2003 Motorcycle Journal
Travel to Portland, Oregon
July 17, 2003
Day 1
Dear Friends and Family,
I am planning to leave this morning. I am headed to Oregon. I will keep you posted on what happens.
I just returned from the Mac Race last night. It was the easiest race I have ever done. We came in 8th in our section of 26 boats and 30th out of the 26 boats in our division. We are pleased with the results although we were sure we were 2nd when we came in.
Take care. I will stay in touch.
Mike
Day 1 Continued
Dear friends and family,
The adventure begins. Today I rode 370 miles and am in Jefferson, Iowa. Last year when I was going out to Colorado, I stayed here. The day was overcast. I could see rain south of me, but it never touched me. When I crossed the Mississippi, the sky cleared and it became hot. Dummy me didn't put on sun screen until the later part of the day. My face isn’t red from embarrassment but of my stupidity.
I had some problems with the bike before I left. I even thought of not going on the trip. Now it seems to be running well and the anxiety I was feeling is slowly lifting.
I can't explain how good it felt to settle into the ride. It is so peaceful watching the fields, farms and small towns pass by as I listen to the sounds of a smooth running engine.
Last night I went to the local bar. It was hot and muggy inside and out. I was the only person in it. After a few minutes a little old lady came in. She had to be 4' 10" and a bit round. She came over to sit by me. Her name was Betty. She had a little trouble getting up onto the bar stool and I wasn't sure if it was because she was so short or drunk. I soon discovered it was the later. She told me about her life. She is 65 and had a lot of biker friends in the town she used to live in. She kept telling me that she had an old man and it was OK for her to talk to me. When she left, I decide to leave a little after her. I was on my way back to the bike and I passed another bar. I stopped for one more. Guess who was there to greet me? Betty introduced me to all of her friends. It was as if we were long lost buddies. I meet some very unusual people. I wonder if this is an omen.
In the morning I will head to Sioux City and cross into Nebraska. I am going to take Route 20 across then head to the Black Hills I think. I might even go see what Sturgis looks like when it is not filled with thousands of bikers.
For some reason I am not as excited about this trip as I have been in the past. Once I settled in to the ride, the excitement gradually came back. I am looking forward to whatever the ride brings.
Until later - goodnight.
Mike
Day 1
Dear Friends and Family,
I am planning to leave this morning. I am headed to Oregon. I will keep you posted on what happens.
I just returned from the Mac Race last night. It was the easiest race I have ever done. We came in 8th in our section of 26 boats and 30th out of the 26 boats in our division. We are pleased with the results although we were sure we were 2nd when we came in.
Take care. I will stay in touch.
Mike
Day 1 Continued
Dear friends and family,
The adventure begins. Today I rode 370 miles and am in Jefferson, Iowa. Last year when I was going out to Colorado, I stayed here. The day was overcast. I could see rain south of me, but it never touched me. When I crossed the Mississippi, the sky cleared and it became hot. Dummy me didn't put on sun screen until the later part of the day. My face isn’t red from embarrassment but of my stupidity.
I had some problems with the bike before I left. I even thought of not going on the trip. Now it seems to be running well and the anxiety I was feeling is slowly lifting.
I can't explain how good it felt to settle into the ride. It is so peaceful watching the fields, farms and small towns pass by as I listen to the sounds of a smooth running engine.
Last night I went to the local bar. It was hot and muggy inside and out. I was the only person in it. After a few minutes a little old lady came in. She had to be 4' 10" and a bit round. She came over to sit by me. Her name was Betty. She had a little trouble getting up onto the bar stool and I wasn't sure if it was because she was so short or drunk. I soon discovered it was the later. She told me about her life. She is 65 and had a lot of biker friends in the town she used to live in. She kept telling me that she had an old man and it was OK for her to talk to me. When she left, I decide to leave a little after her. I was on my way back to the bike and I passed another bar. I stopped for one more. Guess who was there to greet me? Betty introduced me to all of her friends. It was as if we were long lost buddies. I meet some very unusual people. I wonder if this is an omen.
