The Banquet

Tank Museum

Saturday - the rally ends

We saddled up and followed Mike Brittingham to Danville to tour the Tank Museum. Heading east brought us over the gentle rolling hills of Virginia and easy curves in the road. I have never seen so many tanks, uniforms, trucks and weapons in one place. I find it very interesting how the whole group enjoys such a wide range of interests. Returning to the hotel by 3 gave us time to pack and to prepare for the banquet. The banquet is always so much fun and this year was no exception. The committee had scouted out a wonderful restaurant right across the parking lot and the two little waiteresses were great. Of course, for every joke they dished out this group of UTR members tossed back two. The situation of Andy always being served first was shared with them and they were so careful to make sure he was served last this time. I'm not sure Andy ever did figure out who made that request. Bernadette had a great UTR bingo game where she had a little known fact about each person written in a square and we had to get that person to sign the square. It sounded like an auction as people called out "blue eyes, who has blue eyes" or "March birthday who has a March birthday". But now it is all past for another year and some have gone to their rooms to finish packing. Small groups are discussing what time to leave and head for home. A few have said they are going to gather for one more game of cards, not willing to let this rally end.

Out for a ride

Paint Bank, VA

Glenn and Kathy led the ride Friday to Paint Bank. The road over the mountain and into the valley to reach Paint Bank is 311 and what a road! The curves vary from smooth and easy to hairpin. All at a very steep down hill grade. They are having a contest to name the road much as the Dragon's Tail in West Virginia. Paint Bank is a wonderful little town with less than 25 people now but at one time it was over 2000. They have restored the train depot, a cabin, a house and a train caboose all of which are rented out for visitors. We were given a tour of the town, the buildings, and the mill. The depot is surrounded by a wrap-around porch with plenty of rocking chairs and a stream running all around the property. The mountains circle the whole town so no matter where you turn the view is beyond words. We all agreed this would be a wonderful place for a rally. The general store and restaurant are so well know that people actually fly in by helicopter to get their famous sandwiches. Needless to say several in the group gathered information. After lunch and some shopping in the Swinging Bridge store above the restaurant, we headed out to Floyd for the evening of Bluegrass Music and some ice cream.

Thursday

Bill and Sandra had a full day planned for us. It rained buckets last night and it was threatening this morning, so we pulled out the rain suits and headed for the Blue Ridge Parkway around 9:30. About 20 miles and we entered the parkway at Roanoke and traveled the 35 miles north to Peaks of Otter. The fog hung low and covered the mountain top. The bus to the top would not run until the fog lifted so we waited. Maybe half of the group decided to ride the bus to the top and then climb the 1500 feet to the summit. If you have never ridden this bus, be prepared for a small road barely wide enough for the bus tires and hairpin curves. It was impressive how the driver could handle the bus. The climb to the summit was rugged but well worth the effort! Even with the clouds the view was specatular. Glenn decided to walk the 1.5 miles down the mountain while the rest of us took the bus. He reached the bottom just minutes after we did, face red but all smiles. I give him credit - there is no way I would even think about making that walk. Leaving Peaks of Otter we headed back south on the parkway and then off towards Catawba to the Homeplace. This was the most wonderful restaurant. The setting was a large, old house on 64 acres of rolling hills with cattle grazing in the back field that had been restored. The meal was served home style and the food was excellent and the staff friendly. Bill and Sandra had eaten here last year and their raving comments were right on target. We all left full from the good food, tired from the day climbing mountains and ready to sit around the hotel and play games and socialize.

What a wonderful day!

George and Bernadette led us on a great ride today which was also very educational. We visited the Booker T Washington birthplace and watched a short documentary about his life and accomplishments. Our second stop was the Smith Mountain Lake Dam which was not easy to find but after riding miles over some great motorcycle roads we entered the visitor center and wonder around reading history and then walked the short distance to the overlook area. Getting back on the bikes and retracing our route we stopped at the Mayberry Diner. It was obvious they don't normally have a crowd of 22 people at one time because they didn't have enough menu but the food was good old American bergers or hot dogs. And again Andy Hale was served first. All UTR members will understand - no matter where we go Andy and the people at his table manage to be served first. After lunch we headed to Bedford to visit the National D Day Memorial. This was a very interesting and educational tour. The whole day was spent visiting places close to the hotel but we still managed to log over 100 miles. Chrissy and George arrived today while we were out and joined us for the after hours gab session as we shared stories of rallies past. We now have 24 UTR members present for the 2009 rally.

Booker T Washington Monument

Smith Mountain Lake Dam and Lunch at Mayberry

Our second stop for the day was a trip to the Smith Mountain Lake Dam and then lunch at the Mayberry Diner. Reaching the dam was a great ride over more back mountain roads; roads with no center or edge lines; no shoulders and lots of turns. I know I keep saying this but every night we all think we have spent the day riding the best roads only to find more the next day. The dam was impressive and the Mayberry Diner was a step back in time. They also have a drive-in theater. There doesn't seem to be much for people to do in this area other than travel for 50 miles or more to the larger cities so I'll bet the drive-in is pretty popular on the weekends.

National D Day Monument

Our last stop for the day other than dinner was the National D Day Memorial. As we drove up the long driveway I wasn't sure what to expect but as we rounded the curve we could see the huge monuments in honor of the men who gave their lives for freedom. This park is located in Bedford VA because Bedford lost the highest number of citizens based on their population at the time. A small town of 3000 where everyone knew everyone and most were related, it was devastating to receive one telegram after another telling them of the deaths on the beached. The park manager gave us a very informative tour for about 2 hours. After this we were ready for dinner and stopped at Joe's Pizza and Restaurant for a great buffet and then raced back to the hotel just in time to miss the rain.

National D Day Monument

A day at the Indian Village

Don and I were joined by 13 others for our trip to the Wolf Creek Indian Village this morning. The day started damp and overcast and remained slightly chilly all day but no rain. The GPS was set for back roads and we traveled 226 miles total. The Indian Village was a hands on exhibit and very interesting. No one knows which tribe this small band belonged to or where they went when they left this area. They are still learning from the digs and hope to some day be able to identify them. We learned how they lived and shared the work of their small village. Since today was a pretty full day we stayed close to the hotel for dinner. Mike Brittingham arrived just before dark. The guys are all gathered in the conference room to play cards. My laptop has finally given up the ghost and died. I've contacted our tech person back at work and he has confirmed we are not going to be able to retreive any of my email (and I had years' saved). Thank goodness I backed up all my files the day before leaving.

