Summer Trip XIII

"...its about the journey, not the destination..."

This was a barn I saw as I rode through northern Kentucky the day I went to Maysville.  GO BLUE!!!

     I spent the next couple of days riding around Lexington, revisiting places from my past. I found the first house I bought, and boy did it look small! The neighborhood looked very different because the trees that were so small back then were now full grown. I went for a ride down Tates Creek road to the Kentucky river, a ride I used to do sometimes when I lived here. There is a ferry that still runs today taking people back and forth across the river.

The ferry at the Kentucky River on Tates Creek Road. Notice there's not toll!

     That evening some friends of mine took me out to a restaurant that is still part of the culture of Lexington today, Columbia's Steak House. After a nice dinner I was given a guided tour of how Lexington has changed over the intervening 35 years. The "tastiest" part of which was ice cream at a terrific place in an area that had been abandoned warehouses and distilleries. The ice cream was GREAT!

Daniel Boone's last cabin in Kentucky? I don't know but the ride there and back on that road was interesting. 

     The next day I took a suggestion and rode towards Maysville Kentucky, which is located on the Ohio River. The ride up US 68 was very scenic, featuring sweeping curves that I could take at 60 mph with ease. Along the way I passed a sign directing me to Daniel Boone's last house in Kentucky. I can't testify as to the accuracy of the statement, but there was an old cabin there. The road there and back was poorly maintained gravel, and offered some challenges for my bike. The ST1100 and I persevered!

GREAT place to stop and read, along the banks of the Ohio River.

     I took my mid-morning break along the banks of the Ohio River in the town of Augusta Kentucky. A nice picnic table, water views, and a nice quiet town. A perfect place to stop. As I sat there I noticed a ferry crossing between Ohio and Kentucky. There were several bridges within a few minutes drive, but I guess it's simply nice to use the ferry.

A small park where I "rested" for a while and just watched people come and go on the ferry.    

     From Augusta I navigated south on KY 19 to Powersville where I picked up KY 22 west. 19 and 22 are TERRIFIC motorcycle roads. They were simply a continuous series of S curves, one after the other. The speeds listed for the curves ranged between 45 mph all the way down to 20 mph. I rode almost all of 22 in 4th gear, although in the "tighter" sections I down shifted to 3rd. Great fun! What motorcycling is about!

Historical marker in Maysville KY about "John Colter...one of the 'Nine young men from KY...'" who accompanied Lewis and Clark. 

     I had lunch in Falmouth KY at Two Rivers Pizza, which was recommended to me when I stopped for gas in town. I had a great salad with grilled chicken. It pays to ask locals for good places to eat. I continued on KY 22 west towards Williamstown where I picked up US 25 for the return trip to Lexington. That evening I had a fried chicken dinner at Ramsey's Diner, then I went to Jacobson's Park to have a cigar. After wards back to my room to get ready to leave in the morning for Clarksburg West Virginia. I enjoyed my stay in Lexington, especially the time I got to spend with friends, but three nights there and I began to feel restless. What unexpected things were going to occur tomorrow? What places and things would I see that I had never seen before? I was ready to get back on the road.

Summer Trip XI

"...its about the journey, not the destination..."

     Today from Pocahontas AR to Paducah KY. A bit of a complicated run, leaving Pocahontas on US 67 up into Missouri to Poplar Bluff where I get on US 60. Then stay on US 60 to Paducah. Around 190 miles. On the way out of town I stopped in "historic" downtown Pocahontas and took note of several historical markers. Then it was north on US 67 towards Missouri.

One of the historical markers I found in Pocahontas was about Sir Henry Morton Stanley.  A famous British African Explorer who "trekked" into east Africa looking for Dr. David Livingston.

     In the town of Corning AR my phone rang, and it was my friend  Lane who lives in North Carolina. We talked for a while about our families, and how everything was going.  He then told me he was thinking about getting back into motorcycling. He'd had a Harley for a while, and enjoyed riding but the demands of work took so much of his time he had sold it. For me riding had always helped me cope with stress at work. A nice long ride home after a tough day always helped me decompress. When Lane gets his new bike I'll have to ride down to see it.

Sir Stanley had immigrated to America before our Civil War. He joined the Confederate Army, was trained at a  Camp Shaver located in Pocahontas, and served with Arkansas forces until captured. He then joined Federal forces in order to gain his freedom.

