BkerChuck
Second hand vegetarian
Ever since I took ownership of my FJR I’ve ridden increasingly more miles each year. It started with a RTE where I met some forum members then progressed into LD rallies, EOM, and stuff like the Tour of Honor. Now in my third year in TOH and with 2 IBA rides under my belt I decided I wanted to combine an IBA ride with a TOH ride to get that certificate to add to my collection. In April when the Tour of Honor list of memorials was published I immediately loaded them into Basecamp and began planning various length trips to go visit as many as I thought I could hit. I’d visited 25 last year and set a goal of breaking 30 this time. While this may be small potatoes compared to the “big dogs” I only get 2 weeks of vacation and so must fit in stops when and where I find time. Additionally this year I enrolled in the Team Strange Love and Merci tour to go visit the remaining Merci Train cars scattered around the country. This double whammy of reasons to ride led me to this. A TOH slash Love and Merci Saddlesore.
I’m fortunate enough to have Basecamp on my work PC and during lulls in the action and on lunch I can plan rides and rallies. Looking at the memorials for TOH and the train cars scattered in the northeast an idea began to form. It would be possible to create a route from my home in PA heading southeast through MD and DE, down the eastern shore of VA and into NC then turn west across NC ending up with a straight shot up I-95 to home. If I left out early in the morning I could have all my pictures taken during the daylight and end with a straight blast up the slab where forest rats would be less of a concern. I picked a weekend in June when Mona had to work and she and her son had plans for that night after work to attend a party that I had little interest in.
We all know what happens when we plan. Man plans, God laughs. A few days before my scheduled ride a friend called and asked if Mona and I would be available that weekend to come out to Johnstown, PA and help with some house repairs. We stay with them a couple times a year and have always said we’re willing to help out, just ask. Mona couldn’t because of work and her other commitment but I went and was glad to do so. Now to reschedule my ride.
Last week at work combined with some outside issues led to a level of stress that had me ready to snap. If I didn’t take day off of work and get out of the office I feared I’d lose my cool and possibly my job. Our salesman had finally pushed the wrong button one too many times. Wednesday I turned in a vacation card and left them know I was not coming in Friday. I normally never give my boss such short notice but he understood and wisely approved my request. Thursday evening was a flurry of prep work. A quick trip to the store for snacks I could eat from my tank bag, charging devices, and a quick glance over one of the most reliable machines ever made, my FJR.
Friday morning I’m up before my alarm. I heard my stepson get up for work and figured this is as good a time as any. I’d hoped to be on the bike between 5:00 and 5:30 so I was running right on schedule. A quick bowl of cereal, a banana, and I’m off. There’s a gas station less than a mile from the house with good receipts so that’s a no brainer for my start and finish location. My tank was still pretty full but a quick splash to top off and with a receipt time stamped at 5:17 I’m officially “on the clock”.
The first stops will be in Dover, DE and my route takes me on roads I’ve ridden more than a few times including only a week or two before. I’ve opted to take secondary roads for this part as I figure the traffic should be lighter here than on the interstates where I’d hit work traffic. My plan is working and with the exception of some early morning fog that will burn off as the sun comes up it’s pretty uneventful. I have 2 stops almost on top of each other. The DE3 memorial and a flag mural painted on the side of a Legion Post. As I’m following the Garmin towards the DE3 site I can see the flag mural marker on the GPS. Realizing now I’ll be riding right past it I adapt on the fly and reverse the order of my first 2 stops. AT the Legion Post I snap a picture of my bike with my Tour of Honor flag and also one of the Statue of Liberty in the front yard as they’re a side ride on TOH. The Love and Merci tour is also counting Statue of Liberty statues so I switch flags and take another picture. Back in the seat I roll the remaining 2 miles to DE3 and a Viet Nam memorial.
The site of this memorial is somewhat breathtaking. A full size Huey chopper on a pedestal and a series of markers to several conflicts. I snap the required pictures and spend a few extra minutes taking additional photos. All of the memorials picked for Tour of Honor are special in their own way. Some just pull at me a little harder than others. On the clock or not, the people these markers represent deserve our attention and a few minutes is a small price considering the price they’ve paid. Back in the saddle it’s a relatively short 35 miles to Georgetown, DE and my next stop DE4.
