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We left the Appalacian Mountains and headed towards MI and rested up in Ann Arbour.
Early, before the sun had risen and there was a slight freshness in the air we set off. It was great to be in th saddle again aboard my trustee Goldwing that seems only to be happy when eating the miles on the black top, engine purring around about 80mph. It felt like I hadn't been riding for weeks but it was only 3 days.
Watching the sun rays reach out across the dark night sky, pushing back the darkness. I know that sounds like an old hippy talking but the skies seem bigger, the clouds seem bigger here in the USA. I think it's because the view to the horizon is so much more than the horizons back in my home town of Bath, United Kingdom. I started to leave the built up area and the scenery started to change slowly as we got deeper into Nebraska. First day in the saddle clocked up 600 miles and I felt I could have done more. I stayed in a small town called Newton. The architcture of some of the buildings was turn of the century with a very typical American square with the town hall set in the middle of it. I am told I am in the midwest and from my experience ettiquette and good manners seem to be the norm. That's refereshing to me. Europe is very much becoming a place of greed with little space for old fashioned good manners.
I rode into Omaha. I was surprised to see how big it was. I visited a very good American friend and his wife, children and grandchildren for a few days. Our common link was the V8 Boss Hoss community a few years ago. I received another massive dose of American hospitality at its best. It's now getting to the stage that I don't really want to go home, lol.
Once again, a real early start out of Omaha onto the plain. Every time I set off in this amazing land I get the same butterflies in my stomach, apprehension and excitement of new day new horizons. I watched the farmed fields change and become slightly rocky, arid and dry. Rolling into Colorado across the state line gave me a buzz as if I was a teenager. I couldn't believe I was coming into Colorado. When I was growing up that was where all the cool people lived or lived near, or so I thought. I watched the terrain change but in front of me in the distance it looked like dark clouds coming over the horizon. The clouds didn't move, they just grew. After a few hours I realised these dark clouds were to the left of me and to the right of me way in front with sharp profiles. It was the Rockies, another adrenaline rush for me. I came off the i80 onto the i70 and straight into the heart of these incredible breathtaking mountains. It was labor day weekend so unbeknown to me traffic jams were a given. I found it very odd to be driving through such incredible fantastic canyons with god inspired mountains to the left and to the right, yet crawling along in a very heavy traffic jam. It confused my senses somewhat. I pulled up in Dillon Damn and rested for the night. Another good day, high miles covered.
I left Dillon and the roads still rose. I finally went through a tunnel and the funniest weirdest feelings that I have experienced hit me like a wall when I came out of that tunnel. The valley swept down so fast and swift, the temperature felt 10 degrees lower, I felt I was at the top of a ski jump on a goldwing, no snow just on the road. For the next eternity it was fast flowing traffic down hill. I couldn't believe I could feel altitude sickness effects, it just felt like there wasn't enough oxygen no matter how much air I gulped in. But as we sped down hill my ears popped and I could feel my lungs partying on the sheer abundance of oxygen in the air. I have never felt altitude effects in my life. I rode on and sadly the Rockies ended too suddenly and I was in Utah, barren flat rocky terrain. I started to get scarily close to running out of fuel so I tucked myself behind the fairing, folded my cruise pegs up, dropped my speed to 40mph and counted the many signs I passed with the words I have never seen before, clear and burned onto my brain "No Services". I have never seen those two words on signposts and I will never forget seeing them that day. I was just wondering how good cell phone signal was and AAA response times were, assuming they could find me in a terrain that can only be compared to the moon (not that I have ridden a goldwing around the moon, but you get the picture).
Then I saw it - two golden arches on a signpost, McDonalds. I couldn't believe it and I had to smile and I think I still had 15 miles gas left. I wound the throttle up and accelerated the last mile, sliding off to the gas station and a well deserved bathroom stop at that oh so familiar brand McDonalds.
After a day of near bike pushing on mountain rock like moon terrain I rolled into Green River. Nice hotel and welcoming shower. I explored the little town, I have never seen a deserted town. A beautiful 100 year old building that was the bank stood empty, unloved and uncared for, few motels and a derelict gas station. I keep forgetting the sheer size of America and the shifting of the economy results in what I was confronted with, a dead/dying town. I have never seen this before. I guess this is progress.
Next stop Salt Lake City - wow what an amazing place. Sorry for the long winded above. If you're all still awake and don't mind another update I will write soon.
America has been an incredible experience. The Americans have an incredible upbeat welcome, full of optimism and hospitality. From Laura and myself a heartfelt thank you.
2800 miles and we're still loving every mile. Salt Lake, Las Vegas, Death Valley etc to come, can't wait.
