Hi,
I got back last Friday after a 2 week / 4800 mile trip. That's about 350 miles a day and there were two days in Washington when I hardly rode at all. We visited the "wall" of course and toured Arlington Cemetery, added a couple of "prospects" into the motorcycle club (Veterans of Vietnam m/c) I belong to. (They were sworn in just behind the Wall). We were very lucky regarding the weather- only got a few sprinkles on us-- which is very amaizing concidering the weird spring weather.
On the trip back we did have to "stand down" for about a 1/2 day in Kansas due to very high winds. They were real strong and blew us all over the highway so we got a motel room early in the day and watched the Weather Channel for the rest of the day.
The trip lasted a couple of days too long. I arrived home with a very sore back (from a too soft motel bed?) and spent the weekend in bed and just now got back from my chiropractor and feel 1000% better. So now I can unpack the bike & do my laundary.
Right now I have a love/hate relationship with the bike (which is covered with all kinds of bugs) and don't have any plans for any long trips for the near future. But she needs a good cleaning and an oil change.
I met one of the Senators from the great state of Tennesee while a a gas station and spoke with him for a half hour or so about our trip & etc. On the way out we stopped in Louisville, Ky at the Louisville Slugger plant (makers of base-ball bats) and while waiting for my friends to tour the plant, a bus load of elderly tourists from North Carolina pulled up next to our bikes. Pretty soon their tour guide asked me to speak with them about our trip, and I did so--real nice people. One day in Washington we went out for breakfast & ended up in Georgetown (Yuppie capital of the world) we got alot of strange looks in our biker gear. We ate at a place called "Martin's Pub" the oldes pub in Georgetown. I highly recommend it (on the courner of Wisconsin & "M" street) Many of our famous politicians have dined there. It was the place where John Kennedy propossed to Jackie, and Richard Nixon had a booth there too. Lydon Johnson used tgo make some of his political deals in their back room. A couple of my friends and I had lunch at my Mother's and they all commented on how, at 86, she still mows her own yard and how "lively" she is.
Out of 10 bikes we had 2 breakdowns (both harleys) one broke it's fuel pump after hitting a big bump in Missouri. It was towed to a Harley dealorship and they took a fuelpump out of a new bike so we could get back on the road. The other problem was due to a worn out battery in a key fob (anti theft devise). Once we figured out it needed a new battery- the bike started right up.
All in all it was a good trip, but two weeks was perhaps just a bit too long. With gas prices at around $4/gallon, eating out all the time and motel rooms, it gets rather expensive.
And I'm happy to be back, and eager to here about the Glasgow games and our first AGM
Regards to all,
Booner
