Last blog

I am sitting in Joy, Hut & Sam's kitchen on Ulloa Street in San
Francisco writing this last blog. We arrived here about 4 pm
yesterday, and I am feeling like a new woman after a good meal, a
great visit with family, including Matt, and a long night's sleep.
The end is bittersweet, probably no surprise to any of you. I am
happy not to be swinging my leg over the bike today, and I am so sad
that this exciting adventure is over.

Let me tell you about the last two days. We left the Benton, CA, B&B
with dread in our hearts. The scooter was showing a disturbing light
the night before, and we had a grueling climb ahead. But in true
Mike style, he said, "It will be fine"", and I bought it. And it was
fine. We climbed from 6,000 feet to 11,000 feet entering Yosemite,
and then descended to 2,000 feet as we left. I would think, having
seen one national park in the west, one has seen them all. Wrong.
Each is unique and scenic. Yosemite provided vistas of steep stone
mountains, blue lakes and rock climbers galore. It is big and busier
this time of year than the other parks, but we managed to get a
flavor of the park. The first picture shows Mike taking a picture of
his favorite subject in the park.

We left there and descended into the wine country not far from
Stockton. Hot and scenic, vineyard after vineyard. I wrote about
our wonderful dinner with Mike's friend, Michael Baldinelli, who
grows grapes owned by his family for many years. He has retired, but
the work we saw him doing yesterday morning looked like anything but
retirement. The workers were harvesting the cabernet grapes, and he
was working along with them to keep things rolling. Not my "cup of
tea", but he seems to love it. Did I mention he and his wife take 6
months off each year to travel to Mexico and lounge about, so not all
work by any means.

We left mid-moring yesterday and rode to San Francisco. We went
through the delta area, stopped for our last road food, hence the
other picture, and crossed the Golden Gate bridge mid-afternoon. It
was a spectacular way to end the trip, and not nearly as terrorizing
as I suspected. Maybe I have grown more accustomed to the traffic
and flow, or perhaps it was the end, or even that it was not as
electrifying as the I-80 in Omaha. At any rate it was a great end to
a trip which I cannot yet describe. I will not do anything again in
my life that was just for me and so enriching and challenging. Mike's
friendship and support was invaluable and made the trip laughter-
filled, as those of you who know Mike can imagine. And now, I never
have to do this again.

Thanks for reading. Love, Jody

138 miles and counting

No blog last night. Right? We did a lot of things yesterday,
including Yosemite. however, we ended the evening with Mike's friend
who owns a vineyard. He cooked us a fantastic meal, and we sat under
an oak tree and ate and drank wine....and the rest is history......
No, we did not ride the bikes back to the hotel. Yes, I have a great
new recipe for creamed leeks.

So, we head for San Francisco this morning, and I will send one last
blog tonight.

168 miles, no services

The day began in Ely, NV, fortuitously the home of a Suzuki dealer.
Mike and I both got our oil changed, actually the oil in the bikes
changed, so we left shortly before noon. The service manager was from
Messina, NY, so he could not have been more helpful to fellow New
Englanders. When we left town the ominous sign announced, "Last gas
for 168 miles". We drove and drove, and drove and drove...... It was
beautiful and sunny and long. No towns, hardly any houses, and miles
and miles of miles and miles. It was high desert and mountains as it
has been for two days. We passed lunar craters, missile testing
sites and the estra-terrestial highway. We made it to the gas in 168
miles and then on to Benton, CA.

The first picture is Border Peak, sitting right on the NV/CA line.
It is at 13,000 feet. The second two are ones Mike wanted me to show
you. We are staying at the Inn at Benton Hot Springs. It was the
only lodging within the desired number of miles for the day. We
looked on the GPS and internet, and this B&B was our only choice.
Turns out to be a great one. Once we passed into CA, the mountains
softened and the desert became beautiful grassy plains. We made a
turn up a country road, and 4 miles later arrived here. It is old
and charming, managed by a woman named Chastity (we are in CA you
know). The only place to eat was at the turn, a gas station and
cafe. We went back to get dinner with a heavy heart, thinking our
last road meal would be at a combo diner/filling station. To our
surprise, it is that, but run by the Economic Council of the Payute
Indians. (It said Indians on the menu, so no comments about the
incorrectness of the wording.) Great people, homemade blackberry pie,
and once again our worst fears became a true experience.

