Monday, May 28, 2007

From Southern CA to Northern ID


From the Los Angeles area, my next direction was north. Driving along the Pacific coast is an amazing experience and I count myself lucky to have taken the trip several times. But since I had never before taken the inland route to the east of the Sierra Nevadas, I decided on to give it a go this time. It was a great choice!

The main north/south artery through eastern California is “the 395.” I took another road out of LA to approach 395, and the conditions were sunny, hot and windy. As I drove, these three conditions strengthened, so much so that if I were to retype those words, I would use all caps (and that means business).

While riding this road, one has views of the aqueducts and pipelines that deliver water to Los Angeles from points north. The practice of taking water from other places is understandably political and I recall from other visits to Mono Lake that sometimes concerted efforts can successfully abate the draw from certain locations.

Heading northward, the wind died off a bit and I was thankful for that. Riding in a heavy, gusting crosswind is difficult – and requires the rider to lean/turn sharply from time to time, but without advanced notice. It’s not necessarily a hazardous situation, but after several hours, the rider has likely expended a good amount of concentration and energy.

As I continued, I was surrounded by several places that each deserve several days just to begin to explore. To my right (east) was Death Valley, and although I had only days before taken a quick drive-through, there is certainly much more to be seen. To my left (west) was Sequoia and King’s Canyon national parks. I was very tempted to take a significant detour to reach the Sequoias, as there are few things more humbling than being among the world’s most massive living things. But I remained northward on 395. And then came to the turnoff for Yosemite’s Tioga Pass. Ouch! To be so close and not to visit was difficult indeed! Then off to the right was a favorite, Mono Lake. And as a final blow, I needed to drive past the turnoff toward Lake Tahoe. All of these places are sincere favorites of mine and none of them have seen the last of me!

Having typed this much, I realize that I haven’t mentioned that I was pressed for time to ride to Reno where I had an appointment at the bike shop to fix my running lights. Turns out that I made it on time. And it turns out that the lights were a quick fix. Rarely is my luck that good with electrical problems.

In Reno, I stayed with friends of Anna’s, Ericka, Paul and their young son Gunner. I called Ericka’s mobile number, told her I made it to town and I was at the BMW shop waiting on repairs. “You mean the shop next door to the Forrest Service office where I work?” asked Ericka. “Um, maybe - - let me walk the street and take a look. Yes, I think that’s the one!” Small world (case one). I had a great visit with my (new) friends – thanks!!

From Reno, my next destination would be Coeur d'Alene, where I will run a foot race on May 27. The shortest route would have been to the north, but since I’d never explored the interior of Nevada, I decided to head east, along route 50, a.k.a. “America’s Loneliest Highway.” From what I had heard, this stretch of road promised to be flat and straight and would bore any driver to tears, so much so that many have reported UFO sightings and possibly even abductions. I was mistaken in every way. I had apparently misinterpreted “lonely” to imply “boring” but that is far from the case. Route 50 winds through endless hills and offers great views. In fact, other than Alaska, Nevada is reportedly the most mountainous state. At no point along Nevada’s route 50 will you not have a mountain in sight.

Stopping in Austin, Nevada, I saw three other BMW riders and approached them saying something very stupid like, “where are you taking these three fine motorcycles?” The men forgave my schlock and one asked, “aren’t you the guy who asked where to buy a sandwich at Zion?” “Why yes, that’s right!” I had stopped at a place signed as a deli, but apparently they only served ice cream. I had asked three cone-holding men about sandwich options, and then there they were, a week and hundreds of miles later. Small world (case two).

Most of the land in Nevada is owned by the Department of the Interior – and interestingly, lands at higher elevations are managed by the Forrest Service while the lower elevation places are under the care of the Bureau of Land Management. Not sure who decides such things. . .

