48 States in 27 Days at Age 84

[Calimusjohn]

I'm an 84-year-old ADV relic and just completed a 9,391-mile ride on my 2022 Sea to Sky that touched all 48 states. If readers are curious, I will submit a day-to-day ride report. I cover routes, weather, costs, and observations. Is anyone interested?
John

[Peter Aawen]

.... Is anyone interested?
John

Sure am! :thumbup:

[Scotts8826]

I would love to hear about your adventure!

[ARtraveler]

Absolutely, positively, please submit your day by day adventure. We are all looking forward to seeing your ride across the country. :2thumbs: :firstplace: :yes:

[Bangorbob]

:2thumbs: Oh Ya!! Please.

[EdMat]

It's not complete till the paperwork's done! :D

Would love to hear about it. :congrats: :2thumbs:

[troop]

Yes please

[Isopedella]

Awesome :clap:

Yep I would be very interested in your journey and comments.

[BamaJohn]

+1 to hear your tales....

[baxter]

Your resume is quite interesting.

[StalkyTracker]

Ditto.

[Deanna777]

Yes, would love to hear your ride report.

Deanna

[Partzman23]

Yes please do give us the details on your adventures!
:clap: :ohyea:

[Calimusjohn]

SPYDER TOUR
Day 1
It’s been three weeks since I finished six hundred miles of riding on a jet ski, so I’m taking a quickie motorcycle tour.

September 18, 2023
I left my Tennessee home at 8:00 a.m. surrounded by thick fog. The thermometer read 59 degrees. Five miles down the road, I stopped and inserted a liner in my jacket. The heated handgrips and seat didn’t warm my core. I shivered.
Oakridge, the birthplace of the uranium processing facility for the first atomic bomb, hid in the fog. I stuck to back roads as I worked my way east to Harrogate, Tennessee. I spotted the entrance to Lincoln Memorial College, then jumped the border into Kentucky, passed through the impressive Cumberland Gap Tunnel and squiggled my way along the Cumberland Valley. The “Kingdom Come” highway is a marvel of engineering. Mountains were drilled and dynamited away until a four-lane highway could carry travelers east and west.
Towns and hamlets abound in eastern Kentucky and West Virginia. They hunker in the bottom of hollers and valleys next to creeks and rivers. The width of each town is restricted by the width of the valley. The urban areas average two or three streets wide and a bit less than a half-mile long.
The roads follow the waterways as they squirm their way toward the sea. There are no straight roads, railways, or rivers in the Appalachians.
Lunch consisted of a less-than-memorable burrito. Dinner came from KFC. My bed is located at the Economy Inn in Bluefield, West Virginia.
Expenses:
Breakfast: at home
Lunch: $ 7.00
Dinner: $ 12.83
Motel: $ 71.00
Gasoline: $ 47.90
Day’s Total: $138.73
Miles ridden: 352

[Little Blue]

:coffee:....Thanks for your post up on your trip.
I will enjoy reading all of your trip information.
Any chance you have pictures of the grand event. This should be good read.

Stay Healthy and be Safe. ....:thumbup:

[safecracker]

Amazing ryde. Keep us posted. Bruce

[Valkrocket]

You just set the bar a little bit higher for the rest of us Spyder riders. I look forward to your complete write up.

[baxter]

very well written and documented.

[Calimusjohn]

This introduction should have preceded the Day 1 report. But like many aspects of life, “The best-laid schemes of mice and men often go awry.” Robert Burns, To a mouse.
My bucket list showed that I had not visited the forty-eight contiguous states on one motorcycle ride. On September 18, 2023, I left home in Kingston, Tennessee to rectify the omission.
My ride was a 2022 Can-Am Sea to Sky Spyder. I chose a reverse trike over my other two-wheelers for several reasons. The most obvious is that I can no longer pick up a Goldwing or a big BMW when they decide to take dirt naps. An advantage of the Spyder is that it has lots of luggage space, heated seats, and hand grips.
Not having to put my feet down at stop signs and traffic lights was a bonus.
One drawback is that the machine doesn’t lean in corners. It always sits upright. It steers like a snowmobile or a jet ski. It has power steering but requires more arm and shoulder movements than a conventional motorcycle.
I added a Garmin Zumo GPS unit that easily interacts with my iPhone and helmet communications system. The Zumo led me from point to point, to remote gas stations, small cafes located off the beaten path, mom and pop motels, and major lodgings. It’s great.
The iPhone’s downloaded music lists provided hours of entertainment. The Spyder’s built-in radio requires a nine-year-old technician to reprogram it as you move from one geographical area to the next. BRP missed the boat on its programming of radio and other apps.
So much for the basics. Tomorrow we ride.

Photographs? No. The only photos I took were the "Welcome to State's name," to prove I was there. Other riders have posted pictures far better than I've ever taken. The pictures slipped into my brainbox are sufficient memories.

[Isopedella]

You are not alone with "requires a nine-year-old technician to reprogram".
I grab the kid from next door now and again.
I supply some Cookie Tax, and he goes click, click, hmm, click. There ya go - all sorted.

[Calimusjohn]

SPYDER TOUR – Day 2
Weather: Foggy morning, 54 degrees to 77 degrees, sunny most of day.
Awakened at 6:00 a.m. in Bluefield, West Virginia. Humidity was 100% in pea soup thick fog. Rode for two hours without seeing anything but taillights.
Eventually, Virginia revealed herself as a series of verdant rolling hills. Cattle dotted hillsides. The temperature rose to the mid-seventies. Great riding weather. I stuck to four-lane expressways. The traffic was light and amazingly polite. The road surface was excellent. No potholes.
Traffic thickened as I approached Washington D.C. Drivers became less polite. Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey traffic were elbow to armpit thick. No one gave an inch of space to anyone else.
Motels had no vacancies. Managers could not explain where all the people came from.
I ended up in a fleabag motel in Thorofare, New Jersey. The TV has one channel. No sound. The programing was XXX rated. The program directors saved loads of money on buying/renting costumes . . . they just went au naturel. The mirrored headboard should have been a clue. The mirror on the ceiling . . . maybe.
There was no wi-fi.
The nearby Chinese restaurant provided tasty food.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 21.38
Lunch: skipped
Dinner: $ 15.00
Gas: $ 61.78
Misc: $ 0.00
Motel $ 83.00
Days Total: $181.16 Total on trip: $ 319.89
Today’s miles: 500 Total miles: 852

[Calimusjohn]

SPYDER TOUR
Day 3
I slept well in Thorofare, New Jersey.
Awakened to a clear sunny day. Temps varied from 60 – 77. I tried driving turnpikes, but don’t have an EasyPass to sail through New Jersey, or New York, toll gates. They don’t take cash. There were no toll takers in any booth . . . so, I waved and rode onward. Never paid. Hmm.
I swapped lies with a man and wife from Cebu, Philippine Islands. They admired my bike. I envied their being on a round-the-world trip.
A retired colonel―paratrooper in the Israeli Defense Force introduced himself. He’s 74 and made 54 jumps, 24 at night. Tough cookie.
Today’s ride was terrible. Heavy traffic. Road construction. Accidents. I rode at speeds ranging from zero to twenty for four straight hours. A madhouse. Roads in New York feature potholes you could rappel into.
The 19 toll road miles ridden across New Hampshire were delightful, except for the one tiny tar-strip bump.
Breakfast: $ 10.00
Lunch: $ 12.00
Dinner: $ 32.00 Fish & chips
Misc: $ 2.00 New Hampshire toll road
Motel $130.00 Radison /Wyndham Motel
Day’s costs $247.50 Trip Total $567.39
Miles today: 400 Trip Total: 1,252
Ended the day in Kittery, Maine. The town feels like a tourist trap.

[Calimusjohn]

SPYDER TOUR
Day 4
I awakened in Kittery, Maine. Which was good. That’s where I went to sleep. For breakfast, I ate the cardboard-style waffle featured in most upscale motels. Swapped stories with a man from Park City, Utah. He is visiting all fifty states to see and identify fifty birds in each state. It may take a while.
Another sunny day with the temperature at 64 degrees started the ride. The temperature then dropped to the mid-fifties. I stopped, added a sweatshirt and rain pants to combat the cold wind created when traveling at 70 mph.
Before this ride, I had not ridden a motorcycle in Maryland, Delaware, New Hampshire, or Vermont. They’re now checked off on my Bucket List.
Vermont proved a treat. Well-paved roads topped hills that think they are mountains, swooped through verdant valleys, skirted bogs that undoubtedly harbored a moose or a moosette. Cattails in ditches looked like exclamation points. Pines fought for space with deciduous trees sporting fall’s rainbow colors. Rock-bottomed creeks and rivers flowed into pristine lakes.
Quaint towns, villages, and hamlets featured hundred-plus-year-old houses with front porch swings and Adirondack chairs. Interesting to me, I saw no dogs, horses, or cows. I saw one raven atop a lightning-struck tree.
I ended the day in Utica, New York.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 0.00 Motel fare, waffle
Lunch: $ 33.00 ( Keene, VT golf course clubhouse established in 1897.)
Dinner $ 33.67 (Delmonico’s Restaurant in Utica, NY)
Misc. $ 0.00
Gas: $ 47.75
Motel: $153.50 (Best Western)
Day’s Total: $267.92 Trip Total: $835.31
Today’s Miles: 283 Trip Total: 1,535

