Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

The 2022 Motorcycle Adventure Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Welcome to Virginia Beach!
24 febbraio 2022, Stati Uniti ⋅ 🌧 41 °F
I hated saying goodbye to my friends this morning. It was so good to see them all.

I left their house at 07:30 hoping to beat the rain and possible sleet coming in from the west. Although it was almost 80°F yesterday, it was only 38°F this morning, so I gambled with the weather and chose to plug in my heated gear instead of putting on my rain gear.

I hightailed it down I-95 to Richmond, then swung east to stop briefly at Yorktown National Historical Park. Just before I got there, the rain began to drizzle. I rolled on, stopping at two dealerships before arriving at a third where I had arranged for my 85,000-mile service. The rain was harder, but still not too bad. I dropped off the bike and walked across the street for lunch at a sports bar restaurant. They let me hang out the entire time I was waiting for the bike, from noon until about 15:30. Pretty cool.

While I was there, the rain really came down, but luckily it let up some before I left. I was only about 15 miles from tonight's overnight location, so I still didn't use the rain gear. I didn't get soaked, just a little damp 🤣.

For the next few nights I'm staying in a KOA cabin that's quite cozy. They haven't opened their tent camping yet, but at only $40 a night for the cabin, which has both a heater and an air conditioner, I'm happy to be indoors.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 11 mileage: 222.9 (total 3912.6)
HD Dealerships: 2 (total 96)
National Parks: 1 (total 18 in 11 states)
10 Rides for 2022: 0 (total 0 of 10)
MCGTTX Stops: 0 (total 0 of 50)Leggi altro
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The 2022 Motorcycle Adventure Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Adulting Day
23 febbraio 2022, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 46 °F
Today, the girls are at school, Mercedes is at work, and Jeremiah is at work in his home office, so I'm catching up on e-mail, working on my future routes, and trying to find a dealership that can take the bike for Willie's 85,000-mile service. I can't believe he has that miles on him 🤣!

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 10 mileage: 0 (total 3689.7)
HD Dealerships: 0 (total 94)
National Parks: 0 (total 17 in 10 states)
10 Rides for 2022: 0 (total 0 of 10)
MCGTTX Stops: 0 (total 0 of 50)Leggi altro
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The 2022 Motorcycle Adventure Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
More Okinawa Friends
22 febbraio 2022, Stati Uniti ⋅ 🌬 64 °F
I woke up at 05:30 this morning so I could see all the kids off to school at their various times. Once they were all off, I said my goodbyes to Tammy and passed my love to Lumpy, then hit the road to pick up those dealerships I missed yesterday as I made my way to yet another friend's home just 36 miles away.

I made way to a couple of dealerships, then I went to the Air Force Memorial and drove over the Arlington Memorial Bridge that pops you out at the Mall by the Lincoln Memorial. What was I thinking? I was thinking I could get a passport stamp at Ford's Theater. Turned out that I couldn't even get to the theater because of construction AND all the National Park Service Visitor Centers (stamp locations) are closed for COVID. So my drive around the mall was all for naught except for a couple of quick photos in between dodging terrible drivers.

I finally made it out of the city and stayed in Maryland to get the last dealership. I realized that I would be passing Near Fort Washington, so I stopped at the Fort Washington Park Visitor Center to take some photos and get my stamp. The Center is in the Fort Commander's building, which is painted bright yellow and overlooks the Potomac River. The fort was built to defend the river approach to D.C.

(Read more here: https://www.nps.gov/fowa/index.htm)

I'm staying with another family tonight and tomorrow night. I met Jeremiah and Mercedes while we were all stationed in Okinawa; he was Army and she Marine Corps. I last saw them and their two girls Lexi and Scout (another awesome name!) in 2016. Of course then the girls were just little things. Now they're 5th and 9th graders! It's so wonderful to see them all again!

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 9 mileage: 207.9 (total 3689.7)
HD Dealerships: 5 (total 94)
National Parks: 1 (total 17 in 10 states)
10 Rides for 2022: 0 (total 0 of 10)
MCGTTX Stops: 0 (total 0 of 50)Leggi altro
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The 2022 Motorcycle Adventure Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Get Well Soon, Lumpy!!
21 febbraio 2022, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 50 °F
I left my amazing friends' home this morning at 07:00 and made my way to another incredible friend's home only 23 miles away, but of course, I made the trip almost 400 miles 🤣.

Since today was a holiday (Presidents' Day), I figured if I was going to hit the greater D.C. area dealerships, today would be my best chance to avoid traffic. Despite the holiday, traffic was still heavy. When I cut through the corner of West Virginia between Winchester, VA, and Frederick, MD, I grabbed a passport stamp at Harper's Ferry National Historical Park, but I didn't stop because there so many people there and I was already behind schedule.

I headed all the way east to Baltimore and got caught in downtown traffic. The roads are horrible! I thought for sure I was going to get another pinched tube flat, but luckily I didn't.

Heading back south, I went all the way to Annapolis just to find the dealership there had permanently closed in December. Argh! By that time, I was really behind schedule, so I cut off the remaining dealerships and beelined to my friends' home.

