Took advantage of the day off to take a daytrip to the Yorktown Battlefield and museum. MY 4th time there and always great.
Then to the Yorktown Tavern and their good burgers, fries and oh yes beer.
For a Friday lots of bikes and bikini's, not that I noticed the later.
Then to Jamestown to checkout the glass blowing and the first sucessfull english settlement in the americas in 1607. I sat and let Marsden wander around.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Shopping Day 9 April 28, 2011
Part of my back problem is that my most awesome mountaineering air mattress seams are coming apart and it has large bulges which makes it hard to use so....off to Bass Pro shops...Marsden knew they carried a low cot that we thought would fit in my small tent.
They let us set up the cot so we could see how it worked, the salesman helped up with it. We found it very poorly made and two grommets broke while setting it up and following instructions. So I passed on that.
But bought a thermorest self inflating 2 in. mattress. It has to be an improvement.
Back to the house. oh yes and we bought more mosquito repellant. Somehow lost the first can without ever using it. Very Frustrating.
They let us set up the cot so we could see how it worked, the salesman helped up with it. We found it very poorly made and two grommets broke while setting it up and following instructions. So I passed on that.
But bought a thermorest self inflating 2 in. mattress. It has to be an improvement.
Back to the house. oh yes and we bought more mosquito repellant. Somehow lost the first can without ever using it. Very Frustrating.
To Hampton, VA Day 8 April 27, 2011
The next mornings ride out of the mountains was very interesting, lots of debris on the road and at one point we crossed under a downed tree. Should have got a picture of that, oh well.
Knew this would be a long day in the saddle because we wanted to reach Hampton to stay with Kendall and Jean.
Ran into bad storms in the center of NC but stopped for a late lunch and when we were finished they had moved by. After 12 Hrs we pulled into their driveway and beds. Very nice. Looking forward to a few days sleeping in a bed to see if my back will come around.
Knew this would be a long day in the saddle because we wanted to reach Hampton to stay with Kendall and Jean.
Ran into bad storms in the center of NC but stopped for a late lunch and when we were finished they had moved by. After 12 Hrs we pulled into their driveway and beds. Very nice. Looking forward to a few days sleeping in a bed to see if my back will come around.
First rain and The Dragon, Day 7 April 26, 2011
Our plans originally had been to go to Shiloh but the weather forcast of tornados changed our minds and we headed for The Dragon.
The Dragon is Hwy 129 where it goes from TN to NC. 318 turns in 11 miles. And it swarms with motorcycles. After almost getting loast we did find 129 and the rain found us. But good gear does pay on a MC trip and the First Gear suits did their job once again. The rain stopped shortly before we got to the Dragon. But loaded as we were it was a cruise not a race over the mountains.
There is a MC motel/campground at Deals Gap where I have stayed before and the tree of shame is pretty awesome. And it constantly grows thanks to the crotch rockets that keep crashing on the Dragon. OH, no cops this time. Last time their was a cop every 2 miles.
Decided not to stay at Deals gap because there was a Corp of Engineers campground at the dam about a mile or two down the road. Saved money, always good.
AT the campground the ground was hard so we didn't use stakes. If we had know what was coming that night we would have.
Ran into a guy that is in his second year of hiking the eastern mtn trails, very neat.
That night there were very high winds and rain but both tests stayed up. Though we each got a little rain inside. Since we weren't staked down it was able to blow up the rain fly.
The Dragon is Hwy 129 where it goes from TN to NC. 318 turns in 11 miles. And it swarms with motorcycles. After almost getting loast we did find 129 and the rain found us. But good gear does pay on a MC trip and the First Gear suits did their job once again. The rain stopped shortly before we got to the Dragon. But loaded as we were it was a cruise not a race over the mountains.
There is a MC motel/campground at Deals Gap where I have stayed before and the tree of shame is pretty awesome. And it constantly grows thanks to the crotch rockets that keep crashing on the Dragon. OH, no cops this time. Last time their was a cop every 2 miles.
Decided not to stay at Deals gap because there was a Corp of Engineers campground at the dam about a mile or two down the road. Saved money, always good.
AT the campground the ground was hard so we didn't use stakes. If we had know what was coming that night we would have.
Ran into a guy that is in his second year of hiking the eastern mtn trails, very neat.
That night there were very high winds and rain but both tests stayed up. Though we each got a little rain inside. Since we weren't staked down it was able to blow up the rain fly.
Vicksburg and to Birmingham Day 6 April 25, 2011
We did the tour of Vicksburg by riding the road thru it. Because of the trees it is impossible to see what the soldiers saw but it once again shows how men can haul heavy objects, cannon, up steep hills. They didn't have to fire the guns, in places they could have just rolled the cannon balls downhill.
One of the neat things was a gunship that they have recovered from the river. An awesome display.
