How do you recap traveling the 50 states of the greatest country on earth, on the greatest motorcycle on earth? What an experience!
First of all, I love those lists that they do on sports shows or in the news paper “by the numbers” or “top ten”, so here’s my trip of the 50 states BY THE NUMBERS:
June 25 to July 25, 2010
25 actual days of riding
All 50 states and the District of Columbia
11,820 total miles
3 “Iron Butt” accomplishments:
2 – over 1500 miles in 36 hours
1 – over 1000 miles in 24 hours
Major bodies of water visited – 4 (more I think, but this will do):
Atlantic – at Mystic Bay
Pacific – at Northern California coast
Gulf of Mexico – at Pensacola Bay
Lake Michigan
Highest elevation ridden: 10,000 feet, Haleakala Crater, Maui, HI
Lowest elevation ridden: Sea level, both coast and Pensacola, FL
Ferry boats missed - 2
Rivers crossed – ya right! I know I crossed the Mississippi 4 times
Mountain ranges crossed, same as above…too many to count (but I really like the Adirondak Mountains).
Greatest display of pure power – my Harley…not really – Niagara Falls
Most majestic sight – of course…the Grand Canyon
Favorite river - Columbia
Favorite lake - Coeur d'Alene
Favorite biker bar was a tie:
The Elbow Inn, Missouri
Sultana Bar, Williams, AZ
Favorite hotel:
The Lodge, Williams, AZ
Runner up – Precious Moments Best Western, Carthage, MO
Least miles in a state – Utah (I think 4 miles), Kansas was second with about 20
Most miles in a state:
Texas, about 1145
California was about 1000
State I spent too much time in – West Virginia
Favorite roads: (in no particular order)
Highway 30, Maui, HI
Highway 14, South Washington (along Columbia Gorge)
Highway 97, Coeur d’Alene, ID (around the lake)
Highway 101, West Coast of California (Redwood Forest)
Highways 9N, 73, Lake Placid, NY
Too many others to mention
Favorite Interstate – Interstate 90 across Idaho and Montana
Best meal was a tie:
Ray’s, Seward, Alaska
The Lobster Pot, Bangor, Maine
Gallagher’s, Las Vegas, Nevada
Best state sign: New Hampshire "Live free or die"
Worst state sign: Washington DC - there isn't one.
Most dangerous state sign - a tie"
New Jersey and Washington, why would they put them in the center median...off the fast lane???
Most elusive state sign - a tie:
Pennsylvania and New York. I crossed both state boarders 4 times before I found a welcome sign...I guess we're not too welcome!
Area that surprised me the most (in a good way):
Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa, upper Mississippi
Biggest blessings:
New and Old riding partners
Great weather
A great running Harley (no mechanical issues)
Supportive family and friends
Ok, enough with the stats. This was a world wind trip through our amazingly beautiful country. I missed so much great stuff I can’t even begin to list it all. The “favorites” listed above are from this trip only. There are some really great biker roads around the country, like the Dragons Tail in North Carolina or 783 between Fredricksburg and Kerrville, TX . There are too many National Parks that I missed on this trip to even think about, but two of my favorites on a Harley are, Zion and Yellowstone. My favorite mountain range is the Tetons and everyone should spend a few nights in Jackson Hole, WY. Check out the statue in the square, it was sculpted by my Dad’s Uncle Bud.
This journey was a blessing to me in so many ways. It came during a time when I needed to get away, or maybe I just wanted to run from life. But regardless of the motivation, it gave me time to think…and pray a lot about my future and that of my family. It also gave me the opportunity to see so much of our country in a way that most people never do. I would also like to say what a privilege it was to be able to see some friends along the way, and how sorry I am that I had to miss so many people that I love all across the country. Also, what a true joy it was to be able to ride with my son, Tommy, in Hawaii and Alaska. It was so great to ride with my new friends from London. And of course, my brother in law Robert is one of the greatest friends and mentors any person could ever ask for, I'm so glad to have been able to ride with him and DeeDee on this trip. I can not encourage you enough…get out there and ride. You will see, smell, feel and experience things you would otherwise never have the chance to. Experience the wonder of our country, drive the back roads and explore the out of the way places. Spend time alone. Wonder what’s around the next corner, over the next hill or how the guy in that little run down house out in the corn field makes a living. Heck, try to figure out how you can buy 6 ears of corn for $2 at your local grocery store! Take in the beauty and all that our amazing country has to offer.
Most of all, I would like to encourage you to get out and do something. Everyone has dreams, successful people act on those dreams but so many people just dream…and never act. Don’t wait, there will never be a better time than right now to live life.
I’m sure I could go on writing this blog for a really long time, but now I think I’m just being indulgent. One of the biggest blessings of this trip has been sharing it with you, so thank you for reading my blog and for the notes of encouragement along the way. May God bless your life…and travels.
Number 1
Number One
Number 50
Number Fifty
Sunday, July 25, 2010
As Michael Buble' would say..."I wanna go home"
Before I get to my final thoughts of the trip I need to give a quick recap of my last day on the road. I spent the night last night in Raton, NM. I went out to load my bike this morning and found a lovely, steady rain. So I grabbed my rain gear and headed back into my room. After getting all suited up, I headed out at about 5:45 AM. 10 minutes later it stopped raining, although I was in clouds and fog until the Texas boarder. I made good time and was able to take off my rain gear at my first fuel stop and remove my coat and chaps at my second fuel stop. After that, I was just working on my tan and making time. I think Texas may have just passed Montana for the highest average speed. I calculated it, and I averaged 63 MPH...including stops today. I was like a trail horse that gets a scent of the barn and there is nothing that's going to slow you down from getting there. I was exhausted when I got to my new rent house, but thrilled to see my son at home. After a quick shower, I went to dinner with my kids and grandkids. So wraps up my 50 state journey! My next blog update will be my final thoughts on the trip.