The friends I'm staying with tonight are the family of a biker I met at a rally last year. Unfortunately, Lumpy is in the hospital with several health issues, the least of which is COVID. But his wife Tammy and kids Connor, Hope, and Maximo (awesome name, right?) welcomed me into their home anyway. They are such a loving and resilient family. I am very fortunate to call them friends.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 8 mileage: 399.9 (total 3481.8)
HD Dealerships: 6 (total 89)
National Parks: 1 (total 16 in 9 states)
10 Rides for 2022: 0 (total 0 of 10)
MCGTTX Stops: 0 (total 0 of 50)Leggi altro
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The 2022 Motorcycle Adventure Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Sunday Is A Hashing Day!
20 febbraio 2022, Stati Uniti ⋅ 🌙 34 °F
Today was hashing with the Hillbilly Hash House Harriers in Warrenton, VA. The hares ran us through about 2 miles of very cold, very wet, and very slippery culverts, some long enough to have to use a flashlight 🧐 and others small enough to have to crawl through 🤢. I was soaked almost head to toe by the end of the 4-mile run/walk/crawl/scramble/stumble/slide. It was awesome! Best of all, I didn't have to wear my own shoes--thanks, B.R.!--and all the yucky came out in the wash 🤣.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 7 mileage: 0 (total 3081.9) Well, you can add 4 miles for the hash if you want, but I'm not 😉.
HD Dealerships: 0 (total 83)
National Parks: 0 (total 15 in 8 states)
10 Rides for 2022: 0 (total 0 of 10)
MCGTTX Stops: 0 (total 0 of 50)

P.S.: If Doctor Scott is reading this, my ankle held up, but will need extra TLC the next few days. Totally worth it 🤣!Leggi altro
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The 2022 Motorcycle Adventure Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Friends Are Irreplaceable
19 febbraio 2022, Stati Uniti ⋅ 🌙 32 °F
The past two days have been a blur. I've simply been riding to collect HD dealership check ins.

Yesterday First:

Because of rain and cold, yesterday morning I found myself over 100 miles behind schedule. I set my alarm to check the weather at 0500, which looked terrible heading from Florence to Charlotte, NC. So, I went back to sleep for a couple of hours. By 08:00, the storm had passed, and by 09:00 I was pulling out of the hotel.

It was a beautiful day riding through the North Carolina back roads. The highlight of the day was stoping at Raging Bull Harley-Davidson in Durham around 18:30 last night, where I chatted with a couple of guys about my travels and my bike Willie. One even offered crash space, but I had already booked a hotel near Tobacco Road Harley-Davidson in Raleigh and got there around 20:00.

Randy, I wish I had taken you up on that offer. The hotel I wound up in was a disaster. Broken beer bottles in the outside hallways, furniture stacked against the walls, garbage overflowing, junker cars in the parking lot, 24-hour "club" next door.... But, the room was clean, the hot water was really hot, and the bed was comfortable, so overall not so bad. Until 06:00 when a couple of ladies were either coming or leaving and let the whole world know about it 🤣.

Now Today:

So, wide awake, I gathered up my gear and hit the road right at 07:00. At 28°F and with both at full blast, even my heated gloves and heated grips couldn't keep my fingers from going numb. But I was determined to get to northern Virginia tonight, so I pressed hard, cut out my national park visits, and hightailed it to my friends' home, where I am now enjoying seeing them again after more than three years. Love you, guys!

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 5 mileage: 460.6 (total 2494.0)
Day 6 mileage: 587.9 (total 3081.9)
HD Dealerships: 22 (total 83)
National Parks: 0 (total 15 in 8 states)
10 Rides for 2022: 0 (total 0 of 10)
MCGTTX Stops: 0 (total 0 of 50)Leggi altro
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The 2022 Motorcycle Adventure Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Sometimes It's Just Best To Stop
17 febbraio 2022, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F
Last night's hotel stay was so nice that I didn't wake up until after 08:00! I didn't roll until 09:30, but this morning was ugly: really foggy with drizzling rain. So a later start wasn't too bad.

It was slow going until around noon. I had taken mostly back roads to hit dealerships and South Carolina's 50 Rides 1 Nation photo location, a water tower painted like a giant peach. Cool.

I only hit one park today, Ninety Six National Historic Site, an American Revolution site, but just snapped the couple of photos below, grabbed my stamp, and got back on the road trying to make up yesterday's lost 50 miles.

(Read more here: https://www.nps.gov/nisi/index.htm)

Not only did I not make up the 50 miles from yesterday, I also lost another 50 miles today because I've stopped outside Florence for three reasons. It's raining, it's dark, and I just watched a biker get run over by a huge duelie quad cab truck. He's hurt, but no blood gushing and he's walking and talking. I thought for sure the truck's rear tires ran over his legs. The bike (black Street Glide) was pretty much flat. So, I got a hotel room right next door to the gas station where it all happened.

Sometimes it's just best to stop.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

P.S.: I've moved up on the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge wait list from #8 to #3!!

