Retired and Trippin

Today was our last day.  We departed our motel at 8:00 and it was 64 degrees with cloudy skies. From Farmington, MO we rode north a short distance to catch Hwy 8, which took us through Potosi and Steelville to St. James.  The sun had come out and it was a beautiful morning. After a short break we continued north through Vienna and Freeburg to Jefferson City, where we enjoyed lunch at a Mexican restaurant. We rode west to Tipton with storm clouds threatening from the south.  While Chris shopped for concrete angels at a statuary Mel and Trisha took off for home hoping to escape the storms.  Chris and I were on the road again when the rain began.  We stopped in Syracuse, MO to put on our rain suits and it was good we did.  The rain cut loose and a strong south wind tried to push us off the road.  The temperature dropped from 82 to 66.  We were happy when it all ended by the time we reached Sedalia.  After removing our rain gear we rode on home. We rode 300 miles today to conclude

This morning we left our motel, gassed up and were on the road westbound at 8:15.  It was a cool 64 degrees under cloudy skies. At Waverly, TN the police had a major intersection completely blocked so a big herd of elementary school children could cross from one side to the other.  Each class appeared to have its own color shirt. It made us smile and think of our grandchildren. After riding over the Tennessee River and through Camden our next stop was in Big Sandy, TN located on the Tennessee River Trail Scenic Byway (Hwy 29A). Chris had been spotting irises (flowers) the whole trip.  She said they remind her of her maternal grandparents and the farm where they grew the flowers.  She kept wanting me to stop so she could get a picture of them but I refused to accommodate such and unreasonable request.  In Big Sandy she walked two blocks to get this picture while the rest of us were taking a butt-break at a gas station. She is a very determined woman. From Big Sandy (I like that na

We left the cabin near Townsend, TN at 8:15.  It was sunny but cooler than the last several mornings at 57. We took the Foothills Parkway south to Hwy 129 into the Tail of the Dragon - again. We stopped briefly at Deals Gap before continuing southbound and then westbound on the Cherohala Skyway.  This was a first for me and it was an enjoyable ride with beautiful scenery. In Tellico Plains, TN we stopped for a picnic lunch on the grounds of the visitor’s center.  From there we were off north and west through Athens, Dayton, McMinnville and  Murfreesboro to Dickson, where we stopped for the night at an EconoLodge.  Chris was pleased to find a Cracker Barrel across the street so we walked there for dinner.  This was followed by a dip in the indoor pool before calling it a night. It was beautiful today, both the scenery and the weather.  Humidity was low and the high temperature was 81.  We rode 329 miles. For more pictures from today click on the following link: https://plus.goog

Today was an off day - that is - no riding (almost).  Sometime late morning we rode 19 miles when we took the gals to town to do some shopping. At one stop I scored some foo-foo mocha mint coffee and a fresh fried peach pie, which was LARRAPIN good.  Chris showed up after I ate the whole thing and wanted her own.  Then I had to eat half of hers so it wouldn’t go to waste.  A dirty job but someone had to do it.  Chris and Trish both bought some treasures so it was a successful shopping venture. Mel and Trish did some grocery shopping, I washed my beast at a car wash, and Chris bought a shirt at a “Life is Good” store. We returned to the cabin to find Mel washing his beast with a hose. We had grilled burgers for a late lunch and then had a little nap (life is good).  Chris and I tried out the hot-tub.  After supper we played some cards then went night-night.  Tomorrow we start the trek home. No additional photos to share today.  I wish I’d photographed that fried peach pie!  Must h

We left our cabin about 8:30 this morning.  Right out of the chute I heard an unusual sound in my front wheel that coincided with the rotation of the wheel and that went away when I braked.  Mel and I checked it out alongside the road.  It was determined that the noise was coming from the left front brake caliper so we took it off, removed the pads and put them back in.  When it was all put back together and we took off the sound was gone and no further problems occurred.  HALLELUJAH! We rode through Smoky Mountains National Park on Hwy 441 into North Carolina.  After riding a portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway we visited three water falls.  One was Mingo Falls located near Cherokee, NC. The last two were near Bryson City, NC.  Juney Whank Falls and Tom Branch Falls. From Bryson City we rode west including a stretch of Hwy 28, which was curvy and scenic.  I enjoyed it more than the Tail of the Dragon that we rode later. While at Deals Gap, NC we visited with a guy who was a hard c

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all you mothers out there.  Chris had a good morning because she heard from both of her sons before we left our motel. We left Gatlinburg at 10:00.  It was 73 degrees and mostly cloudy.  We rode north into Smoky Mountain National Park.  At first look, it appeared as though there were many dead trees in the park.  Eventually we got it figured out that those trees were just starting to bud out.  Out first stop was at the Newfound Gap scenic overlook. While here we walked a portion of the Appalachian Trail. The next stop was the parking lot for Clingmans Dome and from there we walked to the observation platform.  At the top of Clingmans Dome  it was 63 degrees and the clouds moved in so the views were limited.  My iPhone said the elevation on the observation platform was 6,810 feet. We had a picnic lunch in the Chimneys picnic area and checked out The Sinks waterfall. Then rode through Townsend, TN to our cabin for the next three nights.  The driveway to the ca