Along with my other misconceptions of route 50, I also encountered no extraterrestrial life; but I did get my share of the surreal when I visited the east Nevada town of Ely. When in Ely, one has no choice but to be aware of the Hotel Nevada. It is heavily promoted when entering the town and it is quite colorful to see in person. I felt compelled to stay there and I’m glad I did. For the low cost of $40, I was treated to a cultural experience beyond compare. The place was built in the 1920’s and the décor appeals to the gaudy accouchement archeologist in all of us.

From Ely the terrain flattens out a bit as one heads north into Idaho. As evening set in I decided to stop before entering the Sawtooth Mountains, in part to avoid run-ins with wildlife and in part to save the views for an hour when I could appreciate them. Grabbing dinner at a bar in Hailey Idaho, the bartender asked, if I had stopped along side the road a hundred or so miles south earlier in the day. “Yes.” He recognized my face from a moving vehicle. Small world (case three).

Riding through the Sawtooth and Bitterroot mountains has probably been my favorite new experience of the trip so far. My jaw dropped so often that the bugs didn’t even hit my teeth on their way to my belly – quite fortifying indeed.

After leaving the Bitterroot area, I hauled butt to a town near Coeur d’Alene where I have an appointment tomorrow at the BMW shop there to swap tires and do some other maintenance, to prepare the bike for the long trip to Alaska. Notably, I’ll switch to “knobby” tires – I’ve never ridden a motorcycle with them – I think they’ll possibly be a bit rough on the pavement but they will pull me through any gravel, sand or mud that I’ll likely encounter over the next few weeks. This will make the fifth BMW dealership I’ve visited on the trip, and the fourth at which I’ve had work done. $$$.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Motorcycle Camp


Between visiting Zion and Death Valley, I had stopped at the Las Vegas BMW motorcycle dealership – no particular reason other than to meet people that love the bikes and might identify with my trip. I mentioned to one person that I was on my way to an off-road riding class in southern California and his eyes doubled in size. “Is it Jim Hyde’s class?” he asked. “Yep!” “Oh, that’s great! I want to hear all about it!” My report follows:

Since childhood, the idea of motocross riding has appealed. My parents weren’t keen on motorcycles, so I made do (quite well I think) with BMX and, later, mountain bikes. I bought my first motorcycle in the late 80’s, shortly after graduating college – it was a cruiser type bike, a Yamaha virago 750. After maybe five years, I put motorcycling on the shelf until 2001 when I realized that my life couldn’t possibly worthwhile without two wheels and a motor. Returning to the notions of my childhood, I investigated “dual sport” bikes, which are great for long distance street rides and are competent in the dirt. The BMW GS is a de facto bike for traveling the world, on pavement and otherwise (“GS” stands for the German “Gelände Straße” which roughly means cross-county street). I opted for the GS 1150 Adventure and I looked forward to using it both on road and off.

In planning my current trip, I recognized from prior travel that northern Canada and Alaska involve roads that – due to long and tough winters – often offer little more than mud and gravel, at least in certain stretches. I know that the GS is among the best bikes for my trip but since I’ve mostly ridden on pavement, I wanted training in off-road riding. I researched different training options and decided on Jim Hyde’s program.

In Barstow, I had entered the school’s longitude/latitude coordinates in my GPS and I followed a route that approached Los Angeles from the north via route 5 (or “the five” in west coast speak). I had forgotten that the area is mountainous and beautiful. As I glanced frequently west to see the hills and a reservoir, my GPS announced that I would soon need to exit and head west. Good sign that “motorcycle camp” would be in a beautiful setting!

Following the instructions of my GPS I found the entrance to the RawHyde Adventure Camp. Set among the hills I’d seen from “the five,” the driveway to the ranch is an uphill partially-paved, partially-gravel road; I supposed that the weekend’s first lesson would be making it up the driveway. I let a bit of air out of my tires (increases surface area, increasing traction) and rode in. No problem; lesson one complete.

I was one of the first of fifteen students to arrive, but already there were more than a half dozen BMW GSs on site. Without meeting a single person yet, I felt quite at home.