In the morning I will head to Sioux City and cross into Nebraska. I am going to take Route 20 across then head to the Black Hills I think. I might even go see what Sturgis looks like when it is not filled with thousands of bikers.
For some reason I am not as excited about this trip as I have been in the past. Once I settled in to the ride, the excitement gradually came back. I am looking forward to whatever the ride brings.
Until later - goodnight.
Mike
July 18, 2003
Day 2
Dear Friends and Family,
I am not sure of the name of the town I am in. I stopped for gas and was talking to another guy on a bike. The town is very small. I asked about email. He showed me the way to the Community Center so I could write to you.
Today has been cold and overcast. There have been storm warnings and severe weather alerts but it seems to be south of me.
The ride has been very peaceful. I am always amazed at the vastness of our country. I love the open feeling. Life is so different here than at home. The high school that is connected to the Community Center is so small. In many large cities there is always a sense of fear. We hear about something everyday that is frightening. That is such a foreign concept out here. It makes me enjoy even more the openness in both the countryside and the people.
Well I need to get going. Will write more later.
As always please forgive the spelling and typing errors. As you know typing is not my strength and I only have a limited time to use the internet.
Mike
Day 2 continued
Dear Friends and Family,
I wrote to you a second note but it didn't get sent.
The day was spent in my jacket expecting rain at any time. The northern part of Nebraska has surprised me. I rode large hills for the first part of the day and then they turned to a multitude of smaller ones. I was expecting everything to be flat. The fields of corn I saw earlier have turned to grazing land. I am in Valentine a town of about 2900 people. This is a large recreation area. Imagine that in the middle of Nebraska.
Mike
July 19, 2003
Day 3
Dear friends and family,
It is going to be a hot one. I have about a third of the state to go. I decided this afternoon that I would go into the Black Hills. It took me miles to make the decision. What else do I have to do? Actually I talked to a guy in the gas station who convinced me that it was a must. The ride into the hills was hot, but it was fun to see the mountains off in the distance.
I passed through Hot Springs, SD. The ride was spectacular. Narrow roads that twist and turn while going up and down the mountains kept me entertained for hours.
I wish you could see this. I am sitting on top of a mountain. I am on the Needles Highway. Last year I met a couple in a bar in Greybull, Wyoming. They were on their way to get married on a mountain top in the Grand Tetons. They told me that riding the Needles Highway is a must. Well here I am. I have been climbing the mountain for a long time. The sky has become dark above me but passed the darkness are white fluffy clouds. Beyond that there are different shades of blue that meet the horizon. Granite pillars decorate the mountains near me. There is a guy scaling one of the pillars. It is unbelievable.
Need to get moving again. I crossed into Mountain Time so I have more time to play.
Riding through the Black Hills, I saw several buffalo and deer. The ride back down the mountain was equally exciting. It had lots of switchbacks and several tunnels.
I went to Mt. Rushmore, but they wanted $8 to park. All I really wanted to do was get a picture. I looked at the presidents from the road. I can most likely get a better picture off the Internet.
Speaking of the Internet, I couldn't find a place open so I will have lots for Monday.
When I was in Custer, SD getting ready to head west, I saw a couple of bikers in rain gear. They were coming from the south. It was cool again but it never rained. I have stopped and I am in Moorcroft, Wyoming. I stopped here last year on my way east. It is 60 miles west of the state line.
Good night,
Mike
Riding through the Black Hills, I saw several buffalo and deer. The ride back down the mountain was equally exciting. It had lots of switchbacks and several tunnels.
I went to Mt. Rushmore, but they wanted $8 to park. All I really wanted to do was get a picture. I looked at the presidents from the road. I can most likely get a better picture off the Internet.
Speaking of the Internet, I couldn't find a place open so I will have lots for Monday.
