Little GS, Big Adventure - F650GS to Alaska from Philly leaving 5/21

Day 34 Abbotsford, BC to Lake Oswego, OR. Back in the USA & cruising the Interstate!

Day 34 ÔÇô Tuesday June 23, 2009
Start: Abbotsford, BC
End: Lake Oswego, Oregon
Trip Miles Today: 302
Total Trip Miles: 8154


Today was just kind a fun day. Got on the road about 8:00 under (again) perfect sunny skies. From the hotel there was a perfect view of snowcapped Mt. Baker to the Southeast. And this time it was even warm  like over 60 deg (f) when I departed! Less than 10 minutes later I was at the US border between Abbotsford, BC and Sumas, Washington. Surprisingly enough they let me back in without any further comment. If only they knew! After the border crossing there is about 25 miles of secondary roads and then one gets dumped onto Interstate 5, my home for virtually the rest of the day. Its been since the end of May since I was on one of these concrete slabs. Its also been since the end of May since Ive driven in this sort of traffic density. Quite a shock after nearly a month in the untamed wilds. Next stop was Seattle. I love Seattle for many reasons, not the least of which is that Seattle is where I met my wife Lisa in 2001. Ahhhfond memories. This time my destinations in Seattle were simple. I dropped by Ride West, the BMW Motorcycle Dealer there. Nice store, nice people. I didnt really buy anything but was mightily tempted! Then I took off for the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field, on the South side of the city. The Museum of Flight is a world class presentation of the history of manned flight from the Wright Brothers through current manned spaceflight. While it obviously brings a Boeing slant to things (the recreation of William Boeings first factory  the famous red barn is extraordinary) the museum is, in fact, very non-denominational, treating all the manufacturers and inventors fairly and equally. It is not a Boeing museum, it truly is a Museum of Flight. Worth every penny for the admission, the museum warrants 3-4 hours to do correctly. Unfortunately I only had about 90 minutes to spend. So, off I went further southward. The ride down I-5 presents you with a wonderful new, snow capped mountain to view off to the East every hour or so. First Mt. Baker near the Canadian border. Later, near Seattle, there is Mt. Rainier. Further south we can see Mt. St. Helens, of volcanic eruption fame. Finally, as we reach the Oregon Border near Portland, Mt. Hood comes into view. All were in clear sight today on a beautiful day as arranged by the local Chambers of Commerce, I suppose. Arriving near Portland I decided to drop in on another BMW dealer, this time BMW Motorcycles of Western Oregon in Tigard. Got into a discussion about tires, and my tire wear situation, with one of the parts guys, Rick. One thing led to another and now I have an appointment with their sister store, in Eugene (1 hour further South) to get new tires installed in the morning if we can work out the cost & details of getting it done tomorrow morning. I plan to be there when they open at 8:30. I've decided on Metzler Tourances  a tire with a bit more off-road capability than the Bridgestone Battle Wings I have now. The Battle Wings are beginning to get a bit long in the tooth. I could probably stretch them out till I got home but these guys have what I need in stock so, ithere's a good likelihood theyll get changed out tomorrow.
Tomorrow evening IÔÇÖll be visiting an old high school friend near Medford, down near the California state line. Thursday, Ill head out, this time to the Northeast to make my way to Pendleton, OR in the NE corner of the state. Why go there? How about I just hold that piece of information till tomorrow.





Museum of Flight, Boeing Field, Seattle.


Mt St Helens

Many more pictures of this trip available at http://jackb1.smugmug.com

Welcome back to the U.S! Great report and good writing. I'm not surprised you get blown around a little - just look at the side profile of that bike with the cases and duffel bag. That's a pretty big area. And the top case, expanded, holds a bunch. If you've got some weight up there it's not hard to understand a bit of slow speed wobble. Hopefully you were never caught off guard. How are those vario cases holding up? Are they waterproof? Have you found out yet whether they can handle a fall?
Keep up the great reports and thanks!

dancogan said:

Welcome back to the U.S! Great report and good writing. I'm not surprised you get blown around a little - just look at the side profile of that bike with the cases and duffel bag. That's a pretty big area. And the top case, expanded, holds a bunch. If you've got some weight up there it's not hard to understand a bit of slow speed wobble. Hopefully you were never caught off guard. How are those vario cases holding up? Are they waterproof? Have you found out yet whether they can handle a fall?
Keep up the great reports and thanks!

Click to expand...