This memorial is something of a problem child. It’s on a roundabout in the middle of a busy road and I have to circle twice to find a way to park so that my bike will be in the picture. Pulling over, close to a parking spot but not really in one I know I shouldn’t waste too much time with getting my pictures and moving my bike. Mission accomplished I mount up and tell the Garmin to take me to see a train. I’m doing good on time so far, a few minutes ahead of my plan and hope to maintain that for the duration of my trip. Anytime you’re out for a long day it’s smart to bank a few minutes when possible because you may just need them later.
The Merci train cars were a thank you gift from the people of France to the people of the United States sent here in 1949 following a series of train cars sent to France in 1947 as part of a relief effort to help rebuild following World War 2. There were 49 of these 40 & 8 cars sent here, one for each of the then 48 states and 1 to be shared between Washington, D.C. and the territory of Hawaii. Something like 43 of these cars still exist. This one is located in Seaford, DE and is kept under a pavilion. This is yet another little piece of history I know I was never taught in school. I take my photos and a moment to eat some beef jerky then tell Garmin to locate the next flag mural in Hurlock, MD.
Last year riding in the Tour of Honor I’d visited this location. The flag murals were just introduce on TOH last year as a side ride. An artist painted 50 murals in 2015, one per state. They’re painted on either an American Legion post or a VFW and each is unique. These are a favorite side ride for me. He really captures a 3 dimensional effect in every one of them and it helps draw attention to the sites picked. Generally they’ve all been smaller or lesser visited locations and the flag murals seem to be helping rejuvenate them.
I’ll be needing to refuel soon so I figure somewhere between here and my next stop in Vienna, MD I’ll get gas. The fuel light stays on for a while and I ignore it until close to Salisbury, MD. At 230 miles in I hop off of Route 50 and refill. Drinking about half a bottle of water and eating some trail mix I record the mileage on my receipt and take a picture of it for my records. Since I plan on submitting this as an IBA ride I need to document this sort of stuff. Refueled and refreshed I’m off to Vienna. This will be a Love and Merci stop. I get points for spelling out LOVE using the first letter in town names and a post office is an easy way to prove it. I hit my first real sang with my fuel stop. Getting off of Route 50 is easy but when I try to reenter the Eastbound ramp is closed and I’ve to get on heading west to eh next exit then do a weird sot of U-turn to get where I need to go. Not a big deal, what’s 5 extra miles when you’re planning almost 1100.
Heading further south Berlin, MD is my next planned stop. By this time the sun is shining with few clouds and just the right amount of breeze blowing making this a near perfect riding day. I’ve never been through Berlin before and find it to be a very quaint town. I’ve recently seen it was picked as one of the most picturesque cities in MD and that a few movies have been filmed here. The memorial is at a park outside of town and it’s the anchor from a now decommissioned Navy vessel. Somehow I keep managing to not only stay on schedule but to actually be making time. I love it when a plan works!
Continuing southward I cross another state line into Virginia and roll the miles into Accomack and the VA7 memorial. Chris Comly, IBR finisher and FJR forum member Parrothead, is the sponsor for this state meaning he picked which memorials would be used for 2017 and he’s done a great job of mixing them up across the state and across the various types of memorial. This is on an old courthouse building and is a simple plaques alongside the entrance doorway. Problem is there are 2 plaques. Which one do I need? I’ve printed out and brought along the official photos from the TOH website but didn’t feel like walking back to the bike yet. I take pictures of both and figure I can just delete the unneeded shot later. I have to take another picture to show my bike in it because it’s a short walk to the building and you can’t ride up the sidewalk with all the sheriffs and deputies standing around.
