Tornado Alley

We have continued on to Oklahoma City via Fort Smith, AR for another 524 miles in two days.

As the land becomes flat, one is more aware of the sky and its changes. As we entered tornado alley, I have been more watchful. This feeling became real when I saw a super cell thunderstorm to the east as I drove toward Fort Smith. I was tempted to take a picture but was more concerned about finding a gas station as I traveled on my 40-mile reserve tank.

On the drive to Oklahoma City, having started late, I was particularly aware of the sky conditions. Thunderstorms tend to develop in the heat of the afternoon. At about 2:30pm, the clouds began to form in a line ahead of me. I knew I had 40 miles to go and hoped the storm would not develop until I was safe in my hotel. A dark cloud did form but the road took me past it and then all the clouds broke up. I was thankful.

Natchez Trace

Left Nashville on May 28, 2010 and traveled via the Natchez Trace to Cordova just outside of Memphis for another 274 miles. That is 1,621 miles so far. Taking the scenic Natchez Trace Parkway was a great motorcycle experience and a chance to meet other motorcyclists. A well maintained gently curving road through rolling country with no traffic made the 40 mph speed limit enjoyable. The Trace was a dangerous place. Boatmen would float their wares down the river for sale and return via the Trace with their earnings to be robbed or killed. I stopped at Meriwether Lewis’s burial site where it is believed he took his own life on the way to Washington, DC to try to secure funding for the debts of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Unusual in Nashville

Nash Trash Tour

In Nashville, we experienced a tour where two sister comedians gave a risqué bus tour of Nashville. They made fun of themselves and tour participants and shared the “dirt” of local celebrities. One example of a comment was when they talked about Nashville as finally being “fecal free” after the recent flood experience.

Parthenon in Nashville

Another unexpected experience was a visit to Nashville’s Parthenon. In the late eighteen hundreds, there was an international exhibition in Nashville where the wonders of the world were created from plaster and wood. The residents liked the example of the Parthenon so much they had one built to scale in concrete complete with a statue of Athena.

A Racetrack, a Dog and Hot Chocolate

The trip from Lexington, KY to Nashville was 259 miles and took about 4 hours. I have found that 250 miles or so is very comfortable and it does not tire me making for a more enjoyable ride. After all, the ride is one of the major joys of this trip.

In Lexington, we had a chance to see the racetrack and eat breakfast (including grits) at the Track Diner. We also enjoyed the front porch of our friend Maureen’s home watching the neighborhood folks go about their business. Mary Todd Lincoln’s home was a delight and I learned that her favorite drink was hot chocolate every morning. That’s my girl.

During our stay in Lexington, we enjoyed Maureen’s dog Gemini. Judy took him for walks at the local park.

Danger, a bridge and twisties

It took me 8 hours to travel the 317 miles from Lewisburg, WV to Lexington, KY. Judy and John covered the same distance in 5.5 hours.

Dangerous Slick

I left the hotel and went to the local gas station to fill up. As I drove in, I noticed the attendants power washing the parking and pump area. John inquired later and was told they were preparing the surface for a new coat of asphalt. I assumed it was just water and thought nothing of it until I put my feet down. My boots’ special “sticky soles” slid like they were greased. I moved very carefully and deliberately as I filled my tank thinking if the bike slipped down it would be very hard to right it on the slick surface. Once fueled I gingerly drove the bike out of the station and at the next stoplight rubbed my soles against the pavement to wear off the water and fuel mixture. One always needs to be on the alert with two wheeled vehicles.

New River Bridge

I drove to Lansing,WV to see this engineering marvel. It is the worlds’ longest single-arch steel span bridge. Towering 876 feet above the river it is America’s second highest bridge. It is built of cor-ten steel, which rusts slightly on the surface. This inhibits deeper rust eliminating the need to paint.

Navigating the Twisties

Driving the “Coal Road” from Fayetteville to Cedar Grove, WV, I encountered numerous curves with 25 mile an hour speed limits. It was fun and challenging to judge a conservative entry speed and then look through the curve while accelerating through the curve. On this road I ran into a brief shower where the rain mixed with the coal dust on the road and added a random patina to my bike giving it an “experienced” look.

Southern Hospitality and Civil War

Arrived in Lewisburg, WV after a 225 mile 6 hour run. The trip took us through the beautiful horse farms of Virginia and then subjected me to the inevitable mountain thundershowers as I cut through the Blue Ridge Mountains.

After a stop at the Chancellorsville Visitor Center and experiencing the Civil War through the exhibits and video, one realizes the tremendous loss of human life which tragically reverberated through the families left behind on both sides. Poppies now grow where men fought and died and reminded me of the poppy fields in Europe which performed the same healing touch to the “Flanders Fields” of World War II.

At a lunch stop on the side of the road, I experienced “southern hospitality”. First a pickup pulled up and the fellow asked if I was in trouble. He was a biker and wanted to help. Soon another truck pulled over and again asked if I was all right. I assured them I was just having lunch. Then we had a wonderful talk for twenty minutes relating our bike experiences to each other.

The longest day and some fun

After the last minute packing and 5 hours of sleep, I was on the road at 7:30 am. I was expecting Eloise to come for the send off but our tenant probably appreciated the lack of celebration. I quietly rolled down the driveway and started the bike in the street.

Arrived in Stafford, VA 12.5 hours and 543 miles later. The mileage was measured from the Waterford, CT boat ramp where I baptized the rear tire. Memories included passing through the aroma of wild roses on the highway, feeling the coolness of the air when crossing over large bridges, and the heat of traffic jams during the last part of the trip. Judy and John arrived before me covering 470 miles in 8 hours.

At the first rest stop on the Garden State Parkway, a group of girls in their 20s were celebrating a wedding and hamming it up at a nearby gas pump. They had enlisted a gas station attendant to join in the fun for pictures. Then they spied me. Oh oh! Six girls came running over to me. One sat on my lap; another on my gas tank and the others surrounded the bike. Then it was time for everyone to smile for the picture and they were off. I kicked myself for forgetting to have them get a picture with my camera. The opportunity to share the experience was lost.

Donation deadline

There has been some discussion about the deadline of May 21 on the donation form for contributions to be received. WAIM will continue to graciously accept donations throughout the trip and beyond from people who might not have had a chance to donate before the deadline. Thank you for being so generous.

Cheers,

Free Spirit

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labour" - Robert Louis Stevenson

First Leg

Before I continue the Coast-to-Coast story, I would like to send a special thank you to my family and friends for being so supportive. It has been a great experience to be part of a project that allows people to participate in an adventure and at the same time support WAIM and its clientele.

On Monday, May 17, my wife Judy and I drove down to the Waterford Dock Road Boat Launch to dip the rear wheel of my motorcycle in Long Island Sound. Bicyclists dip their rear wheel at the beginning of a coast-to-coast trip and the front wheel at their trips conclusion. I thought I would try it from a boat ramp that can be tricky as I found out.

When we arrived the tide was low and slick green algae and seaweed covered the last foot of the ramp. I imagined a scenario of dipping and then spinning the rear wheel on the wet algae causing the 500 lb motorcycle to fall down on the ramp. I reached over the slick border and dipped some water from Long Island Sound and splashed it on my rear tire. That would have to do.

Now the trip had begun with the first 45 miles completed.

Cheers,

Free Spirit

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labour" - Robert Louis Stevenson