The vario cases seem to be holding up OK. I haven't dropped the bike (don't plan to!) so I can't comment on their durability in a drop. They are not utterly waterproof, but seem pretty good. The left one seems to leak a bit around the front/bottom. Others seem OK. If I were to be preparing for this trip again I would probably choose the TouraTech Aluminum-top loading cases. Way less chance of compromising the case sealing with a minor incident. Plus, when you drop the bike you can take all your stuff out to make it light enuf to lift back up! The one thing I really like about the OEM Vario cases is the easy on/off.

Day 35 - Lake Oswego, OR to Ashland, OR. Atlantic Coast to Pacific Coast!

Day 35 ÔÇô Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Start: Lake Oswego, OR
End: Ashland, OR
Trip Miles Today: 372
Total Trip Miles: 8526

The early portion of todays ride was just about getting places. An early departure was necessary to get myself 100 miles down the road Eugene, Oregon early enough to be there when BMW Motorcycles of Western Oregon opened their doors at 8:30am. My business at BMW Western Oregon was to get a new set of tires installed on my trusty old steed. This couldnt have worked out more perfectly. With help and support from Service Manager Hugo, and Doug in the parts department, the tire change was completed in just over an hour an a half. Excellent folks. Easy to deal with, courteous, and very supportive of the traveling rider. Id recommend these guys to anyone, so if youre ever in the area! For you who are interested, I chose to install Metzeler Tourances to replace my Bridgestone Battle Wings that came on the bike as delivered. At something approaching 10,000 miles the Bridgestones still had some useful tread but I was getting some uneven wear on the front and the rear was getting pretty "square" from all the straight-down-the highway stuff.

The quick work at the BMW dealer got me back on the road just after 10:00AM. This allowed me some time to play! First order of business was to head West on Oregon Rte. 126 toward the coastal town of Florence, some 50 miles distant. From Florence I proceeded South on the Oregon Coastal Highway (Rte 101) through the Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area. My main business here was to shoot a couple of pictures on the Pacific Coast and document the completion of my trip ÔÇ£Coast-To-CoastÔÇØ. That being completed I continued S on Rte 101 until arriving at Reedsport, where I again turned inland to follow Rte 38. Rte 38 follows the Umpqua River Valley and makes for quite the scenic ride as both the road and the river climb inland. After a subsequent turn southeast on to Rte. 138, some 60 miles later I was again back on I-5 heading South for my overnight stop in Ashland, OR.

Arriving at Ashland about 4pm, I checked in at my hotel before heading over to visit with my high school friend Anne Bellegia and her husband Terry Asnes. We had a very nice dinner and they treated me to a quick tour of Ashland. That about capped the day and I headed back to the hotel for some rest. Tomorrow is a big day. I plan on an early start with a side trip to Crater Lake National Park, one of my very favorite places on earth. Then itÔÇÖs a northeasterly heading to see how far I can get in the direction of Pendleton, OR by tomorrow night. Why Pendleton? Because Pendleton is close to Athena, Oregon and Athena is the site of the annual ÔÇ£Hodaka DaysÔÇØ festival. Athena was the home of PABATCO, the company that brought Hodaka Motorcycles to the US in the sixties and seventies. As a dual-sport rider, I consider that Hodaka holds a special place in the history of the breed. Before there were Yamaha Enduros, long before there were GSs, there were Hodakas ÔÇô arguably the precursor to every on road/off road bike that followed. More tomorrow about Hodakas and Hodaka Days! Lots more adventuring yet to come.




Pacific Ocean near Florence, OR


Pacific Ocean near Florence, Or


Umpqua River near Reedsport, OR

There are plenty of pictures from my ride at http://jackb1.smugmug.com

Day 36 - Ashland, OR to Pendleton, OR. Crater Lake!

Day 36 – Thursday, June 25, 2009
Start: Ashland, Or.
End: Pendleton, Or.
Trip Miles Today: 436
Total Trip Miles: 8962

The trip is getting to be pretty close to 9000 miles now and this afternoon the very first pangs of “get home itis” began to creep in. From now on, every place I go will be closer to home than the last but I’m really nowhere done yet! Today, for example I banged out over 400 miles and visited one of my absolute favorite places on earth, Crater Lake National Park.

