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.