! It's 3 stories tall with hundreds of stories to be heard inside. My dad already knew a lot of the information (he's a huge baseball fan) because he grew up watching quite a few of the hall of fame inductees play when he was a child. Some of the older players could still teach him a thing or two.
In fact there were some short videos from the beginning of baseball that showed plays and then asked a question about them. The idea was to make the correct call; however, it was in a time when the rules were different. Before 1864, runners were not allowed to run past first base and be considered safe (you would have to stay on the bag). Before 1862,fly balls caught after one bounce were consisted outs. Why? Because they didn't play with gloves; catching the ball like you must today would have been extremely painful!
So many facets of the game have changed to keep up with new advances. They were also playing who's on first toward the end of the self guided tour. If you haven't seen it, look it up on YouTube. Following the tour, we walked through town and found a hole-in-the-wall restaurant for lunch that had chili dogs! It's what I always get to eat when I go to a ball game. They weren't anything to really write home about, but our dinner was.
We took off from Cooperstown and rode to Watertown where we found a motel for the night (5 nights of camping makes a bed feel really good). The clerk told us that the diner across the street was pretty good, so we checked it out. My dad and I both had steak :) I got the T-bone and he got a porterhouse. Steak is so tasty! We then found a beautiful place to take pictures of the sunset and got back to the motel just before it started raining.
Dad found a large frog hopping around outside, and I watched a movie inside to relax. Now that we are both fat, happy, and dry is time to get some rest.
Much love, LB
Baseball hall of fame baby! I didn't know you could fit so much history and tangible memorabilia into such a small building! It's 3 stories tall with hundreds of stories to be heard inside. My dad already knew a lot of the information (he's a huge baseball fan) because he grew up watching quite a few of the hall of fame inductees play when he was a child. Some of the older players could still teach him a thing or two.
In fact there were some short videos from the beginning of baseball that showed plays and then asked a question about them. The idea was to make the correct call; however, it was in a time when the rules were different. Before 1864, runners were not allowed to run past first base and be considered safe (you would have to stay on the bag). Before 1862,fly balls caught after one bounce were consisted outs. Why? Because they didn't play with gloves; catching the ball like you must today would have been extremely painful!
So many facets of the game have changed to keep up with new advances. They were also playing who's on first toward the end of the self guided tour. If you haven't seen it, look it up on YouTube. Following the tour, we walked through town and found a hole-in-the-wall restaurant for lunch that had chili dogs! It's what I always get to eat when I go to a ball game. They weren't anything to really write home about, but our dinner was.
We took off from Cooperstown and rode to Watertown where we found a motel for the night (5 nights of camping makes a bed feel really good). The clerk told us that the diner across the street was pretty good, so we checked it out. My dad and I both had steak :) I got the T-bone and he got a porterhouse. Steak is so tasty! We then found a beautiful place to take pictures of the sunset and got back to the motel just before it started raining.
Dad found a large frog hopping around outside, and I watched a movie inside to relax. Now that we are both fat, happy, and dry is time to get some rest.
Much love, LB
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Day 28
Day 28; Littleton NH to Cooperstown NY
Today we really got to see some stuff that is out of the norm for most of us (especially in California). The weather in California is so mild that it doesn't call for extreme measures. That is why we don't have covered bridges. New Hampshire on the other hand, has tons of covered bridges! We only speed at a few along the way, but they are incredible!
The first one we stopped at had a sign that said there is only one vehicle permitted to be on the bridge at any given time. My dad and I took turns crossing, videotaping as we rode through. The second one was an older one that was no longer allowing vehicles to drive across. Both of them were architecturally fascinating! The main structure was supported by two wooden arches on either side of the bridge, and built using wooden dowels top hold everything together (instead of screws or nails). The dowels are the size of my wrist and holding strong considering when they were built (1700's). The towns they are located in are equally old.
We saw the oldest general store in America right next to the first bridge, and the townsfolk were having a pancake breakfast for a reason unbeknownst to me. We had already eaten breakfast... Speaking of which, it is now cold enough in the morning to eat oatmeal! Since getting into the northern states and higher elevation, it has begun to cool down! Tonight is speed to get down to 60 degrees. That means I have to unpack my sleeping bag, but it's so much better than sweating all night long.
Anyway, it's 1am here and I need some rest. Baseball hall of fame tomorrow!
Bye now, LB
Today we really got to see some stuff that is out of the norm for most of us (especially in California). The weather in California is so mild that it doesn't call for extreme measures. That is why we don't have covered bridges. New Hampshire on the other hand, has tons of covered bridges! We only speed at a few along the way, but they are incredible!
The first one we stopped at had a sign that said there is only one vehicle permitted to be on the bridge at any given time. My dad and I took turns crossing, videotaping as we rode through. The second one was an older one that was no longer allowing vehicles to drive across. Both of them were architecturally fascinating! The main structure was supported by two wooden arches on either side of the bridge, and built using wooden dowels top hold everything together (instead of screws or nails). The dowels are the size of my wrist and holding strong considering when they were built (1700's). The towns they are located in are equally old.
We saw the oldest general store in America right next to the first bridge, and the townsfolk were having a pancake breakfast for a reason unbeknownst to me. We had already eaten breakfast... Speaking of which, it is now cold enough in the morning to eat oatmeal! Since getting into the northern states and higher elevation, it has begun to cool down! Tonight is speed to get down to 60 degrees. That means I have to unpack my sleeping bag, but it's so much better than sweating all night long.
Anyway, it's 1am here and I need some rest. Baseball hall of fame tomorrow!
Bye now, LB
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Day 27
Day 27; Conway New Hampshire to Littleton New Hampshire
If you have read all my posts, you should remember one about a few guys we met at a motel a while back. While trading stories and chatting with them, one of them told us about a place called Mount Washington. It's the highest point in the US this side of the Mississippi River (and a great road). He said we had to go ride it, and we did. First, let me back up.
When we talked to the ranger yesterday, he told us that it would be closed for a bike race until 1:30pm. We were pretty close to the mountain already, and didn't want to wait around all morning. We took the scenic route through White Mountain National Park to see what we could see (nature and covered bridges were on the agenda). Unfortunately the covered bridges were quite a trek that wasn't about to happen if we wanted to make any progress for the day. We found a nice spot by the river to stop for lunch before heading to Mt Washington to ride the auto road.
Back to my story... This guy Barry told us to ride up the mountain. There is a sign before you enter that warns you about sharp turns, steep grades, no guard rails, and basically everything that could be wrong with a road. It is also a 5000 foot elevation gain in 7 miles! How could we resist?! We paid to go up the mountain and then got stuck behind (what I am hoping was) the slowest person on the road. I can drive ten mph in first gear with the clutch engaged, and I had to feather the clutch to stay behind this guy. For those of you that don't know motors, it's not good.
We made it slowly, and not so surely (a few times I thought I wouldn't make it). The view from the top was spectacular! Mountains as far as you could see, almost on the same level as the clouds! Apparently having your head in the clouds makes it easy to make friends. A woman from Ukraine walked up to my dad (who was wearing chaps, a vest, and a skull cap), and asked if he was a gypsy. I couldn't believe what she had said because... well because I've never met a gypsy and never thought of my dad as one. Then she said I look like "Russian boy". We took some photos with her and parted ways. She made my day.
The trip back down was almost as frustrating as the way up. Once again stuck behind slow people who don't know how to use lower gears to slow down their cars. This leads to burning breaks which has a heinous smell. Two people we got stuck behind would come to a complete stop every time a car would pass them going the other direction... It's a two lane road.
The trip up and down the mountain could have been made better by getting rid of some of the drivers. Given the choice, I would rather ride the mountain than not.
Then we found a KOA, met some neighbors, took showers, went in a hot tub :), and then made spaghetti for dinner. My dad wanted a rematch at horseshoes, but I don't want to ruin my one game winning streak! We played cribbage instead. Now, as it always is when I finish writing, it is past my bed time.
Bye now, LB
If you have read all my posts, you should remember one about a few guys we met at a motel a while back. While trading stories and chatting with them, one of them told us about a place called Mount Washington. It's the highest point in the US this side of the Mississippi River (and a great road). He said we had to go ride it, and we did. First, let me back up.
When we talked to the ranger yesterday, he told us that it would be closed for a bike race until 1:30pm. We were pretty close to the mountain already, and didn't want to wait around all morning. We took the scenic route through White Mountain National Park to see what we could see (nature and covered bridges were on the agenda). Unfortunately the covered bridges were quite a trek that wasn't about to happen if we wanted to make any progress for the day. We found a nice spot by the river to stop for lunch before heading to Mt Washington to ride the auto road.
Back to my story... This guy Barry told us to ride up the mountain. There is a sign before you enter that warns you about sharp turns, steep grades, no guard rails, and basically everything that could be wrong with a road. It is also a 5000 foot elevation gain in 7 miles! How could we resist?! We paid to go up the mountain and then got stuck behind (what I am hoping was) the slowest person on the road. I can drive ten mph in first gear with the clutch engaged, and I had to feather the clutch to stay behind this guy. For those of you that don't know motors, it's not good.
We made it slowly, and not so surely (a few times I thought I wouldn't make it). The view from the top was spectacular! Mountains as far as you could see, almost on the same level as the clouds! Apparently having your head in the clouds makes it easy to make friends. A woman from Ukraine walked up to my dad (who was wearing chaps, a vest, and a skull cap), and asked if he was a gypsy. I couldn't believe what she had said because... well because I've never met a gypsy and never thought of my dad as one. Then she said I look like "Russian boy". We took some photos with her and parted ways. She made my day.
The trip back down was almost as frustrating as the way up. Once again stuck behind slow people who don't know how to use lower gears to slow down their cars. This leads to burning breaks which has a heinous smell. Two people we got stuck behind would come to a complete stop every time a car would pass them going the other direction... It's a two lane road.
