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Old July 2nd, 2014, 09:04 PM   #1
NevadaWolf
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Name: Teri
Location: 39°52'40.7"N 118°23'53.8"W (Northern NV)
Join Date: Jun 2012

Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250, 102k+ miles -- 2014 CB500X, 42k+ miles

Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 16
MOTM Jul '13, Jul '14
Cross country ride of a lifetime.

It was Friday, just before noon, when I found myself easing through Sacramento traffic to the far right lane. Everyone else was sitting comfortably in their cars and trucks, probably dreaming of the weekend or at least a nice lunch away from the office. I, on the other hand, fully geared up and sitting out in the hot and humid air, only had one thought on my mind. Exit 81, West Capitol Ave.

The sign appeared in the distance, slowly getting closer as I fought to hold the throttle steady and not give in to the temptation to gun it. The solid white line began, indicating the beginning of the exit. I signaled, moved in behind a pickup, and smoothly leaned into the turn. The pickup blocked my view of the Valero gas station initially, so when I suddenly caught sight of the construction crew tearing down the building, my stomach felt like lead sinking into my boots. Wait, Chevron! There is a second station here! I rolled up to a shaded pump, nervously went through my routine, and waited as the receipt was delivered to my trembling hand.

The simple date and time stamp may have been insignificant to every other living being at that moment, but for me seeing that nicely printed 06/27/2014 12:02pm meant the world. It was the final receipt to an epic journey, the end time of the greatest adventure I've done. It finished my two week vacation that covered over 7000 miles through 25 states and all from the saddle of my little Ninja 250.

Coast to coast and back, for no other reason than I hadn't done it before.





Here's the post for all you TLDR folks... I rode, a lot. I am crazy. Thank you.

For everyone else,

I knew I wanted to do a big Iron Butt ride, but wasn't sure if I wanted to try the Coast to Coast in under 50 hours ride or the Border to Border in under 36 hours ride. Both sounded fun, and I could add a challenge to the B2B ride by sticking on Hwy 95 from Mexico to Canada (well, probably Canada to Mexico so I don't lose time on the border crossing).

It wasn't until looking through the list of possible rides that I made up my mind. For there in the middle of the list was a US Route 50 Coast to Coast ride. 3,073 miles in under four days. A ride solely on Highway 50 all across the country? Heck ya!

The plan was "simple", ride south to San Diego, CA to begin my ride east towards Jacksonville, FL, then turn north to go to Ocean City, MD and return west along Hwy 50 to Sacramento, CA. Yes, Sac is not the "coast", Highway 50 was shortened in 1972 to exclude San Francisco, but the IBA calls it a Coast to Coast. I ain't arguing.

Given that I would like as much daylight as possible, I planned to do this ride during the week before and after the Summer Solstice, June 21st. That'd give me plenty of light, moderate weather everywhere, and hopefully light traffic at the beginning of the summer school breaks.

My original plan had been to incorporate as many National Park Passport Stamps as I could find, but as more friends heard about the ride and the more I thought about it, the idea changed to meeting as many online friends as I could. I do not regret that decision at all.

I made arrangements; cleared my schedule at work, a full service done on the bike, and just enough clothes and food for two weeks mostly on the bike. My Dad and I made the route; locating enough gas stations for the range I was comfortable at, and researching exactly where Highway 50 went through each town. I contacted several friends along the way, deciding on meeting places and times and just whose couch I could crash on. I also reached out to other IBA members for help and ended up with a TON of advice and suggestions. My witnesses were ready for me and all I had left to do was ride.

Every ride was a success. Southbound to San Diego was taken via 395 mostly, with little traffic and smaller towns. Eastbound I finished in 46 hours and made it to the Atlantic just in time to catch the sun rising through some distant storm clouds. Heading north, I stopped in several Parks for stamps and to see the sights unknown to me back home. Coming west found me on a road that ranged from a narrow and slow back country mountain road to a wide 4 lane highway and I ended my ride 3 days and 14 hours after I began.

I met three new friends in San Diego, another in Jacksonville, others from Newark, York, Philly, Hopewell, and Ocean City, another in Cincinnati, and one in Sacramento. I was also graced by riding buddies at the beginning and end of my ride.

I did have some minor issues, from the stupid CA emissions canister filling with gas again, to my rear tire wearing out faster than planned, to my chain oiler running out and my chain drying out, to the accessory plugs failing. But overall the ride was an amazing adventure and one I am truly glad to have done.
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Old July 2nd, 2014, 09:04 PM   #2
NevadaWolf
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Name: Teri
Location: 39°52'40.7"N 118°23'53.8"W (Northern NV)
Join Date: Jun 2012

Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250, 102k+ miles -- 2014 CB500X, 42k+ miles

Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 16
MOTM Jul '13, Jul '14
Saturday, June 14 2014: Southbound

Mileage 604 miles
Time: 1 day, 1 hour
Moving: 10:19
Stopped: 14:38

Moving Average: 58 mph

Friday, I clocked out of work and made a bee line for the house. Everything was packed, I just had to drop my work uniform and gear up. Leaving Fallon at 5 isn't my favorite, but at least the sun was high enough that I wasn't blinded. Coming in along Highway 50, there is a stretch where you can see across the valley. Oddly, I could see a bunch of emergency lights on the opposite hill. As I rode closer, it appeared as if the lights weren't moving, so I figured an accident.

However, once I got to the scene, it was anything but an accident! The reason the lights appeared to not be moving is there was so many of them. Over 20 LEOs in full pursuit of a single white Jeep. It was the most excitement I had seen ever on this highway! News report here.


The next morning I made sure everything was packed up tightly. I was geared up fully and a light breakfast was fueling me up. The first thing to do was get my bike down to San Diego for the start. Luckily, Hwy 395 runs most of the way to southern California and the interstates pick up from there. So, pointing my bike south at 9am, I was officially on the road.



Except, I can't make anything THAT easy. A mere 30 minutes later, I was pulling over to see a very familiar red bike and rider hanging out waiting for me. @misfitsailor had made the trip over the hill to give me company at the onset of my ride. You can read his ride report here: NevadaWolf send off ride



Once Tim turned to head back home, I was officially on my own. 395 is an easy ride south, with little drama or traffic as it goes through rural California and numerous old towns. The fun part was I did manage to see one of the rare Uniroyal Gal's still standing along side the road. I was told they are as rare as pink unicorns, and you know how rare those are!