I got an early start because I knew I faced a long day. Off by 6:30 am I was headed north on I-5 out of Ashland. It was only a short stint on the super-slab today though. At Medford, only about 15 miles away I had the great pleasure of getting off the Interstate an on to California Rte. 62, The Crater Lake Highway. The highway generally follows the path of the Rogue River, which originates high in the cascades near the north side of Crater Lake. By following the river’s path the highway lends itself to many beautiful vistas over the 70+ odd miles from Medford to the park. Much of the route passes through the Rogue River National Forest. Especially notable is the Rogue Gorge, carved by the river over eons. A number of picture stops and a few stops just to say “Wow” caused the trip to proceed at a fairly slow pace. I was, nonetheless, at the Crater Lake National Park South gate by just about 9:00 am. Since first visiting Crater Lake in 2005 I have longed to go back. To me it is among the most beautiful, and tranquil places I know. I was fortunate, once again to have a visit unspoiled by inclement weather. The weather gods dealt up another perfect morning! Photo ops and stops to simply “take it all in” ate up over an hour before I Ieft to continue northward. Jumping on Oregon Rte. 97, I proceeded, in turn through Bend, Redmond, and Madras. Somewhere North of Bend the character of the terrain and of the entire environment changes. Out of the dense pine forests where I have spent the past few days and into a more desert like, more barren region. Still, however, always in sight are the snow capped peaks to guide one. Mt. Hood, and the Three Sisters, now visible to the West as I have moved into the central part of Oregon. Late in the afternoon I reach the Columbia River Valley and the east end of the Columbia River Gorge. It lives up to its reputation by being both considerably hotter and a fierce wind is swirling. No so much fun for me (and all those people in campers), but good news for the windsurfing crowd, who are out in force! At the Columbia I turned eastward, once again on the interstate, now I-84, for the quick 100 mile blast to my overnight destination, Pendleton, OR. I plan to stick around here for the next day or so. As I mentioned yesterday, I have come to the Pendleton area, in particular a little town called Athena for the 10th edition of an event called Hodaka Days. For those of you unfamiliar, Hodakas were popular 2 stroke dirt and street bikes made in Japan and sold exclusively in the United States by a company called PABATCO (Pacific Basin Trading Company) whose headquarters was in Athena. I think that all of todays dual-sport bikes owe a little to Hodaka for helping create the breed and define the market. In the 60's when Honda and Yamaha both offered "trail bikes" with lame pressed steel frames and some semi knobby tires, Hodaka was producing a steel tube frame bike with both amazing off-road capabilities and all the street "stuff" like lights, etc to be truly a dual purpose bike. When the Japanese Big 4 saw how well these bikes performed and how well they were being accepted in the US, they jumped into the market with bikes like the original Yamaha DT-1 Enduro and that was just about it for tiny builder Hodaka. The bigger trailies, like our GSs cam later. I am kind of a Hodaka fan and actually Lisa and I have a “project” Hodaka at home. I hope to have pictures and stories from this event tomorrow and maybe Saturday before I turn to the serious work of covering the 1700 miles between here and home. Hope you are still enjoying the story and pics.










You can look at a lot more pictures by going to http://jackb1.smugmug.com

Day 37 - At Pendleton, OR. Hodaka Days in Athena, OR!! Two stroke, vintage bike fun!

Day 37 – Friday, June 26, 2009
Start: Pendleton, Or.
End: Pendleton, Or.
Trip Miles Today: 47
Total Trip Miles: 9009

Today was day spent in the Pendleton, Oregon area. Pendleton is pretty well known as the home of Pendleton Woolens and Knits (no woolen knits required today – 80 deg. and sunny!) Less well known, at least to people outside the motorcycling community, is that less than 20 miles up the road is Athena, Oregon the home of Hodaka Motorcycles. In the early 60s Athena based agribusiness company PABATCO (Pacific Basin Trading Company) found themselves in the motorcycle business through an odd set of circumstances including the bankruptcy of the obscure Japanese motorcycle manufacturer Yamaguchi, currency trading restrictions with Japan, and the critical mass of motorcycle enthusiasts within the PABATCO management corps (Long story made short!) The Hodaka product was pretty advanced for it’s time – employing a steel tube frame for it’s “trail Bikes” when the products from the Big 4 Japanese manufacturers were still pressed steel weldments. Also, these capable little bikes had lights, horns and other street equipment which allowed the owner to ride to the trailhead rather than haul them in a trailer. Success rapidly followed and the company sold 10s of thousands of bikes (in the US only) in just a few short years. This success was rather short lived as the little company never really had the resources to compete directly with the much bigger Japanese manufacturers such as Honda and Yamaha. When the big guys finally got it right with their “dirt bikes” (think Yamaha DT1) in the late 60s and early 70s, the Hodaka brand slowly wound down and finally closed about 1978. Nonetheless these bikes have quite the following nationwide and I firmly believe that every manufacturer who is in the business of dual-sport and enduro bikes (including BMW) owes something to Hodaka and other "lost" brands that have gone before. Hodakas' annual homecoming, "Hodaka Days" is in Athena this week. Attending the event is special treat for me as I have a “basket case” Hodaka at home awaiting its turn for restoration. It’s exciting to see all the different models (Hodaka was famous for it’s “tongue in cheek” names for the different lines of bikes – “Super Rat”, “Road Toad”, “Dirt Squirt”, and “Wombat” were all part of the fun). Importantly, these are not just show bikes but they are ridden and ridden hard! Nice to see classics out there in the dirt! Anyway, I was able to spend the afternoon at Hodaka Days just absorbing the ambiance. I plan to return tomorrow to spend another half day experiencing the bike parade, swap meet and bike show. But, all good things must end and I plan to depart about noon or 1:00pm for destinations east. I’ll try to put a couple of hundred miles under my belt tomorrow afternoon – perhaps over near Boise, Idaho. Then the next few days afterward will be mostly just pounding out those boring highway miles while making my way home. At this time I anticipate arrival in SE Pennsylvania on Friday, July 3. I should know more after a couple of days but that seems a reasonable projection for now. I hate to see the end in sight but there you are! However, we’ve got another week to ride and anything can happen so I hope you’ll stay with me! Thanks again, Jack.

