DALE & SAM'S EXCELLENT EXPERIENCE
OR
THE FOUR CORNERS MOTORCYCLE TOUR

(An American Motorcycle Association event sponsored by the Southern California Motorcycle Association)
by
Dale Treece & Sam Grear

Where to begin, well first of all my brother-in-law and I needed the most important ingredient for a trip like this; two wonderful wives that would allow us to leave on a trip that some might find strange. We were not sure that they really understood why anyone would undertake to ride a motorcycle to all four corners of the United States in 21 days or less and we knew full well we needed to leave on June 8th,2008, and arrive home no later than June 29th,2008. We had guesstimated the total distance from our homes to the four corners and back would approach 10,500 miles and we should average at least 500 miles daily.

DAY ONE:(June 8th--Sunday)
My brother-in-law left his home,approximately 30 miles east of our point of departure, and I left my home, approximately 20 miles west of our point of departure,to meet at a gas station at approximately 4:30 a.m. We met as planned, gassed up the bikes and the experience began to unfold. After departing Cape Girardeau, Missouri, we travelled south and then west toward Amarillo, Texas, our intended first stop. The morning was very pleasant and until we reached Springfield, Missouri,it was smooth sailing. Upon arriving at Springfield we were greeted by a substantial cross wind and head wind that would not abate all the way to Amarillo.

Although the weather north and south of us got pretty rough (tornados and storms) we only really experienced strong winds in Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle. The Oklahoma and Texas panhandles are magnificent to behold, the horizon seems to go forever and the giant sky is breathtaking. Our arrival in Amarillo at the Big Texan Steakhouse fourteen hours and forty-five minutes after leaving home was welcome, we had covered more than 800 miles the first day and enjoyed the meal and the rest. Neither one of us challenged the 72 oz. steak and fixin's you must consume in one hour and keep down to receive a free meal. This was also the night that we began our ritual of calling our wives as soon as we were in for the night and had a place to stay and could tell them some of the highlights of our day.

DAY TWO:(June 9th--Monday)
It had rained the night before but the morning sky looked pretty promising and we headed out around 5:45 a.m. Another day of crosswinds and head winds was pretty tiring but we appreciated the beautiful desert scenery in New Mexico and Arizona. As we dropped from Flagstaff,Arizona, toward Phoenix the heat began to rise up to meet us and in Phoenix evening rush hour traffic it approached 110 degrees. When we finally pulled into our motel on the west side of Phoenix we were ready for some dinner, some air conditioning and a good nights rest. Having a restaurant in the parking lot of the motel was very much appreciated by two weary travelers that had just completed another 800+ mile day.

DAY THREE:(June 10th--Tuesday)
Today was to be our day to reach our first milestone, San Ysidro,California, the first of the Four Corners of the United States. We were pumped and the drive across the barren desert of southern Arizona into southern California passing the Algodones Dunes,Coyote Mountains and into the Cleveland National Forest was both a great change of scenery and temperature. We finally arrived in San Ysidro and managed to find the post office; is there a busier post office in the United States? We visited with a very friendly postal worker outside (a fellow biker that knew what we were doing and pledged he too would do it some day) and finally had to wait for a parking space. We took our pictures of the bikes and ourselves in front of the postal facility, filled out our form for the Four Corners Tour and dropped the forms in the mail. Only then did we realize we had not gotten the requisite gas receipts nearby and included them in the envelope, we got the gas and promised ourselves we would place these precious receipts in the next envelope from the next corner and explain our nervousness, excitement and mental lapse to the Four Corners Tour. Now we had some more miles to make before eating and sleeping and wanted to be well north of the L.A. area to begin our next day. We drove north on the 5 through very heavy southern California traffic (including some grid lock near downtown L.A.) and finally reached our destination for the night, Castaic,California. A 500+ mile day, a Chinese dinner and some rest.

DAY FOUR:(June 11th--Wednesday)
This day's goal was to make Redding,California, and the weather was perfect for a ride. As it turned out we made Redding easier than expected so we continued up the road to Mt. Shasta for our stay this night. Once again we experienced some rather strong winds in the San Joaquin valley and could not help but marvel at the gigantic farming operations that provide so much food to the rest of the United States. We stayed in an old-fashioned motel from the late 50s or early 60s and had a thoroughly enjoyable dinner at the Billy Goat Tavern. The view of Mt. Shasta from main street was exquisite.

