Day 21-23 - The final leg home.

Day 21 was spent just wandering around Reno and having fun. We checked out the bikes, gambled a bit, and just sat and people watched a bit until the night time came.

Reno for some reason is a totally different vibe from Las Vegas. It seems people are more pleasant and are happy to see you. The gambling is the same, at least for me ( it just takes all my money), but the food is better and cheaper, and the people seem to be there to make the fun, instead of watching the fun.

Street Vibrations was great! A lot of good bikes, a lot of vendors, The bands sounded good and no matter where you went there was always something going on. The Silver Legacy has a big fireworks display and Harrah's had a beer pong contest that was fun to watch. There is a "Gentlemen's Club" only a couple blocks away that was hopping. There wasn't enough room for all the bikes to park.

The only part I did't get to do that I regret (we had to leave Saturday morning) was to participate in the Cat House Poker Run. I really would have liked to do that.

Anyway, we got up early Saturday and headed north for the final 2 days of travel to get home.The Weather report showed it raining along the northern coast, so we stayed inland. We found a lake right at the California/Oregon border that is a complete opposite of Lake Tahoe. It is called Goose lake.

The lakes are about the same size, but where Lake Tahoe is a deep water lake, this lake is only about 2-3 feet deep for the most part, so you have this gigantic area of mud.

Lake Tahoe

A lake of mud

It was nice to get back to the Northwest and the tree's and canyons instead of flat dry land, but the Speed limits in Oregon went to 55mph. What a killer from day after day of 70-75 mph. It seems we were crawling.

Saturday evening put us in Northern Oregon so we made the decision to head west and chance the rain. As soon as it turned dark we headed up and over the pass around Mt. Hood. At that point Lori was not a happy camper. She does not like driving a bike at night and the road over that pass was not lit well and lots of grooves. Her bike still has the Original Dunlop tires so it gets moved quite a bit by grooves and ruts. While this is not a real big deal in the daylight, at night you cannot see them and the bike gets moved when you are not ready and it is a spooky feeling.

By the time we were off of the pass and into a populated area, she had had enough. We stopped at Sandy, Or. for the night.

Sunday dawned to overcast and rain, so we suited up appropriately and headed North once again. Once we crossed into Wa. the rain let up for a bit, but was back by the time we got to Seattle. As soon as we were in Lynnwood, the sun came out as if to say "Welcome home" We got home at 11:30 AM

The bikes did amazing, they performed flawlessly and never missed a beat.

It was great trip and one that I will back at fondly. We went a total of 8439 miles in 23 days (20 driving days).

People were asking what was the best part of the trip, and while the scenery was awesome and we got to see a lot off the country, the best for me was meeting up with friends and getting to see people that you have only had a passing acquaintance with from comments on a forum.

From seeing a name on a forum to actually meeting the people and having a good time together is a great feeling, and I want to thank Shannon and Kevin, Diane and Robby, Morg and Cris and Cliff and Jackie for making this trip truly a Motorcycle trip of a lifetime.  To Paul, I wish the timing had been better to meet, But we will meet one day, I am certain :-)

I will try and put together stats and impressions within the next couple of days for those that are interested.

Thank you for following along!

Day 20 - Las Vegas to Reno

Right after I added the last page Lori and I went to see Cher at Caesars Palace. She puts on a good show. There is a lot of costume changes, so they do a lot of flashbacks to the early days with Sonny and Cher together.But each time she comes back out she seems to be wearing less. Not a problem in my mind! She is still a very good looking woman! She even wore the costume from the video "if I could turn back time" Every red blooded American male out there knows which one I am referring to.

Anyway, I digress. So back to the trip.

Las Vegas is kind of like owning a large boat. You are very pleased to see it and look around and look forward to having fun, but are just as happy to see it disappear behind you in the rear view mirror.

It is a fun place to be sure, but you get tired of the constant hawkers and beggars everywhere, and everything is always "give me money" I get tired of it real quick. It just does not have real class anymore. It is just shallow trappings to get you to spend more money. The fun that I have is people watching.

