Day 26-30 - June 2-6, 2008 - Fort Scott to home - Day 26 -The hairiest day was the day we left Fort Scott. We rode under a Tornado Watch with black skies chasing us. We stopped at three parks this day, and the storm caught us on the first two, but by the third park we had gotten far enough south to be out of the storm's reach. We stopped at Fort Scott in Fort Scott, KS, then onto George Washington Carver in Diamond, MO, and then onto Pea Ridge Military Park in Pea Ridge, AR. In the journal I wrote: "Severe weather was forecast for Ft. Scott but we woke to sunny skies. After breakfast we started to load the bikes and the sky turned dark with lightning to the north. We took off and stopped at the old fort for just the stamp and headed due east to Nevada, MO then turned south on Rt. 71. We monitored the weather band radio and kept our eye to the sky. We never got a drop of rain, but the storm was about a half hour behind us. Every time we stopped it would gain on us and we would take off again. At one point we hear that a tornado had touched down right where we had been! We kept pushing forward and we finally outran the storm. Once into Arkansas I took off my rain gear and the further we rode south the nicer it got. The went due east." We stopped in Russellville, AR for the night and stayed at the very same hotel we had stayed in on the way out. Mileage-308. Route-54 to Nevada, MO 71 south to Diamond, MO. Back to 71 to Bella Vista, AR then onto 62 to Pea Ridge to I-540 to Fayetteville to Rt. 16 to Rt. 23 (Pig's Trail!!!) to I-40.
Day 27 - June 3, 2008 - We Left about 11:00 and went to the new Honda of Russellville. Pretty cool place! Then we took Rt. 7 south to Hot Springs, AR. We went up the mountain to the Lookout Tower which is a city run money maker. Steep switch backs to get up to the tower. We had to go down into town to the national park visitor's center in one of the old bath houses. We left town and continued on Rt. 7 which is a very sweet road. The GPS got us off course for a while and Ted broke a highway light with a stone. We gave up riding and got a room in Camden, AR for the night. Mileage-185. Route-Rt. 7
Day 28 - June 4, 2008 - We moved from Arkansas to Louisiana to Mississippi today. We took Route 7 to Rt. 167 into Louisiana and then caught Rt. 84 east. This took us across the mighty Mississippi River and into Natchez where we stopped at the Melrose Plantation. We were too late for the house tour so we moved on until we came to Brookhaven, MS where we stayed the night. Mileage-300. This was a great day! Route 7 was fun but Route 84 was long, wide, no traffic and the speed limit of 70. Two great, different roads!
Day 29 - June 5, 2008 - We are done stopping at national parks so this was a ride day. It was sunny and clear so we left Brookhaven, MS and rode to Tallahassee, FL. We wanted to get through to the other side of Tallahassee because of morning traffic congestion, but it ended up being a good plan because of all the construction along I-10. We stopped in Monticello, FL at the junction of I-10 and Hwy. 19. Mileage-493. Routes-Hwy 84 east to 45 south to I-10.
Day 30 - June 6, 2008 - We left Monticello and this is the first time we are back in Florida time zone! It's 86 degrees and you can feel the humidity. We leave the hotel a little after 10:00. This is just a ride day and we plan on making home today. It was sunny and clear. Mileage-245. Routes-Hwy. 19 south to Alternate 27 to I-75 to FL Turnpike to Hwy 429 to Apopka and then back roads to home. The bikes are bug covered! We arrive home a little after 3:00 in the afternoon. Showers and naps are in order! The bike wash will have to wait for a bit.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Kansas
Day 25 -Sun., June 1, 2008 -Dodge City, KS to Fort Scott, KS - "Get out of Dodge!" So we did. We continued on Route 50. Our goal was Fort Larned National Historic Site, so we soon turned north on 183 and then onto 156 to the fort. It was not at all like Bent's Old Fort that was a trading post built by William Bent. Fort Larned in Larned, KS was built by the military and looks very different than the trading post. Ted and I enjoyed looking through the museum and watching the movie. Fort Larned was there for protection along the Santa Fe Trail against Plains Indians and robbers and outlaws. It was built along the Pawnee Fork (river). The buildings were made out of rock and soldiers from 1877 carved their names in the stone. Cool! The park ranger was very knowledgeable and interesting to listen to. The parking lot was gravel and that was an interesting time too!
After leaving the fort behind we continued across Kansas from 156 to 56 to I-135 toward Wichita, KS, around Wichita by 196 to 54 which we stayed on until Fort Scott. We traveled through Kansas marveling at the beauty of this state. Flat farm land gave way to rolling hills. Ranches kept dwindling until it was hard to find an animal. It struck me that we hadn't seen any dairy farms, it was all beef cattle we had seen. We traveled through little towns where we slowed our speed to look around a bit and enjoyed the diagonal parking along the wide main streets, lined with old houses brimming with flower boxes and vegetable gardens. At one point as we traveled down a road at about 65 mph a deer ran through a field at our right. He was far from the road so it was neat to watch. There still was little traffic and Ted and I often found ourselves alone.