When I was in Custer, SD getting ready to head west, I saw a couple of bikers in rain gear. They were coming from the south. It was cool again but it never rained. I have stopped and I am in Moorcroft, Wyoming. I stopped here last year on my way east. It is 60 miles west of the state line.
Good night,
Mike
July 20, 2003
Day 4
Dear Friends and Family,
Today is Sunday. I slept in until 7am. I hope to get across the state by the end of today. We'll see. I am eating breakfast and will write more later.
Did I ever say, "I love mountains?" The first part of the day was 90 miles of expressway - boring. It was a little mind numbing, but no traffic so I can let my mind wander a bit. The speed limit is 75, but I didn't pass anyone. I crossed the Big Horn Mountains. At first I couldn't see them because of the haze. When it cleared, there they were with their snow caped peaks just waiting for me to climb.
As I started to climb the temperature dropped at least 20 degrees. The pass was easier than some I have taken, but it was still thrilling. There was little traffic, just the road and me. Once over the pass, it became sweltering. On a bank in Greybull, it read 104 degrees.
I passed an aviation museum on the way out of Greybull. I turned around because there were about 40 old planes out in a field. I had to see this. I was confused at first because the control tower for the planes is also the museum. There were several firefighting planes on the runway ready to reload and refuel. For $3.50 I could go anywhere I wanted. The only caution was to watch for planes when I walked across the runway. I can’t imagine this happening around Chicago. “Go out and have a time. Just don’t get hit by one of the planes.”
In some of the hangers there were planes being restored. My favorite sight was the plane being restored where a temporary building was built around it. The wings of the plane were sticking outside the building. I walked all over the field looking at the planes. It was like going to a plane junk yard. There were parts stacked and planes partially disassembled. It was so fun even in the 104 degree heat. After wandering around for at least an hour and a half, I decided it was time to move on. The heat was getting to me and the thought of moving air motivated me to start riding again.
I stopped in Cody for the night. I am 50 miles from Yellow Stone. I plan to see Old Faithful and enjoy the sights. I will come out the west gate and head for Idaho.
I forgot to tell you. I stopped in a bar and was talking to 4 grad-students that were on a dig. They had been in the area around Greybull for a month. One of the guys was telling me about the dinosaur femur bone that they found that was 5 feet long. I also met the professor that was in charge of the dig. It was very interesting. We started talking about Sue in the Field Museum in Chicago.
After dinner I went back to the same bar and talked to a couple from Michigan. They have been riding for two weeks. It was fun to talk about the places we have been.
Take care, that is all for now my fingers are cramping from all of the typing.
Mike
July 21, 2003
Day 5
Dear friends and family,
I have been sitting in this library for an hour trying to get caught up with the journal. Typing has never been one of my best skills. It has been a long day so far.
I enjoyed my ride though Yellowstone. I was in my coat for the first several hours. I was even thinking about chaps it was so cold. When I got to the geyser area, it warmed up. That is such a neat place. I can just imagine early settles going there during the winter. I walked though several of the geyser areas. I stopped to see Old Faithful, but it was going to be an hour before she blew. It is just like watching Buckingham fountain in a wind storm. I decided not to wait so I bought a postcard.
The ride through Idaho has been blistering hot. I am burning up. Not fun, but it is all part of the ride. I am close to the mountains so I hope it will cool off.
That is all for now. Take care. Hope to talk to you tomorrow.
Mike
Day 5 continued
I have to make this fast the library closes in 8 minutes. I am staying the night in Arco, Idaho. So I stopped back at the library to tell you a couple of things I forgot. The most interesting was the brush fire I went through. It was on both sides of the road. I rode for miles looking at a huge cloud of smoke in the distance. A half hour later I was in the midst of the fire. The electric poles were smoldering. Some were still standing while others where on the ground. I could smell the smoke all around me and everything was black on both sides of the road. This weird scene went for several miles. It was just amazing. There isn't much to burn. It is just low laying brush. The heat increased. Like I said it was just amazing.
