Fuzz’ Trip Log

The City by the Bay (Days 89 - 90)

Fri, 9 May 2008 10:51:18 -0700

So, I’ve travelled 24 states and two provinces (Ontario and Québec) and there is no place like home.

Really, I mean it. I’ve come to realize how unique San Francisco and the Bay Area really are in this country. The hills, the cable cars, the weather, the beauty. It really is unique, and I’m so glad to be back.

I also stopped by my old office at Visa to see one of my best friends, Bob. I had just missed his birthday, so for his present I gave him a surprise visit and went to lunch.

Here’s Bob with Biker Bear. Biker Bear has another new friend.

The Silver State (Days 84 - 88)

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 09:29:40 -0700

Had made plans back in Washington D.C. to visit my sister and my partner in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, my partner became ill and wasn’t able to join us. We spent a week of eating, gambling, and gabbing. It was awesome to see my sisters and her friends. I felt like I was home, and in reality, home was just a day or two away. I’ve never thought of Las Vegas being “in my backyard”, but I certainly did on this trip.

Oh, and it just so happens that “Biker Fest” was going on. Tons of bikers, chrome, and loud pipes blazing in town. Woof!

The Windy, Curvy Highway (Day 83)

Sun, 30 Sep 2007 09:32:26 -0700

I left my buddies and decided to head out of Peyson, AZ via Sedona. From Sedona I had gone over the mountains thru Jerome on Hwy 89A (a great road for bikers!) and into Prescott.

Jerome is this neat little town that is actually built on the side of a canyon wall. The main street and highway actually zig-zags back and forth at is goes up the mountain. Bikers and tourists alike enjoy coming here -- bikers for the windy curvy road and the little cafe, and the tourists for the small knick-knack shops, trinkets, t-shirts, and expensive diddies.

I decided to head south and go into Prescott for a short break before heading back north. While there, I got caught in another Corvette convention (remember I got caught in one back at Devil’s Tower quite some time ago?) The cars here were fantastic and the people were friendly. Had a great time.

I decided to go north and take old route 66. US 40 in this area is extremely windy and the trucks move by at a million miles an hour. Not good when you’re on a motorcycle doing 80 - 85 mph and they’re passing you. The wind they generate felt a bit too dangerous for me. So, I took the more casual route 66 and stopped at the Road Kill Cafe for lunch.

I finally got to Bull Head City, AZ and rested the night. Tomorrow I’m heading into Las Vegas, NV -- woohoo!

The Grand Canyon State (Days 75 - 82)

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 09:31:33 -0700

I had rested fairly well in Albuquerque -- riding that long of distance in such a short time was crazy fun, but exhausting.

So, I packed up and went to see a few buddies I’ve known for a while, from other biker events, in a very small town in Arizona. It was great to spend time with them. I also got a much needed hair-buzz, as the top of my head was gettin’ a little shaggy there.

The Petroglyphs (Days 72 - 74)

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:13:47 -0700

By the time I got to Albuquerque, both BikerBear and I were pretty darn tired. We mostly slept and watched TV in the hotel room, had a pizza delivered, and drank Diet Coke.
(I did play a little bit of World of Warcraft on the side, but don’t tell BikerBear).

We ventured out to the Petroglyph National Monument one day. The ancient ancestors to the Pueblo Indian Tribe had etched carvings into the rocks hundreds of years ago -- some are even considerably older.

I walked around the park and took some pictures that I hope you enjoy.

The Charger (Days 67 - 71)

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 19:12:50 -0700

With BikerBear stowed (I mean, fastened securely in his side car, ahem), the two of us charged as fast as we could across the southern part of the United States. At this point, I was no longer interested in seeing too many sites.

I was anxious to get a little closer to home and see my sister and partner who are going to fly into Las Vegas to see me.

There were a few highlights on this trip, however.
* I bought me a new leather vest for $24 at a truck stop in North Carolina
* I (by complete chance) stopped in at the famous JR Cigar company (well, the outlet) where they sell awesome cigars. (I’ve been buying mine online fer years at jrcigars.com -- JR #1 Ultimate Double-Maddy 54 Ring -- taaaaasty! And they now sell 66 rings!)
* My motorcycle clicked 30,000 miles
* My longest distance ride ever is now 578 miles in one day (Oklahoma City to Albuquerque, NM)
* Total distance in 5 days: over 2,100 miles

Yes, I am crazy... but you wouldn’t have me any other way :)

The Capital (Days 63 - 66)

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 19:12:05 -0700

Wow! I’ve lived in the US my whole life and I’ve never been to the capital -- before now!

I spent a total of four days here and walked my poor feet to death.

Sights of interest:
* The White House which you can’t get real close to at all -- completely barred with high security (as was the case for most all federal buildings now)
* The Washington Monument
* The WWII Memorial
* The Jefferson Memorial
* The Vietnam Memorial
and that was just the first day.
I just lazed about, went to the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum. Took the Metro (similar to BART) out to Bethesda and all around town. I was disappointed that the Americana Museum was closed for renovations, but they had the top 50 items up for display at the A/S museum. I saw:
* The ruby slippers
* C3PO and R2D2
* The original 60-Minutes watch (that has since been retired in mid-90’s to a computer generated watch!)
* An original ‘swatch’ of the batch of penisillum
* And the original panel of the AIDS quilt (which almost moved me to tears as did so many other guests)

I spent two days at the Washington Plaza Hotel (which was okay, but very central to many things), then two days at the Best Western on the south end of town (which was also okay but not in the greatest area). For those days, I got on my bike and went to Georgetown, the Pentagon, and many other places that were easier to get to by wheels.

The Battlefield (Day 62)

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 19:11:49 -0700

Gettysburg is just around the corner from Harrisburg, PA - so of course I had to stop at this historic location.

Of course, I can’t handle history on an empty stomach, so I stopped in a local diner for a burger and fries - yum.

I stayed and rode around this town and the famous battlefields for several hours, soaking in the scenery and its history. I met and talked with many people on the way - a retired Photography professor from Kentucky State, and a Scottish couple living in Vancouver, BC who trekked across the US in their motor-home. And several people who wanted their picture taken with me (go figure!!)

Before the day was over, I headed down to Baltimore for the night (why -- well, I’ve never been, so why not!)