Day 7

The wedding was great yesterday. It never got as hot as feared and in fact, as the day wore on the cooler it seemed to get. It ended up being very pleasant.

Anyway, I took tons of pictures and I'm having a problem trying to decide which ones to post. So for now I'm just going to 'cherry pick' the ones that get posted. If anyone wants to see the ones that don't make the cut you'll have to ask me about those later.

Lots of other relatives are coming today for a BBQ. It'll be busy. I need to clean up the motorcycle and get ready to head out with Kerry in the morning. I'll try and make another post later...

Day 6

Good morning from the Pacific Northwest, the new Sun Belt Capital.

We set a new record yesterday (I think). Listen to me, saying "we" when really I had nothing to do with it. But isn't it funny how when records are broken, people usually want to be part of it in some way? Anyway, what I should have said was that I think the temperature here yesterday set some kind of record.

The forcasted high was supposed to be 94, but lucky us, the temperature soared past 105. It's comforting to know that the weather forcasters here are just as bad as the ones in St. Louis.

I'm gonna stick my neck out here and predict that it's gonna be hot today too. Today is the BIG wedding. It's going to be on the beach, so PLEASE GOD...let there be a breeze.

We'll have to see what the day brings but whatever it is, I'm sure it will be captured in digital form and preserved for some distant future memory or more likely as blackmail.

I'll give you all an update later.

Still Day 5

The heat of the day got a little bit ahead of us. We had good intentions about doing something fun and productive, but while we were busy 'intending' the mercury rapidly shot past 97. The more rational among us chose to endure the harsh conditions in the age old, time tested ancient ways and decided to move as little as possible and comfort ourselves in whatever ways we could...

















But the 'usual crowd' went the way of their bent DNA and chose to cool off in THEIR inimitable way...






















Regrettably, I offer these pictures up as a record of sorts when we are all forcibly deposed as to the events leading up to the admission of said subjects to the local emergency room, that they were not tied and staked out in the sun according to the old Indian torture legends.

May God have mercy on their souls....

Day 5

Good Morning everybody!

You might just get a double-dose of me today. It's 6:00 am up here in the Pacific Northwest and Adrienne and I are the only ones up so far today.

It managed to cool down nicely overnight and a welcome breeze is blowing now. I'm sitting here looking out the window drinking my first cup of coffee and thinking it's great to be alive and NOT AT WORK!

I'm not too sure what we'll end up doing today or for that matter if we'll all do something together as a group. Hiking was one thing mentioned, as was going to a casino. Oddly enough, I might like to go for a motorcycle ride.

With this crowd though, I don't think anything is gonna happen all that soon.

I'm gonna go for now, but I'll report back later and I promise some kind of pictures!

See ya...

Day 4

I made it to Kerry's! I know I've been saying the first leg of my trip was to 'Seattle' all this time, but my brother Kerry and his wife Judy actually live about 35 miles east of Seattle. Another one of my brothers Barry, and his wife Adrienne got here last night sometime. And, if that isn't enough, later on tonight someone here will go to the airport and pick up ANOTHER brother Nat and his wife Delene and her daughter Gretchin. Sort of remind you of "Hi, I'm Larry...and this is my brother Daryl...and this is my OTHER brother Daryl..."?

One of the reasons for all of this 'coming together' is because one of my nieces is getting married in Olympia on Thursday and a lot of us wanted to be here for that.

Then, on Saturday, Kerry and I take off for the next part of this adventure - The Pacific Coast Highway!

Now for a quick recap...this morning I slept in till 5:00 a.m. LOCAL time. Everything about today was a different mindset then the previous 3 days. I thought more today about the 'journey' as opposed to the 'destination'. I really tried to focus on appreciating what was going on around me and not to be so dialed in on how many miles I had to make. You know what? That's a lot easier to do if you don't have the mileage requirement beating you over the head.