The only other excitement was seeing two bald eagles. I saw one landing into a nest in Yellowstone and the other I saw on a platform in Idaho. They really take your breath away. They are so powerful looking and majestic.
I am planning an exciting evening of laundry. I am staying in a motel. It is still in the high 90"s.
Time to go.
Mike
July 22, 2003
Day 6
Dear friends and family,
It is noon and I have just crossed into Oregon. I have ridden 1900 miles so far and the bike is running great.
I left early this morning and the first exciting thing I saw was the Crater of the Moon National Monument. In reality it is just huge lava fields. It makes some of the strangest formation and weird looking craters. I was really impressed. I even stopped and got a post card. Later I stopped for a picture. There were areas that nothing covered the lava. The whole area was hotter than when I got into the green areas.
At one point in the morning, I crossed a dried out river and there was an abandoned ranch. It looked like it has been deserted for a long time. I thought about it for hours. What happened that would make someone leave something that they must have worked so hard to build. I have lots of time to think and today’s driving didn't take a lot of concentration. There was a house and several sheds and a corral. I guess I just don't have enough to think about.
It is really hot. I want to get on my way. So I will try to write later. I won't make it to Portland tonight. It is still a few hundred miles away.
Til later.
Mike
Day 6 continued
Dear friends and family,
I made it to Prineville, Org. I have driven over 2200 miles. I am only a few hours out of Portland. I am going to Portland to visit a friend of mine's father. He will help me decide what to see as I drive around the state.
Yesterday's ride was hot. I had to cross several mountains to get to Prineville.
The motel I stayed at had about 20 Mexican men staying there. Hearing them speak Spanish made me feel right at home. I felt like I was at school. This morning when I saw them, they getting equipment out of a truck and checking it. I think they were firefighter. It was interesting to see the stuff in their back packs. When I first saw them I thought they were migrant workers. I am as susceptible to stereotypes as everyone else. You would think teaching in a Hispanic school that I would be a little more open minded.
I am in the Pacific Time Zone. I now have to deduct 2 hours from my watch. It is confusing.
Take care.
Mike
July 23, 2003
Day 7
Dear Friends and family,
This is going to be really quick. I have only 15 minutes to read all of my email. Thank you for the notes. I am outside of Portland. I will to write to you again later.
Mike
Day 7 Continued
First let me thank you for the emails. I have enjoyed hearing from you. This is about the time that I begin to get a little lonely and realize how far away all of you are.
Today has had lots of events and new things to see. The ride across the mountains was pretty easy, and it was nice to be cool for awhile.
I ended up in the city of The Dallies and that is where I checked my email. After leaving the library, I looked for the scenic highway that ran along the Columbia River Gouge. Before finding it, I had to go through a small brush fire. It was along the highway and people across the street were trying to put it out.
When I was on the scenic highway, I got confused and thought I was on the wrong road. I pulled off in a turn around and there were 4 or 5 inches of gravel. I tried to turn but the gravel sucked the bike down. I wasn't going fast and the bike tipped over. I was so angry at myself. But to make matters worse, I couldn't pick the bike back up because of all the gravel. Gas was trickling out of the tank. I struggled for only a few minutes, but it seemed longer. I was beginning to panic when a car stopped. An elderly man and woman helped me get the bike upright. They stayed with me until I was able to get it out of the gravel. I was so grateful to them. Once again my view of people has been reconfirmed. Maybe that is why I am not afraid to ride by myself. I went back down the mountain to find a level place to check out the bike. On the way down, I realized that I had a small burn on my arm. I must have hit the pipe trying to pick it up. (Mom it is OK, I am fine. There was nothing to worry about. I was going so slow that the bike fell over by itself.)
The bike doesn't even have a mark on it. I was very lucky, but my confidence was a bit shaken. I was also mad at myself for not realizing the depth of the gravel. I got on I-84 instead of the scenic highway just to get my confidence back and put the incident behind me.
