Dudley and Jennifer's 10,000 Mile Journey Blog

[tatt2r]

I used to work in the Bronx--Yep, I know the three guys you're talking about.




Lincoln's nose is eleven feet long!

[Desert Spyder]

I can already see a made for television movie coming at least a book

At least an appearance on the Today show or Oprah.

[Smylinacha]

I can already see a made for television movie coming at least a book

Yep, "Roadtrippin' Free w/ KJen & Dudley" - heck it even rhymes - now that would be cool

[Smylinacha]

At least an appearance on the Today show or Oprah.

Nah, Fox News Channel - Greta can interview them!

[Kjen]

First off, I just finished off the Little Caesars pizza we had for supper. OMG it was soooo good. Dudley isn't a big pizza fan but I am and it had been months since I'd had any-yeah, yeah, I ate the majority of that pie!I'm sure going to be pushing to get back into exercise and eating right stage when I get home. That will be soon by the way because I/we have about had enough. This has been a wonderful experience but I really kind of miss my routine. Up and exercise, go walking, come home for coffee then whatever the day holds. On Sat and Sundays I do my walk and then play water volleyball with a great group of people; I even miss most of them! And bed, and home, and cooking and weeding...you know, normal stuff.
Anyway, today was great. We did the Devil's Tower thing; that was hard to grasp the essence of the thing in a photograph. Funny how you can choose one landmark in a whole field of them and focus on that. Maybe it would have been more awe inspiring upclose but others were talking $17 fees which is kind of nutty to view a rock. Like paying for rocks, they are all over, duh. I know, I LOVE rocks and have a few favorites in my yard but I'm not going to buy one. It was getting very warm so no more jackets . We decided we'd had enough useless driving so we weren't going to go back toward Sturgis. We headed off from the Tower and drove and drove and drove...until we crossed the North Dakota line then drove LOTS more until we crossed into Montana and here we are in Miles City, MT after 461 miles in the saddle.
Again in this territory think of Little House and you get an idea of the terrain. Rolling, hilly, pairie, Treeless in spots, wonderful red soil, WINDY with a vengence, but all beautiful and awe inspiring. Has erosion valleyettes (made up word) with striated hills; just have to go see it for yourselves. Reminds us of other places all rolled into one.
Saw at least 5 spyders and talked to lots of HD people ; even had one lady ask me about it in one of the restrooms in North Dakota. Hers vibrates so much her back hurts and was wondering how ours performed; all innocent here. Spoke to lots of people and haven't come across too many who kind of look down on us; a few you can kind of read their thoughts, who needs them anyway?
All fun.
OH, thanks everyone for the movie and book ideas, lol. Very thoughtful of ya'll to suggest it. Would answer each of you individually but time gets a bit pressing on the old computer. Catch ya'll another time. Have to go post my captionless (most times) pictures.

[Dudley]

Jennifer just about said it all. We had a choice of going back to Sturgis, which we had been to yesterday, or drive to North Dakota, where we had never been. We chose ND. US-85 north is straight as a needle. Mile after mile! And so, here we are in MT. If the wind blows out here in the winter like it did today...you can have it all.
Tomorrow we plan on riding I-94 to I-90 west until....Hopefully Wednesday we can see Glacier.

[Desert Spyder]

Yep, "Roadtrippin' Free w/ KJen & Dudley" - heck it even rhymes - now that would be cool

I like that! Maybe their own cable show: Spyders & Lobsters with Dudley & Jen

[Dudley]

All went well today. A picture perfect day it was. It was in the mid-seventy's when we left...clear skies, got to 80's by noon, up tp 93 at one point. The wind was nice to us today. This was just a GREAT day!. How great was it??? Enough to ride 519 miles and still feel pretty good. We are presently in Missoula, MT at Ruby's Inn and Convention Center. Really a classy place by our standards, and only $79 (includes a COMPLETE, HOT breakfast). We rode I-94 west to I-90 west as planned. What a beautiful ride. Everytime I thought a valley looked so beautiful, we topped another crest and there was another one. Jennifer could easily have taken over 400 pictures and still not covered it all. The different crops and their colors paint the rolling hills like a giant canvas. When some see "another field of corn!", I see a thick plush carpet that covers the rolling hills. I could ride this same section of Interstate time and again and never get tired of it.
Tomorrow we plan on traveling US-93 north, to US-2 to Glacier National Park. After the Park, it's a toss-up.

[Kjen]

Howdy, today was a long one; lots of miles but some great scenery. Constantly changing vistas. First we started in fairly flat territory then it would start showing small hills, then river flowing (which I never had the camera on at the right time), then BIG hills. Lots of horses, sheep, cattle and even a few antelope. Nice fresh smells out here; did get a whiff of skunk a couple of times.
One has to hand it to the pioneers and their bravery, or stupidity, or love of the challenge of new things, or plane old lets go see something different. This land (the whole USA) is enormous. How in the heck could a family just beginning, with hardly anything, work enough of the land to even get started? Only the wife maybe and I guess the kids if any knew the meaning of work-or they learned real fast. Long and backbreaking. Then I think about all the grasshopper invasions I used to read about during the early settling days; those things could wipe out crops; all a familys hard work and food and cash sorce gone in a short time. Nasty, smelly things.
Sad the many large buildings and houses that are empty. Saw a lot of this throughout our journey. Guess due to lack of work in the area, laying off, closing of businesses, family no longer able to keep the house, farm or whatever or just not interested. Such a shame. I enjoy these wide open spaces with all its variety. Lots of miles to travel but at least there are things to look upon and wonder about. Too bad we couldn't just stop and dabble our feet in the rivers or walk along the banks. Oh well.
No spyder sightings today. Talked to a few people. One lady stopped at the same traffic light as us commented "I've never seen one of those, its adorable"; can you imagine, thats like calling it cute!
Pictures don't do justice so be patient you just have to see it yourselves.