We returned to the B&B whose greatest claim to fame is their outdoor
hot tubs with natural hot spring water. We went to the Japanese
soaking tub, outside under 10 million stars, and the water was so hot
we could not stay long. However, we decided if we had simply worn
all our clothes, our laundry problems would have been solved. Hot,
hot, hot!

I am having scooter issues. I hope to finish the trip, but I am in
CA nonetheless. I will report tomorrow on our progress or lack thereof.

Guess where we are!

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Day 14

Today promised to be a short but challenging ride. In these last few
days we are down to setting our itinerary by where there is a town
with a motel. The towns are few and far between, and we do like to
have a place to sleep. Today was only 180 miles, but we knew the
weather would be bad. However, since it is really our second, and
likely last bad day, we decided not to complain. And we didn't...for
a while. We left under very black skies, and quite quickly out of
Idaho Falls the rain began. The rain is not so bad, but it was cold
on the bikes. It rained...and rained...and rained, but finally the
skies began to lift. We even saw some breaks of sun. We stopped at
a national monument called Craters of the Moon in Arco, ID. It is
basically a lava field, a very big lava field, and unexplored and
mapped until the 1950's. It is an unwelcoming environment, and
unique in the fields surrounding this area. The picture of Mike in
his rain suit is taken there. We left as the skies again blackened.
An 1/8th of a mile up the road there was a very large bolt of
lightning. I stopped and consulted Mike, who assured me it seldom
hits anything (it was right in our path), so we continued. Another
1/2 mile, another bolt of lightning, and I turned back to the Visitor
Center without consultation. The Park Ranger assured me we had done
the right thing (Mike followed me). They were just starting the
movie about the crater area, so we watched the movie. By that time
the skies had cleared, and indeed the rest of the afternoon gave us
only a few raindrops, but the wind picked up to gusts of 30+ miles an
hour. Not that much fun.

Our night was planned in Twin Falls for the sake of an hotel room,
and we rode into town in sunshine. We crossed the Snake River and
saw the most spectacular view of the river gorge. It is one of the
most beautiful sights I have seen this trip. The gorge has wide
river banks where the river has cut through over millions of years.
The city has used those banks to construct a beautiful golf course
which contrasts the very green of the course with the rust and grey
of the rock. The two other pictures were taken there. The one of me
is included to show you my best, and only, purchase of the trip. My
hair has been a continuing problem. Taken your worst hair day,
compound it by 1,000, and there you have two weeks of helmet head. I
finally bought a hat, and voila!, no helmet head. I want no comments
of how I look in a hat. This is better. Trust me! I may take it
off to sleep tonight..maybe.

Tomorrow we head through Nevada, disregarding Sue's warnings. Any
other route would have added 400 miles, and we are on secondary roads
through national forest land and some mountain areas. One mountain
pass is at 11,000 feet. So, Sue, we will suffer with full knowledge
you tried to dissuade us.

San Francisco by Wednesday.

Jody says, "Best 2 days yet"

Dear Andrew,

Now I REALLY don't understand why you left Yellowstone early all
those years ago. I know you were young, and I know you were surely
unduly influenced by young adults not nearly as wise as you, but I
just can't imagine why you would leave such a glorious place. It is
still the most "egocentric" act of your life, and thank goodness that
phase is over.

You loving mother

Sorry not to have blogged yesterday, but we spent the night in
Yellowstone with no internet, so today will have to do for two days.
We rode into Yellowstone at noon on Thursday and were there for 24
hours. The weather was beautiful and the park more so. We saw all the
animals, except bears, and for that Mike was grateful. I felt sure
my scooter could outrun a bear, but Mike seemed unwilling to give it
a go. I have included three pictures from Yellowstone of several
animals we spotted. You can put your own captions on them.

