Kurt's Motorcycle Adventures

More Prepping the Bike

2012-01-21T16:35:00.000-05:00

I took advantage of an unusually warm day to check my motorcycle's valves and replace the spark plugs. It was a very rainy day in Asheville and other than read this seemed like the best way to make use of my time. All I have left to do myself is to change oil and replace the brake pads. I really like working on my bike. Pirsig had it right in his Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

Tuesday I am beginning my second course in Spanish at AB-Tech, our local community college. I speak German, but I think that will be of little use in Latin America. I know I will not become even close to fluent, but I want to make an effort to speak to the people in their own language. I do not want to be an "ugly American" while there and expect them to speak English to me. I have heard many travelers get by with speaking no Spanish on a trip such as this, but I think that defeats the purpose of travel. Travel should broaden your horizons. Oh well, enough of the philosophical ramblings.

Preparation of Kurt Has Begun

2012-01-18T14:52:00.001-05:00

I have just returned from the Buncombe County Health Department, Travel Section. It seems they recommend Typhoid, and Hepatitis A & B vaccines for Mexico and Central America. Note that these are recommended and not required. Should I take them or not? They are expensive (about $250) for all. But contracting these diseases is a distinct possibility in these areas. I mean, there was a Hepatitis outbreak here in Asheville a few years ago when a cook at a popular restaurant (locals know where this is) failed to wash his hands after taking care of "business" in the restroom. I already have typhoid vaccinations. I got them in the army during basic training...35 years ago. Uhhhh, that's gonna have to be updated. Yeah, I will go ahead and get the shots (that's "jabs" for my British friends).

While watching Race to Dakar with Charley Boorman I realized that I have time before this trip, but no plan. So today I sat down and wrote a plan to get every thing done in order that the trip can actually begin on March 15. Here is my plan so far:

January 23 - appointment for immunizations
January 31 - have the maintenance I plan on doing my self completed on the BMW

February 1 - obtain AAA International Driver's License and Mexico map
February 7 - blood work for physical exam
February 14 - physical exam
February 15 - have dealer servicing of BMW completed
February 20 - obtain MedJetAssist insurance
February 22 - complete federal and state income taxes
February 25 - depart for Germany

March 4 - return from Germany
March 5 - dental cleaning
March 12 - final inspection of equipment
March 15 - departure

For those that don't know MedJetAssist is an insurance policy that will fly me (or my reamains) back from a foreign country should I become ill and cannot be treated in a local hospital. They will even return my motorcycle if necessary.

I think this will work. During this time I also need to improve my physical condition. Leaving in March I will have have to get my riding muscles fit on the road. For those that don't ride, it takes an entirely different set of muscles to ride a motorcycle 8 to 10 hours a day than you can work out in a gym. The muscles that give me particular problems are my throttle (right) hand and the muscles between my shoulder blades.

Well, I have enough to do before this thing gets going! Please feel free to leave a comment or ask questions. That is the only way I will know that I am writing for an audience and not just for myself.

Bike Preparation Has Begun

2012-01-08T12:32:00.001-05:00

I took advantage of the unusually warm January weekend we had to begin prepping my bike for the trip. On Saturday I changed the final drive lubricant. After changing the lubricant I notice a slight bit of play in the rear wheel. This may be no problem at all, but this model BMW is known for having final drive problems. I will have it checked out by my dealer before heading out in March. The last thing I want is to be stuck in Honduras with a broken bike. I still have to change the transmission oil, spark plugs, air filter and set the valves. The dealer will have to replace the brake fluid and hydraulic clutch fluid.

While working on the bike yesterday I injured my left thumb somehow. This kind of injury takes a long time to heal and I will be using this thumb a lot on the trip. For those that don't know the clutch on a motorcycle is operated by the left hand.

I have also begun planning my route. This trip is not only about going to Latin America but the American South and West as well. I have planned a route through the south that I think will take about 5 days before arriving in Texas. I have also planned a route across Texas to Big Bend National Park where I will spend a few days exploring the park and visiting Terlingua before riding to Eagle Pass, TX to cross the border into Mexico at Piedras Negras. Planning a route through Mexico becomes more complicated because I plan on sticking to the libres (free roads). Mexico has so many cuotas (toll roads) that planning a route around them get very interesting. For Mexico I am planning about a week.

Stay tuned and check back for more planning updates or better yet "join" my blog to keep up with all developments!

Tecate, Mexico

2011-12-30T15:33:00.002-05:00

No, I have not ridden the bike to Tecate, Mexico, but I did visit Tecate whil spending Christmas with my son and his family in San Diego. This is somewhat motorcycle related since I wanted to check out the border crossing I will be using when returning to the States in a few months.

My wife and I crossed the border easily and just strolled around looking at the town. It is amazing how "Mexican" this town is being right on the border. All in all we spent about three hours and had lunch at a great little outdoor restaurant called Lolo's. Yes, we ate Mexican food but I was surprised how many Chinese restaurants were there!

Crossing the border back into the US was not so easy. We could not find the pedestrian crossing at first and had to ask a Mexican border guard (with the biggest dang gun I've seen in some time) how to get back across. He did not speak English and my Spanish is pitiful. Eventually we saw some folks following yellow arrows on the pavement and decided to follow them. Voila! The arrows lead to the good ol' U S of A.

Stay tuned as I plan my trip to Central America with a tentative departure date of March 15, 2012.

The Plan

2011-12-10T16:00:00.001-05:00

My current plan (which I am sure will fall apart on day 2 of the trip) is to ride to Texas (my home state) and get new tires mounted. From there I'm going to ride across the state to Big Bend and spend few days there. I spent time there in the 70s when you could walk across the river to Boquillas del Carmen and get a cold Carta Blanca. I understand that since 9/11 you can't do that anymore.

From there I'm going to cross at Eagle Pass and head for the eastern coast and eventually cross into Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and winding up in Meteti, Panama. Spend a couple of days there and then head back up the Pan American Highway this time riding through El Salvador back to Mexico. In Mazatlan I will take the ferry over to Baja and ride up to San Diego (re-entering at Tecate) to visit my son that lives there. My wife will fly out and we will do some sight-seeing together for a while.

From San Diego I'm riding up to Nevada to ride Highway 50 (The Lonliest Road in America) and then over to Monument Valley. From there I think I'm going to pretty much high tail it home through the mid-west.

As I said this plan will probably fall apart faster than it took me to type all that!

Planning for Central America

2011-11-20T17:15:00.001-05:00

I know I have not posted ion a while but I have been busy! I have begun my planning for my trip to Central America. Below is my current reading material. Stay tuned because this is gonna be a great trip!

2011-10-06T19:11:00.001-04:00

September 30 through October 2, 2011 were the dates for the annual ADV Old School Rally in Tellico Plains, TN. It was a good time even if I did have some "issues" with the bike. The dealer that had worked on my bike the previous week did not fully connect the ground wire to the battery. I thought I was going to have to trailer the bike to a dealer but it turned out to be dealer error instead. I was so happy that my problem was easily solved that I rode out and forgot to latch my Touratech bag lid. It is somewhere on the highway between Georgia and home! Oh well, they can be replaced to the tune of $100!!! Here are some photos from a great weekend.

I am currently planning on making a trip to Panama in the spring. This is going to be a major trip and it is still in the planning stages. I don't know how many more time I will get out this year but I will try to post monthly on how the planning for the Central America trip is progressing. Check back or subscribe! Ride safe!

Run to Loafer's Glory

2011-09-18T17:22:00.002-04:00

On September18, 2011 I made a run to Loafer's Glory, NC. I had just mounted new tires on my airhead and what better way to scuff them in.

On the way back I rode through the clouds to Mt. Mitchell. Mt. Mitchell is the highest point in the United States east of the Rockies. At over 6,000 feet it was cool and foggy.

RoK On Rally 2011

2011-09-17T16:13:00.000-04:00

September 9-11 were the dates of the RoK (Riders of Knoxville) Rally in Del Rio, TN. I have gone to this rally several times over the past ten years and have always enjoyed it.

Friday evening Mr. Moore, a local historian, told stories of Civil War happenings in Cocke County, TN.

On Saturday I took a ride and got to do some forest service roads in the Cherokee National Forest. At the closing ceremonies I won a pair of sun glasses with flames in chrome on the side. Just what every BMW rider wants!!!!

On Sunday morning I packed up and went to see the Christy Mission. This is the actual "holler" where the historical events took place that led to the creation of the "Christy" television show years ago.

Eurosports Asheville VIP Grand Opening

2011-08-28T18:03:00.004-04:00

I don't know how I did it, but I swung a VIP invitation to the Grand Opening of Eurosports in Asheville. The event was held on August 19 at the new facilities. There was music, food from 12 Bones and a first look at the BMW K1600. I saw a lot of my old friends and it was a very pleasant evening.

Dan'l Boone Rally - 2011 Edition

2011-08-25T17:31:00.005-04:00

August 11-14, 2011 I attended the Dan'l Boone Rally in Boone, NC. This is a nice little rally that is really laid back. It is a "rider's" rally in that there are not a lot of activities during the day. You are supposed to be out riding anyway. The Snake (US 421) is nearby as are an abundance of sweet curvy roads. Dual sport riders are not disappointed either. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a mere 10 miles or so away. At this rally the roads are the entertainment. I really did not take many photos at this rally but did take one or two shots on the way home.

Dan'l Boone Rally

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Horizons Unlimited Traveller's Meeting 2011

2011-08-20T10:10:00.004-04:00

Horizons Unlimited held their annual USA East Traveller's Meeting August 4-7 at the Iron Horse Motorcycle Resort in Stecoah, NC. This is an annual meeting of international motorcycle travelers from all over the east coast. I am very lucky to have this event only 80 miles from my home. I have attended the last several years and always learn something new. The day time events are mainly "how to" seminars on tire changing, maintenance, ergonomics, etc. The night time events are more inspirational and motivational. Most presentations are about trips our fellow travelers have made. I presented my "Solo to the Circle" presentation about my 2008 Alaska trip. If you like long distance or international motorcycle travel you owe it to yourself to attend this event next year if you are in the area. Check the web site (a wealth of information) for upcoming meetings and times.

Women discussing their "special needs" when traveling long distances.

Learning how to set the bike up ergonomically for long days in the saddle.

"How to" presentations during the day.

Bikes from all over!

The Maritime Tour (Part 8)

2011-08-09T12:57:00.005-04:00

I took the express home and stayed in some interesting places. I did stop in Baddeck, Nova Scotia to see the Alexander Graham Bell historical exhibit. Since it was Canada Day it was free.

In Whycocomagh there seemed to be a fellow that takes the Simpsons a little too seriously! There were life sized figures of all the Simpson characters in his front yard!

One of the motels I stayed in had the smoke alarm ripped out and a "roach motel" in the corner! I gotta start staying in better places.

In Natural Bridge, VA I ran across Foamhenge. A full size replica of Stonehenge made entirely of styrofoam!