The trip up and down the mountain could have been made better by getting rid of some of the drivers. Given the choice, I would rather ride the mountain than not.
Then we found a KOA, met some neighbors, took showers, went in a hot tub :), and then made spaghetti for dinner. My dad wanted a rematch at horseshoes, but I don't want to ruin my one game winning streak! We played cribbage instead. Now, as it always is when I finish writing, it is past my bed time.
Bye now, LB
Day 26
Day 26; Middleboro Massachusetts to Conway New Hampshire
Today was the best weather we have had all trip long! It didn't rain, and it didn't get above 85 degrees! We road north through Boston (awesome looking city), but you have to be careful looking around. The roads are not exactly will maintained (giant pot holes everywhere).
We rode across some cool looking bridges as we passed through New Hampshire, Maine, and back into New Hampshire. One river in particular was really cool to cross because we could see the bridge for I95 off to our left. Most of today was on state highways which made for a fun, curvy day of riding. Granted or day today was much shorter than others (200ish miles), it felt like it should have been longer. In that short distance however, we saw a lot of beautiful scenery! I also keep noticing all these cars and motorcycles for sale that I want to buy. One place in particular had about 20 cards on the lot from before the 1960's! I chose to ride on so I wouldn't get too attached. Anyway, back to the scenery.
Lakes, rivers and forested areas are in abundance in the North East. One of our gas stops turned into a rest area when we noticed a creek running right behind it. We ducked into the shade trees next to it and had a cold drink and snacks. As ephemeral as it was, I was extremely refreshed afterward. We hit highway 16 there, and rode it north until we hit traffic.
Luckily, there was an information Center for White Mountain National Forest at the next turn off. Rather than sit in traffic, we chose to check out the visitor center. The ranger there brought out multiple maps to show us where we could go. (His station emblem on the map was a ranger with his hands on his hips). On every map, he showed us where the station was, told us that was him, and put his hands on his hips. It was pretty entertaining.
Mount Washington (supposedly a great ride) is closed for the first part of tomorrow, and we weren't about to start it tonight, so we found a camping site in the national park and mapped out what we want to check out in the morning as we had dinner.
We created a new dish, made of fish. And scallops, and shrimp, and haddock, and onion rings. All of these things mixed with a cheese pasta created our spin on lobster mac and cheese (very popular near the Atlantic). I like to call it a Mac Medley and it turned out pretty good. Then came our biggest challenge of the day.
We are in bear country now, and that means keeping our food out of a bear belly so it can go in our own. We had to hang the food and smellable items in a tree. We tired a rock on the end of a rope, threw it over a tree branch, and tired our food to it. As we hoisted the bags, the branch broke and came crashing down. It took us a few more tries to get the food up, but it's still not that high. For this reason, my dad fashioned a redneck alarm system out of metal cups. Bear tries to get food, good moves rope, rope jingles cups, hopefully bear gets scared and runs off. If not, I wake up, grab my knife (combat style) and try to scare it off. The knife only makes me feel like I have a fighting chance...
Now we are both writing our posts next to our campfire before we turn in for the night and it is relaxing.
Bye now, LB
Today was the best weather we have had all trip long! It didn't rain, and it didn't get above 85 degrees! We road north through Boston (awesome looking city), but you have to be careful looking around. The roads are not exactly will maintained (giant pot holes everywhere).
We rode across some cool looking bridges as we passed through New Hampshire, Maine, and back into New Hampshire. One river in particular was really cool to cross because we could see the bridge for I95 off to our left. Most of today was on state highways which made for a fun, curvy day of riding. Granted or day today was much shorter than others (200ish miles), it felt like it should have been longer. In that short distance however, we saw a lot of beautiful scenery! I also keep noticing all these cars and motorcycles for sale that I want to buy. One place in particular had about 20 cards on the lot from before the 1960's! I chose to ride on so I wouldn't get too attached. Anyway, back to the scenery.
Lakes, rivers and forested areas are in abundance in the North East. One of our gas stops turned into a rest area when we noticed a creek running right behind it. We ducked into the shade trees next to it and had a cold drink and snacks. As ephemeral as it was, I was extremely refreshed afterward. We hit highway 16 there, and rode it north until we hit traffic.
Luckily, there was an information Center for White Mountain National Forest at the next turn off. Rather than sit in traffic, we chose to check out the visitor center. The ranger there brought out multiple maps to show us where we could go. (His station emblem on the map was a ranger with his hands on his hips). On every map, he showed us where the station was, told us that was him, and put his hands on his hips. It was pretty entertaining.
Mount Washington (supposedly a great ride) is closed for the first part of tomorrow, and we weren't about to start it tonight, so we found a camping site in the national park and mapped out what we want to check out in the morning as we had dinner.
We created a new dish, made of fish. And scallops, and shrimp, and haddock, and onion rings. All of these things mixed with a cheese pasta created our spin on lobster mac and cheese (very popular near the Atlantic). I like to call it a Mac Medley and it turned out pretty good. Then came our biggest challenge of the day.
We are in bear country now, and that means keeping our food out of a bear belly so it can go in our own. We had to hang the food and smellable items in a tree. We tired a rock on the end of a rope, threw it over a tree branch, and tired our food to it. As we hoisted the bags, the branch broke and came crashing down. It took us a few more tries to get the food up, but it's still not that high. For this reason, my dad fashioned a redneck alarm system out of metal cups. Bear tries to get food, good moves rope, rope jingles cups, hopefully bear gets scared and runs off. If not, I wake up, grab my knife (combat style) and try to scare it off. The knife only makes me feel like I have a fighting chance...
Now we are both writing our posts next to our campfire before we turn in for the night and it is relaxing.
Bye now, LB
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Day 25
Day 25; still in Middleboro Massachusetts
We didn't use an alarm today! Just slept until we woke up naturally, and it felt great! Today was easily our laziest day. We had donuts (from dunking donuts) for breakfast and headed out to Cape Cod.
On our way out of the KOA, we stopped to ask about good places to eat lunch. One lady told us about this"great place", but she couldn't remember the name of it. She told us to go ask her husband (he was in their car) because he would remember. Sure enough he did; is called Lindsey's. When the lady heard it, she told us that she should have remembered because that's her grand daughters name! Anyway, we headed on our way.
Before lunch we headed eat to Plymouth rock. Just so you all know, the rock itself is not very impressive. The town on the other hand is a blast from the past! There is so much history packed into such a small area. The people at the visitors center were extremely helpful and fun to talk to. One of them asked where we are from and then proceeded to tell us that she can always tell who's from California. She says we are always so happy and fun. When we brought up lunch plans, the other lady chimed in telling us how good Lindsey's is. Then we walked around Plymouth to check out everything before making our way to the Cape.
The ride down there was wonderful, and Lindsey's was easy enough to find. We both are on the see food diet; we see food and we eat it! But seriously, we both got sea food dishesthat we couldn't finish (even though it was good).
Stuffed from lunch, it started to feel like nap time to us. Being on Cape Cod made it extremely easy for us to find a nice beach to lie down on for a while. Our nap lasted an hour, and then we rode back to the KOA. Don't think our day was over yet.
My dad noticed that the campground has horseshoe pits and challenged me to a game. All I'll say is that tonight was my lucky night! Then we changed into our swim suits to go relax in the heated pool (I think the heater is broken).
Ps, it hasn't rained on us yet today! But it's supposed to tonight, so we will see how it goes.
Bye now, LB
We didn't use an alarm today! Just slept until we woke up naturally, and it felt great! Today was easily our laziest day. We had donuts (from dunking donuts) for breakfast and headed out to Cape Cod.
On our way out of the KOA, we stopped to ask about good places to eat lunch. One lady told us about this"great place", but she couldn't remember the name of it. She told us to go ask her husband (he was in their car) because he would remember. Sure enough he did; is called Lindsey's. When the lady heard it, she told us that she should have remembered because that's her grand daughters name! Anyway, we headed on our way.
Before lunch we headed eat to Plymouth rock. Just so you all know, the rock itself is not very impressive. The town on the other hand is a blast from the past! There is so much history packed into such a small area. The people at the visitors center were extremely helpful and fun to talk to. One of them asked where we are from and then proceeded to tell us that she can always tell who's from California. She says we are always so happy and fun. When we brought up lunch plans, the other lady chimed in telling us how good Lindsey's is. Then we walked around Plymouth to check out everything before making our way to the Cape.
The ride down there was wonderful, and Lindsey's was easy enough to find. We both are on the see food diet; we see food and we eat it! But seriously, we both got sea food dishesthat we couldn't finish (even though it was good).
Stuffed from lunch, it started to feel like nap time to us. Being on Cape Cod made it extremely easy for us to find a nice beach to lie down on for a while. Our nap lasted an hour, and then we rode back to the KOA. Don't think our day was over yet.
My dad noticed that the campground has horseshoe pits and challenged me to a game. All I'll say is that tonight was my lucky night! Then we changed into our swim suits to go relax in the heated pool (I think the heater is broken).
Ps, it hasn't rained on us yet today! But it's supposed to tonight, so we will see how it goes.
Bye now, LB
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Day 24
Day 24; Edison New Jersey to Middleboro Massachusetts
We didn't get to bed by the time we thought we would (again), so we slept in until 7 to make up for it. We got on the road before 9, and headed north through New York, Connecticut, and into Massachusetts. Our ride was perfect! Plenty of sunshine, 85 degrees, and a light sprinkle at the beginning. We got through to lunch with no problems (except that we missed the New Jersey sign).
We thought we missed New York and Connecticut too, but fate had other plans. We stopped at a gas station a little before noon to fill up the bikes. Wouldn't you know it, the New York sign was staring us right in the face! A sign for Connecticut was right behind us. Seriously could not have been better placement! We took pictures there and chose to eat lunch while we were there because we were hungry (we skipped breakfast).