Day 4 mileage: 479.7 (total 2033.4)
HD Dealerships: 7 (total 61)
National Parks: 1 (total 15 in 8 states)
50 Rides, 1 Nation: 1 (total 48 of 50 MISSION COMPLETE!)
10 Rides for 2022: 0 (total 0 of 10)
MCGTTX Stops: 0 (total 0 of 50)Leggi altro
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The 2022 Motorcycle Adventure Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
An Expensive Day (WTF?!)
16 febbraio 2022, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
Well, day 3 has not turned out so great, although I am shiny side up so it wasn't too bad.

It started around 02:30 when my body woke me up by shivering. I got out of the tent and plugged myself into the bike. Oh yeah, nice and toasty. 20 minutes later, I was back in the laundry room and an hour after that, I got some more sleep on the bench.

I woke up shivering again (WTF?) at 05:20, so turned off my 05:30 alarm, broke down my gear, and rolled out just after 06:00 under a gorgeous full moon.

Like yesterday, today's ride was just about hitting dealerships and collecting park stamps, all around the greater Atlanta area.

I must have been on every interstate in Atlanta today at least once...except I-285E that was completely closed for a multiple car crash with at least one fatality (the privacy screens were set up on the road). Anyway, I made it to 3 HDs then went to the Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Park. Everything was closed because of COVID except his house, which is where I got my stamp. No tours were happening though, so off I went. Oh, when I left it was warming up, so I changed gloves. Remember that.

I hit a couple more HDs then I stopped briefly at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. It was packed, so I just got my stamp and left.

When I got to the next dealership, I saw I had missed a call and received a voicemail from the KOA campground I stayed at last night. Apparently, my tent--which is on my bike--was still in my tent space, and I hadn't checked out, so they charged me for a second night. WTF? I called, of course, and told them I left before anyone was awake and took all of my stuff. They didn't believe me, but they hadn't actually looked at my site either. WTF? I held the line while someone drove to my tent site to confirm I wasn't still there. "Yes, you are correct, Miss Webb. You're not still here. We'll refund you the charges." Remember that.

I was already hungry and now I was mad, so I stopped for gas and food at Kroger. When I got off the bike, I realized what I had done. Or rather, not done, when I changed gloves earlier. I didn't secure my heated gloves. I left them laying on top of my gear and actually found one still wedged between my bags. I called the closest Cycle Gear and they incredibly had a pair in my size in the store. The girl held them for me and I reprogrammed my route to backtrack 25 miles and cut out two park stamps 😭. An hour and $130 later, I had a new pair of heated gloves. Ouch.

On to the next HD...where I saw two emails from the KOA, one billing me the extra night and the other refunding me SOME of that extra night. WTF? Again I called. There was a new staff member on duty and she had no idea what was I was talking about. She just kept telling me what I paid for my one-night reservation. OMG she was so stupid. Anyway, when she said she wasn't going to argue with me, I hung up on her and called Corporate to lodge a complaint. Who knows if companies do this stuff to scam people. Am I the first or is this a trend? I always file a complaint. Anyway, Corporate told me the KOA had already refunded me the difference. Why didn't that stupid girl just say so. WTF?

I'm back on the bike in beautiful weather and am finally reaching the best riding of the day...except it's 17:30, the sun is setting, I'm climbing altitude, and rush hour traffic is peaking. WTF? I was looking forward to Georgia's 50 Rides 1 Nation ride, but overall it was a bust for me. I did get the photo, which gets me the 47th coin, but it wasn't the fun ride it should've been squiggling through really tight turns on the side of a mountain 😉. At least I had my heated gloves.

Because of the dark, my left hand cramping from so much shifting today, and being another 50 miles away in the cold, I forwent (have forgone?) my KOA reservation and and opted for a warm hotel room, in which I sit now.

Between the gloves, the battle for my money back, and the hotel room, it's been an expensive day, so after a little catching up on the computer, downloading my photos and GPS tracks, and connecting with friends, I'm snuggling down under the covers...without my boots.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 3 mileage: 454.2 (total 1553.7)
HD Dealerships: 8 (total 54)
National Parks: 2 (total 14 in 7 states)
50 Rides, 1 Nation: 1 (total 47 of 50)
10 Rides for 2022: 0 (total 0 of 10)
MCGTTX Stops: 0 (total 0 of 50)Leggi altro
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ViaggiatoreDamn....... Get some warmth & some rest. .......Tomorrow will be better
16/02/22Risposta
Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarThanks, John.
18/02/22Risposta
1 mi piace
The 2022 Motorcycle Adventure Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
I Need To Plan Better
15 febbraio 2022, Stati Uniti ⋅ 🌙 50 °F
After pitching my tent in the dark last night, I finally laid down to get some rest. And although I kept on all of my riding gear except my helmet, I messed up and took off my boots. I have notoriously cold feet (not like that, like temperature), but last night my toes were so cold they hurt. So, since I had on all of my other heated gear, I put on my boots with heated insoles and plugged myself into the bike until I could feel my toes thawing. I hopped back in the tent--with boots on this time--but again my feet kept me from sleeping. I plugged myself in three times between 23:00 and 04:00, but when my feet woke me up at 05:30, I gave up, packed, did my stretching routine, and left by 07:00 in very cold weather.

I would've liked to have seen Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park in the daytime. It looked very pretty on the way out, with many buildings and a large stream running through it. I will have to go back some day when it's warmer.

