2021-08-07 Chester IL to Jefferson City MO - 247 miles

We left Chester and rode to what we thought was going to be a diner, but turned out to be a chi-chi place with over priced coffee and egg sandwiches. Sat and talked to a guy with a nice Corvette and saw a group of hot rod guys roar off from the parking lot. Then off to St Louis where the journey began and begins for us. Today we officially start the Lewis & Clark Trail. 

There is an interpretive center at the site that the prepared the boats and supplies and men for the journey. They were here from December until when they left on May 14th, 1804. The interpretive center has recreated their boats, supplies and everything they needed for the trip. The statue is of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and Capt Lewis' dog Seaman. 

We are going to follow their trail up the Missouri River  and try to find any accessible spots where they may have stayed. The park service has many places to stop and learn about where they were and what they were doing.

The left with one large keelboat and two perouges (small dugout like canoes). They keelboat was loaded with supplies for the 15-40 men that went (some went part way and returned with specimens and notes so the number varies). They also packed lots of trinkets to trade with the Indians along the way.

Today we made it far as Jefferson City, where they stopped on June 3rd. So we rode the distance in one day that they took 20 days to sail, pole or pull their boats upstream (repeat, upstream). Look at the size of that keelboat and imagine getting it upstream using only people power.

The keelboat was built in Pittsburg and the floated and dragged down the Ohio River to St Louis, so that poor boat had seen some rough times.

 

All along the river are spots to stop like this one in Chamois. Some of the towns have river side parks with ballfields, parks and camping, which we hope to take advantage of soon. It got up into the mid 90's today so it is getting a little steamy. We have mesh jackets so it is ok when you are moving, but it gets hot when you stop.

Ended the day in the state capital, next door for dinner (and a piece of coconut cream pie (my first this trip)).

Odometer: 3544-3297=247 miles

2021-08-06 Brandeburg KY to Chester IL - 292 miles

 Today was pretty full up. It felt like a pinball machine after adding in bridges and people short cuts, and getting lost (the fun stuff) now and again. And lots of long conversations with local folks. Kentucky takes today's prize for friendliest people, hands down.

Brandenburg is a "return to some day" city with it's rich history, beautiful buildings and right on the river park. It was low 70's this morning and topped out near 90, but as long as we kept moving, the mesh jackets kept us nice and cool. More hot weather coming in this next week so we got to get past St Louis and further north on the Missouri River to stay a little cooler.

But we just ran into so many nice folks to talk to, we didn't get that far. The first great folks were a father and son in the paving business and they have been talking about taking a motorcycle trip in a year when his son graduates from high school. They explained the crops (tobacco was the one we couldn't figure out) and how they plant seed right on top of the wheat stubble, which baffled us as well. Nice to see father and son working together!! Buy two VStroms 650s and go for it!

Then we got confused trying to figure out how to cross the Wabash River. Google maps did not show a bridge and Dave's 1927 Rand McNally said there was a bridge (and a buggy whip shop, apothecary, and horse shoeing concern..). Time for a new map.. Sure enough another crazy friendly guy stopped and told us the bridge is gone (and the  buggy whip shop) and we could go north to cross or south to cross or there was a county fair down the road we could go to ($2 entrance fee). Man these folks are friendly.

So north we went, crossed the bridge on the big highway and then back down on Rt 14, a sleepy 2 laner.

We wiggled around all day stopping for gas and drinks as required. Our stop at Huck's Quick Stop for gas and water led us to what we now refer to as the chicken gizzard experience. Dave asked what the pile of deep fried something was and was told it was fried chicken gizzards. Now I don't know about you, but when life presents new things, you gotta try it. So I went back into Huck's and told them I'm in for chicken gizzards. They assured me they were their most popular item. And they were actually pretty good. Kinda like calamari, chewy. So check that box!

So back on the road and end the day in Chester IL, home of Popeye. The artist who created the cartoon came from Chester and to the town is covered with statues and murals of all the Popeye characters.

So we toured the town and found a great brew-pub right on the river, had a cold pint and salad (to offset the chicken gizzards), chatted up the bartender (Junior in College, Marketing, local boy), chatted up a couple on the way out (locals, beef farmer, dairy farmer) then back to the hotel. 

We are pleasantly all chatted out, a little sunburned, but happy to be on the road.

Oh, yea, our beloved coffee source,McDonald's is starting to shut down their lobbies due to the Covid Delta variant numbers going up so we will have to roll the dice on roadside coffee...

Odometer 3297-3005=292 miles

2021-08-05 Olney IL to Brandenburg KY - 255 miles

 

Temperature was 73 degrees when I started this morning around 7:30. Really bad coffee at the $35 motel so I stopped on the way out of town for a reliable cup. All the old guys were there with the guys at one table and the girls at the other, just like back in high school. Nice folks, mostly retired farmers (crops, corn and soy).

So more of fabulous Rt50 which turns into 150 which becomes 300, then 50 again then 56 then I hit the Ohio River and try to find my brother.