[Calimusjohn]

SPYDER TOUR
Day 5
Utica greeted me with morning 50-degree fog. I put on my warmest clothes and headed west. A hundred miles down the road, I stopped to purchase gasoline. Imagine my dismay on discovering that the credit card I used the previous evening at Delmonico’s Restaurant was not in my wallet.
Drat, and double drat!
I telephoned my bank and cancelled the card. The bank confirmed there were no unexplained purchases. I have a debit card and a bit of cash. Three restaurants on this trip have only accepted cash. No plastic. Hmm. ATM machines can save me.
I admit the images of the ride through western New York and Pennsylvania are mostly blurs. My mind refused to get off the “What ifs?”. Punctuating the last sentence stumped me.
I stopped in Elyria, Ohio. The thermometer on the dashboard read 86 degrees. It explained why I dripped sweat. I still had on a helmet, gauntlet gloves, levis covered by rain pants, a t-shirt, sweatshirt, the winter jacket liner, and a windproof canvas jacket. Mental distractions . . . whew!
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 0.00 Motel fare . . . waffle, yogurt, coffee
Lunch: $ 12.00 Whopper/fries
Dinner: $ 36.81 catfish, mushy green beans, slaw, peach cobbler
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 59.50
Motel: $ 87.00
Day’s total: $180.31 Trip total: $1,018.62
Day’s miles: 420 Trip Total: 1,955

[Br549rick]

yes please

[Garland417]

I am definitely interested in hearing your journey. Many Thanks !!!!

[BamaJohn]

I'm an 84-year-old ADV relic and just completed a 9,391-mile ride on my 2022 Sea to Sky that touched all 48 states. If readers are curious, I will submit a day-to-day ride report. I cover routes, weather, costs, and observations. Is anyone interested?
John

I'm keeping up with, and enjoying, your posts and want to tell you that you're an inspiration to me. I'm 80, and you make me think there are a few more years of keeping my "knees in the breeze". Oh, and I like your style of succinct, efficient writing. jb

[blacklightning]

Thank you so much for doing this. I am a bit younger (57), but I am planning a similar trip that should take 6-8 weeks. My goal is to do this before age 60. As of right now I am looking at doing this in 2025. I will definitely be tagging along on your ride and ride report. Thanks again.

[Calimusjohn]

Garland417 & Bamajohn,
Thanks for the feedback. I can see that folks have peeked at this thread, but wasn't sure anyone cared for its content.
With that out of the way, here is another episode of "Spyder Tour."

SPYDER TOUR
Day 6
No fog! 59 to 80 degrees, sunny day.
The motel clerk in Elyria, Ohio, promised they had a great internet connection. I’m sure they do – when it operates. At least the TV had more than one channel. The motel offered yogurt and a bagel for breakfast.
Forests disappeared as I crossed Ohio from east to west. Agricultural fields or huge industrial complexes replaced the trees.
I deviated from the Ohio Turnpike and snuck into Michigan. Six miles later, the town of Sturgis appeared. It’s unlike Sturgis, South Dakota. No 600,000 motorcyclists jammed the streets. Women wore clothing. T-shirt hucksters hid their products inside stores. Police officers smiled as I rode by.
Indiana greeted me with bands of trees and large fields of corn. If you dislike large motorhomes driven by old geezers lacking driving skills, blame Elkhart, Indiana. Thousands of motorhomes are built there.
I can now say with complete accuracy that, “When I was younger, I studied at Notre Dame in South Bend.” I’ll leave out the part where I sat in a parking lot and studied a roadmap, plotting my next course of action.
At noon, I arrived at my cousin’s home in Valparaiso, Indiana. I’d called ahead. No one was home. Doors locked. Shades drawn. They’d escaped. I peed on a backyard tree.
My relatives returned as I studied their home’s security system. They let me in and assigned a bedroom for my exclusive use. Bruce said, “You can stay as long as you like.” I changed my mailing address. It’s fall. Winter is coming. Free is good!
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 8.14 Supplemental Subway sandwich to the motel’s yogurt.
Lunch: $ 0.00 Bruce (cousin) treated me to a free lunch.
Dinner: $ 0.00 Brent (cousin) bought pizza and huge salad.
Misc: $ 17.80 Toll Road fees.
Gas: $ 40.58
Motel: $ 0.00
Day’s total: $ 66.02 Trip Total: $1,084.64
Day’s miles: 260 Trip Total: 1,305

[Calimusjohn]

Blacklightning,
Hi, you snuck in a comment while I was typing! Planning ahead is good, but don't let the trip slip away while planning. Time passes too quickly.
I planned on participating in the 2022 Tennessee River 600 tour. I missed the deadline for signing up and had to wait until 2023. For anyone that likes riding jetskis, I highly recommend the TN600. The tour has a website that gives all the information.
(Tennesseeriver600.com)

[pegasus1300]

I really like your writting style. Thank you so much for putting this together. When we are done here I think I would like to read about a 600 mile Jetski trip.If you feel so inclined.

[Calimusjohn]

SPYDER TOUR
Day 7
A day of rest.
The family attended church services.
I brought my records up to date and studied maps to determine the best route.

Expenses:
Day’s total: $ 0.00 Trip Total: $1,084.64
Day’s miles: 0 Trip Total: 1,305

[Calimusjohn]

SPYDER TOUR
Day 8
Morning led to a reluctant departure from my cousin’s home, its camaraderie and (chuckle) free amenities.
Five miles after leaving, it began to rain. Nickle-sized blobs of water splatted me for five miles. Then the sun popped out from behind the clouds. I unclenched my teeth. Three piddling sprinkles pitter-patted me during the day.
Transiting the Chicago urban area has always been difficult. Today was different. Heavy traffic moved quickly. No crazies created chaos in their wake. No drivers weaved around cars and semi-trucks attempting to reach a crash-site faster than anyone else. A pleasant ride was a pleasant surprise.
Rural northwestern Illinois holds a series of rolling hills, mile-square corn fields, and large farmhouses. Areas seen from strategic lookout spots deserve photographs to be placed on expensive calendars or shared on 1,000-piece picture puzzles.
Note: Illinois toll roads have no attendants at toll booths. No instructions are posted on where to acquire an EZ Pass, or how to “Pay Online.”
At the Iowa state line, there is no toll booth. Apparently, if you don’t exit the toll road in Illinois, a driver need not pay. It’s weird. I found myself in mid-Iowa, free. Free at last.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 0.00
Lunch: $ 11.19 Atlantic cod sandwich at Culver’s.
Dinner: $ 16.71 Pasta
Misc: $ 1.70 Indiana toll road fee.
Gas: $ 35.05
Motel: $ 84.67
Day’s Total: $149.31 Trip Total: $1,233.95
Day’s miles: 230 Trip Total: 1,535

[Calimusjohn]

Pegasus1300,
I just started a thread in "Off Topic" - Titled: "I did the 2023 Tennessee River 600 Jetski Tour!" It will tell my version of the ride. The ride is a hoot.

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?157112-I-did-the-2023-Tennessee-River-600-Jetski-Tour!

[BCNewell]

Great read!! Excellent writing. The math, though, not so much. Methinks your miles after day 8 should be 2,445 ... :thumbup:

[Calimusjohn]

SPYDER TOUR
Day 9
The motel clerk informed me that I was in Dyersville, Iowa. It’s always nice to learn where I’ve slept. The day’s ride consisted of rain, fog, rain, fog, more rain, and cold winds. It was not the greatest of conditions.
I visited the Spam Museum in Austin. Checked it off the Bucket List.
And THEN!
I approached Minneapolis at 70 mph in lane two of six. Traffic in lanes five and six had stopped awaiting clearance to exit. A black car passed me on the left traveling at 85 mph. A white car passed me on the right at 85 mph. The two drivers decided to switch into lane number two―simultaneously.
They slammed into one another 100 feet in front of me. I started maximum braking.
The black car ricocheted and spun left into the highway’s cement divider wall. The rear bumper assembly, a fender and the rear window broke loose and scattered across the roadway. The car continued to spin in the safety lane, lane number one, and finally stopped in lane two.
The white car bounced and spun into the line of cars stopped in lane five, continued to spin and crash into five vehicles before coming to a stop lying on its side in lane three. Automobile parts flew everywhere. Cars struck in lane five slid sideways into other vehicles in lane six.
Meanwhile, I zigzagged through the debris field. I avoided striking anything. I can’t imagine a more exciting ten seconds.
I escaped Minneapolis and stopped in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 5.02
Lunch: $ 17.97
Dinner: $ 28.08
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 56.40
Motel: $118.00
Day’s Cost: $225.47 Trip Total: $1,459.42
Day’s miles: 380 Trip Total: 1,915

[Isopedella]

Enjoying this read.
Crikey...two drivers decided to switch into lane number two―simultaneously. ....
:yikes: Ye Ha! Talk about yum yum..whew moments. Onya.

