Day 15...Last day.

The trip is over. I'm home safe and sound. I left Richmond at about 7:45 am and arrived home at 5:45 pm. I made stops in Berkeley Springs, WV; Somerset, PA; somewhere on the Ohio Turn pike; and in Canton, MI. All but one of the stops were for fuel. (I had to pee in Ohio!) I just couldn't wait to get home. Absence really DOES make the heart grow fonder!

By the numbers:

15 Days away from home
14 Riding days
13 Nights in motels
38 States I rode in
7,104 Total miles ridden
139 Gallons of fuel
508 Average miles per day
762 Longest day's mileage
93 Shortest day's mileage

Some of the trip's highlights that stand out in my mind:

#1

The Crazy Horse Monument. It is a fantastic tribute to a great Native American leader. The visitor's center is a great place to visit. There are many displays and artistic representations of the history of the Lakota people.








Mt. Rushmore, while spectacular, pales in comparison to Crazy Horse in almost every way.

The size difference of the two monuments is so very evident when you see them in person as is the history of the actual carvings as well as the meaning of each monument. I just don't have the words to describe the feeling of awe that I experienced when I was standing at the foot of the Crazy Horse monument. Some personal advice for those planning their first visit to these wonderful works of art...go to Mt. Rushmore first.


#2

The wildlife that I saw while on the road. In addition to the antelope that I saw throughout the western States, I saw many other types of wildlife as well. From the numerous coyotes, fox and other small animals, to the bison that I encountered in Yellowstone, there were many more that I didn't get a chance to get photographs of. I saw mule deer, elk, eagles, white tail deer, and of course, big ole brown cows! I was on the lookout for, but never saw, bears or moose.

I did, however, see this little guy at 9,700 feet on the Bear Tooth Pass scenic pull off. I tossed him some trail mix that I had in my jacket pocket and he kept getting closer and closer. He never did come up to my hand to get fed, but he got within 3 or 4 feet. Not much in the way of food at that altitude I guess.

#3

And speaking of the Bear Tooth Pass...I highly recommend that those of you who have never had the chance to travel that road, add it to your own personal Bucket Lists. Especially on a motorcycle.
Everyone talks about how fun and challenging the Tail of the Dragon is, but the
Bear Tooth Pass is even more so and it has better scenery. Of course, the Dragon is much closer to those of us here in Michigan. Most riders do the Dragon in a long weekend from here.

#4

The Lewis and Clark Trail actually begins in Washington, DC and goes all the way to the Pacific Ocean in Washington State. I only rode a small portion in the mountains of Idaho.
The road (US 12) follows several streams and rivers throughout the mountains. As with the Bear Tooth Pass, dress warmly. Note the temperature on my bike's thermometer.

#5

The Mountains of Washington and Oregon. I know I rode though that part of the country in the early morning hours...just as the sun was coming up, and that may have added to the stunning beauty of that part of the country. I was in total awe when I stopped here. I just sat and watched the sun come up and the mist just seemed to vanish. As I said before, there wasn't a car on the road, the wind was calm and there was no sound. I almost thought I had gone deaf. It wasn't until I heard the sound of my own breathing and the rustle of my clothes that I knew my senses hadn't failed me. I know this is #4 on the "list," but it's #1 in my memory of the trip.

#5

Arizona, Four Corners, and New Mexico were also very beautiful. The landscapes are a pleasure to look at and the roads are fun and challenging to ride. Sometimes I wish I lived a little closer to this part of the country.

I have to be honest and say that after I left New Mexico, there wasn't a whole lot that impressed me in terms of landscape and roads. At least until I got to the eastern mountains. The Great Plains are just that in my humble opinion. Plain. Long, straight, flat roads are boring to a motorcyclist.

However, of particular note, everyone I met and talked to in this part of the country were very friendly and helpful. Of course, some of them I couldn't understand because of dialect and dental issues, but they were still very nice people.

Of course, this gas station in Arkansas still tickles my funny bone!

#6

The Cherohala Skyway and the Tail of the Dragon. The Skyway is much more scenic than the Dragon. It is a comfortable ride compared to out west. Yes, there are still steep drop offs and it's a long way down, but the trees and other foliage make it seem less threatening than the barren rock landscape of the western mountain roads.

The Dragon, on the other hand, is a challenging road, but the scenery is blocked out by the trees and rock faces. You can't see much other than that. Of course, with 318 curves in just 11 miles, you don't have time to look at the scenery anyway! Here's me on the Dragon. The link takes you to the first photo. Click on the right arrow for more. I think there are 5 all together.

I don't mind riding in the rain, but I was sick and tired of it by the time I neared the end of this trip. Several days out west, and 2 days in Gustav are enough rain to last me a lifetime.

This is the reason I decided to cut my trip short. Hanna was a huge rainmaker. I waited out the storm in a friends house in Richmond. At the worse of the storm, the rain was falling at the rate of over an inch an hour (according to the weather channel). And with Hurricane Ike and Tropical Storm Josephine following Hanna, I wanted to sprint home in decent weather.

Even with the loss of the gear from my open saddle bag and the failure of my Zumo, it was still a fantastic trip. I got to see almost everything I wanted on my Bucket List. The things I didn't get to see are a lot closer to home than the ones I did get to see, so there's still a good chance that I'll get to cross them off the List in the future. I don't have to take a 2 week vacation to go to New York and see the Statue of Liberty. I can do that in a long weekend.

If you have the means and opportunity, I highly recommend that you start fulfilling your own bucket list. Life is unpredictable. When I'm on my death bed, the only regret I want to have is that I didn't get to see or do something AGAIN. Not that I didn't get to see or do it in the first place.