Mongrels sign off in Dallas

Well its finally come down to this. Four Aussie blokes sitting in a motel room waiting for the flight time of two of us today, and two more tomorrow morning.

We made it into Dallas, returned the rental bikes. Not one of these bikes were dropped or scratched after doing 5 weeks, 13 states, and 5,738 miles. As much as we enjoyed it, it is always some what of a relief to hand over the keys and know we are all safe. The ride into Dallas was the usual mad scramble on busy freeways at speeds that seem like a little too fast but being passed by all and sundry. The fwy sysem here has to be seen to be believed. Spagetti is one word I can think of to describe it. Yet it works, fast and furiouis but it works. However with out a GPS it would be impossible and is difficult enough with one. And the way they are building more fwys around it, you would need to updagte your GPS each time you come.
Ken has done a magificant job of driving the van and lead navigator. He has taught us some new rules or reinterpreted old rules, like the "Wrong Way go Back" sign does not apply for the first 120 meters.But all in all Ken has done a great job and we would not have been able to achieve our trip with otut him.

Thanks to Gerald for igniting the idea and inviting us along. Gerald managed to engage each and every person we dealt with in some form of conversation, and usually they both came away laughing together. He also negotiated most of the motel prices and managed to get a discount most of the time. Probably most amazing was his ability to find a Starbucks on his GPS whilst riding and still get us to a Starbucks coffee even if it was maybe 12 miles off our route.However he did not manage to get a good soda, lime and bitters once, despited language problems, he persisted for five weeks.Well done.

Hugh has been the treasurer for this trip. He updated the ledger each evening and gave us a weekly report on how our individual contributions were progressing. Well done Hugh.

All in all it has been a great trip, not as scenic as the 2010 trip, mainly due to the topography being mainly flat. We would like to have seen more agriculture, although we got to see a variety, from fields near Kansas City ready to be planted, to citrus trees in Florida, to cotton fields being planted in Texas along side a winter wheat crop being harvested, and oil jack pumps rocking up and down. We probably saw more road side mowers cutting the verge than tractors in fields. Most of the country we passed through was covered by trees. I did report on rain occasionally but it really was not a big issue.

Coming from a large country of 24 million to one of almost 400 million, we were constantly overwhelmed by the heavy traffic between cities on interstate freeways. The number of trucks is simply amazing. This country is not too depressed or hurt by the GFC. Sure there were dying towns out in the boondocks but plenty of new shops in the larger centers. Banks with 2 acres of car parks, 20 acre car yards, truck yards of 80 trucks in the one orange color.We are left with our memories and experiences ans we take them with us back home to our families.

Probably the most outstanding thing in my mind was the courtesy shown to us by the drivers. We tested them time and again, and they would hold back, wait and if necessary go around us with out so much as a gesture. They are extremely polite people.  And they don't have all the speed and red light cameras driving them nuts.
What a trip! What an experience!

Gerald on the new victory. I am sure he will be terrorizing the residences of Colville and St Andrews Terrace by Christmas.

The final night in Dallas. Where were we? At the Outback Steak House of course.

Texas oil country

Today we left Midland (West of Dallas) and headed north then east. We chose to avoid fwy's and continued to see plenty of oil country. Yesterday there were lots of oil jack pumps in undeveloped land. today the jack pumps were in farming land where the farmers were preparing to plant cotton. The oil industry has had a boost recently as they found more oil and judging by the size of the drilling derricks the new oil is much deeper. The existing oil pumps, pump to a central point on each farm where the oil is collected in large silo like tanks. These are emptied by one or more of the numerous tanker trucks we see on the roads and trucked to the refinery. Gerald spoke to a farmer who he stopped even though he was in a big John Deere tractor. The farmer said they were planting dry grown cotton and hoping for more rain. The rain fall is about 12 inches here but they have had drought in the last year. We saw a new header harvesting wheat near the road. One thing stood out was all the new farm tractors and implements even though they have had a tough year. Also lots of old implements parked around the farm sheds. Makes us wonder if the older implements don't have a trade in value?

It has been about 95 degrees f today. Really is a bit hot to be comfortable riding. We stopped a little short of our goal, about and hour or less west of Dallas. We ventured out to a homely BBQ restaurant for a $9.95 (plus tip) buffet. Very tasty smokey bbq meat and three courses if you wanted it. I don't think we will get that sort of value in Dallas.

