Sturgis: beyond and back

[Breeze3at]

Day 12 to Williamstown, KY. The weather forecast for the day is dismal. We decided to stay on back roads, but less meandering. By noon we had been in and out of rain so often we’d lost track, and we took an interstate to make up some miles. We went through Dayton and Cincinnati OH on the interstate without rain, but got slammed by a huge lightening storm right after Cincinnati and took shelter for an hour. We got underway again in steady rain and everyone seemed to be doing ok. We had motel rooms waiting for us in Lexington, KY. Forty miles from Lexington, the bottom dropped out and lightening was all over. We could barely see each others taillights but traffic was still whizzing by. There may have been a close encounter, as I heard several long horn blasts, but I couldn’t tell where they came from. We saw an off ramp and took it. There was a Super 8 right at the end of the exit ramp and we pulled in for the night. It was a dry county, but Sugar-Pops had his “emergency 24 pack” to pull us through. Microwaved bean burritos and a can of Vienna sausages from the jiffy mart was dinner.
Pics: A little town in Ohio, both sides of the street and the median were planted with Petunias for the length of town.
Would you follow this guy across the country? We did.

 

[Breeze3at]

Day 13 to Warner Robins, GA. After a night of heavy rain and lightning, the forecast was 70% rain all along our route for the next few days. We decided the fun was over and we should beat it home. We suited up and hit the interstate in a light rain that we were in and out of all morning. Just South of Knoxville, TN, we were blinded by a heavy rain so we pulled off for lunch. Scotty and Doc said they didn’t want to keep up the Interstate pace and were going to take secondary roads. Pops headed East to his summer home in NC as planned. Toons, Joker, John-Boy and I hit the interstate under cloudy skies, with the goal being supper at my house. We hit several showers, but nothing severe, and took off the rain gear when we got to GA. I-75 traffic was light and Chattanooga was just a few exit signs. We were going fast enough that I tried to shift into 7th a couple of times. Then we came to Atlanta. I have only encountered two types of I-75 traffic in Atlanta, “what’s wrong up ahead” and “hang on”. Today was a “hang on” day. Soon the HOV lane ended and we were South of Atl., with smooth sailing the last 85 miles to my home. My Princess bride had a cooler full of iced beer waiting and we all put our swim suits on and jumped in the pool right away. Then we ate the best homemade pulled pork I’ve had in a long time, and reminisced about the ride.
We woke to another rainy morning and fixed breakfast for the guys. They left in a light rain for the last 400 miles of their ride home to S. Brevard Co., FL. They made it home safe but soggy by 5 PM.
It was a great ride, it’s good to be home, and there’s already been emails about the “next” ride.
Pic: Leaving my house for the final leg to FL. Joker looks like a Halloween skeleton with his reflective stripes.

 

[flipper]

NO, NO, NO!!!!!! We wanted you to keep on riding!:small3d031:........And writing! How wonderful it was to read your "journal." So glad you made it home safe, and thank you so much for sharing your trip with us. I think I felt every pain and drank every cool one!:bigsmiley12:

 

[Jack Klarich]

Too bad the phone was inop., I'm only 15 miles S. of Macon, and had plenty of room.

:s Sorry I missed you and Geezer in Duluth, I was playing with my Great grand son that day, I will catch up with you in Salt Springs or Biketoberfest if you come down OR I can always come up to Georgia:s

 

[Frankie the Penguin]

Fantastic job with your retelling! Already looking forward to Sturgis next year. Just got my first HD and Sturgis will be our first long road trip. I've been riding metric for years but the difference is night and day.
I look forward to readin more of your riding journals!

 

[oldhippie]

Great write up Breeze. Glad you all had a safe trip.:cheers

 

[Webbtron]

About 20 miles north of Belle Fourche. 7.8 miles in on a dirt road is the true center of the nation. By the time we found it we started calling it the Center of the Earth.

 

[Jack Klarich]

About 20 miles north of Belle Fourche. 7.8 miles in on a dirt road is the true center of the nation. By the time we found it we started calling it the Center of the Earth.

I did not know that It was great meeting you in Deadwood

 

[Webbtron]

I did not know that It was great meeting you in Deadwood

Hey I had a great time talking to you, Jeff, and Breeze. Remember when I left you at the Depot in Deadwood and I told you I had to go to Mount Moriah Cemetery? Well I went and paid my dollar but it was worth a buck to visit Wild Bill and Jane.