There are many more pictures available to see at http://jackb1.smugmug.com

Day 38 - Pendleton, OR. to Nampa, ID. Another morning at Hodaka Days, then to Idaho.

Day 38 ÔÇô Saturday, June 27, 2009
Start: Pendleton, Or.
End: Nampa, Idaho
Trip Miles Today: 270
Total Trip Miles: 9279

On the way back to Athena early this morning I took a few moments to cruise by the Pendleton Woolen Mills. Founded in 1893, Pendleton Woolen Mills is known worldwide as a maker of fine Indian blankets and menÔÇÖs plaid shirts. It could very well be the only thing you ever heard of from Pendleton, OR. My early morning ride also gave me time to soak up the views of the local farms and the agribusiness. The areaÔÇÖs main crops are wheat and hay but IÔÇÖm also told that a great percentage of worldÔÇÖs commercial green pea crop also comes from here.

Back, then, to Athena I went. What I found were many more bikes now present ÔÇô maybe as many as 150-200? Also, by attending Saturday morning I got to view the Hodaka Parade through downtown Athena ÔÇô a sight not to be missed! Not only is the parade fun for the participants but local folks all come out and itÔÇÖs a grand old time. Many of the local residents seem to look back fondly on the Hodaka era when the brand carried AthenaÔÇÖs name proudly to the furthest corners of the United States. The parade brings with it the sounds and smells (and smoke!) that was the signature of two-stroke motorcycling in the 60s and 70s. Just like a trip back in a time machine! Also by visiting again on Saturday I got some time to speak to Paul Stannard and his wife Patti who are the real catalysts for the continuation of this great event. Paul is the president of the Hodaka Club and also operates one of the premier outlets for Hodaka Parts, information, and accessories. Their company, Strictly Hodaka, is based in Vermont. Paul and Patti are friendly, outgoing people, willing to help in any way and they have made a successful business out of their passion. We should all be so lucky! However, even this fun had to come to an end as I needed to get on the road and cover some ground eastward. Before noon I was on my way, rolling eastward in I-84 and covering the last 100 miles of Oregon. Shortly after crossing into Idaho I decided that enough was enough and that I had to get off the Interstate if I was to retain my sanity. I took a chance and went south from the highway and worked my way into the Snake River Valley. I followed that for about thirty scenic miles before turning back north to Nampa, ID. my overnight destination. Unfortunately, going eastbound the time zone changes steal hours from you. When I crossed into Idaho I entered the Mountain Time Zone and lost an hour from the available riding time. Fortunately IÔÇÖll be in Mountain Time for the next couple of days so I donÔÇÖt have to dial that correction into my travel plans again for a while.

It looks like each of the next few days will need to be over 400 milers in order to make my planned arrival at home on Friday, July 3. TomorrowÔÇÖs destination is Rock Springs, WY and Limon, CO the day after that. Riding the Interstates will make the mileage accumulation possible but IÔÇÖm not looking forward to just highway miles. Hopefully I can cover ground quick enough to get off the highway from time to time and see the truly interesting stuff. Time will tell.


Today: From Pendleton, OR (A) to Nampa, ID (B) via Athena, OR and the Snake River Valley


Hodaka Days Parade in downtown Athena, OR


Hodaka Days Bike Show


Snake River Valley, South of Nampa, ID

More pictures are available at http://jackb1.smugmug.com

Day 39 - Nampa, ID to Rock Springs, WY - 478 miles all on the Interstate!