I'm back home now and really have to say I had a good time despite some of the weather!

The Maritime Tour (Part 7)

2011-08-08T08:02:00.006-04:00

I rode back over the Confederation Bridge in time to avoid all the hoopla over Prince William and Princess Kate's visit. Prince Edward Island is a pleasant place, but most of it is heavily cultivated in the rich red soil. Not really a lot to interest a motorcyclist. I backtracked quite a bit and finally arrived at the Cabot Trail.

I joined the trail at the intersection of the trail and 105.I rode about half of the trail and made camp at Chitencamp. I noticed a flag flying in the area. It looked like the French flag, but with a single star.

I asked a park employee about it and he said it was the Acadian flag. This was the the land of my ancestors and I did not realize it! My father's side of the family is Cajun. I believe I am the first in my family to return to our ancestral home. My plan for tomorrow is to complete the Cabot Trail and begin my long, slow journey to the south and west towards home!

The Maritime Tour (Part 6)

2011-08-02T17:47:00.005-04:00

Today's ride was rather uneventful. I rode from Fundy National Park to Prince Edward Island National Park. On the way I stopped by Cape Enrage and Hopewell Rocks.

I rode over the Confederation Bridge to get to Prince Edward Island. The bridge is 13km long. It is very pleasant and most of the island is cultivated. I did the birthplace of Lucy Maud Montgomery in New London, PEI. She was the author of the Anne of Green Gables books.

My guidebook was correct that Cavendish is a tourists trap. They actually do have a Ripley's Believe It or Not! Water and amusement parks abound. It was just not what I was looking for. I did get a very nice campsite right on the ocean.

I walked a little on the beach and noticed a strange phenomenon. When the tide went out several (hundreds) of smallish silver fish were left stranded on a small gulley. They were flopping around and could not get back out to sea. Birds, some that appeared to be eagles, were swooping down and having a feast on the hapless fish.

Later in the evening I spoke with some fellow riders I had met in Fundy and even a couple from North Carolina

The Maritime Tour (Part 5)

2011-07-15T13:33:00.005-04:00

I quickly had breakfast and packed up to more cursing and profanity from the next door neighbors. They were also hacking up their lungs before their first cigarette of the morning settled the phlegm in their lungs. In about an hour I was at the Canadian border. I was asked several questions, told to park the bike and wait in a little room while the immigration and customs officer “ran a few more checks”. While relatively easy this was my most difficult border crossing. Could my new “concealed carry permit” have had anything to do with it? Don't know. Eventually I was found worthy to enter Canada and I was off! It seems that after entering Canada there is about 50 miles of wasteland until you get to a real town. My first concern was to get some Canadian currency. No problem, I have a GPS. I told the GPS genie to find me an ATM and it took me to Nackawic. Nackawic is home to the largest ax in the world. I have to admit it was pretty big!

From there I rode Trans-Canada 2 to Fundy National Park. The bay of Fundy has the greatest difference in tide heights in the world. I arrived and set up camp and went to the Alma beach to see the tide. Low tide was 4:59 and that is when I was there. I was able to walk in the “watt”. In just a few hours everywhere I was now walking would be about 50 feet underwater.

I got off my “doing it on the cheap” and ate fish and chips with beer at the Tides restaurant overlooking the bay. Well, every once in a while you have to splurge while on vacation! It was a cool night. I took a shower and went to the program that was being presented that evening It was called Winter Wonderland and was supposed to give you a glimpse into the park in the winter time. I arrived early and began talking to the presenter who was from New Zealand. I mentioned that I had two sons, one in San Diego and one in Japan. She told me her son also lives in Japan. He was a JETT , like Niels, and married a Japanese girl and now lives there. I also mentioned I was a teacher and wound up on stage as the narrator for short play on the life span of fish in the Fundy National Park.

The Maritime Tour (Part 4)

2011-07-14T16:33:00.005-04:00

Today I rode up Mount Washington. It was a good ride, but not as scary as I was led to believe. We have scarier roads in North Carolina. The views from the top were worth the wait!

After visiting the summit I rode through Gorham into Maine. I was surprised at the number of Confederate Flags I saw flying from houses in Maine. Riding through Maine was uneventful and I wound up at the Green Cove Campground. This was a fishing campground and I thought I was back in the red neck south. I was assigned a tent spot next to a family that could have been from the deepest, darkest Alabama. I mean no offense to any one from Alabama. Every other word was the the F-bomb and I'm not talking just mamma and daddy. The kids were throwing it around like it was a cheap baseball. After a well deserved shower and laundry I drifted off to sleep with the sound of family cursing in the background.

The Maritime Tour (Part 3)

2011-07-12T17:21:00.003-04:00

Left Virginia and rode through Maryland into Delaware. Delaware seems to be the strip mall capital of the world. Every town I rode through was one strip mall after another. Saw a little place called Firebase Lloyd in Delaware.

Some kind of Viet Nam Vet's motorcycle club. From there it was on to the Allentown/Bethlehem area of Pennsylvania. It was like one large town. City traffic all day. I did ride into Nazareth, PA. Nazareth is where C. F. Martin guitars are made.

Later the weather turned nasty and I got dumped on near Stroudsburg, PA. I wound up staying in a motel.

The Maritime Tour (Part 2)

2011-07-09T13:51:00.002-04:00

The second day of my journey proved to be relatively uneventful. It entailed a long, straight ride on Highway 58 from Meadows of Dan to Norfolk, VA. Boring! The highlight of the day was the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel. There are actually two tunnels that take you under the Chesapeake Bay which allows large ships to enter the harbor at Norfolk. It was a really cool ride.

The low point of the day was my campsite for the night. I though that there was a National Park Service campground on the island of Chincoteague off the Virginia coast near the Maryland border. Upon arriving on the island, after quite a detour, I found only commercial campgrounds were available. For $35 I got a trashed out campsite at a “family campground”. I also got attitude from the kid running the registration. I don't think they like motorcycles staying here. My rating for Tom's Cove Park, two thumbs down!

The Maritime Tour Begins!

2011-07-09T11:53:00.003-04:00

Shades of Alaska! Three years ago I took a took a ride to Alaska and had eighteen straight days of rain. It looked like this trip was going to start off the same way. I woke up to thunderstorms and before I had left home a tree had fallen and taken out the power to our whole neighborhood. Eventually the rain stopped and I left on the Maritime Tour. As do most of my trips this one started with a jaunt on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Parkway was littered with debris and leaves due to the high winds. There was a detour from the Parkway at Laurel Springs and I had to take highway 18 from Laurel Springs, NC. About 15 miles into the detour I came upon another tree down across the road. Every traveler hates to backtrack, but sometimes it is necessary. My map was in my tankbag, but I really don't know why I keep it there. I can't see it without my glasses. I was going to have to depend on my GPS to get me out of this. I knew I needed to get to Highway 58 in Virginia and I knew that Willville Motorcycle Camp was near where I needed to be. Willville was a waypoint in my GPS so off I went. The wind picked up and blew me around the road quite a bit. Rain also began to fall. I finally found Highway 58 in Independence, VA and headed east. It was getting late afternoon and I decided to call it a night and camp at Willville.

That night I got to meet Rocky, the campground raccoon. I had been warned not to leave any food out and I was careful not to. I did not think Rocky would be interested in my sponge I use to wash dishes. I was wrong! Rocky brazenly climbed up on my picnic table and stole my sponge while daring me to do anything about it. I yelled an him and the chase was on! Rocky crossed a stream, dropped the sponge, and looked back at me as if to say “I didn't really want it anyway”. The next morning, when I could see better, I crossed the stream and retrieved my sponge from where Rocky had dropped it. Kurt 1... Rocky 0!

Moonshiner 28

2011-06-15T08:12:00.008-04:00

On June 11 I rode the Moonshiner 28 between Deal's Gap, NC and Walhalla, SC. I rode to Kickstand Lodge in Stecoah, NC on June 10 and made that my base camp for the weekend.

First I rode to Deal's Gap. What a circus!! I live in this area and I know that folks come from far away to ride the Dragon at Deal's Gap, but it is probably my least favorite area to ride here. I'll leave the Dragon to the tourists ride the good roads that we local riders try to keep secret.

From Deal's Gap I rode Highway 28 all the way to Walhalla, SC. Highway 28 is an old moonshiner's route to take white lightening down from the hills of Tennessee and North Carolina to waiting customers in South Carolina. It is a very good ride.

After completing the Moonshiner 28 I had lunch in Seneca, SC at a local greasy spoon. The Time Drive In was not bad (as long as you like all your food deep fried!)

After lunch I rode back to Kickstand Lodge to relax and socialize with the other riders. Kickstand Lodge is a very laid back campground with a unique method of operation. You'll just have to visit it for yourself to see. Here is a photo of the stream behind my tent.

Next week I am planning on leaving for a long ride to Canada. The goal is to pick up some New England states that I have not ridden in. I hope to take the ferry to Labrador and Newfoundland. We'll see if it all works out. Things happen on the road!!! I do not plan on being near a lot of wi-fi hotspots so reporting on this blog may have to wait until the trip is over. Check back later and see how it shakes out!

The Diamondback

2011-06-05T08:48:00.005-04:00

The summer riding season is in full swing!!

On Saturday, June 4, 2011 I took a day ride to the Diamondback. It seems all curvy roads in North Carolina have to have a reptilian name these days. The Diamondback is actually 226A between Marion and Little Switzerland. Although it is a good ride I found it to be just like other roads in the area. I guess I have become jaded by living in Motorcycle Disney World.

Somewhere on Highway 80

Somewhere along The Diamondback

Next week I plan on riding the Moonshiner 28. The Moonshiner 28 is Highway 28 between Deal's Gap and Walhalla, SC. Look for that report next week.

In two weeks I am planning my next long ride. My goal is L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland and Labrador. I am not sure how much I will be able to update the blog while on the road. I don't really plan on stay in places that have a lot of Wi-Fi capability. My new cameras are all 14MP and it takes forever to upload photos. What I don't get done on the road I will get done once I'm back home.

ADV Eastern Rendezvous 2011

2011-05-25T18:38:00.005-04:00

ADV Eastern Rendezvous 2011

This year's Eastern Rendezvous was again held in Laurel Springs, NC. The weather was perfect for the event, but the nights were a little chilly. I arrived on Thursday and spent the next two days riding around the borders of North Carolina and Virginia and the evenings meeting old friends and new ones as well. The "Party Boss" did a fantastic job of feeding, watering and keeping us entertained. Here are some photos from the event.

ADV Old School Spring Fling 2011

2011-05-17T18:10:00.006-04:00

May 13-15 were the dates of the 2011 ADV Old School Spring Fling held this year at the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground in Cruso, NC. The weather was a little cool but the rain held off for the most part and a good time was had by all in attendance. I took a little ride on the airhead Saturday and wound up in South Carolina. The rides where I get lost seem to be the best ones.

