We started the day off at a Dunkin Donuts in Glen Falls. What a great way to start the day! I don't know if I'm as big a fan of them as OSJ, but I LOVE DD!!
I mostly backtracked to the NY/VT border and then jumped on Rte 9 in VT to ride home. We rode all the way to Brattleboro where we picked up 119 and rode the rest of the way home.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
We awoke about 6:15 and walked one mile to a nearby diner for breakfast. Neither Ruth nor I were impressed with the Diner so we'll not go back there tomorrow. It was ok but not worth a walk so once is enough.
Today was an awesome ride!!!
We did another of the Shamrock Tours. This one was a big looping ride from Glen Falls up through the Adirondack Park and stopping in Lake Placid
before continuing home. We got going about 8 AM and did lots of riding along two lane roads. I did get lost twice during this ride and I think it was because I only had their tankbag maps, not the articles. I should have planned better for the whole ride.
In Lake Placid, we stopped at the Speed Skating rink where Eric Heiden (from Madison, WI; just north of where I grew up) swept the 1980 Olympics
.
We then headed back to the Olympic Ski Jumping site. Being Austrian, Ruth HAD to see this site and see how many of her countrymen were named on plaques there. We paid the $10/person entry fee and parked the bikes. Ruth was immediately smitten.
We were both amazed to see them jumping. The jumpers would wear the same suit they were in the winter so it was hot for them. We chatted with one and then we climbed aboard the chair lifts to go to the bottom of the jumps. From there, we took an elevator to the top of the 120m jump. The guy running the elevator had a pretty boring job. It was reasonably cool outside but the
elevator was hot and he never got to see anything. He was dozing off after pushing the button to go to the top.
At the top we were able to climb to see where the competitors stood. It was quite impressive and I don't think it was something I'd want to do!
Ruth spoke to a boy that was 11 years old and was jumping off the 90m jump. I wondered if we'd see him in the 2012 Olympics...
They also had a place for acrobatic jumpers to practice jumping into a pool. They turned on jets in the water immediately before the jumper went (perhaps to keep them from sinking into the pool too far??).
We then continued back to Rte 9 and then south to Lake George. We hung out for awhile and peoplewatched and then, when we got to the KOA, we walked to a local pub for a raddler (beer and sprite) before cleaning up for the night and hitting the hay...
Today was an awesome ride!!!
We did another of the Shamrock Tours. This one was a big looping ride from Glen Falls up through the Adirondack Park and stopping in Lake Placid
before continuing home. We got going about 8 AM and did lots of riding along two lane roads. I did get lost twice during this ride and I think it was because I only had their tankbag maps, not the articles. I should have planned better for the whole ride.In Lake Placid, we stopped at the Speed Skating rink where Eric Heiden (from Madison, WI; just north of where I grew up) swept the 1980 Olympics
.
We then headed back to the Olympic Ski Jumping site. Being Austrian, Ruth HAD to see this site and see how many of her countrymen were named on plaques there. We paid the $10/person entry fee and parked the bikes. Ruth was immediately smitten.
We were both amazed to see them jumping. The jumpers would wear the same suit they were in the winter so it was hot for them. We chatted with one and then we climbed aboard the chair lifts to go to the bottom of the jumps. From there, we took an elevator to the top of the 120m jump. The guy running the elevator had a pretty boring job. It was reasonably cool outside but the
elevator was hot and he never got to see anything. He was dozing off after pushing the button to go to the top.At the top we were able to climb to see where the competitors stood. It was quite impressive and I don't think it was something I'd want to do!
Ruth spoke to a boy that was 11 years old and was jumping off the 90m jump. I wondered if we'd see him in the 2012 Olympics...
They also had a place for acrobatic jumpers to practice jumping into a pool. They turned on jets in the water immediately before the jumper went (perhaps to keep them from sinking into the pool too far??).
We then continued back to Rte 9 and then south to Lake George. We hung out for awhile and peoplewatched and then, when we got to the KOA, we walked to a local pub for a raddler (beer and sprite) before cleaning up for the night and hitting the hay...
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Adirondacks Three Day; Day 1
Ruth and I took a leisurely morning and left for Lake George about 10:30. We rode Rte 62 to 140 and then north to Rte 2. We rode a little longer and stopped for ....
and then continued out Rte 2.
Ruth was enjoying her ride and needed a bladder break on Florida Mountain. It's a great view from there and she's always a good subject of photos. (By the way, I don't have any idea why the photos are black and white rather than color. It seems my camera was toggling back an
d forth randomly!)I then reminded Ruth about the hairpin turn coming up. Although she was concerned, she did it like a trooper! She did criticize her own technique in that she crossed the centerline on the exit of the turn but I thought she did great!
My plan was to ride Rte 2 until I got to the corner of NY and then follow a route from the April, '07 issue of RoadRunner magazine. It was in a Shamrock Tour beginning in Glen Falls, NY (just south of Lake George). It had us going route 2 to 22 to 372 to 40 to 197. I thought the route was FABULOUS!!! It was mostly two lane roads and quite comfortable to ride on. Traffic was light and I enjoyed the roads lots.
We arrived at Lake George about 5 PM and headed for the KOA that is actually in Lake Luzerne. We're camping here because of some points for the AMA Grand Tours
Both of us forgot a few things and Ruth had noticed a Target a few miles back (in Glen Falls) so we went back to it. To her surprise, there was a JCPenney there and Ruth had to visit. We also had an "Apple Fortune" at a 99 restauraunt (thanks Dick!!) and then headed back for the night.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Coming Home again
8/20/07
Well, this is it. The last day of the two month tour. After camping under the trees, we had a dry tent waking up so that made it nice for packing. There was a restaurant almost directly across the street from the campground and they were open so we went in. They had a buffet that looked good but actually looked better than it tasted. The coffee was also weak so the start wasn't what we actually wanted.
We headed to Acadia. We were going to ride the 27 mile Park Loop Road and then I'd find the TomTom point somewhere near the ocean before we headed out. I enjoyed the Park Road to Cadillac Mtn but Ruth said that riding 35 mph in the woods is boring.
Climbing Cadillac Mtn was nice. At the top I remembered that one of the AMA Everywhere towns was Cadillac so I took a photo at the top of the mtn. I don't know if it will count, but its worth the creative effort.
When we came down from the mtn, we continued on the park loop road. I saw a whitetail hindquarters behind a tree and within a minute, a buck with velvety antlers ran across the road in front of me. Ruth thought I was going to be hit but I don't think it was that close. I didn't even apply brakes although I saw it in plenty of time. It was in a hurry so I just maintained my slow speed and watched it go.
I agreed that 35 mph was becoming tedious so I headed toward the Blackstone Campground which is where the TomTom point was. The exact spot was in the middle of the campground (remember, it was full) so I took a picture of the ranger station at the entrance instead.
We then headed out of the park and south on Rte 1. It tries to follow the coast but lots of times you are inland and can't even see water. When it gets close to water, the traffic increases and slows considerably. I thought this was tedious riding but Ruth didn't want to do interstates yet. We stayed on 1 to Wiscasset where we stopped for a late lobster and steamer lunch. I then headed onto the interstates and to home. We arrived home about 5:30 PM.
The long ride is officially over.
Well, this is it. The last day of the two month tour. After camping under the trees, we had a dry tent waking up so that made it nice for packing. There was a restaurant almost directly across the street from the campground and they were open so we went in. They had a buffet that looked good but actually looked better than it tasted. The coffee was also weak so the start wasn't what we actually wanted.