     US 60 is a four lane highway out of Poplar Bluff MO until Charleston MO where it splits off to head east. By the time I got to Charleston it was lunch time so I rode into town looking for a local restaurant. Once again there were none to be found. I ended up at a Subway where I had a very good 6" Turkey sub; I would have rather been in a "local" eatery. One of the things I've found on this trip is that in many places the old fashioned local places are being replaced by McDonald's or some other chain restaurant. I think that some of the local culture is being lost.

Along US 67 heading north towards the Missouri border. Lush, green, very agricultural. 

     Once across the Mississippi River US 60 winds its way towards Paducah. A wonderful road with some nice curves that runs through some small towns. At Future City KY US 60 becomes a 4 lane highway all the way to Paducah. My motel was just after I crossed under I 24. I checked in, and then around 5:00 decided to do a little shopping and have dinner. I've grown tired of drinking single malt Irish Whiskey or single malt Scotch from plastic or paper cups. I found a Dollar Tree store and bought a glass for 59 cents that I intend to carry with me on trips from now on.  Then to dinner at a restaurant called O'Charley's  that is right across the street from the motel. As I sat there I saw that it had started raining, quite heavily, as I ate. I took my time and by the time I paid the bill the rain had all but stopped. I got on the bike rode across the street, put the bike to "sleep," and settled in for the night.    

Summer Trip X

"...its about the journey, not the destination..."

Memorial in the historic section of Pocahontas AR to those who served in the military, and made the "ultimate sacrifice." There are Memorials from the Civil War to Vietnam. Will the add a new section for those who died fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan? So sad. 

     My luck finally ran out. The wettest I had gotten on this trip was in Colorado Springs, where the motel was adjacent to a golf course, and the sprinkler system came on getting me, and the bike, wet. That all changed today!

The Days Inn in Pocahontas AR. Very comfortable. 

      Today's route would be south out of Grove about 45 miles until it intersects US 412, then east on US 412 until it intersects US 62 which would take me right into Pocahontas AR. The ride, as usual on these roads, was great. US 59 had little traffic, and there were places where there were a lot of 60 mph sweepers left and right that were wonderful.

Morning break location. It was getting hot my 10:00 AM, but I was nice and cool under this tree. 

     When I hit US 412 I found it to be a toll road, but....there was also Alt 412, which was the original road. What a nice ride. Lots of curves, tree lined road, and little traffic. I stopped around 10:40 to take a break and work on the blog. I checked and there was a restaurant called The Diner about 4 miles up ahead. Sounds like a nice place to get lunch.

The Diner. Not fancy, but nice people and good food.

     Not a fancy place, but I had a very good wrap for lunch, and had a nice conversation with some local folks out in the parking lot. 12:20 and just about 160 miles to go. Easy. Well....not so much. As I rode east there were more and more dark clouds on the horizon. I left Hardy AR under imminent threat of rain, and that threat was soon realized. I started sprinkling heavily, and I pulled over to put my rain suit on. I could see lightning ahead of me, and off to the right and the left. It started raining harder, and I rode the last 20 miles in heavy rain. Once in Pocahontas I got gas, and found my motel. I realized that this was the first time I had ridden in the rain in my new rain suit and boots. The rain suit did well; the boots not so much! All in all having wet toes is not that big a deal. Just another part of the adventure.

Summer Trip IX

"...its about the journey, not the destination..."

US 60 going east towards Ponca City. NO traffic, but rolling hills toward the horizon.

     Today from Enid OK to Grove OK. A look at the map showed that Grove was located where there were a number of lakes. Today was the 4th of July, so the odds were a lot of people were going to be at the lakes for water sports and to celebrate the 4th of July. Because of my concern that it might be hard to find a room in Grove on the 4th I had called from Ed's Cafe in Shattuck OK during lunch the day before. I found a motel with good reviews called the Cherokee Queen Motel that also had a reasonable price. I always like to start the day knowing I had a place to sleep that night. The plan today was to take US 60 close to Grove. I was going to have to get off of US 60 and get on US 59 and go south about 8 miles to get to Grove. No biggie! US 60 proved to be a great route. Very little traffic, in and out of small towns. A very nice ride.

There was a TV show called Sanford and Son and one of the characters was Lamont. Ever since we have been calling each other Lamont. Imagine finding a town in Oklahoma called Lamont!