After lunch, it continued to be a beautiful day of riding except for one spot. The clouds started to look daunting. From experience, I have learned it's better to put rain gear on before it starts raining. We weren't fortunate today... The downpour started before we could get off the highway and we were completely soaked (my clothes gained a few pounds) by the time we got to a good spot to change.
We were making our way back to the highway when a car came passed us fast enough to launched most of the water out of a small lake (puddle) onto my dad. He was a good sport about it though. Once we made it back on the highway, the clouds had disappeared. Within a matter of only a few minutes, there was enough rain to flood streets and make the clouds disappear. I'm pretty sure the whole cloud decided to come down at once.
The weather then decided to give us a break until we made it to camp and got set up. We made pasta for dinner, and sat in the rain as we ate it. What's the worst that could happen, we get more wet? Impossible! :)
Now I'm sitting under the protection of my tent as it pours around me, not wanting to leave for the rest of the night.
Bye now, LB
We didn't get to bed by the time we thought we would (again), so we slept in until 7 to make up for it. We got on the road before 9, and headed north through New York, Connecticut, and into Massachusetts. Our ride was perfect! Plenty of sunshine, 85 degrees, and a light sprinkle at the beginning. We got through to lunch with no problems (except that we missed the New Jersey sign).
We thought we missed New York and Connecticut too, but fate had other plans. We stopped at a gas station a little before noon to fill up the bikes. Wouldn't you know it, the New York sign was staring us right in the face! A sign for Connecticut was right behind us. Seriously could not have been better placement! We took pictures there and chose to eat lunch while we were there because we were hungry (we skipped breakfast).
After lunch, it continued to be a beautiful day of riding except for one spot. The clouds started to look daunting. From experience, I have learned it's better to put rain gear on before it starts raining. We weren't fortunate today... The downpour started before we could get off the highway and we were completely soaked (my clothes gained a few pounds) by the time we got to a good spot to change.
We were making our way back to the highway when a car came passed us fast enough to launched most of the water out of a small lake (puddle) onto my dad. He was a good sport about it though. Once we made it back on the highway, the clouds had disappeared. Within a matter of only a few minutes, there was enough rain to flood streets and make the clouds disappear. I'm pretty sure the whole cloud decided to come down at once.
The weather then decided to give us a break until we made it to camp and got set up. We made pasta for dinner, and sat in the rain as we ate it. What's the worst that could happen, we get more wet? Impossible! :)
Now I'm sitting under the protection of my tent as it pours around me, not wanting to leave for the rest of the night.
Bye now, LB
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Day 23
Day 23; day trip into New York
We rode the train! It was a 30 minute drive to the train station from our hotel, and another 40 minutes into New York from there. We visited ground zero for the September 11th attack where there now stands a monument in its memory. There is a museum being built on that spot, and there are two memorials where the twin towers once stood. They are beautiful fountains that sink into the ground (like a pool) with names of people who died engraved in metal around them.
On another note, we are tourists. What kind of tourists would we be if we didn't go to the statue of liberty and Ellis Island? We took the fairy over to liberty island and partook in the self guided tour (they give out recordings that talk about the island and lady liberty). I learned that the statue's copper is only 3/32 of an inch thick! That's the same as two pennies! I also learned that she was designed to move in the high winds that run through the bay.
I find it peculiar that on the day of her revealing, women were not permitted to go see it. Women not able to go to the revealing of a woman statue that stands for liberty and freedom makes no sense to me. Women protested this by hiring boats to take them in circles around the island.
There was a medical emergency while we were visiting the island which is unfortunate, but that meant a helicopter rescue unit had to fly to the island! I got a great video of the helicopter landing on the lawn as well as a great view of a hat that had flown off someone's head from the high winds. The hat must have been 25 feet off the ground. There were napkins from the lemonade stand taking flight as well as people running away from the helicopter because of the high wind. I kept getting closer so I could have a good video :)
Then we went over to Ellis Island to see the place that my great grandparents came into this country. The island was expanded many times in stages in order to keep up with the ever-increasing immigration to the United States. There would be 5000 new immigrants at Ellis Island every day trying to start a new life.
Eventually we worked our way to Wall streetand got ice cream comes before heading back to our hotel for a little nap (4 hours). We had snacks for dinner and mapped out our next few days of the trip. Now that it's almost 2am we finally know where we are going and are getting ready for bed.
Much love, LB
We rode the train! It was a 30 minute drive to the train station from our hotel, and another 40 minutes into New York from there. We visited ground zero for the September 11th attack where there now stands a monument in its memory. There is a museum being built on that spot, and there are two memorials where the twin towers once stood. They are beautiful fountains that sink into the ground (like a pool) with names of people who died engraved in metal around them.
On another note, we are tourists. What kind of tourists would we be if we didn't go to the statue of liberty and Ellis Island? We took the fairy over to liberty island and partook in the self guided tour (they give out recordings that talk about the island and lady liberty). I learned that the statue's copper is only 3/32 of an inch thick! That's the same as two pennies! I also learned that she was designed to move in the high winds that run through the bay.
I find it peculiar that on the day of her revealing, women were not permitted to go see it. Women not able to go to the revealing of a woman statue that stands for liberty and freedom makes no sense to me. Women protested this by hiring boats to take them in circles around the island.
There was a medical emergency while we were visiting the island which is unfortunate, but that meant a helicopter rescue unit had to fly to the island! I got a great video of the helicopter landing on the lawn as well as a great view of a hat that had flown off someone's head from the high winds. The hat must have been 25 feet off the ground. There were napkins from the lemonade stand taking flight as well as people running away from the helicopter because of the high wind. I kept getting closer so I could have a good video :)
Then we went over to Ellis Island to see the place that my great grandparents came into this country. The island was expanded many times in stages in order to keep up with the ever-increasing immigration to the United States. There would be 5000 new immigrants at Ellis Island every day trying to start a new life.
Eventually we worked our way to Wall streetand got ice cream comes before heading back to our hotel for a little nap (4 hours). We had snacks for dinner and mapped out our next few days of the trip. Now that it's almost 2am we finally know where we are going and are getting ready for bed.
Much love, LB
Monday, July 6, 2015
Day 22
Day 22; DC MD to Edison NJ
My dad's roommate made us pancakes and bacon with banana bread, and it was good! Then we packed up and headed out so he could go to work. We had the best day of riding since we started the trip with respect to weather. It sprinkled a bit, but at least it was cool and we didn't get terribly drenched.
We worked or way into Philadelphia Pennsylvania where I got a new tire and oil change for my motorcycle. While we were waiting for the work to be done, we had to find the best Philly cheese steak in Philadelphia. One of the guys at the shop recommended pats, but my dad heard Geno's was the best. Turns out they are across the street from one another and are the two best places to get cheese steaks.
My dad and I split one from each place to determine which is actually the best. (Drum roll please) Pat's is the original cheese steak created in 1930; however, Geno's hot sauce (which is very hot) brought there sandwich up a level. Both places had fantastic tasting bread rolls, and provolone. The steak at Pat's was thicker and treated good, but Geno's steak was more tender. The best in Philly (according to my dad and I) is Geno's. Fortunately for me, I still think my hometown cheese steak is the best. (I'm probably biased)
After lunch, we went to go see the liberty bell, Betsy Ross's house (woman who sewed the first American flag), Benjamin Franklin's gave, Efereths street (the oldest inhabited street in America), and independence hall. All of these places were pretty cool. I think it is a little bit unnecessary for there to be so much security in that area though. We had to go through security to get to the liberty bell, but it wasn't good enough to keep weapons out. Not to mention that a weapon inside that building would cause any more damage outside of it...
Then we went back to the dealership to pick up my bike and head north toward New York. We made it all the way to Edison New Jersey. Tomorrow is going to be full of new experiences, and I need my energy. Bye for now.
Much love, LB
My dad's roommate made us pancakes and bacon with banana bread, and it was good! Then we packed up and headed out so he could go to work. We had the best day of riding since we started the trip with respect to weather. It sprinkled a bit, but at least it was cool and we didn't get terribly drenched.
We worked or way into Philadelphia Pennsylvania where I got a new tire and oil change for my motorcycle. While we were waiting for the work to be done, we had to find the best Philly cheese steak in Philadelphia. One of the guys at the shop recommended pats, but my dad heard Geno's was the best. Turns out they are across the street from one another and are the two best places to get cheese steaks.
My dad and I split one from each place to determine which is actually the best. (Drum roll please) Pat's is the original cheese steak created in 1930; however, Geno's hot sauce (which is very hot) brought there sandwich up a level. Both places had fantastic tasting bread rolls, and provolone. The steak at Pat's was thicker and treated good, but Geno's steak was more tender. The best in Philly (according to my dad and I) is Geno's. Fortunately for me, I still think my hometown cheese steak is the best. (I'm probably biased)
After lunch, we went to go see the liberty bell, Betsy Ross's house (woman who sewed the first American flag), Benjamin Franklin's gave, Efereths street (the oldest inhabited street in America), and independence hall. All of these places were pretty cool. I think it is a little bit unnecessary for there to be so much security in that area though. We had to go through security to get to the liberty bell, but it wasn't good enough to keep weapons out. Not to mention that a weapon inside that building would cause any more damage outside of it...
Then we went back to the dealership to pick up my bike and head north toward New York. We made it all the way to Edison New Jersey. Tomorrow is going to be full of new experiences, and I need my energy. Bye for now.
Much love, LB
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Day 21
Day 21; still in DC
Our hosts graciously made breakfast for us this morning, (eggs, potatoes, muffins etc.) And it was great! Then we took care of some household items before heading out to the air and space museum!
It's a gigantic museum that's basically a large hangar filed with airplanes, helicopters, and space crafts. The Enola Gay (airplane that dropped the first atomic bomb) was there along with all manners of things that fly. The museum also has the Discovery (most utilized space shuttle in the space program) that completed 39 missions in its years of service. In the room next to the shuttle, is a work shop where the crafts are resurrected from the grave to be put on display.