Along Highway 215 between Lake Logan and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We had a Canadian contingent from New Brunswick and they thought we Southern Boys were a little wimpy because we complained about the "cool" weather. They bought Hawaiian shirts to make us feel even worse!!

Next week is the Eastern Rendezvous in Laurel Spring, NC. Check back next week for a new entry after the RDV!

Dash to the Gulf

2011-04-15T13:45:00.007-04:00

I live in Asheville, NC and have ridden to Alaska, but never to Florida! I'm a teacher (for the present) and Spring Break was coming up. I decided to correct this and make a dash to the Gulf of Mexico.

I was going to take two days to ride down, spend a day at the beach, and take two days to get back. On the way down I camped at General Coffee State Park near Alma, GA. It was a nice place with Spanish moss in the trees and a real "southern" feel. Georgia state parks charge about $30 to camp and I think that is a little steep.

The next day I booked it for the Gulf. I passed through the Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Lakeland, GA.

After passing into Florida I began looking for gas and food. Parts of the Florida panhandle have neither. I finally rolled into Panacea, FL. There I found a Shrimp/Chicken shack that made me wonder if Florida had a functioning Department of Health. Granny was fryin' in the kitchen while her daughter simultaneously took orders and breast fed a snotty nosed kid. I wanted shrimp, but decided to play it safe and ordered grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, and fried okra. Money was not wasted grilling the chicken (it was almost raw), the okra was fried to within an inch of its life and I could still smell the chlorine from the tap water used to make the instant mashed potatoes. Oh well, beggars can't be choosers.

I arrived that evening in St. Joseph Peninsula State Park near Apalachiola. It was a nice destination on the Gulf and it is the part of Florida that has the white sugar sand.

The next day I spent walking around the state park and NOT swimming!!!!!!

I rode to Port St. Joe for a shrimp lunch. I found a little place called Regan's. I was the only customer in the little shrimp shack and while I ate I listened to the employees complain about the lack of tourist since the oil spill last year. As far as I could tell there was no damage to this area at all. The beaches were clear and beautiful.

On the way back to the state park I took a look at the Cape San Blas Light. She was very different from the light houses I am used to on the Outer Banks.

The next day I packed up and started back. I rode to Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park near Pine Mountain, GA. It was a nice, quite little place on a lake built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This was a "make work" program during the depression. The lake in the photo was made by men with shovels and wheelbarrows!

After loading up the next day I rode about two hundred miles to avoid riding through Atlanta. I don't like driving a car through Atlanta, much less riding a motorcycle. I was passing close to Suches, GA and decided to stop by and see Two Wheels Only. TWO had shut down and I wanted to pay homage to the place where I had had so many good times. It has already begun to look run down and it was truly a sad sight.

From TWO I told the GPS to take me home!

Dash to the Gulf

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Austin Vince in Asheville

2011-04-09T13:13:00.005-04:00

On April 7, 2011 Austin Vince did his presentation on Terra Circa at the French Broad Brewery in Asheville. I was fortunate to attend this get together and meet Austin. Austin has ridden a motorcycle twice around the world. His first trip was Mondo Enduro and the second was called Terra Circa. I have long been a fan of Austin and his wife, Lois Pryce.

Tomorrow I will leave on a Spring Break trip to Florida. Nothing fancy, just a two day ride there, a day to sit at the beach and read, and a two day trip back. Look for my report next week!

Spring is Here!!!

2011-03-12T14:33:00.002-05:00

It has been a long winter here in North Carolina and it is time to get back on the road and see what the next riding season brings. I have just made reservations for a camp site in Florida for my Spring Break next month! I have never ridden in Florida and I am going to use this Spring Break to correct that! Spring bike maintenance is being performed and I hope to be back on the road posting blog entries on a regular basis soon! Stay tuned!!!!

ADV Old's Cool Fall Rally - 2010

2010-11-06T14:20:00.003-04:00

On October 15 - 17, 2010 I attended the ADV Rider Old's Cool Fall Rally in Tellico Plains, TN. It was the usual group of inmates minus one or two regulars. The weather was perfect during the day, but it got quite cold at night. Below is a photo of Heidi with frost on her.

On Saturday I rode to the Ocoee River where the river events of the Atlanta Olympics were held. This area is still used for whitewater events and weekend rafters.

It was really great to see old friends and make a few new ones. I guess that is what these events are all about.

This will probably be my last event of the year. I have sent my rain fly in to North Face to be refurbished for the upcoming season. In June my wife and I will fly to Japan to visit our son and in July I hope to ride to Labrador and Newfoundland. That is a trip I had hoped to make this year, but other things got in the way. Please check back ever so often or subscribe via RSS. I do know for sure there are a few events planned for the spring. Have a safe winter and I hope I see you on the road next spring!

Cold Night on Cold Mountain

2010-10-09T17:18:00.003-04:00

I spent the night of October 1 at the foot of Cold Mountain in Cruso, NC. I took the airhead and my winter equipment. I though my sleeping bag was warmer than it proved to be that night! The temperature got into the mid 30's (3-5 Celsius). I was terribly cold during the night. I left my cotton socks on during the night and I believe that was my mistake. I would have had warmer feet without the socks. The next morning I had to wait for the sun to up over the mountain before I could cook my breakfast of sausage and eggs with coffee. After packing up I rode over to check out Balsam Lake in the Nanthahala National Forest. I found the lake although the directional signs had been removed thanks to roadwork going on under our leaders stimulus plan.
The lake was quite low but it was a beautiful setting. There is a lodge where rooms can be reserved for weekends and holidays.
After visiting the lake I set off for home. I seemed to have caught a cold from the night of camping and had a runny nose. I hate riding with a helmet when my nose is running!

The weekend of October 15-17 is the ADV Rider's Old School Fall Meeting in Tellico Plains, TN. That will probably be my last outing of the year. We shall see!

Ride the Blue Ridge Rally 2010

2010-09-28T18:47:00.002-04:00

The Knob Mountain N.C. Motorcycle Chapter (Knobbies) hosted a great BMW rally in Morganton, NC. The weather was beautiful on Friday and Saturday. I did ride home Sunday morning in a downpour, however.

On Saturday the GS managed to find more gravel roads in Western North Carolina. The photo above was shot in Gragg, NC. This is a small community at the intersection of some gravel roads. Below is a closeup of the sign.

I rode to Mortimer and discovered a small general store in the middle of nowhere on one of these gravel roads. No, I did not hear any banjos playing anywhere!

The rally itself was held at Catawba Meadows, a city park operated by the city of Morganton, NC. The site itself was beautiful. The site was donated to the club by the city to help tourism in the area. I won a gift certificate to a local restaurant as a door prize so I know I will return!

Next weekend I plan on making an overnight trip to Cruso and on Saturday check out Balsam Lake. Check back next week!

Horizons Unlimited Traveller's Meeting - 2010

2010-09-18T14:03:00.006-04:00

The weekend of September 10 - 12, 2010 found me at the annual Horizons Unlimited Traveller's Meeting in Stecoah, NC. Horizons Unlimited is a group of international motorcycle tourists and many presentations are given on topic ranging from border crossing to how to stay healthy on the road. This event is only about 80 miles from my home so I try to make it every year. Saturday was soggy one and well spent by listening to several presentations.

This year I was most impressed by Ileana LaTorre and Efrain Martinez. These two have started a charity trip called Moto Nomadas. They will ride from Charleston, SC around South America raising money and volunteers to help educate the street children on Central and South America. Please visit there web site for more details. Just when I seem to lose hope in the current generation a couple of kids like these step up and restore my faith. There is hope!!

Labor Day Weekend in Cruso

2010-09-13T20:39:00.004-04:00

Over the Labor Day weekend, September 3-5, 2010, I camped with the GS in Cruso, NC. On Saturday I rode to the Nanthala National Forest to ride a little gravel. While walking on a swinging bridge over the river I saw an entire family of deer watering in this beautiful countryside.

It was an excellent day on the GS in its natural habitat. Although I am not that comfortable on gravel the GS loved it.

On Monday I rode the R80RT to Smoky Mountain Knife Works in Sevierville, TN to do a little knife shopping. It was another beautiful day, but no photos of this. I enjoyed the riding too much!!

Ride to Roan Mountain

2010-08-31T18:12:00.005-04:00

On Saturday, August 28, I rode the GS to Roan Mountain State Park in Tennessee just to eat a picnic lunch. On the way there I rode through some interesting localities. I love the name of the town of Loafer's Glory, NC. I also stopped in Kona where Charlie Silvers is buried.

Charlie was caught cheating by his wife and she killed him and chopped him up into pieces. You can't tell from the photo but Charlie is buried in three separate graves. There is one headstone and three foot stones. As they found pieces of Charlie scattered about the countryside they would bury them in a new grave. Charlie's wife, Frankie, was the first woman hung in North Carolina.

In this part of the country we remember ALL of our war dead.

Weekend in Cruso

2010-08-17T16:55:00.002-04:00

I spent August 13-15 in Cruso, NC camping at the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground. Friday evening was spent relaxing with members of the Time Warp Vintage Motorcycle Club from Knoxville, TN.

On Saturday I rode to Oconee Station in South Carolina. Oconee Station was used as a meeting place for the Cherokee and British in the early part of the the 19th century.

My next planned trip is to the Horizons Unlimited USA East Traveller's Meeting in Stecoah, NC next month. Until then, Ride safe!!

Kickstand Lodge

2010-08-11T08:13:00.004-04:00

August 6-8 I spent camping at Kickstand Lodge in Stecoah, NC. Kickstand Lodge has become a favorite hang out of mine while living in North Carolina. The owners and customers have become like family. It also serves as a good retreat from my weekday life as a teacher. Stecoah is located in extreme western North Carolina and has some of the best riding roads in the United States. Some of my favorites in the area are US 74 through the Nanthahala Gorge, Forest Service Road 711 (when I am on my GS) and the Cherohala Skyway. Yellowcreek Road and NC 28 leading to the Tail of the Dragon are other favorites. The Tail of the Dragon is among my least favorite roads in the area. On a nice weekend it is filled with young teens on sport bikes seeing how fast they can ride the 318 curves in 11 miles. It is really like a circus with all the tricked out bikes and color matched leathers.

I took advantage of the roads and road FS 711 and NC 28 to Fonatana Dam on Saturday. Below are some photos from the days ride.

Cades Cove, Tennessee

2010-08-05T14:56:00.002-04:00

On Wednesday, August 4, I thought I would take the airhead to over to Cades Cove. What a mistake. For those of you that don't know Cades Cove is an 11 mile, one-way loop in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The problem is the traffic. It was over 90 degrees Fahrenheit and the old R80RT is an air cooled engine. At times there would be a three mile back up due to a deer feeding on the side of the road. I swear! City people!!

