Riding in less than ideal weather tends to tire you more quickly because you subconsciously ride more tensed up. And tonight we're tired.

Until tomorrow...

Thanks.

Gene

Nevertheless, it was a fine day and we covered 549 miles, up Hwy 87 from Great Falls to Havre, then on 2 the rest of the way. Harve was the first place we were able to rejoin our original routing from Washington.

It was Tom’s turn in the barrel once again as he guided us magnificently into the Central time zone. Starting off at 28 degrees is a true eye opener. The only saving grace is that the wind hadn’t reached us yet. We took a photo op at a Missouri River overlook as we made our way north east to Havre, MT (pronounced Hav-er) and breakfast. Our normal M.O. is to get on the road early (0530-0630ish), ride a hundred or so miles, and then stop for breakfast. That way we beat the morning rush hours. You do have to keep your eyes moving at that time as it’s prime feeding time for the animals.

It was "spot the wildlife and try not to hit them" kind of a day. We saw hundreds of deer (a six-pack of deer crossed right in front of Tom at one point) and antelope -- couldn’t tell if they were playing or not -- and even some buffalo roaming the plains. I feel a song coming on.

By noon the temperatures had climbed into the 50s, the wind was making itself known, and the skies were remarkably clear. I guess we were given an easy one to make up for yesterday’s ball-buster. However, it was still a long ride and we were glad to get to our destination, "Why not Minot", at about 6:10. Ride Relay, Repeat!

I'm a day behind in my reporting but last night was laundry night, both for clothes and bikes. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Uh oh, I feel another song... I'll do better.

Thanks for listening.

Gene

Today’s routing was pretty much a straight line along Hwy 2 until just short of Duluth, MN where we dipped down southeast to spend the evening with Dick and Pat Delano at their lake front home. And, what a beautiful home it is! I’ve known Dick since 1971 when we both were instructor pilots in the Air Force at Moody AFB, Valdosta, GA. We very much appreciated their welcoming of two wayward, semi-bearded, ducks-out-of-water, and their wonderful hospitality. They were the consummate hosts allowing us to launder both our clothes and bikes, then filling our bellies with carbs galore. Heaven must be like this.





We left Minot right on the button, 0632. Being on the western side of the time zone it was still dark but within a few minutes we were greeted with an absolutely beautiful big orange sunrise as it rose above the horizon. Ten minutes later we were cursing the damn thing because we couldn’t see with the sun right in our eyes. You can’t win. Did I mention the 18 degrees?

By the time we stopped an hour and a half later to fill-up, and empty, and get a cup of coffee, the temp had soared into the low 20s. Tom’s feet were cold so he bought some of those skiier chemical warming pads (that heat up as you break into the packet) and put them into his boots. I just John Wayne'd it.

Once we hit the road again we watched the temp climb to 37. Hey! Not too bad. As we approached Great Falls, MT, I tuned in the weather map on my Zumo GPS and wondered what that blob of gray was that showed up right over our routing. A little while later we entered the fog bank and watched our warming trend do a reversal and drop back to the mid 20s. The fog was so thick I could hardly make out Tom’s headlights behind me. I felt like I had a bit part in "Great Expectations".

The snow along the road sides kept getting deeper and deeper until the whole world (except for the dry roads) looked like a winter wonderland. Truly majestic. Hard to disengage your head from the constant swivel trying to take in everything.




Our 505 miles took it’s toll and that bed was mighty soft.

Except for the bitter cold the weather was rather benign and we’re hoping it remains the same as we head toward Canada tomorrow at o’early thirty.

Thanks for listening.

Gino (I feel we’re on a first name basis, now)

We could see sun through the high thin overcast, but that was it for the day. The temperatures were steady all day: never below 32 and never above 47.

Our route took us from Duluth, across the bridge over the harbor into Wisconsin, then we picked up Hwy 2, once again, then HWY 28 all the way to Sault Ste Marie, MI.

As usual, an hour and a half out we stopped for a quick bite, and gas. Just before we entered the town of Ashland a deer decided it liked the other side of the road better than the one it was on so it shot out in front of the car a head of us. Lot’s of break lights! The deer was a little unstable as it’s hooves hit the asphalt and you could almost hear it say,"Whoa, black ice!" I guess it was just a case of the grass being browner on the other side!

Have you ever seen an albino moose? Extremely rare to see one, but two? Cool! From then on, around Lake Superior(which we never lost sight of the whole day. Jeez, is that big!) to Sault Ste Marie, MI. We were also surrounded by the beautiful snow that covered the area. As you can see from the map, it was pretty much a straight shot so it was a bit boring, except for me listening to the first round of the Masters on XM.

We had planned to make it to Sudbury, Canada but that proved to be a bit ambitious for us today. So 437 miles after leaving Dick and Pat’s home we pulled into the local Comfort Inn for some hot shower comfort. As I’m watching the Weather Channel and looking at the blizzard that has been trailing us for two days I’m wondering if we’ll make it out tomorrow, or not. Time will tell.

Thanks for listening. Now I'm all caught up.

Gino

I think today can best be summed up in one word; Fat Chance! Doesn't look like we'll venture out today.
If you’ve been following the weather channel you might have noticed a giant snowflake right over where we are now (the Comfort Inn in Sault Ste Marie, MI, five minutes from the Canadian border).

It’s been snowing for several hours and plans to continue through the afternoon, evening, and overnight. The upside is that temperature is in the 33-35 degree range keeping the snow light and the roads passable, but wet.