We headed to Acadia. We were going to ride the 27 mile Park Loop Road and then I'd find the TomTom point somewhere near the ocean before we headed out. I enjoyed the Park Road to Cadillac Mtn but Ruth said that riding 35 mph in the woods is boring.
Climbing Cadillac Mtn was nice. At the top I remembered that one of the AMA Everywhere towns was Cadillac so I took a photo at the top of the mtn. I don't know if it will count, but its worth the creative effort.
When we came down from the mtn, we continued on the park loop road. I saw a whitetail hindquarters behind a tree and within a minute, a buck with velvety antlers ran across the road in front of me. Ruth thought I was going to be hit but I don't think it was that close. I didn't even apply brakes although I saw it in plenty of time. It was in a hurry so I just maintained my slow speed and watched it go.
I agreed that 35 mph was becoming tedious so I headed toward the Blackstone Campground which is where the TomTom point was. The exact spot was in the middle of the campground (remember, it was full) so I took a picture of the ranger station at the entrance instead.
We then headed out of the park and south on Rte 1. It tries to follow the coast but lots of times you are inland and can't even see water. When it gets close to water, the traffic increases and slows considerably. I thought this was tedious riding but Ruth didn't want to do interstates yet. We stayed on 1 to Wiscasset where we stopped for a late lobster and steamer lunch. I then headed onto the interstates and to home. We arrived home about 5:30 PM.
The long ride is officially over.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
The End of the 4 Corners....
8/19/07
It was pretty cold when Ruth and I awoke. The neighbors were already tearing down their camp because they had two kids that were vomiting during the night so they were ready to head home.
We packed up the camp and headed back to the Tim Horton's for a bagel. As we were eating, a guy came riding up and he sought us out inside. He teaches classes that allow people to get their permit in ME so he wanted to talk bikes. When he found out I taught MSF classes, he was very chatty.
We talked about lots and then Iasked him about getting to Madawaska. He said it was about 2.5 hours there and that Rte 11 on the way back was nice. That was the plan for the day then.
The ride to Madawaska was uneventful. When we got there, I filled up at a Chevron that was on the SCMA list. The attendants knew about the 4 Corners ride and were full of questions. Ruth and I both filled up and then I rode over to the Post Office to get a photo and mail the gas receipt and totals.
After that, we decided to go to the new SCMA 4 Corners statue and get a photo there.
Now that the 4 Corners ride was over, we headed to Ft Nelson for a Subway sandwich and to get on Rte 11 to head back to Bangor and Acadia National Park.
About 1/2 way down the road we stopped at a rest stop. There were 5 other bikes there and we went up and chatted with them. They were all locals out riding and soon, four of them took off. We chatted with the remaining couple for awhile. They were riding a Goldwing and were pulling a camping trailer that Ruth and I looked at. They gave us advice on where to stay in Bar Harbor and we left a bit before them and headed south.
On the way south, we did see a white-tailed deer alongside the road.
Route 11 was definitely a more scenic way to go although it would be more challenging and dangerous at night.
We arrived at Acadia about 5 PM. I went to the vc immediately to get the stamp that would earn my National parks Gold and then we returned to the campground to set up camp.
After setting up, we crossed the street to have dinner. Ruth wanted lobster, but she couldn't be the one to condemn the lobster to death. I had to pick one out for us. I did that and she showed me the places to crack 'em open and eat 'em. It was pretty good!!
From there, we went to the convenience store to get marshmallows and graham crackers. I made a fire and we had s'mores for dessert. After it was dark, we laid down for a night's rest....
It was pretty cold when Ruth and I awoke. The neighbors were already tearing down their camp because they had two kids that were vomiting during the night so they were ready to head home.
We packed up the camp and headed back to the Tim Horton's for a bagel. As we were eating, a guy came riding up and he sought us out inside. He teaches classes that allow people to get their permit in ME so he wanted to talk bikes. When he found out I taught MSF classes, he was very chatty.
We talked about lots and then Iasked him about getting to Madawaska. He said it was about 2.5 hours there and that Rte 11 on the way back was nice. That was the plan for the day then.
The ride to Madawaska was uneventful. When we got there, I filled up at a Chevron that was on the SCMA list. The attendants knew about the 4 Corners ride and were full of questions. Ruth and I both filled up and then I rode over to the Post Office to get a photo and mail the gas receipt and totals.
After that, we decided to go to the new SCMA 4 Corners statue and get a photo there.
Now that the 4 Corners ride was over, we headed to Ft Nelson for a Subway sandwich and to get on Rte 11 to head back to Bangor and Acadia National Park.
About 1/2 way down the road we stopped at a rest stop. There were 5 other bikes there and we went up and chatted with them. They were all locals out riding and soon, four of them took off. We chatted with the remaining couple for awhile. They were riding a Goldwing and were pulling a camping trailer that Ruth and I looked at. They gave us advice on where to stay in Bar Harbor and we left a bit before them and headed south.
On the way south, we did see a white-tailed deer alongside the road.
Route 11 was definitely a more scenic way to go although it would be more challenging and dangerous at night.
We arrived at Acadia about 5 PM. I went to the vc immediately to get the stamp that would earn my National parks Gold and then we returned to the campground to set up camp.
After setting up, we crossed the street to have dinner. Ruth wanted lobster, but she couldn't be the one to condemn the lobster to death. I had to pick one out for us. I did that and she showed me the places to crack 'em open and eat 'em. It was pretty good!!
From there, we went to the convenience store to get marshmallows and graham crackers. I made a fire and we had s'mores for dessert. After it was dark, we laid down for a night's rest....
Back at it...
8/18/07
Ruth had to work last night so she wasn't ready to go right off but she was ready pretty quick. We were on the road by 8 AM. The first stop was a GPS point in Portsmouth, NH. The GPS pointed me to a woodlot next to the Community School so I took a photo of the school but as we left, there was a waterpark on the backside of the woods so I took a photo there also. The second GPS point was in York, ME and it was in their downtown area. There was an animal park that I think was closest so I took the photo of that.
We then headed north. The next four stops were Everywhere stops; Waterville, Wickson, Pittsfield and Bangor. Bangor also had a GPS point at some downtown buildings.
We made it to Bangor faster than I'd thought. I planned to stop here for the day but it was too early so Ruth voted to move on the Houlton (on the US/Canadian border). It was about 110 miles away but it was all interstate in remote areas. We made it there by 6 PM but Houlton was celebrating their 200th anniversary so EVERY hotel room in the town was occupied. Its a good thing we'd brought camping things and we took a nice campground on the edge of town. It was nice grass and fairly quiet. We set up camp, returned to town for a quick dinner, and then back to the campground for bed.
It was very cold during the night. I'd imagine it was in the mid 40s so both Ruth (in my warmer sleeping bag) and I were cold and had to put on jackets to stay warm.
We did 412 miles today, the longest Ruth every did....
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Photos uploaded
I've uploaded the remainder of the photos to my pbase account. If I get a chance tomorrow, I'll add some select ones to the blog. It may be until next week for that though because of the maintenance on the bike I've got to do.
http://www.pbase.com/drtryan/alaska__4_corners
http://www.pbase.com/drtryan/alaska__4_corners
18000+ miles and now this happens
I was working on getting pictures off my camera when I heard a "blam" and thought the neighbor was doing some construction. I went to see how my cat responded to the noise when I saw what it was. The center stand on the DL650 had sunken into the asphalt and the bike tipped over on the right side. It broke the right turn signal, hand guard, and brake lever. The only thing they have in stock is a brake lever. I'm going to try glue and duck tape for the turn signal and I'll take the hand guards off for now.