Made it to southern California Saturday evening and headed straight for Hotel Circle where there are so many hotels it is ridiculous. My one unplanned part of this trip was lodging, as I wasn't sure where or when I would find myself getting tired. So, no reservations made anywhere. Pulling into Motel 6, I was met with a smile and a "Sorry, no vacancy." Ok, next door to Days Inn.... er, Best Western.... er, Travel Lodge.... er... well, now this can be a problem. I called around some and finally found a hotel with A SINGLE ROOM! gimmegimmegimme! Turns out I had arrived during the Annual Convention of Jehovah's Witnesses. Most folks use the Convention Center for their gatherings, but not these guys... they use the football stadium!! Eek, glad I got a room.

The next day was strictly for resting, checking over the bike, and of course finding one of the most colorful Ninjettes I've seen.



And the rider of said bag of Skittles... @alex.s!




My trip was off to a great start and it hadn't really begun yet. I hung out with Alex for awhile at Starbucks, talking of pretty much everything, before it was time for me to head off and prepare for the early morning start time.

My goal was met for this weekend. I made it to San Diego, met two Ninjetters, and had my paperwork signed by a local IBA member. All is grand!





Link to original page on YouTube.

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Old July 2nd, 2014, 09:05 PM   #3
NevadaWolf
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Name: Teri
Location: 39°52'40.7"N 118°23'53.8"W (Northern NV)
Join Date: Jun 2012

Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250, 102k+ miles -- 2014 CB500X, 42k+ miles

Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 16
MOTM Jul '13, Jul '14
Monday June 16 2014: Eastbound Day 1

Mileage: 1173 miles
Time: 20:43 (4:35am-1:18am PDT)
Moving: 17:19
Stopped: 3:23

Moving Average: 68 mph


Day one! Here we go!

Woke up in time to pack the bike up, check everything one last time, and then wait as my witness rolled in at 4:30. I was given an escort to the beach where I collected my sand and water samples from the Pacific Ocean. It's not required but it's tradition. The spirit of the ride is to go from coast to coast, so get out in the water!


-Photo by David Stoler

5 o'clock in the morning (PDT), found me at the gas station, thanking my ride witness and soon the receipt was in hand! I had 50 hours before I needed to be in Jacksonville, FL. The road leading to I-8 suddenly seemed very large.

Luckily, there was no traffic and soon my escort peeled off to head back home. He gave a friendly wave as I continued out of San Diego and towards Arizona. The nice thing about this section of road is I had done it before a few times as one of my customers is in El Centro. I was familiar enough that it wasn't setting off into the unknown right out of the gate. And of course the twisty section coming down into Ocotillo I had to take at full speed! WOW! I think I have a new section of favorite road. Once into Imperial Valley, the road leveled off and it became a normal interstate.

Pulling into Arizona in the early morning meant that there was little traffic in Yuma and I was able to slip through easily. I passed a different type of desert than I am used to, surrounded by Saguaro cacti that were standing like sentinels along the highway. They do look oddly like weird people with their arms held upward towards the sun. Made it to Tucson before I decided to grab lunch to try to beat the heat that was suddenly getting to me. I knew I would be riding through the hottest part of the day here so was bundled up against the heat with my ice water readily available and the LD Comfort sleeves kept soaked. I also got my H-D vest wet to try to help keep me cool and after I left town, I was cool and comfortable.

BTW Arizona, it would be really nice to let travelers know that one can turn on a red from the inside lane - rather than me getting beeped at by about 15 angry drivers.

The bike was running well as I pulled into New Mexico. The only trouble spots was the intense wind that was ripping through the region and threatening to unleash the huge haboobs that plague this area. I was constantly watching flags to see which way the wind was blowing and scanning the horizon in hopes of being alerted to the storm before it blanketed the interstate. All the traffic alerts were being broadcast on AM and I only have an FM radio. Hummm. Seems though that this storm was to let me by with no issues and I found myself filling up in Deming with no troubles.

Ah, now I enter Texas. Just one thing to say here - HOLY SMOKES THIS STATE IS HUGE! :sings: This is the state that never ends! It goes on and on my friends. LOL

I arrived in El Paso just as traffic was building. Concerned as to what was going on, I glanced at my clock and realized the time zone had changed and I was right in the middle of rush hour. Ah well. This would be the first time I got stuck in traffic on this ride. It was moving along slowly, but we were moving. I kept sucking down the water I had with me and took advantage of hiding in the shade of semi trucks when I came along side them. Survived my first real rush hour experience and it was back on the road and up to speed for me.... *sputter... sputter...die* ACK!! WTH?!?! Pulled into a gas station immediately and filled up, but only put in two gallons. OMG THE DAMN CA EMISSIONS CANISTER IS FULL OF GAS AGAIN! *growl* This suddenly put a damper on my range, as instead of being able to comfortably make the 160 mile avg, I was now down to about 80-100 miles before the bike would sputter and die along side the road. She'd start up again, maybe, but I did not feel like pushing it. I continued along, adjusting my scheduled stops to the new routine, and watched as Texas rolled by with the day starting to wind down. I made it as far as Junction before I got to sleepy to continue and pulled into their Motel 6. Hey, wow, another IBA rider was just leaving as I was checking it. Cool!



I didn't make it as far as planned but relooking at the schedule, I made it a good distance for the first day.




Tuesday June 17 2014: Eastbound Day 2

Mileage 1238 miles
Time: 22:45 (5:45am-4:30am PDT)
Moving: 19:09
Stopped: 3:35

Moving Average: 65 mph

Alright, day two. Rested, fueled up, and ready to go! I had to get through San Antonio without trouble and then hope that I could make it through Houston without too much delay. San Antonio turned out to be easier than expected thanks massively to two LD helpers who gave me the fast route through the city. Take I-10 straight in to I-35, then turn north till I-410, head south again to I-10. That was fantastically easy and I only got stupidly lost due to following a sign that read HOUSTON ST vs just plain ol HOUSTON. oops. Continued my way east, admiring the landscape, and doing my best to just continue moving. Looking at my clock, I thought I would make Houston while the HOV lanes were open to me, but then once again realized the time difference and entered around noon. Thankfully the traffic was moving steadily and I never really got hung up through the city. Before long, I found myself rolling into Louisiana. Whoo hoo!

I did manage to see my first real armadillo, two in fact. Sadly they were upside down roadkill.

