• Persis Luke
  • Persis Luke

Moto Trip 2

This is part two of my cross country motorcycle trip. Part 1 was in 2019. I am fully retired now, so I can cover the states that I did not go to on Part 1 and revisit some of the areas that I did not get to spend enough time in! Læs mere
  • Start på rejsen
    5. maj 2024

    Day 1 and 2 VT to Adirondacks

    6. maj 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    I left Vermont in a cold 47 degrees and rain. Nancy escorted me to the Thruway. She went south and I went North. 😢 Was a pretty damn cold ride but nothing a hot shower and a good cuppa tea couldn’t fix! Traveled to the Adirondacks and am staying in Speculator, NY on Lake Pleasant. Day 2 was beautiful. Did a short 2 mile hike and kayaked on the lake. Walked around town and went to the best general store ever, Charlie Johns Store. Tomorrow I’m heading to the Finger Lakes.Læs mere

  • Finger Lakes

    7. maj 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    I rode from Adirondacks into the Finger Lakes. I find the Finger Lakes area to be particularly beautiful, which I did not truly appreciate when I was a college student there! I had to stop at a Best Buy in Utica to get a Kindle because I forgot mine. Have to be able to READ! Stopped in Auburn NY to see the Harriet Tubman home. She lived there and continued her freedom work for many years. She completed 13 Underground Railroad Round Trips. Each one was 800 miles. These were done on foot! Whoa. I continued onto Canandaigua, which upon my arrival, I realized I had a tooth abscess. My worst nightmare realized. Got an appointment the next morning (May 8th). It was pretty bad with a broken root and it had to be pulled. Oy. Not pretty, but I feel so relieved. I was able to continue onto Pennsylvania (Allegheny State Forest). Will post more on that tomorrow. I have no internet or cell where I am staying so it might be delayed.Læs mere

  • From Windy NYS to Waterless Warren,PA

    8. maj 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ 🌬 23 °C

    I arrived in Northwestern PA on Wednesday after motoring through the Southern Tier of NYS. It was super windy which apparently is a thing there as I saw many wind turbines. I had no idea. Plays a stark contrast to Warren, PA where there is a United Oil refinery. NY 1, PA 0.
    They own Kwik Fill gas stations. The one NEXT TO the refinery was charging $3.81 a gallon. Jeez.

    The surrounding area is beautiful however - Allegheny National Forest. Did a fantastic hike there today. I saw a man and not a bear. Which is just as well! The man was a US Forest employee doing work on the trail and was a nice chap! I’m staying in a VERY RUSTIC cabin and the water crapped out. Was able to treat the nearby water from a creek for my morning coffee (Got to have that!). I have both filtration and UV. Water is my thing 🙂
    Tomorrow I’m off to Pittsburgh, where water and internet work! Yeah. My dental situation is healing well. ❤️
    Læs mere

  • Pittsburgh!

    10. maj 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    I arrived in Pittsburgh and am staying at a sweet place (Mexican War Streets district) which is centrally located by the Allegheny Commons park and within walking distance of most. This is a very nice City. The ballparks and Steelers Stadium are right downtown, and the city is pedestrian and bike friendly. I like how everything is so accessible. I have covered a lot of ground here. Went to a Pirates-Cubs game on Friday and the Pittsburgh Parrot sat with me! Saturday, I visited the National Aviary, the Andy Warhol Museum, Point State Park, the Duquesne Incline (built in 1877) and the Strip District Terminal. My feet hurt but it was really great. Tomorrow I go to West Virginia.Læs mere

  • Wooly in West Virginia

    13.–17. maj 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    I traveled from Pittsburgh on Sunday to Ripley, WV. It finally warmed up to about 70 so I could shed 2 layers of clothes on the Bike. What a relief! I came down 79 and 77 interstates through Wheeling and then onto Route 7 on the Ohio side of the Ohio River. It’s a scenic byway and was quite pretty (with the exception of 2 large coal burning power plants on the West Virginia side)! I am in Ripley to attend a rug hooking class. Some of you know I do traditional rug making (hooking) using 100% wool strips (not yarn). Yes, I’m a hooker! And proud of it. I’ve attached a few photos of rugs I have made and the one that I am working on in this class (a geometric). My teacher is Gail Dufresne, who is also my teacher in New Jersey, where I attend classes with my friend Michele Litwack. Staying at the Cedar Lakes Conference Center which is campy in a very wonderful way! Campy, but with a hotel room with water, cable and internet! Heaven.Læs mere

