Another great trip ends

I'm back home!!!

I arrived yesterday at 4:25 after a 630 kilometre ride from Bradford Pennsylvania, a small city just south of the New York State border that's famous as the home of the Zippo lighter.

The day before I had ridden from Winchester Virginia; and for most of the afternoon it was in sometimes heavy rain. While my Michelin equipped BMW rides very well on wet surfaces, it's much more fun (and quicker) to ride on dry pavement.

The ride north yesterday was through some lovely countryside that my GPS chose for the most part.  At one point I passed through a large wind farm with  hundreds of towering wind turbines on either sides of the road.

The further north you go the more you see lakes and rivers; and they are blue, unlike the brown of those in the south. As the interstate highways are a way to cover a lot of distance quickly I followed I-90 and I-81 to the Thousand Islands Bridge. After having asked me how long I had been out of the country and expressing envy, the Canadian Border Services agent welcomed me back home. It was nice to be back, as it is each time I cross the border after a trip.

This year's trip was as enjoyable as the other three major road trips I've done in the past three years. The highlights are many; but the most memorable are the swing through Northern Ontario, which I had always wanted to do, and the sights around Rapid City which I've mentioned in earlier blog entries: Badlands, Rushmore, Devil's Tower, Crazy Horse. And then there's Sturgis, a small town I can't even imagine with 500,000  motorcycle enthusiasts in August each year. And what about 4 days in Nashville with Jane where we visited clubs, the Opry, Country Hall of Fame and other sights.  I must say that being based in one place and doing day trips out to sights is an interesting and somewhat less demanding way to tour that I like a lot.

The ride through the Smoky Mountains and along the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive were awesome. Having done the last two both ways, I think I preferred the south to north route.  I really enjoyed meeting and riding with Jim and Derrick in South Dakota.

There are no real negatives to speak about. Alright, there's the whole episode with Garmin, that I won't repeat here; the rain, of which there was more than I cared for at times; and the dearth of good meals, Nashville and Winchester excepted.

In conclusion, a great trip to add to the list. I've seen a lot of country, there were no nasty incidents, and my motorcycle performed beautifully.

And now, what you've all been waiting for, the numbers.

Total kilometres travelled: 9,365
Gas used: 445.9 litres  ($495.27)
Most kilometres on one day: 688 (July 2: Grand Rapids MN to Watertown SD)
Days away: 26
Days actually riding: 22
Different hotels/motels: 16
Provinces visited: 2
States visited: 14

I hope you enjoyed the reports.

Next year? Suggestions??