Plans have been made for months but we are still adding things to see, roads to ride and deleting things we have seen in the past. Bonnie and Andy, like Don and I, have been to Nashville years ago so we can now pick and choose new things to see and do or some of the things we remember as being outstanding. We had dinner with Bonnie and Andy last night to get our meet-up time and location nailed down and to share ideas. Bonnie has found an article in a food magazine about 4 or 5 very interesting local eateries in Nashville and the Wright’s Dairy Rite in Staunton, VA which is on our way. We will check out as many as possible since we love the local flavor rather than the highly commercialized chain restaurants. Really hope to find the White Trash Café; it sounds so “unique” shall I say. And I was thrilled to learn Loretta Lynn’s Ranch is just 80 miles from our hotel which makes this a must visit! We plan to visit Butcher Holler in September while at Paintsville KY so the ranch will just complete the whole picture. Gee do I sound country?
I knew Nashville had a flood – guess everyone knows that but that’s all it was – knowledge. Then I realized it was just 2 years ago. What is it with me; I visited New Orleans just 2 years after their great flood and now Nashville! Anyway, I started checking out You Tube for clips of the flood and boy was I surprised! The water in the Opryland Hotel’s 3 Atriums destroyed everything; one clip I watched was of a local, low to middle income neighborhood that never was visited by the news media (not interesting enough I guess) but the water was 12 feet high, most of these folks lost everything. It was neighbor helping neighbor and through their tears they kept saying how they were making new friends, learning lessons that will make them stronger and better people and how God was blessing them. These are amazing people!
Well we still have lots to do to get ready so we can pull out at 6:30 AM on Saturday, June 2. Finish working on the trailer, check the oil in the bikes, and purchase items we want to take such as snacks and some food since our hotel is an extended stay meaning it has a full kitchen in every unit. Then pack! Hope to start that this coming Monday.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Just A Sample Of My Weekend
Miles traveled - 675
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| The UTR members in Bloomsburg |
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| Me riding in |
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| All in great form |
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| And exactly when is lunch coming? |
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| I could enjoy an office like this |
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| What a museum! |
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| An impressive group |
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| Barns of every shape size and color |
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| small town life in the mountains of PA |
Heading Home
May 6, 2012
Well our group began to shrink first thing this morning. Geo and Chrissy headed to Milton PA to visit her sister while Renee, Ron and Mina headed home by way of Interstates. The rest of us weren't ready to give up so we headed out to find as many mountains; twists and turns as possible while still working our way home. Clouds and cool temps are again the order but as we climb higher and higher the fog becomes our biggest problem. Pretty soon it is thick enough to cut with a knife; our windshields are covered with water, our clothes are wet; we're cold and you cannot see two bikes ahead of you. We pull off for a break and out comes the heated jacket; I'm cold. On we press and the fog lefts we head for Gap PA with plans to have lunch. Glenn is doing a wonderful job finding great roads with banked curves and sweepers. Then about 20 miles away from Gap we are caught off guard when one of our bikes goes down in a tight curve. As I top the hill and round the curve I see her husband's bike sitting sideways in the road; part of her saddlebag in the middle of the road and her bike on its side slide up against the side of the mountain. This is the kind of scene you hope you never have to deal with but most bikers will tell you if you ride and ride a lot you will go down at one time or another. While this young lady did suffer a broken arm and some road rash on her chin it could have been much worse so we thank God for his protection. But this did put a bit of a damper on the rest of the ride. Her husband and another couple went to the hospital with her and the rest of us regrouped. We switched the GPS from shortest to fastest, and to allow highways and headed home.