About 30 miles later, I got back on the scenic highway and I am glad I did. I stopped to see several beautiful waterfalls. The scenic highway was tree lined and narrow with lots of curves and mountains to climb. It was a bikers dream. It was also cool. It was nice not to be in sweltering heat.
Along the way I ran across people filming for a movie. There were lots of trucks and they even stopped the traffic. The best part of the ride was looking out over the Columbia River Gorge from an observatory. It was a spectacular sight. I also talked to a couple of guys who were on their way to Alaska. One was from Indiana and other from Kentucky.
I called Michael, my friend's father, and came into Portland. I have had a delightful time visiting with him. We have lots in common. I felt very much at ease. He is a great host and source of information as to where to go next.
We went to Goose Island, a micro-brewery that is owned by a former mayor of Portland. On the way to the bar he showed me some of the sights in Portland.
We talked late into the evening.
Til later,
Mike
July 24, 2003
Day 8
Dear friends and family,
A new day and I have no idea what I am going to do with it. I need to get caught up with my journal and email it out. It is beautiful outside. I need to clean the bike and finish my emails.
When I go or where I go is yet to be decided. Will keep you informed.
Mike
Later
I left Portland after a delightful stay with Michael. He told me all sorts of places to go along the coast. It made me so excited that I decide to start out in the afternoon. I headed for Astoria and camped at Fort Stevens. I got one of the last campsites. When I pulled in a bunch of kids came over. Their parents were telling me to tell them to go if they bothered me. Next thing I know 3 men come walking over. They had seen my license plate and they started asking lot so question. They even invited me for dinner. The turkey burgers were delicious.
Howard, the man who invited me for dinner, is restoring a Catalina 22. We talked about sailing a lot. He and his family are part of a church group that was camping all together. They had about a 110 people. I was introduced to lots of people. I felt like a celebrity. Usually when I pull into campground the women and children are rounded up and locked away. I just don't understand it.
The weather has changed big time. I am freezing. Today is a long sleeve, coat and chaps day. The coast is beautiful. I have changed my pace and trying to be more of a tourist. Will take lots of pictures and have stories to share.
Take care,
Mike
July 25, 2003
Day 9
Dear friends and family,
This morning I was up early and ready to go. I had coffee with the people I had met last night. It was strange to be somewhere by yourself and have someone call your name as if you were friends. It is fun at times being a stranger, but it gets old sometimes also. Everything has a price. I had a big send off. Everyone that I had met wished me a safe trip. It was very touching. I think that it says more about the kind of people they are than it had to do with me.
I have one goal today. It is to get an oil change. I found a couple of places but they didn't have an oil filter. When I got to Tillamook, I found a small Honda dealer. They were very nice and changed the oil and cleaned the air filter. The filter was full of dead bugs and dirt.
I went to the cheese factory in town and watched how cheese is made. I bought some and some oysters and had a wonderful snack. I have taken a few scenic rides, not many mile covered today. It is hard to change my pace.
I decided to stop at around 3pm. The state park was already filled. KIA wanted 34 bucks for a tent. I found a motel for $40, that I had to share a bathroom. I really wanted to go camping. Maybe I will find a place on Saturday.
I am in Lincoln City. I am sitting on the beach watching the sun go down. The beach is covered with huge logs. There are mountains to my left that run along the coast. There is a haze out over the ocean. A few people are building fires along the beach.
Today for dinner I had a tasty bowl of clam chowder and I plan to stop at an oyster bar before turning in. Sitting on the beach, I can't believe that I am here. It is where I wanted to go, but the whole trip is where I wanted to go. Maybe it is just sitting by the ocean that makes it seem so unreal. Even though I have spent so little time near and ocean, I really enjoy it. The sound of Lake Michigan multiplied by X.
The sun is setting so I guess this letter is done.
I did go to the oyster bar and had oyster shooters. They were good but the ones I had in Florida with my sister were better.