Exhausted, but home
My favorite moment of the trip!
Exhausted, but home
My favorite moment of the trip!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
50 down...I'm going home!
Number 48
Number 49
Number 50!
Where do I start to recap a day like today? It was simply amazing. I started out early, 5:30 AM from Rapid City, South Dakota. I headed south on 79 and then picked up 385 south. I got to Hot Springs, SD at 6:30, which is 5:30 Pacific time and had traveled a total of 1,027 miles in a 24 hours period...earning a second "Iron Butt" award. I traveled on from there into Nebraska, connecting with highway 20 west into Wyoming. I picked up Interstate 25 south and traveled into Colorado...#50! I got all the way through Colorado and stopped in Raton, New Mexico...also earning my second "Saddle Sore" award having traveled 1,644 miles in 36 hours. Ok, enough with the stats.
The weather was great today, a little on the chilly side...but nothing compared to the last two days. It was clear and the roads were great. Going through this part of South Dakota brought back some really nice memories of the rides I took two years ago out of Sturgis. I passed the turn off for Mt. Rushmore as well as the park where Custer made his last stand. It was actually hard to keep going with out taking a few side trips, but I had miles to go before I slept... (anybody know that poem?)
Nebraska was quick. I just hit the corner, a total of about 70 miles. The landscape in the Northwest corner of this state is beautiful and dramatic. There are huge boulders sticking up out of the ground, which looks like giant flowing waves of grass and wild flowers.
I was getting pretty excited by this time. As soon as I hit the 1,000 mile mark in 24 hours I started to realize that I was going to be completing my goals today. I sent text to several of you at each stop and I'm sure you could tell that my excitement was building with each mile. I appreciate all the responses, they really got me pumped up. I've spent quite a bit of time in Wyoming on my Harley and really love this state. It has some of the most beautiful terrain in the country. The part I drove through today was not... However, I did see this cool water tower. It's one of only 6 that still remain in the world. It reminded me of a TV show I used to watch when I was a kid called "Petty coat junction".
So I connected with Interstate 25, which is a great road for making time...but not very interesting, except for the magnificent views of the Rocky Mountains...which is something to behold. It was hazy today so it make the mountains look like giant ships rising from the fog. Crossing into Colorado was a huge relief, to have completed my goal without incident. But it was also very cool because Colorado is absolutely one of my favorite states. If I couldn't live in Texas, I'd live in Colorado. I didn't originally plan to end up with Colorado being my last state, but I'm glad it worked out this way. I got a little hung up in traffic going through Denver and Colorado Springs, but other than that all the roads were wide open and moved very fast. In Colorado Springs I love the views of the Air Force Academy and Pikes Peak, which are great even from the highway.
In Colorado Springs I was able to catch a quick cup of coffee with some really great friends, Riaan and Selena. It was very special to get to see them and they have been amazingly supportive of me this last year. I've done some travel with Riaan over the years and this year I had the honor to travel with him to Egypt and China.
After coffee I got back on the road and headed south to Raton pass, a place I've been through many times. Colorado has been a favorite vacation spot for my family for most of my life. This drive brings back so many wonderful memories of trips with my kids, parents and in-laws.
This has been a wonderful journey and I'm looking forward to the last leg tomorrow and getting home. I'm going to do a recap with some thought about my trip on the blog tomorrow, so please check back. I want to thank all of you that have kept up with my blog, and especially those that posted comments. They made the nights in the hotel room much nicer and it made me feel like I was actually writing this to someone instead of just for myself. Thanks again for taking this journey with me, and check in tomorrow for the summary post. Blessings to you...
Number 49
Number 50!
Where do I start to recap a day like today? It was simply amazing. I started out early, 5:30 AM from Rapid City, South Dakota. I headed south on 79 and then picked up 385 south. I got to Hot Springs, SD at 6:30, which is 5:30 Pacific time and had traveled a total of 1,027 miles in a 24 hours period...earning a second "Iron Butt" award. I traveled on from there into Nebraska, connecting with highway 20 west into Wyoming. I picked up Interstate 25 south and traveled into Colorado...#50! I got all the way through Colorado and stopped in Raton, New Mexico...also earning my second "Saddle Sore" award having traveled 1,644 miles in 36 hours. Ok, enough with the stats.
The weather was great today, a little on the chilly side...but nothing compared to the last two days. It was clear and the roads were great. Going through this part of South Dakota brought back some really nice memories of the rides I took two years ago out of Sturgis. I passed the turn off for Mt. Rushmore as well as the park where Custer made his last stand. It was actually hard to keep going with out taking a few side trips, but I had miles to go before I slept... (anybody know that poem?)
Nebraska was quick. I just hit the corner, a total of about 70 miles. The landscape in the Northwest corner of this state is beautiful and dramatic. There are huge boulders sticking up out of the ground, which looks like giant flowing waves of grass and wild flowers.
I was getting pretty excited by this time. As soon as I hit the 1,000 mile mark in 24 hours I started to realize that I was going to be completing my goals today. I sent text to several of you at each stop and I'm sure you could tell that my excitement was building with each mile. I appreciate all the responses, they really got me pumped up. I've spent quite a bit of time in Wyoming on my Harley and really love this state. It has some of the most beautiful terrain in the country. The part I drove through today was not... However, I did see this cool water tower. It's one of only 6 that still remain in the world. It reminded me of a TV show I used to watch when I was a kid called "Petty coat junction".
