Day 21

We made it to the MOA rally in Hamburg, NY at around noon today. Some of the guys got here a day or so ago and marked off an area for K1600 motorcycle  tent camping. It should be a fun weekend. 

    The shower trailer across the street 

    Some of the K1600 forum members gathering already. 

   

    My camp

Day 20

Took off this morning at 5:30 in the rain that stayed with me to Peoria, IL. Then off and on all the way to Columbus, OH where I arrived at the motel at 5:00 pm after 625 miles. Steve got there a half hour earlier. We had a burger and a couple beers and are now getting ready for showers and bed so we can be back on the road by 6:00 am. It looks like tomorrow is just a little over 300 miles. 

Our view all day long. 

Day 19

I did nothing except visit with the folks and Mike and Debby Conley

Day 17

The beginning of another leisure day. 

    The quaint motel we are "camping" in near the family gathering. 

Day 18

We drove back to Cedar Falls mostly in rain today. Had a nice visit at tha family camp out. I got to see and visit with some family members that I hadn't seen in several years along with their kids that are growing up way too fast.

Day 16

I Drove Mom and Dad to Wisconsin for our annual family camp out. This has been going on for close to 40 years. I've only attended twice since moving to Arizona. It's amazing how everyone has aged except me 😬.

    Small road side park we stopped at for quick pit stop. 

    Crossing the mighty Mississippi River

Day 15

Had a nice visit in town with friends from High School and ones I worked with at John Deere many years ago. It's always fun to catch up and reminisce about the old days and things we did together back then. It's also sad to hear about those that have passed away. 

Day 14

I thought I would do a quick post just so that my dedicated followers wouldn't think that I ran off the road somewhere. I washed my filthy bike this morning and then helped my Dad purchase a new printer for his computer. He told me what features he wanted and then when I got it hooked up he asked if it could do such and such. Of course it couldn't so now I'm in the process of showing him how to do that task with a work around plan. It would be easier if he would wear his hearing aids but then why would he do that. 

Thanks for reading the blog. 

Day 13

Rode up to my folks in Cedar Falls, Iowa today. It was kind of like being in a sauna. 90 F and probably 90% humidity. For those that have never been to Iowa here are photos of typical things to see. 

    

Co-op grain silos

    Small town water tower

    Classic farm

    Cornfield 

    John Deere tractors for sale

    The house I grew up in and where my folks still live.

Day 12

 It was a quick 300 mile ride to Steve's in Kansas City. I installed the modified shift linkage I bought last Friday when I made a detour into the Denver metro area. I need to ride for a day or two to see how it works. Steve is installing a new tire on his bike. The Avon he had on it got almost 10,000 miles which is pretty good for these high torque BMWs so he is putting another one on. 

    Fireworks in K. C. 

Day 11

Frank and Jerry made it back to Arizona today with no problems. Steve and I took off for his house in Kansas City. 

No rain today so the ride was nice with temperatures between 77-80 across Kansas under partly cloudy skies.  We rode 550 miles today in 10 hours. Tomorrow we only have 300 more to Steve's. 

    The last of the mountains for now. 

    Flat Kansas

Day 10

ITurn out the lights to party is over.

We had lots of rain today but it was still a nice ride. We rode South out of Buena Vista to South Fork where we turned back North up Hwy 149 over Slumgulion Pass to the Blue Mesa Reservoir. From there we rode West to our cabin in Montrose. 

This our last night of the Rocky Mountain section of my trip. Jerry and Frank will head back to Arizona in the morning and Steve and I to Kansas City.

    Steve airing up his rear tire.

    Old clay mine

    Steve found the leak and plugged it

    Watching the air pump doing its thing

    Blue Mesa Reservoir

    Our cabin in Montrose

    The final four

     Steve.  Jerry.      Jim.      Frank 

    Look who Jerry ran into

Day 9

It was a little wet today but not bad. We split up again getting to the KOA in Buena Vista. Steve dropped South out of Estes Park and stopped to see our cousin Mike Rogers and his wife Robbie who are campground hosts this summer. I went into the Denver metro area to meet a machinist who is making parts for the BMW K1600 motorcycle like I ride. Frank and Jerry took a different route. The interesting thing is that all of us ended up riding over the newly paved Guanella Pass road. It is a very relaxing ride with great mountain views between Georgetown and Grant.

    The summit of Guanella Pass

    Mountain stream

    Georgetown from the mountain road

 

    Georgetown

    Jerry relaxing

    Frank drinking his Captain Morgan in a Ruger cup.

    Steve

    Jim working on the blog

Day 8

Not many scenery pictures today seeing as how we road in rain most of the way to Estes Park. Norm left for his home in Silverthorn after we ate breakfast in Steamboat Springs. Steve took a route along the Cache La Poudre River while Frank, Jerry and I rode through Rocky Mountain National Park to get here.  The clouds broke up for several hours but I don't think the rain is gone as its starting to cloud up again.

    Norm waving goodbye. I'll see him again in 3 weeks at a rally in Paonia, CO

    Rabbit Ear mountain East of Steamboat Springs

    Jerry and Frank in my rear view mirror.

    Lake Granby

    Rainy Mountain Park

   One of our 6 person cabins

    The front room with a queen size bed

    One set of bunk beds

    A second set of bunk beds