After spending a few hours there, we went back to the house to get ready for the Giants vs Nationals game. Unfortunately we didn't win, but there is a bright side. The Nationals stadium sells chili dogs! I couldn't believe it when I realized that Miami doesn't have chili dogs because that's what I eat every time I go to a game (sometimes two). Needless to say dinner was good. The game was well played and the fans were fun to mess around with.
Now it's time for bed because I'm getting up in 5 hours for our next adventure
Much love, LB
Our hosts graciously made breakfast for us this morning, (eggs, potatoes, muffins etc.) And it was great! Then we took care of some household items before heading out to the air and space museum!
It's a gigantic museum that's basically a large hangar filed with airplanes, helicopters, and space crafts. The Enola Gay (airplane that dropped the first atomic bomb) was there along with all manners of things that fly. The museum also has the Discovery (most utilized space shuttle in the space program) that completed 39 missions in its years of service. In the room next to the shuttle, is a work shop where the crafts are resurrected from the grave to be put on display.
After spending a few hours there, we went back to the house to get ready for the Giants vs Nationals game. Unfortunately we didn't win, but there is a bright side. The Nationals stadium sells chili dogs! I couldn't believe it when I realized that Miami doesn't have chili dogs because that's what I eat every time I go to a game (sometimes two). Needless to say dinner was good. The game was well played and the fans were fun to mess around with.
Now it's time for bed because I'm getting up in 5 hours for our next adventure
Much love, LB
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Day 20
Day 20; Lexington WV to DC Maryland
We got up around 8 thinking we had plenty of time to get to DC, boy were we wrong! If we had taken the interstate, or ride would have been 3 to 4 hours. We took the path less traveled over the Blue Ridge Mountainsand through Shenandoah national park. It was 100 miles of beautiful scenery and winding roads! (Highly recommend this road)
While riding I discovered a few things that had not fully occurred to me before... first of all, I no longer think Californians are the worst drivers. There was a 35 mph speed limit that many cars were struggling to go (I dislike slow drivers that don't use turnouts to let people pass). My dad and I may (or may not) have done some questionable maneuvers regarding the laws about passing.
The second thing I discovered, is that the road signs with a squiggly arrow and a suggested speed on them don't really mean you need to slow down for the turns (at least for motorcyclists). What it means for motorcyclists is "fun road ahead, X number of miles". We hit a few of these and the new interpretation worked for every single one.
There were so many overlooks throughout the day that it was difficult to choose one for lunch; however, I think we got the right one. As we ate our sandwiches, we looked out upon miles and miles of tree covered mountains with the clouds shading the ones further out. It was the perfect temperature with crisp mountain air after a rain storm. Then came yet another rain storm.
We ran into some wet weather after lunch. It felt like we were riding through the clouds at first. The clouds got thicker and thicker until we were riding through a downpour. Luckily, as the day went on, the rain became lighterand eventually stopped altogether.
We are staying with one of my dad's college roommates and his wife for a couple nights as we roam around our nations capital, before continuing north toward New York. After getting into some dry clothes, my dad and I went to the reflecting pool (by the WWII monument) to see the fireworks show (it was awesome). Then we went back to the house and passed out. Our 3 to 4 hour dayn had become a 16 hour day and I was exhausted!
For those that are interested, we have now gone through 20 states in 20 days. Happy independence day, and God bless the USA!
Much love, LB
We are staying with one of my dad's college roommates and his wife for a couple nights as we roam around our nations capital, before continuing north toward New York. After getting into some dry clothes, my dad and I went to the reflecting pool (by the WWII monument) to see the fireworks show (it was awesome). Then we went back to the house and passed out. Our 3 to 4 hour dayn had become a 16 hour day and I was exhausted!
For those that are interested, we have now gone through 20 states in 20 days. Happy independence day, and God bless the USA!
Much love, LB
Friday, July 3, 2015
Day 19
Day 19; Dillard GA to Lexington Virginia
Fried chicken and ham for breakfast, Rode through a storm, Hardee's for lunch, waited out the storm. Rode through part of it in a t shirt, went through north Carolina and Tennessee to get to Virginia, met cool biker dudes from Washington DC
You all know the morning drill by now. Got up, had fried chicken and ham for breakfast, and got on the road. Most of the morning we were racing a storm. We rode just ahead of it for most of the morning, only getting rained on a little bit. At least until the smokey mountain national forest. It got its name because of the hazy fog that comes from the conifer trees. The leaves release what's called terpenes that produce a dense fog that covers the mountains. We didn't get many photos because we were getting rained on throughout the mountain road. Then we got a little reprieve from the weather until lunch time.
When we stopped for lunch, we checked the radar to see how big the storm was. Radar wasn't promising and neither was the weather just outside of Hardee's. The rain was more like a down poor,(could have made good time on jet skis) so I came up with a little spin off an old song I know.
It's raining is pouring, we both should still be snoring... go the hell away, and don't come back another day. After singing this a few times the rain actually stopped. That's when I took off my rain coat to cool down. Of course it started raining again when we started down the road. I got pretty cold when my shirt got soaked, but I was determined to keep moving forward. It seemed like the rain clouds were trying to keep us wet because we always headed for the darkest grey clouds... I now know all 50 shades of grey and I haven't read the book or seen the movie!
Eventually we got out from under the rain clouds and hauled some serious butt to get to Lexington for the night. This is the most expensive motel 6 I have ever been to, but I'm glad we stopped here for the night. Just as we were finishing up moving all our stuff from the motorcycles to our room, a few more bikers showed up. We started chatting about our trip and their experiences on the road. We talked for a few hours and I had a few beers with them as we conversed.
Overall it was a wet, but good day of riding. The smokey mountains are a fun ride.
Much love, LB
Fried chicken and ham for breakfast, Rode through a storm, Hardee's for lunch, waited out the storm. Rode through part of it in a t shirt, went through north Carolina and Tennessee to get to Virginia, met cool biker dudes from Washington DC
You all know the morning drill by now. Got up, had fried chicken and ham for breakfast, and got on the road. Most of the morning we were racing a storm. We rode just ahead of it for most of the morning, only getting rained on a little bit. At least until the smokey mountain national forest. It got its name because of the hazy fog that comes from the conifer trees. The leaves release what's called terpenes that produce a dense fog that covers the mountains. We didn't get many photos because we were getting rained on throughout the mountain road. Then we got a little reprieve from the weather until lunch time.
When we stopped for lunch, we checked the radar to see how big the storm was. Radar wasn't promising and neither was the weather just outside of Hardee's. The rain was more like a down poor,(could have made good time on jet skis) so I came up with a little spin off an old song I know.
It's raining is pouring, we both should still be snoring... go the hell away, and don't come back another day. After singing this a few times the rain actually stopped. That's when I took off my rain coat to cool down. Of course it started raining again when we started down the road. I got pretty cold when my shirt got soaked, but I was determined to keep moving forward. It seemed like the rain clouds were trying to keep us wet because we always headed for the darkest grey clouds... I now know all 50 shades of grey and I haven't read the book or seen the movie!
Eventually we got out from under the rain clouds and hauled some serious butt to get to Lexington for the night. This is the most expensive motel 6 I have ever been to, but I'm glad we stopped here for the night. Just as we were finishing up moving all our stuff from the motorcycles to our room, a few more bikers showed up. We started chatting about our trip and their experiences on the road. We talked for a few hours and I had a few beers with them as we conversed.
Overall it was a wet, but good day of riding. The smokey mountains are a fun ride.
Much love, LB
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Day 18, this is a good day to read about
Day 18; Kingsland GA to Dillard's GA.
Dillard's House=awesome (we will get to that)
Like I said in yesterday's post, last night was perfect sleeping weather. Dad and I woke up refreshed and well rested (didn't even take a mid day break, aka nap). We had yogurt and cheese for breakfast as we adjusted our route for the day. The first half of the day went by crazy fast! The first stretch we rode 130 miles in what felt like half an hour. The second stretch went by quickly too. Lunch; however, was a turning point for the day.
We found a nice shade tree off the highway and decided to eat among the trees. We made our usual sandwiches, got some sodas, and got fat :) I had some skittles left over from a previous stop (I had never seen a green bag of skittles before, so I had to buy them) and dad picked up some cheetos from the store a couple days ago.
Here's where today's journey gets good... THUNDER STORM! On a recommendation through Facebook, we changed or route to go to Dillard's house for dinner, and our new direction lead us to some fun. As we approached the storm, my dad got me on coms and suggested we find a gas station to pull into so we could fill up and get our rain gear on. Not finding any, I chose to continuedown the road until (all of a sudden) we were getting dumped on. We raced to cover our bags and ourselves from the rain before continuing.
Here's where today's journey gets great... Sore from today's ride, we finally got to Dillard's House! (Second turning point of the day). We walked in, and were instantly taken care of. We chatted with some of the ladies about our trip (specifically about our day in the rain) as we got situated with a room. Tonight's dinner and tomorrow's breakfast were/are held in a beautiful dining hall, and dinner itself made staying here worth it. My stomach is quite a bit larger than it was before dinner. It's a southern, family style dinner that includes red potatoes, sweet potatoes, cooked carrots, deep fried okra, creamed corn, chicken fried steak, corn bread muffins, ham, cabbage with cheese, and fried chicken. If that wasn't enough, there was strawberry cobbler for dessert, mmmm :)
After dinner we went back to our room and out on the back porch in the rocking chairs where we enjoyed a marvelous view of the mountains. When thesun set, we started enjoying the show the fireflies put on for us. Little flying lights out in the bushes, and some so close you could touch them. I want to give a shout out to my friend for telling us about this rejuvenating piece of history, and a thank you to the hostesses for accepting us when we walked inside in our rain gear and wet clothes. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED :D
Much love, LB
Dillard's House=awesome (we will get to that)
Like I said in yesterday's post, last night was perfect sleeping weather. Dad and I woke up refreshed and well rested (didn't even take a mid day break, aka nap). We had yogurt and cheese for breakfast as we adjusted our route for the day. The first half of the day went by crazy fast! The first stretch we rode 130 miles in what felt like half an hour. The second stretch went by quickly too. Lunch; however, was a turning point for the day.
