The Bumblebee and the Vespa 2014

I think it's time for me to redefine what this new blog is about. In the past I've posted individual blogs for motorcycle/motor scooter rides to places like Alaska, Nova Scotia, Key West, Mexico, Canada, New York, etc. That's all well and good but it seems nowadays I'm dividing my rides into shorter ones comprised of two or more weeks each on different bikes. The total time and mileage is about the same, it's just split into multiple rides with a break somewhere in the middle.

The summer of 2014 serves as a good example of that wherein I rode south to Tombstone, AZ on my '92 BMW R100GS Bumblebee/Ural sidecar rig, (phew!) then returned home for a few days and set out again on my '07 Vespa 250ie motor scooter to visit Canada. That summer has gone and the seasons have changed as will the reports, some will be about shorter rides, some will be about maintenance, and maybe on occasion I'll post a photo or two just for interest. I may even introduce other bikes, a few of which are lurking under cover in the barn...

Navigating this blog is easy, just scroll down the list of posts by date to whatever interests you, click on it and you're in. Photos can be viewed in larger format by clicking on them.

Finally, if you'd care to post comments please do so, I'd love to hear from you. CLICK ON "NO COMMENTS" TO ENTER YOUR REMARKS. That seems really silly but that's how it works. The entry window is located at the bottom of each screen. Thanks for visiting, I hope you enjoy your stay.

LL

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Sep 08 Day 19 - The Old Spanish Trail - Mt Vernon, IL

This morning Woody, Linda, and I went out for breakfast, then we said our goodbyes. At our age we never know if we'll get to visit again so goodbyes are always heartfelt and sad.  
So long you old geezer. Same to you, you old geezer.

Larry would you pleeeeze not do that! 
Before leaving I managed to drop my helmet and of course the darn visor popped half way off so I got to go through the remount routine again. I'm actually getting pretty good at reinstalling it since I've done it so often. Eventually I headed out with Kansas City as a new destination. It was over five hundred miles away so I  knew I wouldn't make it in one day but it was my destination just the same.

 This is the time of year when thousands of acres of corn are harvested and Kentucky seems to be highly active in this business. I'm not knowledgeable about what it's used for; probably animal food or maybe fuel for cars.


Some time later on I seemed to have passed through Indiana into Illinois without noticing it. I stopped to refuel, made a wrong turn in the process, drove darn near twenty miles out of my way and got to see some of the country I might otherwise have missed. Such is life on the road.

 This place was somewhere out in the sticks in IL. I've no idea where as I was off the grid and wandering aimlessly. I stopped for gas, had a Gatorade and a Cliff Bar while the proprietors kept an eye on me. Probably because I was the only guy wearing a leather jacket when everyone else was in shorts & T-shirts. 

Gas is really cheap compared to home prices

I noticed it was getting on in the afternoon and since I'd ridden 318 miles for the day I decided I'd hang it up. Mt. Vernon, IL was on the radar and I stopped and checked into a Days Inn. 
Mt Vernon appears to be heavily committed to culture and the arts

Wait a minute, weren't these the greedy guys?
The manager Jerry told me to park the bike right out front and they'd keep an eye on it for me so I did. I like that policy a lot and quite a few places are doing it these days.


 Jerry's a nice guy and very accommodating. He gave me a room at the far end of the hall well away from the front desk. Not the handicapped room either, this is a real room. Very nice. 
Please do not photograph the employees sir. Now go to your room.
So there ya go, all done for another day and the blog's all caught up. Tomorrow I'll push on to Kansas City.

 LL
Posted by at

4 comments:

  1. Sgt StumbleSeptember 8, 2015 at 8:22 PM

    https://youtu.be/lEBetW7YbcU

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Larry ParmenterSeptember 9, 2015 at 5:10 PM

      Cool but no contest with this:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8tZO97uhyE&list=RDf8tZO97uhyE

      Delete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 8, 2016 at 1:34 AM

    Larry:

    Kansas City is a great motorcycle town! You'll love it. They have one of the most active VJMC chapters in the country but all riders are welcomed. They're planning their annual picnic on the 18th at Wyandotte County Lake if you're still in town. Free Food and beverages for all and lots of great bikes to check out. https://www.facebook.com/KCVJMC/

    Also the Heart of America Motorcycle Enthusiasts (HoAME) club is having their monthly meeting on Wednesday the 14th. They'd love to have you join them and tell them of your travels. Its a metric club and they meet in the basement of the The Lucky Brewgrille, 5401 Johnson Drive in Mission, Kansas. Details at http://hoame.com/
    Safe travels and please enjoy my hometown while your here. Blues, Barbeque and bikes! It doesn't get any better than that. Safe travels. Calvin

    ReplyDelete
  3. Larry ParmenterSeptember 8, 2016 at 8:18 PM

    Thanks for the invite Calvin but that ride thru KC was a year ago and I've been home for a long time. It's always nice to hear from other riders though and I appreciate your comments.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your comments & feedback [unless you're with the spelling police]

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)