Dang it!!!
Temporarily Home
8/15/07
I awoke early so that I could get out of the city early. Its amazing to me how much traffic there is at 5:30 AM between Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD. Like last night in Washington, I decided to skip anymore scavenger hunt points in the area and headed toward Scranton, PA. I wanted to swing wide of NYC and just get home at some reasonable time.
I made it about 1/2 hour north of Baltimore when I stopped for breakfast. I was doing fine on time and traveling there. I then continued north of Harrisburg, PA and started running into LOTS of road construction. It seemed that I was riding 40 mph more than I was riding 65 mph so I decided to jump to I-80 and find a way to I-84. Rte 209 was the road that ran between these two interstates and it was an awesome road. The Delaware River Water Gap Recreation area is on this road so I got another NPS stamp and I saw a black bear on the road near the NY border.
There really wasn't much more to say; I rode interstates home and arrived about 4 PM. Its good to be home, even if its just temporarily. I've still got to get to Madawaska, ME by Monday. Ruth and I plan on leaving Saturday and getting there on Sunday. Here's to hoping it happens this way...
I awoke early so that I could get out of the city early. Its amazing to me how much traffic there is at 5:30 AM between Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD. Like last night in Washington, I decided to skip anymore scavenger hunt points in the area and headed toward Scranton, PA. I wanted to swing wide of NYC and just get home at some reasonable time.
I made it about 1/2 hour north of Baltimore when I stopped for breakfast. I was doing fine on time and traveling there. I then continued north of Harrisburg, PA and started running into LOTS of road construction. It seemed that I was riding 40 mph more than I was riding 65 mph so I decided to jump to I-80 and find a way to I-84. Rte 209 was the road that ran between these two interstates and it was an awesome road. The Delaware River Water Gap Recreation area is on this road so I got another NPS stamp and I saw a black bear on the road near the NY border.
There really wasn't much more to say; I rode interstates home and arrived about 4 PM. Its good to be home, even if its just temporarily. I've still got to get to Madawaska, ME by Monday. Ruth and I plan on leaving Saturday and getting there on Sunday. Here's to hoping it happens this way...
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Yin-Yang Day from SC to DC
8/14/07
I loaded the bike and was waiting for the office to open so I could
get a breakfast before leaving. The owner of the Super-8 was working
and as soon as he opened the dining room, he put on a movie from India
on the satellite TV. He and I chatted for awhile while the MTV-like
musical played. He really enjoyed the movie and was talking to me
like I was an old friend. I liked him.
I headed north. It was about 90 miles to the Santee State Park and
with no traffic, I made it quickly. In the park, I rode to the area
Ruth had described to me and the only thing there was a visitor center
and a dock. There was about 40 vultures all sitting either on the
railing on the dock or on a car that was at the dock. I don't know
why they chose that particular car because there were others there
also but it was funny to see them there.
I went into the visitor center and asked about notable structures.
They didn't know of any and when I checked the GPS, it appeared the
site was right there!
I now headed north toward Little Rock, SC. It was another 90 miles
toward South of the Border, a tourist trap on the SC/NC border. The
good news was that it was also easy to find so by now, I've gone
nearly 200 miles and already gotten a couple good sites.
My next stop was near Rocky Mount, NC (just over 100 miles). It was
called Nashville and again, it was fairly easy to find.
I know it doesn't sound like much, but this was a good start to a day.
It was about noon and I'd already been to three sites and gotten a
lot of miles in.
I had a lunch at a Subway and turned north toward Richmond, VA. There
were two things here to get; a NPS stamp and another GPS point. I
went to the National Park first. I had a bit of confusion though as
there was a 295 going through Petersburg and a 95 heading to Richmond.
I took the 95 and the first sign for a NP Battlefield was heading
back toward Petersburg. I then searched and found another in Richmond
so I went that direction. The GPS took me toward one but then I saw
another sign for a different battlefield and I foolishly ignored the
GPS and went toward the sign. It was apparently a NEW site that was
only open on weekends so I wasted a half hour finding it. I then just
followed the GPS to the Richmond NPS site that was a former
Confederate hospital. It was a very interesting site. It told me
about the state of surgery and medicine during the Civil War.
From there I headed toward the GPS point. It turned out to be another
NASCAR racetrack; the Richmond Speedway! I had a security guard take
my photo and I then headed the 100+ miles to Washington. This is
where the day turned very sour. I dislike cities and the traffic
associated with it. I'll make this brief and just say that of the 3
everywhere towns and 1 GPS point in the Washington/Baltimore area, I
didn't get any of them. I ended up staying at a hotel between
Washington and Baltimore.
Tomorrow, I should get to sleep in my own bed for the first time in 57 days....
I loaded the bike and was waiting for the office to open so I could
get a breakfast before leaving. The owner of the Super-8 was working
and as soon as he opened the dining room, he put on a movie from India
on the satellite TV. He and I chatted for awhile while the MTV-like
musical played. He really enjoyed the movie and was talking to me
like I was an old friend. I liked him.
I headed north. It was about 90 miles to the Santee State Park and
with no traffic, I made it quickly. In the park, I rode to the area
Ruth had described to me and the only thing there was a visitor center
and a dock. There was about 40 vultures all sitting either on the
railing on the dock or on a car that was at the dock. I don't know
why they chose that particular car because there were others there
also but it was funny to see them there.
I went into the visitor center and asked about notable structures.
They didn't know of any and when I checked the GPS, it appeared the
site was right there!
I now headed north toward Little Rock, SC. It was another 90 miles
toward South of the Border, a tourist trap on the SC/NC border. The
good news was that it was also easy to find so by now, I've gone
nearly 200 miles and already gotten a couple good sites.
My next stop was near Rocky Mount, NC (just over 100 miles). It was
called Nashville and again, it was fairly easy to find.
I know it doesn't sound like much, but this was a good start to a day.
It was about noon and I'd already been to three sites and gotten a
lot of miles in.
I had a lunch at a Subway and turned north toward Richmond, VA. There
were two things here to get; a NPS stamp and another GPS point. I
went to the National Park first. I had a bit of confusion though as
there was a 295 going through Petersburg and a 95 heading to Richmond.
I took the 95 and the first sign for a NP Battlefield was heading
back toward Petersburg. I then searched and found another in Richmond
so I went that direction. The GPS took me toward one but then I saw
another sign for a different battlefield and I foolishly ignored the
GPS and went toward the sign. It was apparently a NEW site that was
only open on weekends so I wasted a half hour finding it. I then just
followed the GPS to the Richmond NPS site that was a former
Confederate hospital. It was a very interesting site. It told me
about the state of surgery and medicine during the Civil War.
From there I headed toward the GPS point. It turned out to be another
NASCAR racetrack; the Richmond Speedway! I had a security guard take
my photo and I then headed the 100+ miles to Washington. This is
where the day turned very sour. I dislike cities and the traffic
associated with it. I'll make this brief and just say that of the 3
everywhere towns and 1 GPS point in the Washington/Baltimore area, I
didn't get any of them. I ended up staying at a hotel between
Washington and Baltimore.
Tomorrow, I should get to sleep in my own bed for the first time in 57 days....
--
============
Todd Ryan; Hudson, MA
Westborough HS Science Teacher
MSF RiderCoach
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
The Highways are Dangerous...
8/13/07
I got a reasonable start to the morning. My first stop was about an
hour away at Kennedy Space Center. The visitor center is relatively
easy to find and its cool to watch the sun coming up over the ocean.