Jim first impressed me as a professional, competent and fun-loving guy; a few more positive adjectives were added to the list over the weekend, including “capable” and “prepared.” As other students arrived, they introduced themselves as restaurant entrepreneurs, wine makers, BMW dealers, producers and artists; a diverse group with diverse riding experience, all friendly, all there to learn and have fun. We met our two instructors, both smiling and confident.

Once everyone had arrived, the parking area was filled with an excellent collection of bikes, mostly newer model BMWs. As vehicle enthusiasts will do when they are among their own kind, we discussed models and gear and other things that would bore you silly if you don’t ride. After examining all the fun gadgets we had each added to our bikes, we realized that it would be best to remove as many parts as possible before hitting (literally) the dirt the next day.

Saturday’s lessons began with discussion of how certain road riding mechanics and perspectives must change for successful off-road riding. Without attempting to repeat the curriculum, things like standing up and keeping a relaxed upper body are important. Things like ABS and countersteering can be bad.

Then it was time to hop on the bikes. Our first drills included riding as slowly as possible (primarily working the clutch), testing both the front and rear brakes to learn when they will begin to lock up and learning how to control a skid.

The next set of drills involved tight turning, then climbing and descending hills. Then all skills were tested in drills that involved tight turns on hills.

Jim had mentioned early on that he strives to not only teach riding skills, but to help people learn the boundaries of what they are capable of and comfortable with riding. In my mind, this is a perfect goal. Since I’m three weeks into a three month trip, my personal goal for the course was to get practice with those situations that I might likely encounter as I travel north. While it would be very fun to ride steep hills and narrow twisty trails, I don’t think that I’ll actually do that on this trip, in part because I’m carrying SO MUCH gear and in part because I want to complete the trip with the same bike I started with. This is a verbose way of justifying that I did not participate in certain of the lessons.

For me, Jim’s goal was completely met; I have learned the skills needed for what I actually plan to do and I can now discern between manageable and unmanageable situations.

It’s definitely worth mentioning that Jim’s curriculum is entirely reasonable - most other students completed most parts of the class, including one or two brand new riders. I’d like to return one day when I can better afford to break something important, and maybe I’ll take the class on a smaller bike.

Other items to mention about Jim’s Adventure Riding Camp: 1) Jim’s ranch is ideal for the course – beautiful and although convenient to LA, remarkably remote, 2) the rapport established among all (students, trainers, staff) is exceptional, 3) the food is excellent and ample and 4) the post-riding bar is delightfully stocked (kudos in part to my wine-making classmate!).

If I had another hand, I’d give it a three thumbs up!

Friday, May 18, 2007

Zion and Death Valley



After saying goodbye to my aunt and thanking her for housing me and my bike, I made my way south of Phoenix to a bike shop where hopefully, the electrical demons that haunted my auxiliary lights and my horn would be exorcised in a ritual that only a dealer technician could safely perform. Three hundred dollars later I was on my way, all lights working and one horn in need of replacement (no parts available for that).

With a commitment near Los Angeles later in the week, I decided to briefly head north to escape the heat. Six thousand feet in elevation gain to Flagstaff and things cooled down a bit. And since north was the direction of the day, I pushed on to Page, the town closest to the dam in the Colorado River that holds back lake Powell. I enjoyed an excellent trail run and some great red rock-near-water scenery.

I got an early start the next day so that I could put some miles behind me and then enjoy the afternoon on foot. Heading west from Page, one passes through the Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument, a huge area where giant uplifts of soil and rock provide good evidence of how certain of the earth’s features have been shaped. I’d been through a northern portion of the monument before and it was good to also see some of the south. (I remember liking the northern section better).

With little time to lose, I sped west again to my all-time favorite park, Zion. This was my fourth visit and I could see myself returning many times without complaint! I found a campsite and hopped the shuttle into the park’s valley. Given an entire day, I would have hiked to observation point, but with only four hours of light, I decided to run the several miles and 1,500 foot rise up to Angel’s landing. Who was I kidding? – I’m in no shape to actually run to the top of that! I did hike/jog more than half of it, then back down to the valley floor and most of the way back to camp. Although the park has no showers, it does have streams. And on that day, a nice dip in the water felt very good indeed (funny thing is that I was the only one swimming).

