September 30- Day Five-Mendon, NY to Gaithersburg, MD

I opened the garage door and walked to the driveway, then nervously looked up at the sky.  I knew it wasn't raining, but was surprised when I saw stars.  By 7:00AM the sun was up and I was presented with a flawless blue sky.  Temps were cool...in the high 50's.  Holy crap...this is looking pretty good.

Ron and Kathy and Kelly and I said our goodbyes and by 8:00 I was rolling down Route 64S heading towards Naples.  In just a few minutes I realized that I had not dressed warmly enough and I stopped for a brief wardrobe adjustment.    I thought I'd try my Patagonia Nano Puff jacket and it worked perfectly.  In fact I wore it until about 2:00PM this afternoon.  I'm reserving the heavy artillery (my Gerbing electric jacket) until things get a good bit cooler...which could happen tomorrow.

The weather, at the start, was perfect...cool, blue skies, no wind.  My route took me along the western side of Canandaigua Lake which is a gorgeous Finger Lake that runs north to south nearly 20 miles, nestled down between imposing tree covered hillsides.  I've ridden around the lake on my bicycle several times and have driven it countless times...it's one of my favorite places on the planet.

By the time I got to Naples, NY the blue skies were giving way to some heavy looking cloud cover.  In fact this was the weather of the day...blue sky, then clouds , bit of very light rain...then repeat.  The temperature was holding in the low 50's...I was cool, but my gear protected me beautifully.

I rode past the impressive grounds of Canandaigua Wine Company where my old friend John Rose worked.  John used to say that the only thing they needed was a good wine.  That's a joke people.  We sure miss John...taken from us at such a young age.  If there's a god in heaven, John is there, making Jesus howl in laughter.

The town of Naples looked great...lots of signs from the recent grape festival and signs offering grape pies (an acquired taste).  The old victorian homes along Main Street were in fine form...some of them really painted in wild colors... Naples' painted ladies.

Made a pit stop at the end of town in a funky little gas station....like something built 40 years ago...with four pumps and an island micro-store.   I checked the restroom door and found it was locked so I approached the attendant who was waiting on another customer.  I patiently waited and asked,  "May I use your restroom?"

He answered, "I'll have to go get the key from the manager.".  He walked out of the store and around back to her office.  I am shaking my head.

I thought, "What in the hell is so valuable in that nasty bathroom that she needs to keep the key in her office?"  Screwballs.  Guy behind me (a local) offers, "The manager is a real jerk".

A guy and his wife pull in on a Goldwing as I am loading up.  He says, "Where you headed?"

I say, "Georgia".

"Wow, that's cool.  You guys are lucky you can ride year round, right?"

We chatted for a minute, but I'm burning daylight and am itching to get moving.

I headed out of town on Hwy 21 which took me to Cohocton, NY and eventually eased onto I-86 also known as the Souther Tier Expressway.  I-86 is a four lane interstate type highway with 65 MPH speed limit and a few trucks to deal with.  Clouds darken further and I get a spitting of rain, but nothing my Aerostich can't handle.

The road climbed for miles and before long I was riding through the Pennsylvania section of the Appalachians...gorgeous views galore.  The road was beautifully designed to cut through the mountains and it was in pristine condition...smooth, well painted, nicely banked.  At certain points you could see the road for miles ahead, crossing the next range.  Fall foliage was not primed...but there were small slashes of just brilliant color...a promise of what was just around the corner.

Traffic was light and (mercifully) few trucks were out this morning.  I dialed the throttle up to about 75MPH and cruised southward....not a care in the world.

I passed through Williamsport, the home to the Little League World Series...impressive facility.  Looks like it could host a major league baseball team.

By 1:00PM I was approaching Harrisburg, the state capital.  For miles prior to Harrisburg the Susquehanna River had been running along side of Route 15.  The river, under normal conditions, is a behemoth...but today the river was extraordinary...high, fast and brown.  It looked like it was close to coming out of it's banks.  Wonder if the capital has a good evacuation plan?

As I began to close in on the Maryland border I realized that I had some time to kill and decided to wander around Gettysburg for a bit.  I'm not a big Civil War buff, but I do find it interesting and thought that I might be able to see some sights.  I stumbled into a huge drive through War park and spent 45 minutes just cruising through the park.

By 5:00PM I arrived at Jack's and their daughter Nora was at home and let me in.  I soon settled into a comfortable chair on their front porch and began decompressing from my 325 mile ride.  By 6:00 Margee arrived home from work and we caught up for an hour or so.  By 7:00PM bro Jack arrived home and we began catching up as well.  Dinner was a delicious pizza and a Greek salad.