So, we left Las Vegas and headed north, and all I can say about that trip is there is about 400 miles of nothing but hills, sagebrush, and dry grass. You could take a picture and 300 miles later it would look the same.

We got into Reno a bit early, so we stopped off at a laundromat to get our clothes clean. That is one thing about a motorcycle trip like this, you can only take a few changes of clothes, so you are stopping to wash a lot.

While we were washing, there must have been over 500 motorcycles go by. This weekend is "Street Vibrations" and it is a big celebration of music and motorcycles. They have the main section of town blocked off for motorcycle only parking and bands playing everywhere. This is the main reason I wanted to stop by here on the way home.

We are going out now to wander around and see the bikes and vendors and have fun. Tomorrow morning we head north and meander towards home.

As a footnote, if anyone likes to gamble and goes to any of the resort towns even once a year, it is well worth it to look into the Total Rewards program that Harrahs entertainment group has. There are like 12 casino's participating (Bally's, Caesars, Flamingo, Harrah's, Harveys, Horseshoe, Rio, Paris.and a couple more.
It does not cost to join, and they give away all kinds of stuff like free nights at the hotels. We got Thursday night free and Friday at 1/2 price. Well worth it.

Day 19 -into Las Vegas

It seems like a lifetime, so much has happened. I had to look and see where I left off.

We left Gallup and continued down I-40 but didn't get too far before our first stop. The petrified forest national park.We have never been through it and we probably will never will if we don't do it now, so...

If you have been to Arches National park, you will be disappointed, but it was ok. They had the painted mountains and some petrified logs to see. It is only a 28 mile drive through, so it didn't take too long anyway.

 We also found out that Route 66 went through the park. There is ans old car and a Cadillac bumper left behind.

We continued west and went through Flagstaff. I have to tell you I was impressed with the area. I did not think it was as high as it is was, and was pleasantly surprised to find it was very much like the Sierra Nevada mountains in northern California, Just not as many rocks. It looked like a great place to live.

It all went downhill from there. Literally.

We stopped for gas about 85 miles west of there after coming down out of the mountains and there was a rider that had tire problems. He already tried fix-a-flat and a plug with no luck. We asked if we could help, but he already had a trailer coming to get him.

We turned off on Hwy 93 towards Vegas and that is the most boring, flat monotonous, dry, hot, miserable excuse for a road there ever was. The speed limit is 65, so it seems we were crawling after 75 for 2 days and then we hit the construction going to Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam. We were down to 35 mph in 95 degree heat for 20 miles. It was miserable. The dam is just as pretty as it ever was and the lake is one of the best. If you haven't been to it, I recommend you do it soon. The new Hwy is about finished and when it opens they are probably not going to allow you down to the dam. The hwy crosses over the ravine 500 feet up.

By this time we were hot and tired. Good thing it was only 30 more miles to Vegas.

We got into town at 4:30, so we hit rush hour, and Lori does not like traffic. We finally made it to Bally's and the attendant out front told us we could not unload there, we had to go to the self park area and carry all our stuff back to check in. That did not make us happy. Carrying 2 pack, our helmets, computer and Ice chest is a bit much to carry through 2 casino's. (the parking garage serves Paris and Bally's Hotels.

Lori gets to the front dest to check in and tells the girl there about it and she was apologizing and was very sorry. This Hotel is supposed to have Valet parking for motorcycles with a special secure area for them.

Lori and I are members of the Harrah's Total rewards program, so we had already booked the room through the program, so it was free for the 2 nights, Now with this fiasco, the girl at the counter upgraded us to a Suite, also at no charge. So we get 2 nights at Bally's in a suite for no charge. Not bad!

We got unloaded and went for a short walk, did a little gambling, and crashed for the night.

This morning we wandered over to Caesars Palace ( I love that place) and looked around. Then over to Mirage to see the dolphins and the white tigers.

Right now Lori is out gambling and I am resting. Here in a bit we are going out to see Cher live at Caesars Palace.

