| Mike Daley 4 Corners Tour May 23, 08 Day 1 Here I am, in the lobby of Days Inn Key West. I'll get my docs in order and send it in today, and officially start the clock. The route down the Keys takes longer than you think, much construction this year, and that is without the heavy traffic. I'll be turning around and headed up the Florida coast toward Maine today. I hope to get up near Jacksonville by tonight. I am finding my Trips and Maps program is more optomistic about my time than in reality. I will have to adjust on the fly, and find campgrounds as I roll. One complication with the longer ride yesterday, I arrived in town too late to get the hostel I was planning on. (Office closed, so reservation did no good) I had to find this Day's Inn and pay last minute check in rates, (in Key West no less, ouch). Time to ride, Mike raw video from day's ride here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq8nWjMKKhI Day 2 The clock is ticking and I left Key West after dropping the required docs in the mail at the post office. Slow going getting back to the mainland again, and then fighting traffic in Miami. Rough making any time getting up the coast today. Just above Miami in the Interstate I ran into the rain/thunder storm rolling across the state. Considering I has been so hot, it was actually nice to ride in for awhile. I kept my hot weather mesh jacket on and just got soaked. In a couple hours I was tired of that and pulled in to a Wendy's to dry up, and warm back up. Started to dry off around the turnoff to Orlando, and by time I hit Titusville, it was dry and warm. I am using the services of KOA tonight, first night I am actually using the tent. Day 3 Not only did the rain find me when I was riding, a pretty good thunder storm rolled over me in my little bitty tent last night. All systems worked and I stayed as dry as could be expected. I had been having problems with my bike, stumbling and faultering at low speeds. I finally had the chance in the campground this morning to pull the tank off and check the carbs. I had purchased a can of carb spray, so after pulling the top off the #4 carb and spraying it out, it worked again after I put it all back together. That is great, I was a little worried I may have to stop a day or town in a shop. There were a few short storm fronts I blasted though today in Georgia, but I made it to South Carolina where I found a cheap hotel for the night. I could use a good nights sleep. The weather looks fair up the coast, maybe some more rain, but not extensive yet. Looking nasty across the mid-west, but that is a week or so off. I shall deal with that when I get there. Day 4 Tonight I am posting updates to my blog from Hagerstown, MD (KOA) Heavy traffic coming up 95, folks returning from their holiday. Heavy LEO action as well. And Virginia, what's up with that state, do they not have ANY marked cars. Sneaking little cops, and this in a state that makes radar detectors illegal, and posts 65 on the freeway. Can't wait until I get to Montana and open it up a bit. lol (Nice thing was, my mileage was way up by slowing down.) Hope to get to Massachusetts tomorrow, and my second corner the following night. Day 5 I think that in my effort to avoid the big cites from New York to Boston, I ended up taking the long way around. But what roads, beautiful up in that part of the country. Hwy 2 from upstate Vermont to Bangor is a great road. Small communities full of charm. A friendly hot dog vendor with road advice, and sweeping easy corners for the bike. Not a road to push it on, as it is well traveled with tourists and locals, but great to relax and enjoy. A few sections with heavy road construction, one in particular really messed up the bike with mud and muck. I made it to my second corner, Madawaska. The friendly gas station knows the drill and will help with the phone number documentation and receipt. I ran a short video clip while parked at Four Corners Park. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jyJz28fToM There are some nasty wind storms coming up on the route, so I am watching them closely. I hope they will fall apart some as I run around Chicago and move across the plains. I really don't want to end up in the Land of Oz, so I take weather warnings seriously. Until the next WiFi hot spot. Day 6 At the last post I was worried about the weather. As it is turning out, it is fantastic. The prior storms moved south, as I trek across the north. I have swept up from around the Chigaco area, and am now up in Fargo, ND. I traveled up Hwy 10 from Minneapolis to here, and found the road easy to travel, and at least for a Sunday drive, traffic light. For the next few days I will use the far north trek. Hwy 2 through North Dakata and Montana. Day 7 The long stretch is done. I made it to Blaine last night. The road I took from Bonner's Ferry ID was WA state hwy 20. Man, what a breath taking run. High passes, broad high desert valley's, fun twisties, and light to nil traffic. Is my timing great or what? Some rain in patches, so I had to watch my speed on the mean twists, but that was only for a while. Most times I could enjoy the clear dry road. I found the highest pass near Washington Pass still with lots of snow on the sides, and very cold. I stopped long enough to make a short video postcard. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DT13Acrc_Q My focus setting got switched, so that video is blurry. I did not discover that until I got into my room last night. It means my document shot in Blaine is also blurry, so I am going to back track the 30 miles to re-shoot that. Now down to Medford, OR to visit friends and family a few days before finishing the last corner. Day 8 Time for goofing off is over, got to hit the pavement again today. It was good to visit with old friends on a Poker Run, then mom's apple pie and family, can't beat that. Today's leg should bring me down I-5 then over to the Bay area to start the slide down Hwy 101. (I'd love to take Hwy 1 along the coast line, but time will not allow this trip) Maybe get below Salinas, crossing fingers here. The finish line is close, what a ride. Day 9 All went well. Stayed close to the ocean to stay cooler, and made it to the finish line.
 That was fun. Now to get back to Alabama and plan my next ride. Home |