Riding the rest of the way down the eastern shore I come to what will be one of my plan’s highlights, the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel Bridge. I’ve crossed this by bike once before, 2 years ago, after dark and heading the other direction. This time I can enjoy the views and marvel at this piece of construction. EZPass means I don’t need to stop for the toll either. I’ve adopted the Tyler method for this trip, a second camera on a lanyard so I can take pics while riding and it’s proving to be very worthwhile. I roll back onto solid ground in Virginia Beach and here must fight some traffic in the resort town until I can get free and continue on to Suffolk and memorial VA6.
The memorial is an old stone marker in a median strip at the entrance to a cemetery. I initially ride right past but realize I must have overlooked it. Turning around I note there are several markers so I stop and pull out the photos to verify which one I need. Questions answered I park and take my picture then direct the Garmin to get me to Jacksonville and begin the second longest stretch of the whole ride.
180ish miles and a fuel stop later I arrive. This memorial is another one of those truly breathtaking pieces of art. It’s fairly new dating to I believe 2016 and is really quite impressive. A wall of polished metal standing close to 8 feet tall with laser cut outs of first responders. It’s located in the corner of a church parking lot and the grounds keeping staff deserves big recognition for keeping the whole area just spotless. It’s gotten pretty warm and I take several extra minutes here and drink a full bottle of water and start a second. Beef jerky and trail mix are consumed too to keep up my energy. This is my furthest point from home and I only have one more memorial before heading back to my own home. I get a text from a friend asking if I want to go for a ride tomorrow. I laugh and respond explain where I’m at and what I’m doing. He wishes me well and suggests we’ll hook up another time.
I hoped to make Rocky Mount and the final memorial before I get fuel but the FJR is thirsty so it takes priority. I realize I could use some real fuel myself and I find a Sheetz location in Wilson, NC so I can handle both issues. Fuel up the bike and roll away from the pumps I go inside and order a burrito and something cold and slushy to drink. I’ve managed to get myself almost an hour ahead of my plan so I elect to use 30 minutes of it to chill and organize myself for the final push. Refueled, refreshed, and ready I push on to Rocky Mount and a memorial park honoring all branches of the service. I manage to pull in and get my photo almost 40 minutes sooner than my original estimate. I call home and tell Mona I’ll be heading north now and expect to be back in about 5 hours or so.
The rest of my journey is all slab. I-95 most of the way with only a fuel stop or maybe 2 and the likelihood of having to pull over and plug the Sena in to charge. The sun is now down and as I roll northward when the road clears I turn on my high beams. WTF? Something is not right my lights should be much brighter than this. Of course about the same time I get the “low battery, goodbye” message. Fredricksburg, VA is a good place to get fuel and I wonder if I can fix my light issue in a parking lot. Fueled up I pull over to a well-lit spot and check my lights. Everything is lit but when I go to high beams my Denali lights on the fork go high power but not the mirror mounted Clearwaters. I check the high beam trigger wire and it’s intact. I don’t want to pull any panels here if not absolutely necessary and knowing I’ll be slabbing it I decide the repairs can wait until I’m home and in my garage. Mona calls me again to tell me our area is in the midst of severe thunderstorms. I’ve got about 3 hours left to get home and about 6 hours to do it in. I’m hoping the storms blow out by the time I’m that close.
Rolling steadily northward I near Washington, D.C. and the Tysons Corner area. Garmin directs me to get on I-270 towards Rte. 15 north and I follow the commands. Traffic is again remarkably light and I’m able to consistently roll 10-15 over posted limits with traffic and not be too obvious. Things go smoothly until Fredrick, MD when the light show begins. Not my Clearwaters, but Mother Nature. I pullover under an overpass and put the liner in my mesh jacket. Back on the road it’s now a nice steady rain. I’m seeing lightning around me but far enough distant that I’m not too concerned. An occasional crack of thunder gets my attention but again it seems to be far enough away that I just keep rolling. Crossing back into my home state of PA I can feel the end coming soon. I pull back into the same gas station I left less than 21 hours ago and top off. My odometer reports 1089 miles while Garmin argues it was only 1060. Final receipt is marked and photographed and I go home to get a real shower without my rain gear.
