Thursday July 12, 2012

Left this morning and stopped in at another Walmart before hitting the road. We need a new battery for the camera and some more SmartWater. Unfortunately they didn't carry our battery. When I checked the tire pressure this morning we were a bit low (the Bridgestone guys at WingDing recommended I run 41 pounds of pressure in both the front and rear tires of their Bridgestone Exedra tires) so we stopped at a gas station for air and I topped off the tank. We eventually were back on highway 2 headed west at 0830. Again the ride on the 2 was peaceful, passing by farms and forest lands. It was amazing to see the damage caused by the sever storm the area near Grand Rapids experienced about a week ago. So many trees were snapped in two by the winds that blew through the area. The twisted and downed trees went on for miles. In all the carnage one of the things that we both commented on was the fresh smells from the forest lands. You know there is a reason they call Minnesota the land of 10,000 lakes! We passed by so many lakes big and small, just beautiful! There is something about riding a motorcycle and smelling all the scents in the air (the majority of them are pleasant!) We stopped for lunch at a deli in a little town called Fosston. After lunch we finished the ride through Minnesota and arrived in North Dakota. Again, the "welcome" sign to North Dakota was on a bridge and no place to stop! Kinda bumming about that as I really like showing the bike and the states welcome sign! Oh well maybe tomorrow Montana will do it right! Speaking of states, so far I have travelled through 18 states and a few a couple times like Washington, Oregon, and Oklahoma. After we passed through Grand Forks, North Dakota we noticed to the northwest of us the skies turn dark and the temperature dropping. We started getting a few sprinkles and the winds began to pick up. The weather channel this morning called for thunderstorms in the area and it sure looked as they were brewing. Not wanting to get caught in the storm I wanted to outrun the rain. We made it to a little town called Devil's Lake, North Dakota and checked into a hotel around 3:30pm that had a carport awning, so I was able to park the bike in a weather protected area. We rode 283 miles today for a total of 7,968.

Job 36:33 His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach.

Wednesday July 11, 2012

After a good nights rest and a hot breakfast we packed up and started loading the bike. There happened to be another GoldWing parked next to us. Well being of the same riding family we started talking. We found out they were from Winnipeg, Canada and their names are Harvey and Theresa. They too were on their way home from WingDing. We chatted for about an hour, exchanged numbers and took photos and then headed down the road. They were stopping in Duluth Minnesota while we were going to Grand Rapids, MN. We caught up to each other before we turned off in Ironwood, Michigan for some sight seeing, antique shopping and lunch. The ride today took us along Lake Superior where we made a few sightseeing stops. As we rode thru the wooded areas of Wisconsin, Myrna noted how beautiful the white birch forest was. The ride was also dotted with several road construction delays and detours. We continued along westbound highway 2 and said farewell to Michigan and crossed into Wisconsin and eventually Minnesota. Highway 2 is such a delightful ride through so many charming small towns of America. Unfortunately as we were coming into Duluth we also crossed the Minnesota state line on the bridge so we were not able to get a picture of the bike and the state sign. With all the delays we finally arrived in Grand Rapids MN (birthplace of Judy Garland) at 7:00 pm by far our longest day on the road. Total miles ridden today 339, total for the trip 7685 miles.

Genesis 43:10 As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice.

Tuesday July 10, 2012

Today we did something I have been longing to do, but I will tell you what it was later. After a good nights sleep we headed out northbound on interstate 75 toward that something I have been looking forward to doing. The temperature was a wonderful 72 degrees. As we traveled toward northern Michigan or what the locals call the "U-P" or "upper peninsula" the terrain changed from farms to forests. It reminded me of the first days of the ride in early June going thru the pacific northwest, without the rain of course! Everything was very green and lush. We stopped for lunch in Macinaw City and visited several stores and lunched at a local favorite "Scalawags" for some fresh water fish and chips and whitefish chowder (I still prefer clam chowder) but the fish was good and Myrna loved the decor. After lunch we saddled up and headed for "that something" I have been wanting to do; we crossed the Macinac Bridge! The bridge is 5 miles long, 552 feet high and crosses over Lake Michigan (on the left) and Lake Huron (on the right) as we were traveling north. I always wanted to travel over that bridge and see one of the great lakes and great they are! Lake Michigan is so huge you could not see land on the other side of the lake. While crossing the bridge, there was construction being done so the right lane was closed. The right lane also happens to be the paved lane, the other lane is grated. My friends that ride a motorcycle know how much fun riding over a grate can be! Those of you that don't now, the front tire of a motorcycle tends to track with the grate making it harder to steer the bike. We made it safely over the lake and stopped to pay the toll. The toll for vehicles was $4.00, but because I was pulling a trailer it was $6.00. I thought I was in California with the crazy fees we pay on things! Anyway we found a park that had a great view of the bridge so we stopped for a Kodak moment. Also after crossing the bridge another milestone was accomplished. Since I started this journey on May 29, today was the first day I pointed the Wing west; we picked up highway 2 and will continue to ride the highway until we reach Washington before turning south! In other words, we have officially turned the corner and are headed home! We stopped for the night in Iron Mountain, Michigan after riding 278 miles, new total: 7,346 miles.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.