Checked the weather report and decided on my route for tomorrow...all Interstates.  Should be interesting.

SEptember 29: Rain Delay-Victor to Gaithersburg

My stay in Victor was a success...I spent time with high school best buddy Duffy Keefe, cousin John Butler, my dear Mother, my Aunt Betty, cousin-in-law Steve Howie, sister Sara, niece Courtney and had a delightful visit with my brother Ron and his wife Kathy (who opened their home to me and were great hosts).  A special appearance was made by niece Kelly and her AY-freaking-dorable 5 month old girl....Miss Lila.  What a kid.

I was prepared to start my southern crawl on Thursday morning, September 29, but faced a high likelihood of T-storms all the way back to Gaithersburg.  After discussing the options with Ron and Kathy we all agreed that spending one more night here made sense and bro Jack was cool with me arriving on Friday rather than Thursday.  And so my plan was cast...I'd wait the weather out again and start back on Friday morning.

There's still a good chance of rain on Friday, but the odds are lower and it looks like it would be "showers" and not "T storms".  I like those odds better.

The other benefit to waiting is that I'll get to see my niece Kelly and her new baby Lila...she arrives sometime today and will be staying with Ron and Kathy for a couple of days.

So the bike is gassed up, bags are nearly packed and I'm ready to get back on the road.  Soon enough.

September 26- Day Four- Gaithersburg, MD to Victor, NY

After taking a full day and a half to rest up (and watch the best football game I've ever seen...Buffalo Bills beat the NE Patriots in a magical, come from behind, kick a field goal with three seconds to go)

 I got back on the road.  The weather forecast called for a warm day with almost zero chance of rain.  It almost looked too warm..with a good chance of it reaching 80F by afternoon.  In fact, that's exactly how it panned out...zero rain, sunny skies and warm humid temps.

By 8:00AM I was headed out HWY 124 towards I-270N to Frederick, MD.  The early morning traffic was light and fast and I made great time.  Within 45 minutes I had found Route 15 and I stayed on that road all the way through Pennsylvania and into NY.  Some described Route 15 as a truck route (sort of true, but not bad)...what I found was that the route was varied from being a retail congested suburban setting to a river route to a mountain road with incredible vistas.

I received an education in truck turbulence..."dirty air" I call it.  Having a semi come up from behind you at 70MPH and hit you with that column of air its pushing is, let's say, a bit unsettling the first couple of times it happens.  And let a truck set up shop in front of you and you are in for a bruisin'.

 The ride was nearly 350 miles, which was a personal record and yet the ride was quick and relaxing.  I arrived at my mother's home by about 3:45, spent an hour with her and then rode to my brother's home in nearby Mendon, NY.

Total mileage was 1025- Toccoa, GA to Victor, NY

The past couple of days have been R&R, visiting with family and getting myself reorganized for the ride home.  I actually packed a box to be shipped home containing surplus clothing and my iPad (a real disappointment as a travel companion).

Checking the weather reports has me somewhat concerned...looks like rain on Thursday and by Saturday it could be pretty cold.  I have dodged the weather so far, but don't think I can do so indefinitely.   Time will tell.

Tomorrow I have lunched planned with a couple of high school buddies that I haven't seen in years...should be fun.  Then dinner with Mom, sis, bro, sis in law, niece and her daughter.

Thursday, I hit the road again...

September 24- Day Three- Waynesboro, NC- Gaithersburg, MD

Today was a short day and an easy one at that...a good thing, since I had ridden hard for two days and hadn't slept worth a $hit.  After toying with the idea of riding I-81 to I-66, my final plan called for me to ride Hwy 340 up to I-66 and then take Route 15 up to Leesburg, VA, on a short ways to a ferry crossing the Potomac River and then a straight shot to Gaithersburg, MD where I'd bunk at my brother Jack's house.

I formulated a porion of this plan after talking to a "Harley guy" at breakfast.  He was well acquainted with the area and strongly suggested taking Hwy 340 (instead of Skyline drive) to Front Royal.  As it turned out, 340 was delightful...the road was in great condition with no traffic to speak of.  Weather was perfect...the sun flirted with me all morning while heavy low clouds occasionally dripped down the mountains and onto the valley road I was riding.

I stopped briefly at a McDonalds for a drink and a bite and listened to an older black man rail (loud enough for the whole restaurant to hear) that "without money you can't do nuthin".

...true dat brutha.

From Front Royal I was able to easily get onto I-66 and begin approaching the metro Washington, DC area.   Traffic was light, but fast and I was consistently hitting 70-75 MPH...which is about my upper confort level.  After about 30 miles or so, I found Route 15 and took it north through the Maryland countryside to Leesburg, VA which is located on the Potomac River.

