Long Road Home - Riding for Make It Right 9

Next: The Missing States Tour

2008-11-09T12:07:00.006-06:00

Our two trips have covered 39 states. We have missed Ohio, West Virginia, Delaware, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Kansas and Oklahoma. (Burgma and I have been through Ohio & West Virginia on other trips but C-Zookie was not with us.) Next summer we hope to finish out the lower 48 states. Along the way we plan to visit some friends and family and to attend the Lake George Motorcycle Rally. Here is a preliminary itinerary:

It covers the missing 9 states and adds another Canadian Province (Manitoba).

EPILOGUE: What We Learned

2008-08-24T23:02:00.015-05:00

We have been finished long enough for all the caffeine and adrenaline to wash out of our systems, and to reflect back on the experience and what we learned. It will take some time to sort it all out. As time and reflection bring the picture into focus, I hope to continue editing this work.

In the meantime we know this:
1) If you take one-half as much stuff as you want to bring, you will still have twice as much as you need.

2) There is more than one right way to get there.

3) You will learn something new everywhere you go, and if you ask nicely people are mostly very helpful.

4) This is a big, beautiful country.

5) Balance the destination and the ride.

6) If you are lucky, the toll gate arm is made of foam and designed to break-way.

We haven't counted all the gasoline stations we visited, but I hope to some day. (I have pictures of all but the two I inadvertently failed to snap.) In one sense they are all very much the same (e.g., they all sell jerky inside), but in other ways they are all different. Pictures of the four corner stations are posted here. (I will be posting more in the future. ) You will recognize the similarities; the differences may be more subtle.

For example, in Oregon it is illegal to pump your own gas. The young attendants must handle that task. We compromised. They run the credit card and unleash the pump handing it to us. We actually fill up the tank and replace the pump handle. Filling a motorcycle tank is not like filling a car tank. The automatic shut-off generally won't work properly so one must manually monitor and shut off the flow. Getting the right level is important and may vary from bike to bike.

Near the Florida border, oranges are sold in open bins outside the station. In the Keys are vending machines in front of the station from which you can buy live bait.

In California, the Arco stations don't take credit cards! Vending machines between the pumps take currency like drink machines. Feed the bills in, enter the pump number, and the pump you selected will dispense up to the dollar amount of gas you prepaid.

In Maine, they don't just sell compressed air for your tires, they sell "Fresh Air." (Don't you just hate it when the air in your tires gets stale?) Some stations in the west and in California are unmanned. No attendant is available at all during most hours. You just use your credit card to fill up at the pump.

At one station in Montana coffee was fifty cents. At one in South Dakota it was one dollar. In California it is $1.59 but it is a "special blend."

In the plains and other less populated areas you can still get full repair service for your vehicle, but in the urban areas the closest you'll come to repairs and maintenance is a robotic car wash.

The pay at the pump machines will accept a credit card only once at any given station. The anti-fraud protection makes you go inside to pay after filing up one bike. East of the Mississippi this generally means that you must pre-pay inside for more than you expect to purchase. The attendant then inputs the prepayment which unlocks the pump. You go out and fill up. You return and they tear up the prepaid slip and run a new charge for the actual fill-up amount. Accordingly our routine became for one person to go inside and hand over the credit card for the prepaid charge to unlock the pumps. Actually when we do it they run two charges on the return trip because the system will only allow two pumps on one slip. So the third bike fill-up is on a separate slip. It is fastest if one person makes both trips finally going back inside to settle up when everyone is done filling up.

West of the Mississippi when you go in and hand them the card to pre-pay and unlock the pump they look at you like you are crazy. They don't want the credit card in advance. They tell you to just go out and fill all three bikes, then come back in and pay when you are done. The pumps are always unlocked! Well, who knew. East of the Mississippi they were all locked. Oh well.

Nashville Ink

2008-08-03T19:12:00.015-05:00

Before we had even started on the trip there was talk of commemorating the accomplishment with a tattoo (done at Miami Ink or LA Ink, we joked). BurgMa had designed the trip logo for the safety vests, shirts, and the business cards, and a variation of this same logo seemed appropriate as the basis of the tattoo design. As the trip progressed, Czookie and Bmrpop fine tuned their tattoo design to be just the infinity sign with 4 stars. It has enough to be memorable of the trip but still had mystery.

Based on Czookie's experience with tattoos, it was decided to wait until the trip was completed before getting the new tattoos. We didn't want to have to worry about bumping them or having tender sites. On Saturday, after a hot day on the disc golf course, the group headed to Emperor Tattoo for the 4:00 appointment with ED. Czookie had met with him the day before, given him the design and set the appointments.

Bmrpop went first and had decided upon the design to be placed upon his inner left calf. At the last moment, he decided on the stars to have some shaded color and at ED's suggestion of choosing bright colors, selected a teal.

Czookie went second and had selected the backside of her upper left hip. She had the same design as Bmrpop with the same teal colored stars.

While waiting Burgma took pictures, perused all the tattoo books, browsed the art on the wall, and viewed the selection of tattoo designs hanging in display racks. Many people came and went from the Emperor Tattoo shop; it was relatively busy. After about 3 hours, we were finished and very pleased with the results.

28 Days on the road and I'm gonna make it home tonight

2008-07-27T21:30:00.003-05:00

We did it. We made it home safely. Our trip was a lot of fun and we learned a lot about this big country in which we live. We learned that every mountain range is different in shape and surface, that different areas of the country have unique smells, that local rules and regulations vastly effect the appearance of an area, and that Tennessee is truly one of the most beautiful states.

Driving home today from Paducah KY through the Land Between the Lakes and on the backroads towards Nashville, we twirled through treed lanes, past old country stores where folks waved, and past beautiful horses, happy cows and bison!

We each feel incredibly lucky to have been able to take this trip. It has been a wonderful sharing experience. And now, after 2 years of planning and undertaking the 4 corners trip, we have to focus on other life goals. We thank everyone who made this trip possible and contributed to its success.

Headed Home

2008-07-25T22:17:00.008-05:00

Since leaving Blaine we have been running hard. The days have been too long for me to report as we have been beginning as early as 5:00 am and riding as late as 10:00 or 10:30 pm.

First we headed out from Seattle to Post Falls Idaho via Redmond Washington and lake Sammich . This is definitely on the list of places to return to. From Idaho down to Missoula Montana (home to retired hippies) for lunch at the bagel shop and on to Livingston Montana just north of Yellowstone. Up before 6:00 am to tour Yellowstone and watch Old Faithful. We nearly burned out our brakes on the long winding mountain road out of the park.

Then we spent the afternoon and evening traveling through Cody Wyoming and the Bighorn National Forest. Bighorn was spectacular and varied scenery. The Devils Kitchen mesas, narrow river canyons, steep mountains, high plains with limitless views, trout streams, game and livestock. Some stretches of long straight roads, but more twisties up and down the canyons and mountain passes. Some day we all want to spend a lot more time in the Bighorn National Forest. We arrived very late and very tired in Gillette Wyoming. (Going into Yellowstone we learned from a Seattle BMW (2004 RT model) that Gillette had just been the site of the annual BMW national rally. Ever since folks have been asking us if we attended and are now on our way home.)

More varied terrain across Wyoming. Classic western topography, steep hills and then into the South Dakota for a quick tour of Mount Rushmore and the Badlands. Like the Yellowstone tour, this sightseeing in South Dakota slowed us down. We knew we would have trouble reaching Omaha for our scheduled service appointments. In fact, we could only manage to reach Sioux City Iowa (about 80 miles south of Sioux Falls South Dakota) by 10:30 pm after leaving Gillette Wyoming at about 6:30 am. We had not planned a stop in Sturgis, the motorcycle Mecca. However, Burgma's right hand end cap fell off and she pulled over to effect a repair. Since this has been a recurring problem, CZookie suggested a stop at the Sturgis Suzuki shop which as luck would have it was located within sight. As a bonus the shop also handles BMW. Eric confirmed that they did not have a replacement endcap plug in stock, but he very helpfully reinstalled the old plug with a treatment which has significantly improved the situation.

We have been hitting the No Doze pretty hard. Even at that Burgma and I had to catch a 30 minute nap in the afternoon refueling stop en route to Sioux City. Our contact Nate at Dillon Brothers Suzuki et al in Omaha had arranged our service appointment for 8:00 am. We were up by 5:30 am and on the road by 6:30 am headed for Omaha. Still with road construction, a fuel stop and rain preparations (it ultimately only misted) we did not arrive for service until 8:30 am. Dillon Brother's service department was super. They took the bikes right away and even did an oil change on the Beamer. (I had learned in a call to BMW of Omaha the prior afternoon that they were too booked up to service the RT on Friday.) They also did not complain or repremand us when Burgma and I snored soundly for two hours on the couch in the service department. Hopefully it was not offputting to the other customers.