With that being said, I really got to see some spectacular views...although that may have had more to do with the country I was driving through than any change in focus on my part. It's hard not to think expansive thoughts about purpose and existence when you're surrounded by mountains and forests. At least for me it is. But, enough of that!

I want to share a picture of my brother's house where I'll be staying...









Pretty nice, huh? Then look what they get to wake up to every morning in their back yard...







I'm jealous. It is SO beautiful here...and except for the fact that it rains here 345 days a year...I'd like to live here myself.

They talk about all the wild life you can see here and I don't think they mean the neighbors! Speaking of neighbors, I understand that THEY'VE already been put on notice that if any offensive noise or incidents occur over the next couple of days, that it will because of "the brothers" and NOT Kerry or Judy.

Believe me, I'm an old hand at this and in my book, Kerry just wrote himself a free pass for acting out all he wants the next couple of days. Always a planner, that one!

So, the next couple of days will be spent catching up on family news, cleaning up the motorcycle (you wouldn't believe all the blood and guts that have to get cleaned off), attending the BIG wedding and of course letting all of you know what I've been up to. I'm sure there will be some pictures to post as well.

Thanks for looking in and I hope it's been worth your time.

Bye for now.

Day 3

Hello Everybody! Time to recap the day.

I awoke at 5:00 a.m. St. Louis time, so for everyone in Ogden, it was 4:00 a.m. I hurriedly got ready and then set about gathering up my things to go load up the motorcycle.

I love that all my bags are quick detach, and that I can just carry them into the hotel with me. It is SO convenient.

Anyway, I start to head out for my motorcycle and it occurs to me that I'm the ONLY person up. I walk into reception and there is a dim light at the desk, but everything else is dark. I look around for the desk clerk but he's nowhere to be found. It is just a little after 04:00 a.m. so I don't think too much of it.

I head outside to check on the motorcycle. Yesterday when I checked in, the friendly desk clerk took a look at my motorcycle and said I could park it underneath the portico to keep it out of the wind. I thought to myself, wow, what a guy, he's worried about my motorcycle!

Well this morning when I go out there, I realize he's really just worried about law suits. The wind is just HOWLING. All the trees, shrubs and bushes are bent over at a 45 degree angle. I set my motorcycle helmet on the ground and it starts to roll away!

The hotel is situated at the bottom of a big mountain and I guess the wind is all being funneled down the pass that I drove down yesterday afternoon.

I go back inside and again it strikes me...I'm alone. It's like all the guests and staff left sometime during the night and I'm the only one here. OK...now I'm starting to get a little Stephen King thing goin' on. I can't help thinking about "The Shining" and that hotel in Colorado.

Where the hell is everybody? Shouldn't there at least be someone manning the desk?

I take one of the luggage carts back to my room, load up my luggage and head back out to the bike. I get everything loaded up and then it's time to go settle my bill.

I walk over to the front desk and look around. No one to be seen. I stare down at the little silver bell...you know the one...the one that's to be used when you want to get someones attention. I press down. DING! Nothing. Comeon! I know it's early but for cryin' out loud I need to get on the road. Let's GO!

Emboldened (and a little bit angry) I press down again. DING!

Lurch, from "The Adams Family" strolls around the corner! I am NOT kidding. He scared the "bejesus" out of me! He's about 8 feet tall and has a lazy eye or something. Or, maybe he's just got sleep in his eye. What the heck was he doing back there anyway...sleeping? I...don't...think...so! Judging by the looks of him, I'm pretty sure he was trying to catch his breakfast.

He scrutinizes me briefly and asks "May I help you?".

Oh my God! Did I just squeal "Please don't eat me!". Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. I can't be sure.

I did manage to utter "Um, I'd like to check out."

Of course, I managed to leave. I'm sure the rest of it was all just my imagination.

I ended up getting out on the road fairly early. Ogden is quite a bit bigger than I first thought. Apparently, I had just touched the edge of it yesterday when I arrived. It must be spread out over...10 miles or so.