We saw Old Faithful erupt this morning and headed for Grand Teton
Park. Again, a startling sight, so different than Yellowstone just
up the road. I keep thinking about people going west by wagon train
and knowing I would just have stayed right there had I seen those
mountains to cross. We got the last two rooms in the park last
night, so the lady on the phone said. Much of the park lodging has
closed for the season. I should say we got the last two
accommodations with indoor plumbing. They were not luxurious, but
they were clean and had a bathroom, so most of my needs were met.
There was frost on the bikes when we came out this morning, and it
was a cold ride for the first 1.5 hours. But we dressed for it, and
it was beautiful. This is the perfect time to go there. There are
hardly any people and the autumn is setting in. Interesting to me,
the trees in Yellowstone are all evergreen, lodge pole pine for the
most part, and so do not turn. But the ground cover turns the most
brilliant reds, yellows and golds, as beautiful as VT. It looks like
the tress are standing on an oriental carpet.

We have had lots of comments about being from VT, such long distance
travel, etc. At Mt Rushmore, the parking attendant taking our money
was dumbfounded (or dumb). She sputtered, "Delaware"? I said no,
that it was Vermont, and I had to spell it. Seems she had never had
anyone from there before.

Yesterday at breakfast, Mike and I ate alternately, another story to
tell at another time. When I came in he gave me the paper and
pointed out an editorial I should read. I set about getting my food,
and when I returned to the table my paper was gone and the people at
the next table were reading it. I said, "Excuse me, but I think you
stole my paper." We laughed, and I pointed out that where I come
from, people don't steal papers. They were from Montana, in town for
a wedding, and had traveled to New England and Vermont. The woman
said that she knew Vermont because we have the cutest little, itty-
bitty state house. I pointed out that there are not a lot of us, and
it seemed adequate. Her husband said that he thought it was pretty
funny that it was located two blocks from the "freeway". I said I
was convinced by that remark that they had been there, but also noted
that there was no "freeway" when they built the capital building.
Funny the observations they took away from their visit. We parted
friends as I gave them the comics from the paper, all they really
wanted anyway.

We have now traveled 3113 miles in 13 days. We have 1,000 more to
San Francisco. We are really tired of these clothes.

Today's forced march

This has been a day of such contrasts. We started the morning by
traveling a short distance, past Mt Rushmore, to the Crazy Horse
Memorial, a work in progress. Let me me say first, for those who
think I dissed Rushmore, it was not that we were unimpressed. Of
course we were. We just expected it to be bigger. That aside, the
Crazy Horse Memorial was impressive on another in a long string of
beautiful sunny days. I have included two pictures, one of the
sculpture that acts as the model for carving and the mountain itself
which will not be finished in your lifetime or mine...even Lucy &
Madison. They have been working on it since 1948 and only the face
is complete, but impressive it is.

I made Mike stop and eat shortly after we left...and good thing,
too. We had our second longest day of travel today. We rode over
300 miles and are sleeping in Worland, WY. We came through some of
the most scenic landscapes and found the worst town in the USA. If
ever invited to Guillette, WY, flee. It has a huge coal fired power
plant belching an unpleasant and likely toxic smoke, and how
providential, they strip mine the coal on the outskirts of town.
They even have a marked scenic overlook for the coal mine. We didn't
stop.

I have discovered where all the old trailer homes go after their
demise in VT. South Dakota or Wyoming. Never, never, have I seen so
many, most rusted out and uninhabitable. That said, the Black Hills
of SD and the Big Horn Mountain range of Wyoming provided some of the
most beautiful sights we have encountered. We saw herd after herd of
antelope running wild in Wyoming. They look like deer with big white
spots and black horns in a lyre shape.

I mention the eating as the only source of confusion between us.
Mike can go for days without eating...and then he eats a lot! I
find, if I don't eat every 5 hours or so I begin to lose steam and
find it difficult to turn the scooter, a fairly important thing to
me. So, I am mostly vigilant about nagging him to stop, or I just
pull over and announce, "I am eating here. Join me if you wish."
He does.

Tomorrow: Yellowstone. I can hardly wait.