After an excellent lunch with Nate at the IceHouse Restaurant next to Dillon Brothers we were on the road headed to Kansas City. Sleep deprivation and exhaustion were overcoming us and by mid afternoon I was signalling an emergency caffeine stop. The closest source was McDonald's which now serves iced mochas. Two of those and an iced tea washed down No Doze all around. As we were leaving a local teacher and BMW rider asked if we were headed home from the BMW national rally in Gillette. She and her husband have a collection of collectible and more recent BMWs having ridden them since 1975! Everyone in her family rides them. We explained our trip and current destination. She gave us an alternate route from St. Joseph over and down to Columbia Missouri avoiding Kansas City and associated interstate truck traffic and road construction. These were good four lane roads with little traffic and although they are not limited access, the speed limit is 65 and I believe we made much better time more safely than we could have on the interstate. We are passing many, many fields flooded from recent rains. Streams and rivers are crested beyond their banks and water is rushing at the road level even at bridges. The oncoming lane was under about 2ft of water at some points. Moreover our stops have repeatedly reminded me of my small town childhood in the Midwest. Some good things here have not changed. Now in Macon Missouri we are less than 500 miles from home. It has been a spectacular and wild journey. It will seem very strange to be home and not to have somewhere to motor to on the morrow.

Smooth Ride

2008-07-22T20:22:00.005-05:00

Northern Idaho and Montana are BEAUTIFUL! We rode all the way to Livingston MT. There was a light sprinkle in the afternoon, but for the most part the ride was smooth. How smooth you ask? Well...

About 170 miles west of Livingston, we pulled off I-90 to take a short break. The little town we found ourselves in had one small church and one post office/general store that was closed. It was a great little taste of rural Montana. As we were stretching and taking pictures, Burgma set her phone on Beamerpop's right saddle bag.

After everyone had sufficiently re-discovered normal human motion, we got back on I-90 and headed toward Livingston. Beamerpop, leading the pack, decided to "open it up." We were making great time at 100 mph on the straight open roads of Montana. One gas and one grocery stop later, Beamerpop realizes that Burgma's phone is still on his saddle bag. To our amazement, the phone had stayed put! This incident only further backs up the family motto, "Better to be lucky than smart." Unfortunately, it also went to feed Beamerpop's ego about his bike. "That just goes to show how smooth a ride on a BMW is."

I am definitely looking forward to tomorrow's ride through Yellowstone and hopefully we can all keep our possessions at least safely strapped down.

Sun at our backs

2008-07-21T23:37:00.006-05:00

We celebrated our 4th corner with dinner at a lakeside restaurant with friends of Czookie's. It was a relaxing finish to our traffic filled day. Why is everyone driving up and down I-5 on Sunday?

We took our time this morning heading out of Seattle. We slept late and then did things we had been neglecting, like laundry and bathing. We took a leisurely drive out of Seattle along Lake Sammish, enjoying the houses and longing to buy one. Then we got on I-90 with the sun to our back and we took off through the mountains. We were cool and enjoying the twisty roads in the snow capped mountains. We stopped for lunch at a place that crossed the Pacific Crest Trail (and thought of you, Lee). Then we warmed up as we came out of the mountains and stopped to strip down. The roads were straight through the rolling amber fields and Czookie and I lead with good speed. BMRPop managed to keep up. We had a Ducati join our threesome for a bit! He could keep up!! I don't think the residents in the mid Washington state can relate to their state slogan (the Evergreen State) - there are no trees in the middle of the state.

We stopped just over the border in Idaho!! Tomorrow we plan to stop just shy of Yellowstone.

Fourth and final corner

2008-07-21T02:16:00.003-05:00

Getting a bike shop to plug back in the clutch lockout switch... $40

Getting a locksmith to jimmy the broken key out of my Givi case and make me a new one... $2

New front right turn signal assembly... $50

Trip to the Emergency Room... $300

Being the first family to complete the Four Corners Challenge... PRICELESS

WE DID IT! We completed the Southern California Motorcycle Association Four Corners Challenge. Two years ago when we finished our coast to coast, trip we joked about doing the Four Corners Challenge. I seriously doubted that we ever would. Now here we are having traveled over 8500 miles, gone through 26 states, 3 provinces, 5 time zones, and been to all four corners of the continental Untied States. Did I mention we're not even home yet!

We only had about 430 miles to go today but it was the longest 430 miles of the whole trip. Not only did the excitement and anxiety add to the length of the day, the traffic in/around Seattle WAS TERRIBLE! I couldn't believe that on a Sunday afternoon there would be stand still traffic on I-5. Even as we got 20-30 miles north of Seattle there was still bumper to bumper traffic. Luckily motorcycles are allowed in the HOV lane. Although, there should be a minimum speed of 5 mph over the speed limit in the HOV lane.

Exhausted and looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow morning, I will leave it at that.

Almost there!

2008-07-20T00:10:00.006-05:00

Yesterday we hit our third corner. We left early to try and beat the traffic that would be heading toward San Diego. We made great time and rolled into San Ysidro with ease. We pulled off at an ARCO station to get gas. This was also one of the places we needed to obtain a phone number from to prove we had made it. ARCO stations are quite unique. They only allow traffic to flow through the station in one direction. Of course we end up pulling in the exit and have to do a little U-turn in the station in order to be headed the right way. There is a "pay at the pump" option for debit cards and cash, but they don't accept credit cards. We spend about 10 minutes trying to figure out why it won't take our credit cards or our cash (bills don't tend to stay crisp in sweaty pockets). Beamerpop finally went inside to see if he could pay with his credit card. The cashier, thinking it was a debit card, instructed him to use it out at the pump. We are very confused at this point and continue to try and shove 1s 5s 10s and 20s into the cash slot. A gentleman walking into the convenience store yells to us, "It's broke. Only takes cash!" Burgma yells back, "Can we pay inside with cash?" "Yeah they'll take your cash. This is still America, isn't it?" Finally, after a few more confusing interactions with the cashier inside we are able to get gas. Much more importantly, we are able to get our receipts to include in our four corners packet. The last thing we need from this ever confusing ARCO station now, is their phone number. In the past, the gas station has had a business card they can give us with the number on it. This time however, the cashier pulls out his personal cell phone looks through it for a while and then writes a number down for me on scrap receipt. Who knows if it's actually the number to the gas station and at this point I don't care.

We had a long ride through San Diego, Los Angeles, and on into the never ending farm land of northern California. We drove through fields and fields of tomatoes, onions, grapes, almonds, oranges and lemons. Trucks and trucks of tomatoes were on the road. Every now and then, we would see patches of tomatoes that had spilled over on to the shoulder. I would hold my breath as we passed the trucks. The last thing we needed at this point was to get injured by a tomato that decided to jump ship.

At lunch we looked at the map and decided to try to make it to Santa Nella. Not knowing anything about Santa Nella, we crossed our fingers in hopes of a meal and a decent bed. We were pleasantly surprised with a great Danish restaurant called Andersen's. Beamerpop and I, of course, had to have split pea soup.

With a goodnight's sleep under our belts we arose early this morning and made it to Sacramento for breakfast. Burgma spotted a donut shop that only took two U-turns to get to. It was well worth it! This donut shop is THE hang-out breakfast place for the Retired Men's Club. As we sat with our coffee and donuts, we noticed that the other patrons seem to just help themselves. They get up, go behind the counter, pour themselves a refill, and bring the creamer to their table. Everyone was very friendly. They gave us a short scenic route to get back on the highway that was a great break from the interstate.

Breakfast behind us we rode on making it out of California (FINALLY!) and into Oregon. The scenery change was refreshing, not to mention the cooler temperature. Oregon is BEAUTIFUL! It definitely made the we-must-come-back list. We rode up and over mountains covered in evergreens. The curvy roads were a blast all the way to Salem, where we decided to stay for the night. That now puts us only 330 miles away from Blaine! It's hard to believe that in the course of three days we will have hit our third and fourth corner.

FINALLY ON THE ROAD AGAIN

2008-07-17T22:55:00.004-05:00

Leaving early this morning, we finally made it out of the movie Groundhogs Day...uh I mean Richfield, UT. Starting off before the sun rose, Burgma and I were bundled up (including a few instant heat packets put in our jackets and gloves). By 9am we had to stop and strip down to day-desert riding wear. We made excellent time and landed in San Bernardino for the night. Although, over lunch in Vegas, we discussed spending the rest of the trip "rehydrating" in the casino. Alas we push on.

Hills stayed on the horizon for the whole day teasing us with cool elevation. It's amazing what a temperature difference there is a few thousand feet up. It was a nice relief from the dreadful heat of the desert valleys. Just to keep you updated on our bug observations, check out this GIANT beetle we saw. He really liked BB and was making circles around her at the gas station.

And let us not forget my favorite moment of the day. Riding through California, I once again got to observe the cars/people that were around us since the traffic had picked up. A middle-aged women in a white Ford Focus with a license plate frame that read "I Love Bowling," looked at me and BB and then shook her head as she passed. Now, a shake of the head can mean a lot of different things. I pondered her intention. Did this gesture mean she was...

