Guy
Boutin's Motorcycle Touring and Travel Pages
Adventures in Sport
Touring with the Honda ST 1100, 1300 and the BMW 1200RT
Exploring North America...One Road
at a Time
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Guy
Boutin's Motorcycle Touring and Travel Pages
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Day 1 I jumped out of bed at the tone, and started making last minute checks. It was time for another adventure, this time to Wawa, Canada for the SSS rally. Friends, West and Brenda Marcus had invited members of the ST bbs to northern Ontario for an informal rally and get together, and I wanted in. I don't have to be in Sault St. Marie till the 4th, so I can take my time riding north. I was just back from the west coast, maybe that is why I felt unprepared for this tour, but we'll see. I roll out the driveway at 6:30am, right on schedule. I go over to US 31, and then take I-65 north. The morning is humid but not hot, and billowing clouds are everywhere. There is no rain on the radar. I-65 will serve as my escape route from Alabama, I will follow it all the way to Bowling Green, Kentucky. I have my routes down on my left sleeve. I replaced the map pocket I lost in Oregon, a few weeks ago. It has been a mild summer in Alabama. Lots of rain, and no temps over 95, not that I'm complaining, we were due for a break. The crops I ride by making my way to Birmingham are green and thick. The ST is running perfectly. I picked up the bike late yesterday afternoon with a new rear tire. I killed off the old tire with about 4k left on the tread. I hated to do it, but I don't want to think about tires when on a long tour. The only problem I have are my PIAA lights. They are on the blink, and I haven't had time to figure out why. I felt naked without them, and as a result have no intention of doing any night riding. I also miss the extra visibility they give me in the daytime. The morning commute in Birmingham was just starting, but I managed to miss most of it, and came out the north side in full touring mode. I left Prattville 30 miles into a full tank so anticipate a early gas stop. My plan today is to make central Indiana. I will be coming into Sault St. Marie (aka the "soo") from the UP of Upper Michigan. These are familiar roads, so I go on auto pilot. I pass delivery trucks loaded with all kinds of goods. Furniture, soft drink, bread, and cars to name a few. The sky turned cloudy and held the possibility of rain. I took the Warrior exit and hunted down a gas mart for my morning break. The Exxon proved to be a good choice. It housed a Mcdonald's so I picked up a order of hash browns and Coke. While I was there I fielded questions from 2 people about the Roadcrafter. I presumed they were riders. The ST began to churn out the miles as I readied myself for the ride through North Alabama. The sun came back out near Cullman, and I welcomed it by easing up to 85mph. I was noticing a lot of motorcycle traffic out today, I know Sturgis is in progress, but all this traffic was southbound. I saw a bike ahead of me and began closing down on it. I couldn't tell if it was a trike or a guy pulling a trailer. I saw it was a Electra Glide with the latter, when I caught him. I wonder if he was bound for Sturgis? South of the Tennessee line I started to get sleepy. My head bobbed and weaved and I struggled to stay awake. I had to hang in there, so I could make the Tennessee Visitor Center, to find a picnic table. Finally, the rest area arrived and I peeled off for a nap. I got prone on a table bench and promptly took a 15 minute snooze. Good thing a state worker came by cutting grass, or I might've overslept. I-65 in Alabama is pretty smooth, but in Tennessee smooth has a whole new meaning. This state really takes care of its roads. I didn't feel so much as ripple all the way to Nashville. The road side is decorated with wildflowers and neatly cut, cows grazed on the hillsides reminding of the story Uncle Phil tells of how some cows in Tennessee have shorter legs on one side. The Waffle House near Franklin served me a pretty good hamburger steak. I sat at the bar and took things in. A talkative middle aged man sat next to me and proceeded to flirt with the waitress. He says he's the president of a internet company and has a plan to save her money on long distance. The man talked so much he made me hurry my lunch, just so I could get out. "well if ya ever need to save money on ya phone bill, here's my card" as I was getting up. Back on the road I was soon in Nashville, following the signs for I-65 north. I made it through with no problems, and set my sights on Kentucky. Already I was growing tired of interstate droning. Soon I was out of Tennessee and in Kentucky. The Corvette museum is near Bowing Green, and I saw more then a few of the vehicles making the pilgrimage. I veered off 65 and went to the Natcher Parkway. I paid my tolls and found a place on the quiet highway. The Bluegrass state lived up to its name. The pastures were very green from the recent rains. I left the Parkway for SR 69 and stopped for gas and butt break at a gas mart in Dundee. I was hot in the Roadcrafter and took it off. I'm sure its a few degrees cooler up here, but I couldn't tell it.