DAY FIVE:(June 12th--Thursday)
Our ride this day took us to Olympia,Washington. Once again we rode just over 500 miles and had beautiful scenery in both Oregon and Washington. Oregon is very lush and green just as I had expected and Portland as you leave Oregon into Washington is a very modern,clean city and it is easy to see why it has attracted a lot of people from other parts of the country. Mt. Hood was very clear and looked spectacular on a bright sunny day with snowcapped peak. Washington also proved to be appealing and as we approached Olympia,Washington, we were treated to a beautiful clear view of Mt.Rainier. Another 500+ mile day done and we dined in an excellent Mexican restaurant within walking distance of the motel.

DAY SIX:(June 13th--Friday)
Another big day looms, we will ride to Blaine,Washington, today and collect our second corner of the Four Corners Tour; once again we are excited to reach this milestone but know we must not forget the gas receipt today (and the one from San Ysidro) to meet the rules of the tour. The ride to Blaine is fairly uneventful, except I turn off one ramp too early and we have to do a little back tracking to reach downtown Blaine. The Four Corners group gives you some fairly simplistic maps to find the post office in each town, however, it seems we make harder work of it than is necessary. We find the post office, take our pictures and realize we should have stopped for gas first so we go back to a gas station then return to the post office and finish our required mailing. A refreshing lunch in a local bakery and we are off to Spokane,Washington, via a return to Seattle to pick up Interstate 90. The ride east from Seattle toward Spokane is truly memorable, first the Cascade Mountain Range and then the eastern portion of Washington with its desert-like terrain and ruggedness. While still in the mountains I spot an exit coming up, call Dale on the CB and tell him I must turn off and visit Roslyn,Washington, the small town used for the outside scenes of one of my favorite TV shows of all time, Northern Exposure. We find the town, take a few pictures,visit the "Cicely, Alaska" souvenir shop and return to our mission. Just short of our goal of Spokane we sit in gridlock for about an hour or more because someone in a pickup pulling a trailer full of hay has had the misfortune to have the hay catch on fire, which eventually caught the truck on fire and also set fire to much of the roadside. We eventually reach our motel on a day just short of 500 miles and settle in for some rest.

DAY SEVEN:(June 14th--Saturday)
As we leave our motel on this day the police are arresting a man by the front lobby as he protests loudly, you just never know what will happen next. The man did not appear dangerous probably just inebriated. Soon we leave Washington, entering Idaho and Couer d'Alene is beautiful followed by the Panhandle National Forest and mountains. All too soon we are leaving Idaho and heading into Montana and more beauty, some of it in stark contrast to Idaho. The number of deer and antelope are beginning to make me a bit nervous, especially considering the carcasses by the road. We arrive in Billings,Montana, after another 500+ day and find a laundry in our motel since we cannot carry enough clean clothing for the entire trip. We have a disappointing meal and get some rest.

DAY EIGHT:(June 15th--Sunday)
Today we wish to reach Jamestown,North Dakota, simply because it is 500+ miles away and therefore fits our criteria for a days ride. Along the way in Montana we pass Pompeys Pillar and get off the interstate at Miles City to fuel up. We both comment on how Miles City looks like a small town from yesteryear and decide to ride through town and rejoin the interstate on the east side of town where we find all of the modern fast food, convenience stores and a Wal-Mart. Passing into North Dakota we have our one and only close encounter with deer wandering across the interstate. There is a scenic overlook to view the Badlands and an added bonus is that a wild bison is grazing right next to the visitor's center (literally next to the parking area.) We also pass through the Theodore Roosevelt National Park and reach our destination without incident. Choosing a motel that night we get two surprises, the room is very large and comfortable and while checking in we meet a couple of women travelling on bikes from Florida and one of the women is riding a Ridley motorcycle (a rare sight). We talk a while outside and wait for the lady on the Ridley to fire up her bike to hear its sound (very loud and Harley-like sound); the ladies are headed to a "Women In The Wind" biker event in Canada. We eat and rest for the next days events.

DAY NINE:(June 16th--Monday)
This morning we get away around 7:15 a.m. and have a good weather day with a tail wind, we make good mileage and get better miles per gallon than usual. Our way station for tonight is to be Mauston, Wisconsin by way of Minnesota. We cross Minnesota without incident, if you count almost running out of fuel as not an incident, and find a fuel station just in time. I had mistakenly assumed that after we passed the St. Paul/Minneapolis area there would be a truck stop just south of the metro area---wrong. As the tail wind pushes us eastward we decide to go a little further than planned and end up in Wisconsin Dells for the night; an almost 600 mile day. We have supper at an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet which is actually pretty good and get a good night's sleep.