Today's riding was just dealerships and parks. I visited Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, where Andrew Jackson made his name fighting the Red Stick Creek for their land. It was a scenic, short, and somber drive and worth a detour if you're passing near there.

(See more here: https://www.nps.gov/hobe/index.htm)

I also stopped at the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site. I was really looking forward to this stop because I share a tiny bit of history with the Tuskegee Airmen. I was a Red Tail in Iraq with the 332d Air Expeditionary Wing, which traces its lineage back to the TA Red Tails. Although the bookstore was open, the museum is only open on Fridays and Saturdays. Poop. Again.

(See more here: https://www.nps.gov/tuai/index.htm)

Yesterday I missed the Vicksburg Battlefield stamp and today I missed the Tuskegee Airmen museum. I also missed stamps from Andersonville National Historic Site and Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, both in Georgia, because I left them towards the end of my route today, and they would have been closed when I arrived.

So, I obviously need to plan these park visits better from now on so I can get my stamps and also see at least a little of what they're about.

This evening I'm at a Kampground of America outside of Macon, where I've pitched my tent, taken a shower, and scraped three inches along my bottom pipe heat shield on a chunk of concrete I didn't see...even though it had a huge grill sticking out of it 🤦.

Now I'm hanging out in the laundry room because it's cold outside and it's cold in my tent. Actually, it's not that bad, around 55°F, but last night has had me chilled all day. Plus, the laundry room has a outlet for my phone. I plan on sleeping in all of my gear again, including my boots. I hope I don't have to plug into the bike tonight🤞.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 2 mileage: 458.3 (total 1099.5)
HD Dealerships: 6 (total 46)
National Parks: 2 (total 12 in 6 states)
50 Rides, 1 Nation: 0 (total 46 of 50)
10 Rides for 2022: 0 (total 0 of 10)
MCGTTX Stops: 0 (total 0 of 50)Leggi altro
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The 2022 Motorcycle Adventure Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
On The Road Again!
14 febbraio 2022, Stati Uniti ⋅ 🌙 41 °F
2022 is off to a great start! Willie and I left East Texas this morning around 08:30 in 31°F cold. But with my heated gear, I was nice and toasty.

In Bossier City, LA, I stopped for lunch with a friend from Okinawa and Afghanistan. Great to see him again and meet his wife.

I visited Poverty Point World Heritage Site and National Monument, but didn't have time to do anything except get my stamp. I was hurrying to get to Vicksburg National Battlefield in time to get its stamp, but missed it by just a few minutes. Poop.

The rest of the day was collecting dealerships in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

Tonight I'm camped at Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park between Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. It was a long day, but really awesome to be back on the road again with Willie.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 1 mileage: 641.2 (total 641.2)
HD Dealerships: 6 (total 40)
National Parks: 1 (total 10)
50 Rides, 1 Nation: 0 (total 46 of 50)
10 Rides for 2022: 0 (total 0 of 10)
MCGTTX Stops: 0 (total 0 of 50)Leggi altro
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The 2022 Motorcycle Adventure Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
2022 Begins Tomorrow
13 febbraio 2022, Stati Uniti ⋅ 🌙 50 °F
To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself. – Søren Kierkegaard

Tomorrow, I dare.

I have never enjoyed staying in one place very long, and when I first began riding motorcycles 21 years ago, I quickly understood this thrilling new passion would also be a wonderful way to travel. But between work and family, I could never get away for more than a couple of weeks and typically only a few days at a time.

However, after I retired from the Air Force in 2018 and returned to the US in late 2019 after a 15-month international backpacking trip, I was free to get on the motorcycle and go where ever I wanted, whenever I wanted. For a few months, anyway, until the pandemic hit. But despite COVID, I still made it from Texas to Sturgis to New York and back to Texas over 47 days. Then in 2021, I jumped off the deep end and rode 56,000 miles in 47 states over 198 days. When I finished the trip--happy but exhausted--I immediately began wondering how I could ever top it. Tomorrow, I try.

Tomorrow, I will purposely lose my footing for about 225 days while I motorcycle around the US.

Here is what I have challenged myself to accomplish in 2022:
- Enjoy the ride!
- No whining.
- No crashing.
- Visit as many friends as I can and make new friends along the way.
- Complete Harley's Georgia and South Carolina 50 Rides 1 Nation Challenge (#47 and #48 of the 50).
- Complete Harley's 10 Rides for 2022.
- Visit all 50 locations in the 2022 Motorcycle Grand Tour of Texas.
- Visit at least 502 Harley dealerships.
- Complete Iron Butt Association's National Parks Tour Master Traveler Award Silver.
- Attend all of Harley's Touring Rallies.
- Complete the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge in the allotted time (if I get in).
- Get amazing tan lines from my gloves.

I am a bundle of energy just thinking about tomorrow. Last year's ride taught me so much about myself and about my 2018 H-D Street Bob "Willie." I cannot wait to see what this year has in store for me!

