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Underway from Vermont

glenfiddich

TravelsWithBarley.com
Left Stowe at 7am. 454 wonderful miles later we pulled into a friend's camp in Tioga PA. (Not sure how many miles it would have been without the scenic detours, but we were having a blast!) The GSA is an awesome tug! At one point we hit I-88 to get some distance between us and some thunder boomers. Followed a Lexus on a most empty slab till I realized we were traveling at "rip up the license and impound the bike on the spot" speeds then rolled off and dropped 30mph. The bike and the Claude Stanley enhanced sidecar ran that smooth!

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We pushed it pretty hard today, and I thought Barley would be exhausted when we pulled into camp. He had other thoughts, and was on the prowl in the bushes. He ran down and ate one mouse, and narrowly missed a bullfrog. Now he's sacked out in front of a fan, sending fur flying everywhere! :dunno

West Virginia tomorrow, though the forecast of three days worth of rain might cut into my sightseeing.

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By any chance, were you passing thru the Bloomsburg/ 15 corridor on Wednesday? I saw a GSA with sidecar, and there cannot be too many of you out there! Safe travels!
 
By any chance, were you passing thru the Bloomsburg/ 15 corridor on Wednesday? I saw a GSA with sidecar, and there cannot be too many of you out there! Safe travels!

Nope, not me. But whoever it was I hope to see him at the rally! :wave

Weds was my last day at work. I fear I was next to worthless.

Currently holed up in western Maryland a few miles from Accident. The rain was a bit more than expected and Barley wasn't about to let me zip his hatch all the way shut. So...his memory foam mattress is soggy and there's about half an inch of water in the tub. We're doing the Comfort Inn thing right now and checking Weather.com to see where this thing is going and how long it's going to last.

Okay, I'm willing to admit there's a case for a hard top sidecar like Karl has on his RT!
 
Just have to say that I am completely envious of your rig! I have 5 dogs (our kids) and it would mean the world to me to be able to travel with one of them. Have a terrific and safe journey and we'll see you at the rally... I'll pack a doggie treat for Barley!
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Doug -- Do introduce yourself at the rally. King Charles is one of the breeds I was thinking of after having lost four wonderful goldens to cancer in the last five years, ages 5 - 9.

And if you're a Scotch drinker, we'll have to toast my Glenfiddich: Prince of Dogs, gone seven years now.

Today was a 500 mile day. It was supposed to be somewhat shorter but the road construction detours added a few miles, one of them thru downtown Louisville! Thank dog it was a Sunday morning! The one photo I wish I'd gotten was a HUGE string of barges loaded with coal headed up the Ohio River. But when you come from a town with a population of 3000, traffic in a city like Louisville is more than a little intimidating. :scratch

We left Chillicothe OH at 6am sharp and took US 50 to Cincinnati. After that it was 400 miles of Interstate in for the most part pleasant temps with occasional showers. We pulled over and went into full rain gear mode for the first shower, but it was miserable in the suit and the showers were so short-lived that we took it off after shower number three and just rode thru them. The water felt good and the evaporative cooling lasted several minutes.

This is a beautiful nation we live in! The humidity was so thick this morning as the sun came up that the farms we passed sort of materialized out of the mist, then vanished. I had visions of all that moisture forming huge thunderstorms as the sun heated things up, however, so was determined to make best possible time. The speed limit on Kentucky's West Parkway is 70, so for the most part we hummed along at 75mph

I nearly rode down the Land Between the Lakes which would have added a couple hours to the journey but Barley was tuckered. I figured he'd appreciate A/C more than a soak in the lake, so we headed for the hotel. My plan was to let him cool off a bit, then ride over to the lake (20 miles), but he looks so comfy stretched out by the air conditioner that I can't bear to disturb him.

Tomorrow: a visit to Hannigan (birthplace of my rig) and a traverse to north central Arkansas.
 
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My brother in law warned his dog not to go after a frog in the back yard some years ago. "You won't like it, they taste nasty."

The dog didn't listen and I can still see him trying to spit it all out. And yeah, we were all laughing at him while Ron kept saying "I told ya."
 
