Hi to my HD Forum Friends--this is a little piece about my second road trip
My Second Road Trip,
Hi again my fellow HOG members--well The Old Guy was on the road again--I did so well on the first road trip that I thought I would try a little longer one this time and I am pleased to say that I finished it successfully also.
Jimmy asked me to write the first article--LOL--he didn’t ask me to write about my second trip but they can always use a little filler in Bacon Bits. This trip didn’t have the drama of the first one, doing The Dragon at night and all, but it was a challenge and another personal test and I passed once again and once again I have to give credit to my friends on The Independent Skill Team for teaching me how to ride and this time I must also include the members of Precision Thunder Drill Team because I did gain some knowledge from Chuck Tann during a couple of sessions that I attended at The Hollywood Dog Track before I embarked on my latest journey. Evelyn McGill was brave enough to be my passenger during the panic braking class and the Road Course that Chuck set up came in handy too--we are never too old to learn skills--I guess I am proof of that.
On to the details of my trip---This time I was on the road for 32 days and covered 9927 miles in total. I rode through 26 states and Washington DC. Some of the states I hit twice. To name them--Florida (twice), Georgia (twice), Tennessee (twice) , Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nevada, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, North Carolina, Virginia (twice), West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey (twice), Connecticut, New York, Delaware, Maryland, Washington DC, and South Carolina.
I saw some amazing things in this beautiful country of ours and I will detail a few of them for you. By the way, this trip started because I decided to ride to Sturgis--There is a saying, it’s the journey, not the destination--well I guess that’s true in my case because I continued West after Sturgis and circumvented our country and what a country it is.
I left home, (Hallandale) on August 4th at 5:30 AM--I had to end that first day at 7 PM in a town called Dalton, Georgia due to severe wind bursts that blew me right out of my lane on the highway and torrential rains. I had covered 753.2 miles.
My 2nd day was better--I left Georgia at 8:30 AM and stopped for the night at 10 PM in Platte City, Missouri--I had covered 770.2 miles.
My 3rd day on the road had me leaving Platte City, Missouri at 8 AM and arriving at J&L Harley Davidson Sioux Falls, South Dakota at approximately 3:30 PM. I had the bike serviced there. It was a Sunday when I arrived in South Dakota and my motel reservation in Rapid City was not until Monday so I had a bit of a problem but the people at J&L had a block of rooms reserved at a Quality Inn and they graciously accommodated me for the night. This was a short day--only 357 miles.
On day 4-- I arrived at my motel in Rapid City--another short day as Rapid City was only about 290 miles from Sioux City. So--Hallandale to Rapid City (25 miles East of Sturgis) totaled just about 2220 miles and took me 3 ½ days and that included getting the bike serviced--not too bad.
Things I saw along the way so far--Corn, corn, corn, corn and finally--you guessed it--more corn. They grow corn in almost every state along the route to Sturgis. I was stuck in traffic in Atlanta for almost an hour--nothing to see there but I was also stuck in traffic in St. Louis when I was crossing the Mississippi River and passed the time watching coal barges being pushed up the river by tug boats--The Arch in St. Louis is also something to see although I didn’t take the time to actually go up inside. I saw cattle free grazing on the prairies as I got to middle America. They were absolutely in the middle of nowhere and I later learned that the ranchers truck the cattle out to let them gr
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We grow too soon old and too late smart.
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Again and awesome story. I envy your freedom. I'm 48 and still have to worry about work every day and all that kind of stuff. Some day I hope to take a trips like you have. One of my goals is to ride across every state in the continental U.S. I also want to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge.
I could have told you about Hwy 287 in Texas. I live only about 8 miles from where it enter Wichita Falls. Yup, lots of H.P. lurking there.
Please take another trip so we can read about it. LOL
Sounds like an awesome trip. Wife and I are planing a round the states trip in the summer of 08. We both work at school get summers off. We will be leaving Wa State and going south to Las Vegas. Then east to Savanah Georgia. Then north to Washington DC, Then West through Montana and home. 6,776 miles roughly. 600 dollars fuel. Maybe 18 -20 days. Camping, maybe every 4th day stay at a hotel.
Does this sound like I am within reason?
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What a great experience. Thanks for sharing the story.
I hope to one day have the time to make a journey like that.
To bad I am usually at work, day dreaming about it....
Thanks again for sharing your adventure.
Once again, thanks for taking us on your adventure. How do you fair on the really long legs of your trips (iron butt)? My problem is night vision and I guess fatigue (wimpyness). It looks like you use MS Streets and Trips to plot your trips. It's anexcellent program.
That is the kind of rides I can read all day and dream of taking now that I am 50! Doing it at 70 is just to cool! I had to get my wife to read it . It's that cool. I have some freinds 25 years younger that are done after 500 miles![sm=biker2.gif]
Larry- Like everyone else in the forum I read and dreamed . The story you told was one of a dream, I wanted it to go on and on and never end. You are an inspiration to all of us to continue to learn all about the journey rather than destination. It's 8:30 pm bikes in the gargae kids asleep my girl here working on paper work for the next day and I'm half tempted to jump on and go for a stroll. thank you and keep them coming!!
-Big D
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-Big D in Vegas
2001 Softail
1998 Softail
1990 Sportster
1986 Yamaha virago
Larry, you are THE MAN. I am so envious of you being able to do that. I hope that I can take a trip of that variety some day. You ride really long days. The futhest I have gone in a day is about 750 miles, and let me tell you, I was pooped. Bet you had no problem sleeping. I really enjoyed reading about your travels, and wish you the best on your next trip. Keep on keepin on Larry. You rule...
My Second Road Trip
'06 FLHTCUI