DAY TEN:(June 17th--Tuesday)
This day had been originally planned to take us to Flint, Michigan, for the evening and then cross the border into Canada the next morning for a more direct route to Madawaska, Maine, the third of the four corners.Our passage through Madison, Wisconsin, went really well, as did our skirting of Chicago and Indiana in reaching Michigan. Once again we decided to use some time we had gained to go ahead and push over the Canadian border where we ended up staying in Chatham, Ontario. The passage from Detroit, Michigan, to Windsor, Ontario, was uneventful except for horrible road construction and a lack of directions to the border crossing. We rode in the rain for about the last 15 minutes or so before reaching Chatham, walked quite a way to a restaurant, had a good meal and got some good rest.This night, like every other night, we basically watched the weather channel to try and judge upcoming road conditions and necessary riding gear.

DAY ELEVEN:(June 18th--Wednesday)
Our original stop for this portion of the trip was to be Cornwall, Ontario, however, we had gained some distance again so we rode on to another destination in Quebec. Crossing Ontario we encountered a great deal of traffic and road construction, especially around Toronto. It seemed that every major city we passed through on the trip was undergoing a lot of general construction and road work; however Toronto was worse than some since it did not warn you of upcoming road changes and one bump in the road we encountered was more along the lines of a speed bump you might find in a parking lot. Montreal,Quebec, was unfortunately experiencing evening rush hour as we arrived to pass through the town and the grid lock became so bad that my bike's clutch was experiencing some problems because of the stop-and-go traffic and heating up. We pulled over near downtown Montreal, waited for the rush hour to pass and continued on our way to an evening's stay northeast of Montreal near the Richelieu valley near Ste-Hyancinthe. The room was fine and we enjoyed a meal a short walk from the motel. Another 550+ mile day under our belts.

DAY TWELVE:(June 19th--Thursday)
The excitement is building again as we approach the third of our four corners, Madawaska, Maine. The border crossing to Madawaska is from Edmundston, New Brunswick; however, it is not a major crossing and we have trouble finding the bridge to cross until Dale yells at a man on the street and he directs us down a couple of blocks, take a left and finally a half block from the bridge is the first sign advising us of the border crossing on the other side. I guess everyone around there knows where the crossing is and does not need help. I cost us some time at the border crossing because I am not thinking when the border crossing guard asks where I am from; my passport says Millersville,Missouri, however, I actually live near Burfordville and usually tell people Cape Girardeau, Missouri, since I think they may have heard of it on the news. This gets me and my brother-in-law an invite inside while they check us out and then search my bike. We are allowed to continue on our way in 30 minutes or so. This time we get gas first then find the post office, the system is finally sinking in for me. At the post office we are greeted by two very friendly postal clerks who ask if we are doing the Four Corners Tour and when we say we are they ask if we would like to sign the log they keep of those coming through and she makes out a certificate in our names, verifying our visit on this day. She then tells us that just a few blocks down is the monument they are building to those who do the Four Corners Tour and identifying Madawaska as one of the four corners. We go to see the monument (almost complete) and are joined by a local biker that sees us going there who visits with us, tells us about the monument and offers some advice for a latter part of our ride that turns out to be invaluable. He even tells us of a place to stay that night in Houlton, Maine, where route 1 meets interstate 95 southbound. On our way down route 1 we pause for lunch in Van Buren, Maine, and have a real good meal and treat at a drive-up restaurant named Tasty Food that looks like it has been there a long time and has some of the friendliest people working there I could imagine,the only strange part being that the restrooms are about 50 yards away but nice. The motel in Houlton turns out to be one of the nicest accommodations of the trip and we have a pleasant evening, get good rest and count another almost 600 mile day.

