19 June 2010

 

The Day Before The Big Day…preparations almost complete

and a phone call from Iraq…

 

It’s 4am and the refrain from an old song continues to play back in my head, “my bags are packed and I’m ready to go” and then panic sets in…my bags aren’t packed and I am not ready to go!  That being said, my wife has been very helpful by laying out all of the items that I have placed on the I must take list, and as you might imagine, there are more things on the list than I can possibly fit on the motorcycle.  I have created an elaborate bungee-cord system to hold all of my possessions securely on the bike…finger’s crossed…good thing I have AAA!

 

It is now 5:30 p.m. and the bike is packed, and I’m almost ready to go.  My emotions continue to swing through several levels of excitement, nervousness, apprehension, sadness, appreciativeness and then back to excitement again, but I guess that’s understandable for anyone undertaking a new adventure. 

 

Yesterday the local newspaper ran a wonderful front page article about the upcoming Ride and this morning, bright and early my phone rang with a voice from the past.  One of my former students, a young man named Patrick, who spent many moments sitting across the desk from me while I was in my role as a high school assistant principal and disciplinarian, had called…to say thank you.  His mom had emailed him the article and he was calling from Iraq, on behalf of himself and his active duty friends who were currently deployed, just to say thank you to me for doing The Ride.  He told me that he and his buddies use the USO’s all over the world and sincerely appreciate the services they provide to the troops.  I was stunned!  I responded to say, the thanks really belongs to you and your friends…your commitment and sacrifice is what allows me to take on adventures like The Ride in this wonderful and free country.

 

Thank you Patrick - for an unexpected, yet very uplifting phone-call.  I could not have asked for a better way to start the trip. 

 

So The Ride begins tomorrow morning …….and the story has just begun.

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20 June 2010

Day 1

A bike blessed and a proper send off...

 

Day 1 was preceded by a very long night of sleeplessness for both my wife and I.  Sunrise brought new excitement and a new day.  The forecast had called for thundershowers beginning early in the morning and continuing all day but fortunately they did not materialize. The day had a few sprinkles here and there but not enough to even cause the dreaded rain suit to leave its warm environment.  I hate rain suits.  Yes they work but they are so hot that your sweat glands work overtime and you are soaked underneath the rain clothes! 

 

Back to day one - The day began most gracefully with an early prayer and blessing of the bike by my pastor the Rev. Gil Healy, also a rider of the iron horse.  Following our private meeting, for which I feel most blessed, I returned home to find “Whiskers”, the northern PGR (Patriot Guard) Road Captain, with his Harley and side car adorned with a large American Flag.  Whiskers was helping with my send off as he rode with Peter and me for the first hour or so.  Peter, my neighbor, is riding the first few days of the trip with me and I am very appreciative for both his friendship and his company to start The Ride. 

 

We departed in Center Conway, NH, at 8:00 a.m. and the day was completed 285 miles and seven hours later in Machiasport, Maine.

 

Maine is a beautiful state that really could be several states in one.  As we progressed up the mid-coast, lobster and clam signs were spotted frequently and the traffic was in full force on this Father’s Day Sunday morning.  The lobster and clam lovers would have drooled over the price wars as we entered what is considered as Costal Maine.  Lobster prices dropped from $6 to $5 per/pound and then to $5 per/lobster to “you pick me”!  Fresh clams were offered at the formal road side stands at $3 per/quart while trucks and front yards offered fresh dug clams at $2 per/quart.  The last sign I spotted stated, “freshly dug by me this morning”, $1.50/quart.  Many front yards in Costal Maine had literally 100 lobster traps adorning their lawn and it made me wonder about the fishing industry in Maine and also how folks in the Gulf Coast are doing.

 

As you enter Bucksport you cross a beautiful suspension bride which floats above the site of one of the worse defeats suffered by the American’s during the Revolutionary War.  It reminds me of the new bridge that you cross to enter Boston and the home of the Red Sox!  The terrain in Maine changes again as you move north from a rugged coast line with old lobster traps to the fields of rock and pine trees.  Soon we are in Washington County home to the Maine Wild Blueberry.  This little blue fruit is abundant and highly marketed in this part of Maine.  Tomorrow  Aroostook County will claim “potatoes“ as the crop of Maine but tonight blueberries rule, even if the season doesn’t begin until mid August.

 

By a stroke of luck I selected Captain Cates B&B for the first night’s lodging and what a blessing.  The B & B is owned and operated by two fun loving re-located southerner’s,   Mary and Rick, who are extremely helpful and engaging.  Mary offered the garage to us to keep the motorcycles dry from the impending rain storm and allowed us to join them for dinner.  Typically, B & B’s only provide breakfast but these two welcomed us in and what a superb dinner we had which was topped off by Mary’s homemade blueberry tort! 

 

The meal was peppered with questions and answers about both The USO Ride and testing Rick on his history knowledge.  You wouldn’t want to bet against Rick as he has a wealth of American History knowledge at the tip of his tongue, even if he still thinks the Confederacy won, (or should have won), the war.  Mary writes for the local paper, The Machias Valley News Observer, and is going to submit an article about The Ride.  Off to Eastport, Maine tomorrow morning, the eastern most point of the United States and then north to Madawaska the NE corner of the U.S.  Day one complete and the adventure continues….

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21 June 2010

Day 2

A certificate from the Governor, a town that closes up shop at 8:00 p.m.

and a wrong turn into Canada…

 

As promised the brightness of the morning sun shone through the windows by 4:15 a.m. and I was up and wide awake by the sound of a rattling fan and the uncomfortableness of a strange bed.  By 5:30 a.m. I had showered and was ready for the day but couldn’t leave as we promised Rick, the breakfast chef, that we’d see him at 6:30 a.m. for coffee.  The sun is hidden by the clouds and it looks like it may very well be a foggy morning, so while I was waiting for the day to officially start, I decided to use the downtime to begin reading a book, Fathers and Daughters & Sport given to me by my wonderful little girl for Father’s Day.