Tomorrow we head for Reno.

Day 18 - A long one!

Leaving Decatur,  Texas at 6:30 AM and it is shirtsleeve weather!  :-)

The day went well, considering we went over 700 miles and some of that was off the freeway following Route 66.

It is a real shame to see what has become of this road. A Lot of the old buildings are still there, but abandoned and falling apart. There are a couple of sections where local businesses are trying to keep things going, but it does not look like there is enough traffic.

Tucumcari is one such town that is trying, but it seems everyone is all about the destination and don't stop to look around anymore. That is a shame. I think that is one of the reasons I like the bike so much. It isn't about the destination near as much as the trip.

Lori and I have been trying to buy from local businesses as much as we can. We found a little chicken place for lunch and the chicken was great! But then again we stopped at a burger place in Albuquerque and it wasn't so good.

We also found out that the sheepskin seat covers are really not the way to go. They actually retain the heat and create hot spots. We removed them and my ride was much better.

I have been having a ticking noise in the motor and it seem to have been running richer than what is normal. Kritter from the 1300 tourer forum suggested possibly sticking valves, So I tried some Seafoam in the gas today and it helped. A lot! The motor is quieter and running much better.

I also had a first today! We went 150 miles on a tankful of gas, all of the driving was 75 mph and we were fighting a strong headwind. I took 3.4 galloons and Lori's bike used 3.7 gallons. First time ever I used less than her. That 950 has to work pretty hard at higher speeds. My bike just loafs along, like it is no big deal :-)

The weather today was nice. It was high clouds and lite breeze and mid 80's. Can't ask for any better than that. We did run into a little rain about 30  miles past Albuquerque NM, but it was short and we didn't hardly get wet. 15 Miles down the road we were dry again.

We did get a beautiful sunset from the clouds though.

We finally made it into Gallup, NM at about 8PM for the night. That makes for a nice easy 400 miles into Las Vegas tomorrow, I hope to be there by about 1PM and relax for the afternoon. Then we get to look around for a show on Wednesday for our 32nd Anniversary

Then we are off for Reno!

Day17 - New Orleans to Decatur Tx.

Not a lot to report for this day except a lot of traveling. We did make 600 miles today.
We got to run on the Louisiana Scenic Hwy for a while, and I love the South part of Louisiana, but don't much care for the north.
Texas is Texas, what can you say. We have been here before and it is just like we remember. A good place to drive through, quickly, on the way to somewhere else.
Lori has this bug and she wants to be in Vegas for our anniversary on Wednesday, so we are pushing to make it Tuesday evening. She wants to just enjoy the day and take in a show on Wednesday.
I think if we can make Albuquerque, NM tomorrow, we can do it.
wish us luck!

Day 16 - visiting with Cliff and Jackie in New Orleans.

First off, Thank you Cliff and Jackie for the great time.

Lori and I had fun and we saw a lot of the city we would not otherwise have seen.
We started the day off at Jackson square at a little place called Cafe Du Monde for a round of Beignets for breakfast. They are a deep fried dough that is covered with Powered sugar. Let me tell you, don't wear black, and don't exhale through your nose when taking a bite. You learn quickly to sit back and lean forward and just let the sugar drop. It is better than wearing it!
We wandered out to the river walk and wandered towards the cruise ship terminal, just enjoying the sights.

We wandered into the aquarium and saw a lot of animals from the area and then went to see the Imax show about hurricane Katrina and the resulting damage from it.

We stopped at Ralph & Kacoo's for lunch. Lori and I both had shrimp stuffed with crab. Lori had Pasta with it and I had cajun stuffed potato. It was Lori and I's first time eating hush puppies. They have very good food!
With the Imax fresh in our minds Cliff took us on a tour of the city starting with some of the area's hardest hit by the flooding from the failed levies. It is quite an impression to see lot after lot with nothing but a concrete slab. No house remaining. There were also a lot of houses that were totally devastated, but still standing. All marked with x's and circles showing damage and if people died inside, or animals, etc. It is hard to believe the devastation.