Ride safe.
John and Laura
Early, before the sun had risen and there was a slight freshness in the air we set off. It was great to be in th saddle again aboard my trustee Goldwing that seems only to be happy when eating the miles on the black top, engine purring around about 80mph. It felt like I hadn't been riding for weeks but it was only 3 days.
Watching the sun rays reach out across the dark night sky, pushing back the darkness. I know that sounds like an old hippy talking but the skies seem bigger, the clouds seem bigger here in the USA. I think it's because the view to the horizon is so much more than the horizons back in my home town of Bath, United Kingdom. I started to leave the built up area and the scenery started to change slowly as we got deeper into Nebraska. First day in the saddle clocked up 600 miles and I felt I could have done more. I stayed in a small town called Newton. The architcture of some of the buildings was turn of the century with a very typical American square with the town hall set in the middle of it. I am told I am in the midwest and from my experience ettiquette and good manners seem to be the norm. That's refereshing to me. Europe is very much becoming a place of greed with little space for old fashioned good manners.
I rode into Omaha. I was surprised to see how big it was. I visited a very good American friend and his wife, children and grandchildren for a few days. Our common link was the V8 Boss Hoss community a few years ago. I received another massive dose of American hospitality at its best. It's now getting to the stage that I don't really want to go home, lol.
Once again, a real early start out of Omaha onto the plain. Every time I set off in this amazing land I get the same butterflies in my stomach, apprehension and excitement of new day new horizons. I watched the farmed fields change and become slightly rocky, arid and dry. Rolling into Colorado across the state line gave me a buzz as if I was a teenager. I couldn't believe I was coming into Colorado. When I was growing up that was where all the cool people lived or lived near, or so I thought. I watched the terrain change but in front of me in the distance it looked like dark clouds coming over the horizon. The clouds didn't move, they just grew. After a few hours I realised these dark clouds were to the left of me and to the right of me way in front with sharp profiles. It was the Rockies, another adrenaline rush for me. I came off the i80 onto the i70 and straight into the heart of these incredible breathtaking mountains. It was labor day weekend so unbeknown to me traffic jams were a given. I found it very odd to be driving through such incredible fantastic canyons with god inspired mountains to the left and to the right, yet crawling along in a very heavy traffic jam. It confused my senses somewhat. I pulled up in Dillon Damn and rested for the night. Another good day, high miles covered.
I left Dillon and the roads still rose. I finally went through a tunnel and the funniest weirdest feelings that I have experienced hit me like a wall when I came out of that tunnel. The valley swept down so fast and swift, the temperature felt 10 degrees lower, I felt I was at the top of a ski jump on a goldwing, no snow just on the road. For the next eternity it was fast flowing traffic down hill. I couldn't believe I could feel altitude sickness effects, it just felt like there wasn't enough oxygen no matter how much air I gulped in. But as we sped down hill my ears popped and I could feel my lungs partying on the sheer abundance of oxygen in the air. I have never felt altitude effects in my life. I rode on and sadly the Rockies ended too suddenly and I was in Utah, barren flat rocky terrain. I started to get scarily close to running out of fuel so I tucked myself behind the fairing, folded my cruise pegs up, dropped my speed to 40mph and counted the many signs I passed with the words I have never seen before, clear and burned onto my brain "No Services". I have never seen those two words on signposts and I will never forget seeing them that day. I was just wondering how good cell phone signal was and AAA response times were, assuming they could find me in a terrain that can only be compared to the moon (not that I have ridden a goldwing around the moon, but you get the picture).
Then I saw it - two golden arches on a signpost, McDonalds. I couldn't believe it and I had to smile and I think I still had 15 miles gas left. I wound the throttle up and accelerated the last mile, sliding off to the gas station and a well deserved bathroom stop at that oh so familiar brand McDonalds.
After a day of near bike pushing on mountain rock like moon terrain I rolled into Green River. Nice hotel and welcoming shower. I explored the little town, I have never seen a deserted town. A beautiful 100 year old building that was the bank stood empty, unloved and uncared for, few motels and a derelict gas station. I keep forgetting the sheer size of America and the shifting of the economy results in what I was confronted with, a dead/dying town. I have never seen this before. I guess this is progress.
Next stop Salt Lake City - wow what an amazing place. Sorry for the long winded above. If you're all still awake and don't mind another update I will write soon.
America has been an incredible experience. The Americans have an incredible upbeat welcome, full of optimism and hospitality. From Laura and myself a heartfelt thank you.
2800 miles and we're still loving every mile. Salt Lake, Las Vegas, Death Valley etc to come, can't wait.
Ride safe.
John and Laura
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