DAY THIRTEEN:(June 20th--Friday)
Now we are on Interstate 95 headed south to Portland, Maine, and beyond. We are ahead of our planned trip and are also planning to deviate from our game plan of following I-95 through Boston, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Washington,D.C. The road construction and gridlock of the cities was not appealing to Dale or myself and our new acquaintance in Madawaska had suggested a far different route which would rejoin I-95 south of Washington, D.C. in Virginia. This trip that took us through out state Massachusetts and into Connecticut was nothing short of beautiful and traffic was very nice, virtually no road construction and no gridlock. As we came closer to evening we began searching for a place to stay this evening and wasted an hour or so trying to find accommodations in Waterbury, Connecticut. Not only could we not find a motel but realized that the complicated one way streets and lack of adequate signage had left me pretty much lost. This is one of many times that Dale's GPS he had mounted on his bike became invaluable in finding our way back to our interstate and also advising us of upcoming motels. We got rained on for a while pretty good driving into a setting sun but managed to get to the Danbury/ Bethel, Connecticut, exit and found good accommodations and a plethora of choices for eating within walking distance of our motel. As we ate a rather late supper I wondered why this place was so busy until I finally realized it was Friday night; you lose track of time on a trip like this. Once again we had closed on 600 miles for the day and were ahead of schedule.

DAY FOURTEEN:(June 21st--Saturday)
We left the Danbury/Bethel area headed for the southeast corner of New York state and then into Pennsylvania going toward Scranton and points south. The scenery and drive were both delightful crossing the Hudson River and passing just south of the Catskill and Shawangunk mountains in New York. Entering Pennsylvania we pass just barely north of the state of New Jersey, cross the Delaware River and speed toward Scranton,Pennsylvania, and more beauty crossing over Mt. Cobb and then turning south at Scranton. Our route takes us through Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and over the Susquehanna River headed for Maryland. We are not in Maryland too long before we cross the Potomac River and enter West Virginia. Our run in West Virginia is short and soon we enter Virginia. We turn east just as we reach the Cumberland Mountains, George Washington National Park, Shenandoah National Park and the Shenandoah Valley. We saw a lot of beautiful places but this ranked right up there with the others; then we had a problem. A sudden, severe rainstorm came up in front of us and we had not donned our rain gear so we pulled under an overpass already occupied by a couple of other bikes and as we coasted to a stop something told me I had a problem. When I attempted to restart my bike I got nothing, not even lights on my dashboard. With the help of Dale we got out the few tools I had with me and checked out the fuses and battery, they both seemed fine. We decided to attempt to jumpstart my bike from Dale's bike and it worked but as soon as I let off the throttle it died again and would not restart. We decided that we would jump my bike and I would take off and see how far I could make it and Dale would catch up after stowing the cables and my side piece that covers the battery. I continued a short distance on 66 east and then turned south on 17 as we had planned in order to rejoin I-95 south of Washington, D.C. The bike was running fine but I was afraid to go too slow or stop for fear it would not restart. I made it through a bypass of Warrenton, Virginia,that had a light without having to stop and continued on to Opal, Virginia, where there was a stop light and I had to turn left to continue to 95. As soon as I began to slow the bike began to die, with no vehicles on my right I managed to gun the engine, get a little power and drift to a stop at a parking place in front of a combination Sunoco gas station/McDonalds. Dale had not arrived and now I was concerned about him when I looked at my cell phone and realized he had just tried to call me. I called him back and found out he thought I might have continued on 66 east instead of turning and he had some back tracking to do and would join me in about 30 minutes. While I waited for Dale I considered our situation; it was Saturday evening about 5:30 p.m. and no dealers would be open that day or Sunday, we still had a long way to go and we did not know what was wrong with my bike. The problem could have been several things according to my thinking and I was extremely concerned it might be the alternator since I had left Missouri with just over 70,000 miles on my bike. I then did something I had never done before, I pulled out my Gold Book from Gold Wing Road Riders Association to look for members nearby that would be willing to help. The book has a system for determining how much help a member can give, so my first call was to Daniel Fritz and he assured me that he would make sure a trailer got there and the bike would be taken to a Honda dealer in Warrenton, Virginia, a short way back up route 17; but he did give me the phone number of Greg Kessner, a fellow chapter member, that sometimes worked on Gold Wings and suggested I call him and describe my problems and what we had done attempting to determine the source of the problem. Daniel said "If you cannot reach him be sure and call me back." I could not get Greg on the phone, so Daniel said he would call him on his cell phone and get back to me. Daniel called me back, said he had contacted Greg and Greg thought it might be the battery and they were bringing a new battery. By this time Dale had arrived and I told him what had taken place and we began unloading the bike in case it had to be trailered and also set about removing the seat so we could remove the battery and be ready for the experiment when they arrived on the scene. As we were working an SUV pulled up and a lady inside said "You must be Sam" , I said "I am" and she informed me she was Greg's wife and he and Daniel were on their way as Daniel was picking Greg up on his way here. It turns out that Daniel lived about 20 miles away and Greg lived about 10 miles away between Daniel and my location. To say I was impressed with everyone's response and their willingness to help on a Saturday night does not begin to approach what was to come. Dale and I went into McDonalds to grab a sandwich and drink and as we walked out realized that Daniel and Greg had arrived and Greg was already working at installing the new battery. After installing the new battery Greg tested the system, started the bike to make sure it would idle and charge the battery (I do have an old Kriss voltmeter on the bike) and then proceeded to help us replace the seat. Greg and Daniel made my day, my year and for sure my trip since we had only lost a few hours and the bike was running just fine. I must tell you these two gentlemen will forever have me in their debt for their effort and then they would not accept a penny for their help, including the battery.They said they had helped someone else out recently and he had sent the battery to them to help the next stranded soul (I will be doing the same since paying it forward is what all of us should do). I also learned that Greg and his wife are both MSF instructors and were doing a class that weekend. I could not help but be choked up at their incredible giving attitude and as they helped us on our way you could tell there was nowhere they would rather be at that time--God Bless You both. Dale and I continued on to Vicksburg that night after being warned about deer on the road by both men, had a nice meal and I rested comfortably knowing my bike would carry me on to our goal. We had still managed 500 miles on this day with so many interruptions. I must also commend and thank my brother-in-law Dale for all of his help and patience.