Ken checking out the stock in Texas. Ray, Ken asks if you can get the Angus to grow like this?

Yours truly (Paul) on the rented Harley Davidson Road King. Five weeks of fun on the wrong side!

Rio Grande

Today after B/F at "Whataburger" we met a guy who guided us to a part of Del Rio where we could see the Rio Grande river. This of course is the boarder between the US and Mexico. We were being observed by Border security at every movement. The guide told us about the security and how the Mexicans cross into the US often carrying drugs for dealers. The Border Security have an enormous amount of equipment and staff at their call to try to prevent illegal immigration. Throughout the morning we witnessed many pickups parked or moving about trying to observe vast stretches of desert bush land, looking for possible incursions. A truly mammoth task. We had to get our passports out at one check point.  We were lucky again to run into a security staff member at the Amistad dam on the Rio Grande. He escorted us onto the middle of the dam wall where he took our photos at the point where the border between the two country's is displayed in the middle of the dam wall. We were able to chat about border security and dam operations. Very interesting occasion for us.

We rode on west for a while but apart from running into the historic museum of Judge Roy Bean, "the hanging judge" who died in 1903, we did not see much country or town ships that were worth reporting on, in fact it was pretty desserted country. We then headed north and passed through oil country. On one section of road of about 45 miles with almost no bends, we passed oil jack pump after pump. Not all working, but enough were to create cartage of oil by trucks a big task. Tonight we are in Midland where apparently there is a bit of an oil boom going on at the moment.

 Judge Roy Beans historic court house

TThe Mexicans (left) meet the locals in the middle of Amistad Dam.

Texas backcountry

We finally leave San Antonio at about 11.15am after the rain lifts and the roads dry out. The rainfall was between 7.4 and 12 inches. Second highest daily rain fall on record! We head further west and get off interstate 10 at Comfort, to find some real country. Stopped off at what we thought was a county fair only to find an art crafty show in Kerville with maybe 60 stalls, Had a light lunch while listening to the local talent singing and a band playing, nice. Thats the culture done for the day.
We travel through to Rock Springs where we met two lads with a pick up and a 40 foot trailer hooked up. They had just carted some freight on it that weighed 18 ton. Thats a semi load of stuff on a trailer hooked to a pick up!! We rode past some uninspiring country running goats and deer. We think the deer is for hunting, by paying customers. The fencing alone would make it a difficult enterprise to break even on. Most gates were fancy ranch type units but the locks on the gate tell us that they may not be fully habitat-ed. We stop for the night at Del Rio on the Mexican border. Dinner that night cost $45.00 at the Sirloin Steak house. Thats $45.00 for the four of us! It was a Warren Buffett, and no one went home hungry and more particularly no one woke up with salmonella.

The Alamo

Since writing the last blog and hour ago I checked the TV weather. San Antonio has received 7.4 to 12.4 inches since early this morning. Lots of localised flooding, and recommendations to stay off the hwy's.

Three Gringos with the law at The Alamo.

San Antonio

Well I said in the last  blog that the temps were going to remain high. Well it has rained and dropped the temps significantly. We made it into San Antonio. Found the historic site of the Alamo, and spent some time touring the old buildings and watching a short history film. Seems before Texas was part of the union, it was considered by the Mexicans to be theirs. Well long story short the Mexicans didn't give it up without a fight, and fought a tough but uneven battle at Alamo and the local soldiers and farmers were wiped out. About nine years later the US took over Texas and made it part of the union. We couldn't find where John Wayne was buried but Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett were actually there and part of the fight. 

We also did a river side walk in a beautiful area with stacks of resuarants and tourist places of interest. The the rain settled in, we had a coffee at Starbucks and decided to get our rain gear on and ride west. We only made it a few miles and dicided the rain was too heavy and pulled into a cheap motel. Overnight the rain got heavier and the thunder did its best to keep us awake. Here I sit writting the blog and waiting for the rian to lift. It has been heavy rain and the TV guys are asking people to saty off the hwy's for a while.

The three cock roaches in the bath room are friendly and we might have their company for a couple more hours yet.

