North to Alaska - Day 5 - Canada

Today we would make it into Canada to being our trek through Alberta and British Columbia into Alaska.

Everyone was up early and excited to be on our way.  We had breakfast again at the diner and were rolling around 8 AM.  

It was a cloudy chilly morning but nothing the heated gear couldn't handle as we made our way NE across Montana.  

About halfway to the Canadian border, we encountered our first serious road construction.  We waited a few minutes for the pilot car and could see there was some serious rebuilding going on.  Pavement was gone and there was nothing but dirt, rocks, mud, and some sand.  

The pilot car pulled out and Jim Puckett on his lightweight BMW flew past the pilot car and was soon out of sight.  Nothing like a bike built for dirt to ride in the dirt.  The rest of us followed carefully picking our way through the mess of the road.  Sand is the only thing I fear with our behemoth touring bike and we got a good taste of that.  Luckily we all made it through without incident and Puckett was long gone.  

We stopped for a photo opportunity at some neat sculptures.  And managed to catch up to Jim Puckett at this point who related he enjoyed his little dirt ride.  

Of course, Barbara had to pose!

As we started our climb up toward Glacier National Park, we started getting those awesome snow covered mountain views. 

Glacier National Park is a true beauty but unfortunately for us it was still early in the season.  The Going to the Sun Highway was still closed due to snowpack but I did manage to get into the Visitor Center for a stamp to add to my collection. 

Now it is time to head for the border.  We were crossing at the Chief Mountain Crossing which is closed during the winter and they had only recently re-opened for the season.  As we approached the crossing we got our first moose sighting.  Barbara was screaming in my headset and almost stood up.  Sadly neither of us were quick enough with the camera, as the cow wandered up the middle of the road in front of us before darting back into the woods. 

Having heard horror stories of the interrogations received at border crossings and the absolute lack of a sense of humor of the officers, we were pleasantly surprised with the ease in which we crossed.  Basic questions like "Where are you from?"  "Where are you going?"  "How long would we be in Canada?" and the usual do you have weapons, drugs, tobacco, etc.  He asked if we were with them - pointing to the group that had just crossed ahead of us.  We said yes and he just shook his head and then asked if I had any wild women stashed on the bike.  "Just one" pointing backwards at Barbara.  He laughed and waved us on through. 

Immediately we were in one of Canada's many national parks.

The bike in the photo belongs to Jimmy Stevens and had just suffered an unfortunate tip over that broke his windshield OFF.  Luckily he would manage to find a replacement the following day in Calgary.  

The remainder of the ride into Cochran, AB was uneventful crossing the prairies and fields of southern Alberta.  We did have one lengthy detour due to an accident on a ramp ahead of us which added about 30 miles to our trip. 

At the Ramada in Cochran, everyone was checking their bikes over after a day of riding. 

Robert doing some tire pressure adjustments. 

We discovered a prominent chain restaurant that evening - Boston Pizza.  Not only do they have pizza but the most delicious selection of pastas you could imagine with huge serving sizes.  A couple of Canadian Molson beers made the day complete.  

Tomorrow - The Icefields Parkway. 

North to Alaska - Day 4 - Miles City to Great Falls

Morning dawned clear and cold but thank goodness the winds had subsided overnight.  It was an easy 326 mile leg into Great Falls.  

Beautiful, lonely, empty country as we traveled across Montana on Montana Hwy 200.  Small towns dotted the route and ranch entrances were miles apart.  

Coyotes are classified as predators in Montana and can be hunted without license year round.  As we passed the entrance to one very large ranch, the carcasses of several coyotes were hanging by the entrance gate.  A warning to other coyotes perhaps?  A little research indicates that sheep and calves are especially at risk to coyote attacks and we saw lots of sheep and cows with calves.  There currently is no bounty in Montana but ranchers will protect their herds.

The ride into Great Falls was uneventful.  Our plan was to exchange money in Great Falls to have Canadian currency available while traveling through Alberta, British Columbia, and the Yukon Territory.  This proved much more difficult than we ever expected. 