Monday Early Arrivers

The tops of the Blue Ridge Mountains were concealed with a blanket of fog as we left the hotel this morning. The sun and the clouds seemed to be having a war in the sky above us; the sun would seem to be winning and then the clouds would take over again. The elements apparently came to a compromise because we had a sunny, dry but cool day. Perfect for riding. We set the GPS for shortest distance and headed out for back roads to find a couple of covered bridges which you see pictured below. Then we pointed the bikes to the west and climbed up and over the Blue Ridge Mountain range traveling through one small town after another. Each had a fire and rescue building, a couple of churches and a mini market, however, our destination was Floyd which is some what larger. Bernadette had heard of some 'goings on' in Floyd which we wanted to check out. It seems Floyd is on a Bluegrass tour route and local bands perform every Friday evening in the General Store as well as on the street. It is reported that hundreds of people show up for the event. The hardware store and the general store were both a step back in time (see the pictures below) and we could hear Bluegrass music being played over speakers outside while Bernie and George showed off their clogging talents. The plan is to take the group to Floyd this coming Friday. Finding our way back to the hotel took us over some great twisty back roads one being Shooting Creek Road; no shoulders, no lines; trees right to the edge and hairpin turns. It was obvious this had probably been a cow path at one time and someone decided to blacktop it. Upon arriving at the hotel we were told the road had been the location of many moonshine stills and no one traveled there back in the day for fear of being shot - hence the name. We have a couple of hours before dinner and we are waiting for more to arrive. We just got word that Minos is in the hospital and will not be joining us as planned. We will miss he and Lucy.

George found some great back roads

Covered Bridges

Look at all this stuff! Don said it pulled pretty good over the mountain roads today. Don and I have toured several Civil War Battlefields and watched numerious films on the subject so touring Appomattox Court House where the end of the war took place was very interesting. The court house as well as several other buildings have been restored. We were on the road by noon heading for Rocky Mount just 85 miles away. Gabby, the GPS, took us over some great back roads across Virginia, climbing and twisting our way through some beautiful country. We arrived at the hotel around 2:30 but we had to wait for the rooms to be prepared. George and Bernadette arrived around 4:30 and we all headed out for dinner around 6PM. Great Italian Restaurant about 15 miles away.

Appomattox Virginia

We pulled out as the sun was slicing through the dawn and leaving part of the night to hang over the fields like a blanket draped over a sleeping child. The air was crisp and we needed jackets for the first couple of hours. Fall is approaching evidenced by the scattered gold and red spots in the trees much like spotty blush or lipstick on a young girl just learning to blend her make-up. We traveled 301 to Fredericksburg and I thought finally we were going to find more motorcycle friendly roads. It is such a shame that we have to travel almost 150 miles south before we get into the foothills of Virginia but at last we began to see the wineries and the horse farms on the rolling hills. By late afternoon the temps had climbed to 90 degrees as we pulled into Appomattox, Virginia. Total miles that first day 280. Bernie and Shirley have gone to church right now while I did some INI work and when they return we will head for the Appomattox Court House NP and then on to Rocky Mount where we will settle into our "home away from home" for the next week. Then I'll be able to find the cord to the camera so I can post a picture or two. You have got to see the trailer and how full it is. Bernie said there is just no hope for us - the more space we have the more we pack.

On the road again

Well I originally planned to only post about 'bucket list' items as I completed them but several people asked me to post about our upcoming trip to Rocky Mount, Virginia. We are all packed (have been since last Saturday) and ready to pull out at 7 AM tomorrow. This time we have a trailer. When we purchased the trailer two days after the cross country trip, we were sure it was too large but the price was right. Well, we have not packed anything more than we did in June and the trailer is full. So we must have carried a LOT of stuff. This is the UTR rally so we will be joined by about 30 club members. We have one hotel for a home base and will be making day trips. Bernie, Shirley, Don and I are leaving a few days early so we can make a few side trips - I mean why waste any days in a week working when you can be riding with the wind in your face? So join us as we visit museums, ride mountain roads, play games and have a great time at the 2009 UTR Motorcycle Club Rally.

Pictures of our trip

The photo album below is not in traveling order since I had 815 pictures to sort through. Don't worry I didn't post all of them but there is a lot if you are interested.

Miles Traveled

Back to work, sharing photos and already talking about the next big trip in a few years. I like spreadsheets and tracking my miles traveled. Below is the list I kept each night when we stopped.

10-Jun - 397 miles - Parkersburg, WV
11-Jun - 322 miles - Bedford, IN
12-Jun - 385 miles - Tipton, MO
13-Jun - 500 miles - Garden City, KS
14-Jun - 222 miles - Pueblo, CO
15-Jun - 109 miles - Canon City, CO
16-Jun - 358 miles - Moab, UT
17-Jun - 251 miles - Green River, UT
18-Jun - 335 miles - Ely, NV
19-Jun - 335 miles - Carson City, NV
20-Jun - 347 miles - Garberville, CA
21-Jun - 319 miles - riding in the Redwoods
22-Jun - 301 miles - Placerville, CA
23-Jun - 288 miles - Bishop, CA
24-Jun - 284 miles - Las Vegas, NV
25-Jun - 114 miles - Kingman, AZ
26-Jun - 220 miles - Winslow, AZ
27-Jun - 321 miles - Albuquerque, NM
28-Jun - 279 miles - Amarillo, TX
29-Jun - 266 miles - Oklahoma City, OK
30-Jun - 336 miles - Little Rock, AR
1-Jul - 371 miles - Lebanon, TN
2-Jul - 337 miles - Wytheville, VA
3-Jul - 247 miles - Fredericksburg, VA
4-Jul - 153 miles - home

A Wrap Up

Well the trip of a life time has ended after more than 10 years of dreaming and 2 years of planning. We covered 7397 miles in all. I had no idea the major part of our country across the middle and the south is desert or semi-desert and empty. I’m sure I studied this in school (many many years ago) but to actually be a part of it is amazing. You ride for over 100 miles without putting your feet down unless you just stop in the road for a butt break. Watch the gas in the Midwest. The regular is 85 octane and the mid grade is 88. They also have some gas with more than 10% ethanol. Make sure you get the right fuel for your vehicle.

There are large cities and this trip reinforced the fact that I don’t really like large cities. But there are many more small towns or cross roads and while the location is different, the accent or language is different the people are the same.