So I connected with Interstate 25, which is a great road for making time...but not very interesting, except for the magnificent views of the Rocky Mountains...which is something to behold. It was hazy today so it make the mountains look like giant ships rising from the fog. Crossing into Colorado was a huge relief, to have completed my goal without incident. But it was also very cool because Colorado is absolutely one of my favorite states. If I couldn't live in Texas, I'd live in Colorado. I didn't originally plan to end up with Colorado being my last state, but I'm glad it worked out this way. I got a little hung up in traffic going through Denver and Colorado Springs, but other than that all the roads were wide open and moved very fast. In Colorado Springs I love the views of the Air Force Academy and Pikes Peak, which are great even from the highway.
In Colorado Springs I was able to catch a quick cup of coffee with some really great friends, Riaan and Selena. It was very special to get to see them and they have been amazingly supportive of me this last year. I've done some travel with Riaan over the years and this year I had the honor to travel with him to Egypt and China.
After coffee I got back on the road and headed south to Raton pass, a place I've been through many times. Colorado has been a favorite vacation spot for my family for most of my life. This drive brings back so many wonderful memories of trips with my kids, parents and in-laws.
This has been a wonderful journey and I'm looking forward to the last leg tomorrow and getting home. I'm going to do a recap with some thought about my trip on the blog tomorrow, so please check back. I want to thank all of you that have kept up with my blog, and especially those that posted comments. They made the nights in the hotel room much nicer and it made me feel like I was actually writing this to someone instead of just for myself. Thanks again for taking this journey with me, and check in tomorrow for the summary post. Blessings to you...
Big Sky, Big Miles
This morning I left Coeur d"Alene at 5:30 AM after having a really nice visit with some friends there yesterday. I drove out on Highway 97...into the sun...but what an amazing road. Connected with Interstate 90 through Idaho and Montana. It was without a doubt the coldest day yet on my trip. It's the only day I traveled when it never got warm enough to ride without a coat. In fact, I was shivering until about 1:00. But the roads made up for it. I connected with Interstate 94 in Billings up to Miles City where I took highway 12 over to Bowman, North Dakota. From there I headed south (towards home) on highway 85 into South Dakota, through Sturgis connecting again with Interstate 90 over to Rapid City. I almost titled this blog "so close but so far away". I rode a total of 970 miles today, my longest of the trip, but I missed a second "Iron Butt" award by only 30 miles! They do have another award called the "Saddle Sore" award, which is 1500 miles in two days, which I have done once already on this trip and will easily do again tomorrow.
The fabulous road around lake Coeur d'Alene
Interstate 90 is one of the most beautiful Interstates in our Country. On the western side of Montana you drive through the mountains and trees. All along the Interstate you are driving next to the Clark Fork River. This is such a beautiful ride. The Interstate curves with the bends in the river and flows up and down the mountain passes. For an Interstate, it is truly one of the best. When you get to Billings you head a little north on 94 and lose the Clark Fork River, but you pick up the Yellowstone River which this Interstate follows in the same pattern. The terrain really starts to flatten out as you pass Billings and turns into this beautiful rolling farm land. This is an area where they grow mostly grains, there are some "crops", must mostly just massive fields of green and gold grain. Another great thing about this highway is that it runs through states that have no helmet laws...and the speed limit is 75 MPH...big pluses.
The western Montana mountains
In Miles City we pick up highway 12, which is a great two lane state highway in amazing shape. The speed limit on this little road was 70 MPH and I only saw two cars the entire time. Needless to say, I made great time. When I crossed into North Dakota the terrain started to change. There were these fascinating rock structures that had striated colors, very beautiful. I was skirting rain to the north, but made it to Bowman before the rain and I turned south on 85 and easily outran the rain. Highway 85 was not nearly as good a road as highway 12, but I still made good time. The sun set about 45 minutes after I got on 85, so there was some interesting driving until I got to Rapid City. It was a beautiful sunset and the moon was spectacular over the South Dakota landscape.
Cool rock formations in North Dakota
Alway's blacktop over concrete
A nice full moon over South Dakota
All in all, a great day. I'm glad I was able to cover so many miles and set myself up for a good finish to the trip. I've hit 47 of the 50 states. Tomorrow I'll ride through the last 3 and then on Sunday I'll wrap up the trip with a nice...familiar, ride back into Dallas. Please keep reading the blog and give me your comments, I'm going to write a recap with some of my top items and thoughts after I get back.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Rivers and Lakes
Today was one of the most beautiful rides possible. I had the pleasure of driving two of my favorite roads in all the United States. Washington highway 14 and Idaho highway 97.
I left Salem, Oregon at 5:30 AM, once again it was very cold. I had good gear so it was bearable. I headed north on Interstate 5 into the southern part of Washington. The Columbia river splits the boarder between Oregon and Washington. There is a major highway on the south, or Oregon side of the river, and on the north or Washington side is a small two lane highway, 14. This road runs along the Columbia River Gorge for about 100 miles and it is breathtaking. When you get on the highway, a few miles down the road you come around a corner and you are at Cape Horn...it literally took my breath away. It was actually hard to focus on the road it is so beautiful. The highway winds and molds to the topography of the gorge. It flows up hundreds of feet above the river, then drops down to water level going in and out...and through in some sections. It is truly one of the greatest "Harley Roads" in America. As you drive along this road there are spectacular views of Mt. Hood along the way, it's completely snow capped right now.