The first two banks we checked were out of Canadian currency.  This was rather strange since Great Falls is a gateway city into Canada.  Our next stop was a Wells Fargo bank.  Yes, they had some currency available but it is only available to Wells Fargo account holders.  Strange but true. 

So, with little other option, we opened a Wells Fargo account simply to exchange currency.  The folks at the branch we initially stopped at were extremely helpful, fascinated by our trip, and the lady who helped us open the account was even married to an Auburn graduate.  I jokingly excused her for that and we got along fine.

About an hour later, we were directed to the downtown branch where the currency actually was.  I managed to clean out the one teller who had currency - there was more in the bank but it was in another teller's drawer and inaccessible since she was gone for the day.  

It turned out the host hotel was only a block away from the bank so we were quickly checked in and spending time chatting and greeting all the other riders who were already there and waiting for others to arrive.  

Dinner that evening was in a 1950's style diner just down the street.  Pretty neat little place and delicious food and huge portions.  

We linked up with friends who would be our riding companions for the next few days and planned our departure.  Riding along with us would be Jim Puckett, Robert Repkopf, and Mike and Jean Donnelly.  We would be pretty much constant companions for the remainder of the trip into Hyder, AK.  

Tomorrow we cross the border into Canada!

North to Alaska - Day 3 - Chadron, NE to Miles City, MT

While relaxing at the Westerner Motel in Chadron, we did some checking of the weather.  We had luckily missed all of the horrible weather that was pounding north Texas and most of the Plains states.  The original plan was to head to Dickinson, ND and spend the next morning exploring Teddy Roosevelt National Park before heading on to Great Falls.  

Weather forecast for the Dickinson area was for snow accumulations of over 2 inches with freezing temperatures.  We don't mind the cold, but snowy and icy roads do not mix with a motorcycle.  With that in mind, we cancelled the Dickinson reservation and altered the plan to head to Miles City, MT where there was no snow forecast. 

We have traveled this area multiple times and somehow have missed North Dakota each time.  Determined to check ND off the list, we opted to head north and catch the corner of ND before turning west for Miles City.  We believed we would beat the snow and be just fine.  

After a hearty breakfast, we donned our heated gear and headed north.  First on our agenda was to once again tour Custer State Park located in the Black Hills of South Dakota.  It was chilly but a pleasant ride up to Custer.  

Custer is filled with wildlife - especially buffalo.  Herds of them wander through the park and for some reason like to gather around the roads.  You know when they are in the area from the buffalo pies left in the road. 

We gave them plenty of room since we had no desire to be charged by a 2000 pound monster. 

For the most part they were totally oblivious to our presence. 

Hard to see but this is a thriving prairie dog town.  Cool to watch them scamper about and listen as they warned each other of possible danger.  

We skipped Mount Rushmore having visited on previous trips.  The Crazy Horse Memorial is in the area and decided it wasn't worth the entrance fee.  You can just make out the face of Crazy Horse from the photo.  Eventually the plan is to have a full sculpture of horse and rider.   

The day had been going just fine to this point but that would soon change.  

The GPS routed us onto the interstate just east of Rapid City, ND and the winds started to pick up.  As we zipped through Sturgis, we were fighting a pretty steady crosswind which also seemed to make the temperatures start to drop even more. 

Once we turned north and headed for Belle Fourche, SD we were fighting a constant crosswind from the west or our left.  Weather reports showed gusts of 40 plus and we believed it as we were dancing around the road. 

Belle Fourche, SD is the geographic center of the United States.  The actual location is about 12 miles east in a private pasture, but is marked by proxy in a park in Belle Fourche.  

Leaving Belle Fourche, we were headed due north towards Bowman, ND.   We continued to have constant crosswinds from the west and a sprinkling of rain added to the mix.  

When we hit the North Dakota/South Dakota line, the winds changed direction so that now we had crosswinds from the east.  