Day 39 ÔÇô Sunday, June 28, 2009
Start: Nampa, ID
End: Rock Springs, WY
Trip Miles Today: 478
Total Trip Miles: 9757

What can I say about today? 478 miles (3rd longest day of the trip!) but all on the Interstate. My route of travel is easily described ÔÇô I left Nampa, ID on I-84 East. I stayed on I-84 until it ends in Utah East of Salt Lake City and at that point I jumped on I-80 East for the rest of the day. You can certainly make good time on the Interstates, especially in the west where the speed limits are high (like 75 all day today!) You do miss out, however, on much of the scenery and interesting elements of how people live their lives in the localities that you pass through. That being said, for tomorrow IÔÇÖm going to leave the Interstate for a few hours and cut through the Northeast corner of Colorado via secondary roads. ItÔÇÖs my last day in the mountains and IÔÇÖm really looking forward to the diversion, regardless of how long it may take me to reach tomorrowÔÇÖs overnight destination, Limon, CO.

Highlights for today were few but the one which always stands out for me is the ride from the Salt Lake City area heading east. The climb up through the mountains is eye-popping and even the Interstate is interesting here, with sweeping s-turns, many posted for 45 or 55 mph but capable of being negotiated at higher speeds. I am definitely looking forward to lots of mountain twisties tomorrow.

The bike continues to handle the miles without complaint. I did confirm today an observation I made at the beginning of the trip coming across North Dakota and Montana. That is that the gas mileage really goes in the pot when you try to cruise at speeds above 75. While I would suspect that the overall gas mileage for the trip is about 57mpg, by really twisting the throttle to cover ground quickly the rider can drive the mpg value into the 40s. On the other hand, proceeding at more ÔÇ£sedateÔÇØ speeds on secondary roads often yields over 60 mpg. Take your pick!

As I mentioned, tomorrow itÔÇÖs Limon, CO. IÔÇÖm getting far enough along that itÔÇÖs getting possible to predict where IÔÇÖm gonna land for the rest of the trip. That projection kinda looks like this: Monday night-Limon, CO; Tuesday night- somewhere around Salina or Lawrence, KS; Wednesday night-St Louis area; Thursday night- Columbus, Ohio area; Friday night ÔÇô HOME in Malvern, PA. Still lots of miles to go but the end is coming in sight!


You probably don't want this in your backyard!




Just off of I-80 West of Salt Lake City in the mountains


Typical view on I-80 eastbound near Evanston, WY


There are always lots more pics to see at http://jackb1.smugmug.com

Day 40 - Rock Springs, WY to Limon, CO. Rocky Mountain Monday!!

Day 40 ÔÇô Monday, June 29, 2009
Start: Rock Springs, WY
End: Limon, CO
Trip Miles Today: 497
Total Trip Miles: 10254

I feel really good about today and the route I took. By getting off Interstate 80 near Rawlings and heading south into Colorado, I was able to entirely change the character of the ride. My route took me off of the Interstate by 8:30 in the morning (yea!). Near the small town of Wamsutter I turned south on Wyoming Route 789 toward the Colorado border and the small town of Craig, CO. This portion took me through high desert and across the Continental Divide for the first of 4 times today. By the time I entered Craig, the terrain had transformed from the Wyoming High desert browns and reds to the Colorado lush greens. A VERY refreshing change. In Craig I turned East on US 40. Next location of note was the ski town of Steamboat Springs, CO. Steamboat is a little bit artsy and touristy but still with a taste of the old west. From Steamboat the Route 40 goes seriously uphill and into the Routt National Forest. The segment from Steamboat to Kremmling was the surprise and delight of the day for scenery. Forested mountainsides, alpine lakes and more. Then it was on to Granby, Grand Lake and Route 34 through the Rocky Mountain National Park. Pictures do not do these places justice, you must visit! Aside from about 15 miles of construction, near the West entrance, the Park was just about perfect. I also had my closest ever encounter with Elk. They were actually grazing in the roadway. After leaving the park I passed through Estes Park then continued on through Bolder, Denver and (sadly) out of the mountains and into the prairie. After Denver I joined I-70 and proceeded to Limon, CO, my overnight digs. I say sadly because there is a lot of flat and seeming featureless country before me as I proceed across Eastern Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri. I will be on Interstate 70 for well over 1000 miles before I exit in Pennsylvania some 4 days hence. The trip total miles is now over 10,000 and that seems like a real trek. Someday it will make me tired just thinking about it. But not yet. IÔÇÖm beginning to get amped up to just pound out miles and get home. Thanks again for letting me share this little adventure with you.






Near Steamboat Springs, CO


Rocky Mountain National Park

Always more pics to look at - http://jackb1.smugmug.com

Wow...what an OUTSTANDING trip! I LOVED The pic of your bike by Crater Lake. I've never been there but I will some day.......Looking forward to more!