After tomorrow it shows the weather clearing out. It appears that we may be here another day or two before we feel it will be safe enough to start out again. Fortunately, we have a few "slop" days built in to handle situations like this. The Four Corners Tour rules simply state that it must be completed within the 21 day limit so our "drop dead" day is 25 April to reach Key West, FL. Jeannie and Pam are meeting us in New London, NH on Monday, the 14th so we’ve got to make that, too.

It’s not all bad, though. We both had a good workout this morning, looking forward to lunch at Applebees, the Masters on TV this afternoon, and a day’s rest for the arses.

Thanks for listening.

Gino

Wait awhile and the weather is bound to change. We did, it did.

"On the road again", sing it Willie!

At about 1100 we made the decision that we should leave the comforts of the Comfort Inn. The temperature had soared into the mid 30s, the snowing stopped, and they plowed the parking lot. What better signs?

By noon, the roads were wet and mostly clear as we made our way across the bridge into Canada’s version of Sault Ste Marie. The plan for the day, since we got such a late start, was to ride until we got tired. The routing was East along Canada’s Route 17, through Sudbury, and beyond. But first, customs. After the standard questions, we were on our way.



Surprisingly, and welcomed, we could see blue sky in the distance. Just short of Sudbury a beautiful bald eagle swooped down from our left, checked us out, and then continued his swoop back into the trees. Apparently, he had never heard the sound of Rynhard True Dual exhaust pipes before (thank you TJ).

It was my lead today and after a couple of hours of beautiful snow covered countryside we stopped for gas. I was a little more than concerned to see that I had just put a little of 11 gallons into a 5 gallon tank until it dawned on me I was now working in litres. And at 1.34$ (Canadian dollars)/litre that works out to well over $5/gal US! Sheesh! And I’m of a fixed income. ;-)

We were amazed at how many lakes we rode by. Quite a few of them were large enough to have seaplanes pulled up on the shores, unable to fly off the ice. All were surrounded by small towns and individual houses. I imagine it would be beautiful in the summer, too (except for the mosquitoes).

We went from cloudy to partly cloudy to cloudy and rain and really, really cold by the time we finally called it a day 365 miles later.

You ever been to Mackey, Ontario? No need. The only thing there is the Mackey (or Bates if you will) Motel where the room temperature never got above 60 degrees. No restaurants, no gas stations, no nada. Granolas were the order of the day. And no internet! Can you believe it? ;-) I slept in my long underwear and socks, my 'man suit" not doing the job.

I’m betting that more than a few of you are shaking your heads thinking, "Ain’t no way, Jay, would I do that!" Well, Tom reminded me of the old axiom that ‘the only difference between an adventure and an ordeal is attitude’. This is definitely an adventure, and we’ll do it again tomorrow.

As always, thanks for listening.

Gino

Tom’s turn today to lead us through Ottowa, Montreal, Quebec, and beyond. We got started at 0645 after slowly negotiating the iced over exit from the motel. Sunday morning in southern Ontario is sleepy. It took us awhile before finding a gas station that was open at that time of the morning.

A side note, yes, both bikes have started up every time, and on the first try, even at 18 degrees. Very strong, fully charged batteries and synthetic oil help.

The sky was clear, the roads were dry, the temp was in the low 30s. A gorgeous day to be riding. Which reminds me that we haven’t seen another motorcycle on the road since we left Washington. Hmmm. What gives? It's Spring, right? ;-)

I think this about covers it. ;-)

The Canadian highway system consists mostly of what we would call secondary roads. And their speed limits are considerably lower than what we have in the states. Even on the interstate type roads we never saw anything above 100KPH (about 68 MPH. We had been warned not to speed because the cops will pull you over in a heartbeat, especially if you're on a motorcycle). That doesn’t mean it’s followed. Nor does it mean that their drivers are any more savvy or safety conscious than ours. As we passed through the island of Montreal we were surrounded by, let’s just call them aggressive, drivers. While I was trying to keep Tom is sight, as drivers rushed in to separate us, he called me on the CB and said, "What is this, NASCAR?" Could have been, all that was missing were the numbers on the cars.




After Quebec the weather started to deteriorate and we soon ran into wet roads followed shortly by blowing snow. How can that be with the temperature at 5 degrees C (41 degrees F)? But it was, and it continued for the next couple of hours as the temperature dropped. But we were determined. Our goal for the day was to reach Madawaska, ME, our third checkpoint of this Excellent Adventure. And, SUCCESS, we did it, 613 miles later!





We took the pictures, got the gas receipts, filled out the paperwork and mailed the envelopes. Only thing left was to find a motel with a restaurant. Slim pickins in this mining town, but we did.

We made up some time today and find ourselves only one day behind our original schedule. Tomorrow we’re headed to New London NH to stay with my good friends Rich and Susie Burmann for two days, and to meet up with Jeannie and Pam who are flying in from Phoenix.

Thanks for listening.

Gino

My lead today. The route was down ME 1 to I95 to I295 to ME 25 then as straight west as we could make it to New London, NH. I mentioned earlier that we had planned maintenance stops along the way and today was mine. We traveled about an hour to Caribou, ME to the Harley dealership,arriving about 0745. Amazingly, we were on our way once again before 0900 after an oil and rear tire change, and a Tim Horton's coconut cream doughnut. Life is good.

Rich and Susie are our dear friends who we’ve know since college. He was a fraternity brother of mine (Sig Ep) and Sue was a sorority sister of Jeannie’s (AO Pi). Rich was also my best man and Sue was Jeannie’s Maid of Honor at our wedding forty years ago. We have a history.

We plan to take the next day off and recupe a bit from the last three days of "making up time".

Thanks for listening.

Gino

A day of relaxing and no riding, OK, maybe a little.