We made it!  North Dakota has been checked off the list. 

A stop in Bowman, ND for a quick snack and warmup was necessary before tackling the last leg into Miles City, MT.  We now had a 130 mile run due west.

This leg had to be some of the most brutal motorcycle riding I've ever experienced.  Winds were now gusting to 50mph which would blow you from one side of the lane to the other without warning and seemingly attempt to rip your head off.  Temperatures have dropped to 34 degrees with constant rain.  Our heated gear and gloves were turned up to the maximum - our right side was freezing from the wind and rain while the left side cooked.  

We stopped in a rest area about midway to Miles City and simply sat still on the bike in the rain to allow our frozen right side to warm up before finishing our trek.  

As we pulled into Miles City, we found a place to eat and enjoyed some still warm air.  After checking into our hotel, we were quickly asleep.  While it had not been a high mileage day - it certainly had been a high stress one.  

Tomorrow we finish the ride into Great Falls, Montana.

North to Alaska - Belton, MO to Chadron, NE

Day 2 on the road dawned and we were on the road around 7am.  The planned route for the day looked like this:

We had to deal with some interstate to get through Kansas City and into Nebraska before we branched off onto Nebraska Highway 2.  This road is highly recommended!  This southern section of Nebraska is filled with wetlands which are part of a migratory waterfowl path.  Every little pond seemed to have a resident family of ducks and geese.  The roads are in decent shape and lots of scenery to enjoy.  

We detoured outside of Alliance to visit Carhenge.  An exact replica of England's Stonehenge but built out of vintage automobiles.  You can read about it here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carhenge

Carhenge!

An old Sinclair station had a well preserved symbol outside the store. 

We ran between a couple of vicious looking thunderstorms as we turned north to Chadron.  One thing about being out in the plains, you can see for miles and miles and can adjust easily to avoid difficult weather.  We don't mind rain but those lightning bolts are a different story. 

We pulled into Chadron, NE for our stay at the Westerner Motel.  We love little Mom and Pop operations and have found many of them to be delightful stays.  The rooms may be a bit smaller but they are usually immaculately clean and this one certainly lived up to the standard.  What a cool little place!

Supper, shower and early to be after another 660 mile day on the road.  

The adventure gets more interesting tomorrow as we tackle the Dakotas. 

North to Alaska - Day One - Home to Belton, MO

One of the tough parts about starting any trip is getting away from home.  You have to leave on roads you are familiar with and simply make miles to get out of your home territory.  Today was no exception to that rule since we had traveled pretty much the same route within the last year.  

Today would see us traveling through Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri to get to our first planned stop in Belton, MO.  

We launched early around 5:30 in the morning and made a stop in MS for breakfast.  Luckily we made it through Memphis without any issues.  

Eastern Arkansas is flat and nothing to see but field after field of rice, corn, cotton, etc.  

We entered southern Missouri and started to enjoy the rolling hills of the Ozarks.  A brief rainshower outside of West Plains, MO kept us cooled off.  

Some nice curvy roads and more interesting scenery was found between West Plains and Springfield and up through western MO to Belton.  

We grabbed supper in Belton and checked in to Comfort Inn for our first night on the road. I always read motel/hotel reviews on Trip Advisor before making reservations.  This Comfort Inn was given good reviews so we expected to find just that.  We were disappointed.  

As we pulled into the hotel, the desk clerk and several "acquaintances" were sitting outside the door smoking.  The clerk finally meandered inside for me to check in.   There were maybe 5 cars in the parking lot.  I always ask for a ground floor room but when we checked in she had us on the 2nd floor with no elevator!  The clerk was not the least bit interested in changing our room assignment even though the parking lot was virtually empty, so rather than being a total ass, I accepted and lugged our stuff upstairs.   That one won't get a good review!

Day 1 is in the books and we are looking forward to tomorrow as we tackle Nebraska. 