The sun's still not up. Temperature is about 70 degrees. But as I go riding up through the mountains around Ogden, I find myself in wildly fluctuating temperature zones. 70 degrees one minute, 53 the next. A few miles north of Ogden and a little before you enter Idaho, I came across a scene I just couldn't resist...



I actually stopped and took this picture. No more taking photo's while driving though...why, that's just crazy!

I have to confess, I was a little disappointed by the parts of Idaho that I drove through. I guess I've been spoiled by the country I've driven through the last couple of days, but honestly, some of the country between Twin Falls and Boise looked sort of...godforsaken? I mean, it didn't even look like anything grew there.

I wonder if that's where they faked the moon landing?


I finally ended up in Pendleton, Oregon. And, Adam was right, the long hill down to Pendleton is something worth considering. It must have taken 20 minutes to come down that mountain.

Today's mileage comes to about 530. A rather easy day compared to the first 2. And, my tail bone is not sore today, although I don't know if that's because I'm getting used to the ride or I've lost all sensation from the waist down. Either way, it's an improvement and I'm grateful.

Tomorrow, it's only about 250 miles or so to Kerry's. This ride should be a 'walk in the park'. I haven't said much about my new motorcycle so far, but it has performed flawlessly and is really wearing it's way into my heart. I haven't named her yet, but Ruby 2 doesn't seem right. I'll have to give that some more thought.

Kerry, I'll be there early tomorrow. Please have the Moose Drool all iced up!

See ya!

Day 2 ( is it really ONLY 2 days? )

Well, I got to see a beautiful sunrise in North Platte, Nebraska this morning. I have to tell you it's even better when you get to see it the way I did - in my rearview mirror cruising down the interstate at 75! I figured out that if you get out of bed BEFORE the Nebraskan's you might get to drive the speed limit. I OWNED the interstate this morning, well, me and the big rigs. But that's OK, those guys know how to drive. It was an hour before I saw another car.

Western Nebraska and all of Wyoming are easy on the eyes. Lots of wide open spaces, buttes, mountains, rolling hills...you name it. And best of all, not a lot of traffic. Sometimes you can look and not see a house in any direction. Pardon me if I go off in a quasi-spiritual realm here, but I wonder if the people who live in places like this live in some kind of altered state? I think I was in an 'alpha state' for about a hundred miles there at one point. Or maybe I was just abducted by aliens.

Good suggestions all - about the places to focus on. Trouble is, I read them all AFTER I had driven by. Beautiful country indeed. Adrienne, I did stop at that 'Lincoln' place in Wyoming and here is the proof....















I recollect seeing that that's the highest elevation on I-80...something like 8,900 ft. I was continuously frustrated driving through Wyoming. I kept saying to myself, OMG, this is SO beautiful. I wanted to stop and take some pictures but the devil on my left shoulder wouldn't let me. So, I did the only rational thing I could and took a picture while driving...




Now, I know what you're going to say. "Why that's nothing special, what'd he go an take a picture of THAT for?". Well, you have to realize that by the time I got the bright idea to do this while driving 75 mph, went thru the balancing act to unpack my camera from my tank bag, remove my motorcycle gloves so I could operate the camera, turn ON the camera, then change hands so I could take the picture...the scene I wanted to capture was 20 miles behind! I almost killed myself trying to take a picture for you guys!

It was another 600+ mile day. You know what? I dont' enjoy driving 600 miles a day on a motorcycle! I think 500 should be the limit. Anyway, I made it to Ogden Utah and it is very beautiful here. I took a picture at a rest stop just outside of Ogden...



Time to head out for some chow. Haven't had a bite all day. Linda, I haven't even opened the box of granola bars you packed for me. I've just been too driven (that's a reach at a pun).

The plan tomorrow is to drive to a place called Pendleton, Oregon. I can't help thinking about the old "Pendleton Road" in Warrenton whenever I say that. Those are Thanksgiving memories reminiscent of "Over the River and Through the Woods" for me.
But that's another topic.