(I've got the exact same bike as you...even the same color....it's cool seeing it loaded up for travel!)

firefly said:

Wow...what an OUTSTANDING trip! I LOVED The pic of your bike by Crater Lake. I've never been there but I will some day.......Looking forward to more!

(I've got the exact same bike as you...even the same color....it's cool seeing it loaded up for travel!)

Click to expand...

Crater Lake is one of my favorite places on this, or any other planet! Go there. Do it! Soon! Jack

Day 41 - Limon, CO. to Wichita, KS. Hot day in the High Plains!

Day 41 ÔÇô Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Start: Limon, CO
End: Wichita, KS
Trip Miles Today: 433
Total Trip Miles: 10687

Today was the first of several days in a row of highway mileage that will close out my trip. Eastern Colorado and Kansas are really lovely places but I am very sure that riding through these states on Interstate 70 doesnÔÇÖt show off their beauty to maximum effect. The first thing I noticed this morning, upon leaving Limon, CO before 7:00 AM was that it was already over 60 deg (f)! I took this as a clue that today might be a ÔÇ£warmÔÇØ day. Riding eastward and looking directly into the morning sun is always a challenge but I guess thatÔÇÖs the price to be paid for these early morning departures. Today was, again, all about covering maximum distance so I didnÔÇÖt factor in adequate time to check out many of the ÔÇ£ attractionsÔÇØ to be found in this part of the world. For example I had to pass up the ÔÇ£WorldÔÇÖs Largest Prairie DogÔÇØ in Oakley, Kansas. I also made the mistake of failing to leave time for visits to any of the many ÔÇ£boyhood homes of famous peopleÔÇØ scattered across the Kansas landscape. For example, I drove right past the boyhood home of Walter P. Chrysler in Ellis, KS and completely missed the boyhood homes of both Bob Dole and Senator Arlen Specter in Hays, Kansas. First thing tomorrow morning I will likewise miss, no doubt, the boyhood home of Dwight D. Eisenhower in Abilene, KS. What I did see today were the rich farmlands of Kansas which deliver wheat, corn, and other important crops to all of us. Not the most scenic of views but beautiful in their own way. The heat of today was pretty oppressive. By the end of the day I was looking at 98 degrees on the bike thermometer. Hope fully tomorrow will be a bit cooler as I make my way to St. Louis and hopefully beyond the Mississippi river. Thanks for being along for these last few days of the ride. Jack

Nice to hear you appreciate the beauty and importance of the farmland you're riding through. It is beautiful and even neater when it can be appreciated in each season. Great to hear your trip is going well - don't let down your guard as you get closer to home!

Don't rush it

I know you have "get home itis"; however, sitting here reading your comments, all I can say is "take your time" getting home. No regrets. You have a wonderful adventure in the works and I know the instinct is to push on, get the miles out of the way. Take stock in the fact that there are wonderful things to see along the way from where you are now to Philly.

Enjoy...

Thanks for sharing the ride and the wonderful documentation of it.

Day 42 - Wichita, KS. to Vandalia, IL. Back East of the Mississippi River!

Day 42 – Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Start: Wichita, KS
End: Vandalia, IL
Trip Miles Today: 527
Total Trip Miles: 11214

This was a day for which I had no real expectations, except that it would be a long ride on a hot day. Well, as it turned out, this was a day of a number of fun surprises. My only real goal for the day was to make it across the Mississippi River before calling it a day. To do so, I felt the need to leave depart early, which I did by getting underway just before 6:30AM. It seemed a bit unusual to be packing up the bike in the pre-dawn darkness inasmuch as two weeks ago I was in Alaska where there was virtually no darkness at all. It was 65 degrees when I took to the Kansas byways and I took that as an omen that another sweltering day was in store. Anyway, off I went. The initial part of the trip took me on the Kansas Turnpike toward Kansas City, about 200 miles distant. I relished the lack of traffic at that hour and in the bright morning sunlight one could see lots of deer grazing in the farm fields. Pretty nice! I covered 100 miles before 8:00am and that amount of progress gave me confidence that my Mississippi Crossing goal was in reach as well as reinforcing the notion that I could stop in St. Louis and visit the Headquarters of the BMW Motorcycles Owners of America. So on I pressed. It was shortly after passing Kansas City that I got my first exciting “surprise” sighting of the day. Just barely into Missouri and what should I see but a sign proclaiming that the town I was passing through, Blue Springs, was the home of American Idol 2008 winner David Cook! The “World’s Biggest Prairie Dog “ yesterday and now this! I guess it’s just plain wrong to say there’s nothing to see on the prairie! And on I rode. About 2:30 I arrived in Ellisville, just outside St Louis at the BMW MOA headquarters, an organization to which I have belonged since the early 1990s. They gave me the grand tour and I spent some time speaking with the organization’s magazine editor about doing a piece based on this blog and on my trip. We explored ideas and left open the possibility. Maybe the best part of stopping in at BMW MOA was that it’s just right down the street from the Historic Route 66! I’ve spent days (no weeks!) following all manner of pioneer trails – the Oregon Trail, The California Trail, the Mormon Trail, etc, etc, etc. However, to we geezers from the motorized travel era nothing is bigger that Route 66. The Mother Road! And I got to ride on it (if only briefly) on my bike. How cool is that? Later in the day I had another encounter with Route 66 as I stopped just before crossing the Mississippi at the location of the historic “Chain of Rocks Bridge” that carried Route 66 over the Mississippi “back in the day.” All in all a pretty good day. Oh yes, it never really got hot either. Highest temp I saw all day was about 85 and after crossing the River I rode for another hour in mid 70s temps. Just about perfect I’d say.