 

North to Alaska - Day Zero

The idea to take a motorcycle trip to Alaska has been bouncing around in my head for several years.  There always seemed to be something that would get in the way of actually making it happen.  

In December 2014, I noticed the Motorcycle Tourers Forum was hosting a Flower Sniffing Tour to Hyder, AK in May.  It only took a few minutes of contemplation to leap on the idea and take the plunge.  

The concept was very simple - riders from all over the US and Canada would gather in Great Falls, MT before starting the journey north.  The MTF organizers had planned routes, selected stops for each day, and generally done a lot of the basic coordination.  Each rider was free to travel however they wanted, simply meeting at the end point each day for the opportunity to share stories, tell lies, enjoy a good meal, and get ready for the next day of adventure.  Kudos go to anyone who had a plan in setting the trip up - it worked flawlessly.

I quickly made reservations at each of the planned stops.  However, getting to Great Falls and then back home from Hyder was each riders own responsibility so the planning began in earnest.  We did not want to simply ride the interstate system (oh so boring) so for the next couple of months, I studied maps, Googled more stuff than I can remember, and plotted scenarios.  

Everyone was to gather in Great Falls on Monday, May 18th 2015 to start the trek north.  The most direct route looked something like this:

Knowing that would be a pure interstate ride which we definitely were not going to do, we opted for this route:

Departure was planned for Friday May, 15th which would give us 4 days to travel the 2178 miles to Great Falls.

Bike prep was completed with new tires, fresh oil, and a general checkover to make sure everything was just right.  GPS's were loaded with routes, points to see, hotels, etc.  

Checklists were made to prevent us from forgetting something critical like passports.  Figuring out where to put all the stuff we would need was a bit more of a challenge.  Cameras, laptops, medications, clothes, etc., etc., etc. We got it all packed in somehow but there was little room left over. 

Good riding gear is an essential part of any motorcycle adventure.  We both were outfitted in Klim Gore-tex jackets and pants, waterproof boots, waterproof gloves,  Shoei helmets, and of course our heated jacket liners and heated gloves.  Hey, we are going to Alaska - everybody knows it is cold and rainy up there.  

Everything was checked and double checked until the decision was final - we were ready to go and if we forgot anything, there is a Wal-Mart around every corner.  

A restless night was spent on Thursday May 14th in anticipation but finally the day to roll was upon us.  

I'll try and chronicle each day in a separate report so stay tuned to this channel for updates as I get them written.  In the meantime, I've posted some of our favorite pictures online at: 

http://rikkitik.smugmug.com/Travel/Alaska-2015/North-to-Alaska/

More to follow!!!

The End of an Era

The End of an ERA

Every April for the last 9 years, we have known exactly what we were going to be doing around Barbara's birthday.  Not celebrating a birthday in the usual fashion, but doing something we had grown to enjoy tremendously - competing in a motorcycle endurance rally.  The Cape Fear 1000 had become a part of our lives and sadly now, it is gone.  2015 was the final running of the rally.

Participating each year had become a lot like a family reunion.  You get to see old friends and acquaintances that you may not encounter for the entire year.  Each year there would be new friends, new friendly rivalries, and we sadly would note the absence of those either no longer with us or having moved on to different pursuits.  We were part of a family....an odd collection of personalities with wide ranging interests.  Yes, just like those cousins or aunts and uncles you normally see at the family reunion.  Some you are very happy to see replete with hugs and kisses, others simply get that head nod acknowledging their presence but nothing more. 

What a ride it has been.  2007 was my rookie year complete with rookie mistakes.  In the excitement to start my first rally, my start receipt was outside the start window by 2 minutes.  My watch said it was time but sadly the gas pump in Jackson, TN had other ideas.  I made my call in to start reading exactly what was on my receipt, too filled with excitement to notice the error.  Upon arrival at the finish, the benevolent Rallymaster, Jim Bain, asked to see the receipt and informed me of my error.  Rather than disqualifying me, he simply took 50% of my points resulting in a 68th place finish.  These were the days of Polaroid pictures so no record exists of that sterling performance.  