SR 69 took me north, and before long I was crossing the Ohio River at Hawesville. I was north of the Mason-Dixon line now, and smiled as I made a mental note to start adapting to the cultural differences found on the north side of the line. Out of Tell City I took SR 37 to SR 145. I am pleasantly surprised at how good the riding is in this part of the state. The highway became quite curvy and before I knew it, I was leaning the ST like crazy. SR 145 brought me into French Lick, a name that sounds like it came from the Karma Sutra. I stopped for a butt break across the street from the high school Larry Bird played ball. I was tempted to ask the female clerk inside exactly what a French Lick is, but thought the better of it, and kept my thoughts to myself. You HAVE to love a town with a new like that. From French Lick I went to US 150 west. Traffic began to pick up, and I was passing more then a few cars. A slow moving truck had locked down about 15 cars, but I carefully picked my way around them. When a passing opportunity presented itself, I looked ahead of the line of cars for a gap, and if I had enough room I would bolt for it. It took 3 leapfrogs before I found myself behind the last 2 cars and the 18 wheeler. The last one would be the trickiest. There were no gaps, so when I go, I will have to get both cars and the truck. I will need a lot of room and resigned myself to the fact I might not find it, and will be stuck for who knows how long. Then there it was, a long straight with only 2 driveways, and both of those had unobstructed views to where they came. I dropped the ST into 3rd and she lunged forward as I gassed it, quickly I was up to 115 and around the truck. What a good feeling to have all that open pavement now in front. I felt the the curses of the cage drivers as I showed them how its done. They were stuck and they knew it. West of Loogotee I went to SR 56 then to SR 58. The corn rows now took over the scenery. Farm houses and grain silos dotted the countryside. It was late afternoon, and my shadow danced in the tall corn. I'd never seen corn so high. It was a good late afternoon ride.
I went to SR 59 and stopped for a break at
Clay City. I tried to call home but all I got was the machine. "look here, I ain't payin ya 20 dollars to put my tent up" "well that's the rate" "I'll give ya 10 cash" "Cash? why didn't ya so, 12 bucks tax included" "deal" I have quickly learned to deal in cash with such places. But you must be prepared to go somewhere else if you get shot down. But so far, that has never happened. Find a local motel, that has a clerk/owner, half empty parking lot, (buyers market) and you can almost always work something out. Chain motels give the clerks no leeway. If you arrive in a city, late at night, with parking lots full, then you are sunk, you're pocket book is going to take a hit. I idled through and found a quiet spot in the rear. The place was jacked full of RVs. I unloaded the bike and plopped out my tent. I noted this was the first time my tent has been out since Sturgis. I hoped all the parts were in the bag. They were, and soon I had everything up and ready. I didn't stop for supper items, so would have to make a short ride into Terre Haute for something to eat. It was still hot and muggy, almost as bad as Alabama. I was hoping to break across the jet stream by now, but I see that won't happen till tomorrow. The ride into Terre Haute was short, and I found a local Italian place on Main Street. The store had a old fashioned neon sign out front, and I parked the ST under it. The light made it look black. I debated if I wanted pizza or spaghetti. I decided on the latter and soon regretted it. Not enough sauce and too chunky. I managed only half of it when I gave up. The pizza still looked good and I was tempted to order one. Sitting at the table next to me was a man with his family. They had ordered 2 big pizzas and I was guessing how they were going to eat so much food. I need not have worried. The mother and father and the 2 young boys (under 10) acquitted themselves very well. They shoveled pizza in like it was no tomorrow. Never saw anything like it. Not one word was spoken until they all sat back and moaned. I was studying my map when a 30ish man came over. He announced he was a long haul trucker and wanted to know if I needed any advice. "I appreciate the offer, but I doubt if any 18 wheelers use the roads I like" "have you been to many places on your bike?" "yeah, I've been to a few" I said with a grin. It was dark when I left the restaurant and I missed the PIAAs, I will just have to get by. When I got back to the campground I found a Kawasaki something a few sites down. It had Quebec tags. I didn't see the owner, I guess he was in his tent passed out. My phone rang, just my son checking in with me. When I finished with him, I called home and chatted with my wife for about 15 minutes. I strolled to the showers and cleaned up, then went back to the tent and watched TV. I fell asleep before the news so missed the weather. I woke up and went to use the FM radio on my cell phone but to my chagrin I forgot the adapter. I was pissed, so I gave up on a weather report and went back to sleep. next: A nice ride through Ill and Wisc.
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