 

What a surprise for Peter and I.  He, who doesn’t like eggs and me who can’t stand omelets, both loved the omelet breakfast!  Rick gave us a better route for our AM journey to the eastern most point of the U.S. and by 8:00 a.m. we were on our way. 

 

The Quoddy Light House and Park is the real eastern most point not Eastport as advertised, so we grabbed a few photos and were back on the road by 9:30 a.m.  By 10:30 a.m. we were in Callas, ME heading over the Canadian border…opps…wrong turn…try again go in the other direction!  The sun cleared and we spent the majority of the day riding in the low 80’s sunshine and of course with that came the trip’s first sun burn!

 

We arrived at the Four Corners Park around 4:30 p.m. and took some photos and then checked into the local motel.  In addition, Joe Le Chance, the originator of the Four Corner Park came to the motel to present each of us (Peter and I) with a signed certificate from the Governor of Maine and the Chairman of the local Town Council. 

 

We spent almost an hour discussing the park, The USO Ride and Joe’s background.  He finished interviewing me, hopefully for a newspaper release.  After that we were off to the local VFW to spread the word!  Believe it or not it was now 8:00 p.m. and the only two restaurants in town had closed down cooking for the night and that included the pizza joint.  We were able to find a local establishment that served $1 hot dogs if you bought a beverage, and of course they only had two dogs left and were not going to steam any more as it was already 8:00 p.m. and they were closing shortly.  Needless to say, Day 2 dinner was a bust.  After that experience we headed back to our low budget motel and hit the rack.  Having observed the AM breakfast we decided to depart early and attempt to find some “home cooking” along the way.  I’m already had enough of BK and

Mc Donald’s.  The adventure continues…

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22 June 2010

Day 3

A homemade breakfast and a moment of silence for a fallen soldier…

 

6:20 a.m. departure, 41 degrees…292 miles later…arrived at 4:20 p.m. with the weather at 83 degrees.

 

After last nights horrible dining experience and viewing the upcoming continental breakfast at the motel we decided to leave a little earlier and find a local restaurant and not a chain.  Upon entering Fort Kent, we had to continue north before being able to head south then west and all I spied was the Golden Arches and many cars.  I saw an older man crossing the street and asked for the location of a “local” restaurant.  He pointed to McDonalds…I said no I didn’t want a chain…so he put down his bag (he was at the bus stop) and walked back across the street to an apartment and waived me to follow. 

 

So the bike and I did a half u-turn and went across the street with his finger waiving in the air as my directional lead.  A minute or two later a more senior gentleman emerged from an apartment, pulling up his suspenders, as I explained what I was looking for.  He said in a broken tongue, do you speak Francis (fran-say)?  Now I knew I had a problem!  After several minutes we were able to put together the name and location of the “local” restaurant a few miles down the road. 

 

Pete and I were the first customers of the day and the waitress was also the short order cook, cashier and practically everything else except the baker, who was busy making fresh homemade muffins.  For a mere $6.82, I had unlimited coffee, the first few cups were to warm my hands and insides, a large slab of Canadian bacon, two over easy, homemade toast and good old fashion home fries; I was in heaven.  Especially as breakfast is my favorite meal of the day! 

 

We turned around as the road ended at Rock Family Restaurant and the bridge to the Canadian border.  Found Route 11 and we were off now heading towards U.S. Four Corner number 2 in Blaine, Washington at least 20 days away.

 

So, for the second time in two days I was reminded to drive slowly and with open eyes as the moose were out in abundance!  When a motorcycle Vs. moose contact occurs, the  moose always wins!  About an hour into the journey we did see one moose but he was happily grazing near some lupines on the side of the brook away from the road and we just kept going. 

 

The first part of this morning’s ride was along the river that separated USA from NB, Canada.  Across the river you could see the rolling farm lands, small towns and large Catholic churches which appeared almost Cathedral like in size and architecture.

 

Route 11 south from Ft. Kent to Medway, Maine is one amazing bike road.  All downhill, great open views, lots of room to see the on-coming traffic (which was only one logging truck for most of two hours) and space to turn the right hand a little.  For the non-iron horse folks following along, that is the accelerator hand.  All in all a road to be highly recommended going south. 

 

I stopped along the side of the road, in the shadow of Mt Katardin, and said a prayer as I came upon a GOLD STAR Granite Monument, surrounded by three flags, USA in the middle, U.S. Army and the State of Maine.  This family morns, and yet still has the strength to let the world know of their child’s sacrifice.  I didn’t take a photo.  My brief prayer stop almost seemed like an intrusion.  In my work with the NH Patriot Guard Riders I have had the honor to meet a few Gold Star parents…quite a humbling experience.  

 

One of the most beautiful sights that I have noticed was this Norman Rockwell-like scene.  Picturing, if you can, riding in a tree lined tunnel at about 50 mph and a “reduce speed” sign appears …you slowdown and then a 25 mph sign appears..and out of nowhere a little village appears with American Flags on the town’s telephone poles…and they continue until you are back at the next 50 mph speed zone heading out of town up the other hill. What a beautiful array of red, white and blue.  Two of the towns had service flags on every other pole as well.  As an old Army guy I knew that the ARMY Flag would be the first.  Flag protocol typically calls for the oldest service’s flag to go first and that is the US Army.  Sometimes flags will be lined in reverse but not often. 

 

Route 11 turned much less fun in East Millinocket as it became a flat, backwoods road which served as a primary road for lumber trucks moving in both directions at a high rate of speed, or so it seemed.  Fortunately my (and map quest’s plan) had our route changing to a scenic, winding road (route 16) along the Kennebec River which we folowed all the way into Kingfield, another pretty and relaxing ride.  Never spotted any of the famous Maine rafts, guess we were too far south.  We are staying at the Grand Herbert Hotel, it is no longer “grand” but still retains much of the personality of an Old Grand Hotel.  I guess that in it’s hey day this was one swanky place to stay.