In 2008, I added a pillion that would be there for the next 8 years - Barbara.  What a way to take a gal out for her birthday when you are dating!  "Hey, want to go ride over 1,000 miles in less than 24 hours for your birthday?"  "Sure, why not!" was the reply and she has been firmly entrenched in the back seat ever since.  With well over 200,000 miles of pillion experience, she is now the consumate back seat navigator and motivational coach.   She has a competitive streak that often encourages me to continue on through the dark, cold, rain soaked backroads of West Virginia at 1:00 AM.  Come to think of it, I've only been able to ride one rally solo since 2008!   With cheering section in place, we've managed a top 10 finish every year since 2011.....way to go Barbara. 

Now every time we ride anywhere in the southeastern United States, we run across one of the hundreds of bonus locations we've visited.  It's pretty neat actually.  I'll remember the little town, Barbara will remember when and often exactly what the conditions were.  

We've encountered a bit of everything.  From the tornado sirens blaring as we were leaving Savannah, TN in 2011 to the countless rain soaked miles of dark West Virginia, each year has brought something memorable.  We're going to miss it.  Only a rally rider understands why you would leave Dyersburg, TN and go to Mobile, AL in order to get the Wilmington, NC.  We understand!

The 2015 Cape Fear rally is now in the history books.  Bonus locations arrived Wednesday evening and the night was spent figuring out which way to go.  A leisurely ride to Brownsville, TN on Thursday for the start on Friday April 17th.  Start locations were scouted on Thursday to ensure that perfect start receipt.  We did manage to gather for a nice BBQ dinner before rally start sharing tales of rallies past and bemoaning the fact it was our last Cape Fear.  Our good friend and riding companion, David Clark from Athens, GA would keep us company for the duration of the rally.  Amazing how we have the same style of riding and even what seems to be equivalent bladder capacity. 

At 0859 we got that start receipt and were off and running.  The start odometer read 72736 and that information was quickly texted to the Rallymaster.  Helen's BBQ in Brownsville was the first stop and part of the 2 part start.  Photo grabbed and off we went.  

A combination bonus was available by getting a receipt from Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois.  Blytheville, AR was the first stop for a receipt and the first in a collection of different packs of chewing gum.  Odo is 72830 and the time is 1027.

North to Charleston, MO for gas and another receipt.  Odo is 72915 time is 11:36.  We are 179 miles into the rally and on schedule. 

Into Illinois and a visit to the home of Superman, Metropolis!  We've seen the giant statue in previous rallies but this time we had to take a photo of both of us with his girlfriend Lois Lane.  We got gas finishing the three state trifecta and a photo of Lois.  Odo is 72976 and the time is 12:44.  240 miles down. 

Our next bonus is in Kuttawa, KY for a monument honoring Cobb's Battery.  Located along a country road, it was a bit hard to spot and we were a bit distracted by the local women's prison population outfitted in orange picking up trash alongside the road.  We managed to park and hike down to the bonus snapping a hard to get photo. Time is 1:30 and the odometer now reads 73204.  

Kentucky is a long way across when you run west to east.  We stopped in the Falls of Rough River for a photo of the Corps of Engineer project office.  Time in 15:38 and the odometer now reads 73139.  403 miles into the rally and pretty much on schedule.

Into horse country around Lexington we went.  Some of the most beautiful farms replete with miles of perfect fencing lined the road.  Stables that make our home look almost shabby filled the hillsides.  Horses are big business in this part of the country.  I mean big business!

This is also bourbon country and we were headed to Labrot and Graham makers of Woodford Reserve, a premium small batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon.  A horse sculpture inside the gate is our goal and luckily it was still daylight.  This would be a tough one at night.  Time is 18:33 and we are at 538 miles.  

A short run to Stomping Ground, KY for a historical marker honoring the parents of the infamous outlaws Frank and Jesse James.  558 miles into the rally and all is well. 