After a decent night’s sleep in Zion (it would have been better than “decent” if I had removed a couple rocks from underneath my tent), I headed southwest toward Las Vegas. In doing so, I lost the elevation that I had gained two days prior, so the mercury went back up and Paul resumed sweating heavily.

I stopped by the Vegas BMW dealership. They didn’t have a replacement horn either. But that turns out to be okay since the horn has started to work properly again (it had never completely stopped working; it just started to sound muted). And at about the same time that the horn came back to life, two auxiliary lights completely died. I have no confidence in the work performed at the Chandler (near Phoenix) BMW dealership. After all, they clearly can’t even perform an exorcism.

I didn’t realize my lighting malfunction until I was 100 miles out of Vegas, well on my way to Death Valley. I’d never been to Death Valley before but I’m very glad to have visited. I entered the park from the east and went to Furnace Creek (or “crick,” depending where you grew up). Then down to Badwater where the elevation is -282 feet, the lowest point in the US. On the road, my GPS reported that I was -270 feet, so while I suppose that it may have been hotter elsewhere in the park, I find it difficult to imagine. I absolutely recommend that anyone visit, but they should be prepared to drink as much water as possible but to also realize that they’ll never keep up with how much they’ll sweat, especially if they wear a big hot power ranger suit like I do.

From Death Valley, I rode southwest to Barstow CA. Tomorrow’s ride to a town near Los Angeles will be short as measured in miles, but possibly long in terms of time if L.A. traffic lives up to its reputation.

This weekend should be pretty interesting; I’ll be taking an off-road motorcycle riding class geared toward ginormous dual sport bikes such as mine. You can be quite sure that I’ll be wearing all me protective gear for this!!

BVI Report, from May 14


Hello from US Airways flight 1515 from Charlotte to Phoenix. Today has been a long travel day; it began when the alarm went off at 6:30 Eastern time. If you were to have been in room 312 of the Olde Yard Inn on the island of Virgin Gorda, then you too would have heard the alarm. Next you would have heard me make some surprised sort of noise, since I wouldn’t have expected to see you there.

The British Virgin Islands are wonderful and I highly recommend a visit to them, especially if you need a vacation for the day-to-day doldrums of, say, a cross country motorcycle tour. And they are a particularly good destination when nearly fifty other people are gathered to celebrate the wedding of close friends. When Farrokh and Becky invited me to their mid-May wedding, I had already made plans for the May-June-July motorcycle trip. It took only a few minutes to realize that I could do both if I were to fly to the wedding from some point along my route. And since I hadn’t seen my aunt Alice since long before she moved to Phoenix a couple years ago, the obvious answer was to visit her and park the bike at her house for a few days while I traveled. A perfect break for both bike and rider.

Among a few friends, the observation has been made that the most direct route from Washington DC to the Virgin Islands does NOT involve a bike ride to Arizona.

From Phoenix, I enjoyed a flight in another counter-intuitive direction, northeast to New York City. Then down to Puerto Rico, where it seems that most flights from the states stop on their way to a main BVI island of Tortola. The airport on Tortola is named “Beef Island” – I’m sure there is a good reason why. From Beef Island, I caught a ferry over to Virgin Gorda.

The visit to the island included many good friends including my girl Anna and friends Jon and Carrie with whom we shared a room. And of course Farrokh and Becky.

With the wedding a couple days away, we busied ourselves with things such as running, snorkeling and testing all available beers and rums.

Farrokh rented a high occupancy vehicle to carry us around in – with over forty people in attendance, this took a few trips!

We also set and ran a hash run. A lot of people turned out and very few complained – we’ll try harder next time!

To be sure, the prominent event was the Saturday’s ocean-side wedding: well-planned, thoughtful, beautiful.