 

Our twosome becomes a threesome tomorrow…or more correctly a double and a single as Pete’s wife is going to join up with us in Errol NH on our way to New York.  Pete and I are looking forward to Charlene’s arrival - for me, no more snoring roommate and for Pete, he just smiled.  Sometimes a smile says it all.

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23 June 2010

Day 4

Thunderstorms, moose, rain, more thunderstorms and one wild turkey…

 

Departed 7:30 a.m. – 292 Miles Traveled – Arrived 4:40 p.m.

 

If Charles Barkley were here, he would say it as simply as this…terrible.  It was a late start, a poor night’s sleep, trucks and thunder showers all night, and then, we went 30 plus miles in the wrong direction.  Now we were forced to take a Plan-B route which worked out fine EXCEPT we had to travel down “moose alley”.  On a clear day it’s a risk, and today, we were without good site lines.  Imagine wearing glasses and then looking through a plastic shield, then through a windshield covered with rain droplets sans the wipers, and that was my line of sight for the day.  I spent most of the following hour peering my head left and right of the windshield so I could see the sides of the road from which moose may spring, and then it happened.  Three moose standing tall about 20 feet away coming through the grass, a mom and two babies.  The babies were larger than my motorcycle.  I can attest to the fact that the Harley ABS break system works even in the rain on a wet surface!  The moose stopped in their tracks as did we, and then we both scooted - us down the road, and the moose back into the woods.  No more moose the rest of the run although I had to keep looking and we did miss one very large, slow moving wild turkey! 

 

We met up with Peter’s wife in NH, where the motel had a sign on the wall, “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain”, timing is everything! Looking into the rain I recalled what my daughter, trip support staff, motivator and tech person, who is posting these documents and hopefully correcting my errors, had said to me earlier when commenting on the upcoming rain storms.  She said: “Dad, just think of two things…first remember your purpose and passion for doing The Ride and second, when the weather gets hard to handle, just think about what the men and women deployed overseas are going through at that very moment and remember they don’t get a break from any weather conditions…”  Those words came back to me as we left our hot coffee and headed back into the rain and fog.  A couple hours later when her words of motivation had left my conscious thoughts, the weather had turned worse and I was questioning myself.  Then, on the radio came another sign from above, and as I listened, the sounds of the National Anthem began to play.  I am not sure why this song was on the radio during the middle of the day but that was all I needed to continue on. 

 

The sun broke around 3:15 p.m. just as we were exiting Vermont.  Route 105 in VT heading south was a beautiful ride.  The roads were embraced by large, green, dairy farms that seemed to go on without end.  And in Elenburg, NY we came upon a quiet little village surrounded by at least 70 very large wind turbines standing as guards to the community.  Tomorrow’s forecast is severe thundershowers…and the adventure continues…

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24 June 2010

Day 5
Fellow bikers, a Yankee fan and lots of coffee stops…

Departed 7:05 a.m. – 273 Miles Traveled – Arrived 4:45 p.m.

 

First, let’s go back to yesterday.  I forgot to journal that Wednesday was a four state day!  Coffee and a bagel in Maine, breakfast in New Hampshire, snacks and a break in Vermont and dinner in New York! 

 

Today began as anticipated, with rain clouds swirling around us.  I thought if we got an early start we could beat the inevitable…that didn’t happen.  As we started out of the parking lot from the Malone Super 8, which was much better than advertised, the black cloud was coming in fast and furious.  We rode the length of the parking lot, looking up into the dark sky and decided to go back inside and have another cup of their free coffee until the storms cleared.  I promised my wife, Denise, that I’d be flexible and not my usual “gotta go” or “we have a schedule” type-A personality!  The idea seemed to have merit.  It worked a wee bit, but there was no end to the storm in sight.  We met several bikers in the motel who could commiserate with us, while we all guzzled down our 3^rd or 4^th cups of coffee, as a result of more bad weather breaks.  One of the ladies had just come back from Americade and Laconia, bike weeks in Lake George and Central NH, and was extolling the virtues of the experience…less police presence and biker rowdiness, friendlier vendors and motels, and a somewhat older crowd.  I guess she assumed we/I fit into that older more mellow crowd.  Maybe we’ll get to that in a year or so.  I’ve never been one for big biker rallys.  Some folks think they’re superb, but I not a crowd type of guy.  I’d much rather ride with a few friends and enjoy the journey along the way. 

 

Around 10:30 a.m. we stopped for a real breakfast at an old fashion dinner (Crossroads Diner in Waterbury, NY) and when we exited around 11:15 a.m., the rain had stopped and only a few storm clouds remained.  Despite the rain, all the people we’ve met today have been so terrific.  We received directions while having breakfast in the diner from the folks in the booth next to us.  The elder statesman of the group was wearing a NY Yankees Opening Day new stadium hat.  After his third try at directions, each try becoming more difficult, I mentioned that I was a Red Sox fan and he said, “I already knew that from your accent.”  That being said, I was a little nervous about his short- route directions, until he leaned over and said look around.  When I did I noticed that Red Sox memorabilia was adorning all of the walls and I figured I was safe for now!  By 12:30 p.m., the rain gear was off and we could see blue sky and sun!  Not enough blue to make a Dutchmen’s pair of pants but still better than rain. 

 

While going through Gouverneur, NY I spotted a memorial to the 10th Mtn. Division on a front lawn.  I am sure the photo won’t do it justice, but maybe it will encourage you to make your own trip out to see it in person.  I continue to be amazed at the American spirit around the country.  I know I’m only a week into THE RIDE but I am taken aback by the beauty everywhere.  If you want to see true America adventure off the highways, and better still, do it on two wheels.  The continuous 360 view from my iron horse is unparalleled. 

 

The bulk of today’s riding was on NY Route 104, which is the main access road to Niagara Falls.  The sides of the highway are dotted with fruit trees and vines for the wines made in this “Finger Lake” region; however the portion around Rochester is a nightmare…imagine Boston’s Storrow Drive at rush hour on the afternoon of a Red Sox game!  The motel I am staying in tonight is an old Inn, where the drink cups in each room are actually made of breakable glass and not a plastic cup.  Tomorrow on to Ohio…

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25 June 2010

Day 5

Two of the Great Lakes (sort of), a winery and out of gas…

 

Departed 7:05 a.m. - 292 Miles - Arrived 4:40 p.m.