The next bonus is 142 miles away.  Seems we always had a long run between bonus locations!  Huntington, WV is the home of Marshall University.  On November 17, 1970 a Southern Airways DC-9 was on approach  to landing in Huntington when it crashed into a hillside killing all 75 aboard.  Among the dead were 36 players, along with five coaches, two athletic trainers, the athletic director, 25 boosters, and a crew of five.

 For movie afficiandos, check out "We Are Marshall" starring Matthew McConaughey

as the replacement head coach.  

It is now 21:15 and the odometer reads 73436.  700 miles and we've been on the road for just over 12 hours.  

What Cape Fear Rally would be complete without venturing into the hills of West Virginia in the dark.  In previous years, it would also be raining cats and dogs, but the rally gods smiled on us this evening and it was dry. 

General Chuck Yeager graduated from Hamlin High School in 1941 and went on to be the first man to break the sound barrier in 1947.  A monument in his honor is erected in front of the high school.  Hamlin is a small town of 1142 people and a very inquisitive local law enforcement officer who watched us diligently as we took our photos of the monument.  It was dark and I'm sure rather strange to see fully garbed motorcyclists tromping around in front of the high school.  The LEO watched until we were mounting back up and sped off to protect the citizens of Hamlin from other possible harm.  Time is 22:30 and the odo reads 73478.  

We eased through Hamlin headed to Charleston and I64.  Just as we entered the tiny town of Sod, WV we encountered a massive traffic checkpoint.  Flashing lights, mobile command centers, and a multitude of West Virginia State Troopers blocked the road.  Easing up to one of the officers, a very imposing mountain of a state trooper, he looked us over and asked if we had been drinking.  A very respectful "No Sir" and he let us proceed on our way.  There must be a serious drinking and driving problem in Sod.

Our rest bonus could not start until midnight and we had a reservation at the Econolodge in Beckley with a scheduled arrival time of 0012.  We arrived 7 minutes early and started our rest bonus.  A restless 4 hours of sleep passed and we were back up and moving.  Our planned schedule had us departing at 0512 and since we had remained pretty much on schedule to this point, that's exactly when we left.  

Lewisburg, WV is home to one of the 6 Carnegie Halls in the US.  Built in 1902 for just under $37,000 it is an impressive georgian revival style hall.  Time is 6:05 and the odometer reads 73634.  898 miles under our seats!

In Charlottesville VA is a monument honoring George Rogers Clark.  A photo of the monument with the statue on top is the requirement.  Time is 8:04 and mileage is now 1040 miles.  We've completed a Saddlesore 1000 while in rally mode and taken a 5 hour rest break.  Not too shabby!

A quick stop by the HHM for Castle Hill, VA is necessary for the 2193 points that go along with it.  

Onward to Glen Allen VA where General JEB Stuart was mortally wounded while trying to rally his troops in the Battle of Yellow Tavern.  We had to take a photo of the panel that reads "Upon this field" and the large letters STUART visible.  Surrounded by the metal fence, this made getting a photo with Barbara in the picture a challenge.  Success was finally achieved and we're on the way again.  Time is 0945 and odometer reads 73864 or 1128 miles into the rally.

The clock ticks, the miles roll under the wheels as we approach the end of our route.  At the Virginia Aviation Museum on the north side of Richmond International Airport is a SR-71, a US reconnaissance plane capable of flying in excess of Mach 3.  In it’s final flight it flew from Los Angeles to Washington, DC in just over 1 hour!.  Time is 10:10 and odo is 73883.

The next to the last stop of the rally is the Kenly 95 Truck Stop and a photo of the lighthouse.  We splashed in fuel to make sure we could hit the finish without another stop, emptied bladders and refilled drinks for the final push.  We’re starting to run across other riders as everyone makes that final push to the finish.  12:20 and 1306 miles into the rally.  