It feels strange to have said goodbye to my friends for a second time in two weeks. But now it’s back to Phoenix where I’ll hop back on the bike and head west.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

There has been some discussion recently that my riding gear makes me look a little like a Mighty Morphing Power Ranger. Ridiculous; see for yourself below. I'm the one that's NOT the power ranger.

Monday, May 7, 2007

Over the last few days I’ve gone for two different runs that are worth describing. The first was in Tennessee, in the countryside north of Chattanooga. From my campground, I took off down a country road at about 7:30 PM. I passed a church, some homes and a few large cattle and crop fields. Some people were out tending to their yards, enjoying the cool air and the evening sun as much as I. There were also a few dogs. I like dogs. Dogs like me. Well, at least most dogs like me. Sometimes I think that some cranky dogs don’t like anyone. So what were cranky dogs doing on my run?

I respect a dog’s right – no, duty – to protect his home. A dog should be able to vocally perform his duty at any range, but physical protection really ought to be contained to the dog’s property. This is my opinion. Evidently dogs in eastern Tennessee do not share my view. Based on a five dog sample size, I proclaim that 100% of all dogs in Tennessee will chase a jogger right down the road. From now on I carry a stick.

The second run took place in Abilene Texas two nights ago (I picked Abilene in honor of Jerry Garcia’s “Loser”). From the Comfort Inn, there is no pedestrian friendly running route. Unless the runner gets creative. The Comfort Inn is only a quarter mile from a Wal-Mart. Actually, it’s a Wal-Mart Supercenter, the grandest of all retail super-tankers. To run the entire perimeter of Wal-Mart AND the adjacent fueling station, Chili’s, Cracker Barrel, nail salon and video store took me an average of about nine minutes, so I’ll call it a mile. The

re were multiple enjoyments with this run. First, it was a run, and I like running. Second, I got to see the reactions of various shoppers and employees as I circuited four or five times. Third, I got to see a few “boondockers,” of which I have been one many times in the past. Boondocking is the practice of parking one’s mobile home in a retail parking lot overnight. A boondockcer is one who boondocks. Seeing a few campers in the lot reminded me of the many nights that Griffin (the dog) and I overnighted in a similar way on our 2002 trip.

When I wrote a few days ago I was hunkered down in a Nashville, enjoying the company of my brother and his wife. I stayed with them for a second day and I had the chance to see the areas where they are thinking to move. Having given the area my coveted stamp of approval, I wish them well in Nashville!

There have recently been a few nasty storms in the eastern central region and my route has been reactionary to the forecast. With storms predicted for north of Tennessee but not south, I headed southwest, along the Natchez Trace parkway. The parkway parallels and at in places crosses a path between central Tennessee and a southern point along the Mississippi river. From what I read, it was initialized by Native Americans and then also used heavily by European settlers. Its use declined significantly with the introduction of steam ships along the Mississippi in the early 1800’s.

The Natchez Trace Parkway is beautiful and unquestionably qualifies as a first-rate wormhole. Although it is less rolling than the Appalachian parkways, the southern portions of the Natchez include swamp lands, and that’s highly cool!

Along the parkway, I stopped for gas in Tupelo. This was intentional as I wanted to see a bit of the city after which one of my favorite bands – Uncle Tupelo – was named. I didn’t get much of a sense for the city, but I was quite thankful that I had stopped. Just as I was filling at the gas station, the wind picked up. And a moment later it was quite dark. Then KABLOOM! Rain and thunder in a big way. I hid under the roofed station, crying and shivering in a corner like a small child. When the storm passed, I regained my composure and announced that what had just happened was but a sprinkle.

I left the Natchez Trace shortly before its terminus, heading west on Interstate 20. I enjoy the “backroads” much more than the interstates, but the weather forecast allowed as though the “getting would be good” to pass through Texas over the next couple days before big weather set in again. So I hauled butt. For me, - for now – hauling butt involves 500+ mile days. I know of others who pride themselves in completing 1,000 mile days; these are called “Iron Butt” rides. I like the idea but(t) I’m not quite there yet.