     By the middle of the day the heat was back, but with LOTS of humidity. The temperature was generally in the upper 80s, but with the humidity it felt hotter. As long as I was moving it wasn't bad riding. Running along 70 mph for the most there was plenty of breeze on the bike, and it was pleasant. When I went through good sized towns like Ponca City and Bartlesville with many traffic lights it became uncomfortable. I was only going around 203 miles, no need to rush. Although there were some dark clouds around I never felt threatened with rain.

Grace OK sits right on this lake. LOTS of watercraft, and around the lakes LOTS  of money. 

     Lunch and gas in Bartlesville, and then continue west. By the time I got to Vinita I was getting close to Grove. I took a detour and found myself on a little used road, and there was a state park along it. This park was on the banks of a lake and seemed like a good place to stop and finish yesterday's blog. As I pulled into the park area I noticed that the lake had flooded into the park, leaving several picnic tables almost totally submerged. It was around 1:30 in the afternoon, and I was the only person in an area with 40 or so picnic tables. As I sat there some people did begin to show up, and buy the time I left there were probably a 1/2 dozen families setting up to have picnics, or to let their kids play in the sand.

The Cherokee Queen Motel. Not fancy, but clean and comfortable. Just to the right is the BBQ restaurant.  

     After glancing at the map I decided to navigate on OK 85a to US 59 to Grove. At an intersection I took a right, when I should have taken a left. OK 125 took me down this peninsula to Shangri La, which was a huge resort on the lakes. I rode past development after development of expensive vacation villas, houses, and condominiums. Eventually the road ended at this HUGE complex for well to do vacationers. I felt like I REALLY fit in! NOT! I turned around and back tracked, corrected my mistake and arrived in Grove, a place where those of us who are less "well heeled" can vacation. I arrived at the motel around 3 PM. The Cherokee Queen Motel is not fancy, but it is clean, comfortable, and has a BBQ restaurant on the premises. Works for me.

Summer Trip VIII

"...its about the journey, not the destination..."

Looking back down US 54 towards Dalhart TX. I was struck by the ruler straight line  of phone poles along the road.

      Dalhart TX to Enid OK. A good part of the day would be on TX 15 into Oklahoma where it turns into OK 15, to Woodward OK. Then on to US 412 to Enid OK. Sounds easy enough. I left Dalhart on US 54 to Stratford TX where I pick up TX 15. This area is all Texas panhandle. Long, straight roads. Agricultural fields, farming wheat or whatever and grazing land for cattle, stretch out endlessly on each side of the road. I have traveling land like this for days, western Missouri, across Kansas, eastern Colorado, then down the Texas. Enormous expanses of land with few trees, unless there is a house, or a town. If there are a fair amount of trees coming up it probably is a fair size town, maybe 500 or 1,000 people. If there is a very large group of trees on the horizon it is probably a big town, maybe even 9,000 people. Just a small clump of trees means a house and the outbuildings of a farm.

I found this fellow along US 54 almot to Stratford TX. Look at what it says on his belt buckle. Big surprise!

     Once off of US 54 and onto TX 15 there is little traffic. Every 30 or 40 miles or so there is a town, many of which have a small gas station with a convenience store. The road is generally in good shape, but since it doesn't get much traffic it doesn't get a whole lot of maintenance either. I stop for my morning break in Gruver TX. Once again I am the only person in the town park.The swimming pool, the tennis courts and basketball courts are empty. I sit in the shade for over an hour and use my MacBook Pro and iPad to catch up on my blog. Beautiful day but warm.

The park in Gruver TX. Beautiful facility but nobody but me using any part of it. 

     Back on the road I go through the town of Perryton (pop. 9,900) and decide to wait until I am in Oklahoma to have lunch. To the east of Booker TX there are two small towns to the border. Once again I am "in the middle of nowhere." Now OK 15 joins US 283 10 miles or so above the town of Shattuck OK, where I decide to get lunch and gas. The gas was easy, but it was difficult to find a local restaurant to have lunch. Just south of town, where OK 15 turns east I see a small restaurant with some cars and pickup trucks parked in front. Lets give it a try.

Ed's Cafe Shattuck OK.

     Ed's Cafe, whose sign proclaims "Shattuck Strong" is the place where the locals eat. They have a lunch buffet every day, but I get a "small" cheeseburger and fries. Needles to say I couldn't finish it all! Back on the road I follow OK 15 to Woodward where it ends. I pick up US 412, and that takes me all of the way to Enid OK.