We've been in Kansas all day and we've enjoyed the ride. The weather was beautiful, sunny and clear. Tonight we spend at Fort Scott. It was closed by the time we arrived. We'll visit there first thing in the morning before heading on.
Miles - 375
Cattle grates - 0
Highest gas paid - $3.98
After leaving the fort behind we continued across Kansas from 156 to 56 to I-135 toward Wichita, KS, around Wichita by 196 to 54 which we stayed on until Fort Scott. We traveled through Kansas marveling at the beauty of this state. Flat farm land gave way to rolling hills. Ranches kept dwindling until it was hard to find an animal. It struck me that we hadn't seen any dairy farms, it was all beef cattle we had seen. We traveled through little towns where we slowed our speed to look around a bit and enjoyed the diagonal parking along the wide main streets, lined with old houses brimming with flower boxes and vegetable gardens. At one point as we traveled down a road at about 65 mph a deer ran through a field at our right. He was far from the road so it was neat to watch. There still was little traffic and Ted and I often found ourselves alone.
We've been in Kansas all day and we've enjoyed the ride. The weather was beautiful, sunny and clear. Tonight we spend at Fort Scott. It was closed by the time we arrived. We'll visit there first thing in the morning before heading on.
Miles - 375
Cattle grates - 0
Highest gas paid - $3.98
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Route 50 Continued
Day 24 -Sat., 5/31/08 -La Junta, CO to Dodge City, KS -Did I mention that Ted and I like Route 50? We love Route 50! Colorado is an interesting state. The western half is Rockies while the eastern half is flat. Route 50 travels through both.
We stayed the night at La Junta in the eastern part of Colorado. The land was flat farm land now. Our goal was the Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site on Route 194. After a great breakfast at the Copper Kitchen in La Junta we proceeded to the fort. People dressed in period costumes gave you the idea of what it would have been like back in the 1800's. A man was stripping bark off of saplings using old tools just outside the fort gates when we arrived. Horses grazed nearby without halters. Red-winged blackbirds flew from reed to reed along the banks of the Arkansas River. Back in the 1800's the other side of the Arkansas River was Mexico. Bent's Fort was a main trade center on the Santa Fe trail. Ted and I met some other Gold Wing people there from Denver (Chapter J) and some guys riding through from Mississippi. We had a great time at the fort.
We left Bent's Old Fort and jumped back on Route 50, our favorite road and continued east. Route 50 east of the Rockies is flat and straight. The land yields pastures and fields for as far as your eye can see. Horses are everywhere! Good looking horses of all types. I've never seen herds of horses to this magnitude. I saw a white horse with a black head and a brown horse with a white band around his middle. Beautiful horses. I saw fields of straw, hay, and corn. I began counting the sections of those big circular irrigation units. They are amazing things. Cattle were numerous and many tall feed silos. This is beautiful farm country. We are following the Santa Fe Trail here and I think about what the pioneers must have thought when they saw this fertile ground.
Dodge City became our goal for the night. After finding a room we headed down to Boot Hill. As we arrived a gun fight broke out in front of the Long Branch Saloon. The sheriff tried to break it up, but there were too many of the bad guy's friends. The saloon girl fired the first shot that got things going and the good guys were the last ones standing. Ted and I went up to Boot Hill Cemetery and went through the museum there. We also walked the board walk through town to view all the different original shops. It was a great time. Our hotel is on Wyatt Earp Blvd!
Every day is a wonder. We are loving this trip. I don't know why it took us so long to give it a go.
Miles -223
Cattle grates - 2 (outside of Bent's Old Fort - the horses probably)
Highest gas paid - $3.99
Highest elevation - 4100'
We stayed the night at La Junta in the eastern part of Colorado. The land was flat farm land now. Our goal was the Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site on Route 194. After a great breakfast at the Copper Kitchen in La Junta we proceeded to the fort. People dressed in period costumes gave you the idea of what it would have been like back in the 1800's. A man was stripping bark off of saplings using old tools just outside the fort gates when we arrived. Horses grazed nearby without halters. Red-winged blackbirds flew from reed to reed along the banks of the Arkansas River. Back in the 1800's the other side of the Arkansas River was Mexico. Bent's Fort was a main trade center on the Santa Fe trail. Ted and I met some other Gold Wing people there from Denver (Chapter J) and some guys riding through from Mississippi. We had a great time at the fort.
We left Bent's Old Fort and jumped back on Route 50, our favorite road and continued east. Route 50 east of the Rockies is flat and straight. The land yields pastures and fields for as far as your eye can see. Horses are everywhere! Good looking horses of all types. I've never seen herds of horses to this magnitude. I saw a white horse with a black head and a brown horse with a white band around his middle. Beautiful horses. I saw fields of straw, hay, and corn. I began counting the sections of those big circular irrigation units. They are amazing things. Cattle were numerous and many tall feed silos. This is beautiful farm country. We are following the Santa Fe Trail here and I think about what the pioneers must have thought when they saw this fertile ground.
Dodge City became our goal for the night. After finding a room we headed down to Boot Hill. As we arrived a gun fight broke out in front of the Long Branch Saloon. The sheriff tried to break it up, but there were too many of the bad guy's friends. The saloon girl fired the first shot that got things going and the good guys were the last ones standing. Ted and I went up to Boot Hill Cemetery and went through the museum there. We also walked the board walk through town to view all the different original shops. It was a great time. Our hotel is on Wyatt Earp Blvd!