No alarm set so I could sleep as long as I wanted. Wrong. I’m the guy who lays awake at night staring at the clock to make sure I don’t oversleep. Anyway, it was a restful night and post coffee I felt refreshed when everyone else got up.

After a great breakfast Susie informed Tom and I that we had an appointment downtown, in front of the firehouse, for an interview with the local paper, pictures and all. We bundled up everyone (Susie in my back seat) and off we went. Tom (the silver tongued half of the Excellent Adventure) explained the unexplainable of who/ what/ why/ and where of our ride, and made sure everything was spelled correctly. The reporter took some pictures but I didn’t see them in the NY Times today, maybe tomorrow.





The Fire Chief gave us a tour of the station (Susie is also volunteer fireman) and was kind enough to allow us to wash off some of the road grime that we’ve been transporting through Canada and Maine, which was very much appreciated.





The evening’s meal was expertly prepared by Carolyn, a good friend of Rich and Sue’s, in a late 1700s farmhouse. You would not believe this place. Gorgeous in its restoration. You’d think that "One if by land, two if by sea" soldiers were right outside the door. A wonderful evening.

Tomorrow is planned for a 0630 push and Tom will be my guide, so the day ends shortly after we return home.

Until mañana

Ginoo

Jeannie and Pam planned to depart to the Manchester airport about the same time as we were, so the Burmanns were going quickly from a feast to a famine of houseguests. However, always the gracious hosts, they fixed us coffee and all the fixin’s before we left.

The morning was crispy clean with no clouds, little wind, and 28 degrees as we left the warmth of the garage. Our routing had us going northwest along I89 to I91 to I95 to the NJ Turnpike to the Garden State Parkway, to the Cape May Ferry, across the Delaware Bay to our overnight stay in Rohoboth Beach, DE.





The day was a day of firsts for the EA.

-First time to set foot/wheel in 7 states in one day.

-First time for Tom (white knuckled) to ride through NY traffic, across the George Washington Bridge and NJ traffic on his motorcycle. For some reason he wasn’t talking much on the CB while this was happening.

-First time to downsize (that is to go from looking like the Michelin Man down to normal size when the temperature hit 70 in northern NJ and could shed some clothing) since our second day out.

-First time to travel without riding (the ferry trip).

The countryside’s scenic glory changes dramatically as you continue south. It seems to correlate directly with the increase in population, and trucks on the highway. However, once we left the NJ Turnpike and started down the Garden State Parkway along the eastern shore of NJ it shifted back to scenic. It’s a very relaxing and enjoyable ride (did I mention that trucks are prohibited from using it?, makes a huge difference).



We arrived at the ferry dock in Cape May just before 4pm thinking that the ferry left at 415pm. It does, tomorrow. Today it left at 6pm so we had a couple of hours to kill in the local area before we were allowed on board. The $29 fee was worth the ride and time savings. It was actually a very pleasant change to travel without doing it ourselves.





Shortly after disembarking we found our hotel for the evening and called it a day.

Jeannie and Pam both made it back to Phoenix unscathed this afternoon. It was a great to have them fly out and join us for a too short visit. Once again, we’d like to thank Rich and Susie Burmann for their wonderful hospitality and for just making us feel at home.





Several have asked how the beards are coming. Well... they're not quite there, yet. ;-)

Thanks for listening.

Gino

Today was supposed to be one of those “slop days” I’ve mentioned to take up the slack should we have troubles like weather, mechanical, or illness, and still allow us time to make the EA in 21 days or less. If it’s not needed then that puts us a day ahead of schedule. Our original plan yesterday would have taken us all the way to Norfolk, VA but the poor timing of making the ferry would have put us in too late. So instead of a "slop day" today we decided to continue on down the road and see what developed.





Yesterday, Tom called his cousins in Clarkton, NC to see if they might be available to get together with this afternoon, and the answer was yes. So we modified our route to end in Whiteville, NC, right near Clarkton. The plan for the day was to go to the Wright Bros. museum in Kitty Hawk, NC and then continue on to Whiteville but we soon realized that the distance vs timing wouldn’t allow enough time for Tom to visit if he did both. So we split at Virginia Beach, Tom going straight to Whiteville and me going via Kitty Hawk (and take pictures) and then on to Whiteville.





Today took us down the barrier islands to the 23 mile long Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, through Virginia Beach, out to the coast again and across the maze of causeways to Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hill, then south and west across a few more causeways to numerous back roads to finally arrive at the Holiday Inn Express (Simply Smart). The day could not have been more perfect for riding. We had clear skies, no heated clothing, fingerless gloves, temp climbing to the high 60s, and once again, explaining to everyone at every gas station what in the world we were doing with AZ plates. And the sightseeing through the small towns was just fascinating, I tell you. From the back water bogs to the sharecropper housing, my head was on a swivel.





I had never been to the Wright Memorial Park before and was very impressed. I also liked that being of that Senior Pass age saved me the $4 entry fee. ;-) The park has both a museum and walk/ride loop that encircles the monument and the actual hill (see above) from which the first flight launched. Very interesting to me to see where it all began. Kitty Hawk was selected for the flight because of the sand, the wind, the hills, and the lack of people in the area.





The 470 miles today and the 465 yesterday has put us right back on schedule. We’re looking at more back road excursions tomorrow and staying the night somewhere in South Carolina. We’ll see where the roads take us. I love this!

Again, thanks for listening.