Oh, if anyone is trying to reach me by my cell phone - don't. It died. E-mail will have to be your alternate.

I haven't seen the Osmonds yet, but I did see 2 men and a dog walking into a bar...

See ya!

Addendum

OK, I know I said I was going to eat, but I'm way tired. And, I felt guilty for not providing a picture of the day. So, hello to you...


Now, I really am walking over to the Steak House...

Day 1

Well, I made it. Finished up the first leg of my trip to Seattle. I drove about 680 miles today in a little over 11 hours. I'm staying the night at the Hampton Inn in North Platte, Nebraska. This is my first foray into Cornhusker territory. Doesn't look all that much different from Missouri so far.

Well, I gotta tell ya, my new seat cushion (AirHawk) is a life-saver. Don't get me wrong, my butt's sore, but I don't think I could have made the last 200 miles without it. And, the highway pegs are workin' out too. I just think that the more 'options' you have about where to put your feet, the longer you can endure. That's my story anyway and I'm stickin' to it!

The speed limit here on the Interstate is 75. But what's up with these Nebraska folks? They all drive about 65. I made the mistake a couple of times of getting caught in the slow lane and it took forever to get out into the passing lane to go around these guys cause about a hundred cars...trucks...buses (yeah, that's right, even the buses wanna get around these slow-pokes) are lined up for what seems like miles!

Anyway, I'm here now and I think I'll go out and get something to eat. There's a Steak House within walking distance...so, you know where I'm headed!

Tomorrow the plan is for me to try and get to Ogden, Utah. I hope I see the Osmonds!

PS - maybe I'll take a picture tomorrow. Today was all about driving like a madman to get here. I can dial it back about 30 miles tomorrow for a picture!

Ouch!

Well, I've gone and done it again. I dropped my new bike last night. Scratched one of the hard bags. Apparently I'm most dangerous when I'm going less than one mile per hour. Last night, I wasn't moving at all. I had pulled in to gas up and was putting the bike up on it's center stand when I lost the balance battle and like a slow train wreck the bike tipped over and went down.

I dropped the Harley once too. Exactly once. Another parking lot incident. I had forgotten to take the wheel lock off and boom, down I went. Again, under one mile per hour.

I hate that I dropped it, but maybe now it's over. It's been dropped the requisite one time. I sure hope so. I'm taking the bike in tomorrow anyway for the break-in service, so maybe the dealer can suggest something to smooth out the scratches.

Better not dwell on it. Just pick up my bruised ego and move on...

Another Day in Paradise

Day 5 of LAR (Life After Ruby). I'm just a wink and nod short of the 600 miles needed for break-in on the new bike. The weather here has been fall like since Friday. Very pleasant riding temperatures. On my evening ride Friday night, I used my new heated seat and heated hand grips. Not because I needed to, but because I COULD!

I've gotten used to almost everything on the new bike...except the seat. When you first get on it's very comfortable. But after about an hour you start trying to find a rest home. Maybe I'll get used to the seat with time...like maybe I'll learn to breathe under water. It could be a very long ride out to Seattle.

I leave next Saturday morning. I'm still trying to figure out what and how to pack. With all the luggage capacity it's kind of hard deciding what NOT to take. I've been through this all before though, so I know exactly what to expect. I'll plan and plan and plan and when I arrive at my first night's destination, I'll discover I've left something important at home. You can count on it.

I've not totally converted over to the BMW image just yet. I still have all the Harley clothes and wear the little beanie helmet. I present quite a picture coming down the road. The Harley guys don't know whether to wave or shoot me. The sport bike guys wave though. They'll wave at anybody. They're sorta like a bunch of puppies. All happy just to be outside riding down the road on one wheel doing 90. It takes so little to please them.

Till next time...

The day turned out OK

After the way my day started out, I can't complain about the way it ended. I decided the battery in my Harley fob must have been low. I removed it at work, cleaned it and put it back and that seemed to do the trick. No more Harley acting out.