 

Today started out cold, cloudy and overcast but that was the easy part.  Peter’s wife Charlene wanted to see Lake Ontario for a quick photo, which seemed like a great idea since the map at the hotel indicated the lake was only about 5 miles away.  The three of headed off for a Kodak Moment, but after 14 miles of riding with no lake (in the opposite direction of the days route) I called us to a halt and we turned around.  As I am tooling down the road attempting to make up some lost time, I realized Peter and Cantina were no longer in my rear viewing.  There they were a few miles back on the side of the road all safe and sound, just out of gas!  Sure glad we got an early start to the morning!

 

The first part of the day had limited visibility, but the fruit trees and grape vineyards lined the side of the road for the first couple of hours and then the countryside turned into dairy farms and corn.  As we neared Lake Erie the agriculture returned primarily to vineyards, concord grapes, the same type used in Welch’s Grape Juice and Lake Erie region wine.

 

For breakfast I found another local gem!  Interesting enough, the two best breakfast stops so far were both operated and staffed by women, not a man to be found.  By mid afternoon the sky had turned blue and the sun joined u, so off came the multiple layers and on went the sun screen. 

 

We stopped at Lake Erie and chatted with a gentleman raking the beach.  The debris was everywhere from a storm two days prior.  A short time later we found a winery alongside the road offering tasting and tours.  As we all smiled, we knew we were in for a tour, however, as it wasn’t harvest season, we could only do a tasting which sounded like a great consolation prize to us!  For just $2, we each received six tokens good for six very small tastes.  Charlene opted for the “high end” tastes, which costs all her tokens for just three tasters and Peter and I used all our tokens for six tasters of the “everyman’s” wine selection!

 

For some unfathomable reason my new directions (I changed the route last night to escape the highway) found us in Erie, Pennsylvania.  Yuck!  Just a horrible place to drive through during mid day traffic on a Friday, not the best audible I had thrown, but tomorrow is a new day…

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26 June 2010

Day 7

Breakfast in Ohio - Lunch in Michigan - Dinner in Indiana

 

Departed 7:30 a.m. - 375 Miles - Arrived 7:10 p.m.

 

A few observations of the day… golf courses in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana are very

flat with few hills or hazards…in the New York and Ohio area many people go fishing which they call “streaming”.  They don’t say I went fishing but rather I went streaming.  In restaurants in the Ohio and Michigan side of Lake Erie, Walley is served…not sure what type of fish it is or how it tastes but most restaurants have it and generally they sell it as an all-you-can-eat option.

 

We drove through Rt 57 in Lorain Ohio.  Once a very prosperous community, now a Main Street full of empty stores and large closed-down manufacturing plants but still has a little remaining beauty in the way of the town park.  A beautifully manicured and flowered area with a screened gazebo and a public beach which happened to have a volleyball tournament going on with over two hundred players.  What a contrast to the other parts of town.

 

Funny about coincidences…the tournament announcer called for the mixed double teams while we were watching the game and the first call was Pagano & Pagano vs. Mingus and Cook…the Pagano name attracted my attention and the tourney itself reminded me of my nephew Eric and my daughter Sara who used to partner up for beach volleyball tourneys.  In those days Denise and I had to arrive early to see the matches because the team of MacKinnon and Woodcock were out of the tourney and into the cooler before the sun came across the yard-arm!

 

We had a wonderful experience in a small diner in Blissfield, Michigan.  The sign outside read: best chicken in Michigan…well if it was you wouldn’t have wanted to try the worst chicken in Michigan, but that’s another story!  While in the restaurant, a couple in their mid-40’s were chatting at a small table about ten feet away and when I got up to leave they said hello…the conversation led to my USO hat and shirt.  The woman reached into her pocketbook and handed me a donation.  As it turns out they have a son in the Army and they appreciate the work of the USO and were very happy and supportive of my undertaking.

 

Later today on my way to Notre Dame as I was traveling down Route 20 in Lagrange, Indian I ran into many horse and buggies on the roads as well as several Amish adults and children riding bicycles along the side of the highway.  This area is home to many charming Amish family farms.  I stopped for a few minutes to admire their work.  It is remarkable what they accomplish without the use of machinery.  Sturgis, Michigan had very attractive displays of colorful flowers in the shape of a Blue Star inside a background of red flowers.  As an FYI for those reading…the Blue Star is in honor of men and women serving on active duty in the armed services.

 

Today ended with too many miles in the saddle a result of my own directional skills or lack thereof.  Suffice it to say, both me and my Tom-Tom didn’t get the job done.  Tonight as I close out my journal, I am looking forward to visualizing Knute Rockne pacing the

sidelines, Ronald Regan in his role as George Gipp and of course I’ll be looking to see if I can find Rudy hanging around the stadium maintenance shed tomorrow.  And the adventure continues…..

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A VERY SPECIAL THANK-YOU…

I want to publicly thank Peter and Charlene, my neighbors and good friends, for giving up their vacation to ride with me on the first part of my journey…you will never know how instrumental and important your support, encouragement, humor and company has been in helping me make the start of my adventure west so successful.  THANK YOU!  And as you head back to the Whites of New Hampshire: Ride Safe, stay dry and keep the shiny side up.

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27 June 2010

Day 8

$10 cup of coffee and it was a good decision…

 

The day began later than usual for me as I was extremely tired last evening and just couldn’t get the engines running this morning.  Not without the sake of trying but sleep was not on the agenda last night…My hotel was host to several 7-10 year old baseball little league teams and a couple dozen high school girls basketball teams.  Here is a question.  When those little leaguers are running around the corridor at 11:30 p.m., where the heck are their chaperones? 