My brother in law warned his dog not to go after a frog in the back yard some years ago. "You won't like it, they taste nasty."

The dog didn't listen and I can still see him trying to spit it all out. And yeah, we were all laughing at him while Ron kept saying "I told ya."

Ah, that would be a toad. Barley bit one of those as a puppy and did the slimy frothing at the mouth thing. Hasn't bitten once since, though he does stomp them into the ground given the opportunity. Forgive and forget is not in his repertoire.

Frogs, on the other hand, are a delicacy in his book.
 
Ah, that would be a toad. Barley bit one of those as a puppy and did the slimy frothing at the mouth thing.

Yeah, it likely was. Long time ago, 1976 I think.

Three dogs here, none interested in riding, of course there's no dog chariot attached to the bike either! Maybe some day.
 
Doug -- Do introduce yourself at the rally. King Charles is one of the breeds I was thinking of after having lost four wonderful goldens to cancer in the last five years, ages 5 - 9.

And if you're a Scotch drinker, we'll have to toast my Glenfiddich: Prince of Dogs, gone seven years now.

Did someone say Scotch? I was planning on bringing just a bottle of bourbon but now that I think of it, I'll have to see if there is a spare bottle of Dalmore hanging around!
 
Sorry i missed you two-i left Wilmot N.H. area the same day and time.Will be hanging around Micatech/Excel booth,stop by and say hi.Ed
 
~

Barley may like the A/C but I bet he would like the motel pool too! How great that he can travel with you!

I'm way south and staying home this year. But you might run into my buddy Bob Neubert and his friend Stan--they are in a motor home, whoo luxury--from FLA. If you get together tell Bob I'll buy the beer, just toast my best friend, Smilin' Jack-- long gone, but of course king of dogs, a golden!
 
Looking forward to meeting you & Barley next week.
SWMBO & I have been on the road since 7/5. Hot from fL to Slidell, LA. A bit cooler in Vicksburg, really nice this last week in Arkansas. Quite a workout with the rig in the twisties! Pretty sure a sway bar is in my future......
 
Tough ride today toward the end. We left Murray KY at 7am. After 1.5 hours of flat, humid farmland we crossed the Mighty Mississippi, then another two hours of mostly rice fields, with one McDonald's planted at the mid-point. By 11 it was oppressively hot, and Barley was refusing to drink his water. (I'd skipped the morning ice purchase as the weather was not all that bad in Kentucky.) By noon he was clearly not having fun, so we detoured to the massive upwelling of cold (55F) water coming out of the earth at Mammoth Springs. Barley spent half an hour paddling around with a family of tourists from Oklahoma. Refreshed, we continued on our way and holed up for the day in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Ten minutes later a thunderstorm rolled past, so our timing was spot on.

Tomorrow we'll meander around the Oachita and Ozark Ranges, ending up in our hotel in Warsaw, MO, about 30 miles south of the rally site.

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Peter, I'm at the rally. The MOV Club camping is between the inner and outer gates - not far from the bathrooms. Yes, we're in an open field, but we get our canopy today. Not anywhere near as humid as at Bloomsburg. Supposed to be cooling off some after tomorrow so I hear.

Yes, we're having fun yet . . .
Muriel
 
Peter, I'm at the rally. The MOV Club camping is between the inner and outer gates - not far from the bathrooms. Yes, we're in an open field, but we get our canopy today. Not anywhere near as humid as at Bloomsburg. Supposed to be cooling off some after tomorrow so I hear.

Yes, we're having fun yet . . .
Muriel

Muriel -- Barley was having a tough time with the heat, so we stopped at every water hole to wet him down and get some evaporative cooling going. Sucks not being able to sweat! I, on the other hand, found that dribbling a bit of camelback water down my chin and under my mesh worked wonders at keeping me comfy! (Dribbling water down my chin gets easier as I age.) The thermometer read 98, but I agree the humidity is nearly in the comfort zone.
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We've checked into our hotel in Warsaw. Plenty more rooms available at $65 if anybody is looking. I just couldn't ask Barley to camp in the heat. I'll be up as soon as his nap is over to check in and sign up for Weds volunteer oppys.
 