After about 100 miles, I slanted off the river and head north east on 395, eventually connecting with Interstate 90 to Spokane. In this part of Washington the land turns into vast rolling meadows of golden grain. There is no way a picture can capture the beauty of these fields because much of my fascination with them was their size...but more the movement of the grain in the wind. It was like waves of a golden sheet being put on a bed. They just flowed back and forth in the wind. Also, they were the larges fields I've ever seen. They went on for almost 100 miles...just massive.
I crossed over into Idaho and into Coeur d'Alene, one of my favorite spots in this country. The lake is amazing, but the road (highway 97) ranks at the top of my list for favorite roads. This is the second time I've had the opportunity to drive this road and if you've never done it you are missing out on one of the most beautiful roads in America. The area reminds me a lot of Lake Como in Italy. It is very secluded with small cities, more like villages spotting the shoreline. There is a single road that goes around the south side of the lake. I had the great pleasure of meeting good friends from Dallas, Tom, Dawn and their kids, that are spending a few weeks here. They hosted me for a wonderful dinner and one of the nicest places I've stayed on this journey.
I'm in the home stretch now. The end of this odyssey is in sight. I've got some stuff I've got to take care of back in Dallas, so I'm going to attempt some monster day's of driving over the next few days. Please keep checking the blog as we count down the last remaining states on this long journey. Blessings...
Thursday, July 22, 2010
North by Northwest
All I can say is WOW!
If you've never driven the coastal highways in California and Oregon you're missing a great treat. My ride today was on one of my favorite highways in all of the United States. Today we headed out of Ukiah, CA and headed north on highway 101 to Crescent City, then took 199 across the Oregon boarder over to Interstate 5 and up to Salem.
First of all, it was Cold, Cold, Cold...56 degrees when we left the hotel, then it got even colder. It's amazing, two day's ago it was 97 degrees at 5:30 AM when we left the hotel in Las Vegas...a 40 degree swing. Right after we left the hotel we came across a nice sized herd of Elk grazing in a filed. Shortly after that we entered the Redwood Forest. What a unique opportunity to travel this highway on my Harley. The road is curvy with hills and goes by these giant trees, truly so big they defy description. When my kids were little we took a family trip, our "west coast trip"...probably the best family vacation we ever had. Anyway, we visited the Redwood Forest on that trip, but it still blew me away to see these giants again.
Going up the 101 we passed a number of trucks hauling cut trees as well as finished wood right from the mills. It was mostly redwood, but there was also an assortment of other woods. The smells of Pine, Redwood and Eucalyptus trees as well as fresh cut grass were all along our route. The main sensation I felt was...Cold. I can't describe sufficiently the majesty of the "Avenue of the Giants" through the Redwood Forest. It was also interesting to see these wood mills scattered along the route, they had huge piles of cut trees and they had sprinklers set up watering the piles of whole trees. I'm not sure why they do that...so if anyone knows please enlighten us.
The beauty continued as the highway turned toward the coast. We crossed the Rainbow Ridge and drove along the Northern California coast. It was very overcast and cold, but the rugged beauty of this part of the country can't be masked by fog or clouds. The road followed the outline of the coast and went through several small seaside villages and towns. I'm not sure if the weather is like this year round, but what a magnificent place to live.
When we got on highway 199 we started driving along a beautiful river that wound through the mountains. The name of the river is the Smith River and apparently it was named the cleanest river in America. I'd believe it after seeing how clear the water was. The gorge next to the road was very deep and there were rapids all along our route. You could clearly hear the water from the road.
We crossed into Oregon, my 42nd state. The terrain continued to be beautiful, with rolling hills covered with trees, although once we connected with Interstate 5 it became less interesting. There was a major accident on 5 and the interstate was closed about 5 miles from our exit. We "bypassed" the line and got to the exit rather quickly. Tim was extremely creative and we found a side street that got us around the traffic with virtually no delay. Which was great because we were meeting a friend, Lindsay, for dinner in Salem. It was really great to see Lindsay and to meet Blake, the "special man" in her life. I'm just sorry that the pace of this trip has not allowed me to spend sufficient quality time with so many friends across the country.
Number 42
Today was my last day with riding partners. I really enjoyed riding with our friends from England, Robert and DeeDee and Tim and Nikki...and Kristen. The companionship and support was just what I needed right now and having someone to share the road with on a trip of this length has really helped. I said good bye to Tim and Nikki tonight and will head out on my own tomorrow for the final leg of my journey. I expect to finish the trip in the next 4 or 5 days, so keep checking the blog for a countdown to number 50! Blessings and good night.
If you've never driven the coastal highways in California and Oregon you're missing a great treat. My ride today was on one of my favorite highways in all of the United States. Today we headed out of Ukiah, CA and headed north on highway 101 to Crescent City, then took 199 across the Oregon boarder over to Interstate 5 and up to Salem.
First of all, it was Cold, Cold, Cold...56 degrees when we left the hotel, then it got even colder. It's amazing, two day's ago it was 97 degrees at 5:30 AM when we left the hotel in Las Vegas...a 40 degree swing. Right after we left the hotel we came across a nice sized herd of Elk grazing in a filed. Shortly after that we entered the Redwood Forest. What a unique opportunity to travel this highway on my Harley. The road is curvy with hills and goes by these giant trees, truly so big they defy description. When my kids were little we took a family trip, our "west coast trip"...probably the best family vacation we ever had. Anyway, we visited the Redwood Forest on that trip, but it still blew me away to see these giants again.