Two days ago I rode from Western Mississippi to Abilene Texas. For no particular reason, I told myself that, with a full tank of gas, I wouldn’t set foot down in Louisiana. Not that I don’t like the state; I’ve had several memorable (and several non-memorable) experiences in New Orleans. But riding straight through would give me a distance-covering goal. Turns out that several miles in, I decided that I was too hot and stopped to shed a layer. So much for lofty goals.

The most interesting thing to me about east Texas was the wind. Blowing from the southwest, the wind knocked me silly as I headed into it, but at an angle. Leaning to the left (yet not turning) for several hundred miles is a pretty unnerving experience. Also, the wind over time can be loud. I always ear plugs but am now wondering if I can squeeze two into my left ear.

Yesterday I rode from Abilene across I-20, picked up I-10 along the Mexico/US border, through El Paso and into Las Cruces, New Mexico where I found a delightful KOA campground and where I am as I write this.

The ride through West Texas was much more interesting than the prior day’s drive, in part because I’d never seen this part of the country. At just about the point where I-20 ends, mountains spring up out of nowhere. I love mountains and I consider myself an expert on them. As such, I’ve decreed three basic types of big mountains: 1) big cold snowy & icy ones, 2) big sometimes cold tree-covered ones (which may or may not have snow on top) and 3) big often hot barren exposed rock ones. Those in west Texas are of the Type 3 category, one of my favorite three types.

Riding along the border with Mexico was of interest to me. Boarders seem quite arbitrary at times and when I’m near one I ponder how different things really are one side v. the other. Environmentally (assuming away man’s treatment of things), things are probably quite similar. Politically and culturally, things can often be quite different. Noting that it was May 6th, the day after Cinco de Mayo, I chuckled as I wondered which side of the border had more hungover people.

I saw three signs in Texas that I should share with you:

1) Reminder that Texas is the home of G. W. Bush (actually, many signs announce this);

2) Announcement of an all-you-can-eat drive-through (this works how??. . .) and

3) Announcement of an RV Park with both an ATM machine and a Van Gogh gallery (now that’s full service!).

So it’ll soon be time to pack up and head west some more. I think that I’ve cleared the bad weather and I can take my time over the next 36 hours as I drive to Phoenix to visit my aunt and then board a plane on Wednesday to fly to. . . well, I’ll catch you up on those details next time!

Friday, May 4, 2007

From my days in school, I remember the dreaded term-long journal writing assignments. They involved a spiral-bound notebook with the word “JOURNAL” confidently written on the front and a date somewhere around Labor Day written on the first page. Within a week, the pad would settle toward the bottom of my desk and would reappear as part of a panicked end-of-the-term ritual that featured a Hail Mary attempt to catch up on entries and to have them appear as if they truly spanned several months. Different pencils and colored pens lent a bit of uniqueness to the first few pages, but inevitably suitable topics became nearly as unavailable as time.

These memories have returned over the last couple days as I have felt already behind in keeping in touch with you and sharing news of my recent travels. But unlike past writing assignments, I don’t feel at a loss for content. And much like past writing assignments, I reserve the right to change fonts from time to time.

It is the afternoon of Wednesday May 2nd and I am alone in a hotel suite in Nashville, Tennessee. In one corner is a significant collection of motorcycle luggage and gear. On the other side of the room is the luggage of a man and a woman, two people who a day ago, I would not have expected to see.

On day five of ninety, I report that three-month motorcycle tours are a pretty good idea. I’ll be sure to update this opinion from time to time, but for now I’ll back up the opinion with a few experiences, as follows.

Saturday April 28 was my official Day 1 of the trip. Having spent months preparing, I was actually ready to take off as planned. Goodbyes began at home with my dog Griffin and our friend (and his caretaker) Lauren. Then fifteen miles west to my mother’s house. Then off to meet with Anna at a westward spot along route 66. Goodbyes are difficult sometimes; these were good examples. While chatting with Anna along route 66, friends Farrokh and Erik pulled up on their bikes and soon it was time to make some actual westward progress.