The highest price we paid for gas was in Death Valley at $4.14 a gal. There is only one gas station in the center of Death Valley so you pay the asking price if you want to get out of that burning inferno. Would I ever do Death Valley again? Probably not unless it was in the winter but I am so glad I did it once and I recommend anyone interested go for it. I’ll never forget the experience.

Route 50 is well marked and you really don’t even need maps (except in Winchester VA). The loneliest road is not lonely because of no traffic - you do see a car every 10 or 15 minutes but it is lonely because there is nothing but sand and tumbleweeds. I could feel the emptiness or lack of life around me. I am so glad I had this opportunity and I would recommend this trip to anyone.

Do I have any regrets? Yes – that I didn’t have time to stop at all the small towns along route 66 and visit the various historical places and museums. I could have added another 3 weeks by staying off the Interstate highway and meandering along but that can be another trip because this is not over. And I still have all the northern states to cover yet in my second cross country trip in a few years.

Did we have problems?
Don lost his jacket liner going around the Washington beltway; Ginny dropped her video camera out of her jacket pocket while riding the bike but Bernie picked it up and it was still working; I lost my cell phone (was this a problem?); my bike had problems starting one day. I think this was because I had put 85 octane gas in it instead of the 87 but it also might have been because of the high altitude but I think it was the gas thing. Roger’s bike refused to start and he had to replace the battery but we were at a service station between two auto parts stores. How many auto part stores carry batteries for motorcycles and the exact one he needed?

Would I make changes if I knew then what I know now?
I would not have packed as much; we had one bag we didn’t even open. I would not take the bike covers we used them the first and second day and then stopped. I would allow more time if possible – but doing this trip while working made that impossible.

We Are Home!

Day 25 – July 4, 2009
We are home! Leaving Fredericksburg VA around 6:30 AM we traveled the 158 miles over very familiar roads heading home. I had always thought Delaware was flat land but today I see it through different eyes. The fields actually have slight rises and the abundance of trees shortens the horizon. The corn is now beginning to tassel and the oats, barley and wheat has been harvested and the late season crop of corn or soybeans has been planted. We pulled in the yard around 1PM and began unloading the assortment of luggage as you can see in this picture. If anyone told me this all came off our bikes (except for the kid in the middle) I wouldn’t believe it if I had not been the one pulling it all off. We will spend the next couple of days printing pictures, writing a wrap up for this blog and weeding through almost 2000 business emails. I will need to run to the AT&T store and get a new cell phone and the Honda store for a new CB cord for Don. But for now – at 8PM I’m heading for my own bed for a good night’s sleep and to dream of the next trip because the journey never ends for me.

The Beautiful Blue Ridge

Day 24 – July 3, 2009
Tonight will be our last night on the road – last time to unpack and repack all this stuff. We have got it down to about 20 minutes in the morning to load the bikes. But I’m thinking it might be a good idea to shop for a small trailer. The plan was to leave the Interstate and head for Charlottesville then Fredericksburg, VA for the night and then tomorrow morning we will head north on 301; only 150 miles from Fredericksburg to home. The traffic on the bridge should not be bad on the 4th of July. All day we were traveling in the Blue Ridge Mountain range with the gentle foothills and mountain stacked on mountain all covered with fertile soil. The Rocky Mountains are majestic with their high, sheer rock spikes towering above everything in sight but the Blue Ridge appears soft, relaxing and inviting dressed in deep green. Homes or farms are scattered about and the slopes are strip farmed; a strip of corn, a strip of wheat, and another strip of corn or tobacco so everything is not harvested at the same time to avoid erosion of the soil. We stopped for lunch in Gordonsville and decided to purchase a large hanging basket of flowers from the shop across the street and place them on Don’s grandmother’s grave. The graveyard is only about 4 miles down the road so he unloaded the ice chest from the back seat of the trike and I climbed on holding this huge basket of flowers off to the right in the palm of my hand like a pie (it was too large to fit between us) and supporting it with the other hand. One lady and man in the parking lot were laughing and said they wished they had a camera because we certainly made quite a sight. They even offered to take the flowers to the grave for us but it just doesn’t mean as much unless you place them yourself. Traffic around Fredericksburg is awful! I have been coming to this area for over 40 years and remember when it was a small town and didn’t even have a shopping center; now there are several malls and multi-lane roads leading people where they want to go.

Never a dull moment!

Seems like all the streets in this town (Wytheville) meet at one point or at least 10 roads in the vicinity of our hotel. Everything started when we tried to find the Super 8 or Sleep Inn; we took the exit indicated by the GPS but didn’t see any signs for either. I did see a Motel 6 but getting to it was a real trick with turn on this road, climb this hill and then turn on a second street. Only to find they didn’t have any refrigerators. We decided to try for the Super 8 but after turning on two or three roads, making a U turn in the middle of the road twice and the GPS saying you have arrived and still not seeing any hotel we headed for the Red Carpet Inn which was within eyesight. Then dinner was to Shoney’s right across the street. Well that was a real trick! Don started leading but ended up going way down the street and by the time we had turned around Bernie was leading. After crossing one street we were at the bottom of the hill and lost sight of the restaurant. Bernie turned left on what we all thought was the right road when suddenly both hands flew up in the air and we realized he was heading down the ramp for the Interstate! No turning back now so we all rode about 10 miles or more to the next exit; made a right and another right onto the service road (where we wanted to be in the first place) and back another 10 miles to Shoney’s. Now we could see our hotel but the big question was – could we get to it?

Back in Virginia

Day 23 – July 2, 2009
We have stayed at several America’s Best Value motels on this trip but the one we were at last night was the best so far. They had a great hot breakfast and an indoor pool and the rate was less than $50 including tax. Needed our jackets this morning and it remained cool most of the day – another great riding day. Riding through eastern Tennessee brings us into the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and then into the rolling hills of western Virginia. Cattle grazing on the slopes, corn and tobacco fields growing and the constant rocking and rolling remind me why I love Virginia. We pulled off at Wytheville for the night after 337 miles of great riding. A few more hours tomorrow on the Interstate and then we will head cross country on some sweet country roads in Virginia. I will be so glad to get away from the ever present tractor-trailers. I’m certainly glad for the truckers and the job they do but I really do get tired of riding with them day after day on the highway. We have gone through all the time zones going west and today we entered the last of the time zones on our way home; a real sign this trip is coming to an end.