I have realized I watched way to many episodes of Supernatural as when I pulled into Crowley, LA, my brain had a wicked time making up fanfic for the show. My LD mentor, helper, friend (much more on him later) called just around Lafayette to check in and see how things were going. He knew what the second day was like and the mental state that comes along with questioning whether or not this ride is possible. His pep talk really helped cheer me up as I had begun to doubt if I would make it in time. I ended up talking to him all through the city and completely forgot that I needed to get fuel! Oops... where's the next gas station? I described what I was seeing, a long straight bridge surrounded by trees and a river in between the east and west bound lanes. He found me a little station up ahead where I squeaked in just in time and filled up a hungry bike. I was admiring the landscape out here, enjoying seeing something different than I am used to. Lots of water, lakes, and rivers, with a massive amount of greenery around. It was surreal. However, I also began noticing an alarming increase in traffic. It backed up quickly and soon I was at a dead stop outside Baton Rouge. My plan had been to take I-12 to cut off the distance/time of going to New Orleans, and it was appearing as if everyone else had the same idea. Though soon, as I sat and watched the locals, I began to see a method to the madness of jumping out into the outside lane. They were all sneaking ahead of the pack and cutting into the exit at the last minute. Well heck, I can do that. I built some confidence by watching them for awhile before attempting similar moves and gained a whole new level of appreciation for the nimble little bike. BWHAHAHA I pass all you cagers! And quickly found the cause of the back up, a major accident just after the on ramp.

Once past that bottleneck, I had clear sailing all the way to Mississippi and Alabama. It was now night so didn't see too much of MS, but entering Mobile was a beautiful sight with the buildings all lit up with different colors. I followed a detour off I-10 to locate gas and ended up winding all over the city by mistake, eventually making it out onto a bridge that was not the interstate. I did have a fantastic view of the USS Alabama shining brightly in the dark.

The fun part of this trip was I had also done this stretch before thanks to a conference in Florida. I knew the road, I knew where to go, and I went. I passed signs for Ponce de Leon Springs and the Florida Caverns and recalled my prior trips to those state parks. I was now three hours ahead of those calling to check in with me and my friend had called in to see how things were going. Since it was dark, I would describe what I could see and he would tell me what I was passing that I would have been able to see in the day. Time passed and we just kept on chatting as I rode on. Suddenly I noticed that the tops of the trees were a bit more visible than they had been. Checking the clock, at first I assumed that the city was lighting up the sky. But it was blue, not orange. I was entering Jacksonville as the dawn was beginning to color the sky. I immediately had a new goal - get to the beach by sun rise! Navigating my way through town following the instructions given to me by my local witness, I rode out to the 24 hour station and got my ending receipt. But with the sun rising I had no time to stall. Wrote down the necessary info and I was off. The roads were empty as I pulled into 16th Ave and grabbed my camera - just in time for the sun to break through the clouds and illuminate the Atlantic Ocean.












I had done it. 46 hours after I left San Diego I was now standing on the beach and collecting my little sample of sand and water. WHOO HOOO!



Link to original page on YouTube.

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Old July 2nd, 2014, 09:05 PM   #4
NevadaWolf
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Name: Teri
Location: 39°52'40.7"N 118°23'53.8"W (Northern NV)
Join Date: Jun 2012

Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250, 102k+ miles -- 2014 CB500X, 42k+ miles

Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 16
MOTM Jul '13, Jul '14
I spent all of (well, the rest of) Wednesday camped out at the motel, resting and checking over my bike to ensure everything had survived intact and well.. it didn't.



So, I ended up buying a new tire long before I had planned to. Looking back and now comparing my current tire, I am convinced something went wrong with this one. I was missing a wheel weight so maybe that did it. But the new rear tire is the same brand and it has survived the return trip with no problems. I also noticed that the Scottoiler had run out and my chain was a little dryer than I would have liked. Refilled the reservoir and sprayed on some lube to try to help it out again. Pizza for the night and a lot of movies. Unfortunately, this cost me a visit to see @ally99 Earlier, I had hoped to meet up with @Motofool, but alas our schedules couldn't align for this trip.

Thursday June 19 2014: Northbound Day 1

Mileage 519 miles
Time: 12:30 (6:16am-6:47pm PDT)
Moving: 8:16
Stopped: 4:14

Moving Average: 63 mph

My only goal today was to get north to Newark where another friend had offered up his guest room to crash in. So I gave myself two days to get up there and took my time and visited some historical sites. Its odd for me coming from out west to places back east that only exist in history books for me. Seeing signs that point out battlefields, or forts, or plantations, or the like was completely surreal. Visiting places where slaves were housed made me sick at our own history but loving how far we've come in a relatively short time.

The Kingsley Plantation





Also stopped by the remains of an old British fort. I was in awe at the size of the place, always having pictured that forts were just the building along the place needed defending. I was not expecting the small town that surrounded the main fort and was enclosed in the outer wall.

Fort Fredrica





I made my way through Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Sadly, I was too late to get a visit in with @JohnnyBravo so opted to just continue north and see how far I could get. Answer: Fayetteville. Whoa nellie where did this storm come from?! It dumped so hard and fast I had to find shelter.



The storm broke about 15 minutes later and I made a bee line for the nearest town. Managed to get as far as Benson before the National Weather Service began screaming in my ear again and I pulled in for the night. Which turned out to be a good thing as I was rudely awoken by a huge thunderclap at 1am. I looked outside and was quite impressed at the biblical monsoon coming down outside my window.



Yeah, I think I'll stay here for tonight.



Friday June 20 2014: Northbound Day 2

Mileage 529 miles
Time: 11:56 (4:00am-3:56pm PDT)
Moving: 8:59
Stopped: 2:57

Moving Average: 59 mph

Ok, a little further south than I intended to end the night in, so had to reevaluate my route. I did have one goal for today, go to Kill Devil Hills, more widely known as Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. I HAD to see where the Wright Brothers started it all. So mapped out the route and I was off. I do have to say one thing about I-95, hope you like green. The trees walled in the interstate so well I wasn't entirely sure if I was passing through or around or even near towns. The only other place I had seen such greenery was up in Oregon, but the pine trees are much closer to the road and the green is deeper and darker. This was bright even if I couldn't see anything. I turned east at Rocky Mount and made my way out to the most laughably named place I encountered: The Alligator River. *River*?! RIVER?? I was honestly beginning to believe that not even Lake Tahoe is that wide! Unfortunately, the narrow lanes with few passing zones I am very familiar with and when traffic began backing up, I began looking for opportunities. Thankfully, everyone was spaced just right that at each passing zone I was able to play hop scotch all the way to the front of the line and I made it to the bridge onto Roanoke Island first. Zoom zoom! I was now on my way out to the Outer Banks.

Interesting place, and it was funky seeing the buildings and houses designed to be on the very outer edge of land. It was so crowded that I never saw the ocean but I could feel it in the humidity. Got to the Wright Brothers National Memorial and collected my stamp before visiting the site.