[EdMat]

SPYDER TOUR
Day 9
Meanwhile, I zigzagged through the debris field. I avoided striking anything. I can’t imagine a more exciting ten seconds.


That's where front and rear dash cams are worth way more than you pay for them. Nice job navigating the debris field. :2thumbs:

[dtemple427]

Please keep posting. I am savoring every word as I haven't even been on a Spyder yet. I am looking forward to taking the safety class in December before we purchase one and start our next adventures.

[hut1]

After that incident, I would think that one of the expenses for Day 9 would be for clean shorts! :yikes:

[BamaJohn]

SPYDER TOUR
Day 9
The motel clerk informed me that I was in Dyersville, Iowa. It’s always nice to learn where I’ve slept. The day’s ride consisted of rain, fog, rain, fog, more rain, and cold winds. It was not the greatest of conditions.
I visited the Spam Museum in Austin. Checked it off the Bucket List.
And THEN!
I approached Minneapolis at 70 mph in lane two of six. Traffic in lanes five and six had stopped awaiting clearance to exit. A black car passed me on the left traveling at 85 mph. A white car passed me on the right at 85 mph. The two drivers decided to switch into lane number two―simultaneously.
They slammed into one another 100 feet in front of me. I started maximum braking.
The black car ricocheted and spun left into the highway’s cement divider wall. The rear bumper assembly, a fender and the rear window broke loose and scattered across the roadway. The car continued to spin in the safety lane, lane number one, and finally stopped in lane two.
The white car bounced and spun into the line of cars stopped in lane five, continued to spin and crash into five vehicles before coming to a stop lying on its side in lane three. Automobile parts flew everywhere. Cars struck in lane five slid sideways into other vehicles in lane six.
Meanwhile, I zigzagged through the debris field. I avoided striking anything. I can’t imagine a more exciting ten seconds.
I escaped Minneapolis and stopped in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 5.02
Lunch: $ 17.97
Dinner: $ 28.08
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 56.40
Motel: $118.00
Day’s Cost: $225.47 Trip Total: $1,459.42
Day’s miles: 380 Trip Total: 1,915

Holy Cow Batman! Glad you made it unscathed....physically!

[blacklightning]

Day number 9 seems to be the most exciting so far. Glad you made it out unharmed. This is awesome! Keep it coming.
PS, if this entire trip is a prank and you are making it all up, please don't tell us, just write a novel and we will buy it. Lol!

[Calimusjohn]

I assure you that this ride report is as close to the truth as I am capable of. The traffic incident is the closest I've ever come to being killed. Car parts literally flew over my head. I would have gone down on a two-wheeler - wet pavement - hard braking - swerving - ABS and stability systems help but there is a point where physics take over. Okay, enough of the "what-ifs" and concentrating on one single incident. Here is another installment.

SPYDER TOUR
Day 10
I began the day in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The thermometer read 64 degrees. Dry. Breezy.
Western Minnesota looks like the eastern part. Rolling hills with huge shorn fields have lines of trees acting as windbreaks.
North Dakota struck me as being flat. I know there are hills and valleys, but it’s mostly flat. The air was restless and moved rapidly from one location to another―at right angles to my path westward. I ate lunch in Fargo.
I turned southbound and discovered South Dakota. It looks like North Dakota but has more hills. Sunflowers filled fields larger than huge. The fields stretch from horizon to horizon. Gas stations are not found on every corner. Stretches of highway without cell coverage, no houses, and no people abound.
The wind in Minnesota was stiff. It grew from irritating and mean to downright brutal in the Dakotas. A crosswind of 25 - 30 mph gusting to 50 mph requires constant adjustment to the handlebars. When an 18-wheeler passes in the other direction, the bike shudders and bounces sideways. At day’s end, in Mobridge, South Dakota, my arms are noodles.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 0.00 Motel waffle and yogurt
Lunch: $ 11.50 Apple pie, ice cream, coffee
Dinner: $ 25.00 Chicken fried steak.
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 57.55
Motel: $ 81.75
Day’s Cost: $175.80 Trip Total: $1,716.97
Day’s miles: 457 Trip Total: 3,372

[Calimusjohn]

SPYDER TOUR
Day 11
The motel in Mobridge, South Dakota, had the greatest shower. It pulsed hot water at about 50 psi. The water massage eased aching muscles.
A police officer at a gas station told me where to get the best breakfast. He was correct.
The road west rolled past fields of sunflowers, hay, and thousands of cattle. Mother Nature had a bag of wind left over from yesterday. She loosened the drawstring, and the angry contents came out fighting. Trucks, autos, and my motorcycle weaved in our traffic lanes as we battled the blustery wind.
At the Wyoming state line, the wind gave up the battle. Calm prevailed. I-90 allows speeds of eighty mph. At 80, I skirted the town of Sundance. The terrain has the appearance of a golf course for giants. Sand bunkers and water ponds as hazards nestle in verdant valleys abutted by miniature mountains covered by fir trees. Dogleg canyons might lead to hidden greens.
A few miles later, the trees thinned, and antelopes pranced across grass-covered hillsides. Oil well arms saluted as I passed. Hills became foothills as snow-capped mountains came into view.
A side note about yesterday: My dad always watched The Lawrence Welk Show on TV. In his honor, I uttered, “A one anna two.” as I passed Larry’s birthplace.
A note about Iowa: It’s no wonder that Iowans love politicians and their rhetoric. Most of the time they are surrounded by corn, corn, and more corn. Listening to the corn grow gets boring.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 15.00 Ham, eggs, hash browns, toast, coffee
Lunch: $ 0.00 Skipped it
Dinner: $ 22.00 Cod & French fries - - - again
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 68.25
Motel: $101.00
Day’s Cost: $206.25 Trip Total: $1,923.22
Day’s miles: 420 Trip Total: 3,792

[troop]

Yeah .. I can vouch for the South Dakota winds. With Sturgis being an annual event for me, traveling almost the full I90 length at 80mph can be quite challenging, especially west of Chamberlain.

[BamaJohn]

+1 on the corn comment......:popcorn:

still loving your narratives!

[baxter]

Here I thought I was the only one that stopped at the Spam museum. Will vouch for the wind in South Dakota, last time there winds were gusting to 50+ and were cross winds . Not fun riding in.

[blacklightning]

Wonderful write up! Keep it coming. I do have one question (I might have missed the comment earlier). For the hotels, did you have reservations in advance, or did you just make a seat of the pants decision on where to stop and found a hotel in that town? That is the one things I would be concerned about.

[baxter]

In all my bike travels and you can tell by my traveled state maps, I did not have reservations but when I rode to Northern Canada, Alaska, and Newfoundland due to little lodging availability. One can find a suitable place to stay especially if you get in by early evening. Gets a little hairy when certain events are going on in the area that you are traveling and in a remote area than a larger city.

[al0vely]

Enjoying the read … looking forward to day 12 and beyond from here.

[Little Blue]

:coffee:...I have enjoyed reading all your posts. Looking forward to read the next 15 days of the 'Great Adventure'.
Definitely need to turn this story into a book or something.

I am glad you got it done and safely back home.
Stay Healthy and Enjoy Life. ....:thumbup:

[Calimusjohn]

I do not make reservations. My travel day depends on the existing and forecasted weather, traffic conditions, detours, distractions, my physical limitations. and availability of motels. In Alaska, I'd stop in the early afternoon to ensure I had a place to bed down. In Tok, I slept in a rented ambulance. Just north of Denali Park, I spent two days in a pickup truck slide-in camper. In the West, towns may be far apart and require the same approach. On the east coast, towns seem to overlap and I found motel rooms as late as 8:00 p.m. In Mexico, I never had a problem finding a place to stay. Facilities ranged from 5-star to O.M.G! primitive. Traveling is an adventure. Too much planning reduces the fun.

SPYDER TOUR
Day 12
A clear sky greeted me this morning in Sheridan, Wyoming. The thermometer read 48 degrees. The traffic on I-90 consisted of―me. I saw no other vehicles for the first 50 miles. I enjoyed the solitude. An agoraphobic would not enjoy Wyoming, or Montana. Hmm, on second thought, or most of the west!
The terrain slowly changed from rolling grass covered hills to occasional rock outcroppings and steeper gradients. Hills grew and became foothills which graduated into real live mountains. The temperature initially rose as the sun did its thing. The increase in altitude lowered it. Drat! I chilled.
For the past several days I’ve breathed invisible air. Billings, Montana, provided visible air with the added attraction of a petroleum-based stench. I traveled miles from the source before the hairs in my nose stopped quivering.
I’m now in Butte, Montana, on the western side of the Continental Divide following the waters flowing to the Pacific.
The weather forecasters report that tomorrow’s temperature will start at 40 and barely rise. Oy vey! It’s time to head south and warmer climes.
Note: IMHO a trip to see The Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument would alone, justify a visit to Montana. Native Americans and Custer’s soldiers are shown equal respect. It’s . . . inspiring . . . humbling . . . sobering.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 0.00 Motel fare at Best Western – omelet, fresh fruit!
Lunch: $ 7.75 Greasy taco - yucky
Dinner: $ 12.00 KFC
Misc: $
Gas: $ 58.27
Motel: $130.00 Super 8
Day’s Cost: $208.02 Trip Total: $2,131.24
Day’s miles: 358 Trip Total: 4,150

[seaweed]

Did you start your route planning with a large map on the wall?
What do you use for navigation on the road? GPS or ??

