Countdown to my Road Trip UPDATE

[Idaho]

I can't wait. Not worth much at work this week I'm afraid. This is more exciting that getting ready to go to Mesquite, sorry you Westerners. I plan to leave for Ohio early Sunday morning. I figure a 4000 mile round trip and may just meet up with one or two of you on the way. Day one should get me to the middle of Nebraska. Day two to the Illinois and day three into Ohio. My route back is still in question. Thinking about going the southern route through the Colorado mountains although riding across Kansas will be brutal.

Tomorrow I plan to get my oil changed and maybe start wiring in my power distribution block under the left side tool cover. Won't pack until Saturday night. I'm good at that part anyway.

I am soo looking forward to getting away for two solid weeks. No work worries, no Dirtbag court dates, no sermons to write for church, just two weeks to see my Mom and sisters and look up old drunken high school buddies. ( hey, I've repented, sort of )

YeeHaw.

[kawgirl]

Sounds like a great time. Ride safe and enjoy your time off.

[Idaho]

Thanks Kawgirl, I plan on it.

[blowndodge]

Ride safe Bud and be careful!!! don't forget the camera!!

[audiogooroo]

Sounds great Bud! Except for the part about Kansas. :-/
If you do come back through Colorado, let us know when and where. Maybe we can join ya for a stretch.

[Idaho]

Sounds great Bud! Except for the part about Kansas. :-/
If you do come back through Colorado, let us know when and where. Maybe we can join ya for a stretch.

Darrell, that sounds like a great idea. I will check to see if I still have your phone number. Or, you could send it to me in a personal message.

This trip is getting better by the minute.

[vroc13091]

You're going to love a two week trip. After about the third day you start forgetting about what you need to do 'back home'. By the fifth day you'll loose track of what day it is. From there on the experiences just keep getting better.

I just returned from a two week ride from Texas - Fort Wayne IN, Niagara Falls - DC - Elkins W VA - Texas. Got in about 4500 miles and spent lots of quality time with friends and family along the way.

I'm leaving for Pocatello Thursday afternoon 7/11 to visit my grandsons. It will be about 1500 miles and I expect it to take 24 to 25 hours straight through. Looks like you'll be at your destination about then. Sorry we won't get to meet up. Then I'm headed for Coos Bay OR on the 15th and the back home to Texas on the 20th.

While there I hope to color in the remaining four western states on my states visited by motorcycle map.

I hope you have a safe and very enjoyable ride.

Please share your experiences by posting up a trip report here when you return.

[cactusjack]

Sounds like fun, Bud. Have a good time and ride safe!

Sounds fun Idaho. You deserve a break, enjoy every minute of it!!

[pirate]

Idaho, that sounds like a great trip. I have an aunt & uncle that live in Columbus, OH, and I would like to ride out there someday and see them. I could definitely fill in some more states on my map if I did that! Maybe next summer I can get there, as this summer is already planned. I hope you have a great trip filled with sunshine, the wind at your back, and no rain!

PC

[Idaho]

Chuck it is too bad that we are going to miss each other. Like two ships passing in the night I guess.

Thanks for the well wishes you all.

Best of luck on the trip Bud. Getting that much time off in one shot isn't in the cards for me, but maybe next year. Anyhow, enjoy yourself as much as humanly possible and ride safely.

[ringadingh]

Have a great ride Idaho, ride safe, and take some pics.

[coloradontexas]

I'm a few days further away than you are for the long ride, but just as excited. Takin two weeks and riding from texas to colorado to see my folks. Riding two up and lookin forward to the adventure. If you do come back through colorado, drop me a line.

[Idaho]

I made it. The Nomad runs awesome with the Caddmann air mod on the left side. Case in point, outside of Laramie, Wyoming is a mountain pass that tops out at just over 8,600 feet and the Nomad sailed over it at 90 on the speedo. Yahoo. Got wet in western Nebraska before I stopped for the night. Met up with meanstreak yesterday in Lincoln, Nebraska for lunch. He then offered to ride with me 'for a ways' to keep me company. 128 miles later we stopped or fuel and refreshment. I thought that he would have gone for about 30 or 40 miles. Not only was the distance exceptional but it was hot too which meant that he to ride back by himself for over a hundred miles to get home. What a great guy. Yesterday was dry all day. Stopped last night in Bloomington, Illinois. Beat the rain out of town this morning, barely. 10 miles later I remembered that I had left my cell phone in the room. Swapped ends and rode back through the rain to get the phone. So the day started out damp. Made it through Indy, Dayton and Columbus with no problems. Got within about 10 miles of home and the freakin sky opened up like I have not seen in 25 years. Can we say "frog strangler" here? For starters the two lane interstate from Columbus to Mansfield is one of the buisiest roads that I have ever ridden on. Complete with ample construction to make matters worse. As I noted about 10 miles out I see the rain starting up ahead, hey I was close to home, who needs rain gear? Right? Wrong! Scuba gear would have been better. It was comind down so hard that I could not see a thing. Opened the visor on the helmet and held my hand up to shield my face so that I could see something. Figured out that a bridge was up ahead so I slowed down and pulled off to the right under the bridge then drove off the road and behind an abutement for safety. Waited or at least 30 minutes before I tried it again. At the next exit I was going to continue because the one I wanted was few miles further up the road. That was when I spotted a soutbound car spinning out of control and heading into the median in my direction. Luckily there is a cable barrier that caught the car and shedded the rear bumper and trunk but bounced it out into the oncoming lane of traffic. At that point I decided that it really would be better to stop. Jumped off and found a gas station with a huge awning and hot coffee. Waited for another 45 minutes before it slowed down enough to go for it again. Finally made it to my sisters house. Everything is WET. I'm safe and that is a great feeling. Now I need to rest up tonight so that I can start visiting family tomorrow and clean about 2000 miles of road grime off the bike.

Well I hope you dry out soon Bud. Out here we can't buy rain. There's still forest fires all over the place.

[cactusjack]

Bud, you may be wet, but I am envious! I'd love to take a ride like that someday. Ride safe, my friend.