Hugh wants to ride further west to see the real cowboy country and maybe the Rio Grand before we turn north east and head back to Dallas.

Bastrop Texas

Why Bastrop Texas? Because we didn't make it to San Antonio. We stopped off at lunch and decided to have a look at a motorcycle shop, which led us to look at another shop. A number of items of safety gear were upgraded.

What has it meant to be in Texas? well we now have hills, not mountains, just hills which we haven't seen for several sates. We can see for, well meters rather than being down in the swamp and surrounded by trees, we can actually see paddocks, some cattle, a lot of hobby size farms and some serious farms with fences, and a couple of rodeo grounds, even some paddocks of rice. Doesn't seem like much but it is a change. We even saw some grass that wasn't green any more. The temp was around 93 deg f, 35 deg c and not likely to get much cooler. We have not seen any tornadoes yet and lets hope it stays that way.

Towns, well there was Saratogo, and the the pick of the day was Shoot n Cut. I am serious!

It wouldn't be Texas with out an oil jack pump.

New Orleans to Texas

Time to leave New Orleans and head out on the bikes again. You guest it, raining again. Hugh who I think was born in a rain storm said, "Whats the problem". Its ok for these SE boys, but for a River-lander who never has to ride in the rain, what a pain.

So kit up in all the gear and off we go. Now I tried to describe the long causeway on the way in to New Orleans and didnt quiet get it right. It is a raised roadway two lanes in each direction on separate road ways, about 15 feet above Lake Pontchartrain. That's right a concrete raised road way like a bridge or a pair of bridges only its 27 miles long! So we are barreling along it in the rain at about 60 Miles per hour when I notice there is a cop car along side Gerald with the lights flashing. Gerald is about 300 yards behind me and I hear a voice? The voice keeps on going, eventually Gerald changes lanes and the lights come up along side me? I hear this loud voice but cant make out what the cops saying? Something like rain or lane, so I change lane like Gerald did and the cop moves onto Hugh. Eventually we come to a cross over and pull in with the cop following, and Ken up front disappearing into the rain and mist. Turns out there is a red light flashing at the start of the causeway saying no motorcycle riding over the lake in the rain. Not sure whether it is dangerous because it is wet, or the lightening we are seeing is worse for motorcycles, but we have to return along the 5 miles we have done.

This we do and GPS for an alternative route that doesn't involve lake crossings. We find one and off we go wondering what Ken is thinking and whether we will see him some time today, or if he is looking for a bail bonds man to help bail us out. We do one hwy then switch over to another raised road way on pylons that is also very long but crossing over a bayou.We eventually arrive at our designated stop to look at a hobby shop but Ken is not there. Within 1 minute of stopping Ken turns up. He waited for 1 hour at the end of the causeway for us, and then proceeded to the hobby shop every one had set in their gps before starting out. What a morning. But all is well that ends well. Why did we miss the red flashing light? How close to being booked were we? We think the policeman didnt want to get out of the vehicle in the rain! We encountered another very long raised split hwy on the way into baton Rouge. The cost of building these raised hwy's in lakes or bayous would be horrendous, but I guess if you have enough rate payers some big things are possible. The traffic these hwy's are carrying indicates the construction may have been warranted.

So today we passed through Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and ones with names like Sulphur, and left Louisiana and arrived at Beaumont Texas for tonight. Ken is doing a top job of navigating through the multitude of hwy's, lane changes, accommodation locations, Starbucks, subways and fuel stops. He will be looking forward to just navigating the South Road when he gets home.

Ken Tregloan the chief van driver and navigator.

New Orleans

We did a bus tour of the city and got a good talk about the history and culture from the driver. Even the cometary was interesting. They bury their dead in an above ground tomb, because the soil is basically a swamp.In fact they fit extended families in the tombs. How they do it is interesting but takes too long to tell here.The term wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole came from pushing in the caskets with a ten foot pole, of the people who died here from the yellow plague.They didnt want to touch the casket in case they caught the infection.

Today we took a ride on the Creole Queen a paddle wheeler doing trips on the Mississippi. The flow in the river is high and the level is still rising. We saw lots of very large barges and their push boats who ply the trade in bulk goods and fuel up and down the 2000 mile river.There were two ocean going ships waiting at anchor to load their cargo as well as dry docks and a ferry crossing the river. The flow was such that the ferry crossed at almost 45 degrees to get a 90 degree crossing.