Looking at the time, I realized I needed to get moving in order to make it to my friend's house at 5. So, back on the road and northward I go. I aimed for Norfolk and Virginia Beach and Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. This just looked too cool to not go ride across. I even got an email as I was filling up from another rider giving some advice about crossing and what I would find on the other side. Sorry not still pictures, I'll work on the video later. But that was a wild ride, being so far above the water and then diving straight down below the Bay. It would be impossible but I was imagining what glass walls would look like. The road came up again for breath and cruised above the water again. I saw an odd passage coming up before I realized it was the mouth of another tunnel. Back under the water we went! Wheee!! I think I got my $15 of fun out of that section.

As I went up the Delmarva (did I get that right?) peninsula, I began noticing a very curious thing. All the little churches have their own little cemeteries. Even some homes had a few plots out from with well cared for headstones. The only cemeteries I am used to are large ones that are along the edge of town that everyone is buried in. Sure, each religion has their own section, but everyone is in the same area. Seeing these little places was just too interesting, I had to stop and get pictures.



I also discovered toll roads for the first time and found that my preparation in getting a transponder failed due to my placement of the gizmo. Of all the roads i crossed, only one read correctly, so I ended up just paying cash all over the place. New motto, always have bunches of $1's available. Managed to make it to Newark where my friend was waiting. We headed out for a delicious dinner and a stroll around downtown admiring the construction of the University. Something about old buildings just makes me stop and stare. I love them!

On the drive back to his place, he pointed out the side of the road. There, among the bushes and trees, were little twinkling lights. No.. FIREFLIES!! OMG actual real live lightning bugs!! Being from Nevada, I had never seen these things in person. So naturally I chased a few around his yard.



Link to original page on YouTube.

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Old July 2nd, 2014, 09:05 PM   #5
NevadaWolf
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Name: Teri
Location: 39°52'40.7"N 118°23'53.8"W (Northern NV)
Join Date: Jun 2012

Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250, 102k+ miles -- 2014 CB500X, 42k+ miles

Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 16
MOTM Jul '13, Jul '14
Saturday June 21 2014: Ninjette Day 1

Mileage 226 miles
Time: 11:48 (5:41am-5:29pm PDT)
Moving: 5:14
Stopped: 6:34

Moving Average: 43 mph

Today was my play day. I had made plans to meet up with @LittleRedNinjette while I was in the "neighborhood" and she offered her couch for the night. Then, I was glad to find that @allanoue was willing to ride over and hang out as well. On top of that, one of my Twitter friends, @MasterKraus works at RevZilla and offered to give a tour of the "Delaware Dragon". Perfect!

After a fantastic breakfast, I headed out to the nearest Wawa - apparently another store in the US in competition with Starbucks as to how many they can put into a single town. I didn't quite realize it was also a gas station so filled up before heading over and then saw the pumps. I didn't have to wait long before I saw the distinctive white 300 with a yellow rider on board. Whoo Hoo, got to meet Al! We rode north, following Google/Waze directions to ZLA where another distinctive green 300 was waiting with Teri nearby! w00t w00t! There was another rider nearby watching us and Chris came over to introduce himself. Hail hail the gang's all here.



Before we headed out, though, Chris was kind enough to give us a tour of RevZilla and showed off where all the Gear Geeks reside, where they learn about new products, their killer cafeteria and gym, and we got to peak through the window into the studio seen on every YouTube video. Then it was off to play in the twisties.



Afterwards, we headed back to the store to browse and shop and man I wish I was rich! I would have so walked out of there with half the store and had them ship the rest to me. I really want a durable riding suit with more pockets and the Klim gear just fits what I want. le weep. We then all went over to Tony Lukes for some lunch. I got a pulled pork sandwich that was OMG delish. We also scored the best parking, literally a few feet from the door. Fantastic food! Time to work off the afternoon nap time with some fun riding and sightseeing. Stopped by a veteran's memorial and chatted while I ended up on a phone call.



We also rode to a beautiful September 11th memorial that was incredibly moving with its simplicity and symbology. I do hope one day the world will move beyond such violent acts and sites such as these are never needed again.




And of course we are all geeks -



Parted ways with Al so he could head home and I followed Teri back to her place where I would have a chance to work on my bike's fuel issue (we had stopped by the shop earlier where I got to introduce everyone to the stupid CA thing) and where Teri had a new part for me!




It's been a great day!! I even saw more fireflies!!





Sunday June 22 2014: Ninjette Day 2

Mileage 336 miles
Time: 1 day 2 hours
Moving: 6:54
Stopped: 19:39

Moving Average: 49 mph


Teri wasn't going to just let me leave in the morning, so we went out for a fun breakfast at a diner that it seems every other biker in the area heads to Sunday mornings. I had a blast looking around the bikes, seeing everything from cruisers to standards to sports to trikes. And a nice collection of vintage bikes sitting beside the Harleys and Cam-Ams.





After breakfast, we crossed the Delaware again and headed for a nifty place called Bowman's Hill Tower. We took a small side road and there was a warning about the grade. Teri even mentioned the grade. Glad I have plenty of practice in the Sierra's of climbing because wow that was a steep road. At the top, well, I can't quite describe this one...









Of course, there was a really neat sight in the parking lot.



Sadly it was time to say farewell and begin my journey back to Maryland. I had a lot of fun here and really hope to come back.

I decided since the road had been working for me so far (really, Easterner's, what traffic?!) I stuck with I-95 south toward Washington DC. Since I would be leaving at Oh Dark Thirty, I was going to take today to sightsee around the nation's capitol. I ran out of $1's just before the toll gate so popped down to a gas station to stock up again. Cruising along and weaving around traffic kept me moving fairly well through Baltimore and before I knew it, I was facing a sign with my favorite shield in the world.



I had made it to Washington DC. I took the road I had been studying for months and made my way to Constitution Ave where I knew I had to get some pics.

Got the White House (way back there):



And the Washington Monument:




Time to head out towards the ocean again. The big ride was just a day away and I needed to get some rest and check on things. The east bound ride along 50 was slow, with picturesque towns highlighted by the setting sun. I enjoyed riding towards Salisbury and just seeing what seemed like a quiet life settling down for the night.



Link to original page on YouTube.

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Old July 2nd, 2014, 09:06 PM   #6
NevadaWolf
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Today was the day, the day I had been planning for months to do. I knew how to get east, just follow the interstate. But going back west was a bit more complicated. 50 wasn't just 50, it wound its way either through small towns or around them, merging and separating with other roads. I needed to stay on track. I had four days to do it. I could do it.



Of course, to be silly and bring balance to the ride, I had to collect some sand and water from the Atlantic.



Then back to the hotel for some sleep. Midnight comes quickly.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to meet up with @Sirref while I was in town. I really need to head back out here.