Escape from Nebraska

After three days, we finally crossed the border today from Nebraska
to South Dakota. I believe, had we traveled by conestoga wagon, we
could have made it in two and a half days. We went from rolling
hills to prairies to the Badlands, and tonight we sleep in the
beautiful Black Hills. For Bonnie & Chuck...... we went to Wall
Drug, see picture. The Badlands were amazing...and bad (see picture).
The best part was the distant view as we crested a hill still 10
miles away. 180 degrees of stark white hills. We went to the night
show at Mount Rushmore as recommended by Bonnie and Mark. (No, Bonnie
is not our travel guide, just well versed in the area.) It was an
interesting and impressive experience, but Mike and I expected them
to be bigger. (Ungrateful spoiled Americans.) Tomorrow morning we
will see Crazy Horse and then head for Yellowstone. It will take two
days for that trip but I am curious to see Wyoming, having never been
there.

Some things of note:
The appalling poverty in the miles of Indian reservation we crossed
after entering South Dakota. I had heard of it but never seen it. We
should be ashamed.
The fields of sunflowers, as Lottie promised, which hung their heads
as they had gone by, but they held the promise of such beauty when in
full bloom. The fields spread as far as the eye could see.
For Lucy: We drove through the area today that was the home for the
Laura Ingalls Wilder books. Remember the book we read on the floor
of the bookstore the last time you visited. No wolves, but we saw so
many prairie dogs running all over the fields.
Finally, I dropped my bike today. How embarrassing, the engine
wasn't even running. It just fell over when I stopped in a bad
place. So, mostly I was just chagrined. However, a park ranger helped
me pick it up. SHE and I did just fine, thank you.

On to California. We miss you all, but this is an experience I never
imagined. Mike is good and patient to travel with, and we are trying
very hard not to make each other crazy.

Mike says, "Best day yet"

As you know by now, we spent a long and relaxing day yesterday in the
Holiday Inn Express in O'Neill, Ne, secure in the knowledge that the
bike with the flat tire would be picked up at 8 am this morning and
repaired quickly. Well, how do you think it worked? No call at 7
am, as promised. No flat bed at 8 am, as promised. Mike was on the
phone, and I was riding around in the freezing morning air trying to
find the elusive motorcycle repair shop. I was successful, only to
learn that he had used his last tube, the part needed by Mike, on a
Honda Gold Wing on Friday. I will not recount the frustrations with
Progressive road side service, but when I returned to the hotel, the
bike was being loaded onto a flat bed by the two nicest people in
O'Neill: Elaine & Butch. Then, the search for the tube began with
Elaine speed dialing everyone she knew. She is a woman who gets
things done! Long story short, in all of northern NE and southern
SD, the direction we were traveling, the only tube was 75 miles south
of us, along a route already traveled. So, in Butch & Elaine's pick
up, with Mike at the wheel, the two of us traveled back to Norfolk
(pronounced Norfork for those of you who don't speak Nebraskan) to
pick up the tube (150 miles). (As a side event, we saw Johnny
Carson's home & birthplace.) Butch brought the bike to Leon, the
third nicest guy in O'Neill, (see pictures), and he fixed the bike
for an embarrassingly small amount of money. Meantime, we are driving
around in the pickup, eating the best Mexican food I have had in
years, all through the kindness of Butch and Elaine. We left O'Neill
at 4 pm today, 2 hours short of a perfect 48.

We traveled another 100 miles NW to Valentine, NE. We stopped
along the way to hike a short distance to an incredible trestle
bridge over the Niobrara River. This is a foot bridge along the
Cowboy Trail, a hundreds of miles long recreation path built on the
old railroad bed that runs almost all the way from Omaha to here.
Butch & Elaine told us about it, of course.

The day has been long and challenging, but we have met people to help
us, nice people to give us advice and counsel, and state fire workers
who talked all about their feelings for this beautiful area in which
they live. So, this day was not about the bike and the tire, this
day was about the people we met, the real reason for this trip. We
love Nebraska!

Tomorrow, the Badlands, Wall Drug & Rushmore.

Day 7: Travel & leisure sites

Tomorrow, with any luck at all and good tire repair, South Dakota.