We found a nice shade tree off the highway and decided to eat among the trees. We made our usual sandwiches, got some sodas, and got fat :) I had some skittles left over from a previous stop (I had never seen a green bag of skittles before, so I had to buy them) and dad picked up some cheetos from the store a couple days ago.
Here's where today's journey gets good... THUNDER STORM! On a recommendation through Facebook, we changed or route to go to Dillard's house for dinner, and our new direction lead us to some fun. As we approached the storm, my dad got me on coms and suggested we find a gas station to pull into so we could fill up and get our rain gear on. Not finding any, I chose to continuedown the road until (all of a sudden) we were getting dumped on. We raced to cover our bags and ourselves from the rain before continuing.
Here's where today's journey gets great... Sore from today's ride, we finally got to Dillard's House! (Second turning point of the day). We walked in, and were instantly taken care of. We chatted with some of the ladies about our trip (specifically about our day in the rain) as we got situated with a room. Tonight's dinner and tomorrow's breakfast were/are held in a beautiful dining hall, and dinner itself made staying here worth it. My stomach is quite a bit larger than it was before dinner. It's a southern, family style dinner that includes red potatoes, sweet potatoes, cooked carrots, deep fried okra, creamed corn, chicken fried steak, corn bread muffins, ham, cabbage with cheese, and fried chicken. If that wasn't enough, there was strawberry cobbler for dessert, mmmm :)
After dinner we went back to our room and out on the back porch in the rocking chairs where we enjoyed a marvelous view of the mountains. When thesun set, we started enjoying the show the fireflies put on for us. Little flying lights out in the bushes, and some so close you could touch them. I want to give a shout out to my friend for telling us about this rejuvenating piece of history, and a thank you to the hostesses for accepting us when we walked inside in our rain gear and wet clothes. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED :D
Much love, LB
Day 17
Day 17; Miami to Kingsland.
There was no reliable wifi, so the post had to wait a day. That makes this the perfect opportunity to say, day 18 was awesome! Check out the post.
We got up pretty early, so dad could return the rental car (I slept in a bit). We packed everything up and headed out for the day. We rode interstate 95 up the Florida coast so we could go through Daytona Beach. Just so happened that we went right past the Daytona international speedway. That place is enormous! We wanted to go a few rounds on the track...they didn't let us in, so we took a few photos and kept moving.
A little while later, we found a great place on the intercoastal waterway in Daytona Beach for lunch. As we ate, we noticed that the fish love the air (or they wanted to catch bugs). Tons of them were jumping the whole time we were eating, and getting some serious height! Then we stopped at the actual beach to check out the... water, check out the water. It's much warmer than the Pacific ocean.
We hit the road again and didn't stop for anything until we found a gas station with (wouldn't you know it on a hot day) a Dairy Queen! Blizzards are amazing when it's ridiculously hot outside. Cookie dough and butter finger are both highly recommended.
Since we had to go over 400 miles, our next real stop was at our campsite just across the Florida/Georgia boarder on the Georgia side. Dad cooked rice with chicken for dinner, we took showers, and then slept in beautiful weather. It was warm enough to sleep without my sleeping bag, but not so warm that we couldn't sleep.
Much love, LB
There was no reliable wifi, so the post had to wait a day. That makes this the perfect opportunity to say, day 18 was awesome! Check out the post.
We got up pretty early, so dad could return the rental car (I slept in a bit). We packed everything up and headed out for the day. We rode interstate 95 up the Florida coast so we could go through Daytona Beach. Just so happened that we went right past the Daytona international speedway. That place is enormous! We wanted to go a few rounds on the track...they didn't let us in, so we took a few photos and kept moving.
A little while later, we found a great place on the intercoastal waterway in Daytona Beach for lunch. As we ate, we noticed that the fish love the air (or they wanted to catch bugs). Tons of them were jumping the whole time we were eating, and getting some serious height! Then we stopped at the actual beach to check out the... water, check out the water. It's much warmer than the Pacific ocean.
We hit the road again and didn't stop for anything until we found a gas station with (wouldn't you know it on a hot day) a Dairy Queen! Blizzards are amazing when it's ridiculously hot outside. Cookie dough and butter finger are both highly recommended.
Since we had to go over 400 miles, our next real stop was at our campsite just across the Florida/Georgia boarder on the Georgia side. Dad cooked rice with chicken for dinner, we took showers, and then slept in beautiful weather. It was warm enough to sleep without my sleeping bag, but not so warm that we couldn't sleep.
Much love, LB
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Day 16
Day 16; day trip to the everglades
I am becoming painfully aware that there is a 3 hour time difference between California and where we are. Every morning is a little bit harder. A 7 o'clock start here is like a 4 o'clock start for me back home. Nonetheless, we got up and moving. My dad needed to replace his back tire and get valve clearances checked, and adjusted. We dropped off his motorcycle at a Honda dealership, and went to get a rental car for the day (air conditioning is one of the best discoveries ever made).
We headed out to the everglades to go exploring and look for alligators, and we found one! He was huge! During this time of year, alligators tend to stay in the shade or in the water to stay cool. The one we found was laying just beneath the catwalk in the shade and half way in the water. We also found a few different kinds of fish, grass hoppers, and turtles (super cool). The grass hoppers were huge as well (as long as my index finger and twice as fat). They didn't fly well...
After the everglades, we went shopping (well dad went shopping, I feel asleep in the car) and bought some supplies to replenish what we had eaten along the way thus far. Then it was time to break out the orange and black for the Giants game. Marlin stadium does not have chili dogs :( however, the pulled pork sandwich was pretty tasty. The Giants played a good game, but the Marlins played a better one (we will get them next time).
USA women's soccer beat Germany! America, f*** yeah! (We saw the parts at the stadium)
We picked up dad's bike after the game and I rode it back to the hotel (because I can't drive the rental). Now it's time to pack up and get ready for tomorrow. Our planned route should take just over ten hours, so I think we will change the plan slightly.
Going into Georgia tomorrow.
Much love, LB
I am becoming painfully aware that there is a 3 hour time difference between California and where we are. Every morning is a little bit harder. A 7 o'clock start here is like a 4 o'clock start for me back home. Nonetheless, we got up and moving. My dad needed to replace his back tire and get valve clearances checked, and adjusted. We dropped off his motorcycle at a Honda dealership, and went to get a rental car for the day (air conditioning is one of the best discoveries ever made).
We headed out to the everglades to go exploring and look for alligators, and we found one! He was huge! During this time of year, alligators tend to stay in the shade or in the water to stay cool. The one we found was laying just beneath the catwalk in the shade and half way in the water. We also found a few different kinds of fish, grass hoppers, and turtles (super cool). The grass hoppers were huge as well (as long as my index finger and twice as fat). They didn't fly well...
After the everglades, we went shopping (well dad went shopping, I feel asleep in the car) and bought some supplies to replenish what we had eaten along the way thus far. Then it was time to break out the orange and black for the Giants game. Marlin stadium does not have chili dogs :( however, the pulled pork sandwich was pretty tasty. The Giants played a good game, but the Marlins played a better one (we will get them next time).
USA women's soccer beat Germany! America, f*** yeah! (We saw the parts at the stadium)
We picked up dad's bike after the game and I rode it back to the hotel (because I can't drive the rental). Now it's time to pack up and get ready for tomorrow. Our planned route should take just over ten hours, so I think we will change the plan slightly.
Going into Georgia tomorrow.
Much love, LB
Monday, June 29, 2015
Day 15
Day 15; or day trip to Key West Florida (the deep south)
We started out our day with complimentary breakfast at our hotel :) We packed up just a few things to take with us. It's amazing how fast the motorcycles take off when you take a bunch of weight off! Today's directions were pretty simple, go south and then go more south until you hit the ocean.
To get there, you need to do key hopping. The highway on the south tip of Florida is over more ocean than it is ground. The original bridges are still standing, but have sections that were taken out to keep people off of them because they are old and frail. I had fun looking over the side of the road down into the water because it's so clear. Granted the water isn't deep there, I could see the ocean bottom and reefs. I also checked out all the mangrove trees growing out of the ocean.
Mangroves are interesting because they are one of the only plants in the world that can grow in the ocean. Normally salt kills plants, but mangroves have a purification system in their bark that keeps out the majority of the salt. Everything that gets through the bark is sent to a few leaves that die, and then fall off the tree taking the salt with them.
My dad and I got to key west and had lunch at Jimmy Buffet's restaurant, Margaritaville. The food was good, but it wasn't as good as the food in New Orleans. The margaritas on the other hand, were freaking delicious! (Best I've ever had). Dad had the house Margarita, and I got a guava one. Mmmmmmm!
I think the Margarita went to my dad's head because he got sucked into something terrible! I don't know how many of you know about Orogold, so I'll explain it a little bit. They sell products that make people look younger such as face creams, exfoliaters, and other things of that nature. One of the ladies workin there gave him a go bag, and then got him to sit down and got (I think of him a little differently now) an eye lift... I don't think he liked it very much, but I thought it was funny :)
I helped get him out of the store and then we headed to the southern most point in America. The line for getting a photo was ridiculously long so we took some photos from further away and now have random people in our pictures (like planned photo bombs), and I think we photo bombed a few people on accident. Oops...
We headed back to the hotel, made dinner and relaxed for a couple hours. Now we need to get some rest because we have a long day tomorrow. GIANTS GAME!!!!!
Much love, LB
We started out our day with complimentary breakfast at our hotel :) We packed up just a few things to take with us. It's amazing how fast the motorcycles take off when you take a bunch of weight off! Today's directions were pretty simple, go south and then go more south until you hit the ocean.