Tennessee is close to home

Day 22 – July 1, 2009
Around 4 AM this morning I heard someone knocking on our hotel door. I thought it was Bernie but couldn’t figure why that early. Don opened the door to find a young black boy standing there asking for money. He said his wife and 5-day-old baby were in the car and they were heading home to Conway AR about 20 miles west of Little Rock and they were out of gas and out of money. I had noticed when we went to dinner earlier in the evening the area seemed very poor and the young man in the KFC seemed almost afraid to talk to us. We covered 371 miles today and have stopped in Lebanon, TN just east of Nashville. The weather was really nice today – temps in the low 90’s and low humidity; perfect for riding. We passed corn fields in various stages of maturity from full tassel to only 3 or 4 inches tall; soy bean fields and rice fields. As we approached Nashville we began to climb mountains again. Bernie said who would have thought we would say Tennessee is close to home? I think he is ready to get home too. Just had a great meal; did some laundry and ready to settle down for the night so we can get an early start in the morning. We have had so many people come up to us and ask if we are really from Delaware after they check the tags on the bikes. Then they want to know where we are headed and what it is like to travel on a motorcycle.

Wonderful Thunder storm and first rain in 18 days

Day 21 – June 30, 2009
This morning was the first time we had dew on the bike seats since leaving the east 21 days ago. Today was the first time we saw a lake since leaving California; I was surprised to see so much water in one place when we came upon it and the creeks actually have water in them. In most of the western states I would see a ‘creek’ and it was a dry river bed waiting for the infrequent flash flood. As we move east closer to Arkansas I begin to see mountains in the distance and the forest is dense with tall trees and underbrush; something apparently only found in the east. I really don’t like traveling an Interstate HWY but it does serve the purpose of getting you where you want to be quickly and we are getting close to the ‘return to work day’. I don’t mind riding around big cities but I’m really a small town America type person and much prefer the path less traveled. I see signs for museums or historical markers in almost every little town along the way and wish I had time to stop but the plan for this trip was stop on the way out at several places and then boggy back on 40. I did notice we traveled through Cherokee Territory where the tribe ended their Trail of Tears walk years ago when driven from their homeland in North Carolina. One ‘small town’ we found was Mulberry, Arkansas. We needed gas and the exit sign said gas so I pulled off even though I didn’t see a gas station – first mistake. After riding 2 miles on a country road we came to a cross roads with a gas station on two corners but when we pulled into the first one the pumps had bags over the hoses. Pulled to the second station – same situation. Don went into the store and they told him a station was about a half mile further and when we got there it was straight out of history! The pumps stated the price of 695 and I stopped dead in my tracks but the owner said he didn’t have a place to put the $2 because they were old pumps. They had a little building about 25 X 40 across the street with a sign stating it was the “Mulberry Mall”. We have met some very nice people also traveling by motorcycle and today we met a couple ‘newlyweds’ traveling to Wing Ding on a nice Gold Wing trike; he is 78 and she is probably close to that age. There are lots of bikes on the highway; some traveling alone and others in small groups. We have traveled 335 miles today and landed in Little Rock Arkansas. Just in time too because the sky has opened and we are having a wonderful thunder storm; first real rain we have seen since our second day on the road.

Oklahoma What a great state

Day 20 – June 29, 2009
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Dinner last night was very good at Calico County on Paramount Ave., Amarillo Texas. Service was great and the atmosphere is western as you would expect in Texas, but I was impressed to see signed pictures of George Strait and other country singers as well as President George Bush all making comments about the great food and service.

Again the sky was overcast when we left at 6:30 AM and we had a few sprinkles until about 8 when the sun appeared. Riding through the panhandle of Texas was pretty much more of the same – a few oil rigs and herds of cattle on green pastures. But Oklahoma took my heart when we crossed the state line even though there are no mountains, not even in the distance. Everything is green grass, DOT workers were actually mowing grass along the highway and the smell of fresh cut grass was so sweet. Large herds of cattle grazing in the fields, corn growing and hay being mowed and there are lots of trees. However, all the trees bend toward the north like huge fingers pointing or servants bowing to a king because of the constant southerly winds that blow. And there are lots of birds; we have not seen birds since we arrived in the Midwest way back on route 50 other than the occasional very large black crow. But now there are birds flying everywhere and the sweet smell of flowers mixed with the farm smells of the cattle. We stopped at a Cherokee Trading Post for lunch and I had a buffalo burger; tastes like beef but a little drier and less fat. We have stopped around 3 PM in Midwest – Oklahoma City for the night. With the heat in this part of the country we have found it best to ride early and stop early when possible. Getting around Oklahoma City is about like getting around Washington DC on the beltway or any other large city; move left then move right then left again. Having a GPS is really handy in situations like this. Don’s CB cord broke a few days ago and he can hear through the external speakers but he cannot communicate with us so we have a system where he keys the mic 3 times for yes and 1 for no to my questions.

Seeing Green Again

Day 19 – June 28, 2009
We left Albuquerque under cloudy skies and the ever present wind. Within 30 minutes we pulled off to put on jackets and 30 more minutes we stopped to put on the rain suits. The ground and the mountains in New Mexico are all a deep red. Quickly the mountains slip into the far distance and the wide open range is covered with brown grass and cactus. In this semi-desert environment there are no trees and one of the locals at a rest stop said ‘it never rains here’ well I guess we brought it because it was raining; not hard and not for long but enough to make it cold. By 1 PM the sun was out and the temp was climbing fast so another stop to remove the rain suits and jackets. As we crossed into Texas the range changed from red to white sand with more cactus and small trees; some dead and some trying to survive then suddenly the range was green around Vega Texas. There were cattle in the fields and corn growing. We passed the first feed lot since the ones we saw in Kansas. It was as if a line had been drawn in the sand – west dry, desert – east green, growing. My brother-in-law moved to Texas over 15 years ago and sold his motorcycle because the wind was such a problem. He just purchased another one this past year. Had the wind stopped or had he gotten use to it? I can tell you the wind has not stopped. It is always blowing but usually it picks up strength around 2 in the afternoon. The sun is hot and you can get a real nice tan in about an hour out here in the wide open spaces. We have arrived in Amarillo for the night.