Until next time,
Mike
July 26, 2003
Day 10
Dear friends and Family,
I have to type this out quickly. I only have 15 minutes to use the computer.
I am continuing to run south along the coast.
I pulled over at different viewing areas. I also stopped at several lighthouses. The coastline is just beautiful. I stopped at the Devil's Punch Bowl. It is a round area that the ocean has carved away in the rock. The coast has lots of formations that have been eroded into different shapes.
I also went to Cape Perpetual and the lookout. The lookout was a twisty climb and then a look out over the bluff. I took some pictures from the look out and then went back down to the coast line and took pictures of the same places that I had taken from the overlook.
At one point I stopped at a place that had wood carvings. I talked to the owner for about an hour. He took me through the place and showed me all of the process the carvings went through. He ships his carvings all over the country to different gift shops. I have seen some of them along the way. He uses a machine that makes 4 at a time from a template. He also makes life size carvings of bears and people. My favorite carving was a bench that is 3 sides of a square and each side is 6 feet. At each corner is a bear carved out of a block of wood. As you can see I was very impressed.
I continued down the coast into several fishing towns. I stopped at Sea Lion's but didn't go down. Too much money and it is just another tourist trap. It is located high on a mountain and the wind is really gusty.
I ended my day is Coos Bay. I stopped at a tavern and the bartender looked very familiar. After a few minutes, I realized that her smile and mannerisms were exactly like Peg Frigo, a teacher I used to work with. Once I realized that this young lady was Peg's look alike, I watched her even more closely. I was amazed how similar their mannerisms were. She probably thought I was some sort of pervert.
Mike
July 27, 2003
Day 11
Dear Friends and Family,
It is a race against the clock. I will have to send this just before my time runs out.
I am back on the road, but not the way I wanted to go. Highway 101 is closed because of a fire. The detour was beautiful. I had to cut across the mountains into the interior.
The coast of Oregon has been breathtaking with its unusual gigantic boulders and sandy shore. I ended my coast ride in Crescent City, California. I stopped for a few minutes and said goodbye to the coast and headed for the interior. I am on my way to Crater Lake. I started the journey through a redwood forest. Now that was impressive. The road was shaded and curved around these beautiful giants.
As I went further up the mountain, I recognized that I was over dressed. You have to realize I have been wearing my coat and chaps all the way down the coast. Once I crossed the mountain, it jumped to 104 degrees. That black leather really sucks up the heat. I pulled off the side of the road and peeled the stuff off so fast you would have thought I was on fire. I felt like I was. Once my body temperature returned to normal, I continued on my way. The road followed a mountain stream. It was fun to get a glance at the scenery, but the road was curving a lot and I had few chances to look up.
In Grant’s Pass where I stopped for the night, I went to the local tavern. It was a really friendly place.
I will have to continue this later.
Mike
July 28, 2003
Day 12
Dear friends and family,
I am sitting at a scenic overlook staring into Crater Lake. It is hundreds of feet down to the water. There is one place that you can go to the waters edge. I heard that you had to hike down about 350 feet. You can take a boat ride once you get to the bottom. There is an island in the middle of the lake. The boat is not running because it is being tested. It was lowered down by helicopter. There is no other way to get it down to the waters edge.
I have never seen water this shade of blue. I can see snow on the sides of the crater and along the waters edge. I have stopped numerous times and taken lots of pictures.
Where I am sitting is very windy. I am camping here tonight. It took me an hour to get a campsite, but it is worth it. Talk about a relaxing day.
The ride to the crater was like being back in the redwood forest. I wish all of you were here. It would be nice to share it with someone. I hope to get a chance to email this to you in the morning.
I am not sure where I am going to go next, but I am on my way back home. I don't have a choice. I ran out of roads going west. I figure it will take 8 or 9 days to get there; I want to give myself time to play along the way.