Notice the amount of "greenery" along the base of this bute. VERY  different from the  Texas panhandle.

     This day has been one of transition. I woke up in the Texas panhandle which was flat and dry, and then as I rode into Oklahoma everything turned greener. There were more clouds in the sky, and it definitely felt more humid. As I rode towards Enid on US 412 I noticed dark clouds up ahead. The road seemed to be heading right for stormy weather. I slowed down. The closer I got to Enid, the darker the sky seemed. I slowed down some more. In the end I was able to get to my motel in Enid without riding in the rain. I checked into the Ramada Inn there around 3:30. I got settled in my room and  relaxed for a while. I must have drifted off to sleep because the next thing I knew I heard thunder and the sound of rain hitting the window. Now that's my idea of dealing with the rain, lounging in my motel room while it storms outside. A pleasant end to a pleasant day.

My lunch at Ed's. Too many fries, but they were great! (no Kate I  NOT  eat all the French  fries.)

Summer Trip VII

"...its about the journey, not the destination..."

Notice the sign on the wall over the sinks in the men's bathroom  in Gunther Toody's Diner.

     Today is the day I am supposed to start to head back. I do have a small problem: I need to get new tires on the bike before I head out. Haden in service promised to get me right in if I showed up when they opened at 9 AM. I went to Gunther Toody's Diner for breakfast, and arrived at Apex Sports by 8:15. The took my bike in promptly at 9 AM, and while I waited I got in to a conversation with Zeke, a young man who had his Ducati 1250 in for service. We talked for quite a while, and I told him if he ever comes east to contact me for place to stay.

Zeke standing outside of Apex Sports in Colorado Springs CO. A very bright, intelligent, interesting guy.

     My bike was finished and I was on the road by 10 AM.  I rode east out of Colorado City on CO 94 until it intercepted CO 71, which I took south. With a small detour just before I got on US 50 east I rode to La Junta where I had lunch. Then I continued east on US 50 to Lamar CO where went south on US 287/385. US 385 would take me through the Oklahoma Panhandle directly to Dalhart Texas where I would spend the night.

Kirk's Kitchen in Springfield CO.

     It had become quite hot, and I really was looking for a place to take a break. I did a search and found a restaurant called Kirk's Kitchen in Springfield CO. Seemed like a good place to gas up and take a break. From Springfield I continued to head south. As I did so I noticed dark clouds on the southern horizon. My route seemed to be taking me directly towards them, right into the middle of them!

At the Texas border with clear skies ahead.

     I crossed into Oklahoma about 20 miles north of Boise City OK still heading straight towards what I was sure were storms on the horizon. As I rode I began to notice wet spots on the road. Apparently the storms were just ahead of me. I slowed down. At Boise City I continued south on US 385, and there was more and more water on the road. Now sure I was catching up to bad weather I slowed down more, looking for places to pull safely off of the road if I caught up to the rain. Then the road took a right turn and I crossed the Texas border. The storms were off to the east and I was able to ride to Dalhart with no further threat of rain.

Afternoon break at Kirk's Kitchen. Don't let my daughters see this picture! 

      Once in Dalhart I checked into my motel and found that it had clothes washers for guests, which many motels do. I took the opportunity to do my laundry, and while it was washing and drying I watched the first Spiderman movie. Later, with clothes strewn about the room to finish drying, I turned in for the night.

Summer Trip V

"...its about the journey, not the destination..."

Dramatic sculptures by some rural artist in Kansas. Look closely at some of the labels on the sculptures. 

     One of the most intriguing aspects of motorcycle touring are the unexpected twists and turns that happen on every trip. You can plan, prepare your bike, make all of your reservations for hotels, and even restaurants, but unforeseen events can throw all of the preparation in the trash. It happens on every trip. On a bike you are vulnerable to rain, snow, heat, cold, flooding, drought, bridge collapses, road closures and many other factors. What matters is how you handle these challenges.

Jeri's Kitchen in Kingman Kansas. Good lunch.

     Another beautiful day. Certainly it would be hot later, but first thing in the morning the air felt cool, refreshing. I was surprised. A simple plan for the day. On this beautiful Sunday I would ride north out of Garden City in an effort to get off of main roads. All of the roads in western Kansas are pretty straight, but some are main transportation routes west and east, while others are a little off the beaten path. My route was north on US 83 to Scott City where I would make a left onto KS 96 towards the Colorado border. Then continue on CO 96 to Eads CO where I pick up US 287 to US 40. West on US 40/287 to Aroya CO where I turn onto CO 94 going west to Colorado Springs. Easy!

