The Adventure Ends

Nothing very exciting to report today. I made some time and covered some miles today by riding the interstate down to Chattanooga Tennessee.  When I got off I covered some familiar ground and rode the Ocoee River  road and saw all the people rafting down the river. The rest of the route I have done a couple of dozen times so I didn't see anything new but it is a pretty area. About an hour from home I cruised on over to a couple of my favorite twisty mountain roads and headed for home.  So now my trip is over, I'm unpacked and it's almost time for Happy Hour.   Obviously not the smoothest of trips, but the major goals were accomplished. I got an extended day trip in, and I was able to spend a few days with my Mom. Overall, I had a good time.
Two final pictures.  The first is a Little Library that seems to be in the middle of nowhere. I'm a fan of the Little Library concept, and thought it was neat to see one sitting in a field.  I hope it is a big success.
The last photo is a tradition: one of my bike sitting in our driveway after a safe return.

Current location:  Seneca, SC
Today's mileage:  362
Total mileage:  3422

River Day

I started off today and was at the dealership right on time for my scheduled appointment. They got me in and out in a little over two hours and I was on my way by 11:20 am. Over the two hours I made new friends and they even gave me a free hat (of course free is relative when you consider BMW service rates).   I fought the traffic and hit the interstates to get out of St. Louis. Once clear of the area I headed to the back roads.  One thing I have learned when traveling cross  country is that you have to consider where you are going to cross major rivers at.  You can always cross on an interstate, but after that your choices thin out.  I located a crossing on the map and headed for it.  Whenever I see one of these older bridges I hope that they are better maintained than SC bridges. I crossed with no issues, and there on the other side to greet me was Popeye. Chester Illinois is the birthplace of the creator of Popeye and the town makes the best of it. I think there must be a city ordinance that says any sign or store name must have a reference to a Popeye character. Continuing on, my next challenge was to find a place to cross the Ohio River. I accomplished this, and I didn't even have to worry about a bridge. Although on close inspection of the ferry I'm not sure which was the greater risk.  After clearing St. Louis, today was a day of good weather and good roads.  It was just what I needed.  Originally, I was planning on being home yesterday. After my adventures, it looks like I should be home on Saturday. I have to admit, that the Siren Songs of home are calling me, so I will probably take a more direct route and bypass some back roads.  So just in case you are wondering, I'm loving the new bike.

Current location:  Clarksville, Tennessee ( In honor of Gwen and Phil)
Today's mileage:  376
Total mileage:  3060

This Is Better

So after two days of dealing with issues, I got to get back on the road again. It was a clear day with low temps, and good back roads.  The only hiccup, is that I am still breaking in the new engine so I have to be more aware of rpm and throttle position.  As I was cruising through a wind farm area, it suddenly dawned on me that what I was actually seeing was two types of farming coexisting.  I've been through theses areas before, but the thought never occurred to me. Maybe my slower speed gave me more time to think. When breaking in the engine, it is important to get a check up and have the break in oil changed around the 600 mile point. Some people can take over six months to reach this, I'm there after 16 hours.  I know there were more convenient places to head for, but I thought St. Louis seemed right, so I have an appointment at the dealership in the morning to have my service done. This will be my third and hopefully last dealership on this trip, but who knows, maybe I'll make some new friends.  Last photo today, is of another interesting looking courthouse.

Current location:  Breeze, Illinois
Today's mileage:  487
Total mileage:  2684

Oh Well

As with all adventures, you have to keep soldiering on and hope that you are making the right decisions.  Something I didn't mention yesterday, was that once I got my bike back home, I knew that I would never feel comfortable until I got a new wheel put on. The problem, is that even though I was ready for that, you cannot find a new wheel.  I mean you can't find one anywhere in the States, Germany, Europe, in the BMW supply chain or even under your Christmas tree.  If you search for a used one, there is exactly one to be found, and it is in England with a three week delivery time. So I did the thing that any logical male would do, I bought  a new motorcycle.  It looks just like the old one, only four years newer with 56,000 less miles on it.  As part of the deal, I wanted some things from my old bike put on the new bike (engine guards, bar risers, custom seat, and radio antenna).  This took awhile, so I didn't get on the road until three PM.  Even though I tried to stay out of Chicago area traffic, I didn't get very far today. But the good news is that I am now out of the area and should be able to get Farther  along tomorrow.  One thing about this trip, I'm starting to make friends at BMW dealerships in a lot of places. Today's photos are of my new bike, and some of my new friends.

Current location:  Pontiac, Illinois
Today's mileage:  143
Total mileage:  2197