48 States in 27 Days at Age 84

[Little Blue]

...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. ....

[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]

... 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. ....

... 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. ....