Going up the 101 we passed a number of trucks hauling cut trees as well as finished wood right from the mills. It was mostly redwood, but there was also an assortment of other woods. The smells of Pine, Redwood and Eucalyptus trees as well as fresh cut grass were all along our route. The main sensation I felt was...Cold. I can't describe sufficiently the majesty of the "Avenue of the Giants" through the Redwood Forest. It was also interesting to see these wood mills scattered along the route, they had huge piles of cut trees and they had sprinklers set up watering the piles of whole trees. I'm not sure why they do that...so if anyone knows please enlighten us.
The beauty continued as the highway turned toward the coast. We crossed the Rainbow Ridge and drove along the Northern California coast. It was very overcast and cold, but the rugged beauty of this part of the country can't be masked by fog or clouds. The road followed the outline of the coast and went through several small seaside villages and towns. I'm not sure if the weather is like this year round, but what a magnificent place to live.
When we got on highway 199 we started driving along a beautiful river that wound through the mountains. The name of the river is the Smith River and apparently it was named the cleanest river in America. I'd believe it after seeing how clear the water was. The gorge next to the road was very deep and there were rapids all along our route. You could clearly hear the water from the road.
We crossed into Oregon, my 42nd state. The terrain continued to be beautiful, with rolling hills covered with trees, although once we connected with Interstate 5 it became less interesting. There was a major accident on 5 and the interstate was closed about 5 miles from our exit. We "bypassed" the line and got to the exit rather quickly. Tim was extremely creative and we found a side street that got us around the traffic with virtually no delay. Which was great because we were meeting a friend, Lindsay, for dinner in Salem. It was really great to see Lindsay and to meet Blake, the "special man" in her life. I'm just sorry that the pace of this trip has not allowed me to spend sufficient quality time with so many friends across the country.
Number 42
Today was my last day with riding partners. I really enjoyed riding with our friends from England, Robert and DeeDee and Tim and Nikki...and Kristen. The companionship and support was just what I needed right now and having someone to share the road with on a trip of this length has really helped. I said good bye to Tim and Nikki tonight and will head out on my own tomorrow for the final leg of my journey. I expect to finish the trip in the next 4 or 5 days, so keep checking the blog for a countdown to number 50! Blessings and good night.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Beautiful California
One last picture before I split off from Robert and DeeDee
Today was such a wonderful day. I've been traveling around this state, California, my entire life...since I was born here. But today was just perfect. The weather was cool when we left Sierra Madre at 5:30 in the morning. In fact, we had to keep our coats or sweaters on most of the day. After saying good bye to DeeDee and Robert; Tim, Nikki and I headed west on the 210 and then north on Interstate 5. We made great time and avoided all the traffic delays. (I love going over the grapevine) California is such an amazing state when it comes to it's landscape. Yesterday we were in the unforgiving desolation of the Mojave Desert, and today we were traveling through the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains, then north past San Francisco Bay and into Napa Valley.
The texture on the mountains was so vibrant and real, they looked like soft rolling mounds of tan and golden velvet. I took one picture that came out pretty good and shows what I was seeing.
There must be some type of war going on over water in this part of California because there were signs all along the highway about Congress turning the area into a dust bowl. It was fascinating because for hundreds of miles the hills and fields were covered with this golden grass. I couldn't help but think of one of my favorite songs, "Fields of Gold" by Eva Cassidy. (my dad loved that song too) The deep green orchards, vineyards and crops were a stark contrast to the tan and gold fields and hills.
The smells in the farming area's were strong, of assorted crops. The sweet onions and garlic were the most potent...besides the smells from the few livestock feeding lots. There was also the smell of hay and alfalfa, which was being harvested. I was fascinated by how much work it is, and the coordination needed to harvest all the crops grown across this Country. It is harvest time for those small, oval shaped, tomato's. I must have passed a hundred tractor trailers moving those tomato's from the fields to some plan north on Interstate 5.
When we got farther north we crossed over the mountains into the Oakland area. As we were passing through the mountain range we went by a huge wind farm. We really got beat up in the wind through that pass, it was as rough as I've experienced on a motorcycle. Once we got through the pass we had a great, but brief, view of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay.
We decided to go through Napa Valley, absolutely one of my favorite places on earth. The drive through the valley alone is worth it, but we decided to make a stop at Rubicon. What a great experience we had, they treated us like royalty and the wine was outstanding. Since I've had the opportunity to visit Napa a number of times, I'll throw in a pitch for a few of my favorite spots. For wineries I highly recommend Rubicon, Krupp Brothers and Del Dotto. To eat, Coles is my favorite but I also love the Culinary Institute of America. To stay, the Silverado is nice, but the Del Dotto cottage on vineyard 887 is tops in my book. So many great memories in this area. I'll give one last pitch, there is a new wine coming out from Wellspring called Vintessa. It should be bottled this month, and I'd say it's one of the best wines to come out of Napa in a long time. It was crafted by a group of Texans using some of the most sought afters grapes from an area in Napa called Atlas Peak. You can get in a pre order for this wine at Landon Winery in downtown McKinney, try it, you won't be disappointed.
After we were done at Rubicon we continued north on highway 29 then a great, tree covered, twisty road, highway 128 out of Calistoga to the 101. We made it as far as Ukiah and needed to stop for the night. It was a beautiful day of exploring California and I'm really looking forward to our coastal drive tomorrow. Have a great night...talk with you tomorrow.