This one's for Kate & Maura

So, here we are in "beautiful" downtown O'Neill, NE. Who knew that
Nebraska has an Irish capital. There are also two Mexican
restaurants and a Chinese one. We are in the heart of diversity
here. I know all this because we spent the night here last night,
and we will be here again tonight. Mike got a nail in his back tire
as we pulled into the Holiday Inn Express at 6 PM. No one here can
change it, and everything is closed today. It is Sunday in the
heartland. The roadside service cannot get anyone here until 8am
tomorrow, and so we have a down day. I am ecstatic. I have not had
an entire day off, with not one thing I am required to do, for weeks,
maybe longer. Besides, there are high winds today, and tomorrow is
expected to be beautiful warm, sunny and less windy. We are safe, we
are laughing, and we will try Nebraska Mexican food later in the day;
so all is well.

We left Omaha under beautiful sunny skies and warm weather, quite a
change from the day before. We had a great time, got all our
motorcycle and clothing needs met, and the Kroghs are great hosts.
Thanks for housing the gypsies, and could you clean up the roads
here? Nails, really!

Tomorrow, Valentine, NE, to Grand Rapids, SD.

Rain, rain, go away

We left Iowa City yesterday in the rain, and it never stopped. While
southern Iowa is really beautiful, rolling hills, fields of varied
crops and farm animals, all of which do not exist in the corn &
soybean world, it was a long and wet day. Our gear worked well, but
we still felt like drowned rats and were very happy to arrive at the
Krogh house. We had a warm reception, even Mark's mother came to
greet us. I think she was thinking how happy she was that Mark
married the "normal" sister. My niece's and their husbands joined
us, and Emily, the pregnant one, reports she told a co-worker (who
saw her looking at my blog) that I am her crazy Aunt Jody. Must be
true.

Since it rained all day, there are no pictures of stops along the
way. We just rode, except for gas stops and lunch at the
Pleasantville, Iowa, Cowpoke Restaurant. You can buy a leather
tooled holster there for $20, so all you shoppers, grab your bikes!
So, I have included two pictures, thanks to Rick, of our departure
from Hewitt. Mike and I have agreed that motorcycle gear makes you
look like the Pillsbury dough boy in a Michelin man suit, especially
when you are wearing all 3 layers.

Tomorrow, South Dakota.

Family vacation

Mike, Cheryl, Samantha & Andy

We are in our "we are in the midwest where our only siblings live,
so we are visiting them" mode. Yesterday we left Springfield, IL,
midday, in torrential rain, (guess I can't return my rain pants now)
and rode to Iowa City. We went to the Lincoln Presidential Museum.
Abraham, where are you when we need you?

I finally met Mike's brother and his family after believing for years
they were a figment of his imagination. I had. of course, met
Samantha at Hewitt, but he could have borrowed her. He didn't. We
had dinner together, and it was fun to hear about their adjustment
from a lifetime in So CA to Iowa. I applaud their courage and
ability to adapt, and Iowa City sounds like a great place to live.

PS Who knew

We must have taken the wrong route to central IL. Damn that GPS.

What a day!

No more junk food!

Sun Aura revealed!

For those of you who do not know, some friends gathered at Hewitt to
wish us bon voyage. Their concern for our lack of route planning was
apparent. They provided us some great ideas with maps and
accompanying computer print outs. (The van carrying these materials
will meet us in Omaha.) Today we visited the first of many highlights
along the route. The Nagys kindly provided the enticement to visit
the Sun Aura Clothing Optional Camp which is in NW Indiana and boasts
the largest leg shaped sundial in NW Indiana. We have the pictures
to prove it. Mike insisted I go ask to take the picture because they
would react better to a woman. I was suckered in again. I said to a
workman that he would probably think I was crazy, but I was on a
scavenger hunt (again, Mike's idea) and needed a picture. He
responded that there were so many crazy people there that no one
would notice one more

1 more thing

>
> Finally, I wanted to give you a flavor of the scenery over the last
> two days. Corn and soybeans, to the right and left of us and as
> far as the eye can see.