Tuesday June 24 2014: Westbound Day 1

Mileage 859 miles
Time: 24:18 (7:21pm-7:39pm PDT)
Moving: 17:28
Stopped: 6:49

Moving Average: 49 mph

I actually woke up much sooner than intended and wound up going to the nearby Wal-Mart for a few snacks and supplies. Got to the Shell station in Ocean Beach just about 15 minutes before they shut down for the night. But my witness arrived on time. I spent a bit talking with him and of course getting a picture.



I got tired of waiting until my scheduled start, so put my card in the machine and tried pumping some gas. Only then did I discover they must have turned off the pumps too! Luckily, 0.014 gallons dribbled into the tank, so with a whooping 5 cents, I was officially on the clock. Off I go! Highway 50 was quite and peaceful under the setting sun, but at 12:30 in the morning, it was pitch black. I was straining to see beyond the illusion of movement to catch real movement and spotted a few herds of deer along the edge of the road eating the grass. All was good as I crossed the Chesapeake Bridge and dropped into DC again.

Oh, note to BP, across the country BLACK mean gas, GREEN means diesel. WTH are you thinking reversing those?! Disaster averted....

Traffic was non-existent all the way through DC and Virginia, the whole point of taking off as early as I did. The sun came up as I was reaching the mountains of West Virginia. Which was a good thing, as 50 turned into a narrow, winding, twisty road that was incredibly slow! Pretty much from Winchester to Grafton the road took delight in finding whatever curves it could. Mixed into that small towns just waking up and heading off to work and I had an enjoyable ride watching the world start moving. Even found an old gas station that still held onto the idea of full service, though the attendant looked a little put off when I was already filling my tank before she made out it front. Feared for a moment I was in another state like Oregon or New Jersey. But all was good, even if she just stood there with my feeble attempts at small talk.

I left West Virginia and entered Ohio and found out my electronics has given up the ghost, something caused my accessory plugs to fail and nothing was charging. Had a backup means of letting @csmith12 know I was running late and would be in Cincinnati as soon as I could. Highway 50 out here isn't a major road, but it is a well traveled one. I passed through so many towns I lost count of them. And I was deeply reminded of the movie Cars. Here was the old road, with the old towns, and the interstate was just a few miles away. A couple places had banners out with the names of all the businesses in town "Ready to serve you!" I actually started crying at one point, thinking about how these places were just passed by. And yes, I am aware that is exactly what I was doing, so hush.

Finally made it to Cincinnati only to misread my GPS and spend close to an hour riding back and forth all over the place trying to figure out where I told Chris to meet me. UGH! I need a break, badly. Finally found him, yay for meeting in person, and a friend of his came over to chat. We then headed off to see a few of his hang out places and stop at a really yummy restaurant. I was happy for the chance to sit down and stop for awhile just talking. That turned into a good thing as one of the 15 minute monsoons dumped while we were eating.

Everyone knows bowties are cool, right?



Time flew by and soon it was time for me to scoot along. Said farewell and hopped on the bike to continue westward. Got dumped on a few more times before Ohio let me leave. Indiana welcomed me with patchy clouds but no threat of rain. I had hoped to ride with another friend through Indiana, unfortunately the weather conspired against me and it was even worse where he was starting from. Safety overrode the desire to meet up and I passed through the state alone. I do need to come back! It was getting late as I passed through more small towns, but the lack of mountains made for a really long twilight. I reached North Vernon before I noticed that the oil temp sensor was blinking away. Pulling over I checked the level and everything seemed fine. The water temp was reading normal too. Topped off the oil, and the Scottoiler too since I had things open, and continued on. About a half hour later, the temp fell into its normal range and resumed acting normal. Weird.

Made it to Washington before I called it a night. Rather pleasant hotel right off the highway and cheaper than I expected. Not quite as far as planned, but still on pace. This day has been good!





Wednesday June 25 2014: Westbound Day 2

Mileage 991 miles
Time: 20:33 (2:59am-11:33pm PDT)
Moving: 16:43
Stopped: 3:49

Moving Average: 59 mph

Wakey wakey, time to ride. Got the bike packed back up and headed on down the road. I rode by towns that had history stretching back to the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. The few places where 50 still wound through the middle of town rather than bypassed it showed off Main Streets with buildings hundreds of years old. I waved farewell to Indiana and greeted Illinois.

There's a town named Olney that I was wondering if I could stop in and still have time. They have a whole population of albino squirrels. That would have been neat to see, except around that time my brain decided it hadn't quite gotten enough sleep and it would like some more... NOW! Found a little pull off which had a historical marker near a nice parking area. I'm getting fairly good at napping on the bike; park, backpack off and onto handlebar, feet propped up on the right bar, helmet on and resting on the tail bag. Surprisingly comfortable. A ten minute nap allowed my brain to get itself sorted out and I was back on the road. Highway 50 pretty much heads straight west, varying little to the north or south. The temps were warm to hot but my cooling gear was doing its job. Needed to pull over once to resoak the sleeves and had a nice chat with a "simple minded redneck" (her words) about using technology to navigate long distances.

St Louis was the next big city I crossed and as I spent part of the time looking for the arch, it suddenly dawned on me that I was in St. Louis! Home of Anita Blake, the heroine of one of my favorite book series. I realized my brain had been unconsciously substituting "St Louis" with "New Orleans" and "Missouri" with "Louisiana". It was rather shocking to suddenly have the location of my favorite story shifted north by quite a bit. Then I saw the arch and I was back in reality.

I mostly remember trees in Missouri. Lots of a trees, and a small two lane road winding between them. Highway 50 gave me that timeless sense, where nothing moved, nothing changed, and life just continued on. Before I knew it I was approaching Kansas City. I had this wild notion that I would enter Kansas and see nothing but flat farm land with fields of grain glowing in the setting sun. I didn't anticipate my bike sputtering to a stop AGAIN just outside Emporia. I did all my usual tricks, even cursed at it for a good long while, before deciding that wasting time wasn't something I could afford, so immediately called my LD friend. "Reserve?" "Don't have one." "What do you have?" "Prime." "Use it." It's a temporary fix but it was one that got me home.

I scooted across Kansas looking out over low rolling hills and more grass than I have ever seen. Seriously, I've never seen the DOT *mowing* the shoulders of a highway before. My dad asked if I saw the massive grain elevators, but they didn't register for me. I was too busy looking at the land... and the cloud... the massive monster cloud that seemed intent on swallowing the entire western horizon. Then I arrived in Kinsley KS. This was a stop I had to make. For one simple reason...