I realize that out west navigation is not as much of an issue but in some parts of the country it could be a bit tricky.

Ryde safe!

[Dasmoetorhead]

Your definitely an inspiration to all of us young rider's ( me 66). Enjoy reading about your travels. You Da Man!

[Calimusjohn]

I started trip planning on a Rand McNalley Atlas map. I drew a line that touched the corners of each state, then refined it by following actual roads. On the bike, I have a Garmin Zumo mounted on the handlebars. Bluetooth connects it to my helmet for verbal directions. The Zumo locates gas stations, motels, and off-road cafes. It occasionally suggests weird turns to take me off-track. I check paper maps at the start of each day to prevent confusion. When all else fails, I ask people, "Where the hell am I?" I haven't figured out how to retune the BRP radio as I travel. So, I listen to music previously downloaded on my iPhone. The bike's speakers are better than my helmet's.

I started today’s ride in Butte, Montana. The temperature was 40 degrees in pouring rain. Visibility sucked. It rained for the next 300 miles. The temperature soared to 45. I was less than thrilled with the conditions.
Occasionally, I caught glimpses of the magnificent mountain terrain I remembered from past rides through this area. It’s no wonder that the Appalachian Mountains are green with envy.
The rain stopped within five miles of the Washington state border. The sun shone. The temperature reached 67 degrees. Amazing.
I stopped and visited my longtime friend, Bette in Spokane. I wish I could spend more time.
I’m bedded down for the night in Ritzville, Washington.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 0.00
Lunch: $ 20.00 IHOP 2 eggs, 2 bacon strips, 2pancakes, coffee
Dinner: $ 28.00 Mi Jalisco Restaurant. Steak, rice, beans, iced tea
Misc: $
Gas: $ 75.00 Prices going up. $5.79/gallon
Motel: $ 70.40
Day’s Cost: $193.40 Trip Total: $2,324.64
Day’s miles: 375 Trip Total: 4,525

[baxter]

Reading your trip log reminds me of my many trips in that direction. Your way/style of tripping is much aligned to how I do it.

[Poppie65]

I too am very much engrossed in your trip journal. Thank you so much for sharing your humor and insight, it's a very welcome breathe of fresh air and some of the best reading I've done in ages.

Btw, fwiw, I too share your sentiment about the battlefield at Little Big Horn.

[Calimusjohn]

SPYDER TOUR
Day 14
I awoke bright-eyed, took a morning shower, put on all my warmest clothes, packed the gear on the motorcycle, and finally, looked at the clock. 0530! The black sky smirked! Good grief! I headed down the highway. Restaurants, cafes, and most gas stations were still closed.
The 39-degree air temperature added to my enjoyment. A hundred miles later, I found a Starbucks employing six busy workers. Starvation was foiled again.
The sun arrived at the crossing into Oregon. The route from Kennewick, Washington, to Pendleton, Oregon, went swiftly across an area of huge grain fields and pasturelands. It’s not dog-friendly. There are no trees to pee on.
Highway 395 from Pendleton to John Day is 120 miles of arcing around curve after curve after curve. The Tail of The Dragon in Tennessee is a popular road for motorcyclists. It boasts 318 curves in eleven miles. The Oregon road offered over 3,000 twisties. I shared the road with 58 vehicles going the other way. Yes, I counted them. Besides the curves, the road soared over mountains with passes over 5,000 feet above sea level. Steep-sided canyons sported swiftly moving streams of white water bordered by birch, pines, and aspen trees with dancing leaves.
Seeing thousands of faces adorning the wind and water-sculptured rock walls held boredom at bay.
Highway 395 was a magnificent scenic route.
In Burns, Oregon, at 1:30 p.m. the Best Western Motel manager refused my request to check in before 3:00. The America’s Best Value Inn personnel had no problem accepting my money. I turned the room’s thermostat to 80 degrees and slowly thawed. The ride’s high temperature of the day was 46. I froze my butt.
I went to five restaurants in Burns. They were all closed. One had a sign saying, “Help Wanted.” Another was “For Sale.” Subway charged me for a foot-long sandwich. The bag when opened back at the motel held a six-incher. Ta Da!
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 8.02 A Starbuck’s sandwich and coffee
Lunch: $ 15.00 Cooked-to-order cheeseburger in John Day, Oregon. Superb!
Dinner: $ 13.28 Subway sandwich. All other restaurants closed!
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 64.28
Motel: $127.08 Americas Best Value INN. Nice accommodations.
Day’s Cost: $227.66 Trip Total: $2,552.30
Day’s miles: 365 Trip Total: 4,885

[tntnj]

I hope when I am 84 (in 13 years) I am in as good a shape as you (I hope to do RT 66). Love your story, keep making them! Tony

[Calimusjohn]

My shape = bent. Problems? I've broken my back in four places. Can't lift more than 30 pounds. I must stop and let my hip joints cool after walking 100 yards. But I'm semi-upright and can still dress and feed myself. I concentrate on can, rather than can't. Most of my friends are looking at the wrong side of lawns. Advice = Do it while you still can!

The Route 66 ride is great. Check out the motels and diners still operating as they did in the 50s. Motels have great prices, and the diners feature comfort food. There are some good videos on Utube referencing the Route 66 ride.

SPYDER TOUR
Day 15
I awakened after a good night’s sleep in Burns, Oregon, to find the weather improved. The temperature at 50 degrees was great. A huge Denver omelet for breakfast at a truck stop contained enough energy for a full day.
Highway 395 ran south from Burns toward Lakeview. The open range covered by sagebrush bordered the rough-surfaced asphalt. A sign warned that 113 miles lay between gas stations. I counted twenty-three vehicles going in the opposite direction, five houses, twelve trees, and no cell service for ninety of the 113.
Oregon is often described as being green. Eastern Oregon is basically a high-altitude desert. The sagebrush was brown. Wind-blown sand dunes invaded the roadway. Abert Lake covered sixty-four square miles with hypersaline water. Only the alkali fly and brine shrimp can survive the salinity. A 1,000-foot vertical escarpment lies to the east of the highway. Hang glider pilots love it. Eastern Oregon contrasts sharply with the “green” found west of the Cascades.
The road straightened south of Lakeview and allowed quick passage to Reno, Nevada, and beyond.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 17.00 Truckstop. huge Denver omelet, coffee
Lunch: $ 0.75 Potato chips, an exceedingly small bag
Dinner: $ 17.00 Spaghetti & Meatballs, iced tea
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 75.66 $6.00 plus per gallon!
Motel: $ 75.00 Village Motel Gardnerville, Nevada (35 miles south of Reno)
Day’s Cost: $184.64 Trip Total: $2,736.94
Day’s miles: 423 Trip Total: 5,313

[Calimusjohn]

SPYDER TOUR
Day 16
A beautiful sunny, 50-degree morning greeted me when I awakened in Gardnerville, NV. Breakfast at a nearby casino preceded my joining heavy traffic southbound from town.
When I thought of Nevada, I envisioned the Las Vegas strip surrounded by vast desert areas where allegedly an unknown number of missing people reside in unmarked graves. The twenty-mile-long strip of Hwy 395 before entering California erased that picture completely. The road snakes its way between two mountain ranges that stretch for over a hundred miles with many snow-capped peaks. The temperature at the 8,000-foot-high passes was considerably cooler than that felt at the start of the day. Topaz Lake looked inviting, but I had miles to ride.
Gas prices in Lee Vining stunned the moths in my wallet.
I revived memories of a previous trip to Lone Pine. My cousin and I drove up the mountain to Whitney Portal and then backpacked to the top of Mt. Whitney. We were unprepared for freezing temperatures, breathing at high altitudes, or walking further than one hundred yards. We did everything wrong and had a ball. Fifty-odd years later, Lone Pine has grown but exudes the same outdoorsy-centered activities ambiance.
Forty miles before reaching Ridgecrest, California, I disrobed. Partially. At 87 degrees, a long-sleeved shirt, two t-shirts, a sweatshirt, and a winter jacket liner hiding under a weatherproof jacket became a bit much to wear. I finished the ride comfortably attired in a single t-shirt and an all-weather motorcycle jacket. Pants, boots, and a helmet, too.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 13.00 Casino restaurant. eggs, sausage, pancakes, coffee
Lunch: $ 17.00 BLT, iced tea, in tourist-driven Lone Pine, CA
Dinner: $ 25.00 Chinese buffet – “All you can eat!” I ate all I could.
Misc: $ 0.00 The Misc. store closed.
Gas: $ 55.53 Gas = $7.69 per gallon! Lee Vining, CA
Motel: $ 73.45 Super 8, Handicap room – I qualified.
Day’s Cost:$183.98 Trip Total: $2,920.92
Day’s miles:300 Trip Total: 5,613

[Bangorbob]

Nice trip. BTW, Las Vegas strip is surrounded by vast desert once you leave the city. Believe me, it is desert around sin city. I know, I live 45 miles from the strip. Where is your next stop? Stay safe.