Once I finally got off the loop (it took 2 hours to go 11 miles!) I headed for Clingman's Dome. Higher Altitude = Lower Temperature

I'm Back!!!!!!!!

2010-07-25T17:19:00.003-04:00

I realize I have not posted anything for about two months. I made a great three week trip out west with my wife in our little red Toyota Yaris. We were able to visit my family in Texas on our way out. We made a tour of the National Parks and saw Mesa Verde, Arches, Canyonlands, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Little Bighorn Battle Field and many other fantastic sites.

Last weekend (July 16-19) I managed to get a little jaunt in to Willville Motorcycle Camp in Meadows of Dan, VA. I ran into a few acquaintances and we had a good time despite the rain. There was a wedding, wine tasting, and a few water crossings made in a Honda Accord. It was one of those "you had to be there" things.

I do have a few events planned for the upcoming months. In September Horizons Unlimited is having its USA East meeting in Stecoah, NC. I will be there and give a full report. That goes for the ADV Old's Cool Fall Rally in Tellico Plains, TN as well. That event will happen in October.

Eastern Rendezvous, 2010 Edition

2010-05-22T17:39:00.004-04:00

Last weekend I attended the ADV Eastern Rendezvous in Laurel Springs, NC. On the way there I rode through a terrible hail storm just after leaving Boone. Sorry, no pictures. I was too busy concentrating on keeping upright. The rally itself was another success put on by Rick, the Party Boss.
I did not ride at all on Saturday but I just hung around the camping area and caught up with some old friends. Here are a few photos from the Rendezvous.

A fellow named Chuck rode this from New Orleans, LA!!! He even got a speeding ticket on the way. He was doing 45 in a 35 zone. Oh yeah, and he was pulling a trailer!!

Learning how to make hobo scallops.

The camping area for the Rendezvous.

One of the landmarks in Laurel Springs, NC.

Another reminder for why I live here!

Well, I cannot wait for next year's rendezvous. There may not be much to post for about the next month. I will be headed to Grand Tetons and Arches NPs with my wife in a car. Be sure that I will make a longer trip. My school system has decided to start school early and this may kill my trip to Labrador. It is too early to tell now. I guess you will just have to check back and see!

Weekend Getaway!

2010-05-09T18:53:00.005-04:00

This past weekend I rode to Cruso, NC to spend a couple of nights at the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground. I had to take the long way around due to fallen trees on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The winter damage has closed a thirty mile stretch of the Parkway between Asheville and Mount Pisgah.

On Saturday I rode to the Nantahala Gorge to try and photograph some rafters. The wind blew some sand in my eye and blinded me for about 45 minutes. My eye finally cleared up enough to ride and I rode to the next country store and bought a bottle of water to try and flush the particle out of my eye. While there I met a young hippie type fellow named Chris who offered me a couple of drops of Visine. Now why would a hippie have Visine??!??

After arriving back at the campground a weather front move through setting us up for a windy and very cold night. Sunday morning was so cold I decided to eat breakfast at home.

Next week is the Eastern Rendezvous in Laurel Springs, NC. Check back for the trip report!

ADV Old's Cool Rally at the Minner!

2010-04-27T18:18:00.005-04:00

I did not arrive at this rally until Saturday, April 24. It seems that the President of the United States decided to vacation in Asheville, NC and that really snarled traffic in the area. I took my students on a field trip and the bus got caught up in the presidential traffic jam causing us to arrive at our school late.

I arrived at Quiverin' Minner, TN on Saturday after riding through a thunderstorm all the way from Tellico Plains, TN. Most of the crowd was already there. After making initial greetings and what not I got on my bike to ride to the camping spot. The dreaded EWS! error popped up on my display and I began to sweat a little. I turned the key off and back on and everything seemed to be fine. I set up camp and met with the rest of the crew.

That night we had RAIN!!!! I'm glad we had the Minner to stay dry in. After an "all you can eat" barbecue dinner the place started rockin'! This was red neck central for the next few hours. It was a blast meeting some of the locals and observing their mating rituals! I finally crawled into my tent and slept well in the pouring rain.

Sunday morning I packed up and headed for a Waffel House for breakfast. I once again had EWS! errors but managed to get home. Since arriving home I cannot get the error to reoccur. This weekend I will be staying close to home, but check back in a couple of weeks. I will be riding to Buzzard Bottom or perhaps just over to the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground. You just never know!

Quiverin' Minner Recce Run

2010-04-06T09:26:00.006-04:00

In two weeks the Adventure Riders Old's Cool gang will be having a get together in Quiverin' Minner, TN. It's really a marina on Watts Bar Lake near Decatur, TN. I had never been there before so I decided to make a weekend ride and recon the place. I camped at Hunt's Lodge in Tellico Plains, TN. This was my first time to stay there. I is a really nice place with good folks running it.

I had Friday off so after riding to East Tennessee I just rode around and enjoyed the beautiful weather after a long hard winter. In Reliance, TN I came up on this old abandoned Baptist church. I love "Southern Architecture", unpainted wood with a rock foundation. I am actually doing a photographic essay on this called "Southern Ruins". You can see this on my photographic web site in the Project gallery. This particular church was the Hiwasee Union Baptist Church.

On Saturday I rode to the Quiverin' Minner. I think this is going to be a fun little get together if we have decent weather. Below are some pictures of the "Minner".

This was only the first ride of the season. This year's plans include a long ride to Labrador and New Foundland to complete my quest to ride in all Canadian Provinces. This should be in July after a trip out west to see Yellowstone, Grand Tetons and Arches National Parks. That trip will be made by car with my frau.

Check back in a couple of weeks to see how the Old's Cool Rally at the Quiverin' Minner went!!

Spring has Sprung!

2010-03-21T11:40:00.002-04:00

Well, it has been a long hard winter in Asheville, NC this year. Yesterday was the first day of spring and I performed some of the annual maintenance on the GS. I am planning on making my first camping trip in two weeks. This year I will make a trip out west (but in a car) with my wife to Grand Tetons and Arches National Parks. There will be some photos for sure on my photography web site. I am planning on making a major motorcycle trip to Labrador and New Foundland, Canada in July. I have purchased a netbook to help with keeping up posts while on the road. Check back often to see my progress!!

Ride Safe!!!!

International Motorcylce Show, 2010 Edition

2010-01-11T17:49:00.003-05:00

On Saturday January 9, 2010 I attended the International Motorcycle Show in Greenville, SC. There were a few new bikes to see, but all in all, I had seen it all before. I am really not in the market for any new motorcycle gear but it was kind of neat to be among fellow riders in the middle of winter. Here are a few photos from the show. Enjoy and let's all hope for an early spring!!!

Gaurav Jani's Visit to Asheville

2009-11-08T18:08:00.004-05:00

There were showings of Guarav Jani's films Riding Solo to the Top of the World and One Crazy Ride in Asheville this past weekend. It was an honor for me to get to meet and speak with Guarav. For those of you not familiar with his films go to the Dirttrack Productions web site. His films are among the best motorcycle travel films I have seen. Even my wife likes them! Guarav and I spoke a little about what sets his films apart from other motorcycle travel movies. We agreed that it was because his emphasis was on the people he met and not the bikes.

Gaurav Jani

This fellow's name is Sobby. He was one of Gauarav's riding companions on One Crazy Ride.

It was also a beautiful weekend in Asheville and I managed to ride "the Bat" and a good stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Ride safe!!

Fred Fest 2009

2009-10-10T10:12:00.004-04:00

On October 2-4, 2009 Fred Fest was held at the Kickstand Lodge in Stechoa, NC. Most people arrived on Friday and old friends were greeted and new friends were made.

Saturday was an absolutely beautiful day for riding. I started by riding into the Nantahala National Forest to Forest Service road 711. This was probably a well maintained road years ago. Now there are signs of neglect... broken pavement and potholes. In the fifteen miles that make up FS 711 I saw only one other person. It was a great ride.

From there I went to Wayah Bald. On the short gravel road I discovered Wilson's Lick. This was the first ranger station in the Nantahala National Forest. I saw rows of white and some white rocking chairs in front of the old ranger station and decided to investigate. It turned out that a wedding was planned for later in the day. Notice the box of Kleenex next to one of the rocking chairs. That must have been for the bride's mother!

I then rode on to Wayah Bald for some beautiful views! What a day to be in North Carolina on a motorcycle!!!

From there I rode to the infamous "Road to Nowhere". This road is just outside Bryson City, NC. In 1943 the government wanted to buy land from the inhabitants to flood and create Lake Fontana. The dam would generate power for the secret city of Oak Ridge, then working on the Manhattan Project. The creation of the lake would separate the inhabitants from a cemetery where many loved ones are buried. In order to secure the land the government promised to build a road linking the island cemetery to Bryson City. The government started building the road. When the war was over the funds for the road disappeared and construction on the road stopped just the other side of the tunnel in the picture. This subject is still a sore spot with many of the residents in this area. First the government took land for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and then the Road to Nowhere. It is no wonder that folks in this area distrust the government.

That night back at Kickstand Lodge we were treated to a rib dinner that couldn't be beat. That evening we were entertained by the band Peace Soldier.

Well it is the middle of October and the weather is getting less predictable. My plans for traveling next summer are either Texas or Nova Scotia. I will have a long winter in the Appalachian Mountains to decide which to do. I will keep posting at least once a month, so check back or subscribe via RSS.

To all my friends in the southern hemisphere that are gearing up for the riding season...Ride Safe!

ADV Old's Cool Fall Rally

2009-09-30T19:16:00.008-04:00

The Old's Cool (Old School...get it?) Fall Rally was held September 25,26, and 27 in Tellico Plains, TN. I left Asheville about 3:30PM and by 4:00 I had on my rain gear. By 4:05 the rain had stopped but I cruised on to Tellico Plains, TN via the Cherohala Skyway. Got to the event and there was no food. Oh, well there was plenty of liquid refreshment to replenish my diminishing calorie supply.

The next morning stared off innocently enough. I had breakfast with Chromesux and Docwells at a place that had a really scary Jesus watching us eat. Chrome and I decided to head for the Joe Brown Highway. Once up on top of the mountain it began to thunder and lightning. We decided it would be best to go back to the campground.

Once we got back to the campground it began to rain. It was a good decision to get off the mountain when we did. We sat under the pavilion and it continued to rain...and rain...and rain! Soon the little creek where we were camping began to come up out of its banks. Some fellow riders were camped close to the creek and had to move their equipment before being flooded out.

It rained all day and eventually it stopped. The water receded almost as fast as it rose. When the rain was over we were rewarded for our perseverance with a rainbow.

That evening we had a BBQ dinner and most of us drifted off to bed to get some sleep for the ride home the next day.

The next day began foggy but soon cleared to be a great day for riding. On the way home I rode over the Foothills Parkway, through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

While riding on the Foothills Parkway I passed a bear grazing on the side of the road. Sorry, but I did not stop to take a photo!!!!