Next we went to the area where they were doing renovating. You might have seen some of this on TV. This is the area that Brad Pitt is getting involved in and all the houses are built up off the ground and most have solar panels.

From here we wandered over to the more affluent side of the city and got to see a lot of the mansions and higher end homes and parks. A major change from the other side of town.

We wandered by the superdome and then back into the french quarter. We stopped off at the hotel to show Cliff and Jackie the bikes and said our goodbye's. Let me tell you, they are both very nice people, and a lot of fun!
After a short relaxation period Lori and I went back out to just enjoy people watching (our favorite pastime!) We ate some shrimp while relaxing and then wandered back to the Hotel to get packed up and ready to head out in the morning.
We were going up to Oklahoma city to say hi to Paul, but the timing was wrong. He is leaving on a week trip today. Oh well. Maybe next year. After talking with Cliff, we are going to see if we can make the next meet and greet in NY.
We are wandering NW from here and heading towards Dallas and then on in to Las Vegas.

Day 15 Panama City to New Orleans

Another O'dark thirty morning for us. We wanted to get into New Orleans at a decent hour and relax a bit and look around a little.

As we were driving down the Emerald Coast Pkwy, somewhere around Destin, Fl, I was having some serious thoughts.( I know, be careful... Me and serious thought don't get along some times.) anyway,
It was about 75 degree's and sunny, the roads were great, the traffic was light, the scenery was beautiful, and life was about as good as it ever gets.

I got to thinking about what it is that makes riding a motorcycle so great, and I realized that I was in a state. Those of you that know Tony Robbins, and Neuro-linguistic programing, know what I am talking about. When I get up, I have all these aches, I am tired, I feel old and overweight. (Ok so I am old and overweight...)
I get on the bike and within 10 miles or so I am not only all better, but in my mind, I am 25 years old, my whole life is in front of me, I weigh 155 lbs again, I am limber, I can do anything. I am invincible all over again, just like I used to be.

I compare it to falling in love. You fall in love, not because this other person is so great, or pretty, or funny, or whatever. You fall in love because of how that person makes you feel about yourself. You like yourself better when you are with them.That is what is so great about motorcycles. I like who I become when I am riding.

Anyway, enough seriousness.

We crossed through Alabama and Mississippi and into Louisiana and stopped at a rest stop there. It was like an entire little town with a great yard. This is what rest stops should be like all over.

This part of the country is so green and lush. You drive from state to state and it is always, warm and green. No wonder people like the SE so much. The pacific coast is great right on the coast, but gets real hot and dry as soon as you get 50-100 miles inland. Not so here. You can cross 10 states and it is still green.

We got into New Orleans and found our hotel. We are in the French district and the building we are staying in was built 1845 and recently renovated. It is a great hotel that has a lot of charm, but you can tell the building is old. The doors are are very narrow and tall. I guess people were taller and thinner back the. LOL

http://www.lerichelieuhotel.com/index.html

It is interesting that they still have gas street lights on the buildings.

We got out and wandered to Bourbon street and boy what a zoo! You can find just about any kind of person, store, bar, food item and even sex clubs there that you can imagine. The streets were cordoned off to allow only foot traffic and it was wild. One lady even came up and gave us a ticket for not party'ing hard enough. :-)

Lori and I found a great little court that has some neat places and there is Jazz being played there all the time. I guess it is famous for some Jazz greats playing there.


We did make a mistake though. Don't drink alcohol if you have been riding all day, until you are hydrated and have eaten. It goes right to your head.

We headed back to the Hotel for the night to get some sleep and be ready to meet Cliff and Jackie in the morning.

Day 14 - From just south of Tampa to Panama City

There is not a lot to write today. It was just traveling for the most part.

We did get to go on one of Florida's turnpikes (589 North). That cost $10 to go 45 miles, but the roads were in very good condition and there was only a couple of other vehicles in this section. Afterwords we followed Hwy 19/98 north and west.