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Starting mileage: 81,063
HD Dealerships: 34 (total 34)
50 Rides, 1 Nation: 0 (total 46 of 50)
10 Rides for 2022: 0 (total 0 of 10)
National Parks: 9 (total 9)
MCGTTX Stops: 0 (total 0 of 50)Leggi altro
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ViaggiatoreGODSPEED!
13/02/22Risposta
Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarThanks, brother! It's gonna be an adventure!
13/02/22Risposta
ViaggiatoreRide safe & may the fair weather Gods be on your side.
14/02/22Risposta
Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarThank you! Hugs!
14/02/22Risposta
2 mi piace
Summer on the Harley Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
End of the Summer, End of the Trip
3 ottobre 2021, Stati Uniti ⋅ 🌙 70 °F
Well, the time has come. My Summer on the Harley has come to an end. But as some of you know, I don't do anything halfway. So, my last ride on this trip was a staggering 1,167 miles from Alcoa, Tennessee, to Emory, Texas, after 18.5 hours on the bike!!! During today's ride, I hit 55,000 miles, 55,555.5 miles, and 56,000 miles on the trip. Mind totally blown 🤯🤯🤯!!!

All that AND I successfully completed my Iron Butt Association SaddleSore 1000 🎉!
- Start 71295 04:29 EDT
- End 72438 21:06 CDT
- TOTAL 1143 17 hours 37 minutes 😁

It has been an absolutely amazing summer. I am so happy to have finally seen so many more places in the US, even though the Northwest was covered in smoke and the Southeast was covered in kudzu. But the best part of the trip was meeting so many new people and listening to their stories, dreams, and challenges, all while riding around on motorcycles. How will I ever top this trip 😳?

Here's a short statistical wrap-up:
- 198 days
- 56,018.3 miles
- 47 states
- Exactly 500 Harley Davidson dealerships
- 10 of the 10 Rides for 2021 challenge
- 46 of the 50 Rides 1 Nation challenge
- 11 of 11 possible HOG rallies
- 49 of the 50 Motorcycle Grand Tour of Texas event [P.S.: I got the 50th on 9 Oct.😁]
- 1 broken foot, 1 broken bracelet, 1 broken heart, 1 broken pair of chaps, 1 broken kickstand, 1 broken helmet
- 3 bike tows, 8 tires, 11 5,000-mile services
- Amazing suntans from my gloves

What I've learned:
- #1: NO WHINING! 🚫😩
- Pack for 3 days and plan to do laundry 🧺.
- If you're afraid, act like you're not 💪.
- There are terrific people 😀 and awful people 🤬 everywhere.
- Virginia vehicles do not come with blinkers 🤦.
- If a hotel costs less than $50 a night, there's a pretty decent chance you don't want to stay there 😝.
- Open your heart because you will find love more often than pain ❤️.
- And lastly, never completely trust that the GPS knows whether or not a road is paved. If you do, and it's not, then see #1 above 😉.

So long, and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Final Day 198 mileage: 1167.0 🤯 (FINAL TRIP MILEAGE 56018.3)

P.S.: 30 Nov 21: I just did the math. I spent $11,119.99 on maintenance and service 😳.Leggi altro
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3 mi piace
Summer on the Harley Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Beginning of The End
3 ottobre 2021, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F
Well, the rally ended last night, the last HOG rally of the season. I said so long to the folks I met along the way and packed Willie for the ride home.

I'm sad to be skipping the Georgia and South Carolina 50 Rides 1 Nation locations, but it's time to head back. I've been through a lot this Summer on the Harley, and I've met some amazing people who I hope to see again next year.

I left the hotel in Alcoa, Tennessee, this morning at 04:15 😱. I decided to try a SaddleSore 1000 from Tennessee to Texas, which is a challenge to ride 1,000 miles in under 24 hours. I'm stopped outside of Memphis now for a quick snack and to get a receipt as proof of my route, timing, and odometer. I'm just over half way now. My starting mileage was 71,295. Wish me luck!

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 197 mileage: 56.3 (total 54851.3)Leggi altro
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Summer on the Harley Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Great Smoky Mountains HOG Rally Day 4
2 ottobre 2021, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F
After Pigeon Forge, we went to the Bush's Beans Manufacturing Plant in Dandridge, then had lunch at a great little place called Harbor Grill. It's in the marina and RV park on Douglas Lake. (More info: http://mountaincovemarina.com/rentals/the-harbo…)

We stopped next at the Kodak HD, then went to Panther Creek State Park for our last stop on the poker run. We said hi to Oliver, but didn't stay to chat.

We headed back to our hotels, then I met Chris and Tammy back at Smoky Mountain HD for the Journey tribute band Departure. They were terrific!!!! (More.info: https://thejourneytributeband.com/)

I slept in this morning, mostly because the hotel's boilers broke last night and we have no hot water 🤬. But really, I just wanted some time off the bike. Now I'm working on my route for tomorrow as I head back home.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 195-196 mileage: 430.2 (total 54795.0)Leggi altro
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Summer on the Harley Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Great Smoky Mountains HOG Rally Day 3
1 ottobre 2021, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F
What a terrific rally, the best stationary one of the season, hands down! They didn't keep us in the prison 😉, so we continued northwest and took more recommended roads through the beautiful Tennessee country-side.

We got back to the Knoxville area around 16:00, and having skipped lunch, we stopped for an early dinner while I ran a Ross the street to a leather store to pick up replacement zippers for my chaps. I don't have time to have them fixed, but at least I have the zippers now for when I get home.