  • Cincinnati

    17. maj 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    I arrived in Cincinnati on Friday, May 17th and Nancy flew in to meet me! So happy to see her. We stayed at a lovely carriage house in Mt Adam’s neighborhood. We had an action packed day on Saturday walking the City. It featured a visit to the Krohn Conservatory (plants and butterflies!), a delicious lunch at Pepp and Delores, a riverboat cruise , and an evening at the Cincinnati Music Hall. The musical program was not great but the hall was fantastic. Today we go to West Lafayette, Indiana and will see our Nephew, Daniel.Læs mere

  • Indianapolis and Chicago

    20. maj 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    After Cincinnati, I rode with Nancy to West Lafayette, IN. Thankfully no Rain! But it was HOT into the upper 80s. Our nephew, Daniel Meltzer, lives there and it was so great to see him. We had delicious Korean Food, hung out at his apartment and saw where he works. He is a biomedical engineer and we are so proud of him! The morning of the 20th I headed to Chicago. It was only a 2 hour ride, but a bit crazy at the tolls on Route 90. I have an EZ Pass on the Moto but it wasn’t registering and then I had to fiddle with a credit card and the font on the pay machine was so small - couldn’t read it! There are cars piling up behind me! Finally I pressed the HELP button and got a human, who was very human and remotely raised the barrier. Right as I got into Chicago, a deluge with hail came, which of course was never noted by my weather app, That was fun. Finally made it! Had a great dinner with my cousin Pete, who dubbed it the “Banchan Assault”. It was amazing. My Air BnB was in the Albany Park/Lincoln Square area. It was really lovely and they provided a bike! It was a very old Trek with funky gearing. Thankfully it’s flat here, but a stiff headwind at times. I rode about 20 miles just seeing all the different neighborhoods, spent the late morning on the beach on Lake Michigan and then rode to Margie’s Candies. This fantastic place that has kick ass sundaes and been there a 100 years (literally). Tuesday night we went to a Cubs-Braves game. Pete is an avid Braves fan. I had never been to Wrigley Field so it was a special treat. Was great to catch up with Pete and tour Chicago. It’s a really great City.Læs mere

  • Iowa

    22. maj 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    As I enter the plains states, there will be more riding (and Advil!) and less sightseeing, so bear with me for this part. My big target is to get to Missoula Montana area by the 29th. I will also be doing more camping and cellular might be hit or miss! I will be camping for 2 nights in Chadron, NE where I will be doing a long hard training hike for my backpacking trip in Glacier NP in early June. I have carried 22 lbs for 6 miles but need to go up to 25 lbs for 7-8 miles. If I can do that, I will feel ready!

    I camped last night in Palisade-Kepler State Park near Cedar Rapids Iowa. It was quite nice and they had a nice 3 mile hike along the Cedar River. This wooded landscape does not represent most of Iowa, which is mostly corn growing and wind energy. It has been quite windy (I know - it’s the Plains) which adds to fatigue when riding but so far so good. Thankfully it’s been SUNNY and warm!

    Oh and I think I have escaped the cicada assault. I did see one on the outside of my tent, but they are not completely emerged in Iowa. Phew!Iowa has had some rough weather in the past week with tornados in Greenfield 😢.
    Læs mere

  • Nebraska!

    24. maj 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    I left Onawa, Iowa where I spent the night at a motel. I was supposed to camp but there were very strong winds and then a crazy storm blew in overnight. Today 5/24, I rode to Bassett, Nebraska. It was another windy day, but mostly sunny. It was in the low 60s so it was a heated glove day! Nebraska is wide open and pretty in its own way. Lots and lots of Beef cattle. They were grass grazing. Didn’t see feedlots. I came across Route 20 which is a historic coast to coast route which goes from Boston to Seattle. It’s a two lane road. Bassett, NE, population 528 sits at the midpoint of Route 20. It’s the county seat. Nice little town and had a nice grocery store! Tomorrow I head to Chadron to camp for two days in the Nebraska State Forest.Læs mere