The issue with some of the GPS points are that sometimes they choose a
specific site and sometimes they choose the middle of the attraction.
I couldn't get to the exact point on this so I took a photo of the KSC
Visitor sign and let it go at that.
I headed for Jacksonville but made a side trip to Canaveral National
Seashore. There was a ranger there that told me he took his grandkids
on a vacation when they reached 13 and he took them anywhere in the
world they wanted to go. I liked that idea.
I also found a KOA as I was traveling there.
Jacksonville was the next spot. The first two post offices I went to
didn't have any signs on them that said Jacksonville so I then aimed
for a fire station. It seems the data on my GPS is out of date as the
fire station wasn't there. But I did find a post office there that
did have a sign so I was set.
Savannah was the next stop. There are two spots to see in Savannah;
Parkersburg and the Bonaventure cemetery.
On my way to Savannah, I saw a sign for a National Seashore in St.
Mary's, GA. I rode to it and picked up an easy stamp for GA.
After I left the site, I found a library that would let me check
email. I could catch up with a few AP students that had emailed me
since I checked it the last time.
Returning to the interstate, I had the biggest scare of the trip.
There was road construction going on so there were two lanes to travel
through. The right lane had an oversized truck with two pickup
companion vehicles. The truck was traveling slow so I was third in
line to pass it on the left. All of a sudden, I heard a huge BOOM!!
And the cars started swerving. We all jumped on the brakes and nearly
came to a stop. It seems that one of the tires on the left side of
the truck blew and had thrown rubber everywhere. A car had a dent in
the passenger side door. I was glad that I wasn't the one next to the
truck!!
In Savannah, I chose to go to the wrong site first. I tried to find
Parkersburg. The GPS took me through lots of small streets and
finally onto a dead end street that showed me that Parkersburg doesn't
exist anymore. There were a couple of streets that were named
Parkersburg Ave, Drive, etc but those don't count.
The reason it was the wrong one to start with was because the
Bonaventure cemetery closed at 5 PM and I arrived there at 5:10.
There was a supervisor there but he said there was some type of charge
for being there after hours and that the place, as a historic site,
was monitored by cameras. I know he was sincere and he'd have let me
in if he could have. I took a photo of the entrance and am hoping
that might count.
I then rode to the first exit in South Carolina and ended the day.
I got a reasonable start to the morning. My first stop was about an
hour away at Kennedy Space Center. The visitor center is relatively
easy to find and its cool to watch the sun coming up over the ocean.
The issue with some of the GPS points are that sometimes they choose a
specific site and sometimes they choose the middle of the attraction.
I couldn't get to the exact point on this so I took a photo of the KSC
Visitor sign and let it go at that.
I headed for Jacksonville but made a side trip to Canaveral National
Seashore. There was a ranger there that told me he took his grandkids
on a vacation when they reached 13 and he took them anywhere in the
world they wanted to go. I liked that idea.
I also found a KOA as I was traveling there.
Jacksonville was the next spot. The first two post offices I went to
didn't have any signs on them that said Jacksonville so I then aimed
for a fire station. It seems the data on my GPS is out of date as the
fire station wasn't there. But I did find a post office there that
did have a sign so I was set.
Savannah was the next stop. There are two spots to see in Savannah;
Parkersburg and the Bonaventure cemetery.
On my way to Savannah, I saw a sign for a National Seashore in St.
Mary's, GA. I rode to it and picked up an easy stamp for GA.
After I left the site, I found a library that would let me check
email. I could catch up with a few AP students that had emailed me
since I checked it the last time.
Returning to the interstate, I had the biggest scare of the trip.
There was road construction going on so there were two lanes to travel
through. The right lane had an oversized truck with two pickup
companion vehicles. The truck was traveling slow so I was third in
line to pass it on the left. All of a sudden, I heard a huge BOOM!!
And the cars started swerving. We all jumped on the brakes and nearly
came to a stop. It seems that one of the tires on the left side of
the truck blew and had thrown rubber everywhere. A car had a dent in
the passenger side door. I was glad that I wasn't the one next to the
truck!!
In Savannah, I chose to go to the wrong site first. I tried to find
Parkersburg. The GPS took me through lots of small streets and
finally onto a dead end street that showed me that Parkersburg doesn't
exist anymore. There were a couple of streets that were named
Parkersburg Ave, Drive, etc but those don't count.
The reason it was the wrong one to start with was because the
Bonaventure cemetery closed at 5 PM and I arrived there at 5:10.
There was a supervisor there but he said there was some type of charge
for being there after hours and that the place, as a historic site,
was monitored by cameras. I know he was sincere and he'd have let me
in if he could have. I took a photo of the entrance and am hoping
that might count.
I then rode to the first exit in South Carolina and ended the day.
--
============
Todd Ryan; Hudson, MA
Westborough HS Science Teacher
MSF RiderCoach
Monday, August 13, 2007
Executing the plan
8/12/07
I was up at 4:30 and out the door by 5:30. I easily found the route
south and lucked into finding a couple of cars that wanted to ride
just above the speed limit early. Why that is lucky is that cars have
brighter headlights than motorcycles do so if I stay reasonably close
to them, I can scan the sides of the road far ahead using their
headlights. That allows me to see deer, etc early enough to react
comfortably.
Stars were visible and I considered briefly stopping long enough to
view them. There was, however, no where to pull over so that was
eliminated. Over the ocean were a couple of storms and I also saw
lightning dancing in the clouds. It was a great morning to be riding.
I was quite a ways by the time the sun rose. I watched the sunrise
over the ocean in my rearview mirrors. At times, it was like the
brightest headlight ever coming up behind me and I was glad it wasn't
always just due west riding.
I made it to Key West in 2 1/2 hours. I filled up my tank so I had
the gas receipt, I stopped at a Denny's for their phone number, and I
found the post office to drop off my envelope. I also drove to the
"Southernmost" marker and had someone take a photo of me and the bike
at it.
I noticed a Dunkin Donuts on my way in and I had to stop there for the
first time in two months. It was as good as I remember coffee being.
It was only then that I remembered the AMA Scavenger hunt and that the
southernmost monument was a spot. Yes, I already had the photo but it
didn't include the required flag so I rode back and got another photo
with the flag on my bike.
It was now 9:15 and I was on my way BACK from Key West. Of course,
traffic had picked up so it wasn't as smooth. I did stop at the two
KOAs in the keys to get photos and I returned to Florida City about
12:30. I then made a 10 mile ride to the Everglades National Park and
another 15 minute ride to the Key Biscayne National Park. I'd been to
the Everglades before but not to Biscayne so I spent some time there.
In addition, they were hosting a special event for a local
photographer as she was displaying some of her work. They had
sandwiches and drinks so I was able to have lunch AND get new NP
stamps.
Even more exciting to me was that I passed Homestead-Miami Speedway on
the way to Biscayne. For those that don't know, that is a Nascar
track and I enjoy Nascar racing.
After this I headed north to the Florida Turnpike. The afternoon was
spent riding into and out of severe thunderstorms. It was quite
interesting how the temperature drops as I'm about to ride into a
rainstorm and how it increases as I'm leaving it. I did have one time
where the clouds ahead looked so dark and there was lightning that I
took refuge under a bridge for about 10 minutes. Two guys on Suzuki
Hyabusas stopped and we chatted about their bikes and how they enjoyed
riding. They were nice guys although we did different types of
motorcycling.
I'll mention that although the 'stich is waterresistant, it isn't when
the vents are open to let air in. I got soaked to the skin in the
rainstorms because water could come in the open vents and the open
legs but it wasn't all bad. The evaporation cooled me off also.