*Disgusted?

Motorcycles are far too dangerous. Why would anyone endanger their own life like that? Everyone should be riding safe, American made, cars that proudly state your favorite hobby on the license plate.

*Amazed?

Wow those motorcyclist rode all the way from Tennessee and Louisiana. How impressive to have such dedication and endurance.

or perhaps she was...

*Disappointed.

Look at that measly DL 650. You know that trip would take half the time on a Busa!

Footnotes

DL 650--Suzuki V-Strom DL 650cc (my bike aka BB)

Busa--nickname for the Suzuki GSXR 1300cc Hayabusa (186mph top end speed)

Resting in Richfield

2008-07-16T16:26:00.013-05:00

We tried to leave this morning. After a trip to the ER (in a taxi) to get a shot for nausea and a prescription for an antibiotic, and 2 days of rest and rehydration (Czookie has slept for 2 days and nights), we thought we might be ready to get on the road. We walked down to the local cafe for breakfast to bolster Czookie's strength (her first real meal or outing in 2 days) and then returned to the hotel to pack up the bikes and head out of town. We made it 1 mile to the gas station; we then sat and rested for about 30 minutes before Czookie said she really couldn't go any further.

So BMRPop called the Days Inn and they took us back in, and even gave us back "our room" which was freshly cleaned. Yep, we are still in Richfield, UT, our home away from home.

BMRPop and I have gotten to know the town fairly well. It sits at about 5300 feet above sea level, was founded by the Mormons in 1864 and currently has a population of about 7000. Our hotel sits on Main St across from a lovely park which is a block square and has a stage area and many picnic tables and benches under trees. It is BMRPop's new office as he darts over there to make/take phone calls.

The town has 2 traffic lights and then a safety system for crossing at other intersections. At the lamp post is a basket with bright orange flags. You are to carry a flag when you want to cross the street and all the traffic stops for you; on the other side you place the flag in the basket.

Richfield has about 5 eating establishments, outside of 2 chain restaurants by
the interstate (an Arby's and a Subway). One establishment we have visited often is the Little Wonder Cafe, a little place on Main St with wood paneling and about 6 booths and 2 tables. Most of the booths sport a little sign announcing someone famous sat there. Apparently, this town is a well known location for moviemaking. Today, Czookie ventured out for a meal (breakfast, actually) and we sat at Wilford Brimley's booth. There are also signs for Stephen King and Tommy Lee Jones. Another interesting thing is that the eating places have this "natural salt" on the table, mined in Utah. It is supposed to be a sweet salt and is unprocessed.

We enjoy musing around local groceries as they really give you the flavor of a town. The local Albertson's is interesting. Across from the beer aisle is all the hunting/camping equipment --gun cases, etc. (Does this sound dangerous?) We also like to look at local beers, as some are quite unusual.

For lunch today, we walked (trying to build up Czookie's stamina) down to the local health food store (on Main St.) and after ordering at the counter in the back, we ate at one of two tables in the front window watching the locals drive by or conduct business in the store.

We are very hopeful we will leave early tomorrow morning.

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO JULIA!!!

THANK YOU for supporting the Long Road Home House

2008-07-14T14:41:00.004-05:00

Guess What? I checked the Long Road Home house on the Make It Right site and we are over 1500 dollars! Many thanks to all of you have contributed to this cause to rebuild the ninth ward in New Orleans in an environmentally friendly and affordable way.

We have been handing out the business cards (with links to our trip blog) and explaining the Make It Right mission to fellow travelers and to townsfolk everywhere we stop.

And Jay --we are on the road so please contact us again!!! Or give us a way to contact you.

We are taking a rest day in Utah to allow Czookie to recover from severe dehydration. Our next day of riding will be through extreme heat as we head towards southern California via Las Vegas.

Rocky Mountain High

2008-07-14T13:39:00.006-05:00

Wow! Heading out of Denver on Sunday morning was fantastic. The Rockies were in the skyline and we were going to be riding through them!! As we started up the mountains, we could see some of the peaks had snow on them. Fortunately we all had our warm gear on which had been uncomfortably hot while leaving Denver but now felt just right! The roads were in fairly rough shape. Some had been scraped and had grooves in them but we maintained our speed as we continued up the winding roads and through the numerous tunnels. The Continental Divide at Loveland Pass went by almost unnoticed as we tunneled below it! What a fabulous ride past the numerous ski resorts. BurgMa and BeamerPop decided that summers in Vail could be sweet!! In fact, why not a summer motorcycle shop and campground. There were lots of motorcycle riders on these roads. The Rockies are on the list of things to come back to. A fabulous ride was through Glenwood Canyon with the curving road and green trees and steep rock walls. The Colorado River ran alongside us and there were plenty of whitewater rafters and kayakers enjoying their ride as well.

And then we left the Rockies and entered the heat of the desert in western Colorado and eastern Utah. Long straight roads with nothing to look at. The place is void of any vegetation. Sometimes we were the only people on the road. We stopped for lunch in a small town; our choices were the little counter at the tiniest grocery, or the dark pizza bar without windows.After pizza and several large glasses of liquid, we headed back out into the bright sun and convection oven heat. We wondered what the townspeople do for employment.

Then came the beauty of Utah, the large buttes in multicolors of dark red, grey, beige and white. They were so large they made us seem insignificant. The sun highlighted their rough edges and I felt as if we were riding in a dried up ocean bed. We were grateful for the small clouds that occasionally blocked the direct heat of the sun and allowed us to look more clearly at the magnificent rock structures we were riding through.

As we got closer to our destination for the night (Richfield, UT) we gained altitude and the air became cooler. We checked into the hotel, walked down to the grocery and bought a light dinner to bring back to the room.

At some point in the night Czookie became ill with either a bug or severe dehydration. We are taking a rest day until she feels strong enough to continue. The extra day may not be a bad thing as a check on the weather in Barstow and southern california reveals flash flooding and mudslides.

Garanoque Canada to Michigan City, Michigan to Omaha, Nebraska

2008-07-13T22:39:00.008-05:00

We have been doing some long days with early departure from the hotels and late evening arrivals. We pushed through Canada covering 3 provinces in one day, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario. I'd say that Montreal could learn from Toronto about how to handle traffic. Toronto was the easiest city to navigate with a through lane quickly carrying us from one end of town to the other. And Toronto goes on and on. Ontario turned out to be less than scenic. Czookie complained that New Brunswick smelled of paper factory, and Quebec smelled of manure. However, Toronto smelled like licorice! Unfortunately the ride through Ontario was not very scenic. It was flat and hot.

We arrived at the Port Huron customs area about midday. Czookie proceeded first through customs. As I was waiting behind the big yellow line for my turn I used the autocomm to aks BMRPop if I needed to declare the dried fruit snacks I had purchased in Ontario. He replied" I guess you just did.", implying of course that our walkie talkie communication was being monitored. Unlike our entry into Canada, the US agent motioned for all of us to move up to the customs booth together. Czookie was asked if she knew her tag number. Because we have to write our tag number on our gas receipts for the 4 corners challenge, Czookie had it memorized. The agent asked if it was Ontario or Michigan. Czookie volunteered it was Louisiana. The agent then asked Carolyn how we all knew each other. Czookie replied that we were her parents (to which the agent replied "I'm sorry."---just kidding.) The agent then collected Burgma's and BmrPop's passports and Czookie's driver's license. And then the agent returned our papers to us and waved us through. Can you believe Czookie crossed into Canada with just showing her birth certificate and returned with just presenting her driver's license? We were surprised!

We had a leisurely lunch and then made our way towards Chicago, stopping for the night in Michigan City.

The next morning we rose early and headed out fearful we would be caught in the Chicago rush hour. Surprisingly we zoomed through Indiana and through Chicago without much trouble. Not much later and we were headed across Iowa headed toward Omaha Nebraska. Iowa is pretty with rolling hills and green farmlands. We could see the results of the heavy rains in Iowa as all the rivers and lakes were very full. We met a few storms, waiting them out in the nice rest area which offer a travel kiosk of current weather and historical information about the area. One of the features of the weather information was the information about the winds. We could expect 15 mph winds around Des Moines. Not something to look forward to. Interestingly we saw only a handful of windmills. I do believe our energy problems could be solved all by utilizing Iowa winds! We kept trying to dodge the rain and after being caught in a downpour we eventually outran the rain. With Czookie leading, we could pretty much outrun anything.

We made it to Omaha with time to visit the Suzuki place just as they were closing. We found a hotel within walking distance to the dealer, and BMRPop went to scout out the BMW dealer. Next morning Czookie went to the Suzuki service area first thing while Burgma went with BMRPop to the BMW dealer to drop off the BMR, and then together they rode the Burgman to the Suzuki dealer. By the time we got there, Czookie had befriended all the staff, especially a parts person who chatted her up for most of the morning we were there. The good news is that they said our tires should last until we come through on our way home from Seattle. And they ordered the new light replacement for BB which will be ready on our next pass through as well. The duct tape repair is holding well so far. They fixed the loose side vent on the Burgman and confirmed that the duct tape on the front cowling is holding. After the Suzuki bikes were ready we proceeded to rest at the hotel. BurgMa found a laundromat and did laundry. Later we picked up the BMW and then rode to Drover's, a loal older restaurant, for a fine steak dinner. YUM!