To get there, you need to do key hopping. The highway on the south tip of Florida is over more ocean than it is ground. The original bridges are still standing, but have sections that were taken out to keep people off of them because they are old and frail. I had fun looking over the side of the road down into the water because it's so clear. Granted the water isn't deep there, I could see the ocean bottom and reefs. I also checked out all the mangrove trees growing out of the ocean.
Mangroves are interesting because they are one of the only plants in the world that can grow in the ocean. Normally salt kills plants, but mangroves have a purification system in their bark that keeps out the majority of the salt. Everything that gets through the bark is sent to a few leaves that die, and then fall off the tree taking the salt with them.
My dad and I got to key west and had lunch at Jimmy Buffet's restaurant, Margaritaville. The food was good, but it wasn't as good as the food in New Orleans. The margaritas on the other hand, were freaking delicious! (Best I've ever had). Dad had the house Margarita, and I got a guava one. Mmmmmmm!
I think the Margarita went to my dad's head because he got sucked into something terrible! I don't know how many of you know about Orogold, so I'll explain it a little bit. They sell products that make people look younger such as face creams, exfoliaters, and other things of that nature. One of the ladies workin there gave him a go bag, and then got him to sit down and got (I think of him a little differently now) an eye lift... I don't think he liked it very much, but I thought it was funny :)
I helped get him out of the store and then we headed to the southern most point in America. The line for getting a photo was ridiculously long so we took some photos from further away and now have random people in our pictures (like planned photo bombs), and I think we photo bombed a few people on accident. Oops...
We headed back to the hotel, made dinner and relaxed for a couple hours. Now we need to get some rest because we have a long day tomorrow. GIANTS GAME!!!!!
Much love, LB
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Day 14
Day 14; Crystal Springs Florida to Miami Florida
We have been on the road for two weeks now, and I'm just now starting to go through the day without my bottom hurting. That coupled with the new callus's on my hands is making me a formidable biker!
This morning, I had to sleep a little longer than planned because of our lack of sleep the night before. We left this morning around 9 and went 98 south to 589 east, and then to 75 south. Part of our ride today went through what's called alligator ally. I'm guessing it's called because it's an alligator hang out spot. There was a fence next to the highway designed to keep them off the road. I kept my eyes peeled looking for alligators and I think it may have been successful. As we rode over a bridge, I looked off to my right side into the water and I think I saw a gator nose eyes! I've seen one in Florida before (a few years ago at the pond in front of our hotel), but it's still exciting.
We were riding through more forested areas for the majority of the morning. We stopped for gas around 11:30 and there happened to be an amazing lunch spot...Hooters! Since we skipped breakfast, we decided to have an early lunch.
After that, we had a great time with only a few sprinkles to dampen our day. Lucky for us because every time I looked to the sky, it looked like we were heading for a terrible storm. We kept on looking at storm tracker on dad's phone to see if we needed to put on our rain gear. It was so warm that when we did get sprinkled on, it was a small reprieve from the heat. We are staying in a hotel for a few days as weventure around Florida. Tomorrow we go to key west for lunch in Margaritaville. Should be fun!
Much love, LB
We have been on the road for two weeks now, and I'm just now starting to go through the day without my bottom hurting. That coupled with the new callus's on my hands is making me a formidable biker!
This morning, I had to sleep a little longer than planned because of our lack of sleep the night before. We left this morning around 9 and went 98 south to 589 east, and then to 75 south. Part of our ride today went through what's called alligator ally. I'm guessing it's called because it's an alligator hang out spot. There was a fence next to the highway designed to keep them off the road. I kept my eyes peeled looking for alligators and I think it may have been successful. As we rode over a bridge, I looked off to my right side into the water and I think I saw a gator nose eyes! I've seen one in Florida before (a few years ago at the pond in front of our hotel), but it's still exciting.
We were riding through more forested areas for the majority of the morning. We stopped for gas around 11:30 and there happened to be an amazing lunch spot...Hooters! Since we skipped breakfast, we decided to have an early lunch.
After that, we had a great time with only a few sprinkles to dampen our day. Lucky for us because every time I looked to the sky, it looked like we were heading for a terrible storm. We kept on looking at storm tracker on dad's phone to see if we needed to put on our rain gear. It was so warm that when we did get sprinkled on, it was a small reprieve from the heat. We are staying in a hotel for a few days as weventure around Florida. Tomorrow we go to key west for lunch in Margaritaville. Should be fun!
Much love, LB
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Day 13
Day 13; Panama City Florida to Crystal Springs Florida
Last night was rough. Florida is hot, humid, and impossible to sleep in. For hours last night, my father and I struggled to go to sleep. Around 3am the temperature dropped enough to get some rest. It was raining at 6 when our alarm sounded. Both of us were too tired to get up, so we slept a few more hours. Eventually we got up and moving toward our next destination.
It was 86 degrees when we left at 10am. We took highway 20 to 267 and then 98 all the way down to Crystal Springs (with a few breaks). We are running low on lunch items, but we had some snacks and salami. Ritz bits with salami is basically the same as cheese, crackers, and salami (a bit less healthy), so that's what we ate.
We almost took the wrong highway after lunch, but we realized it soon enough to make a simple course correction to go through a few national forests on our way deeper into Florida. Since we got almost no sleep last night, we weren't interested in having another night of struggles. That's why we got a hotel for the night and then went out to dinner.
The restaurant is Cody's roadhouse and it is delicious!!! Dad and I both got half a rack of ribs and half of a rotisserie chicken with sides and Cody's original BBQ sauce. Apparently there are 15 in Florida... would it kill them to put one in California? The food was so good that if I ever had to move to Florida, I would do it with minimal complaining (even though the bugs here are terrible).
Hopefully we can get some rest tonight because we had off to Miami tomorrow for a few days. It's going to be a fun few days, so stayed tuned!
Much love, LB
Last night was rough. Florida is hot, humid, and impossible to sleep in. For hours last night, my father and I struggled to go to sleep. Around 3am the temperature dropped enough to get some rest. It was raining at 6 when our alarm sounded. Both of us were too tired to get up, so we slept a few more hours. Eventually we got up and moving toward our next destination.
It was 86 degrees when we left at 10am. We took highway 20 to 267 and then 98 all the way down to Crystal Springs (with a few breaks). We are running low on lunch items, but we had some snacks and salami. Ritz bits with salami is basically the same as cheese, crackers, and salami (a bit less healthy), so that's what we ate.
We almost took the wrong highway after lunch, but we realized it soon enough to make a simple course correction to go through a few national forests on our way deeper into Florida. Since we got almost no sleep last night, we weren't interested in having another night of struggles. That's why we got a hotel for the night and then went out to dinner.
The restaurant is Cody's roadhouse and it is delicious!!! Dad and I both got half a rack of ribs and half of a rotisserie chicken with sides and Cody's original BBQ sauce. Apparently there are 15 in Florida... would it kill them to put one in California? The food was so good that if I ever had to move to Florida, I would do it with minimal complaining (even though the bugs here are terrible).
Hopefully we can get some rest tonight because we had off to Miami tomorrow for a few days. It's going to be a fun few days, so stayed tuned!
Much love, LB
Friday, June 26, 2015
Day 12
Day 12; New Orleans Louisiana to Panama City Florida
So there is something I forgot to mention yesterday. You know it's bad when you can dodge the bugs coming at you...because that means they are big enough to see while cruising 65 or 70 miles per hour. My father and I had been riding to New Orleans across a very rural part of the country. It was pretty warm again, so I decided to lose my leather vest (leaving my upper body exposed).
Looking at burn piles and huge tractors occupied most of my time while riding until one moment... THUMP!!! What looked like the flying version of a cockroach smacked me in the chest so hard my dad heard it through our intercom system! I said ouch, and my dad started laughing. As I told him what it was he started laughing so hard, I thought he would fall off his motorcycle! Turns out he saw the bug coming toward him, over his windshield and heard it hit me. I was then on the lookout for more flying hazards.
Now for today's journey... We started out pretty early because we were parked in two hour parking overnight at the St. Pierre hotel (had to leave before the meter maids came around). We loaded up, and took some video of the French Quarter before finding I10 where we spent most of our day. We rode through Mississippi and Alabama to get into Florida making stops only for gas and lunch. We ate or last bread rolls yesterday, so we had subway for a quick lunch in Alabama. (Gas was only $2.43 per gallon!).
We hit some traffic shortly after lunch due to a crash. There was a semi off the road along with four other cars and a few emergency vehicles. I kept on turning my bike on and off to avoid overheating (worked like a charm). We ran into a few other traffic problems, but nothing serious. We took highway 90 to 98 in order to avoid the interstates.
We made it into camp pretty early today, so we decided to go swimming in the pool, take showers, and cook pasta with salmon for dinner. While cooking dinner, a large branch came crashing down from the trees landing a few feet away from our tent. Hopefully the tree next to us wants to hold on to the rest of its branches tonight. Now is time to go to sleep and I think it's hotter now than it was earlier today. Hopefully I can get some rest tonight (didn't sleep much last night).
Much love, LB
So there is something I forgot to mention yesterday. You know it's bad when you can dodge the bugs coming at you...because that means they are big enough to see while cruising 65 or 70 miles per hour. My father and I had been riding to New Orleans across a very rural part of the country. It was pretty warm again, so I decided to lose my leather vest (leaving my upper body exposed).
Looking at burn piles and huge tractors occupied most of my time while riding until one moment... THUMP!!! What looked like the flying version of a cockroach smacked me in the chest so hard my dad heard it through our intercom system! I said ouch, and my dad started laughing. As I told him what it was he started laughing so hard, I thought he would fall off his motorcycle! Turns out he saw the bug coming toward him, over his windshield and heard it hit me. I was then on the lookout for more flying hazards.