DAY 15: (June 22nd--Sunday)
Just for the usual reason of mileage I had plotted a stop in Hardeesville, South Carolina, that night and that would put us back on schedule. As we continued down I-95 we kept seeing these large garish signs for Pedro's South of The Border coming up in a certain number of miles. Virginia was a good ride and we could see that we were passing a tremendous amount of historic sites that would have certainly been interesting to visit if we were not on a mission and had some time constraints.The passage through North Carolina was uneventful and pleasant. When we reached the South Carolina border we finally came to Pedro's South of the Border, first of all the town is actually named South of the Border and Pedro's is a little bit of everything and we got off and took a couple of pictures. Pedro's includes restaurants, a leather shop, a large tower, a statue of Pedro, a miniature golf course, an ice cream shop, a gas station and other attractions too numerous to mention. After leaving Pedro's we could see some storm clouds gathering in front of us and the downpour came and we pulled off at the next exit because it was raining so hard it was difficult to see where you were going. At the exit the gas station was closed, I guess because it was Sunday evening but had a large generous canopy to shelter us until the storm passed. We had barely gotten off our bikes when a couple showed up on a Harley that we had met at the last gas stop and they were also seeking shelter. Several cars came to the station and left when they discovered it was closed and when the rain abated Dale and I prepared to leave. The couple on the Harley also mounted up but Walter (the driver) realized he had no headlight, no front running lights and no turn signals. Dale and I looked at each other and began to dismount it was time to at least try to pay it forward. I got out some tools and we began checking fuses on Walter's bike since that seemed likely to us to be the culprit. We found the burnt out fuse but the fuses I had were too large physically to fit; about this time a young man driving a pickup pulled in and asked what the problem was with Walter's bike. We told him and after searching around under the hood of his truck found a fuse that would fit Walter's bike. While working on Walter's bike a lady pulled in driving a van with several children inside and the squeal as she pulled up was terrible; one of her windshield wipers had lost its rubber mount and the metal was scraping her windshield. Dale got a tool out of his bike and completely removed the offending wiper while we worked on Walter's bike. The rain let up again and it was time to go. We made Hardeeville, South Carolina, that night, walked a couple of blocks to a local Mexican restaurant and Dale said it was the best Mexican dinner he had ever eaten. Another 500+ mile day done and time to sleep.