Another great weather day 70's and low 80's and no rain in site. Saw parts of the old Rt 50 again today, much skinnier than the nice wide smooth one I was on today. Not much traffic. I could ride these roads through these small towns for a long time. The best part of the small towns is to watch for signs of the history, what they do for a living now, how are they doing. Many are past their prime. Not many diners left anymore and lots of the same old chain places.

The plan was for me to get to Madison IN, which is the first place on the Ohio River and text my brother, then head up river until we pass each other going opposite ways. But when I got off the bike in Madison, I had a text from him saying he was already in Madison, at the park down on the river. And sure enough, east meets west. He said I just missed a big barge. This town of Madison has a rich history, founded in 1809, steamboat port and home of the first railroad in Indiana (1832). You can tell by the building, this was a bustling town. Now it seems fairly health with lots of shops and coffee places, maybe tourism?

A local guy snapped out picture (my bike pants sure make me look fat!!), and he said it was a fabulous town to live in, after living all over the world. The river is like a big lake, but thousands of miles long.

After catching up and swapping stories, we headed south down the river, got a motel in Brandenburg KY and nice dinner a couple blocks away.

Great to have some company

Odometer:3005-2750=255 miles

2021-08-04 - Lawrence KS to Olney IL - 445 miles

Wow, better day than I had imagined. Missouri always seems hot and humid, but this is northern Missouri which is more like Iowa. And Rt 50 was great, way away from the ugly interstate and one of the old coast to coast roads. It was started in 1926 and I saw portions of what looked like the original road and bridges in Illinois this afternoon. Very skinny for those Model T's and A's I suppose .

The hills were rolling and green and as the day went on, I finally hit the huger corn and sow fields, but not as vast because the hills limit things. Very green all over.

A couple from Missouri chatted me up and they are Harley folks so were interested in my trip. He grew up on a beef farm, 7-900 head, in southern MO and she grew up raising beef ans soy in northern MO. They pointed out how different the north and south are. North is more farmland like Iowa and south is more rocky, less agriculture. Very nice folks. 

I stayed on Rt50 all day with light, polite traffic doing 55-60. The temperature started at 66 this morning, peaked at 85 this afternoon and down to 80 when I pulled into the hotel tonight, so perfect. 

About 45 minutes of 5&6 lane craziness skirting around St Louis, but very relaxing ride the rest of the day.

The hotel is nice, clean, and cheap ($35). The diner 2 doors down was hopping but only two beers on draft so I had a couple Corona's and a Bourbon Burger. New best friends with the staff, bonus from sitting at the bar and eating dinner.

Talked to my brother tonight. He mad 300+ miles riding down the Ohio River. Sounds like a nice quiet, non-busy ride. We meet tomorrow somewhere in Indiana along the river. His trip, Vernon VT to Elmira NY to Cranberry Township, PA to Portsmouth OH.

Great day!!

Odometer: 2750-2305=445 miles

Gas mileage today: 61.8, 71.4, 66.4

2021-08-03 Dalhart TX to Lawrence KS - 494 miles

 

A perfect weather day, no rain, a little hazy (fires?). This morning started at sunrise and the temperature was upped 60's so I put the shell over the mesh jacket. A couple hours in it got to upper 70's so off with the shell. Temps maxed out about 85, so all in all a nice day. I took 54 until it ran out, which is a classic 2 or 4 lane road with not much traffic and lots of little town. I was hoping to get some miles in and did pretty well at 494. Really not tired so the bike is working out with my old "Sit-N-Fly" seat cover, an odd little piece of engineering that consists of coils of plastic so there is always air under your butt. No monkey-butt for this fella!

The transition is gradual but eventual things go from flat to rolling, from treeless to tree-full (word?), from brown or irrigated to no irrigation or very little. The Texas panhandle is where all the hamburger comes from with lots of stinky feed lots (I grew up with the same stink so it's a bit nostalgic somehow).    Talked to my brother and he made it to Cranberry Township PA tonight and he heads down the Ohio River tomorrow. I'll head to Kentucky tomorrow and then maybe we meet up on Thursday.

I stopped in Emporia KS and found a room in Lawrence KS. When I arrived there was nobody at the front

desk, just a sign saying they were helping another customer, please be patient. After 10 minutes I lookked around the desk for a bell or something and spied a pair of legs on a couch in the back room. There was a number to call "if it was an emergency" and after the second call, the legs started moving and lo and behold, the front desk person woke up from his nap and sheepishly helped me check in. The room is clean and cheap, and no bugs so far.

And, there is a Mexican place next door that served beer and taco salads so living the dream!!

Odometer:2305-1811=494

Gas: 65.2, 54.90

2021-08-02 - Socorro NM to Dalhart TX - 381 miles

 

This morning it was overcast. Motel breakfast was no worth eating except the yogurt, but I had to eat it with a fork. Walked a few blocks down the street to get a reliable cup of coffee at the McD's. Large one!