Today was such a wonderful day. I've been traveling around this state, California, my entire life...since I was born here. But today was just perfect. The weather was cool when we left Sierra Madre at 5:30 in the morning. In fact, we had to keep our coats or sweaters on most of the day. After saying good bye to DeeDee and Robert; Tim, Nikki and I headed west on the 210 and then north on Interstate 5. We made great time and avoided all the traffic delays. (I love going over the grapevine) California is such an amazing state when it comes to it's landscape. Yesterday we were in the unforgiving desolation of the Mojave Desert, and today we were traveling through the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains, then north past San Francisco Bay and into Napa Valley.
The texture on the mountains was so vibrant and real, they looked like soft rolling mounds of tan and golden velvet. I took one picture that came out pretty good and shows what I was seeing.
There must be some type of war going on over water in this part of California because there were signs all along the highway about Congress turning the area into a dust bowl. It was fascinating because for hundreds of miles the hills and fields were covered with this golden grass. I couldn't help but think of one of my favorite songs, "Fields of Gold" by Eva Cassidy. (my dad loved that song too) The deep green orchards, vineyards and crops were a stark contrast to the tan and gold fields and hills.
The smells in the farming area's were strong, of assorted crops. The sweet onions and garlic were the most potent...besides the smells from the few livestock feeding lots. There was also the smell of hay and alfalfa, which was being harvested. I was fascinated by how much work it is, and the coordination needed to harvest all the crops grown across this Country. It is harvest time for those small, oval shaped, tomato's. I must have passed a hundred tractor trailers moving those tomato's from the fields to some plan north on Interstate 5.
When we got farther north we crossed over the mountains into the Oakland area. As we were passing through the mountain range we went by a huge wind farm. We really got beat up in the wind through that pass, it was as rough as I've experienced on a motorcycle. Once we got through the pass we had a great, but brief, view of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay.
We decided to go through Napa Valley, absolutely one of my favorite places on earth. The drive through the valley alone is worth it, but we decided to make a stop at Rubicon. What a great experience we had, they treated us like royalty and the wine was outstanding. Since I've had the opportunity to visit Napa a number of times, I'll throw in a pitch for a few of my favorite spots. For wineries I highly recommend Rubicon, Krupp Brothers and Del Dotto. To eat, Coles is my favorite but I also love the Culinary Institute of America. To stay, the Silverado is nice, but the Del Dotto cottage on vineyard 887 is tops in my book. So many great memories in this area. I'll give one last pitch, there is a new wine coming out from Wellspring called Vintessa. It should be bottled this month, and I'd say it's one of the best wines to come out of Napa in a long time. It was crafted by a group of Texans using some of the most sought afters grapes from an area in Napa called Atlas Peak. You can get in a pre order for this wine at Landon Winery in downtown McKinney, try it, you won't be disappointed.
After we were done at Rubicon we continued north on highway 29 then a great, tree covered, twisty road, highway 128 out of Calistoga to the 101. We made it as far as Ukiah and needed to stop for the night. It was a beautiful day of exploring California and I'm really looking forward to our coastal drive tomorrow. Have a great night...talk with you tomorrow.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Coast to Coast
I've made it coast to coast now, crossing the California boarder at around 6:30 this morning. We took off early from Las Vegas in a effort to beat the heat across the desert. We got up and out of the MGM Grand at 6 AM and headed south on Interstate 15. The heat across the Mojave was not that bad. Kristen, my niece rode with me and that was a real treat. We met our friends from England one last time in Barstow, CA then went different way’s. Making it to California was my 41st state. I'm getting a little worn down and glad that I'm heading into the home stretch of my journey. The Mojave desert is an unforgiving landscape,
][ it's littered with scrub brush and small cactus trees. It was very interesting that when we crossed into the city of San Bernardino, (leaving the desert) the temperature dropped by about 10 degrees.
We've had a nice afternoon in Sierra Madre, DeeDee and Roberts house. What a great, quaint city and the yard on their house is amazing for this area. The guy's had lunch at a great spot called "The Hat", which is famous for hot pastrami dip sandwiches. It's nice to have a little break from the long day's on the bike. That's about to change, after today I'll have back to back day's of 500 to 800 miles a day. Blessings to you and look for updates on the blog was we're in the home stretch.
][ it's littered with scrub brush and small cactus trees. It was very interesting that when we crossed into the city of San Bernardino, (leaving the desert) the temperature dropped by about 10 degrees.
We've had a nice afternoon in Sierra Madre, DeeDee and Roberts house. What a great, quaint city and the yard on their house is amazing for this area. The guy's had lunch at a great spot called "The Hat", which is famous for hot pastrami dip sandwiches. It's nice to have a little break from the long day's on the bike. That's about to change, after today I'll have back to back day's of 500 to 800 miles a day. Blessings to you and look for updates on the blog was we're in the home stretch.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Hot, Hot, Hot
Today was my side trip day. The only state I couldn't figure out how to get into my route, without abandoning Route 66, was Utah. So I got up and on the road at 5:30 AM heading north on Interstate 15. It was 97 degrees at 5:30! The landscape going north out of Las Vegas is not what I would describe as attractive. It's flat, dry, sandy desert. My objective was St. George, Utah, about 120 miles north of Las Vegas. I made great time and crossed into Arizona for about 20 miles. There was one very nice surprise, right near the boarder of Arizona and Utah, rising up out of the desert was a rock formation called Virgin River Gorge. It reminded me a lot of Petra. The walls of this gorge rise right up from the road and as you drive through it feels like you are going to drive right into the rock wall. It was a magnificent view and a great ride through the gorge. On the ride back to Las Vegas it was getting really hot. I began to wonder what it must have been like to build this highway? It had to be unbelievably hot and difficult to lay this blacktop through this unforgiving terrain. I got back to the MGM hotel at 9:30 and met up with the Flores'. We headed out to the pool and hung out in a cabana all day. It ended up being a wonderful day. Tomorrow is my last day going west, after that it's north and then turning towards home.