Well our group began to shrink first thing this morning. Geo and Chrissy headed to Milton PA to visit her sister while Renee, Ron and Mina headed home by way of Interstates. The rest of us weren't ready to give up so we headed out to find as many mountains; twists and turns as possible while still working our way home. Clouds and cool temps are again the order but as we climb higher and higher the fog becomes our biggest problem. Pretty soon it is thick enough to cut with a knife; our windshields are covered with water, our clothes are wet; we're cold and you cannot see two bikes ahead of you. We pull off for a break and out comes the heated jacket; I'm cold. On we press and the fog lefts we head for Gap PA with plans to have lunch. Glenn is doing a wonderful job finding great roads with banked curves and sweepers. Then about 20 miles away from Gap we are caught off guard when one of our bikes goes down in a tight curve. As I top the hill and round the curve I see her husband's bike sitting sideways in the road; part of her saddlebag in the middle of the road and her bike on its side slide up against the side of the mountain. This is the kind of scene you hope you never have to deal with but most bikers will tell you if you ride and ride a lot you will go down at one time or another. While this young lady did suffer a broken arm and some road rash on her chin it could have been much worse so we thank God for his protection. But this did put a bit of a damper on the rest of the ride. Her husband and another couple went to the hospital with her and the rest of us regrouped. We switched the GPS from shortest to fastest, and to allow highways and headed home.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
A Day Kissed Wtih Blessings
May 5, 2012
Overcast skies greeted us but the weather was warm enough the jacket was packed in the trunk. I chose to ride on the back of Bessie with Don today for a couple of reasons: 1) to spend time with my husband, we can talk and share the trip and 2) I can take pictures and really enjoy the scenery. I will admit we found a couple of roads I would have liked to rock and roll on my own two wheels but that’s ok.
I expected visiting Bill’s Old Bike Barn to be interesting but let’s face it I was just here last year; but this place is so full of various items that I found lots of things I had missed during my first trip. It was interesting to talk to Bill’s wife and find they have now built living quarters on the second floor because they spend so much time at the museum they figured it only made sense to just live there. Just imagine – living in such a wonderful play land! And they are not done – they are currently working on another extension to fill with more collectables.
After a couple hours wondering around and marveling over this and that Glenn leads us on some great roads to explore the countryside. The sun is bright and the temps are warm. How can I put into words what I saw? Mountains with wet rock faces where they had been split to blast a way for the road and thin trickles of water seeping through small unseen cracks from the belly of the earth. These trickles turn into small creeks and streams tumbling and rushing over rocks creating small waterfalls which feed into rivers lazily flowing towards the ocean. Wild flowers of white, purple and yellow wave in the tall grass by the road as we pass and the air is scented with their smell. Cattle graze on the hills and a few sheep are seen in pastures with grass up to their belly so they appear to be cotton balls on a carpet of green. Fields have been plowed but not planted yet and in some areas the dirt is so dark it reminds me of a cookie sheet spread with dark melted chocolate. We pass houses built of stone and logs with vines clinging to the sides and reaching the roof; not the new fancy ones but the strong sturdy ones built a hundred years ago. The ones that have heard a thousand cries of new born babies, the secrets of a young girl in love and the whispers of the aging husband and wife sitting on the front porch waving to us as we pass. There are barns of all shapes, sizes and state of repair. Some are well cared for and painted red with farm equipment inside and others with boards missing here and there, dark weathered walls that appear to have never felt the smooth caress of a paint brush but still serving the purpose they were built for. We travel through townships like Wolf, Dushore, Picture Rock, Valley and others. We stop for lunch at Pam’s Restaurant in Dushore; having no idea exactly how we got here but knowing we enjoyed every minute of getting here. We had the whole restaurant to ourselves; I mean how much business would a small place in a small crossroads have? We laugh and tease and look forward to more riding after lunch. Glenn leads us out and we travel what I call a four digit road. The road number was 1048 and I told Don I didn’t think this was going to end well. I’ve found that four digit roads in PA many times turn to dirt when you least expect. We were climbing and dipping over the blacktop with no lines and no shoulders enjoying the wind in our face and the constant sway of the bike when Glenn announced it doesn’t look good and we better turn around and find another route to Lewisburg. Oh well no problem when you don’t have a real plan other than to enjoy the ride you’re never lost and never late you live in the moment and what more could anyone ask.