Still no phone so I scribbled some notes on how to get to Best Buy north of Albuquerque, loaded the bike up, gassed up down the street and headed north. Sure enough, I could see the rain ahead of me so under a bridge when it started, all the rain stuff on, and back on the road.

The scribbled notes got me close enough to the BestBuy so I could go old school and stop and ask people where it was. The Bose Hearphones are great since I can have noise cancelling but also hear people talking to me without removing my helmet (people talking is not considered noise somehow??). After a couple asks, I found a giant BestBuy store, parked under a tree, removed all the drippy rain gear and went in hoping they could help me out. An hour and a half later, I had a new phone with all my apps, contacts, email, etc transferred. So back out, rain stuff back on, punch in somewhere east (Santa Rosa), but the Google Maps app crashed. OK, rain stuff off, back into the store, and they forgot that before you use the apps, you have to update them all. So I sat for 30 minutes and waited for all the apps to update using the nice fast wifi.

OK, now the apps work and off I go with the nice Google lady guiding me through the back streets, onto interstate 25 South and then east on interstate 40. Once I left the 6 lane craziness I stopped for coffee and tried to use the Wyndam app to book a hotel, but it doesn't work. Texted Deb and she texted me the setup info, punched it all in and decided I would land in Dalhart TX, booked the room and back on the road. No rain all afternoon, 70's and lower 80's so perfect. Not sunny and I do not know if it was hazy or smokey or what, but just dull sky all afternoon. But the temperature was perfect. Stopped in Tucumcari NM (remember the song) which I had been through years ago and my memory was a dead nothing town, but I went the back way through town before, so this time I got off the last exit which takes you right up the main drag. Lots of Rt66 type tourist attractions. Actually pretty cute.

The north east on Rt56 to Dalhart TX. Lost another time zone (2 in two days). Called my brother (with my new phone and he was headed west and landing somewhere in NY tonight.

Got to Dalhart and they had to cancel the reservation because Deb's name is all over the account, and she has a different last name, so I spent quite a long time explaining things and she finally let me stay.

Nice walk down the street to a dive Mexican joint (no beer), then back to the hotel, tuck the bike in, write this and bed.

P.S. The new throttle lock is great!

Odometer start: 1430

Odometer: 1811-1430=381

Gas: 65.5, 67..5

Random notes:

  - Saw a huuuge hamburger farm. Must have been a couple thousand beef cows.

 - Saw some buffalo, not wild mind you, just rambunctious.

  - 5 roaches last night (bad news), all of them dead (good news)(crunchy when you step on them in the middle of the night. None tonight (so far)

  - Scored a $0.59 "senior coffee" at McD's, Getting old is like printing money $$$$

  - everyone agreed that last week was a scorcher.

2021-08-01 Bisbee AZ to Socorro NM - 455 rainy miles.

Well the day started out ok..

Got an early start, 6:30 or so, and rode to Willcox for coffee at McD's. While enjoying my reliable beverage, my phone went black, nada, zilch. After 5 minutes or so I got it to restart and everything was hunky dory. Nice 70-80 degree ride up to Safford then drive through the gigundo Morenci copper mine. I used to think Bisbee had a big hole in the ground but Bisbee looks like a mud puddle compared to Morenci. Morenci is where a bunch of the Bisbee miners went when the Bisbee mine closed in '75.

Then the fun part, twisting up Rt 191, formerly Rt 666, the Devils highway. It is sure slower than any other way since most of the turns are 15 mph, but it is fun. About half way up the twisties, the rain started, so on with the rain gear and the rest of the day was weaving and dodging ugly rain cells. Some big and some small, but every time I thought I could out run them, the road curved and headed right under the next one. Lots of lightning and thunder. My gear is pretty bullet proof so i didn't get wet, just annoyed.

I stopped in Springerville for another reliable coffee and my phone was down to 45% so I plugged in my Lithium pack and it dropped to 35% and the battery indicators were blinking on and off. I think the cable I used early this morning damaged the phone and now when I plug in a known good cable, the phone battery drops again. So I need a new phone. I called Deb and she reserved a room on Socorro for me and I shut the phone off so it had 20% battery in case the nice BestBuy person in Albuquerque needs to do something before it dies. This makes me realize how helpless I am without my phone. Try finding a phone booth these days..

So gassed up in Springerville and rode through the rain to Pie Town, where I really really wanted to stop, but the thought of dripping my way into their shop in the pouring rain killed that idea. So on the Socorro and wandered around town looking for the hotel (remember no Google Maps..). The guy pointed out two restaurants I could walk to and sure enough it started raining again. The first one was closed (Sunday night) and the second one did not exist, so I got a vegan burger at Burger King (they are not that bad actually), then walk back to the hotel in the rain.

OK, no rain and a new phone tomorrow, I hope!!

Oh yea, the new bike is awesome. I am not very sore tonight. So far so good..

Odometer: 1430-975=455

Gas: 67.6, 76.3