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Oregon to West Virgina road trip!

Daughters wanted me to come visit for a few weeks. Said fine but not this summer, will fly out in September. So she asked if I had made the air reservations! Well not yet still researching. So after researching and seeing cost of flight, rental car, baggage fee etc etc etc.........

I'm gonna ride!!!

So I'm off from Bend, OR heading to daughters in West Virginia. Hoping to make it to Boise first day. The last two summers I have taken three month trips across the country exploring and visiting so I know what am getting into.

Just about 300 miles across the east side of the state. Not the most scenic of rides but that?s due to living in the trees of Bend. It has it's own beauty and aroma's that one can get used to.

Made it to Boise a bit after 1pm. Went down to Basque alley and had a Lamb Grinder at Bar Gernika, really really good!!! They were on Diner's, Dive's and Drive In's a few years ago. Several Basque restaurants there and a Basque Museum. Stopped in there and picked up a cook book.







Learned two things this morning.

One: In Idaho you can get bugs on the windshield in a rain storm.

Two: Never EVER trust the AUTO SHUT OFF ON GAS PUMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Credit card thought!

It would be a good idea to call your CC company to let them know you are traveling. You could do this from a nice comfortable place in your home. Or, you could stand in the hot sun someplace in northern Utah requesting that they please unlock your card so you can get some gas to get out of northern Utah.........

From previous trips I've learned to always stop at the first rest stop in a state. They almost always have a tourist center with FREE maps and someone to tell you about anyplace worth stopping. The Wyoming lady did suggest a alternate route Hwy 130/230 thru Medicine Bow National Forest to get off the interstate for a bit.

While traversing I-80 toward Rawlings going over a small rise, the sign said "Continental Divide". That was the only clue. Earlier this summer on a ride to Billings, Montana I rode part of the Lewis & Clark Motorway. Now that part of the Continental Divide is real easy to see!

Not much in Rawlings for me, just kinda a place to grab a bite and room. Ate at place called Bucks. Ok plus place, enjoyed watching the Bronc's beat up on that east coast team!

I only have a short list of planned stops left. Cabela's in Sidney, Nebraska, Antique Archalology's in Davenport, Iowa and the big air plane museum in Dayton, Ohio. I spent two days at the Pima Air Museum and boneyard in Tucson couple years ago. So I expect a full day in Dayton.

Bit warm thru Nebraska today. Indicated 106... Its surprising how just a wet neckerchief around the neck will keep you cool.

Stopped at the Nebraska welcome center. I was the only one there and facetiously asked if anything besides corn growing to see there! The kind lady said "sure is" and whipped out some brochures and maps. Recommended to get off the interstate and take Hwy 30 (Lincoln Highway) across the state. Very good advice.

Made visit to Cabela's and paid the what seems to me the $100 exit fee.

Stopped in North Platte to spend the night with plans to visit the largest railroad yard in country in the morning. If in the area with kids, great place for them or you to learn how trains are run today. There is a seven story observation deck to see the "hump yard". Passed a lot of classic cars on the road getting there. Saw that they are having a little get together here in town. So wandered over and visited a bit. Car shows are very dangerous places, here I am on a motorcycle, 5 states from home and getting the phone number and address of a guy selling a car I"ve wanted since high school!

One of the great things of getting off the interstate is to stop at the local attractions, smell the land and not the diesel fuel. And of course the reason for a road trip is the people you meet. Met a couple from Oregon, wet side, in a motorhome on a quest to follow the Oregon trail. A photographer at the country's largest rail yard. Really good photos by the way. ( www.flickr.com/photos/thingsb/ ). The teasing waitress at the Lincoln Highway Cafe. "you've had too much coffee... your eyes have turned brown". Trip has been full of these little things that make it worthwhile. There are always little things that happen that you wish hadn't. But they are easy to over come.





All the way across Iowa today. Tons of Sunday motorcycle cruiser riders out. Don't know what it is with their mind sets, but didn't see one wearing a helmet!!! And the number without eye protection! When does macho become just plain stupid!