Hello from New Mexico

Day 18 – June 27, 2009
It was already warm when we left Winslow around 7:30 AM heading for Albuquerque, New Mexico. A few miles down the road we pulled off route 66 at Holbrook, AZ to find the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest NP. Downtown Holbrook is a typical example of the old route 66 era where you find the Wigwam Motel with several cars from the 1950’s parked in front. Just as we entered the road to the Petrified Forest there were two information/souvenir businesses with several cars parked outside. I pulled into one and when we parked the bikes we noticed the tires were flat on one of the cars; then we noticed the second car didn’t have a tag and the tires on the third car were flat. Wouldn’t you guess – all the cars were ‘junks’ parked there to make it appear as if they were busy when in reality they weren’t even opened yet! We went across the street to the second business and while they were open and did have two or three real customers they too had 2 ro 3 cars setup for show. We proceeded to the park and got a few pictures, walked the trail around the forest and in an hour headed back for route 40 and eastward bound. It is hard to imagine that millions of years ago this dry, desert was lush with vegetation and inhabited by dinosaurs. All along the way were signs for Navajo Indian Trading Posts offering jewelry, food, gas, blankets, you name it. As we entered New Mexico we were greeted by magnificent red and yellow cliffs with Navajo homes built in their native adobe style sheltered at the base of the cliffs just as their ancestors had built their homes years ago. Small homes dot the reservation with broken down cars or trucks in the yards and horses grazing on what they can find green to eat. The red cliffs are always to our left towering high and stately. Suddenly just past the Continental Divide the earth looked as if it had erupted as blacktop does during an intense heat wave. The rocks were black as pitch and appeared as if the earth had been pushed up from underneath by massive pressure trying to escape from deep within the earth’s crust. Bernie told me later that years ago when he traveled this way he was told it was from volcanic activity thousands of years ago. We have settled at the Quality Inn in Albuquerque NM. I picked up one of those advertising magazines at some McDonalds on the way and found a coupon for a very good rate and they have a full hot breakfast buffet with your room rate. I never paid much attention to these little advertisement booklets until Kathy showed me the wisdom in checking them out.

Traveling Route 66

Day 17 – June 26, 2009
Breakfast at the Silver Spoon Diner on route 66 in Kingman and then off we went heading east on The Mother Road. We begin to see more green in the fields to the left and right. Small trees and shrubs and the tumbleweed is green but still no grass. There are a few small herds of longhorn cattle or other beef breeds. In one of the open semi-desert fields I noticed hundreds of prairie dog holes and little prairie dogs sitting up watching us pass; some were scurrying across the road while others were just resting and sunning themselves on the road. Not real smart animals! We stopped for a rest break and some route 66 souvenir shopping in Seligman, AZ. In Williams AZ we stop for some pictures and Glenn, Kathy, Roger and Ginny decide to stay for the night and then visit the Grand Canyon tomorrow. We will meet them back in Delaware. Bernie, Shirley, Don and I head for Winslow, AZ for the night.

Beginning the Mother Road

Day 16 – June 25, 2009
Planned to meet at 9:30 AM to leave Vegas; Bernie checked his oil and found the shop had not filled the bike so he called Glenn to stop and get a quart since the shop was close to their hotel. We waited and waited and Glenn, Kathy, Roger and Ginny finally showed up about an hour or so later – they had gotten lost in the vast, fast moving city. It was hot – about 90 degrees already as we headed south for Hoover Dam. The traffic was pretty heavy and there is now a security check point before you cross the dam. Traffic was moving at 5 mph; bumper to bumper for about 15 miles. The new bypass to route 93 is almost complete and then you will not be able to travel across the dam. The next 70 miles were hot with more deserts. Honestly I’m getting pretty tired of the desert, the heat and the wind. I cannot imagine how the settlers must have felt crossing this waste land in covered wagons. I’m certainly ready for the green fields of Kentucky and Tennessee. We have arrived in Kingman and will begin traveling the Mother Road – Route 66 tomorrow as much as possible. We had lunch at Mr. D’Z on route 66 and it was a step back in time. We only traveled 114 miles today but everyone felt beat-up I think because of the heat and the very slow, tense pace at the Hoover Dam.

Las Vegas

Day 15 – June 24, 2009
We rode through Death Valley today. As soon as we entered the region we began to descend like a roller coaster into a furnace. As we went deeper into the belly of the earth the heat climbed and was registering 125 degrees on the bike thermometer. The whole area was one pile or mountain of ash, desert, rock and dead tumbleweed. About the time I decided nothing was living in this God forsaken place a small critter ran across the road. I felt as if I was riding through the bottom of a huge furnace twisting and turning climbing and descending among the burning cinders. But we were still at 2000 feet elevation and then the roller coaster dropped to sea level and to our right and left were sand dunes just as you find at the beach back home in Delaware. For the first time on this trip I was wondering what I had gotten into. Leaving Death Valley was not much better – more desert, heat, blowing sand and dead tumbleweed but with one added feature – the wind was back. It was as if the ‘wind switch’ was turned on the minute we crossed the Nevada state line. We planned to spend the night in Las Vegas giving Shirley time to visit her sister and the guys wanted to get the oil changed in their bikes. Glenn, Kathy, Roger and Ginny wanted to get a hotel in the old downtown Vegas and I had no desire to wonder around downtown or the strip so Bernie, Shirley, Don and I stayed at Patsy’s house (Shirley’s sister). Immediately Don and I headed for the closest Honda shop and Glenn and Bernie headed for a Harley shop 10 miles away in the downtown area. The Honda shop was very busy but worked us in with a 3 hour wait and then when they finished we noticed oil leaking and they had to do a little more work to get it right. After getting the Harleys serviced Bernie headed back to Patsy’s while Glenn headed for their hotel. Bernie became so turned around in the busy streets and he said he saw several skeletons of people who got on the freeway and just never found their way off! He tried to call Patsy’s cell phone – no answer – he tried to call Don’s cell phone – no answer because he had the number wrong. He stopped and asked someone on the street but they had no idea. He continued to ride round and round hoping something would look familiar. Finally after about an hour or two he was off the bike and Shirley called his cell and asked where he was and Patsy’s daughter gave him directions to get back to the house. Poor Bernie – he was within a block or two of the house all the time. Patsy was laughing her head off. In Bernie’s defense I must say the traffic is crazy in Las Vegas.