Virgin River Gorge, the picture does not do it justice
Hanging out with Luis in the cabana
The lazy river was the ticket for cooling down
Virgin River Gorge, the picture does not do it justice
Hanging out with Luis in the cabana
The lazy river was the ticket for cooling down
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Viva Las Vegas...
This morning was our final ride with our good friends from England. We needed to get an early start, and we did, because we crossed the desert to Las Vegas. There is some major construction going on around Hoover Dam, so we decided to go around the trouble spot. The morning was just beautiful, starting out with chaps and jackets. By the first stop about 20 minutes down the road to get gas, I had to lose both. We stopped for breakfast, at our Brit friends favorite spot....Cracker Barrel. When we came out to get back on the road, it was a scorcher. We had one more stop for gas with about 70 miles to go to Las Vegas and those last 70 miles were unbearable. We had loaded up on water, but by the time we arrived everyone was spent. And it was only 11:30 in the morning! I had a nice afternoon with Tim's daughter, Shea, laying out at the pool and working our way around the lazy river while the others spent time at the tables or taking naps. Not many pictures today, the landscape is just desolate. There was no welcome sign at the Nevada boarder, but tomorrow I've got to drive to Utah, so I'll catch it when I come back. Utah is the only state I'm going to have to drive out of the way to get. There was just no easy way to get a path through there since I was trying to stay on Route 66 with the group. By the way, driving Route 66 has been a blast, I highly recommend doing at least parts of it. And Williams, Arizona is one of the coolest little town's I've seen...a true jewel to find on this trip. My niece Kristen (Luis), arrived in Las Vegas this afternoon to join us on our trip to LA. YEA...
By the way, we have another contract on our house...let's hope this one closes! Blessings to you all...
This is actually from last night, what a great saloon we found in Williams, AZ. I know, sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen!
Our cool, retro hotel in Williams
Tim and Shea heading across the desert
The beautiful desert landscape of southern Nevada
By the way, we have another contract on our house...let's hope this one closes! Blessings to you all...
This is actually from last night, what a great saloon we found in Williams, AZ. I know, sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen!
Our cool, retro hotel in Williams
Tim and Shea heading across the desert
The beautiful desert landscape of southern Nevada
Friday, July 16, 2010
An Off Road Adventure
So for the last few days I’ve been thinking about my life. Where I’ve been, what I’m going through, why I’m doing this ride, what’s my future look like…why am I doing this blog??? Part of why I’m doing this ride is because we live in such a diverse and beautiful country. It’s a completely different experience to travel the country on a Harley. But the biggest reason is to reflect on life and what the next chapter of mine will look like.
I really feel compelled to take you on an off road adventure. That would be this one commentary that has nothing to do with my travels through 50 states. This has to do with me. It’s important that you understand that, because I don’t want anyone to apply anything I say here to someone else.
I’m a man that has been blessed beyond my wildest dreams. I was raised in an amazing family of love and support. I married the woman of my dreams, have the three most amazing children any man could hope for and the greatest two grandkids on the entire face of the earth. God blessed me with a great career, after almost two decades with FedEx I was able to build a successful business with McDonald’s. My kids are now grown and I was in full preparation for the “sunset” of my life, traveling and working with my passion, which was missions.
Things really started to change about 4 years ago. I lost my dad, my close friend, to pancreatic cancer. I didn’t really handle that very well at all. This was the beginning of the stripping away of almost everything I valued. In these past four years I’ve watched as my world has crumbled. I’ve lost my wife, lover, best friend, my marriage. I’ve seen my kids suffer unimaginable pain and confusion, completely helpless to make it better. I’ve had to sell my home, where I saw my children grow up and graduate high school, losing 30 years of equity in buying and selling homes. I’ve sat back and seen the death and liquidation of the companies I built and nurtured from infancy to mature thriving enterprises. Some of my employees, that have been loyal to me for the past decade, losing their jobs because of this transition. My self esteem has been shattered, my integrity challenged, my ability as a husband, lover, father confronted. I’ve been humiliated and humbled beyond anything I could ever imagine. In short, I’ve been crushed.
So why am I telling you this. It’s not to garner sympathy, that’s for sure. It’s for you to hear this…My God is Faithful! I don’t care what happens; I know that there is a plan for my life. I serve Jesus Christ, and He is good. I’m a man that on every front has been attacked and beat down, but I know that God is not done with me yet. For the past several years I’ve pondered a scripture…it goes something like this: “though God slay me, yet will I praise Him”. I’ve thought that was sort of silly. Many times over the past year I’ve thought that would be a welcome result. But here is something I’d like to proclaim: “though God force me to LIVE, and walk this road of pain and suffering, yet will I praise Him!” Now that’s a challenge. It would be easy to give up, but that’s not what we are called to do.
My life has meaning because of Jesus Christ. There’s an old hymn we used to sing that said: “because He lives, I can face tomorrow”. That’s so true for me right now. So here is something I have to ask: Do you know Him? Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? If not, find someone to talk to about it. If you don’t have someone, call me. My cell number is 972-467-1039. I’m a broken, hurt, humbled man, but I know what matters in this world. Soon this life will be over, and every one of us will stand face to face with our God, and I know that I want to stand there and be able to say that I was faithful to the end.