While riding through the park I stopped at the Mingus Grist Mill to pick up some corn meal for cornbread!

After riding through the park I took the Blue Ridge Parkway home for the last leg of the trip.

It felt good to get home to a dry bed!

Labor Day at Kickstand Lodge

2009-09-12T14:11:00.002-04:00

This past Labor Day I spent at Kickstand Lodge in Stecoah, NC. Riding there on Friday afternoon I passed a motorcycle fatality. It seems a man and his wife were riding their Harley in the passing lane up Soco Mountain and crossed into the oncoming lane head on into a car. The HD rider was going 15 miles per hour over the speed limit of 50 MPH. He and his wife were killed. I saw their bodies under sheets as I passed by. Incidents like this remind you that we are all vulnerable out there on our chosen mode of transportation. Let's take it easy and enjoy the ride! There is no need for speed.

On Saturday I rode to the Hiwasee Dam in extreme western North Carolina. This was one of the original dams built as part of the TVA project. It is still in operation today.
My next planned event is the Old's Cool rally in Tellico Plains, TN September 25-27. Stay tuned!

Horizons Unlimited Traveler's Meeting

2009-09-02T19:09:00.002-04:00

I spent August 21-23 at the Horizons Unlimited Traveler's Meeting in Stecoah, NC. This was my third traveler's meeting and I always learn something new at each one. This year I met travelers from the USA, Belgium and Australia. Many interesting tales were heard each evening. Tips on "living life on the road" were shared and demonstrated. Tales of travel in South and Central America, Europe and the "Stans" filled the evenings. My bike had been giving me a pain in my right shoulder after riding only a short distance. Grant Johnson, the founder of Horizons Unlimited, checked my bike's ergonomics. He found my bars were too low and advised me to raise them. Since I did... no more pain!

Each year I attend this meeting (it is NOT a rally) I am inspired to ride even further. The school year has started and it is time for me to start planning next year's summer trip. Newfoundland & Labrador?

Mountains to the Sea (and Back)

2009-08-20T18:05:00.003-04:00

On August 7 I left Asheville and rode to Cedar Point Campground in the Croatan National Forest near Jacksonville, NC.

On the eighth I rode back to Jacksonville to visit the Marine Corps Museum, but it is no longer there. They are building a new one near the Beirut Memorial. I visited the memorial and saw the new Viet Nam Memorial. It has all the names of those killed in Viet Nam etched in panes of glass. Very moving to an old soldier like me.

On the ninth I rode to the Cedar Point Ferry terminal and to the ferry to Ocracoke Island. I camped at the National Park Service campground and returned to Ocracoke village to have lunch at the Jolly Roger. That night at the campground I had a wonderful sea breeze and slept comfortably.

On Monday the, 10th, I rode to Wanchese via the the Ocracoke Hatteras ferry. I had lunch at the Fisherman's Wharf and rode back down Hatteras Island to the Frisco campground. That night for dinner I had tuna steak!!
On the 11th I rode to to Hatteras Village and visited the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum. On display was an original Enigma Machine From the German U-85 submarine. I was extremely interested in that due to my military experience.

The next day I left Frisco and rode to Hanging Rock State Park in North Carolina. I had a little rain on the way, but nothing really worth mentioning

The next three days were spent at the Daniel Boone Rally in Boone, NC. This is a nice little rally put on by the Tarheel Travelers BMW club. Sunday morning I packed up and headed for home.
Next weekend is the Horizons Unlimited Traveler's meeting in Stecoah, NC.

Not Exactly as Planned

2009-07-31T14:34:00.002-04:00

Well, my little tour did not go exactly as planned. I did make it to TWO in Suches, GA for a weekend and then on to the Riders of Knoxville Rally in Del Rio, TN. Both were very enjoyable. The Riders of Knoxville really go out of their way to make sure you have a good time at their rally! If you have never gone to one of their events, you should make plans to.

Then it was on to the BMWMOA National Rally in Johnson City, TN. When arrived I phoned home and my wife informed me that my father-in-law had passed away in Bergedorf, Germany. She said I should stay at the rally since we could not fly to Germany until Monday. The rally was great as you can see from the photos. I did cancel the rest of my trip (RA National Rally, OBX).

Still Here!

2009-07-06T14:46:00.004-04:00

Well the "family" vacation is over and I must say that the frau and I had a good time visiting with the Texas side of the family in Niagara Falls, ON and our subsequent trip to upstate New York. One of the highlights for me on this part of the trip was seeing the sight of the "Miracle on Ice" in Lake Placid, NY.

Now on to the motorcycle part of the summer. My new tires arrived today and tomorrow I will be mounting them on my GS. I will leave Friday for the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Camp in Cruso, NC and then on to the Riders of Knoxville Rally in Del Rio, TN. On Wednesday of next week I will ride to the BMWMOA National in Gray, TN and from there to a state park in West Virginia to rest up and get ready for the BMWRA National. From there I will either head to the Outer Banks of North Carolina or possibly ride the Natchez Trace in Tennessee and Mississippi.

I will NOT be taking the laptop with me as I want to get away from email and most other electonic media on this trip. But, look for a full ride report once I get back. As you know, I like to name my trips (Long Way Round, Solo to the Circle, etc.). This trip will be called Expedition Southeast because I will be riding over much of the Southeastern US. Check back the first week in August!

Gone Up North

2009-06-13T14:04:00.002-04:00

I will be in Canada and the Adirondacks for the next two weeks. I will be traveling with the frau in a car. There will be no posts until I return. I do have a couple of motorcycle trips planned soon upon my return. After mounting new tires on the GS I may go to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. That would be a week long trip. Shortly thereafter, the Rally Loop. The BMWMOA National Rally is in Johnson City, TN with the RoK Rally in Del Rio, TN the week before. From there I will ride to Caanan Valley, WV for the BMWRA National Rally. So, instead of reading this blog... get out and ride!!

See you in two weeks!!

A Weekend in Western North Carolina

2009-06-01T19:14:00.004-04:00

The photo above was taken Sunday morning on my ride home. I shot it from the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to live in this area and ride motorcycles. Some folks spend their whole vacations just getting here to ride. I spent the weekend at Kickstand Lodge in Stecoah, NC. There was good food and good friends, some old and some new. Below are two shots I took along Wayah Road. The first is the Nantahala River as it leaves the Nantahala Lake. The second is Wayah Road. This road was made for motorcycles!

This weekend I will be picking up the frau from the airport, so no riding this weekend. Soon I will be headed to Canada for a few weeks, but in a car. Keep checking back. This time of year you never know what will happen!!

Father & Son Trip

2009-05-24T13:43:00.003-04:00

Thursday I packed the frau off to Germany and on Friday my youngest son, Niels, and I rode to the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground situated on the east fork of the Pigeon River in Cruso, NC for the Memorial Day weekend. After enjoying a rib eye steak dinner we joined the crowd around the campfire and Niels fit right in with his tales of international travel. On Saturday we rode Highway 215 to Brevard and had lunch at the Cardinal Drive In. I had always wanted to eat at this diner. It has the classic look of an old American Drive In diner. It also had classic American greasy food. We then returned to the campground via Highway 276 through the Pisgah National Forest. After a quick nap we had dinner at El Pobre Mexican Restaurant just up the road from the campground. We again spent the night at the campfire swapping tales of motorcyle bravado with our fellow adventurers. There were also some Harley riders there.

The campfire session was shorted by rain (of course). It rained most of the night. Sunday morning we were able to pack up and ride the short 30 miles home to Asheville. The Mt. Pisgah area of the Blue Ridge was foggy and damp as usual. It began to rain on us the closer we got to Asheville. Niels, being an extreme minimalist, had no boots or rain pants. He was soaked by the time we got home. This was the first time he and I had ridden and camped together. Time will tell if he enjoyed it enough to do it again. He is still young and most of the crowd at these things are older.

Next week the plan is to go to Kickstand Lodge in Stecoah, NC. Tune in later to see if it happens!

Eastern Rendevous 2009

2009-05-17T19:04:00.002-04:00

It was another rainy event, but the Eastern Rendevous was great again this year! I arrived Friday after work. The location for the event this year was a horse ranch (resort) outside Parrotsville, TN. On the way to the Rendevous I looked at my GPS and there was just the triangle (representing me) and nothing else.

Saturday morning I awoke early and rode back to Asheville to watch my youngest son graduate from Warren Wilson College. Then...back to the party.

There was a BBQ dinner and a blues band for Saturday entertainment. It began to rain Saturday evening and rained the entire night. It was still raining when I awoke Sunday morning for my ride back to Asheville. But I slept like a log in my dry tent.

The frau is heading off to Germany Thursday and I may get a couple of weekends in with my son at the local motorcyle campgrouds. Check back next week to see!

Georgia Mountain Rally

2009-05-04T20:59:00.003-04:00

The first weekend in May is always reserved for the Georgia Mountain Rally. This year it was held at a new venue and we had plenty of room to spread out. The rally site was the grounds of the Georgia Mountain State Fair in Hiawassee, GA on the shores of Lake Chatuga. Of course, to many BMW riders this rally means one thing...RAIN!!!! This year was no different. Rain fell most of Saturday and most all of Saturday night. The venue was an improvement! The vendors had covered stalls from which to hawk their wares and there was a 2,400 seat auditorium Tom Crain and the Crosstown Allstars. Tom Crain played for the Charlie Daniels Band for decades. Skert was there to do her dropped bike demo. I think I have seen this about a hudred times now. There was plenty of time to socialize and meet with old and new friends. All in all it was a great rally and the rain has become a tradition!

ADV Old School Spring Fling

2009-04-24T22:17:00.003-04:00

The 2009 ADV Rider Old School Spring Fling was held April 17th through 19th at the KOA Kampground in Renfro Valley, Kentucky. I actually showed up the day before on the 16th. The weather was perfect...until Sunday and all of us had a cold wet ride home. I rode for five hours and the only dry road was in the Cumberland Gap Tunnel on the border of Kentucky and Tennessee! This rally had the usual hijinks and members of the ADV Rider site can see all the details and more photos by visiting the thread in the Old Skool section. The photo below shows what we did most...stand around and talk about motorcycles!

While this weekend's weather is supposed to be perfect I really need to get some photos for a couple of projects I have going on. So, I will leave the Parkway to the Harleys and let those fair weather bikers learn to ride after a winter of polishing chrome!

Day Ride Through Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee

2009-04-22T16:53:00.008-04:00

On Wednesday April 15 I took a little ride around Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. I covered almost 400 miles on the airhead. I had just finished the annual maintenance and wanted to make sure everything was OK. The old R80RT ran like she was new! As you can see on the photos the leaves are not even out yet at this altitude. The shot above was taken on Highway 28 between Bryson City, NC and Deal's Gap.