[Calimusjohn]

SPYDER TOUR
Day 17
Ridgecrest, California, restaurants don’t open early in the morning. I rode 50 miles to get breakfast.
It was a treat to ride in temperatures ranging from 64 to 81.
Traffic from Adelanto to Vista, California, was bumper to bumper. Traveling 100 miles going from stopped to 80 mph to stopped, back to 80 and then stop, was stressful.
Note: Thousands of homes now fill the desert between San Bernardino and Adelanto. Many yards hold swimming pools. Is it any wonder that California is short on water?
Today was a short ride day. Tomorrow is a “rest” day at my daughter’s home.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 19.00 Eggs, bacon, pancakes, coffee
Lunch: $ 0.00 Skipped
Dinner: $ 25.00 Hawaiian beef, rice, tea, ice cream
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 52.00 Only $6.59 a gallon
Motel: $ 0.00 A freebie visiting relatives
Day’s Cost: $ 96.00 Trip Total: $3,116.92
Day’s miles: 145 Trip Total: 5,758

[Spyderpilot]

SPYDER TOUR
Day 9
The motel clerk informed me that I was in Dyersville, Iowa. It’s always nice to learn where I’ve slept. The day’s ride consisted of rain, fog, rain, fog, more rain, and cold winds. It was not the greatest of conditions.
I visited the Spam Museum in Austin. Checked it off the Bucket List.
And THEN!
I approached Minneapolis at 70 mph in lane two of six. Traffic in lanes five and six had stopped awaiting clearance to exit. A black car passed me on the left traveling at 85 mph. A white car passed me on the right at 85 mph. The two drivers decided to switch into lane number two―simultaneously.
They slammed into one another 100 feet in front of me. I started maximum braking.
The black car ricocheted and spun left into the highway’s cement divider wall. The rear bumper assembly, a fender and the rear window broke loose and scattered across the roadway. The car continued to spin in the safety lane, lane number one, and finally stopped in lane two.
The white car bounced and spun into the line of cars stopped in lane five, continued to spin and crash into five vehicles before coming to a stop lying on its side in lane three. Automobile parts flew everywhere. Cars struck in lane five slid sideways into other vehicles in lane six.
Meanwhile, I zigzagged through the debris field. I avoided striking anything. I can’t imagine a more exciting ten seconds.
I escaped Minneapolis and stopped in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 5.02
Lunch: $ 17.97
Dinner: $ 28.08
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 56.40
Motel: $118.00
Day’s Cost: $225.47 Trip Total: $1,459.42
Day’s miles: 380 Trip Total: 1,915

If that had been me, there would have been an expense for a set of new “drawers”. Maybe even throw the Levis away and start anew too. Just sayin’…

BTW….I along with everyone else enjoy the musings, allowing us to live vicariously through your reports.

My thanks, young man.
SP

[Calimusjohn]

Day 18
A day of rest visiting with family.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $
Lunch: $
Dinner: $
Misc: $
Gas: $
Motel: $
Day’s Cost: $ 0.00 Trip Total: $3,116.92
Day’s miles: $ 0 Trip Total: 5,758

[Calimusjohn]

Day 19
I had a short but enjoyable visit with my family.
Departing Vista, California, the thermometer read a pleasant 64 degrees. Forty miles later, the temperature hit and stayed above 100 for the rest of the day. I can’t complain about being cold anymore. My motorcycle jacket has shoulder and elbow armor to protect me―in case. It also has wrist and shoulder, zippered vents to allow airflow and a wee bit of cooling. The vents helped. Iced tea filled my tummy every hour to stave off heat stroke and dehydration.
The highways carried me past Temecula, Murietta, Hemet, Beaumont, Banning, Palm Springs, and Indio on my way eastward climbing to Chiriaco Summit. The road then descended through Desert Center, Blythe, and took me into Arizona.
At Quartzsite, gasoline prices dropped about a dollar and a half per gallon below California’s rates. Whew!
I stopped to visit a friend in Salome. He wasn’t home. I found him by telephone and met him in Wickenburg for a lie-swapping session. Dave treated me to lunch at the Sizzling Wok, one of our favorite restaurants.
Wickenburg is the “Roping Capital” of the west (self-proclaimed). Motels were booked solid. I found the last available room at Best Western. I collapsed on the bed in an air-conditioned oasis. I admit that the heat sapped my enthusiasm for further miles.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 15.00 Mom & Pop Cafe
Lunch: $ 0.00 Dave Wallis treated me!
Dinner: $ 16.02 Super tostada at Anita’s Restaurant
Misc: $ 5.00 Iced tea to avoid dehydration.
Gas: $ 51.60 Gas under $6.00 per gallon
Motel: $158.00 Best Western. Last room available in Wickenburg, AZ.
Day’s Cost: $245.63 Trip Total: $3,362.54
Day’s miles: 367 Trip Total: 6,125

[Calimusjohn]

Day 20
I woke up at 5:00 a.m. and went back to sleep. Got up at 7:00. Ate breakfast and went back to bed. Slept until 10:00. Yesterday’s heat got to me.
A barbershop in Wickenburg removed a month’s worth of matted, snarled helmet hair.
In Surprise, Arizona, I purchased some lightweight gloves to prevent sunburning my hands.
Atop a mountain in Estrella, I moved into a home brimming with love. J.P. and Louise welcomed me with open arms and lots of liquids. They invited mutual friends for dinner where along with delicious food, stories of our lives were shared. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 0.00 Motel fare. Waffle, yogurt, fruit, coffee.
Lunch: $ 7.10 Big Mac & iced tea
Dinner: $ 0.00 Glorious home cooking
Misc: $ 7.58 Leather gloves from Harbor Freight
Gas: $ 15.77 $4.79 per gallon
Motel: $ 0.00 Guest room with private bath!
Day’s Cost: $ 30.55 Trip Total: $ 3,393.09
Day’s miles: 164

[Calimusjohn]

Day 21

I reluctantly departed JP and Louise Privette’s home after enjoying a wonderful visit and a “See ya later” gourmet breakfast.
Route 17 north of Phoenix has always had construction and car crash delays on my past travels. Today, everyone cooperated. No delays. I swapped the 97-degree temperatures in the valley for the pine-scented air at 70-degrees when I arrived at the 7,000-foot elevation east of Flagstaff.
I varied my speed to stay in clear spots between rain cells moving across my path.
I watched the number of pine trees followed by the junipers disappear as I entered the Navaho nation. The grasslands eventually dried up completely and wind-scarred rocks tried to hide from the wind in raw, red, bare earth.
Traffic stopped in both directions and waited for hours as police officers processed the scene of two cars hitting head-on at eighty mph. The sight was grim.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 0.00 Louise’s offering. omelet, bacon, avocado, fruit cup, coffee
Lunch: $ 11.02 Chicken sandwich, fries
Dinner: $ 31.00 Chicken breast with pasta, tea
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 35.50 $5.25 per gallon
Motel: $198.00 O.M.G! For one night? Hilton Inn, Kayenta, AZ
Day’s Cost: $ 275.50 Trip Total: $3,668.59
Day’s miles: 312 Trip Total: 6,601

[safecracker]

What an adventure you are having. I am truly inspired by what you are doing. Bruce

[Calimusjohn]

Day 22
The temperature was a cool 56 degrees leaving Kayenta. Two scruffy-looking dogs escorted me from the motel and barked a cheerful farewell.
I wandered my way eastward and found myself touring a section of Utah I’d not seen before. Huge rocks or monoliths stood around like they belonged there. I missed a turn, or my GPS decided to play tricks. The towns of Bluff, Montezuma Creek, and Aneth became unexpected check points. I discovered that oil wells exist in Utah. Hmm.
Siri straightened out my navigational route and I forged ahead into a corner of Colorado and then into New Mexico.
New Mexico is a filmmaker’s dream site. It has every terrain imaginable from barren wastelands, deserts, grasslands, foothills, mountains, and alpine forests. Native Americans, wild horses, cattle, sheep farms, quaint towns, large cities, and clean air, add to the attractions.
BUT! The roadways I traveled today had ruts, bumps, and dips that required 100% concentration. I could not engage cruise control and go into a zombie mode and travel mile after mile without thinking. The bike bounced, swerved, and jumped side-to-side. Each deviation from the straight and narrow path required my performing a miniature push-up on the handlebars. Assume this happened ten times in every mile. Ten actions per mile repeated over 330 miles means I completed 3,330 arm exercises. My arms felt like they were made of Jello.
For the third time on this tour, I rented the last available motel room in Chama, NM. The motel clerk said that a train with a steam engine for power is making its last run this week. Train buffs gathered to participate.
Dinner disaster. Ordered meal. Delivered to table 57 minutes later. The food was cold, tasted bad. Took two bites and quit. The waitress waived the food bill. Monday night and a holiday, no other options available in this small town. Trail mix from saddlebag saved night.

Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 0.00 Motel fare. Waffle, yogurt
Lunch: $ 8.48 Chew & Chat Café, burger/fries
Dinner: $ 10.00 Inedible! Paid for drink & tip.
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 52.70
Motel: $137.11 Chama Trails, Chama, NM
Day’s Cost: $208.29 Trip Total: $3,876.88
Day’s miles: 330 Trip Total: 6,931

[Woodswoman]

Dinner: $ 10.00 Inedible! Paid for drink & tip.


You get Good Guy Points for that in my book, John. Many folks would have skipped the tip, despite that what happened wasn't the waitress's fault.

I'm enjoying your travelogue very much. Thank you for taking the time and effort to share it with us.

[Calimusjohn]

Note: Waitresses have a tough job. They have to deal with hungry, tired people usually distracted by job, companion, money, or travel problems. The waitress I mentioned in Day 22, saw the look on my face when I took my first bite. By the time I choked down the second, she was asking all the pertinent questions. Apparently, I was not the only person that found the food unpalatable. She refused to give me a bill. I finished my drink, so was obligated to pay for it. The waitress earned the tip by being diligent.
Having water, power bars, trail mix, or other emergency rations is a must. A single breakdown in the middle of nowhere will make a believer out of anyone.

[BamaJohn]

I'm +1 commending you for taking care of the waitress! They work hard and tips make up most of their income in our country.

[Calimusjohn]

Day 23

A frosty morning’s ride started at 40 degrees. No restaurants were open. My motel didn’t offer breakfast, not even a waffle. A road sign outside Chama read, “No Cell coverage next 50 miles.” There wasn’t. No other cars or trucks, either. A remote area.
Highway 64 across the northern edge of New Mexico is not for someone in a hurry. Sharp curves curtail high speeds. Vistas demanded stopping at overlook sites. Fall arrived last night in New Mexico. Colors on mountainsides would make Ansel Adams pray for color film. Invisible thin air at 8,000 feet passes reduced my desire to get off the bike and jog.
A one-hour delay waiting for a “Follow Me” truck at a highway construction zone allowed me to soak in the ambiance of God’s Cathedral. She sprinkled me with golden, quaking aspen leaves as I waited.
In places, mule deer challenged me for the right-of-way, elegant elk pranced across a meadow. Ravens checked roadkill. I intruded into their spaces.
Taos has grown since my last visit in 1969. Duh!
Eastern New Mexico and its horizon-to-horizon grasslands beg the question―Why are there no herds of bison grazing?
I added Texas and Oklahoma to the list of states visited on this tour. The Texas visit took less than five minutes. Texas really isn’t that big!
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 23.00 Veggie omelet, bacon, toast, coffee, in Taos
Lunch: $ 0.00 Chewed cheek on road
Dinner: $ 21.00 Best bifstek rancheros of trip found in tiny café. Boise City
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 35.50
Motel: $ 73.27 Longhorn Motel, Boise City, Oklahoma
Day’s Cost: $152.71 Trip Total: $4,029.59
Day’s miles: 328 Trip Total: 7,259

[Little Blue]

:yes: ... Remember the good things of your life trip and the rest is by the grace of God. I have enjoyed reading all your posts and this truly was a 'Great Adventure'. Definitely should make a book.
Stay Healthy and Enjoy Life. .... :thumbup:

:coffee: ... Looking forward to the Final Days of the 'Great Adventure'.
Bring her home and we can go out with that wonderful experience.

Stay in Good Health my friend. .... :thumbup:

[Calimusjohn]

Day 24

It’s still summer in Kansas. An occasional tree displayed slight color changes promising that fall would arrive soon.
The highway heading northeast from Boise City was empty of traffic, wide, flat, straight, and smooth. The speed limit signs read “65.” I thought it was a suggestion only.
Every ten to fifteen miles, a named community huddled around the bases of huge grain elevators positioned beside railroad spurs. Between each town, I passed fields of corn, wheat, and sunflowers that stretched from horizon to horizon.
I stopped for breakfast in Elkhart. As I entered the café, men wearing John Deere caps turned and checked me out. The waitress called, “Come on in former stranger. Who are ya? Where ya been and where ya goin’?” I peeled my helmet off and heard a guy say, “Damn. He’s older than dirt.” I felt at home.
Today’s ride featured another Kansas resource. Wind. There are thousands of wind towers attempting to harness the wind. They don’t even make it pause. On Broadway, they called the wind, “Mariah” - I called it, “expletive deleted”! I fought the blustery bitch and lost. She blew me and semi-trucks off our chosen path with each gust of wind approaching forty mph. After battling for eight hours, I gave up and stopped in Manhattan, Kansas.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 15.00 biscuits & gravy, eggs, bacon, coffee
Lunch: $ 0.00 Skipped, making miles
Dinner: $ 11.45 KFC
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 31.25
Motel: $ 79.32 Super 8, Manhattan, Kansas
Day’s Cost: $ 137.02 Trip Total: $4,166.61
Day’s miles: 390 Trip Total: 7,649

[Calimusjohn]

Here is a link (I hope) to a Knoxville TV station coverage of my trek.

WVLT
https://www.wvlt.tv/2023/11/08/84-year-old-takes...
84-year-old takes trip on motorcycle to all 48 mainland states
Web · 2 days ago · 84-year-old takes trip on motorcycle to all 48 mainland states John Mander took 27 days to travel more than 9,000 miles · By Jared Austin Published: Nov. 7, 2023 at …

Well, Drat! So much for the quick link. Anyway, they determined that I am "quirky" in my choices of "what to see" places.

[Partzman23]

His link will work. Click on link, at top of news page right hand side there is a search icon, click on it and enter- 84 year -
the video will pop up to watch. I watched it. Thanks John for the link.

[JohnRuckus]

I'm an 84-year-old ADV relic and just completed a 9,391-mile ride on my 2022 Sea to Sky that touched all 48 states. If readers are curious, I will submit a day-to-day ride report. I cover routes, weather, costs, and observations. Is anyone interested?
John

That's Cool!
Now to touch the other 2 :)

[JohnRuckus]

His link will work. Click on link, at top of news page right hand side there is a search icon, click on it and enter- 84 year -
the video will pop up to watch. I watched it. Thanks John for the link.

or you can just add it here:

https://www.wvlt.tv/video/2023/11/07/84-year-old-goes-trip-lifetime/

[BamaJohn]

Day 24

It’s still summer in Kansas. An occasional tree displayed slight color changes promising that fall would arrive soon.
The highway heading northeast from Boise City was empty of traffic, wide, flat, straight, and smooth. The speed limit signs read “65.” I thought it was a suggestion only.
Every ten to fifteen miles, a named community huddled around the bases of huge grain elevators positioned beside railroad spurs. Between each town, I passed fields of corn, wheat, and sunflowers that stretched from horizon to horizon.
I stopped for breakfast in Elkhart. As I entered the café, men wearing John Deere caps turned and checked me out. The waitress called, “Come on in former stranger. Who are ya? Where ya been and where ya goin’?” I peeled my helmet off and heard a guy say, “Damn. He’s older than dirt.” I felt at home.
Today’s ride featured another Kansas resource. Wind. There are thousands of wind towers attempting to harness the wind. They don’t even make it pause. On Broadway, they called the wind, “Mariah” - I called it, “expletive deleted”! I fought the blustery bitch and lost. She blew me and semi-trucks off our chosen path with each gust of wind approaching forty mph. After battling for eight hours, I gave up and stopped in Manhattan, Kansas.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 15.00 biscuits & gravy, eggs, bacon, coffee
Lunch: $ 0.00 Skipped, making miles
Dinner: $ 11.45 KFC
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 31.25
Motel: $ 79.32 Super 8, Manhattan, Kansas
Day’s Cost: $ 137.02 Trip Total: $4,166.61
Day’s miles: 390 Trip Total: 7,649

Funny...I called Kansas wind the same thing in July....loving your commentary!

[baxter]

Like your advice - "get off the couch and follow your dreams". Did the 49 states by motorcycle some years ago (not at one time like you) and heading to Hawaii to get that 50th.

