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

Day 4
April 30th, 2009
Motel 6
King of Prussia,

Like the old Cat Stevens' song, "Morning Has Broken," but on this day it was delayed.

With a short ride on the list for today, I slept in.  After the turbulent night of Day 2, the bed felt good.  I was still at a loss to explain why I had experienced those feelings that night in my tent.

First order of business was check to make sure the Zumo was still in the mount.  If it wasn't I'd want to know how the thief removed it, because I dang sure couldn't.  The RT was good so I went back inside.

I flipped on the tv to get a report on the Swine Flu deal.  They were closing a few schools in New York City.  "I bet those kids hate that.  I'm thinkin they're blowing this way out of proportion."

I called Debbie, she commented,  "You just now gettin up?"

"yeah, I was tired"

"of what?"

"well, I dunno, I was just tired"

"well ok, just make sure you get enough rest to pick me up at the airport tonight.  David (in law) has all the info"

"I'll be there"

Debbie was flying in and we were going to spend a few days with her brother's family.  I see David and Cathy all the time as I pass through on tours, but it had been a few years since she was last here.  

I called my brother to see what he was doing.

"What's goin on?"

"Just workin, where ya at?"

"Philadelphia, heading out shortly to see Uncle Rom, then down to DC"

"Dang it must be nice"

"yeah, but I got this golden parachute, its called a STATE PENSION"

"call me after your visit, and lemme now how he's doin"

"ok"

With no more phone calls to make I figured it was time to start loading the RT.  I packed what little stuff I had out, making sure to grab my toiletry bag out of the shower.  Over the years, I think I've left 3 of those things in various motels through out the country.

A text came in from my son.  He lives in Birmingham and would be meeting his mother to take her to the airport.  I called him.

"look you know you're mother blows these things all outta proportion, so look for her to get in town about 2."

"I don't leave the office till 4:30 and her flight is not till 7pm"

"I know, but you know how she is"

Before loading the bike, I did a quick check of tire PSI.  All was good.

I booted up the GPS so it could start locking on a signal while I strapped my bags down.  "Well, I might not can get it out of the cradle, but at least it still works."  When I finished I went back to the office and turned my key in. 

"Did you have a nice stay Mr. Boutin?"  The young lady asked, it was the same girl that checked me in.

"Matter fact I did sweeite"

"good you come back anytime, love to hear your talk"

Weather was still the same.  Unseasonably cool and cloudy.  The rain to the west of me still stalled in West Virginia.  "Man those folks are gettin hammered.  It just needs to stay there long enough for me to get to Washington."

I was walking back to the RT, when my phone beeped, the kind of sound it makes when it wants to tell me something.  I pulled it out of my pocket and the screen read, "Gus Birthday."  "Dang today is my brohter's birthday, better call that joker in a little while."  It was also the 4th anniversary of my retirement.  "Has it been 4 years already?"  I thought about all the fun I've had the last 4 years, the Lord has been good.  I was smiling as I strolled back to the RT.  

A 30ish, smartly dressed lady, packing her car next to me, said, "that's a beautiful bike you have there."

"Thanks m'am, it does pretty good."  Say what you want  about BMW, but it has the intangibles.   People notice and comment on it all the time.  It is very rare for anyone to comment on the STs, either version.

It was almost 10am when I turned the key on the RT.  The cloud cover was thick, and a cool wind blew.  Hard to believe it was late April.   The RT rolled over and fired up and right way I noticed a light blinking on the dash.  One of the headlamps was out.  "I knew it was time."  I don't know why, but the RT kills one about every 15k miles.  I set the stand back down to check it out, the left bulb was kaput.  Not big a deal, the right was still working.   An RT with one bulb out  is still better then 90% most other bikes.  The BMW has three bulbs in the headlamp.  I know for a fact it is better than my old 1100.  "I don't plan on any night riding, It will be ok till I get home."

I put my Uncle Rom's address in the Zumo.  I was pretty sure how to get there, but with so many interchanges and ramps, it was still best to be sure.

A quick shuffle over put me on the 202 and I was off to West Chester, 15 miles west of Prussia.  About 15 minutes later I was pulling up in my Uncle Rom's driveway.  He was outside cutting grass on some kind of riding mower.  He saw me drive up, and stopped what he was doing.

He is the last surviving member of my father's family.  His is the youngest brother, and now 81.  I try stop in to see him when I pass through the area.  We both remind the other of my dad.

"I told you last time I was here you were too old for this"

"So you did, good to see ya"

After a 2 hour visit I was up to speed on most everything.

"You never tell us when you're coming, you just show up"

"I know, I'm sorry, I just don't want to be a bother"

My uncle has slowed down the last few years, and each visit is a little less then the one before.  It is always good to see my uncle, I don't take visiting him for granted.  I have a cousin out on Long Island I need to see, he's on the list for this August.  My dad and family were from Massachusetts.  He was in Alabama on a job back in the 50s when he met my mother, so that's how I came to have family this far north.  I have a few scattered cousins in the North, but I don't see them.  So now y'all know that story.

By now it was past lunch time, so I rode back into West Chester proper for something to eat.  Yankees have the best local places for pizza, only 1 place back home compares (in Birmingham).  I found a place and had two slices of pepperoni.  Good stuff.  After eating I put a few notes in the Idiary, and watched CNN, but some how I failed to note the name of the place.  Really didn't need to, I locked the coordinates in the GPS for the next time.

"I better get to DC."  I've basically just been hanging out and taking my time.  It was nice.

I've always traveled to Lorton from here via I-95 and the beltway, but this time I planned to try something different.   I made a custom route to David's starting in Baltimore on I-295.  This stretch of road does not allow big trucks, so I figured less congestion.  My plan was to follow it out through DC and not get on the beltway, effectively cutting out 25 miles or so and saving having to ride halfway around the city.  It would also mean riding through Baltimore.