DAY 16: (June 23rd--Monday)
It looked like we were back on track as we left South Carolina and entered Florida, our destination was Key Largo at the top of the Florida Keys. Luck was not on our side today, as we sped down the interstate I glanced at my voltmeter and realized it was reporting that my alternator was not charging my battery. I hailed Dale on the CB and informed him I would have to pull off and find the nearest Honda dealer or I might be back in the same situation as before in Virginia. We located the next Honda dealer about 30 miles down the interstate and headed there to have this problem checked out again. After about an hour there the dealer said he could test the system and determine if the alternator was the problem, if it was the problem I would have to leave the bike for 4 or 5 days while they ordered the parts,got them in and did the work to install another alternator. Even testing the alternator would take a couple of hours, I was already guilt-ridden enough for the delays I had caused and decided to risk it and head on down the coast to our last corner, then I could deal with the problem if need be. Today we found some really incredible strong rain, we had to pull off due to poor visibility. I pulled up to a pump at a gas station with a roof but if it had not been for a bob truck parked on the other side of the pump I would have had difficulty holding my bike up and would have really been battered by rain and hail. The wind was so strong that the huge wastebasket on the pump island blew over in front of my bike twice and the second time I simply laid it down since it would not stand up in the strong wind. Dale's gloves got so soaked that he bought another pair in the truck stop store. Two men at the truck stop amused me, the first man complained he had to pull off because he could not see the road (telling this to a man obviously riding a motorcycle is preaching to the choir) and the second man thought it amusing that I was putting on my rain suit over rain-soaked clothing, I simply told him I suspected there might be more rain down the road (and there was more rain). We had not gotten very far at all when another front hit us and we pulled off at a Daytona Beach exit, too weary to fight another front and wanted to wait until it passed. As it turned out this exit took you right to the largest Harley Davidson dealership in the country; it was interesting as we killed time waiting for the front to pass (a 2 story showroom,each floor probably 30,000 square feet, restaurants,condos and a stage for performances). I would bet that you could not even get close to this place during Bike Week at Daytona. We lost another hour or so and finally departed to more rain and pulled into Jupiter, Florida, that night, far short of our goal of Key Largo as it rained very strongly again. We chose what we thought would be a nicer motel, it had an overhang to unload under and we were ready for some rest and disappointed to have only covered approximately 250 miles this day. The night was not to be good; first we had a large group of unchaperoned teenagers next door that were part of a soccer team (we had to complain about them to get some sleep and Dale could not sleep and finally complained strongly to the manager the next morning resulting in our room fee being cut in half) and then I added to the anxiety by losing my wallet just after checking in for the night. My embarrassment and humiliation was incredible when I realized that the wallet was not lost after making a police report and reporting all of my cards missing or stolen, to find the wallet in the top of my riding boots where it had lodged when I missed by back pocket of my wet jeans. We left the next morning just glad to be on the move and hoping to make up some lost time and miles.My wife had to help me get my check card/charge card from my bank reinstated so I would have some form of credit and not have to make it home on cash alone(I told you she was wonderful and she works for the bank that issued the card--I am a lucky man).

DAY 17:(June 24th,2008--Tuesday)
The day dawned overcast and there was a prediction of scattered showers and thunder storms. We were determined to make our fourth of the Four Corners today (Key West) and hopefully make it back to the mainland of Florida by night. I donned my rain pants but not my rain top since it was heating up already. Once we reached the Keys, after being caught in a lot of traffic in Miami, I was disappointed to find out the road to the Keys is almost entirely two-way and the speed limit changes constantly from a low of 35 miles per hour to a high of 55 miles per hour and lots of traffic. At last we reach Key West and purchase some fuel for the requisite receipt and begin our search for the Key West post office. The map seems clear enough and we are on the correct street, however, we cannot spot the post office. Dale and I get separated in the maze of one-way streets in Key West and I turn in the opposite direction Dale turns and we go out of CB range and cannot find one another. Last time I talked to Dale he was nearing the monument to the southernmost point in the United States so I decided to get a local's help and head to that point. I am starting to boil inside my riding suit and rain pants, I should have pulled over and removed the rain pants, as I search for the monument; at last I spot it a block away but I am beginning to suffer from heat exhaustion. I pull into one of the few parking spaces I can find by the ocean and call Dale on the CB and tell him I am about a block north of his position and he says he is on his way. After sitting on the bike a while we go across the street to an open air café with ceiling fans on the beach and I proceed to drink massive quantities of orange juice and water and in about an hour or so feel fine again after removing the rain pants. We leave and go in search of the post office to take our pictures and mail our forms, we cannot find the post office. We ask at least three people and get three different versions of where the post office is located and the last person is correct and we find it--hallelujah! We get out forms ready to mail and when I go into the lobby to request they be hand-stamped there is a long line,but like I so often found out on this trip there are a lot of nice people in the world and when they find out what you are doing are very supportive and enthusiastic. So I approach the lady waiting at the front of the line with her little girl and briefly describe our mission and ask if she would mind having the envelopes hand-stamped since they already have postage; she says "Sure, that sounds great!" and we move on to the bikes and a great need to make some miles. The Four Corners Tour group will credit us with a 15 day tour since they do not begin counting until you reach your first corner, mail your form and do not count your time to return home as part of the tour.Dale, as always patient with my problems, suggests we can stay in Key West for the night if I feel the need and I say "No, let's see how far we can make it." We head north back through the Keys and as it gets later Dale suggests we find a place to eat that might look like it has good seafood. Several possible places slip past as I spot them too late to stop and I usually base my guess of where to eat on it being well attended(several cars) and it looks clean (at least from the outside). Finally I see a small unassuming clean place by the road with several cars in front(all fairly expensive) and say let's try this one. The restaurant is named Uncles Restaurant and as soon as we enter I have a good feeling; the décor is tasteful, the people nice and the food is spectacular. Dale said he had never had better shrimp and scallops and the seafood dish with shrimp I had was marvelous. The owner comes by our table and chats explaining he moved here from New Hampshire several years ago and he used to own a bike and would like to get another one soon.We continue north to Key Largo, it begins to rain and we pull into a motel that had underground parking out of the wet. Dale went to Walgreens,about 1 block away, to develop his digital pictures and got soaked on the way back to the motel. We were back to our 500+ days and had a chance to get back on schedule.