I stopped in Melbourne for the day as I was tired about 5 PM. I'd
been riding for 12 hours and had turned my 3rd corner. Now, I'm
heading for home.
I was up at 4:30 and out the door by 5:30. I easily found the route
south and lucked into finding a couple of cars that wanted to ride
just above the speed limit early. Why that is lucky is that cars have
brighter headlights than motorcycles do so if I stay reasonably close
to them, I can scan the sides of the road far ahead using their
headlights. That allows me to see deer, etc early enough to react
comfortably.
Stars were visible and I considered briefly stopping long enough to
view them. There was, however, no where to pull over so that was
eliminated. Over the ocean were a couple of storms and I also saw
lightning dancing in the clouds. It was a great morning to be riding.
I was quite a ways by the time the sun rose. I watched the sunrise
over the ocean in my rearview mirrors. At times, it was like the
brightest headlight ever coming up behind me and I was glad it wasn't
always just due west riding.
I made it to Key West in 2 1/2 hours. I filled up my tank so I had
the gas receipt, I stopped at a Denny's for their phone number, and I
found the post office to drop off my envelope. I also drove to the
"Southernmost" marker and had someone take a photo of me and the bike
at it.
I noticed a Dunkin Donuts on my way in and I had to stop there for the
first time in two months. It was as good as I remember coffee being.
It was only then that I remembered the AMA Scavenger hunt and that the
southernmost monument was a spot. Yes, I already had the photo but it
didn't include the required flag so I rode back and got another photo
with the flag on my bike.
It was now 9:15 and I was on my way BACK from Key West. Of course,
traffic had picked up so it wasn't as smooth. I did stop at the two
KOAs in the keys to get photos and I returned to Florida City about
12:30. I then made a 10 mile ride to the Everglades National Park and
another 15 minute ride to the Key Biscayne National Park. I'd been to
the Everglades before but not to Biscayne so I spent some time there.
In addition, they were hosting a special event for a local
photographer as she was displaying some of her work. They had
sandwiches and drinks so I was able to have lunch AND get new NP
stamps.
Even more exciting to me was that I passed Homestead-Miami Speedway on
the way to Biscayne. For those that don't know, that is a Nascar
track and I enjoy Nascar racing.
After this I headed north to the Florida Turnpike. The afternoon was
spent riding into and out of severe thunderstorms. It was quite
interesting how the temperature drops as I'm about to ride into a
rainstorm and how it increases as I'm leaving it. I did have one time
where the clouds ahead looked so dark and there was lightning that I
took refuge under a bridge for about 10 minutes. Two guys on Suzuki
Hyabusas stopped and we chatted about their bikes and how they enjoyed
riding. They were nice guys although we did different types of
motorcycling.
I'll mention that although the 'stich is waterresistant, it isn't when
the vents are open to let air in. I got soaked to the skin in the
rainstorms because water could come in the open vents and the open
legs but it wasn't all bad. The evaporation cooled me off also.
I stopped in Melbourne for the day as I was tired about 5 PM. I'd
been riding for 12 hours and had turned my 3rd corner. Now, I'm
heading for home.
--
============
Todd Ryan; Hudson, MA
Westborough HS Science Teacher
MSF RiderCoach
Sunday, August 12, 2007
mileage update
At the turn in Key West, FL, I'm at 17037 miles on the trip.
--
============
Todd Ryan; Hudson, MA
Westborough HS Science Teacher
MSF RiderCoach
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Old Stompin' Grounds
8/11/07
Wow, the heat was already oppressive at 6 AM. I was looking forward
to going to the WaffleHouse for breakfast as I seldom get to one and I
like their food. I get 2 scrambled eggs with hashbrowns scattered
covered and smothered and raisin toast with apple butter. I know its
high cholesterol but I only splurge on occasion.
The ride today is ambitious; I plan on getting to Miami from an hour
west of Tallahassee (600+ miles). There were only a few scavenger
hunt items to look for an its mostly 70 mph interstate.
So, I got on I10 east. I spied a whitetailed deer along the roadside
as the sun was coming up. The deer here are MUCH smaller than those
I'd seen earlier on the trip (but I still don't want to run into one).
I also spied dead armadillos and raccoons. Hmmm, perhaps wildlife in
FL isn't as smart as other places.
I passed by a couple of KOAs because it was too early to stop and I
needed to build momentum for the day. The GPS started acting funny
before Tallahassee. It would lock and I couldn't get it to respond in
any fashion. Its almost like its responding to a touch on the screen
and that touch is continuous! I ended up just shutting it off for
about 20 minutes and then cleaned the screen with water at the next
gas stop. That made it work the remainder of the day.
I made the turn onto I-75 south at Tallahassee and put in two
scavenger hunt sites; Santa Fe and Cadillac, FL (both from Johnny
Cash's "I've Been Everywhere" song). I found where they were SUPPOSED
to be but there was no town in either spot. I took a photo of the
Santa Fe Baptist church and I'll see if it will count but I couln't
find anything for Cadillac, FL.
I passed some nice horse farms on this side excursion. It was just a
little north of Gainseville and I used to live just south of here so
I'm familiar with the area.
There really was little to see or stop for since I used to live here.
I rode south to Wildwood before stopping again for lunch. I tried
calling Ruth but she was busy with a customer at JCP so I spoke with
my Dad for a few moments.
The weather showed some clouds buildling and one of the things I
remember from living in FL is the every afternoon thunderstorms in hot
weather. I geared up and started south on the turnpike. Traffic was
acceptable and I got 45 miles before it started raining. It only
rained sporadically but when it did rain, it came down hard. The
'stich may be hot but it also protects me from those rain pellets!
I also spied another of my favorite birds while riding south on the
turnpike; a Scissor-tailed Kite. There are hawk-like birds with a
distinctive tail so they're obvious even at 60 mph.
The only other stop I wanted to make for the day was at OpaLocka near
Miami. This is another Everywhere town and I found it easily. I took
a photo at the post office and then made the 1/2 hour drive to Florida
City, the last town in FL before the keys. I'm set for a shot down
there in the morning!!
At a serice area on the turnpike I spoke with a FL state patrolman
about traffic out of Key West on a Sunday and he said that after 2 PM
its slow going. The manager at the Super 8 told me its 122 miles to
Key West from the motel so my plan is to be on the road at 5 AM so I
can get there in 3 hours and then start back after some quick looking
around. I've been to Key West with Ruth a few years ago so I won't do
much touristy stuff. I do want to get started north and heading back
home.....
Wow, the heat was already oppressive at 6 AM. I was looking forward
to going to the WaffleHouse for breakfast as I seldom get to one and I
like their food. I get 2 scrambled eggs with hashbrowns scattered
covered and smothered and raisin toast with apple butter. I know its
high cholesterol but I only splurge on occasion.
The ride today is ambitious; I plan on getting to Miami from an hour
west of Tallahassee (600+ miles). There were only a few scavenger
hunt items to look for an its mostly 70 mph interstate.
So, I got on I10 east. I spied a whitetailed deer along the roadside
as the sun was coming up. The deer here are MUCH smaller than those
I'd seen earlier on the trip (but I still don't want to run into one).
I also spied dead armadillos and raccoons. Hmmm, perhaps wildlife in
FL isn't as smart as other places.
I passed by a couple of KOAs because it was too early to stop and I
needed to build momentum for the day. The GPS started acting funny
before Tallahassee. It would lock and I couldn't get it to respond in
any fashion. Its almost like its responding to a touch on the screen
and that touch is continuous! I ended up just shutting it off for
about 20 minutes and then cleaned the screen with water at the next
gas stop. That made it work the remainder of the day.