Gino

Today was a relatively short day at just under 300 miles. I almost feel like I should be backing up to the pay window with having done so little. ;-)

The routing took us the back way through some very small towns, and some even smaller. What a kick, though, it is to be riding through parts of our country that has such a rich history. Unfortunately, the rich stops with the history. This area of southern and eastern South Carolina is known as the ‘Lowcountry’ and many areas are severly economically depressed. But the land is beautiful with its wooded areas and gently rolling terrain, and the people we met were as nice as you’d expect when you leave the beaten path.





We stopped for a terrific lunch at the See Wee Restaurant (named for the See Wee Indians that once inhabited the area) along the road just north of Charleston. Everything on the menu looked delicious (even with some items I’ve never heard of before). We’d go back again in a heart beat for the clam strips and country fried steak.





After bypassing Charleston (we’ve both been there before) we got back into the rural of it all and were once again trying to take in as much scenery as possible. The flat land here soon gave way to mud bogs and new islands as the tide went out. Ahhh, one deep breath and I was back at the Town Dock in Port Washington, NY (where I grew up) at low tide. Come to think of it, all low tides smell about the same. I used to dig for clams with my feet back then with the cool mud oozing up between my toes, many moons ago, when the world was flat, but I digress...





Today was a relatively short day at just under 300 miles. I almost feel like I should be backing up to the pay window with having done so little. ;-)

The routing took us the back way through some very small towns, and some even smaller. What a kick, though, it is to be riding through parts of our country that has such a rich history. Unfortunately, the rich stops with the history. This area of southern and eastern South Carolina is known as the ‘Lowcountry’ and many areas are severly economically depressed. But the land is beautiful with its wooded areas and gently rolling terrain, and the people we met were as nice as you’d expect when you leave the beaten path.

We stopped for a terrific lunch at the See Wee Restaurant (named for the See Wee Indians that once inhabited the area) along the road just north of Charleston. Everything on the menu looked delicious (even with some items I’ve never heard of before). We’d go back again in a heart beat for the clam strips and country fried steak.

After bypassing Charleston (we’ve both been there before) we got back into the rural of it all and were once again trying to take in as much scenery as possible. The flat land here soon gave way to mud bogs and new islands as the tide went out. Ahhh, one deep breath and I was back at the Town Dock in Port Washington, NY (where I grew up) at low tide. Come to think of it, all low tides smell about the same. I used to dig for clams with my feet back then with the cool mud oozing up between my toes, many moons ago, when the world was flat, but I digress...

Hilton Head Island is hosting the PGA Verizon Heritage Golf Tournament this week so we were prepared for heavier than normal traffic. The approach into Hilton Head is a serious maze of islands and causeways crossing every-which-way where getting lost or making a wrong turn immediately highlights you as a transient. Tom’s expert lead, however, had me only temporarily disoriented, but never lost. Then, as if by magic, the Days Inn appeared in front of us. We’re done. Almost.





I’d never been to HHI before so I went out exploring after we checked in. The traffic really snarled now as the gallery started leaving the tournament, but I was not to be deterred. I made it down to the beach and the surrounding grounds, toured a couple of gated communities (by my smooth talk) to see how the other half lives, and even hit the Mall before making my way back to the motel. Magellan Adee.

Tomorrow we plan to solo ride to Jacksonville, FL where we’ll be staying with Jeannie’s sister Sue, and her husband John Mencke. It’s time for Tom’s rear tire and oil change and he expects it to take 2-3 hours so he suggested I sleep in a bit longer as he makes his way to Savanna, GA for the maintenance. Who am I to argue?

Thanks for listening.

Gino

Today’s routing took us from Hilton Head Island around the horn to Savannah, GA, then a short stint on I 95 to US 17 to Jacksonville, FL then a work around through construction out to A1A and south to Ponte Vedra Beach, FL where we’re staying with Sue and John Mencke (Jeannie’s sister - do they look alike? - and brother in law). Jeannie flew in to visit her mom and sister yesterday.





Tom left the motel about an hour before I did to go to the Yamaha dealership in Savannah and get his bike’s tires replaced and oil changed. I met him there. The 2-3 hour service promised turned into a 4.5 sit-around. Fortunately there was a Krispy Kreme store that shared the parking lot to help us while away the time. YES! Glazed sour creme and Mango creme filled...ooooh. I guess the Yamaha folks took pity on us because they fed us hot dogs and sodas later as lunch time arrived.





By 1245 we were back on the road and enjoying the warm 80+ degree temperatures and sightseeing along US 17. It has always fascinated me that progress hasn’t always meant progress to everyone. Case in point… US 17 in this part of the country runs roughly parallel to I 95 and, in fact, was the main north/south route prior to I 95’s existence. Folks living and working along the then US 17 prospered from the travelers with their retail sales and services. Since I 95 was opened many years ago, and the traffic all but disappeared, this area plunged into as depressed economically an area as you’ll find anywhere. Once prosperous stores are now nothing but empty hulks of yesterday, gone and long forgotten. But the people, for the most part, are still there, trying to scrape a living out of what little travel there is along the road. Sad.





Getting off the interstates, away from the unwashed masses, and onto secondary roads is a good thing, especially if you’ve got only two wheels beneath you. Do you remeber the smell of a wood burning fireplace? What about fresh cut lumber, a newly tilled field, or the smell of rain approaching? We miss these with the windows rolled up and the a/c on. Today we witnessed them all, in fact, we got up close and personal with a couple of rain showers that cooled off the roads, and us. No trick for a couple of show dogs, though.





John and Sue Mencke live in an area called Sawgrass (where the PGA Players Championship is played each May). A very nice area as you might imagine with homes rivaling Hilton Head. Their home is beautiful and is located next to a small stream that boasts several underwater nests of Telapia fish. Can you say, “Dinner”? Not tonight, though. Tonight we were filled to the brim with Lasagna, salad, garlic bread, and Jeannie’s mega-calorie tort cake dessert. Shortly afterwards we both waddled off to bed. Another great day of making memories logged.