I tabbed the custom route, and when it asked if I wanted to be navigated to the start I said yes.  Easy as that.

The GPS guided me to U.S. 322 and I battled my way through 10 miles of urban sprawl to I-95.  I noted the gas gauge and began the mental debate if I wanted to stop for gas on 95, or make a dash all the way.  I looked at the miles to destination on the GPS, and ran the remaining numbers, I was confident I could make it, but it would be on reserve.  "See what it looks like in 50 miles."

At the intersection of U.S. 322 and U.S. 1 I found a Hooters, and on a whim I whipped in for some Key Lime pie (really, they have excellent Key Lime).  The young lady came for my order.  "I'm just gonna have some desert baby."  "Ok which one?"  "alright now look a this list and tell me which one ya reckon a southern boy would pick."  "Key Lime pie?"  "Smart girl."  The pie was excellent and when I finished I decided to check on Debbie.

"What's goin on?"

"On the way to Birmingham, you?"

"Taking a break"

"Where at, sounds noisy"

"oh just a place down here near Wilmington"

"you're taking a break in a cafe this time of day?"

"how'd ya know I was in a cafe?"

"Cause I can hear the jukebox silly"

"Well I just stopped here for Key Lime pie and the scenery"

"you're at HOOTERS! hahaha"

"you're a regular CSI"

"I know enough you're not gonna find Key Lime Pie that far north in a local place, and there is no scenery in Delaware, so I assumed you meant the inside "scenery".  You just be at the airport tonight."

I paid the price for the diversion trying to get back on 322.  A long line of vehicles was in the left turn lane and it took 3 cycles for me to make my turn and get back on my route.

At last 95 came into view, and I took it toward Baltimore.  Traffic was typical 95- busy.  It was then I remembered not checked how much cash I had for the upcoming tolls.  "Dang I hope its enough."

Wilmington came and went and I kept running the numbers on the gas situation.  I was down under quarter tank, I knew how far I had to go, and I kept debating on what to do.  I don't really want to exit 95, but I don't want to run out of gas in DC either.

I went ahead and made to call to gas in the Chesapeake Service Area at a Sunoco.  I was putting my gloves back on and a man walked past me back to his car and said, "Great bike."

In 2002 I gassed here on the 1100 and rode south all the way to Roanoke before stopping again. "Man that was a long ride that afternoon, I dunno if I'd wanna do that again."

Now that I didn't have worry about running out of gas, I could concentrate on the tolls.  I didn't have a problem, but only had 2 dollars to spare when it was over.

It was time to pray I set up this custom route correctly.   I was coming in to Baltimore, and the Zumo needed to take me to 295.  I was routed through the middle of the city, and in the tunnels.  Rush hour was building on the other side, but I was ok.

I came through the city without a hitch, emerged out of the tunnels, straight to the starting point on 295.  My guess this more direct route cut off of 20 miles of riding the 695 outer loop around to 95.

On 295 the pace was less hectic and frenzied.  And like the instructions said, no truck traffic.  It was much better than the chaos on 95.  The highway cuts a nice path through a few parks and forests, and 30 miles later I'm at the 495 Beltway.

But this time I skipped it and remained on 295.  I knew the route would take me through a few seedy sections of DC, but if I don't break down, didn't matter.  Traffic was building but I had no backups even near the Wilson Bridge.  They are still working on this area of the city's freeway system, but he new bridge works really well and eliminated the long backups it was famous for.

I'm guessing the direct route through Baltimore and DC in lieu of the bypass loops cut off 40 total miles.

Following the signs and the GPS, I went high up on a long, flowing ramp which came down to merge with I-95 South, that unfortunately was backing up.  Not a problem because I was allowed on the HOV lane, and shot by all of it.  Riding a motorcycle saved me about 30 minutes.  I ran unimpeded all the way to the Lorton exit, 6 miles south of the beltway.

From the exit David's house only a couple of miles.  I went up Silverbrook Drive and turned in the neighborhood, and set the stand after a 173 mile day.  I entered the code and the garage door went up, brought the RT in and squared it away.  Before I finished, my brother in law pulled in with the kids and all were happy.

"Hey good to see ya!"  He called out to me.

The kids helped me with my things, but I left the H2W bag with my sleeping bag and therm a rest in the garage.

     The RT at rest in our East Coast way station.

I've stayed here so much it is like a second home.  My brother in law and his home like a stage coach station.  He's in the perfect place, halfway between Canada, and Alabama.  I can't count the number of times I've layed over here.  I told David, "yanno, I'm thinking I just need to keep some clothes and other stuff here, assign me a drawer."

We had to pick up Debbie at 9pm, so we had a couple of hours to kill.  Supper was 5 Guys  Hamburgers.  From there we dropped Cathy and the kids off and drove back to Baltimore to pick up Debbie.

Our timing was good, she called just as we entered the airport grounds stating she was at the luggage carousel.  "Ok just meet us at the pick up lane, we'll be in the white Volvo mini van."  By the time we made it to the Southwest gates she was standing outside waving frantically at us. Easiest airport pick up ever.

The drive from Baltimore back to David's takes about 40 minutes, but the difference flying into Reagan as opposed to Baltimore was over 100 dollars.

It was kind of late when we made it back, so we didn't stay up very long.  We had a piece of chocolate cake then called it a night.

The wide band of rain west still not made it into the Washington area, but it was slowly on the way, best I could tell not moved at all.  Despite the cool, dark skies of this day, it was a good ride and I was glad to have made the ride from Philly without getting wet.

 Next- a few days of family time.