In Lewisburg we spend some time in the Street Shops a place we found last year; an old furniture factory building that now houses a variety of specialty shops. Time to head back to the hotel just 40 or so miles away but our tanks are empty so what we expect to be a quick stop turns into an hour or so because one of the bikes decided she just wasn’t going to fire. Now we cannot fault this bike she didn’t give up on a back road or in the small town at lunch – no she gave up right in a gas station’s parking lot just a mile or so from a Walmart and an auto parts store. Several men hovered over the bike to figure out what her ailment might be. A lifeline is hooked to her battery from a Honda Gold Wing and we wait to see if she will revive. No luck so off goes Mike on his bike to Walmart to purchase a new battery. Back comes Mike wrong battery but this time the faulty battery is out and he can take it with him. Off goes Mike again - back comes Mike and again 7 or 8 hover over the ailing patient to monitor the installation of the new battery. A turn of the key and she rumbles; all is well. Ok let’s pull on our helmets and find the Interstate to make a fast trip of the 40 miles back to the hotel and dinner.
We pull in the parking lot at 7:45 and the restaurant next door closes at 8. Someone runs to the restaurant to see if they will still serve us, yes! Did I say this was a great day? Do I even need to say that or have you figured that out?
Overcast skies greeted us but the weather was warm enough the jacket was packed in the trunk. I chose to ride on the back of Bessie with Don today for a couple of reasons: 1) to spend time with my husband, we can talk and share the trip and 2) I can take pictures and really enjoy the scenery. I will admit we found a couple of roads I would have liked to rock and roll on my own two wheels but that’s ok.
I expected visiting Bill’s Old Bike Barn to be interesting but let’s face it I was just here last year; but this place is so full of various items that I found lots of things I had missed during my first trip. It was interesting to talk to Bill’s wife and find they have now built living quarters on the second floor because they spend so much time at the museum they figured it only made sense to just live there. Just imagine – living in such a wonderful play land! And they are not done – they are currently working on another extension to fill with more collectables.
After a couple hours wondering around and marveling over this and that Glenn leads us on some great roads to explore the countryside. The sun is bright and the temps are warm. How can I put into words what I saw? Mountains with wet rock faces where they had been split to blast a way for the road and thin trickles of water seeping through small unseen cracks from the belly of the earth. These trickles turn into small creeks and streams tumbling and rushing over rocks creating small waterfalls which feed into rivers lazily flowing towards the ocean. Wild flowers of white, purple and yellow wave in the tall grass by the road as we pass and the air is scented with their smell. Cattle graze on the hills and a few sheep are seen in pastures with grass up to their belly so they appear to be cotton balls on a carpet of green. Fields have been plowed but not planted yet and in some areas the dirt is so dark it reminds me of a cookie sheet spread with dark melted chocolate. We pass houses built of stone and logs with vines clinging to the sides and reaching the roof; not the new fancy ones but the strong sturdy ones built a hundred years ago. The ones that have heard a thousand cries of new born babies, the secrets of a young girl in love and the whispers of the aging husband and wife sitting on the front porch waving to us as we pass. There are barns of all shapes, sizes and state of repair. Some are well cared for and painted red with farm equipment inside and others with boards missing here and there, dark weathered walls that appear to have never felt the smooth caress of a paint brush but still serving the purpose they were built for. We travel through townships like Wolf, Dushore, Picture Rock, Valley and others. We stop for lunch at Pam’s Restaurant in Dushore; having no idea exactly how we got here but knowing we enjoyed every minute of getting here. We had the whole restaurant to ourselves; I mean how much business would a small place in a small crossroads have? We laugh and tease and look forward to more riding after lunch. Glenn leads us out and we travel what I call a four digit road. The road number was 1048 and I told Don I didn’t think this was going to end well. I’ve found that four digit roads in PA many times turn to dirt when you least expect. We were climbing and dipping over the blacktop with no lines and no shoulders enjoying the wind in our face and the constant sway of the bike when Glenn announced it doesn’t look good and we better turn around and find another route to Lewisburg. Oh well no problem when you don’t have a real plan other than to enjoy the ride you’re never lost and never late you live in the moment and what more could anyone ask.
