I’m experimenting with video links. Here is a video of a tidal bore, which occurs when a tide comes in so quickly it causes the river to flow backwards for several hours. The river is about 25 miles from the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick Province, Canada.
TestWednesday, 28 September. Darkness.
I began the drive at 3AM for two reasons. First, to avoid morning rain in AZ and afternoon heat in CA. Also wanted to get home before spouse left for afternoon work. Because I routinely avoided nighttime driving, the 3 hours of darkness exceeded the combined previous times! But being in the morning, traffic wasn’t bad at all. Sure was dark though. Moose Crossing Signs were in abundance. Not comforting sights.
In 1977 I first came to CA on the same route (I40 to Barstow, I15 to San Diego). Nothing was familiar except for the McDonalds in train cars in Barstow (I ate at Denny’s this time). Lots of referrals to Route 66 now. I can’t say for sure, but I’ll wager that there is now a lot more traffic.
Anyway, at 11:30 I arrived home. 27,580 miles. Never dropped the bike. Never came close to hitting an animal. Well, I did run over a snake early in the trip, but that doesn’t count.
I will probably write a recap extolling on What It All Means. For the moment though, it means I’m home.
Tuesday, 27 September. Nice weather.
Had a bad night’s sleep. Heartburn. Started the day late and immediately had trouble staying awake. 5 Hour Energy no real help! By noon I began looking for a place to crash. Rain was forecast anyway. By 2PM I was safely tucked away in a room next to the tracks in Flagstaff. Boy, do those trains run frequently.
Rain didn’t come until that evening when I was woken by incredibly loud thunder at about 7:30. The only excitement all day.
Monday, 26 September. Cool. Perfect weather.
Stopped at The Big Texan in Amarillo. Still offers a free 72 oz steak if you can eat it (and all the trimmings) in under an hour. To date, about 9,400 people have done it. Opened in 1962? Last guy did it four days ago in 38 minutes! They have a list.
No other stops worth mentioning. In Albuquerque. Don’t know how far I’ll get tomorrow. Southern California is experiencing a heat wave that has no end in sight. Delaying my return is not an option.
Sunday, 25 September. Hot, then very wet for 45 minutes.
The traffic was horrible until Little Rock. 90% of the trucks then headed south to Texas. Much better.
Again, I skipped all tourist stops. An amazing number of bikers on the road. Many on trailers. Thinking there’s an event somewhere. How they can safely drive with just glasses on in a driving rainstorm is a question. Well, I guess the point is that they can’t do it safely, but drive anyway.
Oklahoma City is very impressive. A great highway through town.
About 600 miles. It’s not ironbutt territory, but for me it’s a lot.
Saturday, 24 September. Hot again. I’ve posted pictures from the prior two days. Getting caught up.
Two days ago: Gettysburg was extremely detailed. The movie, narrated by Morgan Freeman was a little too dramatic, but still excellent. The Cyclorama, painted in the 1880s, was incredible. Museum covered far more than just the battle. The bus tour, conducted by a animated guide, was worthwhile. The number of monuments, many with commentary, are intimidating. I’d like to read each one.
Antietam was not nearly as well presented. It fails in comparison. Moreover, it’s described without fully showing the scope of the battle. Bloodiest day in American history, yet they seem to describe three skirmishes. Maybe it was just me.
Yesterday: The Skyline Drive is indeed beautiful. One should take it slow and easy. I was pressed for time, which is the absolute worst way to drive it.
Today: I just drove. Gorgeous sunrise behind me. There are a lot of things to stop for in Tennessee, but I ignored them. Andrew Johnson’s home, Andrew Jackson’s home, Nashville, Shiloh, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, etc. The road was less crazy than yesterday, though the trucks were just as bad. I have never seen so many 18 wheelers wander outside their lines. I feared that many drivers were dozing off. I began to speed up as I went by to minimize the risk. Massive jam on the eastbound. Tennessee football attracts fans from a great distance. Anyway, I drove until the heat started getting to me. Tomorrow promises to be cooler, though maybe wetter too. We’ll see.
People like to pose for pictures next to Lincoln. It’s just me, but I think that’s a little wrong.
The actual props in front of the painting is an excellent idea.
The man is dramatic.
Note the Maltese cross, symbol used by the 20th Maine Regiment, famous for their charge on Little Round Top.
Contribute money by state. California was well represented, considering distances.
Skyline Drive.
Friday, 23 September. Hot.
Skyline Drive was beautiful, but also slow. Not feeling too well. Turned off to the I81 for speed. Full-on focus for home. Touring will be limited.
I81 is horrible! Like the I5. Stupid drivers, heavy traffic. First time in a long time I was afraid for my safety. Quit at three. Wytheville. Woodrow Wilson’s wife’s birthplace. Start tomorrow at sunrise. Another hot day forecast.
