Sorry for the tardy reply. I got home on August 7 and the next day got very sick. 102 fever for 6 days. I tested neg for covid but really wondering if I was one of the many false negatives they say is common for the first couple days after initial symtoms. And just now starting to get back to normal and catching up at work.
Leg 1 was Oregon to Michigan. I took I84 to Irrigon, OR and then US 12 through Lewiston and over Lolo pas to Missoula MT. then I90 to I94 as far as Fargo ND. Then US10 and 210 to Deluth and M28 across the UP to the Macinaw bridge and south to Holland MI. 3 x 850 mile days.
Highlights of the trip south included my youngest brother deciding to join us last minute so we had all 4 of us, a moonburger for breakfast at Moonshine store in Martinsville Il, swiming in the Ohio river and and Mississippi river at the same time and camping out at Fort Defiance Park, breakfast at 51 Grill in Bardwell, KY. We got introduced to sliced tomatoes for breakfast. Shilo National Battlefield, dinner at the Farmhouse in Luca MS, my first ever southern home cooking. Riding the Natchez Trace parkway from Bay Springs Lake to the Meriwether Lewis memorial, dinner at the Fiesta Grill in Cowan TN, committing a felony by climbing the wall and letting ourselves into Point Park at Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Missionary ridge in Chattanooga, the Cherohala Skyway, riding the Dragon 3x, Camping at Deals Gap Resort and hanging around the campfire (and the shower), Foothills Parkway and Little River George and Fighting Creek Gap Rd (I think all are part of the Great Smoky Mountain NP and very scenic), the short hike to Laurel Falls was very crowded, US441 including the ride up to Clingman dome, Blue ridge Parkway, Lake Pawhatan Campground but we didn't swim in the Lake, getting a new tire put on my brothers bike at MR Motorcycles in Ashville, NC. We had to take the wheel off and while they mounted the new tire we went to breakfast at the nearby Waffle house. My older brother was tired of riding twisty roads like the Blueridge Parkway so we decided to nix anymore of the BRPW and headed for Cumberland Gap via back roads. I'm not sure the exact route but it included trail of the Lonesome Pine Road. Pinnacle Overlook was cool. And there was no one else there when we arrived. had the place to ourselves. That night we stayed at a motel in Corbin KY and hooked it for home on Thursday, cutting the trip one day short but avoiding sightseeing in the rain.
Not so great. The Dorena - Hickman ferry across the Mississippi river was shut down so we didn't get to pretend we were Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn but we did talk to a Cenex field hand not too far from crossing into Missouri and he told us they were not delivering fuel to the ferry and checked for us to verify it was shut down so at least we didn't ride all the way down there to find it shut down. Breakfast in Waterloo AL was a bust. May's, the only restaurant was closed for good so we ate a Pizza at the filling station convenience store. but after the trip I find out it was one of my little brother's favorite memories, that is just hanging around at the store and chatting with the locals. I would have preferred riding on up the trace a ways to Collinwood TN because I think we would have found a better place for breakfast. The Little Princess Cafe in Cherokee, NC was a disappointment. We should of rode a little further into town. The rain on I75 near Lexington KY because my older brother does not like riding in the rain and this caused a bit of an argument between us. And we got tired after 6 days of riding so we didn't do the BRPW from Ashville to Little Switzerland like I wanted to and did't go to the Ritner Swinging bridge or natural bridge near Slade, KY.
Leg 3 of my trip was Michigan back to Oregon. I did from my sisters house in Elkhart IN to Laramie WY on day 1. then to John Day OR on day 2. It was hot in Utah and Idaho, like 99 on my outdoor air temp gauge, so harder to do a second 1100 mile day. I sacked out in the NF east of John Day and in the morning it was 36 but US 26 in eastern OR is beautiful MC riding. All told, 22 states and 7600 miles.
I wish there was an easier way to post photos here. I'll have to work on putting some on photobucket.