In Lewisburg we spend some time in the Street Shops a place we found last year; an old furniture factory building that now houses a variety of specialty shops. Time to head back to the hotel just 40 or so miles away but our tanks are empty so what we expect to be a quick stop turns into an hour or so because one of the bikes decided she just wasn’t going to fire. Now we cannot fault this bike she didn’t give up on a back road or in the small town at lunch – no she gave up right in a gas station’s parking lot just a mile or so from a Walmart and an auto parts store. Several men hovered over the bike to figure out what her ailment might be. A lifeline is hooked to her battery from a Honda Gold Wing and we wait to see if she will revive. No luck so off goes Mike on his bike to Walmart to purchase a new battery. Back comes Mike wrong battery but this time the faulty battery is out and he can take it with him. Off goes Mike again - back comes Mike and again 7 or 8 hover over the ailing patient to monitor the installation of the new battery. A turn of the key and she rumbles; all is well. Ok let’s pull on our helmets and find the Interstate to make a fast trip of the 40 miles back to the hotel and dinner.
We pull in the parking lot at 7:45 and the restaurant next door closes at 8. Someone runs to the restaurant to see if they will still serve us, yes! Did I say this was a great day? Do I even need to say that or have you figured that out?
Friday, May 4, 2012
Off We Go
May 4, 2012
Pulled out of the drive at 7:30 a.m. heading to Sudlersville to meet the rest of our group but first we need breakfast at Parkside Deli and as we suspected Bernie was there drinking coffee and telling stories with his buddies. Sneaking in I placed a kiss on his neck and startled him and gave his buddies something to talk about. In a few minutes Andy and Bonnie joined us and then by 8:45 a.m. everyone arrived. We had 19 bikes; 24 people all excited about heading north. I noticed we had 6 women riding their own bikes; that’s a good number.
The morning is cool and fog has settled around us; the moisture in this cloud which engulfs us coupled with the wind chill of riding at 60 mph makes the 58 degree temps feel much colder. I had packed my heated jacket but wasn’t sure if I wanted to put it on since I was betting it would warm soon and I wouldn’t be able to take it off. I decide to leave it in the saddlebag. The fog lifts in about an hour or so but where is the sun? Nowhere to be seen! As we snake our way through the countryside highway signs warn of sharp curves or hidden entrances. Most riders have a CB but there is no chatter other than the occasional “got the light” or “we all cleared the intersection”. I’m listening to the best music I know; the hum of the V-twin engines and the rumble of the “bad boy pipes” on several of the bikes and the shifting of gears as we climb and descend the hills. The smell of sweet wild flowers and trees mixes with the earthy smell of the farms; manure from the barns; chemicals being applied to the fields and the smell of the earth being turned as an Amish man works with his team of mules. The fields are so organized; I know why they plow and plant in plots so the dirt doesn’t wash away on the side of the mountain but how do they plow and plant each plot with such straight edges? And the clothes hanging on the line are organized with all the dresses together, then the shirts, the pants next and so on. All of life seems to be in order today. The route Glenn has picked is not the fastest or the most direct but that’s exactly the way we want it as it wonders beside Wolf Creek or other rivers and streams. We top a mountain to see a couple dozen windmills slicking the air in a slow rhythm planted on the ridge like tall, straight soldiers guarding the mountain.
We pull into the restaurant parking lot at 12:30 and the sun is now shining. By the time we mount the bikes I debate if I should wear the black leather jacket; yes I’ll put it back on. Just 30 minutes later I realize this was a bad choice. As we pull into a parking lot to regroup I shed the jacket and the gloves like a snake sheds its skin. Back on the road the wind whips around my arms and face while the sun warms my skin. A small drop of rain hits the windshield then another; a quick glance at the sky reveals a very dark cloud just ahead of us. Then we turn right and leave the cloud behind us as we climb higher on Gordon’s Mountain.
We arrive at the hotel by 5 p.m. the odometer registers 202 miles; dinner at 6 at the restaurant next door and the lighten flashes and the thunder rumbles while the rain pounds the pavement. Our prayers were answered today; no rain while we were riding.