Just outside of Leesburg I found the sign for Whites Ferry Rd.  Quick right turn and I shot down a road that wound through lush Virginia farm country for a couple of miles, ultimately dropping me at the Gen. Jubal A. Early, which is a tiny commercial ferry that operates on the Potomac River.


 As I approach a short line of cars the ferry was just beginning to unload the cars on our side of the river.   Minutes later I was able to ride onto the ferry and into the forward position.  We were quickly pulled across the high and muddy brown river and into Maryland.

I had a bit of time to kill, so I found a fitness center that also had a little sandwich shop and ordered a bite to eat.  I settled into a picnic table outside the shop and struck up a conversation with a couple of locals.  One of the guys, an 80 year old art gallery owner, had an outrageous hair dye job...basic gray with pinkish red highlights...dude!  But he was confident and alert and an entertaining guy to engage...a guy who's ego was under control.

We talked about how miserably screwed up our country has become and how the wars the U.S. has fought since WW2 have been pointless wastes of lives and money.

He was a Korean War veteran and said,

"The whole thing was pointless.  We'd fight like hell and take a hill top.  Next day, they'd take it back.  Only thing was, we'd loose a boy or two in the process."

I thought, indeed...nothing but boys...and gone forever.  Makes me sick to think of the wasted lives.  Imagine losing your own son in a lousy mess like that.  It would be horrifying.

I bid them goodbye and mounted up.

From there the ride to Jack's home was quick and straightforward and I rode directly to his house where he was sitting on the front porch waiting for me.

We were laughing and telling stories within seconds.  It felt a bit like coming home.

Mileage for the trip was 675, making today's ride an easy 160 miles...nice, I needed an easy day.

September 23- Day Two- Boone, NC to Waynesboro, VA

I was (once again) concerned about the weather today.  The weather report gave a 40-60% chance of scattered T-storms and I was convinced I was going to be riding in the rain.  In fact, there was a light drizzle working and I thought that the BRP could be a handful.  I began discussing my route options with the hotel staff and decided that riding up Hwy 221 might be an option to riding the BRP.  So, my plan was hatched...I'd take 221 to Roanoke, take a lunch break there and then, depending how the weather was developing,  finish the day on the BRP to its finale in Waynesboro, NC.

After checking out, I thought it would be nice to get a picture of me posing next to my bike.  A car pulled up to the hotel and a man got out of the car.

I asked him, "Hey buddy, can you do me a favor?"

He replied, "No."

Then he added, "I'm from Baltimore."

I said, "What, people from Baltimore don't do favors for other people?"

He says, "Well, you have to be careful.  What do you want?"

I say, "Can you take my picture?" and extend my camera towards him.

He finally agrees to take my picture.

What a gaping A-hole.

As I leave Boone in overcast conditions and a very, very slight mist I listen to James McMurtry sing "Where'd ya get that red dress?"  Head bobbing to his blues tempo, I quickly find route 221 and begin a great ride along a deserted country road, occassionally twisting tightly, but mostly just sweeping along through NC and VA farm country.  The weather was great and I was treated to  charcoal gray clouds with bone white fingers reaching down the deep green mountainside.  I am surprised as I round a corner and ride along side a commercial Christmas tree farm with row after row of perfectly conical evergreens.  The rows climb up and then disappear over the crown of the hill, only to reappear on the next hillside in rows as perfect as the last.

By one o'clock I was famished and pulled into Roanoke intent on solving that problem.  A trucker at a gas station recommended a place called the Roanoker where his sister worked.  The Roanoker serves a nice lunch...a good bowl of chili and a tasty club sandwich hit the spot.  The place is apparently a hit with the senior crowd and the checkout line was a true test of my patience.

From Roanoke, I once again found the Parkway and settled in to a relaxing rhythm of carving through the turns.  In fact, the term "carving turns" (which I think of as a skiing term), actually is a lot like skiing...counter steer, lean and carve through the turn...now do it again.   I rode about 150 miles on the parkway...all the way to its terminus in Waynesboro, VA...where I called it a day.

I pulled into Waynesboro, clueless about where I'd spend the night.  At a gas station I asked a man pumping gas where there was a hotel.

"Think there's one down the street there", he said, pointing to the right.

Round the corner I go and quickly spot a decent looking hotel with several Harleys parked in front of rooms.

Two beds, hot and cold running water, clean sheets and wireless internet....seventy bucks.

"Sold".

The room was perfectly serviceable and I once again went into hyper-organizing mode.  Worked at that for a couple hours which just served to get me all hopped up and, as a result, sleep was as illusive as the day before.  Dude, this is getting old.