Now for today's journey... We started out pretty early because we were parked in two hour parking overnight at the St. Pierre hotel (had to leave before the meter maids came around). We loaded up, and took some video of the French Quarter before finding I10 where we spent most of our day. We rode through Mississippi and Alabama to get into Florida making stops only for gas and lunch. We ate or last bread rolls yesterday, so we had subway for a quick lunch in Alabama. (Gas was only $2.43 per gallon!).
We hit some traffic shortly after lunch due to a crash. There was a semi off the road along with four other cars and a few emergency vehicles. I kept on turning my bike on and off to avoid overheating (worked like a charm). We ran into a few other traffic problems, but nothing serious. We took highway 90 to 98 in order to avoid the interstates.
We made it into camp pretty early today, so we decided to go swimming in the pool, take showers, and cook pasta with salmon for dinner. While cooking dinner, a large branch came crashing down from the trees landing a few feet away from our tent. Hopefully the tree next to us wants to hold on to the rest of its branches tonight. Now is time to go to sleep and I think it's hotter now than it was earlier today. Hopefully I can get some rest tonight (didn't sleep much last night).
Much love, LB
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Day 11
Day 11; Winfield Luisiana to New Orleans Louisiana
My ears must be perfectly shaped, but we will come back to that. Today was supposed to be a short easy day (only 4 hours of riding). For this reason, we slept in a little before heading out this morning. We had a beautiful ride down 167 to 71 and then to interstate 10 where it started to rain cats and dogs (not really, figure of speech). Our ride ended up being 7 hours.
The storm was brewing out in front of us, so we stopped to put rain gear on. We rode through the rain today because the wind wasn't bad. As we rode, my motorcycle started to lose power. I would keep opening the throttle without gaining any speed (very peculiar). Then we got off the highway and stopped at a gas station while the bike dried out a bit before taking off again. Pretty soon after it stopped raining we hit traffic. Shortly after that, my engine started overheating (it's not liquid cooled). Fortunately, we got to the exit without too much trouble and rode to St. Pierre's hotel in New Orleans.
It's a really cool place (even though it's really small) to hang out in and has parts that have been around since the 1800's! We took showers, and headed out on the town. Toby (the man at the front counter) gave us a good place to go out for dinner, Pere Antoine. We had a sampler and blacked catfish for dinner. The sampler included jumbalaya, gumbo, creole shrimp, rice, beans, bread pudding, and we had bacon wrapped, deep fried shrimp with mushrooms. Amazing dinner. Then we had to work it off.
We walked around town to Pat O'brien's, and down bourbon street to get some daiquiris. They pack a punch!
Now back to why my ears are perfectly shaped! If you have never been down bourbon street, it's an experience in itself. There were people everywhere trying to get you to go into their establishment. The people who went in decided to go out on the balconies and we're throwing Mardi Gras beads down at people walking the streets. I had three thrown at me that I know of and I caught all three. Two on my ears and on in my hand as it was sliding off my head (the original planned landing spot). We made our way to the park and then back to our hotel. We are going to turn in early tonight so we can get an early start tomorrow.
10 states down, 38 to go! I'll be writing from Florida tomorrow!
Much love, LB
My ears must be perfectly shaped, but we will come back to that. Today was supposed to be a short easy day (only 4 hours of riding). For this reason, we slept in a little before heading out this morning. We had a beautiful ride down 167 to 71 and then to interstate 10 where it started to rain cats and dogs (not really, figure of speech). Our ride ended up being 7 hours.
The storm was brewing out in front of us, so we stopped to put rain gear on. We rode through the rain today because the wind wasn't bad. As we rode, my motorcycle started to lose power. I would keep opening the throttle without gaining any speed (very peculiar). Then we got off the highway and stopped at a gas station while the bike dried out a bit before taking off again. Pretty soon after it stopped raining we hit traffic. Shortly after that, my engine started overheating (it's not liquid cooled). Fortunately, we got to the exit without too much trouble and rode to St. Pierre's hotel in New Orleans.
It's a really cool place (even though it's really small) to hang out in and has parts that have been around since the 1800's! We took showers, and headed out on the town. Toby (the man at the front counter) gave us a good place to go out for dinner, Pere Antoine. We had a sampler and blacked catfish for dinner. The sampler included jumbalaya, gumbo, creole shrimp, rice, beans, bread pudding, and we had bacon wrapped, deep fried shrimp with mushrooms. Amazing dinner. Then we had to work it off.
We walked around town to Pat O'brien's, and down bourbon street to get some daiquiris. They pack a punch!
Now back to why my ears are perfectly shaped! If you have never been down bourbon street, it's an experience in itself. There were people everywhere trying to get you to go into their establishment. The people who went in decided to go out on the balconies and we're throwing Mardi Gras beads down at people walking the streets. I had three thrown at me that I know of and I caught all three. Two on my ears and on in my hand as it was sliding off my head (the original planned landing spot). We made our way to the park and then back to our hotel. We are going to turn in early tonight so we can get an early start tomorrow.
10 states down, 38 to go! I'll be writing from Florida tomorrow!
Much love, LB
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Day 10
Day 10; Cooper Texas to Winfield Luisiana
Surprise! Another hot day. My father and I woke up with wet tents because we had been sweating all night long. That, combined with my water bottle leaking, caused me to wake up a few times throughout the night lying in a puddle. Both of us got up around 6 this morning and packed up camp to get out and on the road. I had a little bit of maintenance to take care of while my dad paid for our campsite (Lake Cooper National Park). The park attendants didn't have ice for us to buy (for the cooler and our water bottles), but they suggested going to a bait shop just down the road.
Sure enough the bait shop had ice. I was unloading a bunch of stuff to be able to get to the ice while dad went to buy it (as usual). As we were filling our cooler and camelbacks with ice, a lady came out and asked us if we got our water. I was confused because we came to get ice... Turns out all bikers who go there get a free bottle of water! I don't know if it was southern hospitality or a love for motorcycles that drove this woman, but ice cold water will always be welcomed on a trip such as this one.
After the bait shop, we headed out of town on highway 24 to Paris! (Texas version) It's not as romantic as I thought it would be. Then we cought highway 82 heading east.
That has to be the worst marked highway that I have ever been on! Every time we came up to an intersection it was like playing where's Waldo. We turned the direction we thought we should go (based on the sun's position) and then saw the signs confirming we took the correct route (most of the time).
We had to take part of interstate 30 today as well. Usually we try to avoid interstates, but we had no choice. That made today a little stressful because my dad almost had a problem. Before I start the story, I need to tell you that he has two bells on his bike (one for him, and one for my mom) that symbolize biking angels (never ride faster than they can fly). Now back to the story... We were stuck behind a semi that was moving pretty slowly (comparatively), so my dad decided to pass. As he started moving out from behind the truck, I saw something in the road... Then I saw the bike jump, and a huge chunk of tire rolling across the road. My dad had run over the remnants of a semi blow out. Luckily he kept his rubber side down. I'm pretty sure he used both of those angels today. Both bells took a hit, but my dad didn't, and for that, I am very grateful!
We went through Elderado, took a quick nap (woke up sweating), and took 167 south all the way to Winfield. As we filled up our tanks, a storm started coming toward us. Not wanting to cook in the rain, we decided to get some pizza and wait out the storm. Unfortunately the storm only got worse, and the weeks started picking up. Riding in the rain is easy; riding in the wind is easy, but riding in both when you can hardly see is stupid. We stopped at the first place we saw (an econolodge) and got a room.
10 states down, 40 to go! Dad just took a shower, and now it's my turn! (From Louisiana) Goodnight y'all!
Much love, LB
Surprise! Another hot day. My father and I woke up with wet tents because we had been sweating all night long. That, combined with my water bottle leaking, caused me to wake up a few times throughout the night lying in a puddle. Both of us got up around 6 this morning and packed up camp to get out and on the road. I had a little bit of maintenance to take care of while my dad paid for our campsite (Lake Cooper National Park). The park attendants didn't have ice for us to buy (for the cooler and our water bottles), but they suggested going to a bait shop just down the road.
Sure enough the bait shop had ice. I was unloading a bunch of stuff to be able to get to the ice while dad went to buy it (as usual). As we were filling our cooler and camelbacks with ice, a lady came out and asked us if we got our water. I was confused because we came to get ice... Turns out all bikers who go there get a free bottle of water! I don't know if it was southern hospitality or a love for motorcycles that drove this woman, but ice cold water will always be welcomed on a trip such as this one.
After the bait shop, we headed out of town on highway 24 to Paris! (Texas version) It's not as romantic as I thought it would be. Then we cought highway 82 heading east.
That has to be the worst marked highway that I have ever been on! Every time we came up to an intersection it was like playing where's Waldo. We turned the direction we thought we should go (based on the sun's position) and then saw the signs confirming we took the correct route (most of the time).
We had to take part of interstate 30 today as well. Usually we try to avoid interstates, but we had no choice. That made today a little stressful because my dad almost had a problem. Before I start the story, I need to tell you that he has two bells on his bike (one for him, and one for my mom) that symbolize biking angels (never ride faster than they can fly). Now back to the story... We were stuck behind a semi that was moving pretty slowly (comparatively), so my dad decided to pass. As he started moving out from behind the truck, I saw something in the road... Then I saw the bike jump, and a huge chunk of tire rolling across the road. My dad had run over the remnants of a semi blow out. Luckily he kept his rubber side down. I'm pretty sure he used both of those angels today. Both bells took a hit, but my dad didn't, and for that, I am very grateful!
We went through Elderado, took a quick nap (woke up sweating), and took 167 south all the way to Winfield. As we filled up our tanks, a storm started coming toward us. Not wanting to cook in the rain, we decided to get some pizza and wait out the storm. Unfortunately the storm only got worse, and the weeks started picking up. Riding in the rain is easy; riding in the wind is easy, but riding in both when you can hardly see is stupid. We stopped at the first place we saw (an econolodge) and got a room.
10 states down, 40 to go! Dad just took a shower, and now it's my turn! (From Louisiana) Goodnight y'all!