Next morning we donned our rainsuits and putzed around in the brakfast area waiting for severe storms to pass. With just light rains remaining, we headed out across Nebraska. Nebraska was hot and windy, and very flat. It seemed like forever to get through it. The eastern part of the state has farmland but the western part is drylooking with sand dunes and little farming. At one point we came across a HUGE bridge/archlike structure spanning over all lanes of the interstate apparently commemorating a fort. You could stop and go in it for a fee (do I need to say here that we only stop for gas and food?). But I remember thinking as we drove under it, what on earth could you possibly see from that bridge that you can't just see now --yes, Nebraska is that flat.

Oh the ways you find to amuse yourself.

2008-07-11T13:34:00.013-05:00

We made it to Omaha and have gone over 5000 miles! It's time to get our bikes serviced again not to mention a much needed day of rest for us. As for our riding through middle america, there is not a whole lot to say. Going through a state like Iowa (miles and miles of flat corn fields), there are really only a few things to keep us entertained. The wind is one element of entertainment. The crosswinds are brutal and will definitely keep you on your toes. BB is so tall and light that I really get blown around by the wind. Burgma and I both thought that Iowa should line the interstate with windmills and put some of that wind to good use!

Another source for entertainment on the road is observing all the different people and cars that you pass (or pass us depending on who is leading the group). We have seen a lot of bumper stickers, a lot of cool bikes, and a lot of interesting people.

Needless to say we tend to attract attention on the road. Three motorcycles, bright green vests, and out-of-state license plates tend to get a few looks. There was the one guy in the pick-up truck that as he passed screamed out the window, "RIDE ON!" There was the little red station wagon with the 3 or 4 year-old-boy who nearly leapt out of his car seat to wave at us. There was the guy in Canada that tried to talk to mom while we were stuck in traffic. Too bad we wear ear plugs, helmets, and don't speak french. My favorite however was the old VW van filled with 13-14 year-old boys. As we passed, they were waving and giving us the "wheelie" sign (holding their arms out as if they were riding a motorcycle and lifting them up in the air). If I was to do a wheelie with all my stuff weighing down the back of the bike, I don't think I would ever get the front tire back on the ground!

The last source of entertainment/amusement is to observe all the bugs.

Some of them you know when the hit you. Even with a padded jacket on you can feel them. Some of them you are really glad they hit the windshield and not you. When we stop, we all check out our windshields and helmets to see if we can identify the bugs. We also compare bug splatter patterns and colors. Yup, that's what it has come down to here in Iowa and Nebraska.

A list of "firsts"

2008-07-10T06:31:00.006-05:00

Well so far on this trip I have had a lot of "firsts." First time I have ever been to NH, CT, ME and Canada; first time I have ever eaten a lobster; and first time I have dropped my bike.

Yes, I have dropped Burgma's and Beamerpop's bikes, but this was the first time I dropped my OWN bike. Since my bike is "customized" (aka lowered), the kickstand is longer than normal. This requires very strategic parking. If you park on a slant, you have to make sure that kickstand has enough room to actually hold the bike. Otherwise, not enough weight will be on the kickstand and the bike stands straight up on both wheels.

I had noticed that Burgma's rain cover was waving in the wind like a flag. The flag seemed to get larger and larger as we rode. I signaled the team to pull over so we could tuck her cover back in. We had pulled off the interstate and on to the side of an exit road. Thinking more about Burgma's cover and not about my parking, I put the kickstand down but not on a big enough slant to do any good. As I started to get off the bike, she began to tip to the opposite side (the side without the kickstand). I felt BB starting to fall but I had already started my dismount and wasn't in a position to save it. The good news is there was no mechanical damage. The cover to the turn signal broke and the end of my handle bar is a little bent.

But nothing a little heavy duty tape won't fix.

Without Internet...missed blogging

2008-07-09T22:29:00.010-05:00

As you may have noticed, we have been without internet service for a few days.
Below are entries to catch you up:

Monday
On Monday morning BMRPop and BurgMa headed to the Suzuki dealer in Bangor to get oil changes while Czookie headed to a locksmith to fix the broken off key in her GIVI case. Lucky for her, the locksmith had a variety of nice customers to keep her entertained while she waited for the shop to open. She arrived at the Suzuki dealer just as the Burgman was getting out of the service bay, and the dealer was able to promptly give the Wee strom an oil change. A service unique to this dealer is the "shampoo and blow dry" each bike gets after service. We were amused by the leaf blower they use to dry the bikes!

It was also amusing to us that country music is soooo popular here in Bangor. Our hotel lobby had it playing as did the motorcycle place. In fact, the parts person was thrilled we were from Nashville and wanted to know how many cowboy boots and hats we each owned, and did we know any country music stars.

We discussed our choices for routes to Madawaska with the Suzuki sales and service persons. Our mapping had us using Rt 1, as bloggers had warned of the logging trucks on Rt 11. However the saleperson said Rt 11 would be fine ad even checked with a friend who had driven it recently. We were guaranteed to see 6 - 12 moose!! We were very excited.
Route 11 was fantastic. In fact, they should close that road to everything but motorcycles; it was that much fun!! Yes, there were numerous timberloaded trucks but most were headed in the opposite direction and, for the most part, the road was in fairly good shape. We climbed up mountains and enjoyed the vistas, and then whooped as we roller coastered down the hills, making our stomachs tumble. A lot of the times we were the only travellers on the road, temporarily picking up a local car or two as would pass through a quaint little town with its token white church building. Disappointingly we only saw one moose; it was wading in a marshy area and hardly visible form the road. From Rt 11 we took Rt 1 from Fort Kent (the other terminus of Rt 1) into Madawaska. It curves right along the St. John's River with picturesque green hills of Canada on the other side. We all cheered and pumped our fists in the air as we entered Madawaska, and immediately set to completing our obligatory picture taking and other 4 corner's tasks.
Woohoo! Corner number two is done!

For dinner we sampled some local fare (pontine and ployes), and retired early, set on leaving super early the next morning to cross the Canada border --looking for more moose!

Tuesday
Leaving Madawaska Tuesday morning we had some time to make up. After a quick breakfast at Martin's, we were on the road and crossed the narrow bridge into Canada border by 7:10. BMRPop was first and while remaining on his bike and with his helmet still on, spent a few minutes talking to the customs agent. She then waved him on. I followed. The customs agent took my passport and then asked if "I had the same story as him", pointing at BMRPop who was parked a few yards ahead of me. Wow --was this a trick question? I had no idea what BMRPop had said. Should I say "yes", or should I ask "what exactly did the BMRPop tell you?" I decided to keep it simple and just say yes. The agent handed back my passport and waved me through. We heard from Czookie later that the agent had waved her through with just a showing of her birth certificate.
A quick tour of Edmundston and we were hunting for Canada Rt 2 and I was trying to remember my French lessons from 40 years ago. Realizing that we had taken a wrong turn, Czookie and I did a Uturn while BMRPop took a scenic ride around the block. Now we were out of sight of each other, and dependent upon the AutoComm system to reconnect us. A quick exchange of landmarks and we were back in synch. Edmundston is a quaint and scenic village but the papermill smell is offputting.
The trip on Rt 2 was very scenic with light to moderate traffic and a lot of construction. This is snow mobile and ATV country. There were trails with rest areas parallel to Rt 2 and a lot of snowmobile and ATV crossing signs. There were also a plethora of Moose Crossing signs but at days end we had not seen a single moose.
Just as we approached the Rt20 (the Interprovince road to Quebec City and Montreal, the rain started, Czookie lead nearly all day and she wisely pulled off into a Tim Horton's, the Canadian equivalent of Starbucks. We broke out the rain gear and everyone was warm and dry through 40 minutes of moderate rain. Communication with people in the provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec is in French which I forbade BMRPop from speaking as his accent is so poor. At our next stop we were able to buy gas, coffee and some lunch without much trouble, just alot of smiling and Oui, Oui, Merci, Merci. BMRPop took a picture of one of the several Spyders we saw on the road.

We called it quits when we reached Gananoque, a
resort town on the St. Lawrence. A one mile walk to a leisurely dinner (with a pitcher of beer) on a terrace overlooking the river was a great end to a long day. The local weathr report called for rain for the next day. The GPS indicates 1800+ km to Omaha - that means 2 whole days of 550 miles each to make our service appts on Friday.

Crazy Caution Signs

2008-07-06T22:54:00.002-05:00

This is out of order but I had to share it. On the Blue Ridge Parkway we saw two of these signs warning motorcyclists of "spiral curves." Well, we were warned.