By the time I left, the cloud had grown and was eating the sun. Still dim enough to see by but now I was watching the sides of the road looking for deer or anything else that may decided to test their luck against my tires. I was aiming for Lakin, KS and as I left Dodge City (in the dark), I got a call. "Have you heard they issued a tornado warning?" Err, nope, I'll be pulling over now. Waiting out the storm in Lakin gave me a great chance to watch the lightning tear across the sky. It was beautiful. Except then I started hearing.. things.. hitting the ground. Almost sounded like rain, but no droplets were hitting me. I looked closer and saw a bunch of medium sized bugs falling to the ground all over the parking lot. Um... ew? Got the all clear and I left town heading towards my goal of La Junta, CO.

By this time it was late, and dark, and cold, and storming, and my brain was having none of it, so took another nap near Holly. My argument to myself was I had no desire to spend any time napping outside while my brain was cheating by randomly shutting things down. I spent quite some time in the rest area having the discussion with myself to go find a motel and get some proper sleep. My brain relented and I woke up refreshed enough for the short ride to La Junta. Remember I said I would have more on my LD friend? Well here it is. He called, after having noticed my SPOT tracker was stuck in a rest area. I explained what was going on, and he said to give him a moment. Once back on the road, he called again and said he had found an inexpensive place in La Junta, looked decent, good reviews, and had called ahead to let the owner know I was on my way. He said he'd stay on the line, just having a conversation, to make sure I made it safely. GREG IS AWESOME! Made it safely to the motel, the fellow behind the counter had everything ready for me, I paid and snuggled into the most comfortable bed in the world. My brain agreed.



Link to original page on YouTube.


Thursday June 26 2014: Westbound Day 3

Mileage 1049 miles
Time: 22:26 (4:36am-3:03am PDT)
Moving: 17:42
Stopped: 4:44

Moving Average: 59 mph

Good morning world! Time to get rolling again. Packed things up, got all my recharged electronic gizmos in place, and I was off to Pueblo. I had made up my mind I was going to have a right proper breakfast and treat myself to some real honest food before I would move another mile forward. Course, with my luck, this meant getting lost in Pueblo as I randomly drove around looking for the Cracker Barrel. Found it! FOOD! Took my time, ate a good and hearty breakfast, and left feeling human again. Time to get back on track.

After Pueblo, the Rocky Mountains started to make an appearance and I could feel the bike beginning to climb. At this stage in its life, the Arkansas River is a third of the size it would eventually grow to as it winds its way towards the Mississippi. Still, the canyon road that ran along the bank of the river was windy and twisty and always framed by that rushing river below. I passed through Canon City, and Salida, even Poncha Springs which I had passed through last year while on the Heaven to Hell ride. Then, it was a straight climb up the mountain, higher and higher, starting from 7,400 feet and topping out at the Continental Divide, 11,312 feet after only 18 miles. Yeah, my bike had issues with the elevation and lost all passing power about two thirds of the way up. I stuck in the slow lane and just held on.



On the way down, I encountered construction zones followed by three massive semi's fully loaded down and barely able to maintain a slow 30 mph speed. Everyone crawled to a painful march forward and there was no where to safely pass. Most of the way down I kept an eye on the road ahead and more importantly the bumper of the car behind - who was getting uncomfortably close. Eventually, we came to an uphill passing zone that Colorado mercifully gave the downhill folks access too if the lane was clear (thank you Oregon for teaching me that handy trick, Nevada listen up!) I saw the dotted line, saw the coast was clear, made sure no one else was going to jump out, and took the lead. It felt so good to be going the speed limit again.

After a short stretch and cool down in Gunnison, I continued on along the river before turning north towards Grand Junction. Highway 50 runs alongside I-70 though it seems Colorado forgot to sign it after they indicated the turn. I simply followed Hwy 6 until there was no more highway and got back onto the interstate. From here it was a short ride into Utah and back into familiar territory.

I had ridden this route on my way to Idaho Springs last year and knew it, though not going west. It was unique looking at the world in the opposite direction, though the mesas still look as amazing as ever! Once I reached Salina for some gas, I was waved at cheerily by a KTM rider. Putting the nozzle away, he wandered over and introduced himself ("Scott from Susanville!") and commented that I had a "very pretty bike." Awww, thanks! A gentle rain had started, nothing like it was in Ohio, and I motored on, knowing the Nevada border was not far from me.



"Welcome to Nevada" I love that sign! I know this land, I know this state, I know her towns and her roads, her mountains and her valleys. I know my home. I also knew that it was getting freaking COLD! I donned all my gear and cranked the heat up to high, tucking in as I pushed on towards Ely. Home was my goal tonight, home and my own bed for the final night on the road. But it was getting colder and night had fallen. Another phone call came in, "Where are you?" "Um, about 30 miles from Ely." "I'm heading to Austin, meet you there." Did I mention Greg was cool? Greg is awesome! I got some hot cocoa in Ely simply to warm up and made my way to Austin where I was greeted with a huge hug and a massive smile. Greg rode with me all the way to Fallon, letting me set the pace and chatting every time I stopped to stretch. After this many days on the bike, I was beginning to feel the stiffness of the stock seat and my muscles were protesting.

Course, every time I stopped after Ely, I kept smelling BBQ. Rabbit stew anyone?

Score, made it to my own bed and only a few hours remain until I am successfully in Sacramento. One more day.





Friday June 27 2014: Westbound Day 4

Mileage 197 miles
Time: 4:10 (7:53am-12:04pm PDT)
Moving: 3:33
Stopped: 00:37

Moving Average: 56 mph


I woke up early, Greg was still zonked out on my couch so I just surfed the net a bit and emptied out my email inbox. Amazing how fast that fills up. 7o'clock rolled around and it was time to get back on the road. Filled up at the nearby station then we were off, a straight shot over the Sierras to Sacramento.

We made it into Carson City and I had thought that 50 continued through downtown as it has for eons. But with the new bypass around town, NDOT has signed the interstate as Hwy 50 so I was able to avoid going through the middle of Carson City. We exited town and started the climb over Spooner Summit. Tahoe looked amazing this early in the morning, with the sun lighting up the mountains and the blue sky crystal clear. There was a bit of a traffic snarl as we climbed over Echo Summit but it cleared up enough that we were able to motor smoothly on down towards Placerville.





Soon, Sacramento is just down the hill. Passing through the pine trees, looking out over California, the sun had climbed straight up in the sky and was beating down on everyone and everything. But I didn't care. I was here, one more exit away from finishing this amazing ride. Traffic built up, everyone out and about this Friday at noon. Found my exit, pulled off, and got the receipt that clinched in. Less than four days, I had just ridden the entire length of US Route 50.



And to finish it all off, sand and water from the Sacramento River. LOL





Link to original page on YouTube.