 

Drove to Notre Dame, a most beautiful and spiritual place…the flowers, landscape and history are just are overwhelming.  Notre Dame has both cemeteries and golf courses on the campus in close proximity to Legends Bar and Grill.  The two golf courses are open to the public.  I took several photo’s, including the Golden Dome and the women’s Softball stadium.  The bookstore was closed at that hour so I probably saved a few bucks on trinkets. 

 

P.S.  The practice football field alone is better than most professional fields.

 

Following Notre Dame, I headed out to Milwaukee.  Never did see Rudy, Knute or the Gipper but  I did take a minute to kneel and say a silent prayer for my old friend, Bob Claukey (a former Sanford Principal and close friend).  Without question I have never met a more dedicated and spirited Notre Dame fan than Bob - God Bless his soul.

 

The weather station had forecasted thunder showers, hail and 30-40 mph winds.  I thought I had made it, but alas I saw on the horizon very large, dark clouds quickly enveloping the clear sky and heading my way.  I pulled off the highway into a small strip mall and spent the next two hours letting the bad weather go past.  The server in my coffee section was not pleased that I wasn’t ordering a meal and less pleased when I told her I was just going to read and drink coffee until the storm passed.  Once the storm had passed I asked for my bill and left her a tip of $10.  As I was paying $1.67 for my coffee, she came to the counter to tell me that I had left too large of a tip.  I told her we were even since I took over her coffee section for two hours; she just blushed and walked away.  Missing that storm was a smart $10 cup of coffee.

 

The weather turned shaky again as I pushed through Chicago but I made it to my hotel before the huge downpour.  I visited the Harley Museum while in the area and came away with some great photos and interesting knowledge for my next trivia challenge.  Had dinner at The 4^th Base, a sports bar and the closest restaurant in walking distance to my hotel.  No printed

menu - you were escorted to the window to order fresh fish, multiple cuts and verities of steaks and fresh veggies.  You pick what you want and how you want it and Brian (the chef) will offer suggestions regarding possible spices, cooking wellness and other important things.  Of course I had to evaluate some of the locally brewed beverages, which were also very good but nothing comparable to Will’s from Moat Mountain.  I do miss The Moat and Will’s C-Larger.  I don’t miss Amy’s constant complaining that Denise is much nicer than me and I’m a pain in the butt customer.  Seriously though, the Moat staff, ownership and brew master are all excellent.  If you’re in the North Country - stop in to Moat Mountain Brew Pub and give it a try - you’ll be glad you did.

 

Spent a great deal of time speaking with a couple originally from Green Bay and they were attempting to make the case that the Packers were better than my New England Patriots.  We discussed old teams, current teams, Vince vs. Bill and finally when I thought I had won the discussion they laid on the final blow…what do they call the Super Bowl Trophy?  By the naming rights alone of The Lombardi Trophy, I defaulted to the winners of this argument!

 

Tomorrow it is off to Green Bay and with any luck, I’ll walk on the (once) frozen tundra of Lambeau Field...

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28 June 2010

Day 9
The Frozen Tundra!

 

Departed 6:20 a.m. - 320 Miles - Arrived 3:30 p.m.

 

Today was a busy one.  I left Milwaukee early in order to make Green Bay by 9: 00 a.m.  I was looking forward to stepping onto the frozen tundra.  The miles from Milwaukee to Green Bay were literally covered with large dairy farms with corn or hay as far as the eye could see on each side of the road.  Upon leaving Green Bay and heading north the dairy farms were still the primary scene along the roads until I turned north and headed into upper Wisconsin and then the trees returned, along with many small lakes.

 

The Lambeau tour was better than expected.  You are met by the statues of Curly Lambeau and Vince Lombardi in the front area of the complex and then you enter the Atrium area.  The stone floor is a replica of Lambeau Field.  Our tour guide for the day, Pat, has a Marine son who is currently deployed but mentioned how while his son was stationed in San Diego, he used the USO Downtown center quite often and also spent a night at the Neil Ash USO Airport while waiting for his early flight; what a small world.

 

A couple of interesting historical notes…Packer Green and Yellow was originally Blue and Gold as Curley Lambeau was a former Notre Dame player and fan so Blue and Gold were the first Packer colors.  The current name, Packers, came from one of the original sponsors of the semi-pro teams, a meat packing company in Green Bay, and so they became the Green Bay Packers.  Other Packer notes…the team will retire Brett’s # 4 at some point in the future when he actually finally retires for good.  There is no more frozen tundra; underneath the field are PVC pipes that run hot water and anti-freeze that keep the surface around 60’s.  Well over two-thirds of the 70,000 seats are old fashion metal bleacher types with no backs.  They are the only stadium in the NFL to keep bleacher seats as their primary seating option.  Lambeau also has the closest seats to the field of all the parks in the NFL. 

 

Finished the tour and was ready to go by 1:00 p.m. so I cancelled my hotel room and headed out towards the north.  I was doing ok with this fly by the seat of my pants try until the GPS quit and, yup, you guessed it…I got lost (again), however only so briefly.  Ended up in a pretty busy little place in the north section of Wisconsin in the town of Rhinelander, home of the Hodag Festival and the elusive Hodag.  Legend has it that a lumberman made up the story of this beast that roamed the woods at night in order to keep his men sober and out of the woods at all hours of the night partying.  The area radio station is called Hodag, the school mascot and many of the local businesses use the image of Hodag and it’s all around; just the town of Hodag here!

 

Tomorrow, I am heading north towards International Falls, Minnesota where the coldest temperatures in the US are recorded.

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29 June 2010

Day 10

Fishing, fishing and more fishing…and 1 day ahead of schedule!

 

Departed 6:20 a.m. – 358 Miles – Arrived 2:20 p.m.

 

Cool riding today…needed chaps, sweatshirt, vest, jacket and gauntlet gloves as it was about 40 degrees outside when I left.  Most of the ride today through Wisconsin and Minnesota had limited traffic so I made great time, but the views were also as limited.  I’m already a full day ahead of schedule at this point, but will be back to the prescheduled timeline on the 6^thas I have a date with Denise at the Airport!  She will join me for the ride down the west coast where we will meet up with Sara and Brad for the check presentation on July 17^th in San Diego.  Sara tells me that we have just cleared $10,000 in donations putting us at just over two-thirds of the way towards our goal of $1 a mile ($12,818).  Many thanks for all your support!