Tomorrow is an off day. What to do? We'll see.

Thanks for listening.

Gino

Today was a rest day, one to recoup. After the John and Sue Mencke’s wonderful version of a continental breakfast (homemade waffles and all the fixins’) we toured the Players Club at Sawgrass and their facilities (the site of the upcoming PGA tournament in May). Magnificent structure, and, built in just one year on the site of the old one.





Back “home” for more grub (hot dogs and all the fixins’) before we made our way out to the beach to hunt for sharks’ teeth and enjoy the scenery. Tom’s first attempt, under the watchful eyes of experts (Jeannie and Sue), was successful as he began to fill his pockets with these 500+ million year old fossils.





From the beach we borrowed John’s BMW Z3 convertible and made our way to St. Augustine and the site of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Very impressive and very interesting, especially if you’ve ever swung a club yourself. We even tried our own hand at infamy. Not even close!





Back home to pamper a budding sunburn before dinner, grilled London Broil (and all the fixin’s, of course). Is that we do, eat? Pretty close. Jeannie had a little extra room in her bags so she’s taking some of our not-needed-any-longer clothes (e.g. long handles and winter socks, etc.) back with her to Phoenix when she leaves later this week. Our too short stay with John and Sue was great and their hospitality to the bearded-folk was wonderful (thank you, again).





We’ve done the relaxing part and we’re anxious to do the repeat riding portion again. According to our Zumos it is exactly 500 miles from here to Key West. Our plan tomorrow is to head south on A1A, slip over to I 95 then back to US 1 south of Miami and head for the Keys. Tom's lead. If everything goes right we should be mailing our final envelopes late in the afternoon from checkpoint 4 in Key West. YES!
Stay tuned.

Once again, thanks for listening.

Gino

Today started out at the fairly civilized time of 6 am from the Mencke’s. However, it was dark at that time, (really, really dark) as we made our way out of Sawgrass, down A1A to St. Augustine before jogging west to pick up I 95, then the FL Turnpike, and finally US1 into Key West (our 4th and final checkpoint). Interestingly, it had been a full moon night but hidden behind clouds to the west in the morning. As we continued south the clouds melted away as the sun started coming up in the east. Beautiful sight to see them both at the same time, and a good omen for our final day of the tour.





The choice of highways most of the way versus sightseeing along the beaches of Fort Lauderdale and Miami was due to 'miles to go versus time'. 500+ miles is still 500+ miles and it takes time to ride them, especially knowing that the last 140 or so will be slow going along US 1 in the Keys. As we got closer to Miami we could see from the Turnpike (which, by the way, nickel and dollared us to death with tolls. I may have to fly another trip. ;-) ) good examples of excess and its lasting effects. The mountains of trash to the left of us were covered with dirt and grass so they’d blend in (mountains in FL?... blend in?... yeah, right), and the dead wooded areas to our right resulting from flooding of too much water as once vacant adjacent land is drained and prepared for progress.





Tom led to south Miami and then gave me the lead from there. He graciously allowed me to lead across the “finish line”, such that it is, and to even the number of checkpoints each had found. If you haven’t driven/ridden the keys, put it on your list. Although slow going with its construction zones, RVs, and low speed limits, it’s a beautiful and breath taking sight. Most of the way you can still see remnants of the train track bridges that were once the mainstay of Flagler’s dream for Key West back in the early 1900s. Going, the Atlantic is on your left and the Gulf is on your right.









Shortly after getting into Key West we stopped for gas, got the receipt for proof, located the post office, took the pictures, signed the paperwork and mailed the envelopes. WHEW! WE DID IT! (I have to admit it was a bit surreal. Having seen and experience so many things in the 17 days it took us makes it almost seem like we haven’t really done this, just read about it in the daily emails. Almost. ;-) Interesting.) The people around us were a little suspicious of these two semi-scruffy, dressed alike, white haired, old guys slapping each other’s back and shaking hands as we celebrated our journey.




Enroute to our motel we found the ‘Begin’ sign for US1 and the buoy that marks the southern most point in the continental US.





Well, having completed the 4-Corners Tour with my good friend Tom has been a wonderful experience. As we used to say back in the wooden ship days, he’s a true ‘officer and a gentleman’ and I’ve enjoyed his company, his humor, his riding skills, and his friendship, immensely. Thank you, Tom, for doing this with me.

We’ve finished what we set out to do but we haven’t finished our trip. We still have another 2500 miles or so before we call it a day. Our routing back home will take us through some of the most beautiful and interesting areas of our southern coast and we’re looking forward to every gas station. I’ll still be sending out emails on the return to the Valley of the Sun but don’t expect them every day. I plan to Relax a bit at night, too.

Thank you all for your support, encouragement, and prayers. They mean a great deal to both of us.

Thanks for listening.

Gino

OK, so I’m not good at staying away from my computer ;-)

We thought that after our beer and martini clouded celebration a 6am departure was not in order. True statement. We did the obligatory roll-your-own-waffle and coffee stop at the front desk and were on the road by 0830, enjoying, immediately, the warm breezes and clear skies of the Key’s early morning. My lead today to Sarasota, FL.





When the Zumo GPS came alive it initially said we were only 123 miles from our destination. Cool, easy day. That, of course, is as the seagull flies. As the road flies stretched it to 350. You really are limited in your choice of roads in and out of the Keys. It’s US 1, period. But it’s a beautiful ride, especially the ‘tween the Keys’, on the bridges. Turquoise is the dominant color.