  • Wyoming Via Nebraska

    25. maj 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Hey friends! I was camping for a few days in the Nebraska State Forest (NW part) and the cell service was scant. From my last post from Bassett, NE I continued along Route 20 for 200 miles and camped for two nights in the State Forest Campground. For you bicycle enthusiasts, Nebraska has close to 300 miles of rail trail that parallels Route 20. I saw one poor soul trying to battle THAT headwind which was relentless! There was another party heading east (smart). For me, the wind finally died down as I neared Chadron, NE. Had a great time camping and made a lot of friends: A young couple from IOWA who were birding, three retired long distance truck drivers on motorcycles, and a lovely couple from TN. People are very friendly. The hiking was beautiful. I did a training hike with a full pack (25 lbs) at 4000 foot elevation. It went pretty well. I could feel the elevation somewhat. I did 6 miles and My goal was 7. Will try again! I rode 285 miles today from Nebraska, through parts of South Dakota into Wyoming. After a long day, I just landed in Buffalo, WY where I am staying in a nice cabin and will be searching for steak soon! Off to Montana tomorrow.Læs mere

  • Buffalo, WY

    27. maj 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Spent an evening here after a long ride from Nebraska. Very historic and fun little town. I had the best Filet at the historic Occidental Hotel, which hosted outlaws and famous celebrities over the years!Slept in a bed which is always a plus!Læs mere

  • Montana!

    30. maj 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Hi Folks! So I have been basically riding through Montana for 2 days. It’s a very big and beautiful state. I met up with my cousin Elizabeth Matthews in Missoula who was so generous to loan me a car for my Glacier travels because not all the roads are suitable for a moto and trailer. Thanks to Tim Matthews too! ❤️. It felt weird to be driving a car at first! Montana is breathtakingly beautiful. It’s hard to put in words and I’m just beginning! I am in Columbia Falls tonight and will then head into Glacier for a total of 12 days. 4 days of camping at Bowman lake where I will do some kayaking and day hikes. Then I go to West Glacier to partake in a 3 day guided backpacking trip with a group, then two days rafting with overnight camping and then I’ll go to the East side of the park and explore lakes and do more day hiking or just sleep!😳. I will probably not post again for 5 days. Yes, I have bear spray. ❤️Læs mere

  • Glacier Part 1 -Bowman Lake

    31. maj–3. jun. 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    So I entered Glacier National Park on May 31st through the Polebridge Ranger Station. This is 22 miles south of the Canadian Border. The plan was to camp for 4 nights. I made 3 before a heavy rain system came in. There was still plenty of time to do what I wanted. First order of business was stopping at the Polebridge Mercantile (completely off grid), famous for their baked goods and bought a Huckleberry “bear claw”. It was Yum and it was so big, it lasted the 3 days. I drove the bumpiest dirt road ever to the Bowman Lake campground (primitive). It was so gorgeous and the lake was mind boggling beautiful. I took the inflatable kayak out on Bowman Lake and was basically the only one on the lake. Because this area is hard to get to and no RVs can handle the ride, it does not get crowded. The evening temps dipped into the 30s so it was chilly. I put on all my layers and mummified my sleeping system. It held up well. I woke up once pretty cold-praying for dawn to come. I did a hike on the Bowman Lake trail and met up with two young women who were seniors from BYU. They were outdoor rec and zoology majors so they knew all the tracks and scat. There was bear scat but thankfully we didn’t see any. I am terrified of grizzly bears and it took all my courage to even go hiking there. Glad I ran into the girls! Rain moved in on Monday so I packed up and went back to Columbia Falls. Will do a local hike tomorrow before I head back into Glacier on Wednesday morning to do a 3 day backpacking trip with a group and guide. The weather seems to be improving for that timeframe. My initial thoughts on Glacier - It’s mind blowing. And I learned quickly that as the human, I am the interloper. The uninvited guest. It changes your view on nature completely.Læs mere

  • Glacier Part 2

    5. juni 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ 🌬 12 °C

    Wow! I completed the 3 day backcountry backpacking trip. It was a guided trip with a very knowledgeable young woman named Jordan. She was really awesome carrying a 55 lb pack like it was nothing! My pack weighed about 25 lbs. There was a family of four from Phoenix that were part of the group. They were lovely and we all got along great. Mom, Dad and their teenage (16 and 18) kids. We were in a remote section in the northeast segment of the park (Belly River) near the Canadian border. We hiked in 6 miles and set up camp at a remote campsite (Gable). On day 2 we hiked 10 miles (but not with a full pack - thankfully) but about 2 miles was basically uphill which included switchbacks on a scree field. This was challenging. We hiked to a summit overlooking Cosley and Glens lakes. It was mind altering. We saw black bears, and lots of evidence of Grizzlies, Moose, ruffled Grouse, and so many other birds. There are no words to describe the experience and the photos don’t do it justice. I am glad I did many training hikes with my full pack as it definitely helped me succeed.Læs mere