Addendum

>
> I leave you with a story, and you know how I love to tell a story:
>
> Many years ago when I was very young and in another life, Steve and
> I spent a summer in central Illinois at Chanute Air Force Base in
> Rantoul, IL, while he was in George Bush's National Guard and
> winning the Vietnam war with the weather unit. (No offense to
> Steve; it was the time.) Like au pairs, we were all away from home
> and friends, so friendships developed quickly. We became friends
> with a couple who were regular military. He was in weather school
> with Steve, and they were waiting to leave for assignment in
> Greece. They were the most exotic couple this young girl from
> Texas had ever met. They ate yogurt, she vacuumed naked and they
> were going to Greece and would have a house with a walled garden
> and a lemon tree. I couldn't believe anyone could have such an
> exciting life. Some of you know I attribute the genesis of this
> travel idea to this experience, hoping I might do something as
> exciting as they. (I don't really like to vacuum, clothed or not,
> so...) Today, as I sat at the 150th four-way-stop as we traveled
> through central Illinois on secondary roads, I looked up to
> discover a road sign with an arrow and the single word, "Rantoul".
> My life has come full circle.
>
> Tomorrow, Iowa City!
>

PS

I have not read Mike's blog, but come on guys. We spend all day
together. Do you really think, knowing Mike, he could refrain from
telling me what he is writing. It is a great part of the fun!

IMG_0001.JPG

St Gaspar de Buffalo
County road, Ohio

Yesterday's lessons

Things I learned:

Don't drive through Cleveland.
Don't ride on the interstate. It is boring, you are buffeted and our
country becomes generic.
Don't eat fast food.
Don't ride into the sunset.
Freshly cut soybeans smell like "weed", yet no one smokes soybeans.

Things I loved:
The smells, the flowers, the beautiful farmhouses and the abandoned
ones.
The church in the picture, standing tall and alone on a county road
in Ohio and named St. Gaspar de Buffalo.
The signs in front of churches and funeral homes with life messages,
such as, "Kindness is contagious. Catch it." (They do the same thing
in NC, but not in Essex Jct.)
The Fifth Third National Bank. What committee negotiated this name?
The combo car wash and pet wash. Apparently you put your animal on
your luggage carrier and ride through.

I recently read "In Defense of Food". The author says the average
farm used to grow 16 different crops producing fertile soil and
healthy food. They now grow two: corn and soybeans. Welcome to OHIO.

Before we left Brenda warned us we would be entering the "red
states". I thought we would be fine. I've seen several Obama
signs. Of course, they were both in the same yard, but
nevertheless....... Yesterday we passed a John Birch Society sign.
Pray for us.

PS

Kelso,

Mike says the last picture is for you. Recognize it?

Would you travel with this man?

We made it through PA to Ohio yesterday. I had to look at the phone
last night to see where I was, but the bed was comfortable and there
was a hair dryer in the room. We are in Mentor, Ohio, by the way,
just west of Cleveland. We had beautiful drive yesterday after
visiting Niagara Falls. We saw Lakes Ontario and Erie, two of the
lesser of the Greats.

About the state trooper (for those of you reading Mike's blog). We
were at an intersection, the light turned green, I looked both ways
and started through the intersection. Given my superior visual
acuity I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. A state
trooper in a SUV came barreling through the intersection on the red
with no siren. Due to my great physical dexterity and biking skill,
I stopped quickly and avoided him. That's the story!

As for my turn signal, Mike has reminded me "several" times about
turning it off. Ask him about the big guy who yelled at him about
his turn signal. At least I am keeping it in the family. So, we are
having a great time, lots of laughs, beautiful rides, seeing parts of
the country unknown to us. We are off today to IN to Sun Aura. Some
of you will know that reference, and the rest will have to wait. As I
write, Mike is in the parking lot talking to a guy with a BMW,
probably telling him the sad story of transporting his "mother in
law" across the country. We all have our burdens, don't we.

Note: There are 5 bikes in the parking lot this morning. We are the
trend-setters.

3 great iPhotos

IMG_0007.JPG

Have you been to Bufffalo?

We have! Arrived later than anticipated, but safe. Too tired to
blog. We are sitting in Starbucks because we needed internet and
coffee. We are on out way to Niagara falls. We have stories, but
believe only .25% of what Mike reports. But you knew that. More
when we recover.

photo

photo

Can you hear me?

This is a test for the blog.  Let me know if you can access me.  Once I leave for the trip, Sunday, Sept 7, my head will be elsewhere.  Hopefully, still attached to my body, but I digress.

Jody