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Old July 2nd, 2014, 09:10 PM   #7
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Mileage 205 miles
Time: 6:58
Moving: 3:52
Stopped: 3:06

Moving Average: 53 mph


These rides only require one authorized IBA member's signature for a witness, I like getting two. After I secure my receipt and sample I headed off to my second witness where I was able to be still for awhile and talk. Course I was tired and half stupid and half tongue tied so he ended up doing more talking as I didn't know what to say. But he did advise a back road to Auburn called Salmon Falls. I thanked him profusely for being my witness and saddled up one last time.

Course I had to take the recommended route. Whee twisty! As I pulled into Auburn, I began to feel it. The rush of adrenaline beginning to fade as I realized that the ride was over, I had done it. I pulled into Colfax for some food and tea and just relaxed for awhile. It felt good to just sit, not moving, not sharply focused, just be for awhile. But I still had to get home.

I took I-80 over Donner and made my way past Truckee and Verdi and down into Reno. I swung by my Kawi shop to pick up oil change supplies and a new chain and sprocket set along with a tool to change things. Then it was south to Carson where I had begun this ride 14 days ago. A lot had happened in that time, though it feels like a dream. It was a very ambitious plan, a lot could go wrong. But luck or planning was on my side and very little went wrong. From weather, to bike, to body, the little bits that could have been issues were nothing more than annoyances. This trip went remarkably well and I am fortunate that it did.

A lot of folks helped me out, giving support and advice and encouragement. To them, I am forever grateful. I will pay it forward when the next rookie asks if such a ride can be done.

Yes, it can.






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Old July 2nd, 2014, 09:14 PM   #8
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Old July 2nd, 2014, 09:30 PM   #9
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7000 miles is a lot to ride in any road trip, never mind in just two weeks.
I hoped you enjoyed some time off the bike as well as on!
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Old July 2nd, 2014, 09:47 PM   #10
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Insanity at its finest

Someday, I hope to do a ride like that. I've got many years before something this epic though
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Old July 2nd, 2014, 10:53 PM   #11
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Damn ur crazy

You should do the "Meet Every Ninjetter In The US Ride"

Its a ton of fun and no one has ever been able to do it before because I just made it up.
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Old July 2nd, 2014, 11:21 PM   #12
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Old July 2nd, 2014, 11:57 PM   #13
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Wow! I envy you! How cool!
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Old July 4th, 2014, 09:28 AM   #14
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And Teri delivers with massive story and pictures to allow vicarious enjoyment!
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Old July 4th, 2014, 09:41 AM   #15
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Old July 4th, 2014, 10:14 AM   #16
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Great report, Teri!
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Old July 4th, 2014, 11:08 AM   #17
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great write up! Would love to see the video riding the Bay Bridge Tunnel.
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Old July 4th, 2014, 11:56 AM   #18
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I wish I coulda made it out... We woulda been trying to meet I. The rain in benson most likely though :/
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Old July 4th, 2014, 12:22 PM   #19
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Old July 4th, 2014, 12:30 PM   #20
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That was so much fun to read! You made a lifetime of memories in a mighty short time. Amazing Teri! I would have been honored to meet you in person!
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Old July 4th, 2014, 12:31 PM   #21
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Oh, Bowman's Hill Tower looks like it was worth every step it took to arrive! Beautiful!
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Old July 4th, 2014, 01:01 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by LittleRedNinjette View Post
great write up! Would love to see the video riding the Bay Bridge Tunnel.
Working on the videos next. Have over 29 gigs of clips to sort through so might be a bit before I get them done.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnyBravo View Post
I wish I coulda made it out... We woulda been trying to meet I. The rain in benson most likely though :/
Yeah, you warned me the rain was about to hit and oh boy did it deliver! It was nice when we spoke but that cloud moved quickly onto 95. Ah well.

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Oh, Bowman's Hill Tower looks like it was worth every step it took to arrive! Beautiful!
The first question out of my mouth was I hoped there was an elevator! coming down the steps was a lot of fun wearing full gear. Had to walk sideways. But the view from the top was stunning! Could see forever and all the homes looked like a miniature painting. Saw a pic from the fall and that looks amazing too, with the blanket of reds, yellows, and oranges and a crisp blue river.
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Old July 4th, 2014, 02:22 PM   #23
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Oh, Bowman's Hill Tower looks like it was worth every step it took to arrive! Beautiful!
That is one of my favorite places to visit. I was really looking forward to showing it off to Teri.

My first time going up my boyfriend had us take the steps...
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Old July 4th, 2014, 05:51 PM   #24
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All I can say is WoW!!!

((I just took a 30 day trip starting in GA - out to Cali - up to Seattle and then back to GA hitting 27 states, 20 National Parks & Monuments, but not on a motorcycle. Iron Butt status earned in my book. Especially on a 250. I will add this to my bucket list!))
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Old July 5th, 2014, 07:48 AM   #25
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AWESOME! Looks incredible! I've been dying to do something like this for years, and had recently started figuring out all the gear and such I'll need to make it a reality. My stir craziness has finally reached it's peak, and I can't take NOT doing it anymore.

Did you stay in hotels/houses the whole trip? Did you bring any camping gear? Was it generally pretty easy to find some place to rest safely?
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Old July 5th, 2014, 08:33 AM   #26
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For me, once I decided to do it, it just took eating Ramen for way to long to save up the funds. The rest came really quick (routing where I wanted to go mostly).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zombiphone View Post
Did you stay in hotels/houses the whole trip? Did you bring any camping gear? Was it generally pretty easy to find some place to rest safely?
Except for two nights spent couch surfing, I did the motel thing the rest of the trip. No camping gear at all. I found it easy to find someplace to rest, either a motel or a nap. But it really does take looking around and judging the area. Is it well lit, are there areas where its quiet but still within calling for help distance, are others just coming and going or is anyone hanging around eyeing the place, etc.

For the motels, once I got tired or decided I was going to stop, I would generally pull into the first chain motel I saw. I largely stuck with chains as I felt they generally have a some predictable room quality. NOT the case but it worked. My personal preference is a bed and a locking door, so when it came time for me to write up my Trip Advisor reviews I was shocked to see places I was rating as Good to be getting 1-star reviews and massive complaints. Either people are over sensitive or my standards are low. It had a bed, a roof, and was inexpensive, good for me! Only in San Diego did I have to keep riding around looking for a place.

For naps, I know my personal warning signs and when I reached those I would pull into a rest area (if around), a quiet park in town, or find a road that took off the highway for a "safe" distance. Safe is all relative, the historical marker pull off was about a hundred feet while a side road was a quarter mile. If somewhere with grass or a table, I stay geared up and stretch out there, using my timer on my phone for a 10 minute alarm. If somewhere I can't lay out, I'll park somewhere well lit but away from other cars (especially semis at night as some leave their engines idling) and just prop myself on the bike for a quick nap.