I made the turn onto I-75 south at Tallahassee and put in two
scavenger hunt sites; Santa Fe and Cadillac, FL (both from Johnny
Cash's "I've Been Everywhere" song). I found where they were SUPPOSED
to be but there was no town in either spot. I took a photo of the
Santa Fe Baptist church and I'll see if it will count but I couln't
find anything for Cadillac, FL.
I passed some nice horse farms on this side excursion. It was just a
little north of Gainseville and I used to live just south of here so
I'm familiar with the area.
There really was little to see or stop for since I used to live here.
I rode south to Wildwood before stopping again for lunch. I tried
calling Ruth but she was busy with a customer at JCP so I spoke with
my Dad for a few moments.
The weather showed some clouds buildling and one of the things I
remember from living in FL is the every afternoon thunderstorms in hot
weather. I geared up and started south on the turnpike. Traffic was
acceptable and I got 45 miles before it started raining. It only
rained sporadically but when it did rain, it came down hard. The
'stich may be hot but it also protects me from those rain pellets!
I also spied another of my favorite birds while riding south on the
turnpike; a Scissor-tailed Kite. There are hawk-like birds with a
distinctive tail so they're obvious even at 60 mph.
The only other stop I wanted to make for the day was at OpaLocka near
Miami. This is another Everywhere town and I found it easily. I took
a photo at the post office and then made the 1/2 hour drive to Florida
City, the last town in FL before the keys. I'm set for a shot down
there in the morning!!
At a serice area on the turnpike I spoke with a FL state patrolman
about traffic out of Key West on a Sunday and he said that after 2 PM
its slow going. The manager at the Super 8 told me its 122 miles to
Key West from the motel so my plan is to be on the road at 5 AM so I
can get there in 3 hours and then start back after some quick looking
around. I've been to Key West with Ruth a few years ago so I won't do
much touristy stuff. I do want to get started north and heading back
home.....
--
============
Todd Ryan; Hudson, MA
Westborough HS Science Teacher
MSF RiderCoach
The Gulf Coast
8/10/07
I woke in LA and it was hot. I wanted to go to Boston, LA before
heading to the Jean LaFitte Historical Site.
I got into the backroads and then remembered what LA was like. It was
wet and flat. I saw lots of herons, egrets, and a few rails. It was
like most small town areas are but it was frustrating that, even
though Boston is on my GPS, there was only a few homes there and no
signs. I came up with a zero for this one.
I turned back towards the interstate and rode to the Jean LaFitte
site. Fortunately, it was easy to find and was showing a film on the
Atchafalaya Swamp which was interesting.
I now turned toward the east. Travel on the interstate was hot, humid
and busy. It was about 2 hours to get into MS, and then AL was
another hour. I did a quick stop at the USS Alabama for the AMA
Scavenger hunt and the lady at the entrance and I had a discussion
about how hot the 'stich was.
It was hot. I was about 20 miles from Pensacola and decided I'd try
riding without it. I strapped it onto my gear and rode off.
I've decided that I don't like being without it. Its not much cooler
because its so dang hot and it makes me feel more vulnerable.
In Pensacola I turned downb the scenic route toward the beaches. That
was where I'd find the Gulf Coast National Seashore. I had to hunt
around a little for it but I got it. I then continued south along the
beaches to get a scavenger hunt point and town. Unfortunately,
neither existed. I've about given up on finding these as I'm getting
tired of them and I just want to ride back to MA.
I did find a UPS Store and mailed my tent and electric gear back to
MA. It should be there on Wednesday. The bike is 28 pounds lighter
without it!!
I rode north to the interstate and found a motel 8 to stay in for the night.
I woke in LA and it was hot. I wanted to go to Boston, LA before
heading to the Jean LaFitte Historical Site.
I got into the backroads and then remembered what LA was like. It was
wet and flat. I saw lots of herons, egrets, and a few rails. It was
like most small town areas are but it was frustrating that, even
though Boston is on my GPS, there was only a few homes there and no
signs. I came up with a zero for this one.
I turned back towards the interstate and rode to the Jean LaFitte
site. Fortunately, it was easy to find and was showing a film on the
Atchafalaya Swamp which was interesting.
I now turned toward the east. Travel on the interstate was hot, humid
and busy. It was about 2 hours to get into MS, and then AL was
another hour. I did a quick stop at the USS Alabama for the AMA
Scavenger hunt and the lady at the entrance and I had a discussion
about how hot the 'stich was.
It was hot. I was about 20 miles from Pensacola and decided I'd try
riding without it. I strapped it onto my gear and rode off.
I've decided that I don't like being without it. Its not much cooler
because its so dang hot and it makes me feel more vulnerable.
In Pensacola I turned downb the scenic route toward the beaches. That
was where I'd find the Gulf Coast National Seashore. I had to hunt
around a little for it but I got it. I then continued south along the
beaches to get a scavenger hunt point and town. Unfortunately,
neither existed. I've about given up on finding these as I'm getting
tired of them and I just want to ride back to MA.
I did find a UPS Store and mailed my tent and electric gear back to
MA. It should be there on Wednesday. The bike is 28 pounds lighter
without it!!
I rode north to the interstate and found a motel 8 to stay in for the night.
--
============
Todd Ryan; Hudson, MA
Westborough HS Science Teacher
MSF RiderCoach
Friday, August 10, 2007
Heat Index
8/09/07
I awoke about 100 miles from San Antonio and I wanted to be the first
in the service line when a dealer opened at 9 AM so I was out at
o'dark thirty.
But as I said, my GPS didn't power up so I was riding without it.
This was creating some emotions about quitting the 4 Corners Ride. It
seemed that the bike wasn't going to work as I'd hoped and I would
have a hard time finding the other AMA and NPS points.
It's a little eerie riding in the dark also thinking about Larry
Grodsky last year. For those of you that don't know, he's a safety
guru that died last year in a motorcycle accident in TX when he struck
a deer.
I saw a billboard for a Honda dealer about 20 miles from San Antonio
and decided that they would at least know where I could go.
I pulled in the Autoplex dealer and spoke to Roland. The conversation
went like this;
"Hi, I'm traveling and I had something happen yesterday that I've not
heard about before. I'm hoping you can help.
I awoke about 100 miles from San Antonio and I wanted to be the first
in the service line when a dealer opened at 9 AM so I was out at
o'dark thirty.
But as I said, my GPS didn't power up so I was riding without it.
This was creating some emotions about quitting the 4 Corners Ride. It
seemed that the bike wasn't going to work as I'd hoped and I would
have a hard time finding the other AMA and NPS points.
It's a little eerie riding in the dark also thinking about Larry
Grodsky last year. For those of you that don't know, he's a safety
guru that died last year in a motorcycle accident in TX when he struck
a deer.
I saw a billboard for a Honda dealer about 20 miles from San Antonio
and decided that they would at least know where I could go.
I pulled in the Autoplex dealer and spoke to Roland. The conversation
went like this;
"Hi, I'm traveling and I had something happen yesterday that I've not
heard about before. I'm hoping you can help.
What happened?
My shift lever fell off.
What?
My shift lever fell off. I was pulling off the interstate and I
pulled in the clutch and stepped down but there was nothing there.
I've never heard of that..."
Roland came and looked at it and got a couple of tools and some
locktite and had me back on the road in 10 minutes!!! Thanks Roland!!