[Calimusjohn]

Thanks for the help with the link. I'm a Luddite when it comes to iPhones and swapping info. I've done the 49 states, also. I made it as far north as Colfoot. Hit a blizzard. Turned south and went to Cabo San Lucas to thaw out. I thought about doing Hawaii but decided the first 1/4 mile heading west from San Francisco would do me in.
Day 25

The Manhattan Kansas, weather folks forecast, “Twenty-five mph winds with gusts above forty.” They nailed it. They left out the black, swirling clouds threatening me as I headed north on Highway 99.
Kansas took its allocated number of hills and planted them in the northeast corner of the state. Highway 99 crosses most of them. It’s like riding the world’s longest roller coaster. The road is straight but never level. It swoops and soars over the hundreds of hills. Cattle hunkered down in the valleys avoiding the whistling wind on the ridges.
I poked my nose into Nebraska on the outskirts of Summerfield, Kansas. My nose was cold. I stopped and donned all my cold-weather riding gear. With a small jog to the east, I turned south toward warmer climes.
Missouri welcomed me with blue skies and wind gusts peaking at a mere thirty-five mph. Missouri is green. Green trees. Green grass. Green houses. Green vehicles. Green road signs.
Green people. Well, I thought so, until I realized the green aliens were part of a Halloween display. The display was in Peculiar, Missouri. Appropriate!
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 0.00 Motel fare, waffle, yogurt, orange juice
Lunch: $ 14.00 Grilled cheese sand. & soup, Peculiar, MO
Dinner: $ 30.00 T-bone, taters, mixed veggies, tea
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 72.75 Gas under $4.00 per gallon!
Motel: $ 71.80 Super 8 Joplin, MO
Day’s Cost: $188.55 Trip Total: $4,355.16
Day’s miles: 395 Trip Total: 7,944

[baxter]

I did make it to the Arctic Circle sign just south of Coldfoot. Was on a new Harley at that time and did not want to beat it up more by going to the end of the Haul Road. You know how "nice" that road is... I was going through South Dakota a couple of years and the crosswinds were over 50 mph. Talk about keeping in your lane! Remember several years ago the national news was about the winds in Salt Lake blowing semis off the road. Guess who was coming through that area? Yep, me and a friend of mine who was on a gold wing and we had to pull off because he could not keep it on the road. Past many trucks on their side. We waited for about 45 minutes then bit the bullet and took off. Three wheels were much better than two except when I thought my windscreen would snap off.

[blacklightning]

All I can say is, “you are an amazing inspiration to us all”:bowdown::clap:
I am so looking forward to your trip each day when I log on here. God’s willing, 2025 will be my year to do something similar

[Calimusjohn]

I'm pretty sure God is willing to help those who . . . etc.
Day 26

At 4:23 a.m. a brilliant bright light followed by an explosion woke me. I threw my hands up believing that a S.W.A.T. team had inadvertently entered my room. I sat up and another flash of light and a thunderous boom hammered my eyes and ears. Lightning!
Rumbling thunder sounded suspiciously like God laughing at my discombobulation.
On the road, rain fell from clouds hovering 300 feet above my head. Visibility was “best guess.” I tucked in behind a semi-truck and hoped it was heading toward my destination. Monsoon rains drenched me for the first 100 miles. It only drizzled for the next 75. I still had a crosswind to deal with, a paltry 15 to 25 mph. The weather improved after passing Little Rock. The vegetation had no clue that fall colors are de rigueur.
Trucks carrying huge pink or yellow wrapped bales left shreds of cotton in their wake. The bales are rolls eight feet wide and eight feet in diameter. The song lyric―tote that barge, lift that bale―is now impossible. A single bale weighs 6,000 pounds.
My route tickled a corner of Louisiana, turned east and crossed the Mississippi River into Vicksburg. I checked out two mom-and-pop motels. They had been heavily damaged in the Civil War and have not been well maintained since. I located a Best Western and considered myself lucky. They had two rooms still available.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 0.00 Motel fare. Yogurt. The waffle mix was missing.
Lunch: $ 10.10 Subway sandwich & coffee
Dinner: $ 25.00 St. Louis style Bar-b-que ribs, beans, salad, tea
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 45.40
Motel: $131.00 Best Western. Vicksburg, Mississippi
Day’s Cost: $211.50 Trip Total: $ 4,566.66
Day’s miles: 497 (It felt like more!) Trip Total: 8,441

[Calimusjohn]

Day 27

Start of day: clear skies, 60-degree air, dry pavement, little traffic. Leaving Vicksburg and heading east toward Jackson revealed that the rising sun is blinding as it swelled above the horizon. I soon turned south and could see, again. I saw trees. Lots of trees. In fact, I could only see the trees that bordered both sides of the highway all the way to Mobile, Alabama.
I saw no signs of agriculture. Based on my limited observations, I concluded the local people only eat pine nuts, acorns, and roadkill. Hmm maybe they Uber order.
Mother Nature is a tease. The day started beautifully. The temperature slowly increased into the seventies, then plunged to fifty. The sky clouded over, looked angry for an hour, then cleared up. I added and subtracted clothing all day.
I zigged off I-65 east of Mobile and tip-toed my way into Florida. With a toe tap, I crossed off visiting my forty-fifth state on this single tour.
At Auburn, Alabama, my body screamed, “STOP!”
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 0.00 Motel fare. Eggs, sausage, biscuit & gravy, juice
Lunch: $ 21.00 Catfish, hush puppies, fries, heartburn
Dinner: $ 22.00 Loaded baked potato, salad, tea
Misc: $ 6.50 Room tax for yesterday’s motel.
Gas: $ 54.30 Regular below $3.00 per gallon
Motel: $126.00 $160 quoted. I walked out. “WAIT! I HAVE SPECIAL!”
Day’s Cost: $226.80 Trip Total: $4,793.46
Day’s miles: 465 Trip Total: 8,906

[Calimusjohn]

Day 28
The twenty-eighth day on the 48-state tour began under an overcast sky and 54-degree air. I walked past the motel’s breakfast bar’s waffle, all the way to my motorcycle. A hundred miles down the road, I stopped at a Cracker Barrel restaurant and ordered a “Grandpa’s Special.” Forty minutes later, it arrived. I devoured three eggs, steak tips, fried apples, tomato slices, biscuits and gravy, and drank three cups of coffee. My food locker bulged.
The designers. engineers and builders of Interstate 65 must be embarrassed. I deduced that fact from their hiding the road between thick rows of trees across the state of Georgia.
I understand. I saw why. It’s a simple road. It’s made of long strips of flat concrete stitched together by sections of asphalt, two to six lanes wide depending on which county it’s in. The pavement runs straight without a significant curve. It never crosses a memorable body of water. It undulates over hills that have no scenic pull-outs and that no goat would consider a challenge to climb. They threw in a couple of rest stops, to remind drivers they had been somewhere. I hurried as quickly as possible along the road to reduce the boredom.
Driving through Atlanta, I became qualified to drive in a NASCAR race at Talladega. I drove at eighty to eighty-five mph in the slow lane trying to keep up with the speeding mass of cars spanning six lanes. The posted speed limit was fifty.
The roadways of South Carolina, and its northern neighbor, North Carolina, rumbled beneath the Can-Am Spyder’s three wheels. I did it. I’d ridden through portions of all forty-eight contiguous states on one tour. Another bucket list item got a check mark.
Stop-and-go traffic through Knoxville, Tennessee, lengthened a long day. It lightly rained during the last ten miles to my home.
Home.
Home at last. I felt like a sailor, home from the sea, but not quite ready for Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem, Requiem.
Expenses:
Breakfast: $ 0.00 Passed on the motel fare.
Lunch: $ 21.00 Cracker Barrel brunch. Mega-meal.
Dinner: $ 8.00 Stouffers lasagna at home, much cheaper than restaurant.
Misc: $ 0.00
Gas: $ 54.50
Motel: $500.00 My bed! I must charge me to pay for the trip!
Day’s Cost: $ 83.50 Trip Total: $ 4,876.46
Day’s miles: 485 Trip Total: 9,391

[Bangorbob]

Just an incredible journey. Thanks for posting. As others have said, you have inspired me to do more. Again, A big thanks.

[baxter]

Outstanding display of enjoying life your way. Good job of telling your story. I assume that you fat fingered a '6' instead of a '7' for I-75, which runs through Georgia, while I-65 is in the next state to the west. True about flying through Atlanta. Same speed I was running at 8:30 in the morning coming back from FL, just to stay out of the way. Enjoy a well-deserved R&R.

[BamaJohn]

Home at last. I felt like a sailor, home from the sea, but not quite ready for Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem, Requiem.

Nicely said, and glad you made it home safely! I've checked total miles ridden per day and am in wonder how you ride 400+ days back-to-back-to back....I did that in July for only 2 days and it hurt...a lot! :bowdown:

[Calimusjohn]

Ah ha! Hwy I-85 runs through Atlanta, not I-65 as written. I ride on every day the sun shines. Four hundred-mile days are easy for me. Average 50 mph and it's an eight-hour day. On Interstates and running 70 plus, it's a six-hour ride. I've done a couple of thousand-mile days to qualify for the Iron Butt Assn. and they kicked my butt. Ride what's fun. When I rode double, days ended around 300 miles.

Here are some random thoughts on the completed tour and riding in general.