Saturday morning after a few hours of sleep I upload my pictures to Tour of Honor noting it’s for a Saddlesore. In the garage I pull the panel off my fairing where I have the Clearwater switches and find the little “volume control” wires have walked loose. Plugging them together tightly I fire the bike up and find I’ve fixed my issue. A few inches of electrical tape for security means I shouldn’t have the problem again. I begin my IBA paperwork and Mona and my stepson sign the witness forms. Sunday I get confirmation from TOH scoring approving me and first thing Monday my paperwork went in the mail to the IBA. All in all a great smooth ride. Now to plan the next one…..
I’m fortunate enough to have Basecamp on my work PC and during lulls in the action and on lunch I can plan rides and rallies. Looking at the memorials for TOH and the train cars scattered in the northeast an idea began to form. It would be possible to create a route from my home in PA heading southeast through MD and DE, down the eastern shore of VA and into NC then turn west across NC ending up with a straight shot up I-95 to home. If I left out early in the morning I could have all my pictures taken during the daylight and end with a straight blast up the slab where forest rats would be less of a concern. I picked a weekend in June when Mona had to work and she and her son had plans for that night after work to attend a party that I had little interest in.
We all know what happens when we plan. Man plans, God laughs. A few days before my scheduled ride a friend called and asked if Mona and I would be available that weekend to come out to Johnstown, PA and help with some house repairs. We stay with them a couple times a year and have always said we’re willing to help out, just ask. Mona couldn’t because of work and her other commitment but I went and was glad to do so. Now to reschedule my ride.
Last week at work combined with some outside issues led to a level of stress that had me ready to snap. If I didn’t take day off of work and get out of the office I feared I’d lose my cool and possibly my job. Our salesman had finally pushed the wrong button one too many times. Wednesday I turned in a vacation card and left them know I was not coming in Friday. I normally never give my boss such short notice but he understood and wisely approved my request. Thursday evening was a flurry of prep work. A quick trip to the store for snacks I could eat from my tank bag, charging devices, and a quick glance over one of the most reliable machines ever made, my FJR.
Friday morning I’m up before my alarm. I heard my stepson get up for work and figured this is as good a time as any. I’d hoped to be on the bike between 5:00 and 5:30 so I was running right on schedule. A quick bowl of cereal, a banana, and I’m off. There’s a gas station less than a mile from the house with good receipts so that’s a no brainer for my start and finish location. My tank was still pretty full but a quick splash to top off and with a receipt time stamped at 5:17 I’m officially “on the clock”.
The first stops will be in Dover, DE and my route takes me on roads I’ve ridden more than a few times including only a week or two before. I’ve opted to take secondary roads for this part as I figure the traffic should be lighter here than on the interstates where I’d hit work traffic. My plan is working and with the exception of some early morning fog that will burn off as the sun comes up it’s pretty uneventful. I have 2 stops almost on top of each other. The DE3 memorial and a flag mural painted on the side of a Legion Post. As I’m following the Garmin towards the DE3 site I can see the flag mural marker on the GPS. Realizing now I’ll be riding right past it I adapt on the fly and reverse the order of my first 2 stops. AT the Legion Post I snap a picture of my bike with my Tour of Honor flag and also one of the Statue of Liberty in the front yard as they’re a side ride on TOH. The Love and Merci tour is also counting Statue of Liberty statues so I switch flags and take another picture. Back in the seat I roll the remaining 2 miles to DE3 and a Viet Nam memorial.
The site of this memorial is somewhat breathtaking. A full size Huey chopper on a pedestal and a series of markers to several conflicts. I snap the required pictures and spend a few extra minutes taking additional photos. All of the memorials picked for Tour of Honor are special in their own way. Some just pull at me a little harder than others. On the clock or not, the people these markers represent deserve our attention and a few minutes is a small price considering the price they’ve paid. Back in the saddle it’s a relatively short 35 miles to Georgetown, DE and my next stop DE4.
This memorial is something of a problem child. It’s on a roundabout in the middle of a busy road and I have to circle twice to find a way to park so that my bike will be in the picture. Pulling over, close to a parking spot but not really in one I know I shouldn’t waste too much time with getting my pictures and moving my bike. Mission accomplished I mount up and tell the Garmin to take me to see a train. I’m doing good on time so far, a few minutes ahead of my plan and hope to maintain that for the duration of my trip. Anytime you’re out for a long day it’s smart to bank a few minutes when possible because you may just need them later.