Bangor Maine on Schedule

2008-07-06T22:09:00.004-05:00

We stopped a little north of Hartford, Connecticut last night. Despite stopping late, we got off early this morning. However, we had some maintenance issues. Burgma and I both needed oil, she needed to top off her tire pressure and we had an improvised cowling repair.
The rest of the day was spectacular. By early afternoon we had been in five states. Connecticut, through Massachusetts to Vermont, on to New Hampshire and then on to Maine. We took Routes 9 and 4 through Vermont and New Hamphire. This back way avoided Boston and its environs. Although a little longer it was so nice to be off the interstates. There was little traffic, mostly Sunday drivers and a lot of local bikers out for rides. None of these states require helmets and most riders do not wear them.
We lunched in Concord. Carolyn was asked about her V-Strom by an SV 650 rider who is considering a change to the Strom. Of course she explained why it is the perfect all round bike.
Traffic was heavy as we got on the interstate in Portsmouth. Apparently everyone on the lower East Coast went to Maine for the 4th of July weekend. There were three and four lanes on I-95 southbound (the Maine Turnpike) competely packed and moving at a crawl. Traffic northbound was heavy until we made our way past Portland. At that point we nearly had the road to ourselves. Even the interstate here is designated scenic. Lots of evergreens, gentle hills, rivers emptying into coastal waters. With minimal road construction and light traffic we made good time and enjoyed the ride into Bangor. We were checked into the motel by 5:00 pm and headed out to Captain Nick's for a lobster dinner in a real railroad car.
With luck we will complete our second corner tomorrow and head into Canada. (Already if we went just a few miles due east we would be in Canada and in a time zone an hour ahead of eastern time!)

Back On The Road

2008-07-05T21:15:00.007-05:00

We were able to get my bike looked at this morning at Twigg's Motorcycle Shop in Hagerstown MD. The were EXTREMELY helpful. Apparently, my clutch lockout switch had come loose. Simple fix which is good but a little frustrating that something so simply and easily fixed held us up.

Although we were delayed getting back on the road this morning, it actually ended up helping us out weather wise. We were able to make it all the way to Hartford, CT traveling just behind one storm and just in front of another. It ended up a nice cool overcast day of riding. This section of road was what I was most excited about. I have driven the a lot of the southeast and been to the west coast a few times, but the northeast however is one place I haven't traveled a lot. Interstate 81 through MD, PA, NY, and CT is beautiful (and yes we went through all four of those states today). It doesn't feel like the boring highways we had been on. It was curvy and mostly through the rural mountains.

We have continued to use some of our hand signals we created on our last trip. Today we used the deer sign (all five fingers spread holding your thumb next to your helmet like an antler) quite often. Not only did we used it for seeing the "Caution Deer" signs but we also used it for the numerous deceased deer we saw (and smelled) on the side of the road.

Last but certainly not least for all you Office fans out there, we did drive through Scranton, PA! The theme song was playing in my head as we passed the city.

The Missing Days

2008-07-04T15:07:00.006-05:00

July 2nd took us from Edgewater Florida to Charlotte North Carolina. As CZookie said earlier we stayed with her friends whose hospitality was wonderful. Lots of stories and laughter. Effective mileage that day was 512 miles with no rain. As we rode up I-95 toward Jacksonville I could not help but feel like we had been in Florida for a long time. We had been in Florida almost all day on Sunday, after Monday night in Key West, a whole day Tuesday (slowed by so much rain) and now it was now the fourth day, still in Florida. Despite hitting Jacksonville at the morning rush hour we moved quickly and easily around the city on I-295. The Georgia coast is short; there was a lot of road construction and that marshland smell. Still we made good time. CZookie lead all the way in to Charlotte and I struggled to keep up since I enjoy high speeds only when the roads are good, the weather is good and the traffic is light. Only the weather cooperated consistently on Wednesday. By lunch time it was clear we would make it to her friend's home in good time so it was easy to enjoy the ride even if it was on the highways: I-95 to I-26 to I-77. Ewen McGregor says that his travel photos are all pictures of his bike at various locals. So here is my current favorite picture of my bike at the Best Western in Edgewater Florida. We were very lucky CZookie found this place when she did, just after a terrible storm and just before the next one hit.

July 3rd from Charlotte to Hagerstown was 430 miles effectively. It was a great riding day. A little slower since I led all day. On the buffet theory of traveling, this trip the first pass through the line. We will come back one day to enjoy a larger helping of the best places. One certainly worth a long return visit is the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was beautiful and great to ride. Very little traffic, slow speeds and lots of twisties. We road it from Buena Vista to Vesuvius. The access roads were full of the narrowest switchbacks steeply sloping up hill and down. This is no interstate! Hagerstown presented itself in plenty of time to stop check in and hunt for dinner until we got separated on the drive into town. Communication by cell phone soon revealed that CZookie was the roadside and BB was refusing to restart. Her entry tells the rest. We are now focused on getting BB repaired. Until then, we are here in Hagerstown. Hope everyone is having a safe and fun Fourth of July.

(By the way, the picture on June 29th blog entry was the automatic truck windshield washer at the Fort Drum Service Plaza on the Florida Turnpike. You just pull up and a sensor turns on the spray. We did not try it, but if the bikes would trigger the sensor I am sure we could have washed them easily!)

The good, the bad, the ugly

2008-07-04T10:12:00.012-05:00

The good news is we had a great day yesterday riding through VA. We couldn't resist taking a short detour off of 81 to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was such a nice break from the highway riding we had been doing. The roads were curvy and some sections really tested your motorcycle skills. The cooler temperature and awesome scenery seemed to really boost everyone's afternoon mood. Although we did disturb a snake who was sunning himself in the road. Beamerpop, who was leading, scared him enough that he coiled back. As I passed, riding second, I was a little afraid he might strike me or the bike. Fortunately everyone, including the snake, was unharmed.

The bad news is BB (my V-Strom also known as the WEEEE-Strom) won't start. Beamerpop and I fiddled around checking the fuses, the battery, etc. and couldn't solve the problem. After doing some research on the internet we discovered that other people have had similar problems with the V-Strom. The bike will be fine one minute and then the next you know you can't start her back up. Apparently it's a bad starter relay. One piece of advice was to file the relay connectors. This has been proven to solve the problem. After a few minutes of trying to find where my starter relay was we discovered that it's completely encased. We will have to purchase a whole new started relay. This leads us to the ugly news.

We can't purchase a starter relay or even have the bike looked at until tomorrow. Apparently, everyone is too busy celebrating their independence from the British to bother with working! Thank goodness the tow trucks weren't on vacation. It will be nice to take a rest though. I hope we can make up the mileage later on. Send good mechanical and weather energy our way!

We wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU to our Charlotte crowd. I can't tell you how nice it was to eat a home cooked meal and hangout with friends. THANK YOU!

Also... We made the local Nashville TN paper. Check it out.

http:..www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008807040316

We are hoping this means wider publicity for Make It Right NOLA and possibly more donations to the Long Road Home house!

First Day and counting

2008-07-01T20:28:00.005-05:00

We did really well today. Got up early, packed up quickly (for us), ate a quick breakfast and were on the road by 7:30 am. Heading out of the Keys was great. The sky was clear, the traffic was minimal and the temperature was pleasant. We made excellent time and were in Miami before we knew it. A quick fill again of the gas tanks and we got on the Florida Turnpike. We had learned it was easier for one of us to struggle with toll money, so BMRPop volunteered to always pay for all of us. At the first toll we were surprised by a random act of kindness. The car in front of us paid for all three of us!! After we got through the gate, I caught up with the car and waved my thanks. Czookie also waved as she passed. We later learned from BMRPop that we had waved to the wrong car. Well, that explains the odd stares from the folks in the car!!

The Florida turnpike was an excellent way to go. We had great weather, and there was less traffic than the parallel I-95. After our break for lunch and gas in Ft. Pierce we headed north on I-95 towards Daytona Beach. And then the rains came. At first they were refreshing and we dried in between downpours. But then the rains turned into full fledged thunderstorms with dark skies, winds and lightning. After about 1/2 hour wait under an overpass, we ventured out again only to be caught a second time in a horrible storm. We were so wet (and cold) that we declared it a full day, although we were short of our mileage goal. It was hard to remember that earlier in the day we had actually anticipated surpassing our goal and trying to get to Jacksonville. Oh well.

The hotel room is decorated with wet clothes, gloves and jackets everywhere. I hope we are dry by morning!!

One corner down three more to go.

2008-06-30T18:17:00.007-05:00

We rolled into the Keys at about noon EST today. It was a nice day with a few short showers that cooled us off. We spent the afternoon roaming around the island seeing all Key West has to offer. Our first stop was of course lunch! When on an island, one must eat seafood. When in Key West, one must eat Key Lime Pie! After a satisfying meal we walked by Ernest Hemingway's house, the Pan American World Airways first office, and The Little White House. Apparently, Harry Truman spent more time here in Key West during his presidency than any other president. I probably would too!