Ride in Review
I’ m asked, “How do you do these rides?
“Ride, eat, rest, repeat,” I answer.
Okay, it’s not quite that simple. I start with an idea, concept, or theme. I’ve used Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, the Yucatan Peninsula, and the four corners of the U.S. as destinations. Visiting all 48 states on one ride was my latest excuse. Shorter rides to visit family and friends are easier to plan and execute.
No matter the length of the ride, they all require dealing with some of the same factors. Weather is always present. Having the correct attire to deal with extreme heat, biting cold, monsoon rain, snow, or the occasional perfect day, make the difference between a tour remembered favorably and the ones that create nightmares.
The most important piece of equipment is a helmet that fits! I use a modular with a visor, and a built-in sunshade. Yes, it’s heavy. It’s hot when riding across a desert. The blue tooth communications system allows me to listen to music, directions from the GPS, and the occasional telephone call.
Pick the style you like. Wear the helmet for eight hours―while mowing the lawn, working, watching TV, or better yet, while riding your motorcycle. Adjust the padding to eliminate hot spots and pressure points. A poorly fitting helmet is torture.
Take half the clothes and twice the money, works well.
Service the bike before the ride. Finding tires, oil filters and other items specifically made for a Whizbang motorcycle may be impossible in the middle of nowhere.
Motel reservations: I don’t make them. I don’t like mandatory routes and stops. But! There have been times where I regretted my choices.
Food costs: Restaurants are expensive. Grocery store food and camp cooking is much cheaper. Mom and Pop cafes located in small towns are havens for comfort foods and provide great opportunities to meet new friends.
Camping: Stealth camping is the cheapest. I’ve asked farmers for permission to sleep in barns. Churches in small towns have allowed me to pitch a tent on their grounds. On a cold, rainy night, I asked . . .and slept in an empty jail cell in southern Indiana.
The Spyder: The Sea to Sky heated seat saved the day. No “monkey butt” and kept my core warm on 30-degree days.
Milage: 26 mpg at 80 mph. 37 mpg at 60 mph.
Stability: Three wheels saved my life when I violently swerved on wet pavement through the debris field caused by the multi-vehicle accident in Minneapolis.
I passed two wheelers hunkered in underpasses when crosswinds exceeded fifty miles per hour. It wasn’t pleasant. I wobbled but stayed in one traffic lane.

[blacklightning]

Ah ha! Hwy I-85 runs through Atlanta, not I-65 as written. I ride on every day the sun shines. Four hundred-mile days are easy for me. Average 50 mph and it's an eight-hour day. On Interstates and running 70 plus, it's a six-hour ride. I've done a couple of thousand-mile days to qualify for the Iron Butt Assn. and they kicked my butt. Ride what's fun. When I rode double, days ended around 300 miles.

Here are some random thoughts on the completed tour and riding in general.

Ride in Review
I’ m asked, “How do you do these rides?
“Ride, eat, rest, repeat,” I answer.
Okay, it’s not quite that simple. I start with an idea, concept, or theme. I’ve used Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, the Yucatan Peninsula, and the four corners of the U.S. as destinations. Visiting all 48 states on one ride was my latest excuse. Shorter rides to visit family and friends are easier to plan and execute.
No matter the length of the ride, they all require dealing with some of the same factors. Weather is always present. Having the correct attire to deal with extreme heat, biting cold, monsoon rain, snow, or the occasional perfect day, make the difference between a tour remembered favorably and the ones that create nightmares.
The most important piece of equipment is a helmet that fits! I use a modular with a visor, and a built-in sunshade. Yes, it’s heavy. It’s hot when riding across a desert. The blue tooth communications system allows me to listen to music, directions from the GPS, and the occasional telephone call.
Pick the style you like. Wear the helmet for eight hours―while mowing the lawn, working, watching TV, or better yet, while riding your motorcycle. Adjust the padding to eliminate hot spots and pressure points. A poorly fitting helmet is torture.
Take half the clothes and twice the money, works well.
Service the bike before the ride. Finding tires, oil filters and other items specifically made for a Whizbang motorcycle may be impossible in the middle of nowhere.
Motel reservations: I don’t make them. I don’t like mandatory routes and stops. But! There have been times where I regretted my choices.
Food costs: Restaurants are expensive. Grocery store food and camp cooking is much cheaper. Mom and Pop cafes located in small towns are havens for comfort foods and provide great opportunities to meet new friends.
Camping: Stealth camping is the cheapest. I’ve asked farmers for permission to sleep in barns. Churches in small towns have allowed me to pitch a tent on their grounds. On a cold, rainy night, I asked . . .and slept in an empty jail cell in southern Indiana.
The Spyder: The Sea to Sky heated seat saved the day. No “monkey butt” and kept my core warm on 30-degree days.
Milage: 26 mpg at 80 mph. 37 mpg at 60 mph.
Stability: Three wheels saved my life when I violently swerved on wet pavement through the debris field caused by the multi-vehicle accident in Minneapolis.
I passed two wheelers hunkered in underpasses when crosswinds exceeded fifty miles per hour. It wasn’t pleasant. I wobbled but stayed in one traffic lane.
Believe me, I am soaking all this knowledge in. As I stated earlier, I am looking to do a cross country trip in 2025 and your experience has been helping a lot.

[ARtraveler]

Great trip. Great write up. :2thumbs: :firstplace: :yes:

[baxter]

Reading your descriptions of a typical riding day on the road sounds so familiar. I have been bouncing around the country for years. Basically from the Arctic Circle to Key West and from St. John's Newfoundland to Pacific Coast next to the Mexican line southwest of San Diego and everything in between. Following snow plow in the Rockies to 127 degrees crossing the Death Valley. One day melting under the Desert sun to next day driving in the snow. Long days and short days in the saddle. Riding is putting yourself into a different dimension. One has to love it to understand why we do it. Keep the shiny side up and dirty side down. Waiting to read about your next adventure and there will be another.. Ride On.

[safecracker]

What a great adventure. You averaged $1.92 a mile for your trip. Bruce

[Knizar]

What a great adventure. You averaged $1.92 a mile for your trip. Bruce

I came up with approx $0.52 a mile

[RickWB]

You are an encouragement to others.

[safecracker]

Knizar, you are correct... I was still asleep at the keyboard.

[Calimusjohn]

Where else can you have so much fun for 52 cents per mile? Riding replaces the medications I'd need if I simply sat on the couch. My "light sport" aircraft costs a lot more. I recently sold a boat that drank 27 gallons of gas per hour.
What's next? Short-term -rides on every sunny day!
Next summer - Doing the Tennessee River 600-mile ride on a new jet ski. I just purchased a Seadoo Explorer. It has some problems that the dealer and BRP are addressing.
Long-range planning - Perhaps visiting "Riverside" found in 46 states or maybe a shorter ride to "Springfield" found in just 34 states., or hitting the capital of each state. Once again, riding to Hawaii and Alaska's capitals are going to be difficult. As long as there is a hill, I'm going to want to see what is on the other side.
Sorry, I have to leave - the sun is shining.

[Bangorbob]

Great write up. Maybe I missed it, but from your journal, it appears that you DID NOT use a trailer. Correct?

[pegasus1300]

Well, you could ride to a town named for each one of our prisedents,or visit every historical marker in your state, or visit every county court house, or look for the WWI moniuments in each state, or, or, or. It is easy to find an excuse to ride some where:ohyea::yes:

[tntnj]

You are an inspiration for all of us . Keep getting off the couch and do somthing you always want to do. I know I will .

[Calimusjohn]

You are correct . . . no trailer.
I pulled a trailer with a Goldwing over 15,000 miles. I'm now past sleeping on the ground, so a stock bike and a credit card are all I need.
Other destinations include finding the largest ball of twine, The Plastic Brick Museum, The Mushroom Museum, or even photographing "pleasure" centers in Nevada's desert. Hit the highest road on Mount Evans to the low point in Death Valley. If those places are too far, go get a Slurpee at a 7/11. Just go!

[BamaJohn]

Hit the highest point in each state. Southernmost point in USA. Northernmost point in USA (etc)

[ARtraveler]

Hit the highest point in each state. Southernmost point in USA. Northernmost point in USA (etc)

That's a good one. Been to two of the Highest points. MN: Eagle Mt. in the Boundary waters area. 2301 ft. Views for 50 miles in all directions. You had to hike through swamps to get to that one. :yes:
The other is Magazine Mt. in Arkansas. That is a drive up, also around 2300 ft. Spectacular views. We stayed in the Resort there, and spent the night in a Jacuzzi Suite. That was our Honeymoon treat.

[bikerbillone]

Traveler, you sure enjoyed your run on the Spyder, hope I can enjoy another year or two. Thinking I might have to get a hip replaced that was replaced in 1998, we shall see, not looking forward to the Dr. visit.

2020 RTL

[baxter]

Geographical marker in cornfield near Wausau, WI. Center of the Northeast Hemisphere - 45 deg. N 90 deg W. - Four points in the world and only two are on land. Anchor point, AK. Most westerly Highway point NA. Lubec, Maine Quoddy Lighthouse - most easterly point in US. Friendship Park CA. Most Southwest point next to the Border wall. Cape Spear, Newfoundland. Most Easterly point in NA. Up Pikes Peak several times, Mount Evan's, Mt. Washington, Mt. Hood (until road closed due to snow). Rugby, ND geographical center of NA.

[Knizar]

baxter

Very interesting trivia, I won't remember any of it tomorrow, but I learned something today! thanks :thumbup: Bill