[Kjen]

I like that! Maybe their own cable show: Spyders & Lobsters with Dudley & Jen

You'd all be invited.

[Kjen]

At least an appearance on the Today show or Oprah.

I can't stand Oprah.

[Kjen]

Nah, Fox News Channel - Greta can interview them!

She's tough. Think we'll just get home and stay silent and under the radar.

[Desert Spyder]

Jennifer...are you guys keeping a private journal for use later? You got some great material and the runs not over yet.

[Kjen]

Jennifer...are you guys keeping a private journal for use later? You got some great material and the runs not over yet.

Brian, only what is here that we can transfer elsewhere. At the beginning I was writing it down in a notebook while awaiting my turn on here, but that got to be real hard. Also meant I would do it twice and that in itself is time consuming; and the story would change as I would remember stuff. Was a wonderful idea, cause all the scenes, motels and stuff all jumbled in my head right now. Probably regret later, will see.

[Smylinacha]

You'd all be invited.

I'll need an order of 6 lobsters just for me.

[Dudley]

Well, today went as planned. We rode from Missoula to Glacier National Park. I have seen the Rocky's, Appalachians, and the High Sierras. and have never seen mountains like there are in Glacier! We rode from the West entrance to the Rising Sun Lodge, turned around and rode back to the West entrance. That was a distance of about 44 miles each way...all mountain road. At some places, it felt like we were in an airplane...really dizzy heights with very shear drops which would end in pretty much death should one drive off the road. Plenty of glaciers for Jennifer to take pictures of. She will set up an album just for the park so she doesn't have to caption the pictures. Our next destination is Seattle, which we will start tomorrow.

[Kjen]

Hey, super late and I don't have time to post. Just added 100 pics to a Glacier folder but I didn't have time to even get to the really good stuff. Kind of you just have to see it all for yourselves. Will try to get to tomorrow before leaving or when possible.

[tatt2r]

Almost home only a couple states to go .... Enjoy

[DynamoBT]

How I envy you taking this trip. If you don't write a book, you ought to!!!

Spectacular pics!!!

[vt228]

Great you 2 well be home in a couple of days I was at Doc Apt when you called sorry Dudley & jenn I am trying to get a go ahead so I can go to Lamonsters for cook out see what happens or fly out don't want to want to ryde to it . I was happy to meat you two and want to meat more spyder lovers. Doing better every day want to tell you all be safe have fun ryde baby ryde .....Don.....

[Kjen]

Been trying to get Glacier pictures in but very slow going; did some. Glacier was AWESOME like Niagara was with a different stress; Niagara the exciting, quick burst awesome and the slow, drawn out, breathless one for Glacier. Beautiful, a must see. Most mountains are.

Left Kalispell, MT this morning with horrible skies and Froggs; never did get any rain, but it sure was promising in the sky and on the TV reports. Spyder got all nasty on wet construction road but then Dudley washed it off; very thankful to have 3 wheels then for sure. Talked to a few people about spyder today too.
Journey through MT and to Idaho was prairie, hills, mountains, then rolling hills again-most with threats of rain. Oh, met some of my green buddies and they brought re-inforcements. Was sure glad to get out of the higher mountains because that's where they were hiding.
Trip almost at an end after we visit with our girls a few days. Been beyond words (yes, I can hush up at times) and hard to describe or remember it all at the moment, but so many people and places to look back upon. Thanks bunches and bunches to any and all out there who crossed our paths and helped us along; meant so very much.

[Kjen]

Great you 2 well be home in a couple of days I was at Doc Apt when you called sorry Dudley & jenn I am trying to get a go ahead so I can go to Lamonsters for cook out see what happens or fly out don't want to want to ryde to it . I was happy to meat you two and want to meat more spyder lovers. Doing better every day want to tell you all be safe have fun ryde baby ryde .....Don.....

Thank you way much Don, you take care and do whatever it takes to stay on top. Thoughts and prayers are with you, and with you also Sue. Thanks for taking time for us.

[Dudley]

Jennifer summed it all...428 miles today. Now at Moses Lake, WA. Traveled I-90 from Missoula, MT. The wind whipped us good again today. Just love that Spyder! Tomorrow, weather permitting, we plan on doing Mt Rainier before going to Lynnwood, WA.

[draboo]

Jennifer summed it all...428 miles today. Now at Moses Lake, WA. Traveled I-90 from Missoula, MT. The wind whipped us good again today. Just love that Spyder! Tomorrow, weather permitting, we plan on doing Mt Rainier before going to Lynnwood, WA.

We did a Mt Rainier spin with 4 spyders a few weeks ago. Its a fantastic ride with some wonder scenery. Highly recommended.

Give us a call when you get back to Lynnwood, Dudley! Oh, and I ll bet it feels good to be back on Left Coast time.

[Desert Spyder]

D & J... Just got through looking at your albums on "Dudley & Jennifer's Most Excellent Adventure". I see Jen is busy on the back of the bike. Do you do any of the driving Jennifer? Do you guys have any type of comm. between the helmets? Unique hand signals?