Mixed Emotions

Route 66

Today, we traveled 266 miles from Oklahoma City, OK to Clarendon, TX on I-40, which follows the old route 66. I am no longer recording the time of our travel. We get there when we get there and I usually take longer with the breaks and gas fill ups but always enjoy the ride.

Oklahoma Memorial

We visited the Oklahoma City National Memorial and learned what happens when a citizen becomes upset with the government and decides to use violence to emphasize his point. It is about everyday people and their daily activities having their world suddenly come apart. The shock of the blast was emphasized through personal accounts. The one which sticks in my mind is the supervisor who started a meeting with her colleagues at 9:00am and at 9:02am her colleagues all disappear when the side of the building falls away leaving her untouched except for a small tear in her dress.

Challenging Ride

Traveling today was challenging. I was bucking a 35-40mph headwind across the open plains in 90-degree heat. It took me back to my trip along Hadrian’s Wall in England where I leaned the bike 30 degrees or so to counteract the wind force. To add a bit more excitement, my reserve tank kicked in about 20 miles earlier due to the increased fuel burn. Looking ahead, I realized that there were no towns for the next 20 miles. It is very empty out here and I slowed to 60mph gently using the throttle and headed toward Groom, TX. I made it and at the same time visited the famous cross there that is 190 feet high. Heading toward the cross hoping I would reach the fuel stop made me very thankful when I reached the service station.

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.