Pulled out of the drive at 7:30 a.m. heading to Sudlersville to meet the rest of our group but first we need breakfast at Parkside Deli and as we suspected Bernie was there drinking coffee and telling stories with his buddies. Sneaking in I placed a kiss on his neck and startled him and gave his buddies something to talk about. In a few minutes Andy and Bonnie joined us and then by 8:45 a.m. everyone arrived. We had 19 bikes; 24 people all excited about heading north. I noticed we had 6 women riding their own bikes; that’s a good number.
The morning is cool and fog has settled around us; the moisture in this cloud which engulfs us coupled with the wind chill of riding at 60 mph makes the 58 degree temps feel much colder. I had packed my heated jacket but wasn’t sure if I wanted to put it on since I was betting it would warm soon and I wouldn’t be able to take it off. I decide to leave it in the saddlebag. The fog lifts in about an hour or so but where is the sun? Nowhere to be seen! As we snake our way through the countryside highway signs warn of sharp curves or hidden entrances. Most riders have a CB but there is no chatter other than the occasional “got the light” or “we all cleared the intersection”. I’m listening to the best music I know; the hum of the V-twin engines and the rumble of the “bad boy pipes” on several of the bikes and the shifting of gears as we climb and descend the hills. The smell of sweet wild flowers and trees mixes with the earthy smell of the farms; manure from the barns; chemicals being applied to the fields and the smell of the earth being turned as an Amish man works with his team of mules. The fields are so organized; I know why they plow and plant in plots so the dirt doesn’t wash away on the side of the mountain but how do they plow and plant each plot with such straight edges? And the clothes hanging on the line are organized with all the dresses together, then the shirts, the pants next and so on. All of life seems to be in order today. The route Glenn has picked is not the fastest or the most direct but that’s exactly the way we want it as it wonders beside Wolf Creek or other rivers and streams. We top a mountain to see a couple dozen windmills slicking the air in a slow rhythm planted on the ridge like tall, straight soldiers guarding the mountain.
We pull into the restaurant parking lot at 12:30 and the sun is now shining. By the time we mount the bikes I debate if I should wear the black leather jacket; yes I’ll put it back on. Just 30 minutes later I realize this was a bad choice. As we pull into a parking lot to regroup I shed the jacket and the gloves like a snake sheds its skin. Back on the road the wind whips around my arms and face while the sun warms my skin. A small drop of rain hits the windshield then another; a quick glance at the sky reveals a very dark cloud just ahead of us. Then we turn right and leave the cloud behind us as we climb higher on Gordon’s Mountain.
We arrive at the hotel by 5 p.m. the odometer registers 202 miles; dinner at 6 at the restaurant next door and the lighten flashes and the thunder rumbles while the rain pounds the pavement. Our prayers were answered today; no rain while we were riding.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Bloomsburg Here We Come
Ya’ll ready for the 2012 riding season? I am so hold on to your hat – ah helmet – and prepare to enjoy the north, south and west as we ride through valleys and over hills and climb some mountains. Tomorrow will be our first extended trip for this year as we head to Bloomsburg, PA to visit Bill’s Old Bike Barn. A small group of us found this amazing place last year and Glenn offered to lead a group from UTR this year. While the destination of any trip is good it is the getting there that makes the trip a ride – am I making any sense to you folks on 4 wheels? I have and do on some occasions travel interstates and turnpikes but only by necessity; my true passion is the byways and back roads that lead through little towns that might be nothing more than a dot on the map. The back roads go up and over mountains with sweeping curves while the interstates have blasted away the mountain in order to keep the highway as straight and flat as possible to allow for speed to reach that destination quickly and thereby missing the heart of this great nation.