Just outside of Scott City KS. Its impossible for me to capture the sheer size of western  Kansas.   

      The bike was running perfectly. The tires were still an issue, but by keeping the speed down, and limiting the exploring, I felt sure I could reach Colorado Springs OK. As I traveled across western Kansas I became amazed at the distances, the agricultural wealth spread out on both sides of the road for mile upon mile. Two years ago I traveled across the US just below the Canadian border from Michigan to western North Dakota. I think you have to travel across America as I am doing to truly appreciate her wealth and majesty.

City park area in Tribune KS. Nobody out and about.

     I took my morning break in Tribune KS. They had a nice recreational facility with tennis courts and a beautiful pool, which no one was using. It was very hot! I called my wife and spoke to her and a friend of hers who was visiting from Arizona. All was right with the world. Only 16 miles to the Colorado border.

The Colorado border along KS 96, soon to be CO 96 towards Towner CO.  The topography was soon to change.

     In this area the eastern part of Colorado was much like the very western part of Kansas. Then, within 8 miles or so of the border, I noticed a change. There was a line on the horizon, and the road did not simply stretch into the distance. I had come to the end of the Great Plains.

Historical marker about the Sand Creek Massacre, and the location of the death of my battery! No shade, about 100 degrees.

     Now within 30 miles of the turn onto US 287 to head north towards Colorado Springs I came upon  a historical marker. Once again, as a former Social Studies teacher, I was forced to turn around and take a look, and some pictures.

A Native American hero who tried to make peace, and  then was killed. 

     The marker told the story of the Sand Creek Massacre where a group of peaceful Native Americans were slain by an overzealous US Army Colonel John Chivington. I took individual pictures of each display so that I could decide which panels to include in the blog. I then got back on the bike and turned the key. The dashboard lit up as usual. Then, when I hit the starter, all the lights went out and complete silence ensued. What the heck? Clearly the battery was dead. Of course it shouldn't be since I'd ridden it every day since the previous Wednesday, for over 1,500 miles. I had put a charger on the bike before I left to make sure I was leaving with a completely charged battery.

History of the area from 1700 to 1861.

     Now what? I was really in the "middle of nowhere" with a completely dead bike. One of the things I carry on the bike is a small "jumper box" that my older daughter got for me one year at Christmas. I feverishly removed the seat, struggled with the side panel to get to the battery and then struggled to attached the clips to the battery posts.  This took several minutes, several attempts ( no shade, baking hot sun, temperature in the neighborhood of 100, the nearest town 5 miles away, a long walk in that heat! ). Finally I got it attached. Turn the key, take a breath, hit the start button. The bike started right up! I quickly put the jumper box away, put the seat on, put my helmet on, and lit out for the next town, Eads CO about 5 miles away.

1861 to 2007.

     Once I got to Eads I stopped at a convenience store/restaurant, left the bike running, went in and asked if a Walmart was there or near there. I was told there was one in Lamar, 30 miles in the wrong direction. I was also told there was "nothing between here and Colorado Springs, " which was over 150 miles away. I tried calling the Walmart to see if they had a battery the would fit my bike, but was left on hold. The bike was running in the heat, and I was just sitting there waiting for someone to answer the phone. I decided just to head towards Colorado Springs. On the highway the bike was running fine, the engine temperature was fine as long as I was moving. What the heck.

Town named for the US Army Colonel who "....led an infamous attack on a peaceful  Cheyenne and Arapaho encampment  on Sand Creek..."

     The next 2 1/2 hours were very stressful. I motored along at about 60-65 mph, listening to the sound of the engine. I felt every vibration of the bike trying to detect the slightest change. I reached Aroya CO and turned onto CO 94, which turned out to be a pretty rough stretch of road, increasing the tension. In that stretch alone it was 72 miles to "services." Another twenty or so miles to Colorado Springs beyond that. My focus became simply to reach the motel where I had a place to sleep, and plan on what course of action to take the next day to get a battery. Believe it or not I made it to the motel without a hitch. A deep sigh of relief. Perhaps the day had been a bit more of an adventure than I would have liked.