 

An interesting site of the day (at least for me as I am not a fisherman), a sign in the ammo and bait store that read, 24-Hour Worm Coin Operated Dispenser.  Is this for real?  I can’t even imagine what happens when you insert your quarters and pull the lever.  Do the worms buck up…odds/evens…paper/rock/scissors?  And why don’t they get mushed on their way down the chute! Noticing this sign made me recall a story from my childhood…childhood of the non-fisherman that is…!  I went fishing as a kid in the little pond at the top of the street and one day I got the hook caught in my arm and had to go home in disgrace.  With hopes that my dad wouldn’t be there but at the same time, also hoping he would so he could remove the fish hook from my arm! 

 

The most northern area of Wisconsin is called the Northwood’s and it is an outdoorsman’s (or outdoorswoman’s) paradise.  Camps, resort, vacation cabins and just miles and miles of wooded land hiding beautiful lakes and untapped play zones.  When I reached Superior-Duluth today I was caught by surprise.  Superior is in Wisconsin and Duluth in Minnesota and I had thought it was one city with a hyphenated name.  As you drive between the two towns you drop from high altitude back down to just about sea level.  The port (I don’t know which town actually claims the port) was full of tanker ships.  Interesting observation; here I am driving through the Mecca of fishing for the past few days and most of the gas stations are operated by BP, very ironic.

 

The rest of the trip towards International Falls was void of excitement.  Pine trees on both sides of the road and campgrounds everywhere.  Minnesota license plates claim “The Land of 10,000 Lakes”.  I am not sure if there are 10,000 but there are many.  Everywhere you looked there were signs for fishing camps; lodges, cabins and literally every other car or truck has a boat attached. 

 

I arrived in International Falls, home of the coldest weather (as reported daily on the Weather forecast in New England throughout the winter), but folks here don’t make a big deal of that. On the advice of the local motel owner I took a ride out to the Visitor’s Center at Voyageur National Park.  When I asked for directions he said: “go to the end of the street and take a left and you’ll see the Voyageur.”  A Voyageur, I thought, what the heck is that?  He was right, you can’t miss the Voyageur!  It is a 30’ tall replica of the “Voyageurs”.  The Voyageurs were French Canadians that primarily transported by canoe, across the lakes and over land, the fur of the beavers for local trading companies.  Theirs was a very difficult and dangerous job and ended abruptly when beaver were no longer the covering of choice having been replaced by wool and cotton.  Currently in Voyageur Nat’l Park moose, beavers, walleyes and eagles are flourishing.  Over half of the park is on water and only accessible by water craft. 

 

A few final short comments for the day: If you are from northern NH and more than 20 years old you’ll recall the smells always associated with Berlin, NH; more specifically their paper plants.  Today in International Falls they are celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the Boise Paper Mill located on the waterfront, as one would expect.  And yes, it’s the same rotten eggs smell that came from Berlin!  I am staying in a throw-back 1950’s style motel close to the main road with few amenities, and no Wi-Fi.  The owner walked me to the room, opened the door and said: “if you want air, open the windows, if you don’t leave them closed”.  Guess I won’t have to listen to that darn AC fan tonight.  When I asked him for a recommendation of a local, non-chain place to grab a bit, he said: “do you want young girls or old women making your meal?”  I replied, old women!  And he said, “yup me to” and then directed me to a lovely little diner called Grammy’s Place!  And the adventure continues……

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30 June 2010

Day 11
The best breakfast yet…

 

Departed 6:20 a.m. - 458 Miles - Arrived 3:20 p.m.

 

The day began with a ride that had appeared to be a straight shot with few variations.  All of that changed about 10 miles into the trip when the DOT had closed my primary route and sent me 75 miles south in the wrong direction.  I’m beginning to get very good at going in the wrong direction to start the day.  This changed required that I re-route on the fly.  The new route took me through Red Nation Indian Reservation in Minnesota.  The center of this small community contained an older version casino.  On one side of the casino stood the Jr/Sr High School and on the other, the K-8 School.  I bet the proximity of the casino to the schools caused for an interesting Parent-teacher night!

 

For many a mile the Red Lake literally runs along one side of the rode with fields covering the opposite side of the road.  Interestingly though, there were no boats in the lake and I didn’t spy anyone fishing.  I will also mention for the entire 95 plus miles that I rode through the reservation I didn’t meet up with any other vehicles on the road, and that caused me to become a bit nervous.  Once off the reservation the majority of the remainder of the ride through MN was a landscape packed with farm lands as far as the eye could see, flat fields containing soybeans, wheat, corn and sugar beets.  Speed limits on most of the two-lane farm roads were 65mph.  I stopped in Thief River Falls for a wonderful breakfast of home-made biscuits and gravy (best breakfast so far, and yes another all women crew).  The town’s name came from a legend that was passed down through the years.  The story is told that a thief chased and/or pushed a woman in the river and her remains were never found… her spirit still haunts the river. 

 

Somewhere between Cavalier and Langdon, North Dakota I spied about 75 wind turbines off to the south at the end of the horizon.  It still seems to me to be a good joint use of farm lands.  Today the weather service had an alert for high winds, which there were, and they went right along with unplanned downpours.  Needless to say the turbines were all working at full speed.

 

Today was my longest day in the saddle, mileage wise with 458 miles completed.  The last two days have put me ahead of my original timetable which means I need to change hotels, etc on the fly and keep all the info straight.  At this point I am planning to use the extra time to ride south on 83 in Montana and re-peak at the Bitterroot Mountains (Switzerland of the U.S.)… but that could change…and the adventure continues…… 

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1 July 2010

Day 12

Beautiful views and gas from a grain elevator…

 

Departed 6:20 a.m. - 622 Miles - Arrived 5:30 p.m.

