This morning Laura and I went to breakfast because she missed dinner because she was working last night earning her gambling money for Las Vegas. Chic Fillet breakfast was pretty good. Back to the house and everyone was frantically packing and making sure they had everything in the proper TSA containers to get on the airplane. Grandma is going to stay behind and help take care of the kids while the moms are out of town so she was there as well helping out. Time to go so we all headed out and had a snap shot at the bike before they left. We are missing one adult (Missy) and 5 kids to make the picture complete. Sorry Missy, next time we’ll take the picture before you leave – but it was dark last night.
I caught this old barn or whatever it is out of the corner of my eye at 65 mph on the way by and had to go back to take this shot. You see stuff like this all around down here but it’s difficult to get close enough to take a picture. I half expected the folks that live down the drive way that I’m parked on to come (shotgun in hand) and ask me if there was something they could to do to help me. With that bike it is very difficult to sneak up on someone. Anyway, it was a good shot in my (never to be humble) opinion and I’m glad I was able to get it. I think I re-defined circuitous route today. I was ALL OVER the place. Mostly trying to get into South Carolina so I could add it to my list of states I’ve been this time around. I can’t really blame it on my GPS but the guy that programs that thing could use some lessons!! I did have a good ride though. Worthy of note is that one of the roads I took today makes the road from Crescent City to Grants Pass look like the Autobahn!! But it all adds to the adventure and it was actually cool enough up there that I could have actually worn my jacket. I told myself that I wasn’t going to ride 10 hours today and I didn’t – I rode ten and a half. But the weather was so good, not hot, no rain, etc. that I just didn’t want to get off the bike. I did get back on the slab at the end of the day though because I just had to get out of South Carolina. Don’t get me wrong – I like South Carolina but on the back roads that I was on today I was….. let’s say…. out of my element. I really doubt that I would have been welcomed at the local dive bar – if ya know what I mean. So, I grabbed a fist full of throttle and made it up into North Carolina just west of Charlotte for the night. My bike loved being able to cruise at 70-80 vs. the 15 mph turns and slow overall speeds in the mountains, and – I ate up some miles that will make the ride to Yorktown, VA tomorrow a little shorter.