Some Afterthoughts

I swear on a stack of bobbles that I speak the truth when I say that after 3980 molls the bike ran well and hit didn't use a drop of awl to boot. As we rode, it was rather unsettling to to see the turkey buzzards in flot overhead as though waiting to see if we had bald sufficiently for them to grab a quick lunch. Furthermore, it wouldn't take a skew teacher to see how relieved we were when we politted our trusty steeds to the cooler climes of Michigan and home.

Ok, ok ... so the paragraph is bad, but after taking the time to identify a few SWD's it only seemed right that I should put them all into a single paragraph. That's my story and I'll stick to it.

Everything that comes to mind regarding a few final comments about our trip seems as though it's been ground well covered in other places. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to repeat because they are still true.

The people that we meet along the way on these trips make me proud to be a part of this country. Oh, there are exceptions (can we all say Leesville), but even there, more people than not tried to be helpful . Looking back there was the waitress at the restaurant on Whitewomans road in Roscoe (part of Coshocton, OH) who was quick to smile and answer any questions 2 geezers had to ask. In Hundred, WV there was the gentleman who told us of his family and how the town was named. There were the bunch of ATV and dirt bike riders who were more than willing to share information about road conditions (they really didn't know the condition of the road ahead). Miss Gertie at the little store in Vesuvius, VA was pleasant as were her patrons ("Miss Gertie, I went to the doctor this morning and he said I had to take these pills for the rest of my life"... Miss Gertie says, "That's not so bad." The guy says, "I suppose not, but he only gave me 3.") The guy on the Blue Ridge Parkway who advised us that we "had to check out Mt. Mitchell, the highest point in the east. (It wasn't all that cool, but it would be difficult to fault the guy's enthusiasm). I won't bore you with any more "people", but the point is folks are pleasant and generally helpful to others.... at least if the others are a couple of ne'er-do-wells traveling on motorcycles. My sense is that while on a motorcycle you are exposed and open and people feel more at ease approaching you; if you are in a car, you're surrounded by steel (that's why they call cars cages and the drivers cagers) and rather untouchable.

The geography of the places we rode were varied and interesting. While our part of the country (that is the Midwest) doesn't have great motorcycle roads, each year I learn to appreciate what it does have (I have to work on remembering this about February). The fact is we saw very few motorcyclists in our travels this year and I believe the simple answer as to "why?" is that it's too darn hot to ride.

The mountains of the east certainly can't compare to the grandeur of the rocky s, but the Appalachians are inviting and have a comfortable feel to them; they also have some of the most amazing motorcycling roads I've ever run across.... hairpin reverses and well banked turns for miles and miles. The Deep South, being flat doesn't offer that kind of road (at least that we could find), but the Natchez Trace proved to be a well groomed highway with slow and lazy turns set off by practically no traffic.

In the sections of Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma where we rode it could have been one state. Once having crossed into western Arkansas and Missouri riding in the Ozarks was also good motorcycling.

Once again thanks for sticking with us for so long. Have a great riding season.

Check in from time to time.... Charlie and I might hop on the machines and find some roads and experiences worth talking about right here in Michigan.