My ending mileage was 515 for the ride meaning today's ride was nearly 300...the most I'd ever done.  The Honda ST is performing perfectly...it is a fabulous machine.  Could not be happier with the bike and all of my gear...everything is working beautifully.

September 22-Day One: Toccoa, GA to Boone, NC

Welcome to my motorcycle tour blog.

This tour has been in the planning stages for a couple of weeks and with a bit of luck, I'll actually be on my way soon.  The tour will take place from September 22 through October 2 and should span roughly 2,000 miles.  I plan to vist bro Jack in Gaithersburg, MD and then push on to Victor, NY where I grew up and still have family, including my Mom and brother Ron and sister Sara.  This is my very first motorcycle tour and I'd be lying if I didn't admit to considerable pre-ride jitter.  However as several friends have said, all that goes out the window as soon as I let the clutch out.

I really cannot wait to get rolling.

Please feel free to comment...I'd love to hear what you have to say.

Through out the night, we received good news...and bad news.  Most of Georgia is stuck in a nasty prolonged drought and the pastures at our farm bear testament to the fact that we have had very little rain this summer...not to mention months of 90 degree days.  Our grass is stunted and brown, punctuated by an occasional weed that thinks this drought is a good thing, as it springs upward and ahead of its thirsting neighbors.  So when I finally heard thunder and strong rain last night, my reaction was mixed...great for the land, bad for the tour.

By 8:00AM this morning, the rain returned and brought it's cousin, Mr. Fog, with it.  Rain I can handle, fog is another matter.  So as of right now, the tour is on a weather hold, while I ponder my options.  The thought of low visibility on the Blue Ridge Parkway chills my enthusiasm considerably.

A quick read of the weather map reveals a band of strong thunderstorms moving northeasterly along my planned route.  The option of getting ahead of it has passed, so I think my best option (other than ride in a T-storm) is to give it a couple of hours to run it's course and then start as planned.  Hopefully, another front doesn't happen along. We'll see.

EDIT: Wow...it's taken me six days to be able to update this.  I've had major headaches trying to do much using my iPad and finally broke down and bought a new Macbook last night.  Probably gave up on the iPad, but it was just too different than what I'm used to.  Now I can make some progress with this blog....assuming I can remember anything.

I decided to pay close attention to the Weather.com radar map.  It has a nifty feature that shows their "forecast" of what the radar map is going to look like in 15 minute increments and I was able to predict that by leaving at 11:00AM I would miss all of the storm that was running through north Georgia and western NC.  Turns out that it worked perfectly...I stayed dry and happy as the storm front plodded along in front of me.   Blue skies threatened all afternoon...it was a great day to be riding a sport touring bike.

As I rolled out onto the road that runs by the farm I decided to swing into the neighbor's to say good bye.  Betty, a spry woman in her seventies, came out to greet me and hear my plan.  This woman doesn't mince her words and quickly asked, "Bob, you got a gun?".

I said, "No Betty, I'm afraid I'd shoot someone.  You carry a gun?"

She smiled and said, "Yup".

"Is it loaded?"

"Yup"

"You keep it in your truck?"

"Yup".

People, here's some free advice...don't cross this woman.  She will absolutely shoot your ass.

The first hundred miles rolled by quickly as I shot up Hwy 441N to Franklin, NC then picked up 74 to Silva, NC.  Eventually I got onto I-40 and got my first taste of interstate highway travel...traffic was fast and aggressive and at one point I had to dodge a massive greasy logging truck that could have auditioned for a runaway truck horror movie.

I stopped at Fatz in Asheville, NC for a relaxing lunch and by 2:00PM I was entering onto the Blue Ridge Parkway.  This was my first ride on the BRP and it was a treat.  Zero traffic and fantastic road conditions.  The road is a marvel...beautifully crafted and designed with wide sweeping turns, through natural tree canopies and swinging past incredible vistas.  The parkway is relatively free from "decreasing radius turns" which meant I was able to just set the throttle on 45MPH and cruise.  The road gradually climbed to over 5,000' and the temperature dropped to 60 degrees.  Still, my Aerostich jacket and pants kept me dry and warm and I never did have to layer up.

My iPod teed up Lucinda Williams who sang about "concrete and barbed wire" as I logged 125 miles on the BRP and pulled into Boone, NC at about 5:30PM.  I checked into a Comfort Suites with a diner across the parking lot...perfect.

By the end of the day I had ridden 225 miles and was tired.  Unfortunately, there was much reorganization to be done and I hit the sack tired but all jones'd up.  Sleep, what little there was, came late and was fitful at best.  Not the kind of night I hoped for and really needed.  Life on the road is full of such delights.