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Heather, our wonderful daughter-in-law!  Hope your day was wonderful. After gassing up we departed London, KY at 8:45 under clear skies with a temperature of 72.  We headed south on I-75 towards Cumberland Falls. It was a pretty ride west from I-75 to Cumberland Falls and we enjoyed walking around and climbing in the park. We enjoyed the falls and the Cumberland River but there was a lot of trash laying about.  People are pigs. We made our way back to I-75 and took off southbound for Knoxville, TN.  Mel has an old childhood friend, Scott, from when he lived in Topeka a very long time ago.  Scott, his wife, Dena and their 3 children met us at El Charro Mexican Restaurant in Knoxville.  Scott is a very nice guy with a neat family. After lunch our route took us through Knoxville.  We saw the “Sunsphere”, a remnant of the 1982 World’s Fair held here.  Chris and I actually attended that event with good friends Frank and Terri. The day’s ride came to an end in Gatli

We left our motel in Elizabethtown, KY at 7:45.  It was sunny and 66 degrees so we had a cool ride south to the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park.  We enjoyed some time exploring the area. From here we road through Lebanon and Harrodsburg to Lexington.  This was very scenic and I’d call it the land of black barns, black fences, stone fences, hills, curves and horses.  Along the way we stopped at the Perryville Battlefield where a big civil war battle was fought.  Also along the way Mel had a close encounter with a woman who was not paying attention and drove left of center.  Fortunately there was no harm and no foul but Mel had to change his skivies. On the east side of Lexington we had lunch at Fizoli’s before pushing on to the Red River Gorge Geological Area and the Natural Bridge State Park.  Both of these areas were beautiful. We stopped for the day in London, Kentucky, where we enjoyed another swim in the motel pool before calling it a night.  It was 275

Thursday, May 7th (Trish’s birthday – though I won’t say how old she is):  We departed the motel in Mt. Vernon, IL at 8:30 am under blue clear skies.  It was already 75 degrees. Highways 142 and 13 took us southeast to Shawneetown, IL.  These highways were designated as part of the Lincoln Heritage Trail.  I took several pictures since I’m a proud resident of Shawnee, KS and we were in Shawneetown, IL.  I thought the old (vacant and unused) Shawnee Chief Motel was cool (in name, anyway).  Though I was not willing to pay the $125,000 asking price. We then visited Old Shawneetown located behind a tall levee on the bank of  the Ohio River.  Shawneetown was originally located here but due to flooding the town decided to move to its current location further from the river.  There is a cool old bank building in Old Shawneetown. Shawneetown was the first town established in Illinois (in 1789) according to a sign here. We crossed the Ohio River into Kentucky and made our way to Henderson

Wednesday, May 6th: Today Chris and I departed for the Smoky Mountains with our friends, Mel and Trish.  We met at the Quick Trip at Johnson Dr. and Quivira in Shawnee and took off at 1:15 pm. We shot across Missouri on I-70 encountering occasional light rain and a strong south wind along the way.  At Kingdom City we had blue skies which lasted the rest of the day (until it got dark). Just west of St. Louis we got on I-64 eastbound and we stopped in one of the suburbs for dinner at a Cracker Barrel.  I-64 took us on through St. Louis (traffic sucks) into Illinois to Mt. Vernon, where we spent the night at a Days Inn.  It was dark before we stopped at 8:15. The sunset was pretty in the rearview mirror. 338 miles today with a high temperature of 88. For more pictures from today click on the following link: https://plus.google.com/photos/104542123131082631220/albums/6146318972545039265?authkey=CO2h0e3UnNbJywE

DAY 1 It was the first Friday-Saturday-Sunday of May so it was time for the annual Spring Chicken Ride. Gary, the leader of this ride every year, started this event in 1978. It has taken place every year except one since then. I don’t remember the year but I joined in the early 2,000’s. It is a very good time. We met at Gail’s Harley Davidson at 7:00 am on Friday, May 1st.  A beautiful day it was. Blue clear skies with temperatures in the low 60’s. Mark displayed the chicken because he is the one who had it at the conclusion of the 2014 Chicken ride. He earned the chicken by dropping his helmet while we were socializing in front of our hotel. Gary led us away from Gail’s at 7:10 and we were off to our breakfast spot in Archie, MO. The previous year (and every prior year in which I was involved) this restaurant was BJ’s Rise and Shine Restaurant. Now it was under new ownership, had been remodeled, and had the name “Mama’s Kitchen”. The chow was still very good. Carl scored on a