The Merci train cars were a thank you gift from the people of France to the people of the United States sent here in 1949 following a series of train cars sent to France in 1947 as part of a relief effort to help rebuild following World War 2. There were 49 of these 40 & 8 cars sent here, one for each of the then 48 states and 1 to be shared between Washington, D.C. and the territory of Hawaii. Something like 43 of these cars still exist. This one is located in Seaford, DE and is kept under a pavilion. This is yet another little piece of history I know I was never taught in school. I take my photos and a moment to eat some beef jerky then tell Garmin to locate the next flag mural in Hurlock, MD.
Last year riding in the Tour of Honor I’d visited this location. The flag murals were just introduce on TOH last year as a side ride. An artist painted 50 murals in 2015, one per state. They’re painted on either an American Legion post or a VFW and each is unique. These are a favorite side ride for me. He really captures a 3 dimensional effect in every one of them and it helps draw attention to the sites picked. Generally they’ve all been smaller or lesser visited locations and the flag murals seem to be helping rejuvenate them.
I’ll be needing to refuel soon so I figure somewhere between here and my next stop in Vienna, MD I’ll get gas. The fuel light stays on for a while and I ignore it until close to Salisbury, MD. At 230 miles in I hop off of Route 50 and refill. Drinking about half a bottle of water and eating some trail mix I record the mileage on my receipt and take a picture of it for my records. Since I plan on submitting this as an IBA ride I need to document this sort of stuff. Refueled and refreshed I’m off to Vienna. This will be a Love and Merci stop. I get points for spelling out LOVE using the first letter in town names and a post office is an easy way to prove it. I hit my first real sang with my fuel stop. Getting off of Route 50 is easy but when I try to reenter the Eastbound ramp is closed and I’ve to get on heading west to eh next exit then do a weird sot of U-turn to get where I need to go. Not a big deal, what’s 5 extra miles when you’re planning almost 1100.
Heading further south Berlin, MD is my next planned stop. By this time the sun is shining with few clouds and just the right amount of breeze blowing making this a near perfect riding day. I’ve never been through Berlin before and find it to be a very quaint town. I’ve recently seen it was picked as one of the most picturesque cities in MD and that a few movies have been filmed here. The memorial is at a park outside of town and it’s the anchor from a now decommissioned Navy vessel. Somehow I keep managing to not only stay on schedule but to actually be making time. I love it when a plan works!
Continuing southward I cross another state line into Virginia and roll the miles into Accomack and the VA7 memorial. Chris Comly, IBR finisher and FJR forum member Parrothead, is the sponsor for this state meaning he picked which memorials would be used for 2017 and he’s done a great job of mixing them up across the state and across the various types of memorial. This is on an old courthouse building and is a simple plaques alongside the entrance doorway. Problem is there are 2 plaques. Which one do I need? I’ve printed out and brought along the official photos from the TOH website but didn’t feel like walking back to the bike yet. I take pictures of both and figure I can just delete the unneeded shot later. I have to take another picture to show my bike in it because it’s a short walk to the building and you can’t ride up the sidewalk with all the sheriffs and deputies standing around.
Riding the rest of the way down the eastern shore I come to what will be one of my plan’s highlights, the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel Bridge. I’ve crossed this by bike once before, 2 years ago, after dark and heading the other direction. This time I can enjoy the views and marvel at this piece of construction. EZPass means I don’t need to stop for the toll either. I’ve adopted the Tyler method for this trip, a second camera on a lanyard so I can take pics while riding and it’s proving to be very worthwhile. I roll back onto solid ground in Virginia Beach and here must fight some traffic in the resort town until I can get free and continue on to Suffolk and memorial VA6.