After dinner, we went into downtown Maryville where the streets were blocked off for the rally. The local motorcycle cops did a riding demonstration, which was awesome! Then the rally did a slow ride race and a ball drop competition. Finally, a rally with motorcycle activities in the evening! I called it a night after that and went back to the hotel.

This morning I wound up leaving again, this time to get the rest of the dealerships and poker runs stops. Hitting a winery at 10:00 in the morning is probably not the best idea, but it was on the poker card so it had to be done 🤣.

Then we rode through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Gorgeous, of course, winding along the Little River with its rushing waters and tumbling falls. We stopped at The Sinks for a few photos, then we rode through Gatlinburg and into Pigeon Forge, where we are now.

Another amazing day to ride!!

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 195 mileage: x (total 54364.8 + ? oops)Leggi altro
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Summer on the Harley Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Great Smoky Mountains HOG Rally Day 2
30 settembre 2021, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F
What a great day yesterday! When we left Bryson City, the six of us continued east to Cherokee. We stopped at the HD merchandise store, then spent a little time in the Qualla Arts and Crafts Center. They sell authentic Cherokee-made arts and crafts, like baskets, wood carvings, and pottery.

We backtracked a little bit west, then started the Cherohala Skyway in the Nantahala National Forest. Although it isn't as difficult a ride as the Tail, it is a beautiful run with lots of overlooks. Great road!!!

We had dinner by our hotel and called it a night around 21:00. It wasn't a long day of writing, but it was a lot of technical writing, so we were all pretty beat.

But not beat enough to want to do it again today! Five of us (Kevin rode with some other friends) left the hotel at 09:00 and headed northwest to do the Devil's Triangle. [More info:
https://devilstriangletn.com/] It may be short, but it is full of switchbacks, twists, and turns! Yay!

We did the route counterclockwise based on a recommendation from a guy at Bootlegger HD where we stopped this morning on the way up. We came across only one accident. The solo rider was fine, but the bike's nose was slammed into the hillside in the middle of a tight turn. I think he was mostly embarrassed.

Now we've taken a break at Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary with about 500 other bikers 🤣. It has quite an interesting history, https://tourbrushy.com/history, and is probably most well known for housing James Earl Ray who murdered Martin Luther King, Jr.

Another great day to ride!!

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 194 mileage: 236.6 (total 54364.8)Leggi altro
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Summer on the Harley Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Great Smoky Mountains HOG Rally Day 1
29 settembre 2021, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F
Yesterday, I made it into Maryville after a very short ride and went straight to the rally check in location. This makes 11 HOG rallies for me this summer, the maximum possible 😁. Later, I went to the Smoky Mountain HD for the opening ceremony and found several people I met on other rallies. How cool to see folks again.

This morning, Chris &Tammy from Arizona, Doc & Mary from Missouri, Kevin from California, and I left the hotel at 08:00 to ride the Tail of the Dragon (TN129) and the Hellbender (NC28). Each is a terrific twisty-turny route and the location for the TN and NC 50 Rides 1 Nation photos. That brings me to 46 😁.

Now we've stopped at the Bryson City HD for a photo (me) and shopping (them). It's a great day to ride!!

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 193 mileage: 131.1 (total 54128.2)

P.S.: More info on these roads: https://www.smokymountaindrives.com/roadsLeggi altro
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Summer on the Harley Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Rally Day!
28 settembre 2021, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F
Yesterday, I got my 70,000-mile service done and bought a cup holder for the bike, which the guys put on for me. Awesome shop!

I spent the rest of the day working on routes and photos, then a movie to cap off the night.

I just left the hotel in Chattanooga bound for Maryville to check in for the Great Smoky Mountain HOG Rally! Yippee!

You can't eat inside fastfood places, so I'm the Wendy's drive thru. It's not too difficult as long as I don't get a soda 🤣. Oh wait! I have a cup holder now!

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 192 mileage: 60.9 (total 53997.1)Leggi altro
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Summer on the Harley Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
70,000-Mile Service
27 settembre 2021, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F
Coming back from Fort Payne was a nightmare. As it turns out, yesterday was the Ironman race in downtown Chattanooga, and they apparently closed the Interstate. I took back roads and did some stuff you can't do in a cage, so I made it to town without terrible delays. But my hotel was in an area completely closed off. The GPS wouldn't route me because all the streets were closed, so I went in between the barriers... because I could... and took the wrong direction on the one way streets...because there wasn't any traffic.... I made it back safely and spent the next couple of hours hanging out at the pool. Aaaaaahhhhhh. I spent the rest of my evening in the room with Netflix. Great day.

Today I'm hanging out in the room. I'll get my 70,000-mile service this afternoon 😁.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 191 mileage: 92.0 (total 53936.2)Leggi altro
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Summer on the Harley Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Alabama 50 Rides 1 Nation
26 settembre 2021, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F
If you've glanced at my mileage below, then you can see I went a very long way yesterday, my longest day yet. Mississippi was a blur. I made it to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and was planning on spending the night there, but every hotel from there through Birmingham was booked. I have no idea what was happening, but I decided to push through to Chattanooga, Tennessee.