I did get a picture of a great little river that appealed to me. It was called St. Marks river. It just seemed to be the ideal little river.

It was a relief to get back out to the water after spending so much time farther inland. We came out at Panacea and the gulf is beautiful. The water is a little dirty, but not too bad. I guess I am used to the Pacific ocean and after looking at the water in the Keys, it just seemed a bit dirty.

The houses on the gulf are all built on stilts. The use the space under the house for parking their car's and boats. I guess they are afraid of damage from the waves. It just looks weird.

The bikes are doing great. Mine has developed a tick that I am going to have to look at when I get home, but I am not messing with it right now. It ticks worse cold and gets quieter when warm, but never goes away. It is in the motor, not the drivetrain. We will see...
Lori's rear tire is getting down there and I am concerned with it making it all the way home, but I will keep an eye on it and will have it replaced if it goes too far. My tires are doing fine and shouldn't be a problem.
We stopped at Panama City for the night and are heading into New Orleans to meet Cliff and Jackie Saturday Morning. I can't wait!

Day 13 - Out of Key West

First off, Lori's OK

Morg, Cris, Me, Lori

That being said, we left Key west at O"dark thirty this morning and headed north through the keys. It is great to watch the sun come up when you are down there. We stopped in Florida City for breakfast and topped of the gas and headed NW through Homestead to cut across the everglades. Right in the center of town there is a decorated section with cobblestone crosswalks for the shops and as we were driving through we stopped for a pedestrian, just a normal stop. The car behind us stopped about 12 feet back from Lori and the Toyota truck behind his car never even touched the brakes. He slammed in the car and shoved it all the way forward and into Lori. I heard the crunch and jumped the bike forward, but it got to Lori before she could move. I looked in the mirror and her bike was all the way over with the tires in the air.

The car that hit Lori's bike.

Fortunately she has the insight to just let it go when she got hit. She just stepped off and let the bike take the damage. It ended up laying on the saddlebag, fairing, and engine bar. It split the left saddlebag apart on the bottom and some minor scuffs and such. When we got it upright and off the side of the road, I noticed the rear license plate was missing. I looked all over for it for few moments before I realized it was still attached. The impact had driven everything from the taillight down up under the fender and curled it all up. It took a bit of force to get it back out so it wasn't rubbing on the tire.

That took about an hour and a half to get all the reports done and the insurance contacted. I put a bungee cord on the bag to hold it together and we moved things around in the bags, then I took her bike for a quick ride to make sure it was OK. It felt fine, So we headed north to the everglades.

Reminds me of the song Swamp With by Jim Stafford

The everglades is quite something to see. You look out at a big grass field that covers acres and it it all water under the grass. It was about 80 miles to cross across there and the are crossing signs for all kinds of wildlife including Panther's.

We cut over to the water and followed it up through Naples and into Ft.Meyers and then up to Sarasota before stopping at Bradenton for the evening. A long day and extremely hot. We ate at a Cracker Barrel and between Lori and I we went through 9 glasses of water.

Tomorrow we continue following the coast around and start west towards NOLA!

From Lori;
Hi All,    Yes I'm really okay.....Just a little stiff and achy this evening.  All I remember is hearing the crash and looking in my mirror and seeing him coming at me and I couldn't react fast enough and decided to protect myself and let the bike take the hit.  The guy back a few cars said he had seen that move before and knew there was a bike involved.  All he saw was a body go flying and he was pretty sure there was a bike down.  Anyway, it felt like I was 4 wheeling, didn't quite roll, but the tires were definitely in the air. I know I promised to write on this trip and it took a fender bender to get me on the computer.  Hears my shout out to everyone at work, I hope all is going well and I'll see you all in  a week and a half.  I hope you're enjoying the great job Gary is doing on the blog, we're having a blast.  My bum is actually holding up pretty good, who knew.  The sun is a killer, but we're trying to keep sun block on.  I'll try to write again soon, see ya later.    Lori