Much love, LB
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Day 9
Day 9; Altus Oklahoma to Cooper Texas
Sleeping in felt amazing! I had forgotten how comfortable beds can be after a long day of riding. Today was a bit more mellow (drove a little over 300 miles) making stops in Keller Texas for a photo opportunity, and then on to Gas Monkey Bar and Grill.
For those of you who don't know, Gas Monkey Garage is a TV show where a few guys buy old beat up cars, fix them up a bit, and then sell them (awesome show). We went to Dallas Texas to their restaurant for lunch and it was delicious! I had a GMBG burger, and dad had a mix between beef brisket and a grilled cheese sandwich (interesting but he said it was good). The only problem was getting out of Dallas. As if it weren't a maze already, there was construction going on everywhere and it felt like a thousand degrees! We ended up taking a round about way too get where we ended, but got here nonetheless.
On a kind of gross note, I think my motorcycle needs some tlc because it's getting hard to see through the windshield with all the bugs on it! We took out some big ones today, and dad almost took out a few other animals as well (couple of birds, ground hog, that kind of stuff). I think the birds are suicidal...
Anyway, we got to camp safely, took showers, ate some snack food (still full from lunch) and am ready to sleep (if that's possible in this heat).
Much love, LB
Sleeping in felt amazing! I had forgotten how comfortable beds can be after a long day of riding. Today was a bit more mellow (drove a little over 300 miles) making stops in Keller Texas for a photo opportunity, and then on to Gas Monkey Bar and Grill.
For those of you who don't know, Gas Monkey Garage is a TV show where a few guys buy old beat up cars, fix them up a bit, and then sell them (awesome show). We went to Dallas Texas to their restaurant for lunch and it was delicious! I had a GMBG burger, and dad had a mix between beef brisket and a grilled cheese sandwich (interesting but he said it was good). The only problem was getting out of Dallas. As if it weren't a maze already, there was construction going on everywhere and it felt like a thousand degrees! We ended up taking a round about way too get where we ended, but got here nonetheless.
On a kind of gross note, I think my motorcycle needs some tlc because it's getting hard to see through the windshield with all the bugs on it! We took out some big ones today, and dad almost took out a few other animals as well (couple of birds, ground hog, that kind of stuff). I think the birds are suicidal...
Anyway, we got to camp safely, took showers, ate some snack food (still full from lunch) and am ready to sleep (if that's possible in this heat).
Much love, LB
Monday, June 22, 2015
Day 8
Day 8; Grants NM to Altus OK
Oh boy, where do I begin? First of all, thank you to all of you who are following our trip. It has been, and will continue to be, a great vacation! It meant a lot to my father and I when my mother told us how many of you asked how we are doing. I can't even describe how great it feels knowing you care for us and our safety. I miss my friends and family that I don't get to see for two months, but the messages through Facebook help:)
On a sidenote, I usually sign off using my initials (GK); however, that is going to change. My mother texts me to ask how we are, and share how she is throughout the day, but doesn't use my name... Instead she calls me her little biker; despite the fact that I am the biggest person in my immediate family other than my dad. From now on, I am going to be LB. Love you mom!
I had trouble getting out of bed this morning. (It took 3 alarms and my dad to get me moving) We did our normal morning routine (break down camp and load up the motorcycles) and then partook in a complimentary continental breakfast (fruit loops and nonpowdered milk!).
After that, we headed out to interstate 40 to go through the rest of New Mexico, the top portion of Texas, and ultimately into Oklahoma. We had another warm day (over 100 degrees) and rode the farthest either of us have ever ridden in one day (545 miles). That's pretty much 200 more miles than what we should be doing in one day, but that brings us up to 8 states in 8 days. (Only 40 states left to go!)
Keep in mind that we are losing time as we move east due to time differences across the country. Almost every night we get into our campsite when it is dark outside or during the sunset; tonight was no different. The place we wanted to stop had no campgrounds or motels, so we kept on going. Still didn't find a campground (didn't look very hard), but I'm sure we earned a real bed to sleep on tonight.
This will help us rest up for tomorrow's trip!!!!!!! (Kind of excited) There is a show called fast and loud where a few people buy old cars, fix them up a little bit, and resell them. Then they decided to make a bar and grill. Guess where we are going!!! Plus, doing a ton of miles today allows us to... wait for it... SLEEP IN!!! We will stop by Keller Texas on our way there too (very cool).
PS. For those of you following us on Facebook, look for my dad photo bombing my selfies at state signs. (He's in there somewhere) Also, my uncle Stanley is gently resting in a few more states:)
Time for me to get some beauty rest (I need it)
Much love, LB
Oh boy, where do I begin? First of all, thank you to all of you who are following our trip. It has been, and will continue to be, a great vacation! It meant a lot to my father and I when my mother told us how many of you asked how we are doing. I can't even describe how great it feels knowing you care for us and our safety. I miss my friends and family that I don't get to see for two months, but the messages through Facebook help:)
On a sidenote, I usually sign off using my initials (GK); however, that is going to change. My mother texts me to ask how we are, and share how she is throughout the day, but doesn't use my name... Instead she calls me her little biker; despite the fact that I am the biggest person in my immediate family other than my dad. From now on, I am going to be LB. Love you mom!
I had trouble getting out of bed this morning. (It took 3 alarms and my dad to get me moving) We did our normal morning routine (break down camp and load up the motorcycles) and then partook in a complimentary continental breakfast (fruit loops and nonpowdered milk!).
After that, we headed out to interstate 40 to go through the rest of New Mexico, the top portion of Texas, and ultimately into Oklahoma. We had another warm day (over 100 degrees) and rode the farthest either of us have ever ridden in one day (545 miles). That's pretty much 200 more miles than what we should be doing in one day, but that brings us up to 8 states in 8 days. (Only 40 states left to go!)
Keep in mind that we are losing time as we move east due to time differences across the country. Almost every night we get into our campsite when it is dark outside or during the sunset; tonight was no different. The place we wanted to stop had no campgrounds or motels, so we kept on going. Still didn't find a campground (didn't look very hard), but I'm sure we earned a real bed to sleep on tonight.
This will help us rest up for tomorrow's trip!!!!!!! (Kind of excited) There is a show called fast and loud where a few people buy old cars, fix them up a little bit, and resell them. Then they decided to make a bar and grill. Guess where we are going!!! Plus, doing a ton of miles today allows us to... wait for it... SLEEP IN!!! We will stop by Keller Texas on our way there too (very cool).
PS. For those of you following us on Facebook, look for my dad photo bombing my selfies at state signs. (He's in there somewhere) Also, my uncle Stanley is gently resting in a few more states:)
Time for me to get some beauty rest (I need it)
Much love, LB
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Day 7
Day 7; Moab to wherever we end up stopping tonight
Last night was beautiful! Not too hot or too cold for sleeping, and I slept all through the night! We got up at 615, had the breakfast of Champions (snack bars and jerky), and the went into arches national park to see the delicate arch. I did not know this, but it's a mile and a half hike (felt like way more) to see the arch. Now, motorcycles don't allow you to bring your whole wardrobe, so I left my hiking shoes at home... Motorcycle boots suck for hiking! It was worth seeing, even if it did hurt my feet.
The arch is beautiful and while we were resting at the arch, a couple of girls did back bends (they look like an arch) underneath the arch. Very clever! I climbed as high as I could and took a "panoramic video" if you will, of the 360 degree view of awesomeness! (It will be on Facebook as soon as I figure out how to put it there)
As I'm sure you all know, today is father's day. Given limited space on a mtorcycle, I thought it would be silly to give my dad a gift that he would have to carry with him for the rest of our trip. This is the reason why we stopped at a Dairy Queen and got blizzards. It was a nice reprieve Ron the heat, gave my mtorcycle some time to cool down, and served as a good time to hang out with dad and talk to mom.
We decided to change or route slightly to make up for time lost looking at monuments, so we rode some interstate today to get to a KOA in Grants New Mexico. I love KOA's because they have showers and wifi which allow me to smell nice and write to all of you.
We met a nice girl named Vivian here at the KOA who came down here from Toronto Canada for a road trip. She is a little bit new to camping (has never camped before), so my dad and I are helping her figure out how to use her camping stove to make chef boyardee Lasagna. Now we are relaxing, trading stories, and giving some advice for future camping experiences.
Much love, GK
Last night was beautiful! Not too hot or too cold for sleeping, and I slept all through the night! We got up at 615, had the breakfast of Champions (snack bars and jerky), and the went into arches national park to see the delicate arch. I did not know this, but it's a mile and a half hike (felt like way more) to see the arch. Now, motorcycles don't allow you to bring your whole wardrobe, so I left my hiking shoes at home... Motorcycle boots suck for hiking! It was worth seeing, even if it did hurt my feet.
The arch is beautiful and while we were resting at the arch, a couple of girls did back bends (they look like an arch) underneath the arch. Very clever! I climbed as high as I could and took a "panoramic video" if you will, of the 360 degree view of awesomeness! (It will be on Facebook as soon as I figure out how to put it there)
As I'm sure you all know, today is father's day. Given limited space on a mtorcycle, I thought it would be silly to give my dad a gift that he would have to carry with him for the rest of our trip. This is the reason why we stopped at a Dairy Queen and got blizzards. It was a nice reprieve Ron the heat, gave my mtorcycle some time to cool down, and served as a good time to hang out with dad and talk to mom.
We decided to change or route slightly to make up for time lost looking at monuments, so we rode some interstate today to get to a KOA in Grants New Mexico. I love KOA's because they have showers and wifi which allow me to smell nice and write to all of you.
We met a nice girl named Vivian here at the KOA who came down here from Toronto Canada for a road trip. She is a little bit new to camping (has never camped before), so my dad and I are helping her figure out how to use her camping stove to make chef boyardee Lasagna. Now we are relaxing, trading stories, and giving some advice for future camping experiences.
Much love, GK
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