15.5 hours after I left Texas, I arrived at the Tennessee hotel at 22:00. I drafted an SUV for the last 80 miles or so because its headlights lit up both lanes well enough that I could see where I was going and if I needed to dodge anything in the road 👍 .

About 50 miles before Chattanooga, my GPS told me to take an exit. Thinking it was one of many fuel stops I added, I ignored it and kept following the SUV. I realized this morning that it was taking me to the Alabama 50 Rides 1 Nation location in Fort Payne. So, today I've ridden back south to take the photo.

I got here 15 minutes before I left because of the time zone change at the Georgia border. (I-59 cuts the corner of Georgia as you go between Alabama and Tennessee.) I expect it to take me an hour and 45 minutes to get back though 🤣.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 190 mileage: 853.2 😱 (total 53844.2)Leggi altro
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Viaggiatore853!!!!!!! you are such a BadAss
29/09/21Risposta
1 mi piace
Summer on the Harley Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Magical Morning
25 settembre 2021, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F
Yesterday, I finished 49 of the 50 stops on the Motorcycle Grand Tour of Texas! The last one is tracking down a guy riding to support diabetes. I'll find him later. I also hit the final HD in Texas, Waco HD 😁. Great day riding in beautiful weather along back roads with 70 mph limit. Yippee!

I spent the night in Buffalo, Texas, which is east of Waco on I-45. I walked across the road to Anthony's Restaurant. They had a buffet, which I opted for before seeing it. Big mistake. Although the fried shrimp was good, the other items I had were middling to poor. There was nothing green, and everything else except the fish filet was fried. Worst of all, when I went back for more shrimp, there were cockroaches on the bar 😝. Nope.

On the way back to the hotel, I stopped at the Dairy Queen for a Strawberry Cheesecake Blizzard. I took about 10 bites and realized I can't eat this sweet stuff anymore. Too bad because it was really good.

I left this morning at 06:30 in the pitch dark, heading south on I-45 until I turned off onto Highway 7 towards Davy Crockett National Forest. As the dawning light began to emerge in front of me, it revealed lush fields laden with dew. Atop most laid a gentle mist just high enough to clear the grass yet low enough for sleepy cow eyes to peer above. Occasionally, the mist reached out to caress the road. Rolling through it left fine droplets on my face shield and sent a shiver through me. The warming sun finally broke the horizon about 07:15, and I welcomed its light on my path. It was a truly magical morning.

The magic ended when I crossed the Sabine River into Louisiana and its horrible roads. I had to drop from 70 mph (80 😉) to 55 because of the potholes and rough patches...and the lower speed limit. Now I'm in some little town where everything is broken. The gas pumps won't take cards, Kentucky Fried Chicken is drive through only, and the Sonic bathroom is closed. Everyone's blinkers must be busted too because no one uses them here 🤦.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 189 mileage: 599.3 (total 52991.0)Leggi altro
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ViaggiatoremaJik!
29/09/21Risposta
1 mi piace
Summer on the Harley Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
The Tape Didn't Stay
24 settembre 2021, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F
Well, I was right. After I peeled off my rain gear yesterday, the heat came on with a vengeance. It was so hot that the duct tape holding my chaps together came unstuck. But I made it through New Mexico and into Texas without any significant issues.

The time change had an effect on me last night. Arizona doesn't observe Daylight Savings like the other 47 states, so it was the same time as California (Pacific). New Mexico is in Mountain Time and east of El Paso Central begins. So, when I saw the sun going down at 19:00, I was still feeling like it was only 17:00 with plenty of more miles in me. But no sun + dark roads = big deer & bad news, so I stopped for the night in Odessa.

Of course, I didn't get to sleep until after midnight because of the... do you still call it jet lag when you're on a motorcycle? ...time change, so when my alarm went off at 05:30, which felt like 03:30, I didn't get up. Instead, I left the hotel just after 07:00 and after using twice as much tape on my chaps. Luckily, 7 o'clock turned out to be the perfect time because the sun was just coming up.

Today, I've been hitting more stops on my Motorcycle Grand Tour of Texas. I just left the Heart of Texas Museum in Brady and am now at the Geographical Center of Texas. Awesome!!

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 188 mileage: 733.5 (total 52391.7)Leggi altro
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Summer on the Harley Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Cold Morning
23 settembre 2021, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F
After Kingman, I jumped on I-40 towards Flagstaff and no sooner was I on the road when the elevation began to rise and the temperature began to drop. Yay!

Just south of Flagstaff, I veered onto AZ89A to Sedona. What a beautiful road! Set in Coconino National Forest, this twisty, turny ribbon of asphalt begins with large evergreens lining both sides, occasionally receding to let in a meadow or stream. Then come the switchbacks down into the canyon. Sweet! The town center where the HD is (a t-shirt shop basically) is 💲caa-ching💰 😳. But it's really pretty as it sits nestled into the side of the canyon. When the traffic let's you leave town, you pass by the towering red canyon walls. Great road!

Leaving Sedona behind, I headed toward Phoenix to hit its numerous HDs. 9! The first one was in Cave Creek, where a pole was sticking up out of the middle of the road...at every crosswalk! WTF? Who does that?! Luckily, I didn't impale myself or Willie, and we continued on into the city.