Last night in California

Day 14 – June 23, 2009
Leaving Placerville this morning we took 49 South heading for Yosemite NP. HWY 49 North was a real treat with all its twists and turns and 49 South proved to be just as much fun to ride. But nothing compares with route 120 approaching Yosemite! We climbed thousands of feet with 5 or 6 switchbacks because the climb was so steep. This road is not just the park entrance – it is traveled by trucks as well as buses and small towns (or what were towns in the past) can be found along the road. We were behind a truck and a bus trying to inch their way up this mountain and maneuver the switchbacks so this dropped our speed to about 10 mph so I was playing with the clutch and the brake to keep Abigail pulling. In Yosemite the stone walls reach high into the sky and the waterfalls seem to be falling in slow motion. You stand with your head tipped back as far as possible to see the tops. We saw a brown bear resting in a meadow and some dear. Heading out of the park we continued on route 120 which is Tioga Pass and climbs to over 9000 feet in elevation. The ride is amazing as you pass through meadows and forest then suddenly the forest slips away and the earth has suddenly opened up and you are riding beside a bottomless pit with no guard rails or shoulders on the road. I glance at the view but dare not linger lest I begin to pull the bike in the direction of my sight. Then as suddenly as the gapping hole appeared it is gone and the space is filled with the forest again and all the time we are climbing and coasting down the other side. About 9000 feet up I was getting cold so we stopped to put on our jackets. When we reached route 395 the speed picked up and we could move along at 70 mph then suddenly around Bishop CA we were in the desert again with no warning and the heat index jumped to a very uncomfortable degree. We have settled for the night at Motel 6 in Bishop, CA.

The Pacific Ocean At Last

Day 13 – June 22, 2009
Up early and heading back to Leggett to take California HWY 1 to Fort Bragg in hopes of seeing the Pacific Ocean. This part of HWY 1 is up and over some mountains with more twists and turns; for over 30 miles it was one curve after another with very few straight sections. We could smell the ocean before we could see it but the anticipation mounted. Finally we topped a mountain and cleared the forest and there it was in all its beauty. We rode HWY 1 for about 80 miles and stopped for breakfast at Fort Bragg. Glenn, Kathy, Roger and Ginny decided to ride on to San Francisco and will join up with us later tonight while Bernie, Shirley, Don and I headed cross country to Placerville for the night. We picked up the last part of route 50 at West Sacramento since we had departed the route at Placerville two days earlier. Route 50 begins and ends the same way – a 4 and 6 lane divided super highway with fast moving traffic. We have settled for the night at National 9 Inn in Placerville and I can highly recommend this establishment. The price is right at $48 a night and the room is very clean and well maintained.

The Giant Redwoods are Amazing!!!!

Day 12 – June 21, 2009
What a wonderful day! Garberville is a sleepy little town and the last town before the Avenue of the Giants so you pay the going price for food in the one diner in town. We headed for the Avenue around 9 AM and they are awesome. I took so many pictures but they do not do justice to these magnificent trees. We stopped at so many sights; the Chimney Tree where the whole tree was hollow and you could walk inside; two trees you can actually drive through, trees with rooms inside and more. We stopped and walked the woods and it was so quiet and the wind was blowing the tops of the trees and you could hear what sounded like the trees talking. Glenn, Kathy, Don and I were climbing fallen logs, crossing streams and getting inside several hollow trees we found in the woods. I saw an eagle perched on top of one of the trees watching us pass and then 3 or 4 others soaring high above the Redwood canopy as we were riding along. I was hoping to see a bear but no luck. I did see a baby fawn yesterday as we were riding. It couldn’t have been more than a day or two old and was running along side the road. Not sure where his mama was but I hope she found him. A couple of days ago in the Carson City area where the deer and the antelope play we saw a small herd of antelope grazing but that’s it so far. Our room at Sherwood Forest is nice for $66 a night; clean and comfortable with Redwoods in the yard.

Bits and Pieces of Information

We are doing pretty good keeping this group together through towns. Rest stops have been made at service stations or fast food joints when possible but there have been times when we have just had to pull off the side of the road. Those are the times when Glenn is out walking in the desert looking for snakes and Bernie is doing jumping jacks to get the feeling back in his arms and legs. We have had a couple of minor mishaps, the one time my bike didn’t want to start and then today when Roger’s bike refused to start. He noticed it was not starting right earlier in the day and then we made our last rest stop around 4 PM and she wouldn’t start. Talk about good things happening; we had stopped at a service station located between two auto parts stores. He went to the NAPA store and they just happened to have a battery for his bike. The guys removed the old battery and installed the new one and an hour later we were back on our way. I lost my cell phone – this may not be a mishap but rather a blessing. Ginny put her camcorder in her coat pocket and it went bouncing down the road. Bernie stopped to pick it up even though he was sure it was broken but don’t you know it still works perfectly! When traveling this way you need to know the regular gas is 85 NOT 87; I think that is what happened the day my bike was acting up. I had filled up and just grabbed the regular gas. Once I ran that tank out and paid attention to get the 87 she has been running fine; plus we are now at an altitude of 300 feet instead of 7000 +.

We made it!

Day 11 – June 20, 2009
We have arrived in California today! Within minutes of leaving Carson City I began to see trees on the mountains; not big trees but at least they were green; mostly pines or evergreens. By the time we had circled around South Lake Tahoe the trees were Ponderosa Pines, huge tall trees. Lake Tahoe is beautiful but definitely a tourist spot. We continued to climb summits of over 7000 feet and rock and roll down the other side. The curves were so gentle until we reached Placerville California where we left route 50 and headed north west on California 49; wow what a road! We must have traveled at least 50 miles with hairpin curves and S turns one right after another. Now I have never ridden Deals Gap but I’m sure this road has that one bet. No guardrails, step banks, tight turns, on coming buses and trucks it was a real test of skills – a motorcyclist’s playground. I’m estimating we passed 100 locals riding bikes on this road today. After lunch we called and reserved rooms at the Sherwood Forest Motel in Garberville. We have found it is less stressful if we call ahead and reserve rooms for the night around noon instead of just taking our chances each night. California appears to be the land of milk and honey after several days of dry and windy deserts. I can only imagine how the settlers must have felt crossing this great country of ours. Was that all there was? Why would anyone want that barren wasteland? In California we found trees and lots of them; green fields of tomato plants, hay, vineyards, orchards and herds of cattle. The mountains in the distance look ‘fuzzy’ and when we got close and began to climb I noticed they are covered with a low growing brown grasses which make them very pretty. Soon we follow route 20 into the northern coastal area where we begin to see the mountains covered with large pine trees and then taking route 101 we begin to see the Redwoods. The ones along route 101 are huge but they are just baby trees. I cannot wait to see the giants tomorrow. It is cold! It was cold when we left Carson City then warmed around noon and then by 3 it was getting cooler and by 4 it was just plain cold. I would never have dreamed it would be this cold in June traveling across the country. Everyone we talk to says this is not the normal weather.

