Bob Donaldson memorial

Today was the memorial ride for Bob Donaldson. Over 50 riders assembled along with Bob's 2 sons a 2 of his grand sons. The family scattered Bob's ashes in the Gulf waters. We then gathered at a local BBQ for lunch and then road to Apalatchicola for a tribute to Bob at a Vietnam memorial.

Friday a day of rest

Today was a leisure day for us. Walked the beach this morning and picked up more shells. Then off to Apalachicola (there's a mouth full) for a plate of fresh oysters for lunch. Then back to camp to lounge around and visit with other riders. Kevin and his gang showed up around 4:00 pm. 

Made it to the Gulf of Mexico

We arrived at Port St. Joe in Florida on the Gulf coast around 5:30pm. Steve had camp site reservations so set up our tents and visited with some of the other riders who are gathering this weekend. Kevin will roll in tomorrow night.

I found shells for Janet already.

Done for the day

We are spending the night in Athens, AL. The day was a perfect riding day, 70 and dry. After we got settled into our Motel 8 a car carrier with 11 new Corvettes all with white covers pulled in, pretty neat.

Riding the bike today

We arrived at Janet's sisters yesterday and now I've got the bike loaded and ready to meet Steve in a few hours. Then we'll be riding south.

A rainy day

We drove through heavy rain most of the day. 

Finally the last couple hours were dry.

We are spending the night in Russellville, AR

On the road

We got kind of a late start this morning but that's OK we're retired you know. Ran into some snow country around Williams and Flagstaff but the roads were clear. Drove in rain off and on all day. Decided to stop in Tucumcari for the night so after gassing up and dining at Denny's we're ready for a quick start in the morning. 

Leaving in the morning

All packed and ready to head towards Illinois in the morning. Janet and I should get there by Tuesday afternoon. I'll unload the bike and Wednesday afternoon I'll meet up with Steve and head to Florida.

Going to Key West, Florida

Sunday April 26 Janet and I will be driving to Murphysboro, IL with the motorcycle in tow. Once there I will unload the bike and leave Janet so she can visit her Dad and Sister while I connect with Steve and we will ride to Port St. Joe, Florida for a memorial for Bob Donaldson who was a member of the ST Owners Group and a great guy. From there we plan on riding to Key West a place we intended to get to back in the Spring of 2012. We got turned back when a hurricane hit Florida and along the way we bought our BMW K1600 motorcycles in Birmingham, AL. I wonder what adventures await us this time.

The last day

I started the last leg of this trip Tuesday morning at 7:00am under clear skies. The day couldn't have been a better Fall day for motorcycle riding. Not a cloud in the sky for the entire 800 miles it took to get home. The temperature started out in the low 40s and slowly worked up to 72 by the time I got to Arizona. Nothing exciting on this part of the trip just sit and stop for gas and a bite to eat. Twelve hours later I pulled into the garage. This trip ended up being 3,467 miles long.

Now to clean the bike and store all my gear for next year and get after all the house hold chores I've been neglecting.

Thanks for following along.

A day in Canadian, TX

I spent Monday visiting with Jim and Marge. Jim took me to the site of old Fort Elliott from back in the late 1870's. There is a plaque erected near the site on the highway telling a little history of the fort and then Jim knows the land owner, where the fort stood, so we looked him up and he took us out to the property, drove us around and showed us some of the footings that still exist. We also went to a local museum where more information was available to see and read.

The fort was named after Joel Elliott who was an officer in the 7th Cavalry with Custer but was killed by Indians in a battle before the one at The Little Big Horn where Custer died.

The day was chilly and VERY windy so I was glad to have something else to do besides riding my motorcycle.

Marge, daughter Janet and Jim at a local restaurant.

Road side plaque and monument.

The fort sat on top of this hill which is planted in corn right now.

An old jail cell from the fort.

A modern Elliott in the cell

Headed towards home

Up at 6:00 am this morning and packed up for the ride home. Just as I was ready to get on the bike it started raining again. Duane left a few minutes earlier so I know he got into it as well. I rode solid rain for an hour or so and then light rain off and on for at least 300 miles. After that it was just cool, 55 or so , for most of the day with over cast skies. At the Missouri/Oklahoma border I got off the Interstate highway and took back roads the rest of the day. The last hour of the day the clouds broke up but there were still thunder storm cells in the distance that looked ominous. The last hour, of the ride, I had terrific side winds that were a struggle to drive with but I made it to my destination in tack. It was a 644 mile day.

I'm spending the night and tomorrow with friends, Jim and Marge Hoobler, in Canadian, TX. Jim is going to show me some of the old west historical things in the area tomorrow.

No time for pictures today.

Saturday was dry

It was dry Saturday so we went for a ride on the local county roads which was a lot of fun.

That evening was the closing ceremony were they gave out awards for the person who rode the furthest, or the oldest etc. I didn't win anything.

They had an interesting display of shooting an anvil into the air with a black powder charge. It was pretty loud and impressive.

The plan is to get on the road by 7:00 am and make it to Canadian, TX for the night at Jim and Marge Hooblers.

One anvil on top of another with black powder between them.

The impression in the earth after it landed.

Rainy day

Friday it rained pretty much all day long so a lot of time was spent visiting with other rally attendees. I was able to get my front tire mounted on my bike by the makers of home tire install machines, No-Mar.

