Miles: 9445
Date: 6/18/2005
Back home in Westbrook, Maine. On the way I stopped at the HONDA dealer in Gorham to have them change the oil. One of the mechanics told me he was getting married next week. "Your wife must love you," he said, "if she can let you go for five weeks."
Miles: 9058
Date: 6/16/2005
Wayne, New Jersey. 3 hours to cover 30 miles, stop and go, red lights. The next 30 miles in 20 minutes on a 5 lane highway. That's America as well.
Miles: 8744
Date: 6/15/2005
Princess Anne, Maryland. Crossed the Chesapeake Bay and saw the Atlantic again, 14 days after leaving the Pacific. It's still blue. Very hot. Lost the clutch three times. A delightful chat about Religion in America with Kerri from Pizza Hut.
Miles: 8435
Date: 6/14/2005
New Bern, North Carolina. The hottest day of the trip and very humid. Over 90 degrees the wind cannot cool the driver anymore, over 100 degrees and the wind heats the body. I had to stop every 60 minutes and look for a cool place.
Miles: 8132
Date: 6/13/2005
Yadkinville, North Carolina. Out of luck again. No sampling of local brews. For the third day I am staying in a dry county. Ironically, I turned in early because I got caught in a torrential downpour. Soaked in a dry county.
Miles: 8044
Date: 6/13/2005
Mountain City, Tennessee. Breakfast in Kentucky, coffee break in Virginia, lunch in Tennessee, and supper most likely in North Carolina, now that's something to write home about.
Miles: 7829
Date: 6/11/2005
Williamsburg, Kentucky. Today's ride covered what must be some of the best motorcycle roads in the world. Twisty, well maintained, and empty. - Light rain most of the day.
Miles: 7559
Date: 6/10/2005
Madisonville, Kentucky. After changing the oil and replacing the sparkplugs the clutch works perfectly and several additional horses came to life at low rpms. A happy rider. Barely escaped a thunderstorm.
Miles: 7141
Date: 6/8/2005
Springfield, Missouri. Back in the gently rolling hills of the Ozarks, which for some odd reason always feel like home. The multi million Honda dealer would not touch the Magna but the much more modest D-C Cycle Ltd on W. Kearney, used bike and repair shop, did not hesitate one moment to change the oil after business hours for that crazy Mainer with the strange accent, who is on his way back from California.
Miles: 6904
Date: 6/7/2005
Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Cool morning turned into a very hot day. What did I learn today? Never admit you are only traveling through when you get a haircut.
Miles: 6557
Date: 6/6
Pampa, Texas.
Miles: 6040
Date: 6/4/2005
Socorro, New Mexico. Crossed the Continental Divide. Cloudless sky, empty roads. I plan to continue to follow US 60 for the next 2000 miles.
Miles: 5674
Date: 6/3/2005
Tuscon, Arizona. I witnessed a bad motorcycle accident right in front of me. - Rest of the day: desert.
Miles: 5269
Date: 6/2/2005
Quartzsite, Arizona. 49 degrees at 2000 feet in the mountain range behind San Diego. 20 minutes later 115 degrees at 200 feet below sealevel. Impressive.
Miles: 5001
Date: 6/3/2005
San Diego. I pour the bottle of Atlantic water into the Pacific. The trip back begins.
Miles: 4998
Date: 05/31/2005
Tijuana, Mexico. Through Las Vegas, the Mojave Desert. 115 degrees to San Diego at 70 degrees. Reached the farthest point of my trip.
Miles: 4487
Date: 5/29/2005
Mesquite Nevada. We finished the Mormon Trail. Steve is off, back to Missouri, I continue to California.
Miles: 2810
Date: 5/24
Crete NE. Through Iowa in a day. On Rt 2. A straight forward solution. Literally.
Miles: 2453
Date: 5/23
Nauvoo IL. Bronze statue of Joseph Smith and brother Hyrum on horseback. Steve poses for a photo. Is there any better way to explore the West? - Think again.
Miles: 2325
Date: 5/23
Downtown Hannibal MO. Not much has changed since Twain.
Miles: 2064
Date: 5/21/2005
Answered 127 emails. Ready for a break. The Mormon trail is waiting. http://www.mormontrail.net/
5/18/2005
Fly back to Portland, ME to participate in Commencement ceremonies. Four hours on the plane feel longer then the seven days in the saddle.
5/17/2005
Oil change. Bikes are in good shape. One last look at the map.
5/16/2005
Miles: 2064
Through Southern Illinois across the Mississippi into Missouri. Temperature climbs into the 80s. Bike runs fantastic. After seven days on the road I finally link up with my brother Steve in Bolivar, MO. My aunt almost faints when she hears I came by motorcycle. Bike averages 42 miles per gallon.
Mississippi
5/15/2005
Roads in Ohio straighten. Few curves. Everyone is speeding. Kentucky. Best kept roads of the US. Battlefields of the Civil War. The war that makes military enthusiasts. Cool. Miss a turn and drive along a very small road - beautiful. Crossing the Ohio river several times. Every morning the ride begins in prayer. Overflowing gratitude. Five days of small towns. Stay in Evansville, Ohio.
5/14/2005
Miles: 1253
After three hours of heavy rain turn in at a hotel in Washington Court House, Ohio. Wait out the storm.
5/12/2005
Miles: passed 1000 mark.
Day starts out with 37 degrees. Freezing at night. To Kirtland, Ohio. The first Mormon temple. The further west the better the roads. Use all Friday to see the sites. Hail, strong wind gusts all night.
Temple
5/11/2005
Palmyra, NY. The hill, where Joseph Smith received the Golden Plates. First drops of rain in the evening.
Barn garage
5/10/2005
Miles: ca. 340.
Sharon, VT: birthplace of Joseph Smith. Whitingham, VT: birthplace of Brigham
Young. Joseph was born on a farm in the hills, off the beaten path. Well kept
church and visitor center. Christmas carols playing out of loudspeakers. The
Messiah was born in a barn. I missed Brigham's monument. Asked in the
grocery store. Finally found a stone with inscription in the front yard of a
private home up the hill on a dirt road. Barely readable. - Almost 45 miles per
gallon.
B.Y.
5/8/2005
Ride to Old Orchard Beach. 46 degrees. It begins to rain. To get a bottle of Atlantic water. Mission of the trip: pour it into the Pacific.
Honda Magna V45, 750 cc, 1983.