  • Glacier Part 3

    8.–9. jun. 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Continued my Glacier mind blowing activities with an overnight rafting trip with the same family that I backpacked with. We got to know each other pretty well. There were some whitewater rapids (mostly 2 with a few 3s in there). Very fun. We camped riverside. We rafted the middle fork section of the Flathead River. We saw mountain goats, eagles and other birds. There were 2 guides. One went with us and the other took the gear raft. We ate salmon and steak for dinner. A little different from the backpacking. Next I go to St. Mary area to camp and hike. I went to the St Mary’s visitor center to use internet to post this! Going back off grid nowLæs mere

  • Glacier Part 4.

    10. juni 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    I’m very behind in my postings because I have pretty much been off grid! After the raft trip, I stopped in West Glacier and had a great meal at the Highland Cafe of bison meatballs with a huckleberry glaze, veggies on a bed of grilled polenta. yum! I then went to the east side of glacier and spent the evening of June 9 at the Mountain Pine Motel, which was a very sweet 50s retro mountain motel. The motel had been in the owners family for 3 generations. He gave me some great hike tips! For the next 3 day, June 10 to 13, I camped at St Mary Lake and did two great hikes. One along St Mary Lake to Virginia Falls. I saw a moose! Thankfully no bears! Lots of birds and wildflowers too. Much of this area burned in a 2015 fire. The next day I hiked the swift current trail in the Many Glacier area and spent a few minutes at the grand Many Glacier Hotel. I also took a boat tour of St. Mary Lake.Læs mere

  • Back to Missoula

    13. juni 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    I was sad to end the glacier experience but I feel so grateful to have had the experience. I dropped off the trusty Subaru Outback to my cousin Elizabeth and husband, Chris. They were kind and put me up for the night and we had a nice dinner. It was so great to see them and hang out and play with sweet Freeman! And a bonus is that I slept in their Airstream! So comfy. Slept life a baby!Læs mere

  • Idaho!

    14. juni 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    I traveled into Idaho and camped for two nights south of Lake Coeur D’Alene at Chactolet. Lots of French words here. The weather did not really cooperate on the non travel day and it rained most of the day! Finally stopped at 5 and I was able to get a short hike in. It was a beautiful heavily forested area and the trees are huge. It got windy and rainy but hardly felt the wind because the trees are so protective. I spent the morning in the tent waiting out the rain. It was nice to rest a bit with coffee and my kindle. I’m reading “The Overstory” which is the perfect book for this trip. It’s about love for trees. They give us so much. In the afternoon, I listened to the Mets game in the rain. They actually won 🙂.Læs mere

  • Washington State

    16. juni 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Hi all! Been pretty off the grid so I am finally uploading 4 separate posts. Had a really beautiful moto ride on the Palouse scenic byway. Idaho is a very beautiful state but very conservative. I’ve travelled through lots of red states and have enjoyed talking to people of all persuasions. I’ve become aware of my own biases on a different level and have had to put them on the shelf. I will likely never agree with many but try to stay open to hearing different perspectives. I ended my day in Eastern Washington near the Coulee Dam and camped for two night at Steamboat Rock State. This is a mainly arid area. I was able to kayak on Bucks Lake and did a 6 mile hike (out and back) up to Northrup Lake. So beautiful and went through several ecosystems. At Northrup Lake, I saw bald eagles, red winged blackbirds, blue birds, and lots of other birds that I am not familiar with. Lots of frogs and other critters. It’s a really great experience. Onto the North Cascades National Park now.Læs mere

  • North Cascades

    18. juni 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    I travelled through many ecosystems to arrive in North Cascades National park. I almost got a speeding ticket in Electric City, WA. It’s a small town and I didn’t see the 35 Mph sign. I was going 46. I rarely exceed the speed limit especially when I’m towing a trailer. Anyhoo, I think the sheriff was surprised when I took my helmet off. He checked everything (license, registration insurance, my record) and then decided not to give me a ticket! Jeez. The next 50 miles were pretty desolate in eastern WA and then I entered into massive cherry and apple growing concerns. I could smell the apples. After that I travelled through the Methow River valley which was quite beautiful. Then up, up, up into the Cascades over Washington Pass into beautiful huge forests. I’ve never seen trees this big. I stopped in Winthrop, WA for supplies and lunch. Had the most delicious veggie bowl with poached egg. I can get veggie deprived when camping. I camped for 3 nights on Lake Diablo. This, like many recreational lakes was formed by dams, but it’s a very beautiful area. Seattle Power and Light has hydropower stations in the area. I saw many, many trucks carrying logs out of the National Forest. People need wood, but it seems all so unsustainable. It’s a regular tension in these parts.Læs mere

  • Seattle!