I also want to say that I’m still blessed beyond reason. I’m so thankful for my kids and grandkids that have been amazing through these trials. I’m thankful for the 23 years God gave me in marriage to the most amazing woman. For my family that has been strong when I was weak. For the friends that have loved me and stood by me. For McDonald’s, ORC, OOSI, Wellspring and SonScape. For my Harley and roads that wind through mountains and by clear rivers. For states that have no helmet laws! For this great and beautiful country we are privileged to live in. But mostly I’m grateful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, because I know that He is faithful when those you hold dearest are not. This life is so brief and I want to live every day for eternity. So I’ll leave you with the family constitution we established about 15 years ago:
- Honor others
- Appreciate others strengths
- Have meaningful touch
- Handle your money well
- Be a good example for Jesus Christ
Thank you for listing to me and for sharing in the journey. I look forward to what God has planned for me around the next turn.
I really feel compelled to take you on an off road adventure. That would be this one commentary that has nothing to do with my travels through 50 states. This has to do with me. It’s important that you understand that, because I don’t want anyone to apply anything I say here to someone else.
I’m a man that has been blessed beyond my wildest dreams. I was raised in an amazing family of love and support. I married the woman of my dreams, have the three most amazing children any man could hope for and the greatest two grandkids on the entire face of the earth. God blessed me with a great career, after almost two decades with FedEx I was able to build a successful business with McDonald’s. My kids are now grown and I was in full preparation for the “sunset” of my life, traveling and working with my passion, which was missions.
Things really started to change about 4 years ago. I lost my dad, my close friend, to pancreatic cancer. I didn’t really handle that very well at all. This was the beginning of the stripping away of almost everything I valued. In these past four years I’ve watched as my world has crumbled. I’ve lost my wife, lover, best friend, my marriage. I’ve seen my kids suffer unimaginable pain and confusion, completely helpless to make it better. I’ve had to sell my home, where I saw my children grow up and graduate high school, losing 30 years of equity in buying and selling homes. I’ve sat back and seen the death and liquidation of the companies I built and nurtured from infancy to mature thriving enterprises. Some of my employees, that have been loyal to me for the past decade, losing their jobs because of this transition. My self esteem has been shattered, my integrity challenged, my ability as a husband, lover, father confronted. I’ve been humiliated and humbled beyond anything I could ever imagine. In short, I’ve been crushed.
So why am I telling you this. It’s not to garner sympathy, that’s for sure. It’s for you to hear this…My God is Faithful! I don’t care what happens; I know that there is a plan for my life. I serve Jesus Christ, and He is good. I’m a man that on every front has been attacked and beat down, but I know that God is not done with me yet. For the past several years I’ve pondered a scripture…it goes something like this: “though God slay me, yet will I praise Him”. I’ve thought that was sort of silly. Many times over the past year I’ve thought that would be a welcome result. But here is something I’d like to proclaim: “though God force me to LIVE, and walk this road of pain and suffering, yet will I praise Him!” Now that’s a challenge. It would be easy to give up, but that’s not what we are called to do.
My life has meaning because of Jesus Christ. There’s an old hymn we used to sing that said: “because He lives, I can face tomorrow”. That’s so true for me right now. So here is something I have to ask: Do you know Him? Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? If not, find someone to talk to about it. If you don’t have someone, call me. My cell number is 972-467-1039. I’m a broken, hurt, humbled man, but I know what matters in this world. Soon this life will be over, and every one of us will stand face to face with our God, and I know that I want to stand there and be able to say that I was faithful to the end.
I also want to say that I’m still blessed beyond reason. I’m so thankful for my kids and grandkids that have been amazing through these trials. I’m thankful for the 23 years God gave me in marriage to the most amazing woman. For my family that has been strong when I was weak. For the friends that have loved me and stood by me. For McDonald’s, ORC, OOSI, Wellspring and SonScape. For my Harley and roads that wind through mountains and by clear rivers. For states that have no helmet laws! For this great and beautiful country we are privileged to live in. But mostly I’m grateful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, because I know that He is faithful when those you hold dearest are not. This life is so brief and I want to live every day for eternity. So I’ll leave you with the family constitution we established about 15 years ago:
- Honor others
- Appreciate others strengths
- Have meaningful touch
- Handle your money well
- Be a good example for Jesus Christ
Thank you for listing to me and for sharing in the journey. I look forward to what God has planned for me around the next turn.
It is Grand!
There are no words adequate to describe it, and pictures fail to do it justice. You just have to come to Arizona and see the Grand Canyon for yourself to appreciate the beauty and majesty of what God created here.
Our happy traveling group.
I liked dangling my feet over the edge, it also gave a little perspective to the picture.
What a magnificent view!
My brother.
Breath taking.
Not many miles, about 60 each way. But what a day. On the way back there were thunder storms all around and it was like God parted the waters. We drove straight through the middle of them (mostly dry) while it was raining on all sides. Safely back at our quaint, retro, route 66 hotel. Looking forward to a great dinner and getting on the road to Las Vegas in the morning.
Our happy traveling group.
I liked dangling my feet over the edge, it also gave a little perspective to the picture.
What a magnificent view!
My brother.
Breath taking.
Not many miles, about 60 each way. But what a day. On the way back there were thunder storms all around and it was like God parted the waters. We drove straight through the middle of them (mostly dry) while it was raining on all sides. Safely back at our quaint, retro, route 66 hotel. Looking forward to a great dinner and getting on the road to Las Vegas in the morning.
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