 

Last night a major thunder boomer passed through, but by the time I departed all that was left were rain droplets on the bike and a wet road.  I headed west with the sun warming my back and a cloudy sky at my front with 10-15 mph winds and 70 degree weather.  It was a warm comfortable start that didn’t require the multiple layers of clothing as in previous mornings.  My goal today was to make it into Montana and be about a day’s ride from Glacier Nat’l Park when I finally parked my bike. 

 

My breakfast/coffee/gas stop was scheduled for Fortuna, North Dakota, a city about 200 miles from the Montana border.  I picked Fortuna because it was close to the border and it was the name of my babysitter that I spent many a Saturday afternoon with while waiting for my dad to finish his work for the day at the Haverhill Gazette.  When I reached Fortuna there was neither a gas station nor a place for coffee in site, so I pulled in to the local Post Office.  When I asked a resident who was exiting the Post Office about gas and coffee, she said: “coffee is at the bar across the street but it doesn’t open until 1:00 p.m. so you can go back 21 miles or go ahead 35 miles for coffee.  As far as gas the next station, there is one 53 miles down the way, or you can go to the grain elevator by the railroad tracks.”  What the heck did she mean…grain elevator for gas?  I went to the grain elevator and there they were; three self-serve gas pumps.  My Harley only likes the best of the best, the high-test…but today the choice was between the low-test or walking, so we happily filled her up with what we could get and went on our way! 

 

I noticed than many of the small towns in this area were built around the grain elevator; sort of like in the old wild-west towns rising up near primary railroad locations.  That being said, many of the towns remain while many of the grain elevators are now inoperable relics.  Though it’s a sad sight to see some of the town’s sort of dying on the vine.

 

The country side of North Dakota is pretty flat, filled primarily with wheat crops.  There was an occasional small oil pumping rig as well as a few sightings of cattle here and there.  Once you hit the Montana border the land almost miraculously began to roll with hills and valleys which was much more interesting from the driver’s seat.  Fort Peck Indian Reservation was a both scenic, and a wonderful part of the state to enjoy while riding.  As I rode I could spot the occasional Black Angus nibbling on the grass, and see horses running and playing on the range.  Montana, so far has been one of the best states to ride.  The views were breath-taking and a pleasant change from the flatness of North Dakota.

 

Today I drove way too long (in terms of miles), 622 to be exact.  When I crossed the border and stopped for gas and a cold Gatorade; I noticed that the time in the building and my watch didn’t match, I had forgotten about the time-zone change.  With the day still very young, now with my gained time, I felt it was way too early to stop, so I continued on to Shelby. 

 

I guess the 622 miles of riding must have taken a toll on my appearance some, because when I entered the hotel for the night they asked me if I was here for the reunion, the 50^th high school reunion that is…I guess it times for a shower and some beauty sleep!

 

A couple of observations and questions I pondered today:  (1) Why do so many ranches have dead equipment just resting in the middle of the fields?  (2) Farming is a difficult occupation; in addition to the weather and economy, it requires hard labor 7-days a week and isn’t it a shame how much of the very costly farm machinery sits idle so many months of the year? (3) Why are so many farm houses placed in the middle of the fields and then 

engulfed by trees and shrubs?  (4) You begin to appreciate the value of non-smoking states once you enter a state that still allows smoking in its restaurants!  (5) Cemeteries in the mid west are very small, dignified and simple. 

 

Tomorrow I am heading over to Glacier Nat’l Park, and if the weather is obliging, I’ll take a detour and ride the famous road to the sun!

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2 July 2010

Day 13
Deer, Bison and Skunk…

 

Departed 6:20 a.m. – 458 Miles – Arrived 5:30 p.m.

 

Despite the 43-degree weather and the clouds at departure; without question I was looking forward to today since I began planning the trip. 

 

Denise and I had visited Glacier Nat’l Park and drove the Road to The Sun Highway a few years back.  The road was incredible and the park beyond description, so you can understand my excitement to return…BUT, I was out of luck!  Just over an hour into the trip the 43-degree temperatures gave me a little company in the name of lighting, rain, and HAIL!  I pulled into a local gas station for about 90 minutes hoping the storm would quit, and decided if it didn’t come to an end soon, then I’d head for the nearest motel, about 21 miles south.  There was no way I could do the Road to the Sun today as I could hardly see a couple feet in front of me, although I did get a photo of the sign and a post card.  In waiting, I killed time at the gas station hanging with my new friend…a lonely, wet, smelly and hungry dog, if only I had four wheels, he could have come along for the ride.  As I was feeding my new friend, one of the workers in the store asked me about the PGR (Patriot Guard) sticker on the back of my helmet.  She mentioned that her and her husband had seen a few news clips of funerals with the PGR present as well as a few protesters.  Her comment to that was that “they protest then go home and go to sleep without a care in the world and that really makes me mad.”  AMEN to that!  As the saying goes: Many have given some and some have given all, and as my dad used to say, “that’s what makes this the greatest country in the world.”

 

Last evening I ate dinner with a driver for United Van Lines and during the conversation he wanted to know what time I was leaving so I told him the usual, up by 5:15 a.m., shower, pack up the bike, grab some coffee and on my way generally by 6:30 a.m.  His comment was: “be careful of the mule deer and the bison during the early morning hours if you are near Glacier.”  So I put that information in the back of my head recalling my moose episode coming into Errol from Kingfield, Maine. 

 

Once again the day started with poor visibility and forests on each side of the road.  About 50 miles into the drive I came across three huge deer, not more than 20 feet away on the road.  They just stood still as I passed which I believe is due to either Gil’s blessing of the bike or that the good lord is looking out, because that’s the second, “almost”, of a very close call with danger on the open road of nature and its animals.   

 

The road around Glacier was fun to drive as a motorcyclist even if you couldn’t enjoy the view, which on a clean day, is breathtaking.  I drove into Idaho and saw a sign that read: wild animals next ten miles…and here we go again I thought!  And quite right I was as I spotted another deer just beyond the sign; this time just one small, skinny doe and he was more startled than I was.  The deer incident was later on followed by one, big bird flying straight in front of my windshield, which scared the living be-Jesus out of me!