The boys playing tourist at the New Orleans wharf.

We are staying in the french quarter in a boutique hotel. The narrow roads and old buildings give a real sense of an older time here. Plus we enjoy playing tourist and walking to bars and restaurants, not that we would over do the eating and drinking!

New Orleans Monday

We rode from Tallahassee (Florida) through Mobile (Alabama) and into New Orleans (Louisiana) on Sunday. New Orleans is connected to the main land by a bridge and elevated road way, and then a causeway of about 23 miles. An amazing piece of construction. I am surprised at the number of very large bridges we are crossing and that many of them are less than 10 years, maybe less than 5 years old. There is always an old or alternative bridge off to one side and some times both sides.

New Orleans was a big change from previous towns and cities in that we got tot the end of the fwy and with in a couple of blocks were in the French quarter with narrow streets and lots of tourists. Plenty of History here. The Americans bought the area off the french in 1803 and decreed that French language was not allowed to be spoken here. The French quarter is full of little shops, galleries that require an appointment to open, and a fun street Bourbon St which comes alive at night. we had a pleasant night listening to live jazz/blues band and mixing in the steamy close conditions. The buildings are very old. We are staying in a boutique hotel and the van is held a block and a half away.

The ride in along the coast showed that about 80% of the coastal frontage blocks were empty where Katrina blew them away. This was evident for many miles of coastal frontage. Amazing forces were at play. A few homes have been repaired and are lived in, and a few have built new homes.

Hugh Bainger on his rented BMW 1200RT.

Last miles in Florida.

Over the last two days we have ridden north and then west as we leave the Florida peninsular and make our way toward New Orleans, along the Florida Pan Handle. Names like Tallahassee, and Pensacola came and went. Some of the riding was interesting but most of it through either timber country or commercial areas. The temp was around 85 deg f and humid. Good while riding but hot when stopped and in riding gear. The sea breeze when we got it was welcome. Many times we got a glimpse of the see and when crossing over the several bridges we got a good view of the many inland and coastal water areas. Being Saturday today, there were lots of pleasure boats out and even more activity around the shopping malls. The US dollar sure was made to travel around between shops, car yards and restaurants.

Gerald and I swapped bikes while waiting at the traffic lights. The Victory sure is a hell of a bike. big, red, lots of instruments, handles sharply and when traveling behind it the noise is loud. The aftermarket exhaust did its job, or rather didn't do its job. Sounds gutsy, I am sure the Australian registration authorities will be interested. The Harley feels small by comparison, but I am well used to it now, apart from the lack of suspension it has a willing motor, with plenty of power. Will try to get some photos of riders with bikes for the blog soon.

We cannot take photos of interesting things while riding, so I get what I can when we stop. Below who wouldn't want to live in a place called Niceville?

Florida citrus tour

Well today we headed inland from Venice to look for some Florida citrus. It took a bit of searching but eventually saw some pretty ordinary orchards. Looks like they were picking it all and sending it for juice, where as in Australia they try to pack the best for fresh market and juice whats left. We did see some good orchards but they were the minority. By the number of semis carrying bulk oranges on the road it is a big industry here. We did also see some cattle farms and a number of water melon farms, and melons on trucks and for sale.

The country improved as we traveled north as did the quality of the houses. Some early towns had all trailer houses, some of which were in very poor condition. By late this afternoon the country had improved, the trees were taller and the houses much nicer.

We had one little delay when someone on a red "defeat" motorcycle who was leading the motorcycles and following Ken got us lost. Well he was actually trying to look for a Starbucks on his gps while following Ken in his silver van, when a silver van took a right at the lights and we didn't realize we were following the wrong van as Ken had not turned.

Thanks to the two way radio we did manage to get back together and travel on, with the red "defeat"at the back of the pack. And no we didn't get our coffee shot this afternoon.

Staying tonight at Cheifland, and heading further into northern Florida tomorrow.

The photo is a little dark but can you count the number of antenna on this cop car?