Day 10 – June 19, 2009
It dropped to 40 degrees last night in Ely so we started out with extra layers. After having our HWY 50 Survival Guide stamped in Ely we headed for all points west stopping in each town on the Nevada list to get the guide stamped. Within minutes of leaving Ely we were traveling the loneliest road in America. I would not consider this road lonely because of lack of vehicles, even though there were not many, but because of the feel of emptiness you get. We climbed summits, traveled through passes and snaked our way down to …. more sand and desert covered with tumbleweed and mountains in the distance. At one point it looked like a lake was just up ahead but when we arrived at that point it was just more of the same – sand. At some places the sand and desert were all and not even tumbleweed would grow. Then the wind began to blow! The air became hazy with the dust and you could see dust devils circling in the distance. By 10 AM we warmed up enough to remove the first and second layer of coats and after lunch we were getting hot. Our eyes were burning from the heat and the dust – the wind was now blowing harder. We were all struggling to keep the bikes steady; I know I was almost standing on the left floorboard to keep the bike from blowing off the road. The Lord and I were having a long talk – well I was pleading for help because every muscle in my arm, back, neck and legs were burning from the pressure to hold Abigail on the road. I have been told by a few local people that this is pretty much the norm so if you plan to travel this way on route 50 be prepared between Ely and Carson City for wind, heat and dust storms. Just before entering Fallon I think we saw miles of white sand with nothing growing. The area was damp and even had some puddles; you could distinguish the sand but what was that white stuff covering everything? Salt – we had run up on a salt field and as far as you could see on either side of the road was white. We have survived the loneliest road in America and have settled for the night at Best Value Inn in Carson City, NV. We are all doing laundry tonight.

Ely, NV first stop on the loneliest highway

Day 9 – June 18, 2009
Up early with a stop at the truck stop restaurant for breakfast and then we headed west for Ely, NV and it was cold again. I thought it was hot in the desert and I thought it didn’t rain but we did get a few sprinkles. We traveled through so many different types of terrain and let so much the same. More of the petrified sand and desert with tumbleweed; climbing ridges and twisting down the other side; some areas the sand looks like huge trucks have dumped piles of sand and I expected to see the ocean just over the ridge. Some desert areas had low growing tumbleweed and other brush while other desert areas support no living plant life at all. We entered the Great Basin and as far as we could see the fields were covered with brown grasses waving in the wind. Suddenly as we drew closer to Delta the mountains became draped with green and the ground at the foot of the mountains was thick with some type of pine or juniper. The trees are short, maybe 7 feet and twisted like twine with the branches starting at ground level giving them more of the appearance of a large bush instead of a tree. We stopped for lunch at Delta and that was a good idea because our next stop was Ely, NV 158 miles down the road. With nothing in sight we rode for 100 miles without stopping because there just wasn’t any place to pull over safely. We have stopped for the night at the Jailhouse Casino in Ely, NV. Rooms are nice, parking lot is level and the price is right at $58 per room. After dinner at the Casino I had to stop and play which means just giving a few bucks to some hungry slot machine. Don on the other hand won a little and Roger won $250.

Arches and Canyonlands NP

Day 8 – June 17, 2009
First stop today was Arches NP. After visiting the visitor’s center and watching the short film we began our drive through and it was one amazing view after another. The rocks are a deep red in color and rise hundreds of feet to our left and right. Some sections are curved while others seem to be blocked or sectioned as if cut and shaped by an artist. The sides of the cliffs are smooth like butter cut with a knife. Around every turn I was amazed at the beauty. To view all of Arches NP took well over 3 hours and a total of 49 miles. We headed back to Moab for lunch before going to the Canyonlands NP. If you get to Moab stop at Smitty’s for lunch. The Canyonlands NP is about 35 miles north of Moab and while not as large as Arches or as colorful the grand view point at the end of the road is well worth the drive. The whole ride is on top of the canyon and when we stepped out on the edge and looked at the panoramic view it took our breath away. The sky was dark in the distance and you could tell the rain was falling so we started racing the rain to get back to Moab where we filled up with gas and had dinner. The rain passed in about 30 minutes and our destination was Green River. If you ever get to Moab UT you must ride route 128. This road is in the very bottom of the canyon with the Colorado River twisting and turning to our left. The canyon walls were so close we could almost touch them. Then the road opens up into a wide open valley with cattle grates every so often and open range signs but we never saw a single cow. As the sun began to sink we reached route 70 and headed the remaining 70 miles to Green River. We stopped at the Sleepy Hollow Motel and Don and I shared the family suite with Bernie and Shirley for a real budget price of $60. This was a nice, clean motel.

Crossing Monarch Pass and entering the desert

Day 7 – June 16, 2009
There are no words to describe the beauty of the land we traveled through today. Within minutes of leaving Canon City we were snaking our way through the bottom of a canyon following the Arkansas River as it cut through the rocks. At places the floor of the canyon was just wide enough for the road and the river and at other places homesteads dotted the landscape. Later we were climbing the mountains and topped the Continental Divide at Monarch Pass. The sun was shining but it was cold at this elevation. After we left Monarch Pass the land quickly turned to desert. The whole land looked like a huge quarry. Mountains of what looked like sand could be seen everywhere. The extra layers of clothing began coming off as we warmed in this dry desert heat. We covered 358 miles today and have settled at the Super 8 in Moab, UT just 10 miles from the Canyonlands National Park.