One of the rules of the SCMA Four Corners Challenge is that you must get a picture of your bike at an official site in the city (landmark, police station, post office, etc.). We first wanted to get a picture of our bikes at the Southernmost Point monument. However, the monument is on a sidewalk and was swarmed with people. We thought it best not to disturb the natural order of things by riding into the crowd. Our second spot was the post office. The sign for the post office also is on a sidewalk, however people don't tend to swarm the post office sign. We got a few nice shots and mailed off our paper work.

When we checked into our hotel this afternoon, Burgma and I were asked where we were coming from. We explained our trip and our intention to help New Orleans to the concierge. Immediately, he went off on a rant about how important it is to help New Orleans. Having been a bartender there for numerous Mardi Gras celebrations, he has seen NOLA before and after. He also told us he helped create the famous Hand Grenade drink at Tropical Isle bar on Bourbon Street!

I was rejuvenated by his passion not to mention the ride into the Keys. Riding in over miles and miles of bridges reminded me of the drive from Baton Rouge, LA to New Orleans. The humid ocean wind and the ocean horizon on both sides brought back into focus one of the reasons we are doing this trip-to Make It Right. We are trying to spread the word that New Orleans still needs help. The Make It Right Project is headed up by Brad Pitt and Global Green to try to rebuild New Orleans. The project is to build better houses for both the 9th ward and the environment. The energy efficient houses not only are good for the environment but they are more cost effective for the residents. This trip is our way of trying to bring New Orleans back into the minds of the American citizens. You can help us by spreading the word about our trip, The Make It Right Project, and/or making a financial donation to our Team House The Long Road Home (http://www.makeitrightnola.org/mir_SUB.php?section=donations&page=team&range=4).

Thank You to all of you who have already helped us to Make It Right!

--Czookie

Miami Heat

2008-06-29T20:53:00.003-05:00

We made a good start from Cordele,Georgia and ended just south of Miami. Effective mileage 540, just 40 shy of our longest projected day on the four corners.
The morining was mostly clear with some periods of overcast but no rain. Scattered showers in the afternoon were just enough to cool everyone off without leaving any moisture in clothes or baggage.
The scary incidents today were a ladder in the HOV lane and a frightened black dog in the middle lane. The dog survived unhurt, but the ladder did not. The second car ahead of Burgma hit the ladder and blew out both front tires. No one was hurt.
I am taking a picture of every gas station we patronize. I forgot at the first stop today, but fortunately Burgma snapped a shot of Czookie with her purple earplugs on location. I am planning a fascinating slide show of +/- 90 gas stations from Florida to Maine to southern California to Washington state and points in between. Isthisagreatcountryorwhat!

Staring off in the rain

2008-06-28T21:03:00.006-05:00

After a wonderful send off breakfast with family and friends, Burgma, Beamerpop and I headed out! The first part of the ride was great. The weather was perfect and I was reminded of how beautiful Tennessee is riding up Mont Eagle. Things got a little ugly as we entered Atlanta. We hit some NASTY rain and had to pull off the road a few times, but would eventually catch back up to the storm. We made it to about 90 miles north of Valdosta, GA.

Despite the rain it was a great first day and I started to get really excited about the rest of the trip. I also got to use my new toy the CrampBuster. A CrampBuster is considered a type of "cruise control" for motorcycles. It's a piece of plastic that hooks on to your throttle and extends outward allowing you to control the throttle with the palm of your hand. So far it's been nice but it does tend to slowly slip downward. I find that I have to readjust it frequently. This might be because I bought the wrong size (who knew there were different sizes!). Although after the rain it seemed to work a little better.

My favorite moment of the day happened before the rain. I had been having quite a wind problem. Yes, yes, I realize that I'm riding a motorcycle and wind is inevitable. However, for some reason the wind tends to blow my mesh jacket and vest up under my armpits and around my neck. It's really annoying, not to mention uncomfortable. I came up with the great idea of tucking my jacket and vest into my pants. In order to do this and have the jacket/vest securely tucked in, the waist of my pants ends up nearly at the bottom of my ribs! Needless to say it looks ridiculous. Anyway, I explain my ingenious plan to Burgma at one of our gas station stops. So as I am trying to simultaneously shove my padded mesh jacket down and pull my pants up, two men riding Harley's wearing jeans, sleeveless shirts, and half helmets (skull caps) roll into the gas station. As if it wasn't bad enough that our bright green vests make us look completely uncool next to some Harley riders, I'm now trying to shove my vest as far down my pants as the will go! Burgma noticing the situation leans over to me and says "We are obviously the NERD patrol." As we both start to laugh we end up bonking our helmets/heads together to top if off. Revenge of the Nerds on Motorcycles.

On the Way

2008-06-28T20:38:00.004-05:00

Thank you to the siblings, inlaws and friends for a warm breakfast send off this morning. Day one of the prologue is drawing to a close. The morning was clear and sunny. Our last stop in Tennessee for about a month was lake Nickajack. South of Atlanta we stopped for a late lunch. Dark clouds were rolling in and we covered the bikes. Within 10 minutes it poured. Lots of wind and lightning. We waited until it was clear, gassed up and headed south. The rest of the day was filled with rain delays as we kept riding right back into the storm. Nevertheless we made it to Cordele, GA, before retiring for the night. Daily effective mileage = 390. Tomorrow's objective is Miami.

The logo!

2008-06-23T21:23:00.006-05:00

Thanks to Bugrma's creativity we have our own logo! Burgma was able to put the logo on our vests and make us our own "business cards" for us to hand out along the way. There is even talk of adding the logo as body art after we complete the challenge!

Last night the three of us sat down and went over the gear that we need to take. We pretty much decided that except for the tools, we would all carry our own gear. There had been discussions of having one bag that has all the camping equipment in it, but we decided that everyone is going to carry their own camping equipment.

I strapped on my saddlebags today and rode around. I like them. They are big but not TOO big for the size of the bike. They also have a waterproof/dust proof liner which I think will come in handy. I tried to use the map holder that Burgma had purchased today as well but was displeased. There really isn't a good way to get it tight enough on the handlebars to keep it from blowing around. My plan is to just have a note card with the days route written down.

It's getting close

2008-06-22T00:00:00.005-05:00

So we are getting closer ad closer till we leave. Ever since we started talking about doing this trip I have been really excited. Now that it's getting closer, I'm starting to get a little more anxious than excited. There are always those "what if" thoughts that can take over your excitement and send you into an anxious downward spiral. Reading the blog from our last trip has helped pull me out of the anxious mode and more into the excitement mode. Also getting BB (my V-Strom... or WEEE-Strom as some call it) back from the shop today and riding her around, got me pumped about the trip. The only thing to do now is start packing!

I have purchased new boots and gloves for the trip. My boots are actual riding boots (instead of my hiking boots I was riding in) made by SIDI. I was lucky to find a pair in my size and on sale! The gloves are also actual riding gloves (instead of the baseball batting gloves I was riding in) made by Olympia. I haven't tried out the boots yet, but the gloves are great. They are well ventilated AND offer more protection than my previous gloves. And of course you can't take any trip without Dr. Bronner's soap. That's right folks "Dr. Bronner's Magic All-One!" soap is unlike any other. You can do everything from wash your bike, wash your body, brush your teeth, and do your laundry with it. I found it super helpful on our last trip so I have re-stocked my supply for this one. I also found that the peppermint flavor/scent is the best one to use, especially if you are planning to use it for brushing your teeth. The lavender, eucalyptus, and baby flavors/scents aren't so appetizing.

Smoky Mountain Shakedown

2008-06-16T20:52:00.006-05:00

Last weekend I had meeting in Gatlinburg and came back through the Smokey Mountains National Park. The scene above is from Cade's Cove. I tried the case liners and practiced on the gentle twisties in the park. My Dad lives nearby and I spent a couple nights and Fathers Day with him. The surprising thing is that although I only rode 2-4 hours per day, my shoulders were sore when I arrived home. In two weeks it will be 8-10 hours per day. I asked CZookie to recommend some exercises/stretches to get ready. I hope there is enough time to prepare. She also suggested some massage techniques. Tomorrow I will make an appointment to have my bike serviced and add auxiliary lights.

We are counting down now.

Bikes to the shop

2008-06-10T17:05:00.002-05:00

The V-Strom (BB) and the Burgman are in the shop getting checked out. The Burgman is getting a 16,000 mile check-up!! When we pick the the bikes up next week they should have new tires, new oil and fluids, possibly new brakes as well all nuts and bolts tightened. BB will also have a new endcap on the right handlebar. Czookie is looking for a shorter sidestand to replace the current one which is not stable since BB was lowered. (That's the reason for the new endcap!) She may end up taking the old one off to have it cut and welded back together.