After the tour we headed NE to Birmingham. Stayed the night with Marsden's neice, Kat, a budding rock star. She even bought dinner and a beer. Awesome!!
One of the neat things was a gunship that they have recovered from the river. An awesome display.
After the tour we headed NE to Birmingham. Stayed the night with Marsden's neice, Kat, a budding rock star. She even bought dinner and a beer. Awesome!!
Onto Vicksburg, MS Day 5 April 24, 2011
Up early and on the road. The rest of the camp was thinking of getting up as we left.
It was a long day of riding but we got to Vicksburg at dusk and set up at an RV park. My back has been bothering me the whole trip and sleeping on an asphalt slab, though on an air mattress, didn't help it. But we have found the tylanol does.
It was a long day of riding but we got to Vicksburg at dusk and set up at an RV park. My back has been bothering me the whole trip and sleeping on an asphalt slab, though on an air mattress, didn't help it. But we have found the tylanol does.
The Alamo and North Day 4 April 23
Got up early and got coffee at the camp store, great way to start the day. Loaded the bike and off to the Alamo.
This was my first visit to the Alamo but one that I had waited for since I was in the 5th grade and found my great uncle Ben Milam, was a hero of the Texas revolution.
For someone that loves visiting battlefields, it was a disappointment. Awesome to see, and what I was expecting but kept as a shrine. But Marsden found that there was Milam park about 8 blocks away so we hopped the trolley. It was very neat and more fun for me than the Alamo was.
Afterwards we traveled on hwy 59 NE about half way to Shreveport when we stopped at an ATV park for the night. I think they were very surprised to see a loaded cruiser come up their road thru the ruts and whoop de doos. Much quieter night than we expected.
To San Antonio, TX Day 3 April 22, 2011
We rode thru a lot of smoke from the TX brushfires, talked to one man who said his son, who works fighting the fires, told him the winds were over 60mph when the fires started so they were just trying to save homes. Not good.
We got to Braketville and found that the John Wayne Alamo set was closed. The owner had died and the heirs hadn't decide what to do.
We also Found Fort>We Clark in Bracketville, it was the home of the 5th cavalry. And has been turned into an HOA. With the officers houses, barraacks all turned into housing. A trailer park added and lots available for building on. We were going to stay overnight but it was two hours until the office would open so after eating we decided to push on to San Antonio.
We found a very nice campground on a lake about 10 miles south of san antonio and set up with our tents on the lakeside. It was nice and inexpensive. And they had coffee in the morning, what more could you ask.?
We got to Braketville and found that the John Wayne Alamo set was closed. The owner had died and the heirs hadn't decide what to do.
We also Found Fort>We Clark in Bracketville, it was the home of the 5th cavalry. And has been turned into an HOA. With the officers houses, barraacks all turned into housing. A trailer park added and lots available for building on. We were going to stay overnight but it was two hours until the office would open so after eating we decided to push on to San Antonio.
We found a very nice campground on a lake about 10 miles south of san antonio and set up with our tents on the lakeside. It was nice and inexpensive. And they had coffee in the morning, what more could you ask.?
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Las Crusas, NM to FT Stockton, TX Day 2
Got up, packed our gear,had breakfast and back on the road. Stopped in FT Stockton, TX. Couldn't find a decent place to camp and big storm blowing in with thunderstorm and tornado warnings so got a room.
Averaging 355 miles a day, 710 total now.
Tommorow off to see the john wayne alamo movie set and then to San Antonio to see the real thing.
Averaging 355 miles a day, 710 total now.
Tommorow off to see the john wayne alamo movie set and then to San Antonio to see the real thing.
The trip is on, day 1 April 20,2011
Buckeye, AZ to Las Crusas, NM
Well I was supposed to start yesterday but woke up witha headache, so put it off one day. But Martin left anyway, guess he didn't want to watch me play world of tanks all day :)
Marsden abd I left after Dori left for work. I decided to bypass Phoenix traffic by first going south to Gila Bend and the turning east to join up with the I-10 below Phoenix.
Stopped at our first civil war battlefield...Pacheko Peaks....see the story below.
Then cruised on to Las Crusas, NM. Stayed at the KOA and for the first time in two years set up my tent.
Marsden got to try her new tent and sleeping bag.
Well I was supposed to start yesterday but woke up witha headache, so put it off one day. But Martin left anyway, guess he didn't want to watch me play world of tanks all day :)
Marsden abd I left after Dori left for work. I decided to bypass Phoenix traffic by first going south to Gila Bend and the turning east to join up with the I-10 below Phoenix.
Stopped at our first civil war battlefield...Pacheko Peaks....see the story below.
Then cruised on to Las Crusas, NM. Stayed at the KOA and for the first time in two years set up my tent.
Marsden got to try her new tent and sleeping bag.
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