After leaving Deal's Gap (I leave the Dragon to the youngsters) I rode over to the Cherohala Skyway to ride into Tennessee. At the top it got a little foggy and cold, but dropping back down into Tellico Plains the weather improved. Lunch was had at the Tellicafe, which I can wholeheartedly recommend!

I took Highway 360 to Vonore (where I use to teach school) and would up on 129 riding along Calderwood Lake. I turned off onto the Foothills Parkway and made my way to Townsend. From there I followed the Little River Road through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park back to Cherokee where I picked up the Blue Ridge Parkway home. I rode several great roads that day. I have one more report I am preparing now about the ADV Rider Old School Spring Fling in Renfro Valley, KY. I hope to have it up in a few days! Ride Safe!!

Global Warming?!?

2009-04-07T19:48:00.005-04:00

Next week is Spring Break and I plan on doing some major riding. Right now this is the scene out my front door!! I had planned on having my safety inspection done on the airhead today, but not with this weather. Hopefully next week's weather will be better. I plan on riding to Renfro Valley, Kentucky for the ADV Rider Old Skool Spring Rally. I would also like to get a few day rides in before. Thing are starting to shape up for this season. A lot of "local" rallies, but no real long adventure rides. More on that later as my plans progress. Check back next week to see if the weather gets any better!

Just Checking In

2009-03-21T15:34:00.003-04:00

The weather here in North Carolina is still a little on the cool side. I did take the GS out for a little spin today. I rode her up the Blue Ridge Parkway to Cold Mountain of book and movie fame. Things should start get going in earnest next month. It seems that this year I will stay closer to home but still ride just as much. Well, that's what you get when you live in motorcycle heaven!

What a Difference a Week Makes!

2009-03-08T15:10:00.004-04:00

Last week we had 6 inches of snow in Asheville. This week the temperature was in the 7o's (20C). I took advantage of this and went on my first motorcycle camping trip of the year. I rode to Kickstand Lodge in Stecoah, NC and camped with four other brave souls. Kickstand Lodge is a motorcycle campground in the western mountains of North Carolina. The daytime temperatures were fine, but it did get a little chilly at night. The weather prediction for the next week in not so good. This may be the last camping for a month or more, but I did get the first one in! As you can see I took the airhead. That motorcycle is 24 years old and still rides like she was new. I will take the GS on the next overnight trip. I love these BMWs!

Nothing remains the same, but change!

2009-03-02T11:03:00.004-05:00

Well, this is what Asheville looks like today. That means we have a snow day at school. This is the last available snow day. If we need another...they will start taking Spring Break from us and that means the trip to Florida will have to be canned. The coast to coast trip is also looking doubtful at the current time. Due to some professional differences it looks like I may have the chance to take a year off. If this does indeed happen, making a coast to coast trip though the south and western deserts in June and July really make no sense! I think I would maybe just tour Nova Scotia this year and take a full year beginning June 2010 to travel the whole of the USA via backroads. I have also considered shipping the bike to Europe and making a year long tour there. My wife has suggested a RTW, but I don't know if I would do that alone. Oh well, I have time to plan all this stuff and that is half the fun! We watched Mono Enduro and Terra Circa again this snowy weekend just to get in the mood!

Believe it or not, with all this snow it is supposed to be 66F (19C) this coming weekend! Could this be the first camping weekend of the season? Check back and see!!!

International Motorcycle Show in Greenville, SC

2009-02-22T15:25:00.009-05:00

Today I attended the Cycle World International Motorcycle Show in Greenville, SC. It had what you would expect at an event like this...motorcycles, girls on motorcycles, more motorcycles, a motorcycle stunt show, and more motorcycles. Vendors were present selling everything from ear plugs to funerals for bikers! The lighting conditions were not set up for photographers so please excuse the harsh flash photos. Here are some photos from the show.

On the way home I decided to check out Jones Gap State Park and managed to drive into a forest fire. Here are a couple of shots of the fire. I was not permitted to go to the state park or get any closer to the fire.

I am starting to get pumped about the upcoming season. It is the end of February and spring will be arriving soon. Kickstand Lodge (a nearby motorcycle campground) opens for camping on March 6. That may be a little early for me, but at least if a nice weekend occurs it will be available. Keep checking back! You never know when something worth reporting may happen this time of year!!!!

February Blues

2009-02-15T11:10:00.003-05:00

Sorry, no photos for this entry. That is mainly because I have not done any riding this month. I'm not likely to any time soon. I am taking two classes this winter at our local community college. One is a photography class that meets on Saturdays. Hopefully that means the photos from this year's riding season will be better than last year's.

Next Sunday I will be attending the International Motorcycle Show in Greenville, South Carolina. I will take photos and post them as soon as I can during the week. Check back!

Dreary Winter Daze!

2009-01-31T12:36:00.009-05:00

Tomorrow is the first day of February and I can see the light at the end of the Winter tunnel! This month I will attend the International Motorcycle Show in Greenville, South Carolina. I will make a day trip out of this. It will be good to spend a day in a building that smells of gas and rubber!

It has been a slow month for riding. I rode the airhead on New Year's day but I have not ridden the GS at all. Tomorrow (February 1) The weather is supposed to be in the 50s (11-12C) and I may get a ride in just to charge up the battery. Starting on Monday we are due for another round of ice and snow. The snow melts quickly here but the problem is the salt and sand that the city and county spread. That stuff remains for weeks afterward. Sand and motorcycles are not a good combination (for me, anyway!).

I am also busy planning my "Chasing Hemingway" trip scheduled for third week in April. This trip will only be one week, but it is to an area that I have never been to before. I am a huge fan of Earnest Hemingway and the main purpose of this trip is to see his home/museum in Key West Florida. I have included the route that I am planning to take. If any of you are familiar with this area and have some tips for me let me know!

Well, everyone hang in there and check back in two to three weeks. Spring is coming!!!!

Baby! It's Cold Outside!!

2009-01-17T09:34:00.005-05:00

Some of you have been asking for updates since I have not posted in over two weeks. Don't worry I am fine and still alive, but there have been some goings on at our house. First I shipped son number 1 (he's the pilot, black belt, SCUBA diving one (don't you love it... land, air and sea!)) back to San Diego. Son number 2 (he's the one that just graduated college) has decided that Honduras are more to his liking than Mexico...so on Tuesday he flies to Honduras to begin his Dive Master course. This means he will not be in Mexico, so that changes my schedule for the summer. At first I thought that Honduras would make an interesting trip, but I just won't be able to squeeze it in this summer. Besides his course will be over in April and he does not know if he will remain in Honduras or not. Oh! To be young again! Anyway, I am back to my original coast to coast plans for this summer.

I have not ridden either bike since New Year's Day. You can see why in the photo above. I snapped this photo yesterday morning. I don't normally let a little cool weather keep me from riding, but I do have my limits! Nine degrees Fahrenheit (-14 C) is just below my limit. It does inspire me to plan my trip to Key West this April!

If you don't hear for me in a couple of weeks, don't worry! Spring will be here soon and winter will be a distant memory! For those of you in the southern hemisphere, ride safe...those in the north, stay warm!!!!

First Ride of 2009!!

2009-01-01T16:29:00.004-05:00

Today I made my traditional New Year's Day ride. I took the airhead and rode a few miles (almost 50) on my home road, the Blue Ridge Parkway. As you can see from the photo the weather was absolutely beautiful. It was a little chilly though, 42 degrees Fahrenheit (About 7 degrees Celsius).

For New Year's Eve my wife and I spent the evening listening to Larry Keel and the Mountain Family Circus at the Grey Eagle Music Hall here in Asheville. Larry's music is hard to describe...sort of a bluegrass/jazz/experimental/fusion style. Whatever you want to label it, it was a great show!

I hope everyone has a great 2009 and let me hear from you!!

Last Ride of 2008!

2008-12-31T11:32:00.008-05:00

I managed to get in a ride while my son and his girlfriend were here for the holidays. We had a very warm day after Christmas an I invited Yeseul for a ride. We cruised up the Blue Ridge Parkway and got in about 20 miles or so. After I dropped her off at home I took the airhead out for a spin just to keep the fluids moving around.

For 2009 I have several events already in planning. My "Chasing Hemingway" tour to Key West, FL (Arctic Circle to Key West in one year, pretty cool, huh?); "Coast to Coast with Kurt" (Ocracoke Island, NC to San Diego, CA maybe via Mexico?); the BMWMOA National in Johnson City, TN; the BMWRA National in Caanan Valley, WV; and the Horizons Unlimited USA East Meeting in North Carolina on my birthday. The new year is already getting full and it is still hours away!

RIDE LONG AND SAFE INTO THE NEW YEAR!!!!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

2008-12-24T09:33:00.005-05:00

I just want to wish all of my readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! To end my entries for the year here is a video highlight from this years Solo to the Circle trip. Stay tuned!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano!!!
Frohe Weinachten und einen guten Rutsch!!

Dreamin' of Ridin'

2008-12-14T17:10:00.005-05:00

Today I took both bikes out for about 20 miles each just keep the fluids moving and the batteries charged. While riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville I kept thinking about my upcoming trips. Regular readers of my blog know that I went to the Arctic Circle this year. During Spring Break I plan on riding to Key West. Not only will it be cool to ride from the Arctic Circle to the southernmost point in the U.S. in one year, but I am also a huge fan of Earnest Hemingway. I also plan to see his home which is now a museum and stop in at Sloppy Joe's. I hope the town is not too engulfed with Spring Breakers. Shortly after that trip, in June, I will begin my coast to coast trip IF my son still lives in San Diego. Also the BMWMOA International Rally will be held in Tennessee this year. I sure won't be receiving the long distance award! Also, the Horizons Unlimited USA East meeting is scheduled for August. Looks like another great year ahead if I can just make it through winter!

You may have noticed that I have put a hit counter and a country counter on my page. Please leave comments!! I speak Spanish, English and German. So please, don't be shy about leaving a comment in any of those languages!

DVD Time!

2008-11-26T15:09:00.016-05:00

Winter has set in here in the mountains of North Carolina. The bikes are in the garage patiently waiting for their next ride. It is the day before Thanksgiving. It gets dark early and we have even had some snow. I did take a few rides since my last post but it was just mainly cruising around the back roads. To get me through the winter I watch DVDs by others that have made interesting trips. About a week ago I finished Long Way Down with Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. This was the second journey in their series. I had watched the series on Fox Reality, but the DVDs included a lot of extra footage. I know a lot of guys think they're wimps with all their support and everything, but I like the show anyway. I have also watched Globeriders Indochina. This documents a scouting trip made by Helge Pedersen to Southeast Asia. He and a friend traveled through Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and a couple of other countries. I am now in the middle of watching a series by Gary Smith called Burro has Three Wheels. In this series Gary rides his Ural with a sidecar from Portland, OR to the tip of South America, then on to Prudhoe Bay, AK, then on to Goosebay, Labrador. That is still not enough riding for Gary and he heads for Key West. I watched the Mexico portion last night and he really made me yearn for a warmer climate. After I have finished Gary's series I will watch Get Lost: Oregon.