It will be nice to get the bikes home so we can try out the packing arrangements. BB will be sporting new pannier bags and I am eager to find out if they will mount easily or if we need additional support brackets, and also how much they will hold. I also splurged on some Hippo Hands for both Czookie and myself (oh yeah --we like to be warm!!!); I would like to see how they fit over the handlebars. Okay, okay ....I did buy some other things as well. I have new map cases that fit over the forearm (and I also bought handlebar ones for Czookie and me) that I haven't installed yet so I would like to find out how they will work. The Foream case is long on my arm (extends beyond my elbow) so I don't know if it will work for me. The handlebar case will need special lock straps to go around the Burgman handlebars. There is still alot to figure out! I did put the new Magellan GPS into the handlebar map case and that will work just fine. I do think that being able to hear the GPS would be very helpful but I don't know how to make that happen. This particular model does not have a headset option. It does have all the AAA information which is why we are excited about it. It will save us from carrying all 16 of the relevant tour books. I do think I will carry the maps - I am just a paper kind of person when it gets down to it!! Trust me, it easier for all of us to pour over the map during the GIVI meetings and in the hotel room than all trying to see the GPS. And a map gives you the bigger picture.

And I think Czookie has started looking for some boots - something that will be comfortable yet still be waterproof and warm when needed. That should complete the gear buying!!! We will lay it all out next weekend and see whether we need a support van!!!!

Autocom Update

2008-05-18T23:34:00.015-05:00

Last weekend we motored to Chattanooga and Pleasant Hill, Tennessee. After some adjustments we used the bike to bike communication. It worked well, was handy, and was surprisingly enjoyable. This weekend we ran errands two up and tried the voice activated rider/passenger system. Later I experimented setting the Autocom bike to bike on voice activated. The radios work well in voice activation though I imagine the batteries won't last as long in that mode. If traffic is heavy, using voice actvation should be safer and more convenient than push to talk.

Burgma and I completed the Motorcycle Safety class for experienced riders this weekend. Things are falling into place.

Can you hear me now?

2008-05-08T16:19:00.002-05:00

So BmrPop suddenly got a bee in his bonnet and started making progress towards the Four Corners trip. He selected, paid for and arranged the installation of the communication system for the BMW and the Burgman. At this point, Czookie has opted out of the communication loop, prefering the Quaker silence!

After some investigation, we settled on the AutoComm system, and decided that the ActivePlus model would meet our simple needs. We needed bike to bike communication and did not plan on hooking up many other devices to it. Now that we have it, BmrPop is thinking he would like to hook up his MP3 player, and is even thinking about satellite radio, but we'll see. The ActivePlus is a PTT - Push To Talk - system that requires a wire from the unit to the helmet, and also a wire from the unit to the Walkie-Talkie. I'm thinking those wires are going to be a bit of trouble but we'll see about that as well.

We dropped off our bikes with helmets at the shop on Friday and then picked them up Wednesday evening. We left the shop with the simple instruction of it's PTT - that's all you need to know. Well, apparently there is more to it than that! We returned to the shop after driving around for 15 minutes yelling into our helmets, "Can you hear me now?" "CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?" We returned to the shop to see what was the story. BmrPop's diagnosis was righton. The walkie-talkies weren't installed. And worse yet, the walkie-talkies weren't even charged. AND the connector cable on the Burgman couldn't be found. Yeah - well....Burgma had a fleeting thought that maybe this was all by design... but BmrPop seemed genuinely disappointed so she quickly dismissed the idea. Some digging around in the Burgman (under the shell) found the missing connector, and we received a few more instructions. Also noticed a screw was missing from around the cover on the Burgman, and in addition the BMW's ABS light would not go off. That had us real worried. Another 15 minutes later we left the shop with all the goods.

The bad news is that we still haven't tested the system! When we got home and went to plug in the walkie-talkies to charge them, there was no charger cord. Needless to say we are disappointed in the service we received from this shop which was highly recommended to us and exuded much confidence when we were investigating the systems. It is not that they all aren't nice, but it was evident in the 4 days we left them with our bikes, that no one had tested the system.

BmrPop took his BMW into the Beamer shop early the next morning and left with his fingers crossed. The good news is that the BMW only had to have its relay reset!! YAY!!

I am sure our tales about the communication system are only beginning!! We may all be Quaker by the end of July!

Sleeping Bags?

2008-04-17T15:17:00.006-05:00

For our trip in 2006 (see Wheelin',Squealin' & Clueless) I had joined the KOA thinking that we might stay in cabins on our trip. I spent most of my growing up years camping with my family so while experienced with tent camping, I have also had my fill. It is really nice sleeping in a real bed, especially after a long day on the bike. KOA Kabins provide a bed with a bathhouse, and KOA Kottages/Lodges have bathrooms. It turns out we never stayed at a KOA on our trip in all 16 days, or rather nights. We did carry minimal bedrolls - just a sheet and light flannel blanket for each of us. And I did carry the KOA directory with the potential sites circled. At the end of the day, however, we were just so tired that we did what was easiest and selected the motel.

So now we have this debate again - should we plan on staying at KOAs along the trip or should we just plan on motels all the time? I have checked the directory against our itinerary and we have many opportunities to try the KOAs. The attraction of the KOAs is definately the costs which can sometimes be half the cost of a motel. The downside is, of course, having to carry the bedroll which would have to be more substantial than the last time because this trip takes us into colder territories. This would mean an investment in some ultralight sleeping bags - nice light, compact, warm and expensive ultralight sleeping bags....hmmm....will we recoup our investment? Can we find some used ones for sale? Hey, maybe we should test out a KOA before July too!

The Itinerary

2008-04-17T13:22:00.011-05:00

Over Thanksgiving 2007 (yes - it has been a while) BMRPop, C-zookie (she was CVStar at that time), and I spent a few hours plotting the route on a day by day basis. We were curious to know what sort of daily mileage was required to complete this trip within 21 days, and if we were up for it. As we progressed in the task, we realized that it was important to have the day by day itinerary because we had constraints on being certain places on certain days. The SCMA rules for the Four Corners trip states that we need to mail a gas receipt from each extreme corner of the US - which means it would be good to hit those locations when the post office is open and able to hand stamp the envelope. In addition, we are planning to have our bikes serviced in Omaha and again, it would be good to be there on a Tuesday-Saturday when the shop is open. There are other advantages, like knowing we will be spending July 4th in New England and not with the beach crowd, and we will be going through the busy Boston corridor on a Sunday.

Planning and More Planning

2008-04-16T12:41:00.002-05:00

First --Many thanks to those of you who have contributed to the Long Road Home house at Make it Right 9. We hope to get a list of donors from MIR so we can thank you personally.

Those of you who know me, know I am all about the planning. This trip is no exception. In fact, I am a little afraid to admit that I may enjoy the planning more than the actual trip. I like making the list, thinking about what we need, what needs to be done, both before the trip and in order to leave home for an extended period of time. I believe this compulsiveness on my part may frustrate my riding partners; I hand them lists of things to do and am constantly following up on their progress - prodding them to achieve!!
So what is on our lists?
We have assigned BMRPop to the technology and bike maintenance items; C-zookie, in addition to her solicitation letters, is concentrating mostly on her personal items or accessories for her bike, and I, in addition to solicitation letters, have a list of accessories and shared items. Below I have detailed our lists and struck through what we have done. As you can see, we still have a long way to go!

BmrPop's List: contact Omaha BMW and Suzuki dealers about bike maintenance on our rest days, ~~get new digital cameras~~, select and install communication system, ~~get GPS~~, get extra headlights and tail lights, get tire repair canisters, arrange for bike maintenance pre-trip.

C-zookie's List: get new passport, order and install heated handgrips, ~~order~~ and install sidecases,

BurgMa's List: Complete pharmacy/first aid kit - ~~sunscreen~~, ~~chapstick~~, earplugs, ~~sleep-aid~~, ~~NoDoze~~, ~~gum~~, ~~Coffee Nips~~, ~~extra batteries~~;~~get warm/weather proof items for C-zookie and self~~ - ~~overboots~~, ~~overgloves~~, ~~REI windproof pants & jackets~~, ~~Columbia padded jackets w/liner~~, ~~new vests for all - lime green!!~~, make or find lining bags for BMRPop's cases, ~~arrange for house sitter~~, maps, KOA directory, locate small sleeping bags, ~~repair yellow waterproof bags~~, figure out packing locations for all the stuff!!

On top of all this, C-zookie is moving from Baton Rouge back to Nashville before the trip, looking for a new job, AND trying to sell Issy, the Vstar 650. WOW! Surely someone you know wants to buy Issy!!

The Big Picture

2008-02-24T22:27:00.006-06:00

The route is constantly being tweaked, but this is the general idea. It is a large figure eight. Currently the plan is to start in Key West, then ride north to Maine and then cross the country to San Ysidro. Omaha is the crossover point. We will probably service the bikes and change tires there both times we stop.

Bad boot news. The zipper tangs on the new Set Ups broke off. Burgma says they were plastic. She replaced the broken tangs with key chain loops and so far they work fine, but she is worried that the zippers themselves will break. I plan to try wearing them unzipped with just the velcro flaps closed to see if they can be worn that way. If so, I will not be too anxious about the possibility of zipper failure on the road.