I also unplugged the GPS and cleaned it and plugged it back in while I
was there. It now worked! Life was going well again!!
I rode the three hours to Houston in about 100 degree temperatures.
In Houston, I got off the interstate to get a Houston map but the AAA
office was not there anymore. They were also doing lots of
construction so I'd had a couple of detours. In this heat and with
the 'stich on, I was too hot and decided to give up on AMA points in
cities. I headed for Louisiana.
I crossed into LA about 4:30 PM. I stopped at a welcome center and
chatted with a guy on a Honda cruiser. He was wearing a half helmet
and then just jeans and a tank top. He was obviously dehydrated and
tired. I guess that even with the heat, I'm protected against
dehydration with the 'stich on. I'm not terribly uncomfortable when
I'm moving so I'll keep wearing it.
I stopped just short of Lafayette. There is a NPS stamp in Lafayette
and there is a GPS point near there also so I'll get a lazy start and
get those before heading into Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Its
supposed to be hot today so we'll see how it goes!!!
--
============
Todd Ryan; Hudson, MA
Westborough HS Science Teacher
MSF RiderCoach
Thursday, August 9, 2007
mileage
As of last night, 15123 miles on the trip.
--
============
Todd Ryan; Hudson, MA
Westborough HS Science Teacher
MSF RiderCoach
Gremlins....
8/08/07
Hmm, I wonder if I've been dating the last few blog entries with "07"
rather than "08"?? I'll have to go look.
I was up early and packing the tent in the dark. I had ambitious
plans for the day and it required an early start. But as I left, I
heard a high-pitched whine and smelled something hot. Sincer I've
heard about Don Braziel having a whine that fortold a fuel pump issue,
I was hoping it wasn't the next problem on the bike. It seemed to run
ok though so I figured I'd nurse it along and see what happened.
I rode to El Paso and had breakfast at Denny's. I then headed
northeast to the Guadalupe Mtns National Park and Carlsbad Caverns
Park. I wanted the get the NM park and since a TX park was there,
that was just a bonus.
Riding from El Paso to the Guadalupe Mtns was interesting. It was
very very open with lots of scrub brush. I saw a few roadrunners
darting in the brush and I also saw a few hawks and vultures flying
about. It was about 90 miles to the Guadalupe Mtns and 130 to
Carlsbad. The speed limit was 75 but its challenging to make the
DL650 cruise control hold at that speed so I usually go about 68 or
so.
The Guadalupe Mtn stop was a "stamp and go" stop but I was hoping to
tour through Carlsbad. I'd been there quite a few years ago but the
waiting time for the tour was over 3.5 hours so that wasn't going to
happen.
I angled toward Pecos and Ft Stockton. That was another 100+ miles of
desert riding. This is where I intersected with I-10and I started the
trip to San Antonio.
No other hints of problems with the bike so I determined it was just
an overactive imagination on my part.
Along the interstate, the speed limit was 80. I could see something
off in the distance so I clicked off the cruise thinking it was an
animal. I then got close enough to see it was a motorcycle so I
thought I'd stop and see if I could assist, but then I noticed it was
moving. The rider was on the bike though. As I approached closer, I
could see it was still moving so I thought he was limping toward San
Antonio. As I pulled up, it was a grey-haired older guy with no shirt
on that was cruising along the side of the interstate on a scooter! I
waved and went on. The amazing thing was that he was wearing no
jacket or short and he had the darkest tan I've EVER seen!
Well, another AMA Everywhere town was coming up so I signaled to get
off the interstate and when I went to downshift, the shift lever was
missing. Yes, I said missing. It wasn't there!! It was dangling
alongside the bike. I got to the gas station and examined my plight.
The screw holding it had come out but it wasn't a normal screw. There
was no way to turn it and put it back! This must require a Suzuki
special tool. I asked inside if there was a motorcycle shop in town
and, being none, I improvised with my leatherman and some wire. It
held for me to make it to Junction, TX where I stayed in a KOA for the
night.
This morning I'm on my way to San Antonio to find a m/c shop to repair
that lever. Strange thing, now my GPS has decided to not power on.
Hmmm, seems the gremlins are striking at me.....
Hmm, I wonder if I've been dating the last few blog entries with "07"
rather than "08"?? I'll have to go look.
I was up early and packing the tent in the dark. I had ambitious
plans for the day and it required an early start. But as I left, I
heard a high-pitched whine and smelled something hot. Sincer I've
heard about Don Braziel having a whine that fortold a fuel pump issue,
I was hoping it wasn't the next problem on the bike. It seemed to run
ok though so I figured I'd nurse it along and see what happened.
I rode to El Paso and had breakfast at Denny's. I then headed
northeast to the Guadalupe Mtns National Park and Carlsbad Caverns
Park. I wanted the get the NM park and since a TX park was there,
that was just a bonus.
Riding from El Paso to the Guadalupe Mtns was interesting. It was
very very open with lots of scrub brush. I saw a few roadrunners
darting in the brush and I also saw a few hawks and vultures flying
about. It was about 90 miles to the Guadalupe Mtns and 130 to
Carlsbad. The speed limit was 75 but its challenging to make the
DL650 cruise control hold at that speed so I usually go about 68 or
so.
The Guadalupe Mtn stop was a "stamp and go" stop but I was hoping to
tour through Carlsbad. I'd been there quite a few years ago but the
waiting time for the tour was over 3.5 hours so that wasn't going to
happen.
I angled toward Pecos and Ft Stockton. That was another 100+ miles of
desert riding. This is where I intersected with I-10and I started the
trip to San Antonio.
No other hints of problems with the bike so I determined it was just
an overactive imagination on my part.
Along the interstate, the speed limit was 80. I could see something
off in the distance so I clicked off the cruise thinking it was an
animal. I then got close enough to see it was a motorcycle so I
thought I'd stop and see if I could assist, but then I noticed it was
moving. The rider was on the bike though. As I approached closer, I
could see it was still moving so I thought he was limping toward San
Antonio. As I pulled up, it was a grey-haired older guy with no shirt
on that was cruising along the side of the interstate on a scooter! I
waved and went on. The amazing thing was that he was wearing no
jacket or short and he had the darkest tan I've EVER seen!
Well, another AMA Everywhere town was coming up so I signaled to get
off the interstate and when I went to downshift, the shift lever was
missing. Yes, I said missing. It wasn't there!! It was dangling
alongside the bike. I got to the gas station and examined my plight.
The screw holding it had come out but it wasn't a normal screw. There
was no way to turn it and put it back! This must require a Suzuki
special tool. I asked inside if there was a motorcycle shop in town
and, being none, I improvised with my leatherman and some wire. It
held for me to make it to Junction, TX where I stayed in a KOA for the
night.
This morning I'm on my way to San Antonio to find a m/c shop to repair
that lever. Strange thing, now my GPS has decided to not power on.
Hmmm, seems the gremlins are striking at me.....
--
============
Todd Ryan; Hudson, MA
Westborough HS Science Teacher
MSF RiderCoach
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Arizona and New Mexico
8/08/07
I woke early because Ruth had just received an SMS that I'd sent the
night before. She called because she thought I was awake.
I planned my route for the day and then heard Dale and Carol moving around.
I loaded the bike, met one of their teachers, Melissa, and then we
said our goodbyes.
I headed up to the Casa Grande Ruins to see it. I got the NPS stamp,
took some photos of cacti, watched a video about the archaeology, and
then headed to Catalina and Tucson. I needed Catalina for the AMA
Everywhere tour and Tucson for a GPS point. It was pretty riding
through the desert with the Choya in bloom. I saw some horned lizards
scoot across the road in front of my and I stopped and carried a
gopher tortoise to the other side of the road but other than that, it
was just hot, flat and straight.