 

The rain had been flirting off and on all day so my rain gear piled on top of my leathers and heavy clothes all stayed on as well!  Departing Idaho, I caught a glimpse of the sun and a glimpse was all it was…without a gas station or even a tree in sight, I had to pull over and turn off the bike and just wait out the storm.  With no cover and no place to hide, I just stood there and waited…welcome to Washington! 

 

Leaving Cusick, Washington, I took route 20 through Tiger Pass.  The sun broke from behind the clouded sky and the rain stopped for awhile.  Tiger Pass was an amazing road.  Couldn’t see much in the way of scenery, but the roadway itself was the pure element of why motorcyclists love to ride.  Seventy miles of mostly low speed corners, (15,20,30 mph), S-curves, hair pins, 90-degree corners, narrow bridges, “open range sign”, 180-degree turns, reverse curves, long sweeping corners, supplemented by intermittent straight-aways…Washington State has a winner…Route 20 through the Colville Nat’l Forest!  And heaven is in the waiting because I get to stay on this course for two more days. 

 

Topping off my day - as I entered Colville, Washington, which was the site of my sleeping quarters for the night, the car immediately in front of me ran over a skunk and I was right behind him…the motel was not happy to see (or smell) me!

 

Some possibly good news and a quandary all at once.  The good news…my daughter Sara phoned tonight and told me she might be able to finagle a few days off from work in order to ride with me for a piece on the Eastern section.  And the quandary…Denise is flying in on the sixth, just a few days away, but travel wise I’m already two and half days ahead of schedule… so now how do I slow-down?  I know, maybe if the sun comes out I’ll go for a motorcycle ride…

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4 July 2010

Day 15

More breathtaking views and a little nostalgia for home and the 4^th.

 

Departed 6:05 a.m. – 358 Miles – Arrived 3:30 p.m.

 

So I spent the night in at a “luxurious” motel in Colville, Washington where I started the day bright and early 5:00 a.m. only to find there was no water in the shower, not the way I had planned to start the day.  They assured me the water problems would be great for tomorrow…awesome for me, tomorrow I’ll be 300 miles west!

 

Leaving Colville, I headed west with a blue sky above and sun at my back.  The sun stayed out until a little after noon and then the cloud cover passed over for the remainder of the day’s ride.  I was fully layered up with clothes but thankfully, no rain suit today.  The cars in the lot of the motel all had frost on the windshields this morning, noting it was a cold night and would prove to be a cool day too.  The temperature at one point reached 53-degrees, just like New Hampshire riding in late fall.  I had just two face to face adventures on today’s journey; one small white deer that was tail grazing and one huge, fully developed deer with a large rack.  He didn’t appear as friendly so I just kept going as quickly as possible. 

 

Route 20 continued on today as the primary road for travel.  If you are a motorcyclist, it should absolutely make your “bucket” list.  The turns were less stressing than yesterday although there were plenty, and the views continued to be outstanding. 

 

It’s hard to describe the views, even the best adjectives don’t seem to do them justice.  The snow capped peaks in the Cascade Nat’l Forest reminded me of Switzerland.  I mentioned before that Montana’s Bitterroots had a similar view, however they were 10-12miles off in the distance, majestic but far away, where as Washington’s Cascade’s are up close and similar to riding on the “Kanc” (a reference for your NH folks).  Trailheads abound and the views,

ooh la la!

 

Earlier in the day I went over Sherman Pass, not to be confused with Kathy and her Maze, but what a surprise when I came upon the sign for : “the White Mountain Observation turn-out” and what was the view, nonetheless but Mt. Washington.  Now how’s that for coincidence!  It gave me a little feeling of home.

 

Going through some of the little towns reminded me of Bartlet, New Hampshire and how I was missing my yearly ritual with Denise and Harley (my chocolate lab).  Every year on July 4^th, we head over to Barlet, get the same parking place an hour or so early, read the paper, have a cup of coffee and then proceed to take way too many pictures of the same things I saw the previous year in the parade!  And 20 minutes later, the parade has passed and we pack up to start our July 4^th day, wondering if next year’s parade will be the same.  It’s funny how small rituals and traditions mean so much in someone’s life.  I think it is a reassurance of the stability factor of life; and who doesn’t love a little American nostalgia!

 

Today’s Observations:

(1) Country radio is everywhere.  If the radio can get a frequency then you can be assured there will be country music.  (2) The mid-west and western regions have many religious radio stations and they often have the furthest range, so it seems my religious education is being improved as I ride.  (3) Canada seems to be everywhere.  I generally think of immigration and its inherent issues as southwestern problems but alas, the entire northwest borders Canada and is it apparent with border crossing signs patrols as regular occurrences.  (4) Unlike North Dakota most of the Washington State ranches are built in close proximity to rises in land height;   often at the base of a mountain or large hill.  Economically the area traveled today has two clear divisions.  The fruit trees (apple primarily) and the many vineyards are more east, and as you approach the further west area of Washington, livestock (small cow and horses) seem to replace the fruit crops and vineyards.  Interesting to note than many of the towns are built at the bottom of the mountain range almost as if the mountains form a protective barrier for the town.  The fragrances of the area are noticeable as I ride, one of the many benefits of being out of the car and in the fresh air.  The cedar smells remind me of the shavings my mom use to put in my sweater draw.  Blue Spruce and Cedar dominate the trees in this area.  (5) People seem to become friendlier if I speak first with a, “hello” or “how are you.”  I am not sure if that is due to the motorcycle and my appearance, or if the westerner’s keep to themselves more, but I do know once I smile and say hello they’ll chat with you as long as you like and sometimes longer!

 

Today, I ended up in Bellingham, Washington and will head to the second corner of my trip, Blaine, Washington tomorrow morning.  After that I’ll have to do some re-arranging as I have ended up three days ahead of my plan and will need to wait for my wife, Denise, to arrive from her flight in Seattle.  And the adventure continues….

To continue following the journey, click here for July 5-July 19.

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