Florida Everglades

Today we left Miami Beach crossing over an expanse of water back to the mainland and bypassing Miami City. As usual big fwys, but the progress was smooth. Had b/f once we were out of town, and fueld the bikes and van. Our trip today was across the everglades to the west coast of Miami. On the way we took a loop road through the everglades "Big Cyprus National Park". The land is very flat, and several places offered air boat rides through the reedy plains. Other parts had trees and undergrowth so close you couldn't walk through it and all standing in water. Passed an Indian Casino and saw their houses in the isolated wooded areas.Occasionally we had the opportunity to stop and look at open water areas adjacent to culverts under the road. We started to see alligators snoozing in the sun in the water and a couple on land.

One of the alligators we saw today pictured above. Stopped for coffee on Marcos Island just off the west coast. Very nice, modern and quiet. After leaving Marcos Island we traveled past many subdivisions with beaut landscaped gated entrances, and bricked and landscaped walls. Could not see the houses but assume they are for retired people. Some advertising houses for $300 to $600k. Later passed through many miles of retail shops and car yards. The size of which boggles the mind. Staying overnight in Venice.

Miami Beach

Made it almost to the bottom of the peninsula (Miami Beach)if we ignore Key West today. Traffic got heavier the closer we got. Buildings like Surfers on steroids, very large and densely built up. Spectacular boats in channel/mariner, some for sale. The beach is very wide 130 m plus. Weather still very comfortable, land still very flat and sandy. Drove past mile after mile of beach front homes and on the opposite side of the road just scrub and undergrowth. Sure grows well here.

Found a great Italian restaurant. Here Gerald and Ken are enjoying the teramisu.
Are we enjoying our selves yet? Four blokes riding around America on three bikes and one in a van, eating and drinking. Hardly! It can be a bit tough!

NASA Visit

Story below for Kennedy Space Center.

Here are the four musketeers on their entry to the center.

Kennedy Space centre

Cape Canaveral of course is the home to the USA space rocket launch site. We visited the Kennedy space center today with is at the center of the space industry here. It was not Disenyland but had some similarity in that it was well done, very large, lots of buildings with different aspects of the space industry highlighted. Out side were a range of rockets used in the launches over time. The largest rocket was Saturn V. To think such a large peice of metal can accelerate to 1750 mph is remarkable. They are building a replica of the shuttle rockets. The two I max theatres were a highlight.

 Hugh and astronought friend..
We have riden 2500 miles to date. Weather today fine and a little cooler than previous twodays, vey good holiday weather.

Cape Canaveral

We moved onto Cape Canaveral. Got and early start. It was a warm day and we spent time traveling close to the beach and looking at houses and an historic Light House.Stopped at Cape Canaveral and checked in for 2 nights. Navigation here seems to be a challenge and we spend a lot of time getting familiar with a few roads while trying to find others. Had a drive around the area, lots of wide water and bridges, very flat. Pulled into port and saw several large passenger boats, possibly up to 4000 passenger size. One a Disney land ship, complete with water slide well above top deck. Also had a shoot at a pistol range with a 45 caliber gun.

And the winner is.... Well we think most of our victims died of blood loss. It was a bit of fun, no license , no car license check nothing, just handed iver a pistol and a box of ammo, a two minutes safety lesson and off we went to the range room. $47.00.

Daytona Nascar racing

Hi, We did a tour of the famous Nascar race track at Daytona. Took about three hours, and we got to see the pits, corporate box, room where the race drivers get their iinstructions, and three cars doing laps.
The noise was incredible

on a 2.7 mile track. I can only imagine what 42 cars sound like. The track usually sells out on race day with about 145,000 fans.

Photo: And the winners are......

Daytona Beach

Traveled a short way from Jackson to Daytona Beach. Their claim is that it is the most famous beach in the world. Reminds me of Surfers Paradise. Not as many tall buildings and some vacant lots that indicate the economy here not as buoyant. The beach is very long and wide.Enjoying the warmer weather,especially when we are moving, but not as much fun when we are stopped.We could do like the locals and ride in shorts, flip flops and no helmet, but that is not us. Lots of bikes here and plenty of Harley shops also. Visited one today with elevator, escalator and stacks of bikes. good money in selling Harely's to the retired people.

Daytona Beach late afternoon.