DAY 18: (June 25th--Wednesday)
It was a good dawn and time to make up some miles and time. We left Key Largo just after 6 a.m. and headed north with a great deal of purpose. It was time to go home, the Four Corners had been achieved within the required time and we both wanted to be home. We exited the keys and returned to the mainland of Florida with renewed energy. Dale suggested that we return through Florida via a different route of I-75 and reach that route by crossing the old Alligator Alley. Alligator Alley was great, very little traffic and we saw deer, alligators,a bald eagle and several very large vultures. The trip up I-75 in Florida was fine until we got further north and began hitting rain and finally had to pull off because of a severe downpour, but we were back on the road in 45 minutes of so. As we came out of Florida into Georgia we hit an incredible downpour and the state police were coming up through traffic advising people to get off, so we did. This stop was in Unadilla, Georgia, and it took us another 45 minutes to an hour to wait out the rain. We continued northward bound and as we began approaching Atlanta I felt we should ride to the north side of Atlanta to miss morning rush hour traffic. We motored on to Marietta, Georgia, and with the delays had been on the move for about 15 hours and covered 750+ miles, we were back on schedule and without any unforeseen difficulties could be home the next afternoon. We found a motel, had a late supper and slept soundly.



DAY 19: (June 26th--Thursday)
A beautiful day greeted us and it looked like we would miss the rain today. The ride through Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and into Illinois was great. Even Nashville,Tennessee, did not provide any real problems as far as traffic and Dale pulled off into the drive to his house at about 1:45 p.m. and I returned home about 20 miles west of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, around 2:45 p.m. after stopping briefly at Wal-Mart to drop off my disposable camera to have some prints made to pick up later. When I pull into the shed where I store my 1994 Goldwing the odometer shows I have travelled 10,445 miles since I left 19 days ago. Dale rode his 2007 Yahama Venture and did not have a minute's trouble and it seemed to really shine at highway speeds while giving Dale a comfortable ride. As Dale and I said so many times, when you go on a trip like this you never know what will happen along the way and you should expect what we have come to call "The Full Experience". People were so nice to us along the way it made the trip a pleasure and when people asked where we had been and where we were going many were amazed and many said it sounded like great fun. One young girl said, "Are you guys on a road trip?" having seen our heavily packed bikes and I said "Yes". She simply said "Cool" and looked like she thought it a novel idea. We visited with a lot of fellow bikers and non-bikers and people who think they would like to give it a try. Some people shook their heads when they learned of our mission and to them I can only paraphrase a famous saying "If you understand why I ride no explanation is necessary, If you do not understand why I ride no explanation is possible". I must end by saying that the most common reaction and question was "Doesn't your butt get sore?" and I always answered the same way, "Just for a little while". The truth for us is that the soreness is very temporary, the memories will last forever.