Every day is a wonder. We are loving this trip. I don't know why it took us so long to give it a go.
Miles -223
Cattle grates - 2 (outside of Bent's Old Fort - the horses probably)
Highest gas paid - $3.99
Highest elevation - 4100'
Route 50
Day 23 -Fri., 5/30/08 -Montrose, CO to La Junta, CO -Ted and I left Montrose to a beautiful sunny day with a temperature of 61 degrees. I put on my Gerbing jacket liner under my Tour Master. Our goal was to stop at Black Canyon of the Gunnison which was right outside of town and then to head east on Hwy. 50. Kevin Lang said we would like 50. He should know because he has a brother that lives just off of 50 and he has traveled it before.
We turned onto the road that lead to the national park. It was a steady climb up! Horses grazed in the fields to the right and left. It was beautiful. The valley floor became a panaramic view. When we reached the top the canyon showed itself. Granite walls fell steeply to the Gunnison River way below. Birds flew in the space between. It was dramatic and peaceful. As we proceeded to the visitor's center a mule deer walked out onto the road between Ted and me. I stopped to take a picture and noticed he had a friend nibbling at the new green shoots coming out on the scrub around us. They looked like they were loosing their winter coat. We watched the movie at the visitor's center and it was one of the best telling the history of the park and the personalities involved.
After leaving and going down and down we continued on Route 50. We went past Blue Mesa which was another beautiful spot. More traffic joined us. The road twisted right and left. In Florida I don't get a chance to practice my turns much but I had a chance to practice on this road. Up and down over beautiful mountains. This was the Rockies! Snow dotted the sides of the mountains. I thought we were high until we came to Monarch Pass! We must have climbed for an hour. More snow showed itself on the sides of the road. The temperature was dropping. We continued to climb and turn this way and that! I was glad for my Gerbings. Finally at the top we were 11,312' in the air, with a temperature of 48 degrees. Then we started down! The big fir trees were on both sides of the road. At the bottom we picked up the Arkansas River and followed that into the town of Salida, CO where we stopped for gas and lunch. Salida is a wonderful town. We were falling in love with Route 50. On the other side of Salida the twisties got tighter and traffic dropped off again. Ted and I felt like we were craving the curves. It was so much fun! The Arkansas River always gave us something to marvel at. We saw rafters battling the currents and saw a lot of cars with kayaks strapped on top. We love Route 50!
Miles -330
Highest gas seen -$4.15 (Salida, CO)
Highest gas paid -$3.98 (Salida, CO)
Highest elevation -11,312' (Monarch Pass)
Highest/Lowest temperature -89 (La Junta, CO)/48 (Monarch Pass)
Cattle Grates - they have fake cattle grates out here. They paint stripes across the road like it was a real cattle grate. I guess after the wild life/cattle are trained, they don't cross the fake ones either.) -0
We turned onto the road that lead to the national park. It was a steady climb up! Horses grazed in the fields to the right and left. It was beautiful. The valley floor became a panaramic view. When we reached the top the canyon showed itself. Granite walls fell steeply to the Gunnison River way below. Birds flew in the space between. It was dramatic and peaceful. As we proceeded to the visitor's center a mule deer walked out onto the road between Ted and me. I stopped to take a picture and noticed he had a friend nibbling at the new green shoots coming out on the scrub around us. They looked like they were loosing their winter coat. We watched the movie at the visitor's center and it was one of the best telling the history of the park and the personalities involved.
After leaving and going down and down we continued on Route 50. We went past Blue Mesa which was another beautiful spot. More traffic joined us. The road twisted right and left. In Florida I don't get a chance to practice my turns much but I had a chance to practice on this road. Up and down over beautiful mountains. This was the Rockies! Snow dotted the sides of the mountains. I thought we were high until we came to Monarch Pass! We must have climbed for an hour. More snow showed itself on the sides of the road. The temperature was dropping. We continued to climb and turn this way and that! I was glad for my Gerbings. Finally at the top we were 11,312' in the air, with a temperature of 48 degrees. Then we started down! The big fir trees were on both sides of the road. At the bottom we picked up the Arkansas River and followed that into the town of Salida, CO where we stopped for gas and lunch. Salida is a wonderful town. We were falling in love with Route 50. On the other side of Salida the twisties got tighter and traffic dropped off again. Ted and I felt like we were craving the curves. It was so much fun! The Arkansas River always gave us something to marvel at. We saw rafters battling the currents and saw a lot of cars with kayaks strapped on top. We love Route 50!
Miles -330
Highest gas seen -$4.15 (Salida, CO)
Highest gas paid -$3.98 (Salida, CO)
Highest elevation -11,312' (Monarch Pass)
Highest/Lowest temperature -89 (La Junta, CO)/48 (Monarch Pass)
Cattle Grates - they have fake cattle grates out here. They paint stripes across the road like it was a real cattle grate. I guess after the wild life/cattle are trained, they don't cross the fake ones either.) -0
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