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I'm envious that you're best friend will ride in your hack. Our Cooper is not fond of bikes, lawnmowers and the UPS man. Such are the trials of having a rescue pup.

I wish he could travel with us and we're working on it.

How do you get around the no dog policy?
 
I'm envious that you're best friend will ride in your hack. Our Cooper is not fond of bikes, lawnmowers and the UPS man. Such are the trials of having a rescue pup.

I wish he could travel with us and we're working on it.

How do you get around the no dog policy?

What no dog policy? On the Webpage it only mentioned to use common sense and to not create a nuisance. Barley is exceptionally well-behaved except when a dog person drops to their knees and offers affection, in which case he wags and leans and moans and tells them all about his miserable life! Here he is telling Chuck how mistreated he is
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I also checked in advance to make sure he would be allowed into the buildings so we'd be able to attend seminars, etc. The MO State Fair regs say no animals in the livestock buildings, and that was waived for the MOA since there would be no livestock for our event, save the occasional well-muffled hog. Again, provided he behaved there was no problem. Of course the underlying assumption is if he became problematic we would be ejected from the game. I'm fine with that and know what gentlemanly behavior my dog is capable of.

Good luck with Cooper. My wife and I rescue and rehab abused goldens. It can be pretty tough at times. Barley and the other three members of our core pack play a key roll in that, and I think helping abused and neglected dogs has helped my own mature; they are all very good with people and have a well-developed sense of inner confidence.
 
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What no dog policy? On the Webpage it only mentioned to use common sense and to not create a nuisance. Barley is exceptionally well-behaved except when a dog person drops to their knees and offers affection, in which case he wags and leans and moans and tells them all about his miserable life!

I also checked in advance to make sure he would be allowed into the buildings so we'd be able to attend seminars, etc. The MO State Fair regs say no animals in the livestock buildings, and that was waived for the MOA since there would be no livestock for our event, save the occasional well-muffled hog. Again, provided he behaved there was no problem. Of course the underlying assumption is if he became problematic we would be ejected from the game. I'm fine with that and know what gentlemanly behavior my dog is capable of.

Good luck with Cooper. My wife and I rescue and rehab abused goldens. It can be pretty tough at times. Barley and the other three members of our core pack play a key roll in that, and I think helping abused and neglected dogs has helped my own mature; they are all very good with people and have a well-developed sense of inner confidence.

You're right! It's right there in the Rally FAQ's. That's a
great
policy change.

I hope you and Barley have a great time.

:RE Cooper we've had trouble with him and other dogs but we'd love to figure out a way to help him through this. He is *very* territorial. Out on a walk he does ok with other dogs but we can't have any friends come over with theirs. Any ideas?
 
Yeah that was probably us getting to know a new friend from Toronto. This is great socialization for my little guy!
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With the heat driving so many into the vendor buildings for coolness, the vendors appear to be doing a booming business. Well, most of them. Some are offering stuff with studs and fringe that seem a bit off target for our demographic. Food is everywhere and plentiful. There's a family selling fresh produce and their peaches are to die for! It's been a long time since I've seen a peach that wasn't sold green expected to ripen in your kitchen.
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The bands I've heard so far are very good, and unless I was an early riser camping right next to the stage I'd be a very happy camper. The grounds are pretty extensive, and though I've been here since Tues afternoon I've not yet found everything I was looking for. Keep your maps handy.

Rob: Question back to you...Is Cooper dog aggressive, or simply being protective of you? We see that a bit with rescues that had abuse or neglect in their background. What we've had the best luck with was not "correcting" the behavior, as that simply adds a layer of aversion to what's already a fear issue. Instead we use a sound to disrupt the focus, then reward the good (non-aggressive) behavior that immediately follows. No scolding; we use a soft "Hut!" to break the focus, then lavish praise when they turn to us. In case it is territorial, you might want to practice this outside on neutral turf first so you're dealing with one issue at a time. A patient friend with a dog of their own helps. PM if you have additional questions.

Pete
 
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