The routing today was US 1 to FL 997 to US 41 (Tamiami Trail, better know as Alligator Alley), I 75 and then back roads to the beautiful home of Joe and Cathy Terhaar, our hosts. Jeannie and I have known Joe and Cathy for over 30 years where Joe and I flew in the Air Force Reserve at Homestead AFB, FL, and the airlines. Joe is still flying for Delta and Cathy is still doing her nursing.





Today’s scenery was both beautiful and a bit boring. The Everglades are big, and the Tamiami Trail takes you right through the middle of them. Once you’ve seen one mangrove, though, you’ve seen them all, but it was interesting to see all the Air Boat rides and "You wrestle an alligator here" places. Maybe when I was younger, I don’t heal as fast as I used to.





Joe was on the last leg of his trip from Tel Aviv to Atlanta but Cathy was the perfect Hostess fixing us home made mushroom soup and Stone Crab Claws before we called it an evening. Joe is supposed to roll in about 9am tomorrow morning, just before our T-time at the Serenoa Golf Course. If he’s really, really, tired, we may raise the bet. ;-)

As always, thanks for listening.

Gino

Sarasota is beautiful this time of year. We woke up to clear skies, little wind, and 75 degrees. Perfect for golf. So golf we did. Joe Terhaar, our host, got in from his flight about 1000 and by 1030, with bagel and coffee in hand we went to the golf club.





Tom and I had to rent clubs (hard to carry them on the Harley) and Joe supplied the balls and tees. To make a long story short, I had a better day shooting golfs than Tom and Joe but we all had a great time. We were always looking for wildlife as we searched for our errant balls, hoping we didn’t find any. We did, however, admire some from afar, very afar. Few things are more disconcerting than having an alligator swim by while you’re putting.





No riding today but there was a little bike cleaning and a general ‘going over’ with wrench in hand. Two days ago a piece of bling fell off my bike while riding. I told Tom on the CB what had happened and that I had to pull to the side to see what it was (all I knew was that it hit my left foot in its travels). I knew I’d take grief for littering the highway with Harley parts and I have. It turned out to be a chrome piece that covers the shifing arm. No biggy and no great loss. It did, however, remind me of the old Harley joke that goes Are you aware that over 60% of all Harley’s ever made are still on the road? The other 40% made it back home. It’s OK, I can take it. ;-)

Cathy was busy preparing salad, marinating steaks, and building a pie while we three were slaving over a hot golf course and getting sunburned. Wow! what a dinner. Delicious, and filling. I guess the sun, the golf, and the seemingly endless eating finally took its toll and it was time to waddle off to bed. Early go in the morning.





Thanks again to Joe and Cathy Terhaar for your wonderful hospitality and your friendship. Our too short stay couldn’t have been better.

Tomorrow we’re hugging Florida’s west and panhandle coasts up to Santa Rosa Beach. How could that not be fun?

Thanks for listening.

Gino

The route today took us across Tampa Bay on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge into St. Petersburg just before sunrise, up I 275 to US 19 to US 98, through Panama City and then to Santa Rosa Beach (about 50 miles west of PC). Lots of stop-and-go traffic until we got well north of St. Pete. We logged 470 miles of Gulf Coast hugging beauty as we went from just a few miles inland, at the most, to just a few feet from the warm Gulf waters. Summing it up to a single word would have to be bridges. Lots of them. All with spectacular views.





The tall pine trees of Georgia have nothing over the pines in northern Florida. They lined most of our trip. As we rounded the bend and were headed mostly west right on the coast you can see a marked change in the home construction. Those who choose to build there build their homes on very high stilt type structures to allow for storms and abnormally high tides.. Interesting. Just east of Panama City US 98 drives right through Tyndall AFB. I was stationed their back in the early 70s and it brought back a lot of memories as we watched a couple of F-15s take off while another stayed in the pattern practicing his landings. I’m feeling more and more like a dinosaur.





Tom’s turn to get us to our destination today, which was the beautiful beach home of Jim and Brenda Radtke. Jim and I go back a long way to 1431 Riverside Drive, Muncie, IN as fraternity brothers (I know, they’re everywhere!) at Ball State. We’ve also found ourselves stationed at several bases together in the Air Force. Jim is quite the carpenter and has done a terrific job of renovating their home. Just a few yards from the Santa Rosa Beach is not a bad thing and with both Jim and Brenda sporting healthy tans is proof to me that here is where they plan to stay. We went to a local screen door’d, wooden floor’d, live music’d restaurant (the best kind. I expected Jimmy Buffet to walk in) to taste today’s catch. We were not disappointed. My grouper was delicious. When we got back, from the marshy area directly behind their home, we were serenaded. I have never heard so many frogs croak so loudly at night in my whole life! Unbelievable. Jim and Brenda were the perfect hosts making our short visit very memorable. Thanks again.





We’re planning a slightly later departure in the morning as our distance to cover is a measly 370+ miles. Could be Baton Rouge or maybe father, we’ll see. Thanks for listening. Gino

Up and at ‘em with the smell of bacon and eggs and coffee wafting up the stairs. I had no choice. I’d be a fool...Jim was demo’ing more of his retirement skills. Excellent breakfast!





Jim and Brenda Radtke, our wonderful hosts, bid us a farewell (with a promise to visit us soon in Phoenix) at 0730 and we were on our way west on US 98, to I 10, to US 90, back to I 10, to US 90 to Morgan City, LA, and finally the Best Western. My turn on the pointy end today as our route took us through Pensacola, FL, Mobile, AL, Biloxi and Gulfport, MS, and New Orleans. The views of the white sand beaches and the dunes in the early morning was spectacular.