The memorial is an old stone marker in a median strip at the entrance to a cemetery. I initially ride right past but realize I must have overlooked it. Turning around I note there are several markers so I stop and pull out the photos to verify which one I need. Questions answered I park and take my picture then direct the Garmin to get me to Jacksonville and begin the second longest stretch of the whole ride.
180ish miles and a fuel stop later I arrive. This memorial is another one of those truly breathtaking pieces of art. It’s fairly new dating to I believe 2016 and is really quite impressive. A wall of polished metal standing close to 8 feet tall with laser cut outs of first responders. It’s located in the corner of a church parking lot and the grounds keeping staff deserves big recognition for keeping the whole area just spotless. It’s gotten pretty warm and I take several extra minutes here and drink a full bottle of water and start a second. Beef jerky and trail mix are consumed too to keep up my energy. This is my furthest point from home and I only have one more memorial before heading back to my own home. I get a text from a friend asking if I want to go for a ride tomorrow. I laugh and respond explain where I’m at and what I’m doing. He wishes me well and suggests we’ll hook up another time.
I hoped to make Rocky Mount and the final memorial before I get fuel but the FJR is thirsty so it takes priority. I realize I could use some real fuel myself and I find a Sheetz location in Wilson, NC so I can handle both issues. Fuel up the bike and roll away from the pumps I go inside and order a burrito and something cold and slushy to drink. I’ve managed to get myself almost an hour ahead of my plan so I elect to use 30 minutes of it to chill and organize myself for the final push. Refueled, refreshed, and ready I push on to Rocky Mount and a memorial park honoring all branches of the service. I manage to pull in and get my photo almost 40 minutes sooner than my original estimate. I call home and tell Mona I’ll be heading north now and expect to be back in about 5 hours or so.
The rest of my journey is all slab. I-95 most of the way with only a fuel stop or maybe 2 and the likelihood of having to pull over and plug the Sena in to charge. The sun is now down and as I roll northward when the road clears I turn on my high beams. WTF? Something is not right my lights should be much brighter than this. Of course about the same time I get the “low battery, goodbye” message. Fredricksburg, VA is a good place to get fuel and I wonder if I can fix my light issue in a parking lot. Fueled up I pull over to a well-lit spot and check my lights. Everything is lit but when I go to high beams my Denali lights on the fork go high power but not the mirror mounted Clearwaters. I check the high beam trigger wire and it’s intact. I don’t want to pull any panels here if not absolutely necessary and knowing I’ll be slabbing it I decide the repairs can wait until I’m home and in my garage. Mona calls me again to tell me our area is in the midst of severe thunderstorms. I’ve got about 3 hours left to get home and about 6 hours to do it in. I’m hoping the storms blow out by the time I’m that close.
Rolling steadily northward I near Washington, D.C. and the Tysons Corner area. Garmin directs me to get on I-270 towards Rte. 15 north and I follow the commands. Traffic is again remarkably light and I’m able to consistently roll 10-15 over posted limits with traffic and not be too obvious. Things go smoothly until Fredrick, MD when the light show begins. Not my Clearwaters, but Mother Nature. I pullover under an overpass and put the liner in my mesh jacket. Back on the road it’s now a nice steady rain. I’m seeing lightning around me but far enough distant that I’m not too concerned. An occasional crack of thunder gets my attention but again it seems to be far enough away that I just keep rolling. Crossing back into my home state of PA I can feel the end coming soon. I pull back into the same gas station I left less than 21 hours ago and top off. My odometer reports 1089 miles while Garmin argues it was only 1060. Final receipt is marked and photographed and I go home to get a real shower without my rain gear.
Saturday morning after a few hours of sleep I upload my pictures to Tour of Honor noting it’s for a Saddlesore. In the garage I pull the panel off my fairing where I have the Clearwater switches and find the little “volume control” wires have walked loose. Plugging them together tightly I fire the bike up and find I’ve fixed my issue. A few inches of electrical tape for security means I shouldn’t have the problem again. I begin my IBA paperwork and Mona and my stepson sign the witness forms. Sunday I get confirmation from TOH scoring approving me and first thing Monday my paperwork went in the mail to the IBA. All in all a great smooth ride. Now to plan the next one…..