The plan for tomorrow is to get another early start and to arrive in the Columbus, Ohio area early enough in the afternoon to go and visit the American Motorcyclist Association Motorcycle Heritage Museum in Pickerington, Ohio. The distance is reasonable (only about 370 miles) but I get hit with another of those pesky time zone changes and lose an hour! Fortunately it’s the last one as, by this time tomorrow, I’ll be back in the Eastern Time Zone where I belong! I'm trying hard to avoid the temptation to make a mad rush to the East Coast and think I have an orderly plan laid out to get home with reasonable mileages, 370 tomorrow and about 450 on Friday. I only have one other thing to tell today but this is really weird. Tonight I’m in a hotel in Vandalia, Il. My room number is 312. In fact my room number has been 312 for 3 of the last 4 nights! Rock Springs, WY – 312. Limon, CO – 312. Now Vandalia, IL – 312. Very creepy! Maybe this means something but I don’t quite know just what yet. Stick around and maybe we’ll see before the trip is over!!


Pretty dark at 5:30 AM!!







More pictures are available to be seen at http://jackb1.smugmug.com

Day 43 - Vandalia, IL. to Pickerington, OH. One more day to go!!

Day 43 – Thursday, July 2, 2009
Start: Vandalia, IL
End: Pickerington, OH
Trip Miles Today: 358
Total Trip Miles: 11572

Today started out a little differently. At departure time it was cloudy, overcast, and it looked as if I might get rained on. The lack of that early morning sun burning my retinas was actually a welcome relief from the past few days. Off we went, first through the southern Illinois farmlands, then into Indiana, and ultimately through the cities of Indianapolis, Dayton and Columbus. These are bigger cities now and they come at me more often as I near the more populous Northeast. There is not much to really say about the ride as it was all Interstate 70, as it has been for days now.

We haven’t really talked much about “road warrior cuisine” but I do want to give a shout out today for one of my favorite road foods – Skyline Chili! Skyline Chili is the prototypical “Cincinnati Style” chili. The company was founded in 1949 by Greek immigrants and has, over the years grown from the original store (within sight of the Cincinnati “skyline”) to outlets through Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and a few others. Mostly it’s a Midwest thing. I believe I previously mentioned that I lived in Michigan for many years and going through the Cincinnati area always required a stop for Skyline Chili. I was fortunate enough to find a restaurant near Dayton today and boy did that make me happy! I heartily recommend the 5-way (Chili, beans, onions, cheese, and spaghetti) if you ever get the chance. Skyline Chili can sometimes be found in food stores in other parts of the country but it’s somehow not the same as having it served to you at one of the restaurants.

For lack of time, I passed up two stops that ought to be on every traveler’s short list. I skipped the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum because it was sort of out of the way and also because the Indianapolis Beltway, I-465, is all torn up with construction and I feared taking a huge amount of time getting to and from the Speedway. I’ve also been there in the past 7-8 years so I just kept on riding. Likewise I drove past the U.S. Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton. As much as I would have like to stop in I just didn’t have the time. Since this is a motorcycle trip, I voted to allocate my time to the American Motorcyclist Association Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum just outside Columbus, OH. I’m glad I did. The museum has two currently active displays. The first is “Moto-Stars” a display dedicated to celebrities and their motorcycles. Among the notables with strong motorcycle connections are Steve McQueen, Tom Cruise, and Keith Urban and there are both bikes and cycling memorabilia from these and others on display. Also featured, in a different gallery is a collection of the customs from noted builder Arlen Ness. Not exactly my cup of tea stylistically but nonetheless incredible craftsmanship that anyone can surely appreciate. In addition to these special displays there is the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Gallery and much more. If you ever travel this direction the Museum is just moments off I-70 a few miles East of Columbus in Pickerington, Ohio.