Ok let’s begin – the bikes have been checked and the saddlebags cleaned out and ready to prepare for this coming season. Rain gear, check; tool kit, check; two pairs of gloves, check; a couple of hats to cover the helmet-head when we stop, check; battery tender, check and this year I’ve added a complete spare CB system; when mine gets wet it stops working for a day or two until completely dried out. Bernie had a great idea to keep your hands dry because no matter how good the leather gloves with enough rain your hands get wet and cold. I’m packing a few thin rubber gloves like the doctor’s wear and I can put them on first and then pull on the leather gloves. Now for my feet got to cover the boots with waterproof silicone spray tonight. Wonder if that Flex Spray advertised on TV would work? I normally keep bug spray and sunscreen in the saddlebags as well and a set of binoculars.
My packing list isn’t too long for clothes, I’ve learned how to limit the number of jeans, shirts, socks and so on but it seems the bag of meds, make-up, and gadget cords is getting larger every year. Got a cord for the cell phone, a cord for the Kindle, one for the digital camera and of course got to take the laptop with its cord. Oh don’t want to forget the GPS – Gabby goes with me everywhere, and I cannot forget the trip folder. I have been working on these trip folders for months and they consist of maps; hotel reservation information and printouts of interesting places to visit in and around our destination or on the way. Now Don’s packing will also consist of a cooler with water, really need to stay hydrated when riding, a container of snacks to consume at the rest stops and a small bag containing $5 worth of quarters for the card games the gang plays in the evenings. When I first started riding I said if I couldn’t carry it on my own bike then I wouldn’t take it! Wow how stupid! I pack as much as possible on Don’s bike and we now have a trailer but seldom need it for just a 3-day trip.
I’ve been praying for good weather and no rain for the next 3 days but I’m prepared for wet weather. Is this a lack of faith? I don’t think so because I’m sure there is someone in the area where we will be traveling who is praying for rain just as fervently as I am for no rain. Let’s see if God works it out so we both get what we’re askin for!
We will leave around 7:30 a.m. tomorrow so ya’ll come back and visit my blog after we’ve traveled about 230 miles on the ribbons of asphalt.
Ok let’s begin – the bikes have been checked and the saddlebags cleaned out and ready to prepare for this coming season. Rain gear, check; tool kit, check; two pairs of gloves, check; a couple of hats to cover the helmet-head when we stop, check; battery tender, check and this year I’ve added a complete spare CB system; when mine gets wet it stops working for a day or two until completely dried out. Bernie had a great idea to keep your hands dry because no matter how good the leather gloves with enough rain your hands get wet and cold. I’m packing a few thin rubber gloves like the doctor’s wear and I can put them on first and then pull on the leather gloves. Now for my feet got to cover the boots with waterproof silicone spray tonight. Wonder if that Flex Spray advertised on TV would work? I normally keep bug spray and sunscreen in the saddlebags as well and a set of binoculars.
My packing list isn’t too long for clothes, I’ve learned how to limit the number of jeans, shirts, socks and so on but it seems the bag of meds, make-up, and gadget cords is getting larger every year. Got a cord for the cell phone, a cord for the Kindle, one for the digital camera and of course got to take the laptop with its cord. Oh don’t want to forget the GPS – Gabby goes with me everywhere, and I cannot forget the trip folder. I have been working on these trip folders for months and they consist of maps; hotel reservation information and printouts of interesting places to visit in and around our destination or on the way. Now Don’s packing will also consist of a cooler with water, really need to stay hydrated when riding, a container of snacks to consume at the rest stops and a small bag containing $5 worth of quarters for the card games the gang plays in the evenings. When I first started riding I said if I couldn’t carry it on my own bike then I wouldn’t take it! Wow how stupid! I pack as much as possible on Don’s bike and we now have a trailer but seldom need it for just a 3-day trip.
I’ve been praying for good weather and no rain for the next 3 days but I’m prepared for wet weather. Is this a lack of faith? I don’t think so because I’m sure there is someone in the area where we will be traveling who is praying for rain just as fervently as I am for no rain. Let’s see if God works it out so we both get what we’re askin for!
We will leave around 7:30 a.m. tomorrow so ya’ll come back and visit my blog after we’ve traveled about 230 miles on the ribbons of asphalt.
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