Make It Right

2008-02-22T13:23:00.007-06:00

To do the four corners challenge with my parents is the opportunity of a lifetime. To finish the trip will not only be a huge personal accomplishment but to finish with my family will be unbelievably rewarding. Just starting the planning process of the trip has brought me closer with both my parents. I feel so lucky to be able to do something like this.

After having moved to Baton Rouge LA a year ago, I realized how unlucky so many families were after Katrina. Even years later the city is still in need of a lot of help. We have decided to use our trip to promote and raise money for organizations that are helping to re-build the city. The Make It Right New Orleans project seemed to be a perfect fit, since it was founded by Brad Pitt a motorcycle enthusiast.

"The Mission of Make It Right is clear: It is to be a catalyst for redevelopment of the Lower 9th Ward, by building a neighborhood comprised of safe and healthy homes that are inspired by Cradle to Cradle thinking, with an emphasis on a high quality of design, while preserving the spirit of the community's culture. The goal is to accomplish this quickly, so that the first residents can begin returning to their homes as soon as possible. " http://www.makeitrightnola.org/

We are hoping that through our trip we can help spread the word about the great things Make It Right is doing, as well as inspire people to donate and make a difference. You can keep track of how much we have raised by checking out our Team House called the Long Road Home ( http://www.makeitrightnola.org/mir_SUB.php?section=donations&page=team ). If you feel so moved to do so, please donate!

From the Ground Up

2008-01-27T19:49:00.002-06:00

CVStar has a new bike! Burgma now has enough waterproof and cold weather gear for a ride around the world, from top to bottom. Time for me to get my "kit" in place.

When I started motorcycling in 1972 (or was it 1971?) the kit was very simple. Frye boots, leather work gloves ,and a denim Levis jacket. A friend gave me a pair of large military surplus deerskin mittens with knit woolen liners. The index finger was separate from the remaining three fingers so you could grip the bars and still work the clutch and front brake. Perfect in cold weather.
The only thing I still have is the jacket. I actually used it on both the cross country trip in 1972 and again in 2006. I used the mittens for many years when bicycling. Too bad they are gone now.

Shortly after I returned to motorcycling in 2003 Burgma and I went to London to visit CVstar (oops - CVstrom) who was studying for a semester there. We happened on a flyer in the street advertising a motorbike accessory shop. I think it was in northwest London. Anyway, we pulled out the transit map and found the nearest station to the shop. As I recall we were nearly the only customer there at that time and we stayed for at least an hour or two. The proprietor had pictures of himself on his first motorbike at age three. He had been a motorbike mechanic and I believe had raced bikes. The night he met his wife she gave him a ride home on her scooter and when they married, the honeymoon was a European tour two up on a Beamer. The shop was a relatively new venture for him.

I had only intended to look at gear, but he was so helpful and I knew I was eventually going to buy boots, jacket and a new helmet. I was a lot braver, confident and coordinated 30 years ago. This time I wanted plenty of padding. Besides the Belstaff jacket felt great. It seemed a shame not to get the accompanying padded pants.

He suggested Blundstone boots. He did not have my size on hand, but his distributor was nearby and he insisted on sending his young clerk on the "push bike" to pick up a pair in my size. I have rarely been on the bike without them and they are great for mowing the grass (steel toes you know) and other outside work.

For the last year or so I have been looking for Blundstone replacements in the U.S. without success. (The soles are shot and the uppers do not have long to go.) This trip will require new footwear. Eventually I decided to try traditional touring boots. The Blundstones were not waterproof and a couple of recent trips in downpours suggested that this might be a very valuable feature. After some Internet research the best option/value seemed to be Joe Rocket Rhino's. No one in town had that model and when I looked on the Internet it seemed that they were discontinued. No where, no how.

After trying on several brands and models I bought Set Ups. They are apparently made/marketed by Sidi and they are also discontinued, but hey, they were less than $140 and they felt good. The uppers are very comfortable, but the soles are a little stiff. I expect they will soften up with wear. The soles are also very sticky and give a good feeling of confidence on the ground. They are a little thicker than the Blundstones and I may need to adjust the shift lever up a tick. I like the reflective trim. Safety, safety, safety.

The Belstaff jacket and pants are good to go. My helmet is now nearly 5 years old so it should probably be replaced before the trip. Burgma and I both have leather baseball batting gloves for dry weather (the padding softens the vibration) and kayak gloves for wet weather. We still have the yellow banana rain suits from the 2006 cross-country trip.

Now it's on to finding a good GPS and maybe communication gear. It is not really about the gear, it's really about the ride.

V-Strom!!

2008-01-27T18:51:00.002-06:00

Today I am the official owner of a 2007 Suzuki V-Strom! Picked it up in historic Vicksburg MS today. It has hand guards, a sargent seat, Givi windshield, Givi top case, and a power commander. Best part is that it's already lowered about 2 inches so I can at least put the balls of my feet down. Actually having the bike now has just elevated my excitement about the trip.

I want to publicly thank my LSU family who helped me pick up the bike. I couldn't have done it without all three of you! THANK YOU!

The next two steps are gonna be the hardest:
1) Selling Issy
2) Finding a name for the V-strom.

I had the ugly realization that it was now time to sell Issy when we were waving good-bye to the gentlemen who sold me the bike. I imagined how he must feel watching his bike drive off with its new owner. It's a sad subject. I really can't think about it anymore.

As for naming the V-Strom... A motorcycle's name needs to come organically. The name needs to fit both the personality of the rider as well as the personality of the bike. Issy was named after Isadora Duncan, the famous modern dancer of the early 20th century. Being a dancer, I felt a connection between Isadora Duncan and myself. Ms. Duncan was fond of drama! She would ride around in a convertible with a long scarf flapping in the wind behind her. Issy is a classic style cruiser with her own modern flare. I think after riding the V-Strom around we'll get to know each other a little better and a name will emerge.

V-star to V-strom

2008-01-17T14:11:00.000-06:00

I bought Issy, (2000 V-star 650 custom) my first bike, in August of 2004 and have enjoyed every moment I have had on her. She took care of me as I learned how to ride and I took care of her. In the last three years we have bonded. We have had some scary close calls, turned over 10,000 miles, and took a cross-country trip together. Your first bike will always be your favorite, however (cover your ears Issy) I think it's time that Issy and I part ways. The Long Road Home Trip will be over 8,000 miles covering 32 states. That kind of trip was not meant for poor Issy and I'm not about to try and put her through it. I'm going to pass her on to someone else who can love her.

The bike I'm looking to get for the trip is a V-Strom. After doing some research I think its a good fit. The V-Strom is made for adventure riding. The hard cases can accommodate all the warm clothes I'm going to have to bring and the seat position will be more comfortable for those 500 mile days. I was also inspired after reading about another women who did the four corners challenge on her V-Strom. So the hunt has begun for a used V-Strom 650. This may mean I have to change my blog name from CV-Star to CV-Strom.

The other addition to this trip that is being discussed amongst Burgma, BeamerPop and I, is some sort of communication system. Burgma developed a simple hand signal system for our last trip. It worked, but not well enough. All too often one of us was just enjoying the ride and not paying much attention to the rider behind waving vigorously. Also most of the signals we had were simply for entertainment. When you see a deer, spread all five fingers out and hold your hand up to the side of your helmet. It's quite humorous when we all do it at the same time. So in order to improve our communication there was talk of radios or Bluetooth technology. All three of us have different opinions on the subject. Should we all have them? If only two of us have them, who will it be? Do we go with an intercom system or with Bluetooth?

So many questions and decisions to be made.

Maps on the wall

2008-01-05T21:27:00.000-06:00

Oh yeah, we have done this before! And even though CVStar said she might never take another roadtrip with us again after the last cross country motorcycle trip in 2006 (see: Wheelin', Squealin' & Clueless at http://wheemedriving.blogspot.com/), we are all drawn to do another trip together.
This one is planned for the summer of 2008 and is in response to BMRPop's interest in the Southern California Motorcycle Association's Four Corners Challenge (see: SSCMA 4 corners website ). The challenge is to get to the four extreme corners of the USA within 21 days. There are specific tasks to complete in each corner confirming your presence within the 21 days. We can choose the route, and although most riders complete the trip as a rectangle, we have chosen a figure 8 across the US. Not only does it allow us to ride through as many states as possible, but it is also an interesting image, the infinity sign layered across the map on the wall. And yes, the maps are back up on the wall--across three walls actually! This is a BIG trip!
Unlike the first trip, on this one we hope to ride for a cause. CVStar's move to Baton Rouge Louisiana last year really highlighted for us the needs that continue in New Orleans, and the hard work that many agencies have organized to help with the rebuilding of that special city. We are in the process of investigating a partnership with one or more of these agencies, to highlight their work and allow them to use us for publicity as we make our month long trip across the US. We are excited about the prospect of being able to make a difference with our ride. In addition, we would also like to find commercial sponsors to help with our expenses along the way, perhaps a gas company or hotel company will support our ride and the agency we will be supporting.