I am back up on the along the crater. This time I was here for dinner. I hate eating alone. I was going to treat myself and not eat fast food. I was told this restaurant was the best in the national park. It turned out to be more like going to Old Country Buffet. Everything was overcooked, but the salad was good. I am sitting along the crater. I can see the wind lines on the water even from up here. Well I think I need to head for my campsite.
Goodnight.
Mike
July 29, 2003
Day 13
Dear friends and Family,
I am down the mountain and I am headed for Nevada. I plan to go see the Salt Lake.
Tonight is laundry night. My favorite part of yesterday was sitting at the bottom of this waterfall that I saw along the road. I walked up through some brush and put my feet in the water. Those boots are hot.
I am in Lakeview writing this. I need to get back on the road. It is 1pm.
Later
Mike
Day 13 Continued
Dear friends and family,
What a day! I stopped in Lake View, Oregon to email you. Then I took off, but was on the wrong road. I ended up in California. I was looking for Route 95 but took 395 instead. I had driven over 50 miles before I realized that I was on the wrong road. There were no other roads to go the direction I wanted to go so I had to back track. I end up back in Lake View.
I didn’t like the town because it seemed unfriendly. I decide to keep going. I figured I would stop at a small motel. It has been hotter than hell all day. There were two towns on the map. The first town was a gas station. The next town was 80 miles away and it was a gas station and a store. I rode 200 miles before I found a place to stay.
I am staying at a casino. Nice room for $25. As I walked through the casino I noticed that most of the people that worked there were older than I am. The town was one casino after the other. Food was cheap and good. The whole thing struck me as kind of sad.
Mike
July 30, 2003
Day 14
Dear friends and family,
I am in another casino motel. This one was $22 and nicer than the last. The place is fascinating, but very impersonal. This town is nothing but casinos not even a store. I am still in Nevada but close to the edge of Utah.
I took I-80. You know how much I hate interstates, but it is the only road going the way I want to go. Not a lot of traffic but boring. It takes all the fun out of mountain driving.
I was another hot one. I stopped periodically and soaked my shirt and head band. Fifteen minutes I would be totally dry again. I have been really careful about drinking enough water. It is very easy to become dehydrated out here.
I met a couple from Australia. They were part of a group of 60 that shipped their bikes to San Francisco. They were on there way to Sturgis and then to Milwaukee for Harley’s 100 year anniversary. They have to be back in September. I had an interesting conversation.
I went to bed early. Casinos are boring.
Mike
July 31, 2003
Day 15
Dear Friend and Family,
I am running out of time. I am in Park City, Utah writing this to you. It is where the Winter Olympics were held. It is really cool. I saw the ski jumps as I came into town. There are all sorts of ski runs. I am headed to Evanston, Wyoming. I think it is about an hour away. It is about 3 pm.
I went to the Salt Lake this morning. I was trying to find someone to give me a ride on a sailboat. There was no wind and it was very hot. I ended up talking to a couple on their boat. I spent almost 3 hours talking sailing and all sorts of stuff. It was nice to be around sailors again. We even went over his boat talking about the modification he had made. It was a 30 foot O’Day.
I am running out of time. I can't tell you how nice it was just to sit and talk to someone. I don't feel as lonely as I did the other day.
Mike
August 1, 2003
Day 16
Dear Friends and Family,
I am in Kemmer, Wyoming. It is the home of JC Penney’s.
Did you know that? I am heading east and north.
Last night I met a guy from California headed for Sturgis. He said he road 800 miles. I think he is crazy. There were a couple of other bikes headed for Sturgis.
I am not sure if I will pass through again. I must admit there is a draw even if it is only to get t-shirts. Time will tell.
Not much more happening. It is too bad. I have an hour on the computer and there is no one on the others.