Don't think I am just a couch potato. I have also cracked open a book or two that deals with motorcycle travel. Right now I am reading Obsessions Die Hard by Ed Culberson. Ed was one of the first, if not the first, to get a motorcycle through the notorious Darien Gap. For those that don't know, the Darien Gap is a break in the Pan American Highway between Panama and Columbia. Most people will ship their bike by air or sea to get around the Gap. A few people have conquered it on motorcycle. I know only of Ed Culberson and Helge Pedersen. After reading this book, I would have to say I would fly my bike over. If you are starting to get cabin fever check out the links and support these guys by buying their products.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and check back soon to see how I am surviving the winter!

3rd Annual ADV Eastern Airhead Rally

2008-10-25T09:43:00.008-04:00

On October 17 - 19, 2008 the third annual ADV Eastern Airhead Rally was held in Tellico Plains, TN. This is traditionally my last big outing of the year. From now until March I will just do what I call maintenance rides. These are short 20 to 30 mile rides just to keep the batteries charged and the oils moved around. Also the next few months will be spent planning my my Ocracoke Island to San Diego cross county trip. I may make a few posts to let you know how the planning is going, but until March posts will be far and few between.
This past weekend, however, was a fitting end to a great riding season! I arrived late Friday night, in the rain, and Boojum still had some brats, chili, and Schlitz (that's right, Schlitz!) left over. After getting my tent up in the dark and standing around the campfire for a while I hit the sleeping bag for a good night's sleep. The next morning was foggy but it soon burned off and the rest of the day was beautiful! I rode to TWO in Suches, GA for lunch. This was the first time I had been at TWO in a couple of years and there were a lot of "Harley Posers" there. After lunch I ran the cooler run and returned to Tellico Plains. I won a "Ride the Dragon" board game as a door prize in the evening. Sort of appropriate for a third grade teacher. After the usual frivolity of the evening campfire, including Kayla the beer drinking bird dog, I hit the sack and during the night the temperature plummeted.
I awoke in the morning to a frozen rain fly and a motorcycle covered in frost! This photo is not that great, but the lens was fogging up in the cold. If I remember right the campground was at about 1800 feet and I was going to ride over the Cherohala Skyway which would take me up over 5300 feet. That meant I was in for a cold ride home! Oh well, so be it. This is what I do. The ride home was cold, but the skies were blue and the fall colors were out.
Keep check back during the course of the winter. I will try to make at least one post per month just to keep the site active. Meanwhile, if any one has any recommendations for my cross county trip, shoot me an email! Have a great winter!!

Blue Ridge Madness at Buzzard Brent's

2008-10-13T19:16:00.004-04:00

This weekend there was an airhead rally at High Country Motorcycle Camp in Ferguson, NC. This is Turkey Tom's campground for all you old timers. We have started calling it Buzzard Brent's in honor of the "new" owner. Actually Brent has owned the place for a couple of years now. While Friday's weather was on the iffy side, the rest of the weekend was fantastic. Beautiful blue skies and the forest was showing off all of its fall colors. I have included a couple of pictures, but the camera could not do justice to the color. It was a great time!
Next Friday I will be heading off to the ADV Rider Fall Airhead rally in Tellico Plains, TN. So far the weather seems promising. Check back next weekend and find out how it was!!

NO GAS in Western North Carolina

2008-09-28T09:33:00.003-04:00

I have not posted anything to the blog in the last two weeks because there has been no gas in Western North Carolina since Hurricane Ike hit Galveston, Texas. The airhead is dry and the hexhead has about 100 miles of gas left in the tank. Hopefully the situation will resolve itself in the next couple of weeks and I can get back on the road. Plans are to attend the Blue Ridge Madness event at High Country Motorcycle Camp in Ferguson, NC October 10-12, 2008 and then the ADV Rider Old Skool event in Tellico Plains, TN the next weekend. I have been doing a lot of photography in and around Asheville the last couple of weeks. Please take a look at the Asheville gallery on my SmugMug site and let me know what you think of my photos! Check back in a couple of weeks to see if we have gotten fuel. I would really like to get in a couple of weekends of riding before winter sets in!

Just a Relaxing Weekend in Western North Carolina

2008-09-13T09:39:00.005-04:00

This past weekend I camped at Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground in Cruso, NC. It always relaxing to camp in the shadow of Cold Mountain. On Saturday I rode to Mt. Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi. Due to closures on the Blue Ridge Parkway the restaurant on Mt. Mitchell has been having some hard times, so the Western North Carolina contingent of the ADV Riders decided to have lunch there. We had a good lunch after riding from the relative heat below to cool fog on Mt. Mitchell. I rode my airhead RT but several others rode the dirt to get there.
Even though it is the middle of September the riding season feels as though it is coming to an end. That's funny since I ride year round here. But I am not camping every weekend and time is taken up with school and other things that just need to get done. Keep an eye or subscribe to my blog, though. I will soon begin planning my next big trip. I will ride from Asheville to Ocracoke Island on the Atlantic and then to San Diego! Coast to Coast with mountains, prairies, and deserts in between! Hmmm! Deserts in June and July?!? I'm already starting to think of the trip to Alaska as the "good ol' days"!!
I aslo want to remind you of my SmugMug site. I will be posting photographs throughout the winter. Last weekend, for example, I photographed people at the Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival. If you know anything about Asheville, you know this is worth a look!

RoK On Rally - Newport, TN

2008-08-31T15:30:00.002-04:00

This rally put on by the Riders of Knoxville is one of my favorite events of the year! It is a laid back affair and has become a Labor Day Weekend tradition with me. I left for the rally immediately after school on Friday. This year the weather was beautiful. On Saturday I just rode around East Tennessee and discovered the Harrisburg Covered Bridge near Sevierville. I also discovered a part of the Foothills Parkway I had never ridden. After spending the evening watching other riders win door prizes we watched Easy Rider for about the millionth time. Next weekend I plan on camping at the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground in Cruso, NC. I plan on riding the airhead to this event. Check back to see if anything interesting happens!

Dan'l Boone Rally in Boone, NC

2008-08-17T19:48:00.003-04:00

First of all I have to apologize for not posting last week. I camped at Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground in Cruso, NC and had a great ride to Tennessee on Saturday. I rode through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Townsend, TN. The only problem was that I did not check the camera batteries before I left and I have no photos to show you. Oh well, that would be an excuse to do it again, right?
This past weekend, August 15 - 17, I spent at the Dan'l Boone Rally in Boone, NC. This is a nice little rally and about 275 people were in attendance. I rode 421, the Snake, to Shady Valley, TN and returned via Elizabethton, TN. Great roads and great weather! The rally is held at the Boone KOA, the highest KOA east of the Rockies. Here are some photos from around the rally site.

Horizons Unlimited Travellers Meeting

2008-07-21T09:46:00.005-04:00

I spent this past weekend (July 16 - 20) at the Horizons Unlimited Travellers Meeting in Stecoah, North Carolina. Horizons Unlimited is an organization dedicated to long distance and international motorcycle travel. Several presentations were given on Latin American travel. There was on on South Africa and I gave two presentations, one on how tho make a travel DVD and the other on my trip to Alaska. All in all the weekend was very informative and inspirational. If you don't hit the road on your bike after attending one of these meetings there is something wrong with you!

Day 27 - 328.1 Miles

2008-07-07T14:29:00.001-04:00

I left Clarksville, Tennessee about 7:00AM. I rode through Nashville and Maryville. We lived in Maryville for 18 years before moving to Asheville. I took the “back way” through Newport, TN and Hot Springs, NC. It was strange to be riding on my home roads after almost one month on the road. I arrived home safely and I am already planning my trip for next year. Stay tuned for Koast to Koast with Kurt – 2009!!!!

Day 26 - 484.1 Miles

2008-07-05T17:31:00.007-04:00

When I started today I though it would be relatively uneventful. I knew that I would not be able to make it home today, so I broke away from the main highway and decided to take The Great River Road by the Mississippi. I had seen Alton Brown do this on his Food Network show “Feasting on Asphalt”. I had forgotten about the flooding. There was detour after detour routing me around the road. That was not my only problem. I had forgotten that today was the 4th of July. I was in the middle of America in small towns in Missouri. Every Main Street was having a parade! I called my wife because I thought this was hilarious. She said I could join the parade on my bike. At one point I had the Mississippi River to my left, water covered roads ahead of me and 4th of July patriotism on my right. What could I do. I decide to watch a parade. I was talking to a policeman about a possible route around the detours when I mentioned joining the parade on my bike. He said I should! I asked “Didn’t you see Easy Rider. The cops arrested them for that!” He thought that was funny! I decided that it was time to make some time, so I went back to the slab. I finished the day (with just a little rain) in Clarksville, Tennessee. Believe it or not, one thing I am looking forward to is changing oil in the bike. I last changed oil in Anchorage. I have been working this oil hard. I am looking forward to washing this bike and giving it some tender loving care. It has done everything I have asked of it and more. Tomorrow…home!

Day 25 - 432.2

2008-07-03T21:31:00.001-04:00

Today was a good day. The weather was almost perfect. The highlight of today was riding through Marceline, MO, the boyhood home of Walt Disney. Did find one thing interesting while in South Dakota. While watching TV there were commercials trying to get people to stay in South Dakota. It was telling them that they had good jobs, better apartments, and a better way of life. As I left South Dakota there was a billboard that said “DON’T LEAVE SOUTH DAKOTA”. It made me wonder what is going on there. It certainly did not speak well of the state to tourists passing through.

Day 24

2008-07-02T20:49:00.001-04:00

There is not much to report today. Guess what? I had a cold, rainy ride this morning. I did make it to Sioux Falls, SD. Sorry, the weather was too bad to photograph anything today. Tomorrow I will head further towards Dixie!

Day 23 - 71.9 Miles

2008-07-01T15:56:00.004-04:00

Today was just a relaxing day. I rode less than 100 miles! It was almost like a day off. I rode to mount Rushmore and spent a little time there. It really does look bigger on TV. When I got back to the campground an older gentleman asked me what kind of motorcycle I had. I told him a BMW. He then asked if that was a British version of a Harley. I just said, “Yep!”. This is sort of the end of the trip. The next three days will be spent riding the slab to get home. I will update you each night as to how where I made it to and how many miles I covered. I know how you mother hens worry!!

Day 22 - 371.9 Miles

2008-06-30T20:55:00.004-04:00

I left Billings and headed for the Dakotas. Just a lot of prairie riding. I did see quite a few antelope in southeastern Montana. I started singing “Home, Home on the Range” in my helmet. I cut through the northeast corner of Wyoming and into South Dakota. I finally made it to Sturgis, site of the (in)famous Black Hills Rally. There is not much to Sturgis when the rally is not in town. It is just a lot of Harley Davidson souvenir shops. I did ride down Main Street, though. Afterwards I rode on Highway 385 through the Black Hills National Forest to Rapid City, South Dakota. Tomorrow I plan on seeing Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. Believe it or not, I visited Mount Rushmore with my mom and dad when I was only about four years old and I sort of remember it. The area around Mt. Rushmore sort of reminds me of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in Tennessee. A lot of tourist trap type attractions.