Over recent months I have been riding the bike as loaded as practical to get a feel for the weight and handling. But never before had I actually incorporated all the gear that I’ve brought with me on this trip. The bike is HUGE! About the size and weight of an adolescent moose. Between the camping gear piled on the rear part of the seat and the new heavy duty boots, I have no chance of “throwing a leg” over the back of the bike to get on or off. Instead, I now use the much less cool method of using my hands to pass my leg over the seat. Real bikers want to hit me when they see this sort of thing.

The three of us spent about an hour on route 66, then peeled off onto Virginia’s side roads, with Farrokh and Erik taking off on the twisty roads, then patiently waiting at certain points for me and my bloated moose. The weather was ideal at first, partly cloudy with temperatures in the mid 70s. But then the sky darkened and the mercury dropped. We zipped up our vents, pushed on into West Virginia and gladly never saw more than a few drops of rain. My favorite sighting that day was a goat perched on a doghouse.

At about 5:00 Erik turned as planned to return home while Farrokh and I continued on to Seneca Rocks.

With plans to meet others at the Princess Snowbird campground, we drove the area looking for our friends. We had been advised that there were two camping options in the area, one run by the Forrest Service and the other (Snowbird) by a private company. Having stopped at the Forrest Service campground, an employee recommended that his campground offered the better experience as the other was disorganized and often attended by a loud beer drinking crowd. He kindly gave us directions to the Princess Snowbird and we were on our way.

The Princess Snowbird lived up to its reputation quite nicely. My first observation was that the sign for the campground makes no mention of the words “Princess” or “Snowbird.” But it has a picture of a woman and includes the word “Indian,” so I guess that’s enough of a clue. As we looked for our friends, Farrokh and I were waved over by a group of people gathered around a fire. They reported that they had been drinking tequila for a couple hours and they were enthusiastically agreeable to share. We parked our bikes and set out with two of our new friends to buy refreshments at the nearby general store.

At the store we found our friend Steve. He had been climbing earlier in the day but stopped when it rained. He and his friends had been at the store for a few hours, doing the things that a Princess Snowbird camper is supposed to do. Steve introduced us to some of his climbing friends and our circle of acquaintances continued to grow by the minute. Despite the opportunity to make this a long night, we remained tame, knowing that we wanted to get back on the road in the morning.

I started day two by slowly and deliberately breaking down camp; packing the bike will hopefully become routine soon. For breakfast Farrokh and I split the pineapple that my (creative) co-workers gave me as a going away gift. We rode southwest for a while and reached the Skyline Drive, where I said goodbye to my pal – the last goodbye for a while.

The Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway run continuously together and offer motorists a path along the top (more or less) of the Appalachian Mountains. The following words describe the experience of riding these two roads: scenic, peaceful, introspective, and wormhole. The first three words likely need no explanation so I’ll focus on the fourth.

Although I have no actual knowledge of the phenomenon, I’ll be happy to write with great authority and describe a wormhole as a continuum across space. It is a portal that masks the contexts of distance and time while it delivers something or someone from one location to another. The Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway are (together) a wormhole. Once on these roads, one can drive for two or more days with little concept of where they are or how far they’ve gone. Unlike a wormhole that accelerates repositioning, the parkway has a reverse effect; it serves as a 500 mile treadmill where the pavement moves at you at a rate proportional to the reading of your speedometer. This observation is made in praise of the parkway, as the treadmill effect ensures you can enjoy the scenic, peaceful and introspective aspects of the ride.

The “solo” portion of day two consisted of riding the Skyline Drive, then the Blue Ridge Parkway as far as Peaks of Otter. In some ways it was a shame to stop when I did because the early evening sunlight hit certain trees with great effect. While all seasons doubtlessly have their charm, early spring is a great time to visit the woods because although young leaves are out, they are small enough to let one see what lies beyond them. And young leaves are a bright color that can only be seen in the spring, as evidenced by the sun’s evening angle making them appear as shining specks against a darker background. A fitting experience inside a wormhole.