Florida

From Charleston we tried some back roads sth and finally had to use the fwy. We rode through Georgia and into Florida, our eleventh state so far. Stayed a night at Jackson on the east coast. Checked out the beach area. Some nice houses but no esplanade to drive down and view the see and beach. Had to park and walk past houses to see it. Long sandy beach with small waves.

Drove on the next day to Daytona. Crossed over many bridges. Land mainly flat and anything lowish has standing water. Lots of dense timber and undergrowth. surprised at the amount of pine in the "scrub".

Not everyone's interest, but we see some very large rims on cars. This is a 26 inch rim with a 25% profile. Kinda a rubber band on a rim. Like reverting back to wagon wheels. Even saw one with 30 inch rims

Charleston Sth Carolina

Rode from Anderson in Sth Carolina to Charleston via Columbia. Did some quiet roads and some hwy as usual.

Charleston is on the coast and has an unusual harbor with two rivers or more feeding into it and peninsulas around it. Makes for interesting and spectacular bridges. It is low lying and can get flooded in places with high tides and winds. Lots of history, as it is where the first shots in the civil war occurred. Geralds friends the Burgens were there visiting their son Nick and his wife Dana and their new g/son Charlie. Nick took some time off from work to show us around,. had a great meal on the wharf and found at the history of the old part of town. very interesting and great hosts, thanks.. We later took a tour of the old carrier The Yorktown. It had lots of Navy planes on board to look as well as the workings of such a large ship.

On the east coast . Charleston

Hi from Charleston South Carolina.
Had a ride in from Nashville past Chattanooga Tennessee,  then into the Smokey Mountains in the Southern part of the Appellation Mountain range. Rode the best motorcycles road in the USA called the "Tail of the Dragon". 318 bends in 11 miles. Lots of M/cycles ea end at bike cafes and some on the road.. It is Hwy 129 and quiet famous I believe. Even had 3 professional photographers set up at various corners. I looked  one address up and found us with about 12 shots of each riding past. Might purchase one later.
Stayed overnight at Anderson South Carolina and put our watches forward. We are now 11 hours behind Sth Aust.

The three bikes stopped on "The tail of The Dragon"

Nashville

Left Memphis to head east to get out of the rain. Abandoning our desire to follow the Mississippi down to New Orleans. Just after lunch changed plans again and headed nth east to Nashville Tennessee. Got in after an interesting ride through back roads and hwys.

Being a Friday night some hotels booked but managed to get one eventually. There was, would you believe a motorcycle cop convention on. Caught up with them at a mall the next day doing car park maneuver (gymkhana on motorcycles) competition and had a chat with a couple of them Checked out what was on at the Grand Old Opre. No one of note so we gave it a miss. Had a two night stop over and did some shop looking. massive mall with lots of up market shops compared with home. Next warm weather on the coast.

Photo of Gerald and Ford F650

Memphis and tour

Hi still struggling with editing and publishing. I think I had the arch in one post in the wrong city. It is in St Louis.
In Memphis we took a trolley tour. Probably rated a 3 out of 10. Drove past Graceland and got photo of same with rain on bus window. Opposite Graceland is several shops selling Elvis memorabilia and even his two airplanes, which you can tour. Our bus didn't stop but a purely Elvis tour was available. Didn't mention the history of the city or the Mississippi, Just the hospital where Elvis was declared dead and a few other Elvis related things.

Gerald meets the King

We had a good night being Wed a down town St Beale St is blocked off and many motorcyclist ride in and park. The St is one full of bars, music history and fund eateries.We saw many flash motorcycles and some freakish ones. a good night was had by all especially after eating at the recommended ribs joint. Good food but served on plastic plates with plastic cutlery, Strange!
Friday morning the rain had settled in. After checking various weather reports we decided to give the lower Mississippi a miss and ride east, along the way changing our mind again and heading for Nashville.Rode in very heavy rain coming out of Memphis, but the day improved as we went. Had Lunch at Tupelo (which we found out Elvis was born there. Can any one tell me which song mentions Tupelo in it?) Made it into Nashville in good time but tried several motels before getting rooms, and these motels are big. A police motorcycle competition in town over weekend as well as graduation nights for uni students, given this is the end of their school year.Heard on TV that Kansas City has had about a foot of snow. Glad we missed it, but we are under a large storm event which might take two or three days to pass. Just heard on the TV news the Kentucky Derby was run in mud today. Did some shopping and looked around Nashville today. No one seemed interested in doing a trolley tour.
Tomorrow we would like to ride east weather permitting, maybe head for the Smoky Mountains for some good riding roads..