Today was also a day of bridges and causeways, with a tunnel thrown in as we descended below the Mobile Bay into Mobile. The USS Alabama display passed off our left just before the tunnel. We decided to travel along the shore on US 90 through Biloxi and Gulfport, MS to see first-hand some of the damage and rebuilding resulting from Katrina back in August of 2005. Some things were well on their way to being finished, while others looked like they might never make it back. Seeing up close the power of Mother Nature begs the question, "What will these folks do when the next Katrina hits?" And it is when, not if. An industrious artist has carved animals into many of the trunks of dead trees left in Katrina’s wake. Impressive.









As we approached New Orleans from the Slidell area we could see some of the damage to the roads and bridges. They were in full swing building a brand new bridge just to the south of the one we were on, but it was much higher off the water surface. We did not go into town but rather skirted it to the north due to the ongoing construction, damaged roads, one way streets and single lanes that backed up traffic for miles. I think it will be awhile still before I go back for Mardi Gras with my stash of stringed beads, and camera at the ready. ;-)

As we headed southwest along US 90 toward Morgan City we started getting a little rain. We just rode through it without the need for rain gear. Unbelievably, that ‘s the first rain we’ve seen since Canada. It was a nice respite from the very warm afternoon.

Tomorrow we’re planning to see more of the back country of Louisiana and Texas as we make our way toward Houston.

As always, thanks for listening.

Gino

Today’s ride was very interesting, to say the least. Following a scrumptious bowl of Frosted Mini-Wheats, we took US 90 out of Morgan City, LA at about 0640. For the next 40 minutes we rode in the infamous south Louisiana fog that at times had us down to crawling speed. The sun didn’t come up until after 7am, which made it all the more interesting as cars, and trucks sped by us like they didn’t see the same fog we did. My jeans were soaked from the knees up just from the fog/mist.





The planned route took us deep into bayou country via LA 35 and LA 82 over to Port Arthur, TX, where we picked up I 10, past Houston and on to Seguin, TX (about 40 miles east of San Antonio). The land in southern LA is flat, as you might suspect, and in many areas below sea level, as evidenced by the levees we saw. It’s interesting that the roads and most of the homes and sparse businesses are built either on stilts or on mounds of earth in preparation for the inevitable flooding. I couldn’t live like that.





Lots of damage and repair work from tropical storms and hurricanes seems to be the normal order of things. It’s amazing that there is anything standing at all after Rita hit just after Katrina.





Route 82 parallels the gulf coast very closely to a point where we were actually feeling the spray from waves crashing on the shore from the rough seas. We then had the opportunity once again to travel by ferry. This time, though, it was just across a river (maybe a hundred yards) and only cost a dollar. After disembarking we ran into our first real rain on this part of the trip. The forecast had rain in it so we weren’t surprised. We’ve ordered good weather for tomorrow.





As we continued west we saw several small oil refineries seemingly operating at full production. Bustling, with trucks moving everywhere, it didn't look we had a shortage here. Shortly after entering Texas (our 28th state so far) Tom found us Cajun Cuisine and I was able to get my Red Beans and Rice fix. From there on was lots and lots of I 10, through Houston, TX all the way to Seguin, and the Jacuzzi. We elected to stretch today a bit (470 miles) in order to be able to tour Big Bend National Park the day after tomorrow. Really looking forward to that.

Thanks, as always, for listening. Hope you're enjoying riding along

Gino

This morning was basically a repeat of yesterday (sans the Mini- Wheats) with a dark departure into a fog-covered world. We left the motel at 630am, with me in the lead, along I 10, through San Antonio (a breeze with no Sunday morning traffic) to US 90 to Sanderson, TX, then up US 285 to Ft. Stockton, our home for the evening.





Today’s 386 miles had me putting on my rain suit twice and wrestling with crosswinds all the way in from Del Rio. BIG WINDS! coming across the west Texas plains with very little to block their movement. El Paso reported winds gusting to 60 mph this morning...glad we weren’t there! I know a lot of people find west Texas boring to travel but I find it fascinating. West of San Antonio you can see farmland everywhere, growing just about everything you want on your dinner plate. That farmland soon morphs into pasture and grazing lands with herds of cattle (for the other half of your plate), horses, and sheep. The once prevalent oil wells of east Texas get replaced more and more with water wells for the animals the farther west you go.





The part of US 90 we traveled today was also called The Texas Hill Country Trail. Why? No hills we could see. Must be a marketing thing. Around Del Rio the name changed to The Texas Pecos Trail. Maybe it’s part of their Adopt-A-Mile-Of-Highway program? Regardless of what it’s called, it’s beautiful to experience. A train track parallels the highway almost all the way from San Antonio to Del Rio. One of the trains coming from behind us blasted his horn as he approached the bridge we were crossing this morning, in the dark, in the fog, which scared the...which almost made me soil myself...almost. It took me ten minutes to get my heart rate back to normal.





We passed Laughlin AFB as we made our way through Del Rio (a relatively small boarder town on the Rio Grande). Laughlin is where I went through pilot training 40 years ago, where my career in aviation all started. It’s changed a bit since I wore brown shoes, tan uniforms, and lieutenant bars but it's still bookmarked inside me. Thank you, Uncle. You taught me well. I have no complaints, and no regrets.