I was excited about camping at Peaks of Otter, but apparently the campgrounds along the parkway do not open until later in May. So I checked myself into the lodge and headed out for a run.

With a map of nearby trails in hand, I picked a circuit that looked to be about six or seven miles. Having trouble finding the trail head, I started out into the woods in a direction that surely would cross the trail I wanted. Uphill. Uphill more. Lots of fallen wood. A few briars. No trail. Downhill. Sliding here and there. A prayer or two for no ankle twists. Then back to where I started. Plan B involved running the 1 mile loop around the lake next to the lodge. Plan B was much better than the first attempt. After five laps (and as many “hellos” to certain people walking the loop), I showered, ate and got ready for day three.

Nearly the entirety of day three was (happily) spent on the Blue Ridge Parkway. With clear skies and few other motorists, one can quickly become spoiled by the consistently excellent views and endless gentle curves. Without the distractions of commercial signs, tractor trailers and intersecting roads, it becomes easy to imagine the things that have happened over time along the Appalachians: the people who have lived in the area, the art and music they’ve produced and the struggles they’ve endured to fight for their homes. Not to mention the modern day accomplishments of those who cycle the parkway or, more notably, those who hike the area as they progress along the Appalachian Trail. It is also interesting to consider the age of the Appalachian mountains relative to, say, the Rockies. While the west is certainly more dramatic in places, the east seems somehow to be more lasting and genuine.

A variety of things can interrupt these thoughts. One such thing is the sudden SLAP of something that finds it way up a motorcyclist’s sleeve. The SLAP is usually the sensation of an insect hitting skin. And sometimes the insect is a bee. And when the insect is a bee, time is of the essence. A SLAPPED bee is typically stunned for some period of time before it realizes how angry it is. In that time, it’s a very good idea for the motorcyclist to stop and take off their jacket. It’s tempting not to stop since it may well not be a bee. But sometimes it is. On day three it was. I’m glad I stopped.

Arriving in the Asheville area near sundown, I found the nearest RV campground. It looked clean and offered a shower, electricity and a wireless internet connection. But I decided to also try to find a nearby motorcycle-only campground I had heard about. I did find the motorcycle camp but it must have been a slow night: only two or three other campers, stationed near a murky man-made lake. No electricity, no internet connection. I went back to the RV park.

I woke up on Tuesday about seventy miles away from a section of road that is legendary among motorcyclists. Boasting 318 turns in eleven miles, the Tail of the Dragon is a good name for a particular stretch of route 129 that bridges North Carolina and Tennessee. I’d never visited before but understand that this is a must-do for any biker in the area. And there were indeed many bikers in the area on that day. And most were MUCH faster than I. Sport bikes, touring bikes, cruisers and other dual sport bikes: they all passed me and my moose like we were standing still. I didn’t much mind. The ride was exciting and beautiful. And safe. At the southern end of “the Dragon” there is a tree decorated with motorcycle parts that have broken off during crashes. I left without making any contributions to the Tree of Shame, and I call that winning.

Heading further west, I traveled the Cherohala Scenic Highway which delivered me a bit northeast of Chattanooga. I checked my voicemail to hear my mother tell me that my brother Doug and his wife Heidi would be in Nashville that night and for the next two days. Doug and Heidi will be moving near Nashville later this year and they were, by chance, in town at the same time I would be in the area. Older brothers are valued in many ways. They pave the way for their younger siblings. They provide examples of to do and not do certain things. They share their experiences. And they share their hotel rooms.

So here I am in Doug and Heidi’s hotel room. I’m glad to be here, not only to see them but also to hide out for a day or two while stormy weather passes over the area. Having gone for a run, taken a shower and typed this note, I now wonder when they will be back from their home search errands so we can grab a bite!