Kansas City

Rode for a few miles expecting to get q ferry? No warnings about ferry out.

Rode to Kansas City, passing picture book farms, just like in a John deere calender. Did some back roads as the fwys are always fairly busy with trucks and cars. Saw a few cattle for Hugh. Mostly in yards at the barn. Almost no fences out in the paddocks
Took a trolly ride in Kansas to see the sights. Could not get to the arch as the park was under water. The Mississippi has risen from a low in January, to 38.5 feet above the January level, and now in flood.
Headed sth towards Memphis. Still taking some back roads. Got to Cairo, which was a town in decline, but where the Ohio river merges with the Mississippi. then on to Memphis. The weather was great temps got to 85f. good to ride with less gear on.

Kansas City to St Louis

The ride out of Kansas City was in good weather at 85 deg f. took fwy for a while then off the main rd and through some farming country. Some cattle in yards close to the house to keep Hugh happy. Looks like they mainly feedlot a few cattle as there were almost no fences. Some winter wheat, but farming generally still to wet for cropping for a couple of weeks.

Hit St Luois. Did a trolley tour. Could not get to the base of the arch as the high river had flooded the park.
of barges tied up and tugs next to them. Saw some unloading saw dust and one area loading coal onto barges.

Did some driving around the area and saw lots of farming on the river flats. Again a bit wet to pluough but interesting to ride and look. On Monday the weather was so good almost every one in the rural areas were out mowing their lawns. Mower sales would have been the boom field this week. Lots of green grass, almost no garden. Different.

Memphis

Had a good run into Memphis. Nice to be riding without the wet wweather gear, in fact with out the cover pants as well.

Passed through Cairo near the borders of Indiana, kentucky and Missouri, then into Tenessee. The River Ohio merged with the Mississipi here. The country again looked like it was out of a John Deere calender.Some farms getting bigger as the country opens out. The wood lands are surprisingly everywhere including boundary fence lines. Looks like 100% decidous, and not yet in full leaf, but getting more leaf as we move Sth.

Stayed at a small town called Anna and had an interesting night at the Blue Boar resuraunt out in the sticks. Big old barn type place full of hunting and football memorabilia.spent time talking to the owner, and old guy who had a lot of good philosophy on life and politics. The food of course is BBQ grill

St Louis and Sth

In St Louis we visited the zoo. It was a hot day and lots of families out and about. Interesting place. We then hit the road out of S/L and took some secondary roads south following the Mississippi. Got carried away looking at farming country and arrived at a ferry crossing that was out with the high river. No warning about ferry not in service anywhere. so we doubled back a while and took a different path, thanks to tom tom.

1. 

Day 4 and more

Hi still having trouble with the ediIt

Still alive and travelling

Hi all sorry about the long break from the blog. Often get in late from dinner and have to catch up with family and business first. As you would have picked I did a repeat page for the first day on the road.
Well we did get the Harley fixed the next morning. It took until about 11.30 am. It was a flat rear tyre. It sho9wed up as a slow leak and we pumped it up on the side of the Hwy with Gerald's little compressor and tried to keep and eye on it. But is blew out big time and by the time I pulled over it was off the rim and smoking. The tube had melted and the new tyre damaged by heat.

Got back on the road heading for Kansas City. Hit rain during  the afternoon, it got heavier. Interesting riding on a two lane Fwy in rain with trucks and cars doing about 70 to 75 mph. Eventually had stop 30 miles short of Knasas City as the wet and cold was starting to beat me.

Made it into K/C the next morning and Gerald took us straight to Austin M/Cycles who had been holding his near new Victory for about 6 months. Talk about a kid in a candy shop!! One very happy lad.

Harley repaired day two.

Well we got the Harely tyre repaired eventually. Out in the boon docks not every tyre or bike shop can fix them. but after a new tube and tyre we were on our way by lunch time on day two.