Rode past a Bass Pro Shop, WOW, what a big store. So pulled off and went for a visit. Good thing I can't carry much on a bike! It was pointed out to me that I could have it shipped!

Met a guy (really old too) at a rest stop driving a race car! Heard a train pull in behind me, lowered Camaro, wearing a helmet, complete roll cage, doors welded shut, biggest Hoosier tires I've ever seen. Says he does it cause it's just pure fun! Can't beat that!






Planned stop was Antique Archalology in Iowa. Hoping to meet Dani and buy a tee shirt. Made it! But closed today, on location filming!






So on the road thru Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. The amount of planted corn in this country is staggering! Must have rode thru a thousand miles of it. Did note though that the gas in those states don't have ethanol in the regular gas.

In Crawfordsville, Indiana I was treated to a random act of kindness. As I pulled out of a gas station I saw my gloves fly off in my mirror. As I pulled over a van pulled up behind me. gal in scrubs gets out, runs back and picks up my gloves and returns them to me. Stating she was nurse who just got off work, saw what happened and decided that would be her act of kindness for the day! I decided that I liked being the recipient of an act of kindness and would do my best to do the same. Haven't made one a day yet, but working on it.

Reached Dayton Ohio and the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the National Air Force Museum and its hidden treasure!

One of the places in the United States not to be missed if anywhere close (Dayton Ohio). Casual viewers can spend a full day. If any kind of aircraft buff, at least two days. The sheer number of aircraft is almost overwhelming. Being able to walk the halls and seeing the technology expand is awesome. But! It is also full of a hidden treasure.

A lot of WWII vets hang out there. They are disappearing quickly. They're easy to find as most are in wheelchairs or those little electric carts. Just sit down near by and ask a simple question about a plane and you will get to hear some real history.





I have reached my destination on the outward leg. My budget was $100 a day. Motel, food, gas and what ever. Took eight days and $848. The meeting of the nice deputy sheriff in Nebraska with more than a hundred reasons not to meet him was not included.

End of month with be the return. Plan is to head to Nashville, another Antique Archalolgy store, and then over to Rolla, Missouri to ride Route 66.
 
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Thanks for a nice report. Antique Archaelogy in Le Clair was much smaller than I thought, but looks like they are adding a new building. Dani lives and works in Chicago and is seldom there, as the same with Mike, who lives in Tennessee. Frank lives out of town and is there most when they aren't on the road.

Safe travels!
 
Now that's my kind of ride report! You took me across the country in about 5 minutes. The multiple photos were great, too! Thanks for the enjoyable report!
 
Loved it!

Straight to the point.

Great photos. Thanks for taking the time to share the ride with us.
 
Continue enjoying your trip, and thanks for sharing. We do live in an interesting And beautiful country ! Have you planned a trip route back ?
 
Excellent ride report! Looking forward to your return post.

A note about Antique Archeology. I sort of liked that show, until I saw a sign in a small village in New York a few weeks ago. "American Pickers, HERE! Saturday 1-4. Bring your stuff!"

As I've said, reality TV is not reality.
 
Excellent ride report! Looking forward to your return post.

A note about Antique Archeology. I sort of liked that show, until I saw a sign in a small village in New York a few weeks ago. "American Pickers, HERE! Saturday 1-4. Bring your stuff!"

As I've said, reality TV is not reality.



An episode of Survivor was filmed near a friends home. He said you would not believe the "behind the scenes" support gear, etc. That is never seen on the screen !
He said even some of the sweat & dirt is applied....:dance
 
Thank you all for the kind posts.

I was quite surprised at the antique location in Iowa. It is very small and located down an alley behind a gas station. The person who took the picture was leaning against the block wall! The last episode I saw, they were talking about expanding and that appears to be taking place.

My return trip will include a visit to the store in Nashville. Undecided between the red or black sleeve baseball jersey! If Mike lives in the area, be cool if he happened to be hanging out while I'm there!

Be heading to Missouri after Nashville to pick up Route 66 west of St Louis. Planning to post here as I travel.

I like to use Picasa for pic's to give a flavor of what I have seen without bombing the site with full pic's of some obscure building.
 
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