In Tucson I had to scramble a bit to see if I could get close to the
Davis Monthson AFB. They have a huge amount of aircraft that I think
are either to be disposed or are used for parts. They are neatly
arranged but don't appear to be used. The GPS point appears to be in
the middle of them but that area is unaccessible so I took a photo
from outside looking toward it and hope it works.
I was then only 6 miles from Saguara NP and went there. Again, I saw
the video of the NP, got the stamp, chatted with a ranger and mailed a
postcard to Kira.
It was now just early afternoon and I'd not gone far. I twisted the
throttle up to the 75 mph speed limit and headed toward New Mexico.
Along the way, I had a couple of AMA Roads stops to get and stumbled
upon a couple of KOAs but otherwise, it was just traveling.
I could see storms south of me in Mexico. I didn't get wet at all
and, in fact, it was sunny and hot. I stopped at the New Mexico
welcome center for a coffee and then continued to Las Cruces. Here I
found a KOA that was cheaper than the others have been and stayed
there for the night. They were on the hill overlooking the city and
had an overlook to see it. That overlook was awesome when I awoke the
next morning...
I woke early because Ruth had just received an SMS that I'd sent the
night before. She called because she thought I was awake.
I planned my route for the day and then heard Dale and Carol moving around.
I loaded the bike, met one of their teachers, Melissa, and then we
said our goodbyes.
I headed up to the Casa Grande Ruins to see it. I got the NPS stamp,
took some photos of cacti, watched a video about the archaeology, and
then headed to Catalina and Tucson. I needed Catalina for the AMA
Everywhere tour and Tucson for a GPS point. It was pretty riding
through the desert with the Choya in bloom. I saw some horned lizards
scoot across the road in front of my and I stopped and carried a
gopher tortoise to the other side of the road but other than that, it
was just hot, flat and straight.
In Tucson I had to scramble a bit to see if I could get close to the
Davis Monthson AFB. They have a huge amount of aircraft that I think
are either to be disposed or are used for parts. They are neatly
arranged but don't appear to be used. The GPS point appears to be in
the middle of them but that area is unaccessible so I took a photo
from outside looking toward it and hope it works.
I was then only 6 miles from Saguara NP and went there. Again, I saw
the video of the NP, got the stamp, chatted with a ranger and mailed a
postcard to Kira.
It was now just early afternoon and I'd not gone far. I twisted the
throttle up to the 75 mph speed limit and headed toward New Mexico.
Along the way, I had a couple of AMA Roads stops to get and stumbled
upon a couple of KOAs but otherwise, it was just traveling.
I could see storms south of me in Mexico. I didn't get wet at all
and, in fact, it was sunny and hot. I stopped at the New Mexico
welcome center for a coffee and then continued to Las Cruces. Here I
found a KOA that was cheaper than the others have been and stayed
there for the night. They were on the hill overlooking the city and
had an overlook to see it. That overlook was awesome when I awoke the
next morning...
--
============
Todd Ryan; Hudson, MA
Westborough HS Science Teacher
MSF RiderCoach
Moving into the Southwest
8/06/07
It was very dry when I awoke in San Diego at the KOA. I went to a
local bagel shop called the Bagel Bar for breakfast and spent a little
time planning my day. It looked like my stepsister's house in AZ was
a possible destination so I called my dad and stepmother and got the
address and phone number.
I stopped at the Cabrillo National Monument on the south side of San
Diego before leaving town. It didn't open until 9 and I was there
about 8:30 but a park ranger let me go to the vc early. I walked
around reading exhibits and when they opened, I got my NPS stamp.
They had a video I was interested in and the ranger played it for me
at a time they don't usually play it. It was about the intertidal
zones here and I loved the way it described the biology of the tides
so I bought it.
I then turned east. I only had one AMA roads stop today in California
and it was easy to find.
The weather was clear and quite a bit hotter. I was riding with all
the vents in the 'stich open to keep comfortable on the interstate.
There was one point where road construction forced us off the
interstate and I was in slow traffic at a signal. That was pretty hot
then but otherwise the 'stich prevents much dehydration in the desert.
The scenery was also quite different. I was clearly in desert with
scrub brush and few trees.
You'll see what I mean when I can post
photos again.
I reached Yuma about 2 and called Carol. She said she was about 3
hours from Yuma and that we'd have dinner together and I could have a
room in their house.
The Saguaro's started showing up about an hour after entering AZ. I
like cacti and am looking forward to seeing the Saguaro National Park
tomorrow near Tucson.
I got to Dale and Carol's about 5:30. We chatted a bit at the house
and then went to dinner. On they way, they gave me a tour of the
area, showing how much water is in a usually dry river and a new
housing development created by Del Webb. Carol said she heard that
10,000 people move to AZ each week. This community had huge homes and
has one golf course finished with another in construction. I don't
know what they would do for a living here but they must work in
Phoenix somewhere to afford these $200,000 and up homes.
The Mexican dinner was excellent. Carol and Dale appeared to know
nearly everyone in the restaurant but that happens when you're a
pastor in a small community.
We then went to see the church after dinner and I met one of the
teacher's at his school. She and her husband are from Boston
originally. We then went back to their house and chatted awhile
before retiring.
It was very dry when I awoke in San Diego at the KOA. I went to a
local bagel shop called the Bagel Bar for breakfast and spent a little
time planning my day. It looked like my stepsister's house in AZ was
a possible destination so I called my dad and stepmother and got the
address and phone number.
I stopped at the Cabrillo National Monument on the south side of San
Diego before leaving town. It didn't open until 9 and I was there
about 8:30 but a park ranger let me go to the vc early. I walked
around reading exhibits and when they opened, I got my NPS stamp.
They had a video I was interested in and the ranger played it for me
at a time they don't usually play it. It was about the intertidal
zones here and I loved the way it described the biology of the tides
so I bought it.
I then turned east. I only had one AMA roads stop today in California
and it was easy to find.
The weather was clear and quite a bit hotter. I was riding with all
the vents in the 'stich open to keep comfortable on the interstate.
There was one point where road construction forced us off the
interstate and I was in slow traffic at a signal. That was pretty hot
then but otherwise the 'stich prevents much dehydration in the desert.
The scenery was also quite different. I was clearly in desert with
scrub brush and few trees.
You'll see what I mean when I can postphotos again.
I reached Yuma about 2 and called Carol. She said she was about 3
hours from Yuma and that we'd have dinner together and I could have a
room in their house.
The Saguaro's started showing up about an hour after entering AZ. I
like cacti and am looking forward to seeing the Saguaro National Park
tomorrow near Tucson.
I got to Dale and Carol's about 5:30. We chatted a bit at the house
and then went to dinner. On they way, they gave me a tour of the
area, showing how much water is in a usually dry river and a new
housing development created by Del Webb. Carol said she heard that
10,000 people move to AZ each week. This community had huge homes and
has one golf course finished with another in construction. I don't
know what they would do for a living here but they must work in
Phoenix somewhere to afford these $200,000 and up homes.
The Mexican dinner was excellent. Carol and Dale appeared to know
nearly everyone in the restaurant but that happens when you're a
pastor in a small community.
We then went to see the church after dinner and I met one of the
teacher's at his school. She and her husband are from Boston
originally. We then went back to their house and chatted awhile
before retiring.
--
============
Todd Ryan; Hudson, MA
Westborough HS Science Teacher
MSF RiderCoach
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