Traffic. Traffic. Traffic. We fought and fought, and Willie got me through it all. The last HD photo was at 21:00, and it was just down the street from the hotel in Chandler. Which was excellent because I was beat. I crashed hard...I mean, I went to sleep very quickly 😉. No crashing authorized on this trip 🤞.

I left at sunrise and was just about to jump on I-10 when I spotted a Whataburger! Yay, I got a taquito for breakfast 😋! With that in my tummy, I made it to the Tucson HD at 08:00, where I put on my jacket liner and fingered gloves 🥶. It was a cold morning ride! I also put on my rain gear and covered my bags because of a front just moving into my area and heading my direction.

I only hit some light rain🌧️, but the roads were wet for a while and the temperature never rose, so I kept my rain gear on. It finally started warming up about an hour ago and now I can't take it anymore. The cool was nice, but I think the heat is coming again ☹️.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 187 mileage: 689.0 (total 51658.2)Leggi altro
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Summer on the Harley Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Why does anyone live in the desert?
22 settembre 2021, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F
After lunch yesterday, I continued south into San Diego. I had on my vest and chaps, which made me feel like I was wearing to most clothes of anyone there. Everyone was in beach attire, and rightly so. It was a beautiful day to be in the sand and on the water. I hit my HDs, then spotted the Hard Rock Hotel on the way out of town, so I grabbed some pins. Bonus!

After that I headed west to Yuma, Arizona. It was soooo hot 🥵. Like riding in a hair dryer. It was cooler to keep my helmet face shield closed 😨. Terrible. 102°F when I checked into my hotel at 18:00 😳. No thanks.

I left this morning at 07:00, around 70°F, riding straight into the sun. But I soon turned north on Hwy 95. A vast expanse of 🏜️. That's it. Apparently there are wild burros, but I didn't get to see any of those. Oh! I did see a coyote and a roadrunner, but the first wasn't chasing the last 😉.

After I duct taped my chaps back together outside of Yuma Proving Grounds, I passed through Parker, which was stunning. Then I found London Bridge in Lake Havasu City 🇬🇧. Neat.

I finally made it to Kingman, where I am now taking a break at a Flying J. I turned Willie off to let him cool down a little. Not sure he will though because it is sooo hot outside. Again. I haven't looked at the temperature on purpose, but I'm fairly certain it's over 100°F 🥵. I hope my tape stays on.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 186 mileage: 528.0 (total 50969.2)Leggi altro
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Summer on the Harley Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
2 1
50,000 Miles Later, I'm Headed South
21 settembre 2021, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F
For those of you who read this often, I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while. I'll catch up soon. In the meantime, here's a summary of the missing days:
- Rally was great. We won a banner and mailed it to Lumpy, who couldn't make it.
- Ben and I continued riding. He showed me some cool sights, like Ferndale and Avenue of the Giants (Redwoods).
- Minor bike malfunction Sunday morning, so I hopped on the back of Ben's to see San Francisco. I 💜 THIS CITY!!
- Bike fine Monday morning and off we went. 6.7 miles after we left Ukiah, I rolled 50,000 miles on my trip 😁.

Ben and I said see ya later yesterday after lunch in Point Richmond. I finally let him go home 😉 while I made my way south to the next HD in San Jose. Continuing along the 101, I hooked a left in Gilroy to take the 152 all the way across to the 99. I passed the San Luis Reservoir on the way. I don't have a comparison, but it seemed the water was very low. Beautiful area.

After a gorgeous sunset, I spent the night in Bakersfield, arriving around 19:00 and leaving this morning at 06:00. It was 70°F when I left Bakersfield, so I wore my fingerless gloves, but as I passed through the Mojave Desert, my hands were freezing! I held out until I reached the Lancaster HD where I changed gloves.

Near the Mojave Air and Space Port, I saw what I thought was an airplane graveyard. Google calls it "Mojave Commercial Airliner Storage." I didn't stop to take pics, but I did stop for the huge moon setting behind the scrub-covered hills speckled with wind turbines. Amazing.

After the Lancaster HD, I began to hit traffic. Traffic. That word really doesn't do justice to driving in LA during rush hour(s) 😳. I cut out the HD that would've taken me near downtown. I would still be north of LA if lane splitting wasn't allowed. (Don't tell Mom what that is 😉.) Anyway, I made it past LA without any problems and am now having a bite to eat in San Marcos.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 185 mileage: 447.7 (total 50441.2😁)Leggi altro
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Viaggiatore Hell Yea!!!
22/09/21Risposta
Viaggiatore LA is down to 1 season, road construction season........ugly
22/09/21Risposta
Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar🤣🤣
23/09/21Risposta
0 mi piace
Summer on the Harley Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Lunch Time
20 settembre 2021, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F
Ben took me through San Francisco yesterday. I love this city! We went down Lombard Street, supposedly the twistiest street in America, although I jumped off his bike before the last turn, just in case he had to stop with traffic. We took pics of the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset. Magical.

Today, I'm heading to Tennessee for the next rally, while Ben goes home. He was a great road partner, but he has to get back to his real life. Hope I see him again down the road.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 184 mileage: 0 (total still 49993.5)Leggi altro
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