Day 6 - Pikes Peak

Day 6 – June 15, 2009
We had reserved tickets for the cog railroad at Pikes Peak for noon so the plan was to have a nice breakfast and leave the hotel by 9. I turned the key on Abigail and she started but then quit and no amount of sweet talk could get her started again. This bike has only left me stranded one other time in almost 3 years. Glenn, Don and Roger decided to push the bike with Bernie on it and let him pop the clutch to start it but that was a real circus. Bernie said they were pushing him over and he wouldn’t even try to start it. After that little trial and error I pressed the starter button and she kicked off. Later in the day she again hesitated. It sounds as if she is not getting enough gas on start up. I’m wondering if the high elevation has anything to do with it. I know I’m finding it harder to breath today. We still made it to Pikes Peak depot in plenty of time to get our tickets and shop before boarding the train. A cog railroad can climb grades of 25% and I felt as if I was going to slide out of the seat. The view was magnificent and as we neared the top and cleared the tree line the air was much thinner and I began to feel the effects; dizziness, difficulty breathing and headache. I thought it was just me but everyone in our group was feeling the same. The top was covered with snow and the temps were in the mid 20’s. This was well worth the $30 each to visit this beautiful mountain. Leaving Pikes Peak we took CO 115 to Canon City where we have gotten a room at the Super 8. As we were riding I noticed the mountains were on my left, right and straight ahead. The ground around the highway is a desert with some type of ragged ground cover and brush. The Rocky Mountains are not like any mountains I’ve ever seen. They don’t appear to have rolling hills but rather sharp edges jutting up at various heights. The color changes depending on the direction of the sun. Little towns dot the base of the mountains but you don’t see houses up the mountain sides as you do on the mountains in the east. Tomorrow we plan to visit Royal Gorge and then cover a lot of miles in order to get close to the Canyonlands National Park.

Day 5 Pueblo CO

Day 5, June 14, 2009
Only 220 miles to go today so we left a little later and had breakfast at a restaurant instead of McDonalds. The day began cold and damp; everyone had their rain suits on for two reasons it looked like rain and to keep warm. And the wind – it just never stops in Kansas! The wind was blowing across the prairie so hard it was difficult to control the bikes. I saw the first cowboy working a herd of beef cattle in a feed lot as we were leaving Garden City. It has been a long time since I saw a two story house – most are small bungalows or ranchers. Most have trees surrounding them to shield them from the constant wind. Other than these trees none exist and the ones that are here are small and beat-up by the wind. As we move to the western edge of Kansas I notice the change from wet flooded fields to dry and dusty. The only grass growing is prairie grass. As we enter Colorado the lack of water becomes more noticeable. The homes in the small towns have no lawns or flowers; the only thing growing is the sage brush. It appears the only road paved in this area is route 50 which is a divided highway almost all the way. Some of the small towns actually have all dirt streets. There are many fields of hay either cut and drying or ready to be cut. These are needed to feed the thousands of cattle dotting the plains. We stopped in Lamar Colorado to see the petrified wood gas station and get some pictures and then one block over we stopped to get pictures of the Madonnas of the Trail. There are 12 of these statues at various locations from east to west. While there we noticed a blade from one of the windmills on display in front of the little town museum. We learned each blade is 112 feet long and weighs 35 thousand pounds. Riding across Colorado the road begins to have a few more curves and you can see mountains far off in the distance and the wind has decreased significantly. We arrived in Pueblo around 2 PM (we had gone through one more time change) giving us time to check in to the Motel 6 and do laundry before dinner. We were joined at dinner by Lee and Cindy, friends of Bernie’s and Shirley’s. We have reserved tickets to ride the cog railroad to the top of Pikes Peak tomorrow at noon. The Motel 6 on route 50 in Pueblo is clean and comfortable and very reasonably priced.

Posting from Garden City Kansas

Day 4 – June 13, 2009
We left the hotel at 6 AM and traveled 500 miles to Garden City, Kansas. It was cold and damp for the first 100 miles or so and I was glad I had brought my heated jacket. Kansas has been a constant change all day. Parts of route 50 are 2 lane country road and others are 4 lane divided while still other locations are multi-lane super slabs. You can drive for well over 100 miles and never put your feet down and not see a curve in 10 to 20 miles or more. The terrain ranged from flat to mountainous to rolling hills. At one point it was flat on one side of the highway and rolling hills with sage brush on the other. And the wind never stopped blowing over the flat, empty fields. As we moved further west in Kansas the trees began to disappear until now around Garden City you see very few. The smell of cattle hangs heavy in the air from the numerous feed lots. I have never seen so many cattle in one place before. Oil rigs dot the fields as do the huge grain bins located in just about every town. You can see for miles and I know the fields belong to someone but you don’t see a farm or even a house near. Our goal for the day was Dodge City but when we arrived there were no rooms available. At the first hotel we sat in the parking lot and called every hotel listed in the GPS and found all to be filled. There were 3 big events taking place this weekend, so that is why we pushed on. But we did stop to see Dodge City and what a bust. A small section of the town is made up like a ‘movie set’ with the old store fronts and wooden walks. Since we had an hour to ride and it was already 6 PM we decided not to spend the $15 or the time to walk around. We did stop at Kinsley, Kansas for a rest and to take some pictures of the sign in the middle of the country.

Day 3 – June 12, 2009
We began packing the bikes around 5:30 AM. It was cool and damp but the rain had stopped and the weatherman was predicting a dry day. No more than 30 minutes after leaving Bedford, route 50 turns into a narrow country road and we entered Martin’s County Indiana and Martin’s Forest State Park and we could not have asked for better riding; up and over mountains and the twisties again. Then 30 more minutes and we found ourselves on a highway straight and flat. The highway reached into the distance as far as you could see and if there was a curve in 10 or 20 miles you were lucky. The fields are large in Indiana and reminded me of a lumpy bed because the little humps could not even be called hills. Suddenly we were back in the mountains climbing and then just as quickly they disappeared and again we found ourselves riding almost in auto-pilot because the road requires so little maneuvering. At some point we crossed into Illinois; everyone else saw the sign but not me, but I did notice the road became rougher and straighter. The cash crop in this part of the country is corn, soybeans, barley and oats and while the grains are golden in Indiana and the corn at least 10 inches high; in Illinois the grain crops are still green and if the fields have been planted at all the corn is only about 1 or 2 inches tall. There has been so much rain; the creeks are swollen and flooding the surrounding fields. I noticed the pastures with beef cattle in Indiana, Illinois and Missouri and a few dairy farms but just past Loogootee, IN I saw the first of very few Perdue Chicken farms. In Flora, Illinois we saw oil rigs scattered about the fields. We stopped at a Hardees for a cup of coffee so I asked some ladies about the rigs. Yes they were still pumping oil from the region. Apparently in the 40’s there was a big oil boom in the region and a couple of the ladies had moved with their families to the area at that time and they are still drilling new wells. Getting around the larger cities has been a breeze – 50 is so well marked. A couple of times I have seen signs for ‘old route 50’ and ‘business 50’ but I opted not to take those since we have so many things we want to see and do further west. We have called it a night and stopped at Tipton, MO after riding 385 miles. We have had a nice dinner and the guys are outside playing cards. We are staying at the Twin Pines Motel in Tipton and it is modest but clean and priced right at $58.