Enroute to Sanderson we stopped at Langtry, TX, to tour Judge Roy Bean’s museum. You might recall that he was known as the ‘hangin’ judge’, and "The law west of the Pecos". Interesting to see, and a step back in time. And free. ;-)





As we were about to leave the Judge the rain started again and the temperature dropped 25 degrees. I was warm enough with my layers beneath my rain suit, but Tom broke out his Gerbing heated jacket, then cooed. Our original plan had us going to Marathon, TX from which we’d tour Big Bend National Park the next morning. We made a few calls, found the hotel situation not good and decided that Ft. Stockton would work and not be too far out of our way. So, here we are.

Tomorrow: Big Bend, Tuesday: home.

Thanks again for listening.

Gino

What a difference a day makes, 24 little hours...another song, perhaps? Woke up this morning fearing the worst in weather but was pleasantly surprised. It was dark but there was no wind and the moon and stars were in sight. Yes, this was good. 180 degrees out from yesterdays start.

The plan today was to ride to Big Bend National Park, explore a bit, sightsee a bit, continue around the loop to Presidio, TX, then north on US 67 to US 90, onto I 10 and ride till we got tired. 11 hours and 480 miles later, we got tired, surprisingly enough right in front of a motel with wireless internet. Go figure.





The temperature was 41 degrees while we packed he bikes. Time to break out the Gerbing heated jacket and gloves once again. As we rode south we watched the sun peek up over the mesas to the east. Spectacular! The terrain was rising to over 4000 feet as the temperature bottomed out at 28. About 60 miles later we stopped for hot coffee at Marathon, TX, a wide spot in the road that had a hotel and café. Good enough.





Another 70 miles farther south we entered the park. The landscape became increasingly more scenic as the hills turned to rugged mountains and the valleys became gorges. It’s the part of Texas where words like, six shooter, pardner, howdy, and long horns are common place. They talk diff’rnt down yonder. We stopped at the park Visitors Center and meandered awhile before we set off exploring spur roads. Wow, gorgeous territory. Even saw a couple of mule deer, a wild hog and two pups, and a few antelope enjoying their surroundings.





As the road continued west we were at times as close as a road lane width from the Rio Grande River. The road is a motorcyclist’s dream road with twisties and kiss-me-quicks (those rapid ups and downs where you feel like your stomach touches your tonsils) all over the place. One sign warns of 15% grades up and down. They're there, no joke. Couple that with that Texas style scenery and you’ve got the makin’s of a return trip plan.









After a delicious enchilada lunch in Presidio, TX we started north along US 67 to Marfa, TX, about 70 miles away. The landscape along this stretch of road moved away from the river and became flatter and flatter the farther north we got. We were ready for a gas and bio stop by the time we got to Marfa. Interesting to me how many gas stations only sell regular and mid grade gas. Naturally, the Harley coughs and belches with anything less than premium, so the hunt was on. Eureka! We made a left turn to west and started off for El Paso, calling it a day two hours later.





All in all it was a most enjoyable day. The temperatures climbed into the mid 70s as the sun got higher in the sky so shedding layers of clothing was a must. The sights were amazing. If you haven’t visited this part of the world, put it on your list. You won’t be disappointed.

Tomorrow it’s Home To Mama, the final day of this Excellent Adventure.

Thanks for listening.

Gino

To say we woke a bit excited to get on the road would be an understatement. Home to Mama is a powerful incentive. The weather cooperated perfectly with a slight chill in the air at first to keep the blood pumping. But, by the time we crossed the Arizona border we were about down to our t-shirts...only a 52 degree increase in temperature.





The routing was I 10 to US 70 to US 60 to Loop 101 and split to our respective homes. Within about 20 minutes of leaving the motel we crossed into New Mexico and I was reminded of the fragrant odor of feed lots, old hay, and manure. Whoa! Too early for that, and me with no windows to roll up. I was also reminded of why NM is nicknamed "The Billboard State". Where is Ladybird when you need her? You can certainly practice your speed reading skills as you cross the state. This part of NM is very flat with farming and grazing being the main source of income.





About 20 miles before the Arizona border we left the interstate for secondary roads. Mountains could be seen in the distance and huge farms dotted the landscape. The closer we got to Phoenix the rougher the land became and the farms turned into land for cattle grazing.









There is still a lot of copper being mined in Arizona and it is most evident east and southeast of the Phoenix area (probably why AZ is also known as the Copper State...good to know for Jeopardy). Although I’ve ridden past many of the mines many times it still pains me to see what strip mining does to the land. Once beautiful mountains and hills are reduced to giant holes in the ground with slag being dumped all around the site. Wish there was a better way.





From the mines of Miami and Globe, AZ into the valley of the sun (Phoenix) are some of the most rugged rock formations you’ll ever ride/ drive through. A majestic beauty and certainly a sight to see.

As we approached home Tom split off to the north to head to his home and I continued on west a bit. Tom lives on the NE part of the valley and I live in the NW. At 250pm I pulled into my driveway having been gone for 27 days, 8 hours and 50 minutes, and ridden 10,575 miles. Not bad for a couple of white bearded dinosaurs.

Would I do it all again? In a heartbeat! Maybe skip the snow and ice, though. Is my butt sore? Nope, but I might give it a rest for a few days anyway in case I have saddle lag. ;-)

I want to thank everyone who "rode along" with us for your encouragement and support. I loved all your comments, questions, and help. To our hosts and hostesses along the way...you’re the best! You made a great trip even better. And to our wives, Jeannie and Pam, thank you for understanding what makes us tick.

I hope you enjoyed the "dailys" as much as I enjoyed putting them together. Secretly, I did it as much for me as I did for you. Now I can go back and see what we did.

It truly was an Excellent Adventure!

As always, thanks for listening.

Gino

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