So, I made the exchange at the BMW dealer at lunch and went back to work. I took a few pictures of the new bike on the parking lot at work...

I need to put 600 miles on pretty quick so they'll have time to service the bike before I leave on the 25th. That means I'll be riding every night during the week and day and night on the weekend...

I rode tonight for a couple of hours and put about 100 miles up. I'm starting to feel more comfortable and think I'm really going to like this. This bike is SO much fun to ride...

I can't wait to ride to work tomorrow.

I'm already a wreck and it's not even 8:30 a.m.!

What a day it's been already! I'm trading motorcycles today - if I make it that far. I'm trading good ole dependable Ruby (my Harley) for a brand new much younger, lighter, faster and oddly enough - safer BMW R 1200RT, who has yet to be named.

While showering this morning, I hear all this rumbling and my first thought is that Linda is up and moving furniture. Now, that's not as far fetched as you might think. She's been known to do things like that at 5:30 in the morning. Ok - maybe not moving furniture, but vacuuming springs to mind.

But no - you probably guessed it...it's thunder, and it's raining cats and dogs. My first challenge of the day and I'm not even out of the shower.

After finally deciding to ride anyway, I load up the motorcycle and start to back out of the garage when the motorcycle security system starts yelling at me. Lights are flashing, the siren is blaring and I'm all hot and sweaty in my rain gear. My goggles are fogging up and I can't see anything very clearly so I get off and "step away from the motorcycle" and after about 5 seconds everything goes quiet.

OK. I think maybe it's a fluke. Get back on, start to back out and boom - same thing all over again. Are you kidding me? What are the odds that I've never had a single problem with my Harley since day one, and now on the VERY day that I'm going to trade her, this starts happening? It's like she's mad at me. That can't be. I told her last night that I was taking her out to the country and that a farmer was going to take her in and that she could run and be free and that every day would be sunny. So, that CAN'T be it.

Anyway, I finally had to manually bypass the security system to get backed out of the garage and ready to roll. In the meantime, I manage to lose my glasses. Somewhere between the garage and the end of the driveway, I lose my glasses. Do you believe it? I spend another 5 minutes looking everywhere and finally locate them underneath the motorcycle. I didn't actually SEE the motorcycle take them from me, but...all of a sudden I'm starting to remember that Stephen King book "Christine" (I think) about that car that was - I dunno, possessed or something? I get back on the bike and whaddya know...the security alarm goes crazy.

So, I'm late, sweaty, my glasses are scratched, it's raining, I've bypassed the security system twice, and I haven't even left the driveway.

I manage to arrive at work without any further mishaps. I gather up everything I need and walk to my office. When I go to put things away I can't find my goggles. Weepin' Jesus on the Cross! What else can go wrong?

Man, I'm really beginning to wonder if this all means something! I retrace my steps and sure enough, my goggles are laying in plain sight on the sidewalk.

This day has just GOT to get better!

I'll let you know later...

Vacation approaches...

Well, with vacation less than 3 weeks away, I need to get in gear and tie up loose ends. I need to get 20,000 mile maintenance done on Ruby, plot my routes, get all packed, and make a new plan Stan.

Maybe I'll get free of the rain by leaving. It's been a really wet Spring and early Summer. Not to mention COOL.

On the first leg of my trip I'll end up in Seattle. My brother lives there and a couple of nieces and nephews. One of my sisters kids is getting married up there on July 30th, so I'll be there for that. Other family is flying in for the wedding so it will be a lot of fun. Last time we were all together up there I had one of the best times I can remember. We hiked, ate and drank, made fun of each other, drank some more...and in general just had a good time.

After the wedding, we'll leave on motorcycles and head down the Pacific Coast Highway. I've never been that way before but everything I've heard and read tells me I'm in for something special. This will be the first of what I hope are several "trips of a lifetime".

Later...