My mother ended her six year sailing log with “Still cold and miserable.” I may end mine with the same sentiment, except “hot”.
Thursday, 23 September. Warm, sunny.
Excellent. No pictures. Just go. Plan to spent day(s) at Gettysburg. Eisenhower’s home is there too.
Wednesday, 21 September. Warm, sunny. The setting sun is beginning to bother me each afternoon. Clouds would be good, as long as the moisture stays in the sky.
Shelburne Falls, MA, and its Bridge of Flowers was a great surprise. I was actually just looking for a post office. See the pictures. It began as a trolley bridge then fell into disuse. After a while, some townspeople thought it would be nice to cover the eyesore with flowers. Works.
It took 3 hours to go 100 miles. Got a bit lost finding a gas station, but mostly local roads are a big pain. Massachusetts has a very irritating concept of speed limits. 50, then 45, then 55, then back to 45, etc. Some cars seem to just go 45 all the time. The evidence that they’re messed up was at the New York border. From 40 to 55 with no change in roadway.
Drove down the Taconic State Parkway, which parallels the Hudson River on the east side. Doesn’t allow trucks or trailers, so it’s nicer (though slower) than the Thruway on the west side. I was planning to visit West Point, but time was running out and I didn’t want to rush it. Realized that Hyde Park was on the way, so I decided to visit a house of one president rather than a campus with thousands of cadets. A rally of Model A Fords was there. The Library/Museum had a special exhibit detailing the White House’s 36 hours following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Very interesting. I could have stayed all day.
A quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, shown below, stopped me short. See its caption. My Grand Adventure has had many thoughtful twists and turns. This one might be the oddest.
Not too many stops, but I traveled 320 miles and almost reached my day’s goal. Tomorrow is a designed short day, then I decide which latitude to travel at. Depends on temperature. I’m hopefully going to take I40 and try to get on a few old stretches of Route 66.
Bridge of Flowers. It is really beautiful. The town had some interesting shops. Wanted to stay longer.
Odd roadside sculpture.
Odder roadside store.
Nice memorial to a senator/governor in an otherwise empty park.
I don’t understand the quote.
Model A Fords. This is just a few. There might have been more than 30 of them.
“Yesterday” was December 8th, 1942. On the evening of December 7th, 1942, “I had an hour’s visit with nine honor juniors of Colgate University. I found them an extremely nice group of young boys.” My father was one of them.
Tuesday, 20 September. Warm to hot, clear skies.
A lot of touring; not much mileage. Local roads out west mean 70 MPH and no towns. Here it’s 45 MPH and lots of towns.
Old Orchard Beach is your typical resort town that caters to the blue collar crowd. Lots of it is closed for the season. (If I saw a “Closed for the season” sign in San Diego, I’d assume that the store was permanently closed.) They had just had a biker weekend, so the bars had “No group colors” signs. I don’t think my Honda Gold Wing jacket applied. It was interesting to walk around only because it seemed to be a throwback era. If I’d been there in season I’d have kept driving.
Saco, ME, is one of those towns that clearly is led by long term inspired management. Well laid out, nice government offices, historical markers, and a museum. And what a museum! I toured just one of three floors. It’s not just local history. An excellent place that doesn’t shy away from the darker histories. The radical locals (with a KKK chapter) were mostly focused on keeping out the French-Canadians and Roman Catholics. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Rode behind a truck carrying manure for about 15 miles on a country road. Ah, the sweet smell of nature!
The State House in Concord isn’t nearly as pretty as Vermont’s, but the interior is much more museum-like. The lobby has a display of battle flags from over a hundred New Hampshire military units, ranging from revolutionary times to WWII. Many portraits with detailed histories. The gift store has an impressive collection of campaign memorabilia: the welcomer proudly pointed out that every candidate must visit the State House to register for the primary.
Gilsum, NH, is my paternal grandmother’s hometown. Never been there before. I visited both her grave (with the graves of more distant relatives) and the town. It’s literally a one stop sign town (a “T” intersection). The general store predates my grandmother. While standing outside that store I recalled To Kill a Mockingbird, alluding to being able to understand people better when you stand on their porch. I never met my grandmother, but at that moment I felt a connection. Maudlin I know, but there it is.
I only drove a little over 200 miles, but I saw an awfully lot of America.
Old Orchard Beach, complete with cheap looking amusement park, pier, and candy store.
Saco, ME.
Origin of “grandfather’s clock”?
A contract to become an indentured servant. Note the “Shall not commit Fornication, nor contract Matrimony”!
I was taking a picture of the marker when I noticed the library sign. Scary! I do not know what it’s referencing.
Concord State House.
The stare of authority.
The State House gift store.
My grandmother. To get the lettering to stand out, I sprayed it with white foam from a can of windshield cleaner, then wiped off the excess.
I was intrigued by the heading first, then the languages.