    21.–23. jun. 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    I made my way to Seattle on the 21st. I timed it so I would not hit “rush hour” traffic, but I-5 was horrible anyway. Nothing worse for a motorcyclist than hot stop and go traffic! Once I got the bike stowed away at the hotel in the Queen Anne district, it was all great. Nancy flew in on the eve of the Friday, the 21st and we had a great day and a half in the City on Saturday I hadn’t seen her in 4 weeks! The hotel was near the main attractions and not far from the water. We went to a fun breakfast Place (5 point) and then to the Chihuly glass garden, sailboat tour and then a delish Turkish dinner! We’ve become early bird special people! On Sunday, we went to a WNBA game at the Climate Pledge Arena. It was the Seattle Storm playing the Connecticut Sun. We were rooting for the home team to win and knock the Sun out of first place in the eastern conference which will help the NY Liberty! After the game we hopped on the bike and set forth to the Olympic Peninsula on the Seattle-Bainbridge Ferry.Læs mere

  • Olympic Peninsula and the coast

    23.–25. jun. 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    After Seattle, we headed to Port Angeles for the night. Next day we took a bike ride along the Olympic discovery trail. First time on a e-bike. It was fun but I’ll stick with the regular bike for now! We then rode through parts of Olympic National Park, which is so beautiful and then went to the Sol-Duc hot springs. A great Birthday present! We ended up that night at a nice ocean resort in Moclips, WA. They had a nice spa as well. The riding was chilly, so the hot tub and sauna were just what the doctor ordered! On the 25th, we headed to the Oregon Coast for 2 nights. Of course we had to stop at the Tillimook Creamery! So yummy. We had a restful stay at a lovely little A frame overlooking the beach. We took a long walk on the beach and had a lovely fresh seafood dinner! On the 27th we head to Portland.Læs mere

  • Portland part 1

    28.–30. jun. 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    I realized I didn’t post the last part of our trip in Portland back in June! Nancy and I had a lovely visit with her friend Monica and her husband Doug. They hosted us in their lovely house in Lake Oswego. We went to Powell’s Bookstore and the Japanese Garden. Thank you Monica and Doug for a lovely time! I parked the Moto and trailer for six weeks and came back to retrieve it on August 15th for the second leg of my trip!Læs mere

  • Summer Hiatus!

    1. juli 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Had a great summertime on the east coast. We had lots of visitors at the lake, caught a few Mets games and got caught up on doctors appointments. I had to have an additional two teeth pulled and ended up with a painful dry socket situation. Ouch. Glad I was home for that! I have a partial denture until I get permanent implants in October. I also had a nice visit with Janet Groat (high school friend) in Portsmouth, NH and we hosted my dear friend Michele Litwack and our nephew Nate Goldman. It was a busy and fun summer at the Lake!Læs mere

  • Back to Portland!

    15.–17. aug. 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    So I boarded an early morning plane on August 15th to Portland to start part 2! I picked up the Bike and trailer which I parked in a “rental” driveway. All went as planned! The flight was on time and the bike started right up. It was on a battery tender but sometimes those get disconnected. I had a cover on it but it still got very dirty. Wiped it down thanks to water supplied by my host’s birdbath! I stayed the night in Tigard, OR and took the bike into a nearby Harley-Davidson dealer for its 20,000 mile service on the 16th. They had me out in about 3 hours. I also bought a new lighter weight Moto jacket and a new sound system for my helmet. It was an expensive day. 😵‍💫 Bike got a good report card but I will need to replace the front tire at the next service (at home) and get the brake and clutch lines drained and refilled. I then went to Cottage Grove, OR (not much there - just a stop over) spent the night and restocked non perishables, camping gas, etc. After that, I’m off to Cape Blanco. That is a separate post because there are so many photos!Læs mere