Take Care,
Mike
August 3, 2003
Day 18
Dear Friends and Family,
Last night I was in Laketon, Wyoming. I covered quite a few miles today. I crossed over two different mountain passes and went into Sturgis, picked up my t-shirts at the first place I could and got the hell out of Dodge - no Sturgis. The place was just as a remembered. Bikes were everywhere. Downtown Sturgis is very interesting and an excellent place to observe the latest fashions for biker babes, but the traffic was at a crawl and the thought of going downtown was too much to bear. I must be getting old. Imagine rush hour with nothing but motorcycles. The noise is incredible.
Coming toward Sturgis from the west, I was watching a
steady line of bikes headed west; many people like riding to Yellowstone.
When I was on the east side of Sturgis, the number of motorcycles headed to Sturgis was unbelievable. It was a steady line taking one lane sometimes two. I am talking about thousands of bikes. I watched them coming toward me for 110 miles. It was something to see.
I drove to Wall and stayed the night. If you have ever gone west on I-90 you will see signs for Wall Drugs for hundreds of mile before getting there.
Wall’s downtown was lined with motorcycles. A young couple stopped me to ask about all the motorcycles. They thought maybe something was going on in Wall. They were on their vacation to see the Black Hills. They had been planning the vacation for a long time. When I told them about Sturgis, they looked shell shocked. They said bikes had been passing them for hours. I suggested that they change their plans. They wouldn't be able to find a hotel for a 100 miles surrounding Sturgis.
I went to a bar in Wall. The place was packed with bikers. I met lots of people from Illinois. In fact it was like being in the Chicago area again. Looking around the bar at all of the bikers was interesting to see the combinations of biker attire. We could have had a biker fashion show - is that an oxymoron? As I studied each person, I tried to picture what they looked like at work. It was a fun evening. I talked to a couple from Mount Morris, Illinois; in fact I drove by their house on the way home. They were on their traditional trek to Sturgis, but they were in a motor home and pulling their bikes. The entire night amazed me. The bikers came in all shapes and sizes, all walks of life and all ages. It was a fun evening.
More later.
Mike
August 3, 2003
Day 19
Dear Friends and Family,
Good morning. I am sitting in the Cactus Cafe in Wall having breakfast. It is one of two restaurants in the main part of town. It is also the bar I was in last night. Today is another biker convention here in Wall. Some are leaving town, while others are just pulling in. A steady stream of leather is parading by. I am hoping to be home by Tuesday. I want to get across South Dakota and into Minnesota by the end of the day.
I made it to Marshall, MN. I have traveled on US 14 most of the way. I have seen a steady stream of bikers as they make their pilgrimage to Sturgis. I have never been in this area at the start of the rally. It amazes me how many people are headed in that direction. I have seen single rides like myself, groups of 2 or 3 and large groups of 20 or more.
I rode pretty steadily today and covered close to 400 miles.
Later
Mike
August 4, 2003
Day 20
Dear Friends and Family,
I wanted to make it further than I did today, but I stopped at about 5:30pm in McGregor, Iowa. It is on the Mississippi. I ended my ride here last year. I had met the owner of the hotel and had an enjoyable visit.
The help had changed since last year. Sam, the owner, said he remembered me, but I am not sure. It is a real low key place. I met several people on bikes. They were riding in the area. One group was two guys from Naperville. They had been riding in the area for a couple of days. They were related to each other by marriage. The one guy said that they had taken his 76 year old mother for a ride. They went about 200 miles. He said she loved it. What do you think Mom? Next time I come home, we could ride to Northern Michigan.
Later in the evening, the woman who ran the bar in the basement told me that I shouldn't leave my bike on the street all night. It might get hit. I asked her where to put it. Her response was to park it in the bar downstairs. I drove it down a ramp, tight fit through the first set of doors, and parked it on the dance floor. Now that was a first.
The next morning I found Sam to open the door to the bar. His only comment was, "Make sure you lock the door after you get the bike out." I told you he was laid back.
Take care,
Mike
The journal ended with the last entry. Usually I write again when I get home and summarize the experience. Maybe I wrote one and it was lost or I just ended it. A number of years passed before I put the journals together. I pieced them together from the entries I sent home to Francie.