The final bonus location was worrisome.  We had to photo a historical marker on the waterfront in downtown Wilmington NC.  It had been a bonus in a earlier Cape Fear Rally and we had to park quite a distance and negotiate the crowds.  We had allowed extra time just in case.  A couple of detours later we pulled right up alongside the boardwalk, parked with a bunch of other riders and quickly grabbed the picture.  Time was 1420 and we had to be at the finish line 5 miles away by 1459.  No problem!

We stopped at the quicky mart across the street from the hotel to pick up a wild card bonus of a six pack of our favorite beverage and arrange the remainder of our wild card bonuses - mardi gras beads and our pirate flag flying from the antennae.  

We crossed the finish line at 14:37 which was 7 minutes ahead of our planned arrival.  We had ridden 1434 miles in a bit less than 29 hours.  Noteworthy also is the fact that we rode exactly what we planned without deviation.  It was our personal best mileage wise out of the 9 Cape Fear rallies.  Woohoo!

We had completed the rally only encountering a smattering of rain in the last 100 miles.  Motorcycles had performed flawlessly, gear worked like it should, and now it was paperwork time. 

I’m a bit anal about rally prep and preparing for scoring..  Cameras are all set to the correct time, clean formatted SD cards are installed, note cards prepped, etc. etc. etc.   Nothing is more disheartening that to lose points at the scoring table because you did something careless with the paperwork.  We are proud of virtually never leaving points on the table so to speak.  

I opened the camera to transfer photos to our laptop and could only stare in shock when I discovered there was no SD card in the camera.  The intial and immediate though was “We are sooooo screwed”.  I did not have a USB cable that would fit the camera but did have a backup camera with SD card.  Of course, there were no photos on it.  I put the clean SD card in the camera and prayed there was an option to transfer photos from internal memory to the SD card.  Hallelujah!  There was an option and photos were copied from memory to the SD card.  Rally saved!

Scoring went painlessly and we left nothing on the table.  

After a quick cleanup we were back for the banquet.  Delicious BBQ as always and then the frivolity began.  Scott LaShier, Void Rallymaster, was entertaining as Jim Bain was semi-roasted and given several gifts for his service over the last 10 years.  We finally got the important part of the evening - announcing the winners.  

4th place!    No plaque but we did get our top finisher shirts from last year.  

It seemed as though we just laid down to rest when it was time to get up for the 620 mile trip home.  We said our goodbyes and mounted up to pull away.  I noticed my Tire Pressure Management System flashing a low tire warning on the rear.  Hoping it was just a battery issue, I quickly checked the tire and it was indeed low.  A spin of the rear tire and there it was - a nail that had been picked up somewhere towards the end of the rally.  

With the assistance of David Clark and Ray King, I got the nail out, gummy worms installed and the tire inflated.  Now we could go home. 

Although it had been a dry rally, it would not be a dry ride home.  We were in some pretty heavy rains through Augusta, GA and finally clear skies as we scooted through Atlanta.  We stopped at the Alabama line to remove some waterproof gloves and settle down for what should have been a dry ride home. 

Outside of Anniston we encountered a micro cell that hadn’t showed up on a previous radar check.  Rain so heavy that visibility was virtually nill...traffic on the interstate slowed to 20 mph and I could only follow the flashing lights of the car in front hoping I wasn’t going to get plowed into from the rear.  KLIM gear did what it was supposed to do and we stayed mostly dry inside.  About 10 minutes of torrential rains and it was over.  The bright sunshine was almost blinding reflecting off the wet highway.  The micro cell had followed the interstate as evidenced by the number of cars off in ditches right and left.  

The final run was now complete.  Home safe and sound with over 2400 miles since Thursday.  It was a good night’s sleep Sunday night.  

Our SPOT track.

The next chapter begins the 15th of May when we depart for a trip to Alaska with the MTF and the running of the BMRx on the way home.  Yes, we’re going to do a rally after 3 weeks and over 8,000 miles.  Silly huh?