In the evening the rain stopped and camp fires were lit so we were able to continue visiting.

No-Mar booth

Installing a tire on the machine.

Made it to the rally

We left this morning at a more civilized time of 8:00 am. Rode for a couple hours and stopped for breakfast in Mammoth Springs, Arkansas. It took that long to find a restaurant because of all the back roads Steve mapped out for us. They were GREAT motorcycle roads with plenty of curves and fresh black top. At one point I was thinking the road kill looked good enough to eat. 

We arrived in Potosi, MO around 1:00 pm, got our tents set up and it started to pour down rain. Fortunately we set up next to a roofed shelter so we were able to get under it and visit while it rained. My neighbor Duane ran into us at a gas station as we pulled into town.

The rain has stopped, for awhile, so we are heating up our freezer dried dinners. 

Oh boy!!!!!!

A nice breakfast and pretty scenery.

Armadillo, locally known as 'possum on the half shell.

Our camp site for the week end.

Duane calling Linda back home.

On the road again

Steve and I left his house early this morning. I snapped a photo of the lunar eclipse before we hit the road. Steve spent hours last night planning a fun route and at the end of the day I say he accomplished his goal. The weather was perfect with mild temperatures and no rain. We zig zagged through Southern Missouri and central Arkansas ending the day in Mountain View, Arkansas. You can click on the SPOT button on the right to see our route.

After unpacking we went to a restaurant just outside of town that served alcohol (there are many dry counties down here) where we had catfish and a beer for supper.

Now it's back to our room for a good nights sleep and then a fairly short day tomorrow that will get us to Potosi, MO and the Falling Leaf Rally.

The blood moon during the eclipse

Here's mud in your eye.

At Steve's

Today was a leisure day at Steve's. We detailed our bikes and I topped off my oil. I opted to keep riding on my old front tire. I'll be carrying the new one for a back up but I think the other one will last the trip. Tomorrow we are riding down into Arkansas on some back roads that Steve has mapped out.

A nice Fall day for riding

The morning started out dark but clear and 45 deg. and stayed clear for the most part and warmed up to around 80 deg. I left Dalhart, TX at 6:30 am and arrived in Medicine Lodge, KS at 11:30 am. I had a nice visit with Bob and Dorothy Stutler. Bob was my boss for about 17 years at Ruger. He seems to be enjoying his semi-retirement by running his gun shop and keeping Medicine Lodge in order as their Mayor.

I left there at 1:30 pm and arrived at brother Steve's house at 6:30 pm.

Tomorrow we'll put a new front tire on my bike that I've been dragging around and do a little relaxing.

Bob and Dorothy Stutler in Bob's gun shop

Bob and I 

A lonely wind mill out on the Kansas prairie 

A photogenic barn in Kansas.

Our bikes resting in Steve's garage 

The front tire I'll put on tomorrow. I put a new rear one on the bike before I left but wanted to squeeze in a few more miles on the front one.

Day One

Well I got started this morning shortly after 6:00 am. I put on all my warm clothes and plugged in my heated jacket liner. It felt good when going through Flagstaff at 32 deg. After dropping some altitude, on the East side of the state, it warmed up to a balmy 50 deg. By the time I stopped for a nutritious lunch in Albuquerque, at Wendy's, it was in the high 70s. A few gas stops later I was able to turn off I-40 at Tucumcari, NM and start angling NE on highway 54.

Just outside of Dalhart, TX are a couple huge cattle feed lots. I don't think I would be exaggerating by estimating that there are upwards of a million cows in these lots. They have to be 1/2 mile square and filled with beef on the hoof.

I'm bunking down in a Super 8 motel in Dalhart which should be my only stay in a motel on this trip.

It's on to Kansas City tomorrow with a stop in Medicine lodge, KS. More on that in the next post.

Wendy's for lunch

If only you could smell what I did. I should have taken a panoramic picture.

One More Putt

 I'll be heading to Kansas City in the morning of Oct.5th with an overnight along the way and a short visit with Bob Stutler in Medicine Lodge, KS.

On Thursday morning Steve and I will be riding to the Fall Leaf Rally in Potosi, MO for the weekend. That Sunday I'll start for home stopping to see some friends in Canadian, TX. I'll spend Monday with them and finish the trip on Tuesday.

Heading for the barn

I had a real nice visit with Bonnie and Jeff. Their son Charlie, his wife Jamie and their daughter Maddy came up from Denver for the evening and we had a nice visit. Sunday morning goodbyes were said and I was on the road by 7:00 am.under blue skies and crisp temperatures. Riding through Colorado to get home sure beats my other trips where I ended up traveling on I-40 across the Great Plains. I stopped for gas in Flagstaff and up rolled my neighbor Duane who had been watching my movement on the SPOT page and decided to catch me part way home and ride the last few miles with me. I thought that was a nice way to welcome me back.

After 13 hours and 675 miles I parked in my garage and was met by Janet with smiles and a big hug. Now I have to get back into the grind of daily retirement projects at home, at least until the next trip.

The total miles for the trip was 6,745 and I was gone 25 days.
 

Thanks for following along.

Jim

Bonnie and Jeff in front of their new home in the mountains outside of Bailey, Colorado

Not much snow this time of year but give it a month.

Lizard Head pass again going the other way.

The last border crossing

OK now to start planning the next trip, shhh don't tell Janet