Day 21 - 240.6 Miles

2008-06-29T18:35:00.006-04:00

Today was arguably the best day of the trip so far. The weather was great! Not a cloud in this big ol’ Montana sky. I rode to Beartooth Pass and what a ride! There were times I was riding between two walls of snow that were about 10 feet tall! The scenery was the best I have seen on my trip. I then rode the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway and then back to the KOA. The pictures do not do today justice. I just could not capture the beauty of this place. Tomorrow I will be heading for a campground near Mount Rushmore. Check back then!

Day 20 - 399.9 Miles

2008-06-28T22:27:00.009-04:00

I reentered the US today. It feels good to be back “home”. By the way the sky was cloudless and I actually rode without fleece or my heated grips today! I rode through Montana to Billings where I am staying in North America’s first KOA. I love history! Tomorrow I will ride the famed Beartooth Pass in Wyoming. Then on to Mount Rushmore. From the photos you will see why Montana is call the Big Sky country. One interesting item of note is that I passed several defunct missile silos. It sort of reminded me of my trip a few years ago to the former DDR where I saw several old East German bases slowly deteriorating. I guess the Cold War really is over.

Day 19 - 599.3 Miles!

2008-06-28T22:25:00.002-04:00

I left Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada and rode almost 600 miles to Lethbridge, Alberta. Tomorrow I will reenter the US and try to run Beartooth Pass and see Mount Rushmore before heading for home. Sorry, no photos today.

Day 18 - 541.1 Miles

2008-06-28T22:22:00.002-04:00

Today I left Liard Hot Springs in a cold rain. Other than my continuing weather problems, the ride was ling and uneventful. I ended up in a hotel in Grand Prairie, Alberta. The photo is of my tent drying out in my room. I hope to reach the States tomorrow.

Day 17 - 398.7 Miles

2008-06-28T22:20:00.003-04:00

Well, I found a tire at Yukon Honda. Those guys were great! They moved me to the head of the line and I was in and out in less that one hour. Thanks guys. I rode on (in a cold rain of course) to Liard Hot Springs Provincial Park. Along the way I ran into a fellow had flown to Alaska, bought a used 1150 GS and went to the Arctic Circle on the Dempster. He decided to ride the bike back to Toronto with knobbies. Needless to say the chip seal pavement on the Alaska Highway ate his front knobbie. He was very concerned. I told him he could probably make it to Dawson Creek where he could find a new tire. Later some friends of his with a trailer arrived! End of his worries. I went to sleep to the sound of rain falling on the tent. I am getting tired of this!!!!

Day 16 - 390.3 Miles

2008-06-24T23:26:00.000-04:00

I left Tok, AK in a cold rain, but by noon the sun finally came out and my spirits were lifted. After a lot of construction I crossed the border back into Canada. I am really beginning to need a rear tire. I will try to find one in Whithorse tomorrow. For the next few days I will be backtracking my trip up the Alaska Highway. The ride reports for the next few days will probably just be mileage and staring and ending points. That’s all today.

Day 15 - 335.2 Miles

2008-06-24T23:22:00.003-04:00

What can I say? Today sucked! First two good things happened. I changed my oil at Alaska Leather and I cannot say enough about Barb, the owner. I had forgotten my filter wrench at home and she did not have one at the shop. She drove to her house, tot her wrench for me to use and returned to the store. Not many people would do that for a customer. Thanks, Barb!! The second good thing was that I saw my first glacier. It was truly magnificent, a river of ice. Can you guess how the weather was today? That’s right! Cold and rainy. My worst weather so far. I had 285 miles of cold rain. Alaska’s weather has whipped my butt. I am going home. Tonight I am in Tok, but not at the campground. I am am hotelling it again. Tomorrow I will head for Whithorse. Hopefully I will be able to camp at the Robert Service Campground again.

Day 14 - 370.2 Miles

2008-06-23T00:14:00.003-04:00

Last night in Fairbanks they had the annual Midnight Sun Fun Run. The race went right by the campground I was stay at. These photos were taken at about 11:00PM. Today I left Fairbanks with fairly decent weather. The ride through Denali National Park was very nice. After that (you guessed it) the weather turned cold and rainy. So much so I found a hotel for the night. Tomorrow I will give Brunhilde a well deserved oil change. I wanted to have a new rear tire mounted, but Barb’s tire guy broke down in Dawson and will not be able to mount the tire until after 6:00PM. I am getting a case of get-home-it is so I will skip the tire change. It really doesn’t need to be changed I just wanted new rubber for the trip home. I know this tire will last until I reach the lower 48, but I’ll have to see after that. Oh well, enjoying the luxury of a Super 8 tonight, tomorrow I will be homeward bound!

Day 13 - 400.2 Miles

2008-06-22T00:02:00.003-04:00

Today I made my assault on the Arctic Circle. June 21, 2008, the summer solstice. The Haul (Dalton Highway) Road was not as bad as I was expecting. But I had perfect weather. In the rain I think this road would have killed me. But I still feel like I have been beaten like a rental mule. It was so jiggly that I think some of my organs have been rearranged. I had a little rain on the way back, but not too much. After I visited the Arctic Circle Wayside I saw Jim on the way up to Prudhoe. He flagged me down and told me that he had seen a family of four on bicycles that were going from Alaska to South America. Their water filter had broke and he sold them his for $40.00. He felt bad about this and asked if when I passed them I would give them the $40.00 back. Boy, were they surprised when Brunhilde and I pulled up beside them and gave them the 40 bucks. Hey, we travelers have got to stick together!

This is It!

2008-06-21T11:18:00.002-04:00

In about one hour I will be leaving for the Arctic Circle. Jim slept in, but it is not like I have to worry about riding in the dark on the way back. I don't really know what to expect of the Haul Road. Some folks say you can do it at 80 MPH and others say no way over 40. The weather is liiking good. According to my GPS it is a 12 hour rond trip to the Circle, but only 157 miles?!? We'll see, it is kind of screwy sometimes. Check back later today or tomorrow for my report.

Day 12 - 210.6 Miles

2008-06-20T23:06:00.002-04:00

I can’t believe it!! Finally a day without rain. After breakfast I left Tok and headed for Fairbanks. No fleece, no heated grips and no rain. The weather was beautiful. The most remarkable event of the day was eating lunch at a Taco Bell in North Pole, AK. Tonight I am camped at Chena River Wayside. Tomorrow… the Arctic Circle. Jim and I will also part way tomorrow, he is headed all the way to Prudhoe Bay. Hopefully by this time tomorrow I will be writing my report on the Arctic Circle.

Day 11 - 187.7 Miles

2008-06-19T21:29:00.003-04:00

Today I left the Yukon on the Top of the World Highway. What a ride! When the sun was out the vistas were beautiful. The road is partly paved on the Canadian side, but mostly mud on the American side. I reentered the U.S. at Poker Creek, the most northern land port of the United Stated. I rode to Boundary for coffee and proceeded to display my riding skills by dropping my bike in the parking lot. How embarrassing! Anyway, I continued on the highway to Chicken, AK where I had breakfast at noon. After Chicken the road conditions improved and I camped at the Sourdough Campground in Tok, AK. Tomorrow I will be heading for Fairbanks!

Day 10

2008-06-19T21:18:00.001-04:00

When I woke up this morning it was raining, of course. As soon as the weather broke, I headed out on the Klondike Highway to Dawson City, Yukon. The riding was pretty good considering the weather. I had my first real experience with northern road construction. After passing through a construction site just beyond Stewart’s Crossing, Brunhilde was filthy. But, she wears the dirt well. After arriving in Dawson I set up camp on the other side of the Yukon River. A short ferry ride back to town got me back to Dawson. First we (Jim, a fellow traveler) went to the Downtown Hotel for beer and wings. Then we had dinner at the Drunken Goat, a Greek restaurant. Afterwards we met some locals and let’s just say the evening got weird. The cast of characters for the evening was a bar owner, retired bar owner, a suspected meth addict, and one other guy who just shoed up. That’s all I’ll say about that because I really don’t know how the evening went down, but somehow by the end of the evening Jim got his beard shaved. Anyway, we went back to the campground (via ferry) about midnight to get ready for the Top of the World Highway tomorrow!

Day 9

2008-06-17T23:11:00.001-04:00

Today I left Liard Hot Springs Provincial Park and rod to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada. The weather was again on again and off again. I did see two bear, one black and one grizzly. Of course, I stopped at Watson Lake to see the signpost forest. I met Jim again on the road and we rode together to Robert Service Campground in Whitehorse. This is sort of a hippy campground…coffee shop, old sofas set up under an awning, etc. Really cool, man. At 51 I may be the oldest person here. Lots of Europeans judging from the languages I am hearing. It reminds me of the European youth hostels, but with tents. The plan for tomorrow is to ride to Dawson City Yukon and then to Alaska on Thursday. I made it to the Yukon!

Day 8

2008-06-17T23:08:00.003-04:00

I left Beatton Provincial Park about 8:00AM The sun, however, was up about 3:30AM. These northern latitudes are going to take some getting use to. I looked forward to my first full day on the Alaska Highway. What a day it was to be! The weather was on again then off again. The pattern seemed to be 1 hour of beautiful weather and then one hour of cold rain. The same with the Alaska Highway, one hour of smooth road, one hour of road that made the GS earn its name. I finally saw a moose, four in fact. I also saw buffalo on the road. No bears, yet. Tonight I am staying in Liard Hot Springs Provincial Park. I have the tent set up under a shelter so I do not have to worry about rain tonight. To my surprise I ran into a third grade class on a field trip. They were from the Chalo School in Ft. Nelson, British Columbia. I wound up talking shop with the teacher and they offered to feed me hot dogs and cookies for dinner. It seems like teaching is teaching no matter where you do it. Their teacher has the same problems and headaches as we do in North Carolina. It was kind of neat being surrounded by eight-year-olds after being mostly alone for a week. I also met a guy named Jim that is also on a GS headed north. I am stating to have problems with the light. It never gets dark here! I think you may be able to say that I am out of my comfort zone. Later I will take a soak in the Hot Springs. Ahhhh! This is the life!

Day 7

2008-06-17T23:04:00.001-04:00

Today started just like the rest…cold and rainy. But during the afternoon the clouds began to break and the sun appeared. I felt something that resembled warmth. The highlight of the day was reaching the Alaska Highway. I took the usual photos at the marker in Dawson Creek and rode on to Beatton Provincial Park on Charlie Lake. As I write this in my tent showers are falling. Oh yeah, finally some scenery. It can only get better from here (I hope)!