Since most of my naps were either in rest areas or trucker parking areas or remote side streets, I really did feel safe closing my eyes for awhile. Staying in gear also helped as I am so armored up that anyone looking at me with ill-intent can only see "biker" vs any identifying features that may encourage or discourage whatever they are thinking. For me on this trip, I never had anyone bother me.

I know I am too light of a sleeper in unfamiliar areas, so wouldn't trust myself to get a decent night sleep if camping. As it was I needed a trick to drop to sleep in the motels as quickly as possible (Pavlov's dog type thing, play a single audio book every night for a long time to train my brain that this book = go to sleep). It worked, I was typically asleep within 10-15 minutes of lying down, sometimes sooner.

One of the things I balance the risk/reward is how accessible am I? I like rest areas in that there is a steady stream of others and its well lit so anyone thinking of messing with me is readily seen. However, its well lit and tends to be noisy. The other option is off a random side road far enough from the main road that my reflectors and gear aren't advertising my presence. Its quiet, dark, and very restful. But I am virtually invisible to the rest of the world and no one would ever know if something happens. What do you pick? Where is your personal level of security?

Hope that helps.
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Old July 5th, 2014, 02:32 PM   #27
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That was a joy to read.

Thank you Teri
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Old July 5th, 2014, 04:23 PM   #28
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I am glad I was able to meet you, Al! Really helps to have a face and voice to go with these posts and to meet new riding buddies in person is always a joy.
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Old July 14th, 2014, 11:07 PM   #29
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I've finally gotten the videos finished and have linked them into the corresponding daily log.

Or you can check out the playlist here, six parts in total. Sorry about the length (just over an hour), but i had way to much I wanted to keep to visually show the area I rode through.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...Tvi--wXuS_BK3X


I also volunteered to be interviewed on Long Riders Radio, and that episode is now out if you want to hear me babbling.

http://longridersradio.com/2014/07/14/episode-5/
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Old July 15th, 2014, 06:49 AM   #30
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very impressive on many levels
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Old July 17th, 2014, 09:09 PM   #31
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That was simply amazing. Thanks for the great rr, man I felt acomplished when I took my N300 to TX and back to CO. This is simply amazing.
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Old July 17th, 2014, 09:26 PM   #32
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CO to TX and back is a great ride as well. Any ride, no matter the miles, that gets you out to see this beautiful planet is a good ride. There is so much to see and no better way to see it that from the back of a bike.

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Old July 18th, 2014, 09:47 AM   #33
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I noticed on your ride report that many of those days were near 1k miles or more. My question, having done a max of 600 miles, how were you able to complete the distance over several days. I mean I was thoroughly exhausted by doing the 600 miles and for you to keep doing that many times over is simply astonishing.

Again Thanks for the great rr it sounded like fun.
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Old July 18th, 2014, 10:56 AM   #34
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By building up to it. I started this "hobby" last year and have done several medium to long rides as I worked on getting ready for any long high mileage multi day rides.

I read in the long distance forums that you need to make the bike the most comfortable place in the world. I did a lot of "little" rides that taught me what gear I needed to keep warm, what gear I needed to stay cool, how much water and snacks to stay fueled, and now the small mods I need to do to make my seating position more comfortable.

I routinely do 500-700 miles on a weekend, so knew two days was possible. I had done a few 1000 mile days before, so knew that was doable. I hadn't done two weeks before though, so built in days to stay off the bike and rest. It worked out well.

I also learned where my own personal limits were, and the signs my body gives to tell me its about at the breaking point. I had to give myself permission it was ok to pull over more and rest, either by walking around a few minutes or getting in a short nap. Ten minutes spent sleeping is time well spent to keep moving forward, in my opinion.

But in all honesty, having a goal each day, and overall, helped me keep moving forward. I knew how far ideally I would like to go, and just worked towards that. Sometimes I made it, other times I didn't. But I had to be forgiving with myself and know when it was time to stop vs keep pushing forward. No ride, ever, is worth pushing beyond your physical limits. The end goal of any ride is to finish as you started, wheels up at your own driveway.

My final witness was telling me about a twisty road in his area but warned me about the mental crash that was coming. My ride was over, the adrenalin was going to fade, and my brain was going to realize it was done. Sure enough, about twenty minutes after I left his place, I felt my brain just give up. That's why I stopped in Colfax for so long. I was done. Nothing was going to get me to get back on the bike until I had a nice long rest in a quite place with no movement, no noise, no vibrations, nothing.

Building up to it, listening to yourself, knowing yourself and your limits, and steadily working on what holds you back to help you extend your mileage or saddle time limits. That's how I did it.
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Old July 18th, 2014, 11:07 AM   #35
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So the question everyone wants to know (the east coast people already know) which is better riding country, east or west, and don't say that stinking hot humid south.
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Old July 18th, 2014, 11:20 AM   #36
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Oh come on, going with where I live, that's even a question?!

Out West is where it's at!

Sure, I was in awe over the sheer amount of greenery, waterways, bridges, historic buildings, and sights, sounds, and smells I am not used to. But the mountains are where my heart and spirit lie. Real mountains, reaching up above 8000 ft, with tight and twisty curves and sharp drop offs that reveal a valley 4000 ft below that stretches out into the distance and covered by a blanket of pine trees.

I like standing along side of the road and looking out over a varied desert landscape, with mountains and valleys laid bare to see the entire geologic story written in exposed stone. I love the sharp contrast of crystal blue rivers and lakes against the grey slab of granite ringing by trees such a deep green they are almost black. I marvel at a skyline of trees hundreds of years old, standing taller than anything else around. All of it capped by the clearest and most brilliant blue sky that is unmatched.

And mostly, I love looking at that vista and not seeing a single sign of human civilization.


Though, riding Hwy 50 though West Virginia is definitely on the "Must ride again" list. Being in a tunnel of light green and yellow trees while the road wrapped back and forth upon itself was an absolute trip!
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Old July 20th, 2014, 05:25 PM   #37
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That's an epic ride. Reminds me of those Top Gear episodes.
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Old July 20th, 2014, 06:33 PM   #38
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That's an epic ride. Reminds me of those Top Gear episodes.
I would love to be part of those epic trips they take for the special episodes, like the Vietnam or African specials. They truly do an amazing job sharing the world with their viewers.
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Old July 20th, 2014, 06:46 PM   #39
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badass!!! Bravo! Sorry I wasn't able to head south to cinci to meet up with you and csmith.
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Old July 20th, 2014, 07:33 PM   #40
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Romeo just bit my toe... I need one of them baby seats for bicycles so Romeo can ride
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