Well, tonight is my last evening in a hotel and for that I am grateful. Another 450 miles or so tomorrow and I’m back home after 6 ?¢ weeks on the road. I have no particular stops in mind for the final day. Just whatever coffee and “stretch your legs” breaks are required to get me through. It’s been fun but I’m not quite through yet. Maybe something surprising or interesting could yet happen. If so I’ll let you know. I really enjoy having others travel along with me.
Jack


Welcome to Ohio. Only one more state to go!


AMA's Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Pickerington, Ohio


One of the galleries at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum


People go to museums to learn. Here's something useful that I learned at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. You gotta love John Wayne!

More pics to see at http://jackb1.smugmug.com

Been following your trip the whole way through and it turned out great for all of us! Ride safe to home tomorrow and you'll get to sleep in your own bed for the first time in a while! Thanks so much for sharing your trip with all of us.

Yes, ride safe tomorrow and thanks for taking us along. Really enjoyed the journey. Glad it didn't end for you and for us when you left Alaska. There's a lot to see wherever you go!

Day 44 - Pickerington, OH to Malvern, PA. 12,000 Miles Later - HOME!!!

Day 44 – Friday, July 3, 2009
Start: Pickerington, OH
End: Malvern, PA
Trip Miles Today: 447
Total Trip Miles: 12019

I can only say WOW! After 44 days, 20 states, 2 Canadian Provinces and a Territory, 4 time zones and 12,019 Miles I am, at last, back home. No crashes, no tickets, no bike drops. Just home. Safe and sound.

There isn’t a great deal to say about today’s ride. I slept in just a bit and didn’t get on the road until about 8 AM. I ground out 100 miles in the first 90 minutes across Eastern Ohio via I-70. Inasmuch as I skipped all those “Boyhood home(s) of ……” in Kansas the other day I decided to catch at least one in Ohio. In New Concord, OH. I stopped by the boyhood home of astronaut John Glenn – now set up as the John and Annie Glenn Historic site, right there on the main street in New Concord. As a kid I was enthralled by the space program so John Glenn was a boyhood hero of mine, as he was for many of my generation. Alas, the house was not open for visitors so I kept on rolling. Sometime later, when I was about 200 miles out, and just beyond the Pennsylvania State Line it began to rain. A fine welcome back! I rode on the Pennsylvania Turnpike for about an hour in and out of showers. Nothing drenching, just enough to require full rain gear and the increased attention rain riding requires. Later the rain abated and I took the opportunity to leave the PA Turnpike to follow US-30 (The Lincoln Highway) through the western part of the state. Route 30 is a marvelous ride from Breezewood, PA headed East for about the next 30-40 miles. It’s mostly mountain views and twisties up and downhill. Any road posted “Dangerous Curves Ahead – Truck runaway Ramp 1 Mile!” has to be prime motorcycling territory. The number of other bikes out confirmed my assessment. A great ride. Further on I stopped briefly in Gettysburg, PA sight of the famous Civil War Battle (fought July 3-4, 1863…146 years ago to the day.) Pretty facsinating stuff for the Fourth of July weekend. After that it was just grinding out those last hundred miles. I was met just as I exited the PA Turnpike for the final time by my wife Lisa, and friend Don Verdiani who had ridden out to the same place they left me on that Thursday Morning 6+ weeks ago as I departed. Then my “posse” escorted me the last few miles home. That’s it. I’m home now. Of course, with ideas for other adventures after a suitable rest period!


As you know, an important part of this entire enterprise was to raise awareness for and generate donations to the Austin Hatcher Foundation (www.hatcherfoundation.org). If you have enjoyed this story and have, at any point felt compelled to join me in doing something good for those who are in need then I’d ask you now to make a donation to the Austin Hatcher Foundation. Just go to their website and click on the “Donations” tab. If you do so please make a note in the comments field that you are supporting the “Ride to Alaska” or similar. If you don’t wish to donate online but would feel better writing a check simply send a check along to The Austin Hatcher Foundation, 7421 Savannah Drive, Ooltewah, TN. 37363. Again, please enclose a note that says you are supporting the 2009 Ride to Alaska. The Austin Hatcher Foundation is a 501c3 charity.

A big part of the fun of this adventure was meeting new friends, both on the road and online. I consider all of you who are reading this to be my friends and it’s been great to have you along for the ride.

Over the next few days I’ll be posting some “epilogue” and summary stuff so don’t stop visiting just yet!!


Astronaut John Glenn boyhood home


Back in the state of Pennsylvania!


Back home!!

more pics always available at http://jackb1.smugmug.com