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Page 10 |
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Knightly Newsletter |
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(John’s Trip Continued)
We left the next day for a short ride to the Foxwoods Resort and Casino near Norwich, CT, where Steve took almost $500 of their poker tables (that’s OK—they got it back at the dinner table). Passing through New Hampshire and Massachusetts, we learned what Mass drivers are called—and why. The next day I accompanied Steve to an exit in New York where we parted ways: He stopped to see Orange County Choppers on his way to visit family in Pennsylvania as I headed to Raleigh, NC, 650 miles away. A series of questionable routes turned a 650-mile 10-hour day into an 820-mile 14-hour day. I rolled into Raleigh after 11 PM on June 3rd and stayed with good friend Steve Cardwell, a Special Agent with ICE. An easy 700-mile ride landed me at my mother-in-law's house in Tampa, FL, late on June 4th. I stayed an extra day to recuperate, leaving for Key West on the morning of Sunday, June 6th.
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—but no lightening or thunder showers. I snapped the obligatory "southernmost point" photo, thus completing my USA 4 Corners ride. Coincidentally, US Highway 1 ends in Key West, 2,390 miles after its start in Ft. Kent, Maine. I stayed as a guest of the US Government at NAS Key West’s Basic Officer’s Quarters, just a short distance from Duval Street. I had travelled 7,032 miles in 12 days. It was then just a matter of "several" margaritas and 3,000 miles back to San Diego via the Southwest—piece of cake. That got me to contemplating an interesting return home. I settled on an Iron Butt Saddle Sore 2000—two consecutive 1,000-mile days sounded fun…at the time. After a brief rest, I was ready for the trip home. Leaving Tampa at 7 AM on June 8, I enjoyed an easy ride to Houston, Texas, in about 15 hours. The weather cooperated and the I-10 Westbound was like a favorite cousin—familiar and easy-going. In Houston, I rested overnight while it stormed outside. I started off the second 1,000-mile ride at 8 AM the next day. That’s when the weather changed. I encountered rain, wind, thunder, lightning — and more rain — between Houston and San Antonio. I’m used to riding in difficult weather and rain rarely if ever stops me from making forward progress. This time, however, good sense prevailed over a need for speed and I hunkered down at a small gas station with several other motorists while the storm passed. The travel gods seemed determined to foil my plans as wind gusts, heavy traffic, construction and more weather conspired to keep me in Texas. Passing through another time zone, I stopped briefly for a Whataburger in El Paso before continuing on to Tucson. I was drowsy and tried all the tricks I knew to remain alert. Singing loudly to myself did little to keep me awake as I rode through long stretches of desert highway in the warm night air and into the midnight hour. Unlucky lizards and an occasional cactus were the only witnesses to how bad a full-volume, off-key “Louie, Louie” sounded at 1 AM I rolled into a Chevron station at 1:08 AM where the clerk witnessed the necessary forms and pointed me to a nearby resting place. I caught 4 hours of much-needed sleep next to my bike before pushing on to San Diego. By noon on June 10, I arrived home to waving flags, signs, banners and video cameras courtesy of my wife and well-wishing neighbors. I was tired but in high spirits, pleased to have completed such and enjoyable ride. I’d seen some beautiful parts of the country, and met what Steve described as the fabric of America, from the back of a steel horse. Hmm. Where shall I ride next year? Signing off for now, John |
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A leisurely 450-mile ride brought me to Key West by 1 PM. I was fortunate to enjoy nice weather while in Florida. By nice, I mean it was sweltering, hot and humid |