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Summer on the Harley

March - October 2021
A 198-day adventure by Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar Read more
  • 192footprints
  • 1countries
  • 198days
  • 1.0kphotos
  • 19videos
  • 48.4kmiles
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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarSummer on the Harley
    Day 11

    Another Friend (I'm so lucky!)

    March 30, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    After the Everglades, I turned North through the HDs in Fort Meyers, Port Charlotte, and Sarasota on my way to my friend's house outside of Tampa. I haven't seen her in a couple of years, so what a treat. We ordered in dinner and she introduced me to the Netflix show Schitt$ Creek. OMG, Catherine O'Hara (the mom from Home Alone) is absolutely hysterical!

    Because of traffic around Tampa, I didn't leave her place until 10:00. Now, I've hit my third HD this morning with a few to go before I stop tonight.

    I saw two signs today that made me giggle. The first said, " FREE BELLY RUBS! (Sorry, pets only)." 🤣 The second was at an Arby's, which said "We hoped you enjoyed your stay at the top of the food chain." Too funny 🤭.

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

    Day 10 mileage: 428.7 (total 2553.5)
    HD Dealership Challenge: 6 (total 28)    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarSummer on the Harley
    Day 12

    Why did I bring rain gear?

    March 31, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    Yesterday may have only been 315 miles, but it took 9 hours and a heck of a lot of clutch. I never got out of traffic, even on I-75. About 1/4 of a mile before I reached my hotel in Ocala, the sky opened up and I got absolutely soaked.

    Unfortunately, the Motel 6 didn't have laundry, so this morning I had to put on my wet boots. At least they weren't still squishy 🤣. And wet socks, too, because what would be the point of putting dry socks in wet boots? 😉

    I rolled at 08:00 and have now stopped at the Tallahassee HD for a bathroom break. [Note to self: Never ever eat another gas station egg salad sandwich 🤢.]

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

    Day 11 mileage: 315.1 (total 2868.6)
    HD Dealership Challenge: 8 (total 36)    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarSummer on the Harley
    Day 13

    It's Cold in Florida!

    April 1, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

    After my Tallahassee stop, I continued West, eventually picking up US-98, on to Panama City Beach and then the Fort Walton Beach area. I got to see a couple of friends from my time in Georgia that I haven't seen since 2010. Too long, but great to catch up in person versus Facebook. (But I forgot to take a picture ☹️.)

    I treated myself to a hotel across the highway from the beach on Okaloosa Island. Luckily, I was off the bike and in the beachfront restaurant before the rain came. Wow! What a storm!

    I woke up this morning really cold. Yesterday was 90°F, but this morning it was 50! So I put on just about all of my clothes and left the hotel at 10:00. Brrr! the wind chill was crazy cold!

    Now I'm having lunch with a retired military buddy who I knew in Germany. Small world!

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

    Day 12 mileage: 384.1 (total 3252.7)
    HD Dealership Challenge: 2 (total 38)    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarSummer on the Harley
    Day 14

    How Can It Be Colder?!

    April 2, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 45 °F

    Yesterday after lunch was a very short ride to Pensacola to spend the night with another friend, this one from my time in Okinawa and Germany. So wonderful to see her again!

    I hit the local HD at 09:00 this morning. It was only 40°F! What is happening to Florida?! Anyway, after a cold half hour on the bike, I made it to the dealership and waited an hour for them to open. First come, first serve service here, so I wanted to be the first in line. But it was so cold that there was only one other person waiting, so I'm just about done now. Luckily, it has warmed up to almost 55, so I shouldn't freeze running on I-10.

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

    Day 13 mileage: 85.1 (total 3337.8)
    HD Dealership Challenge: 1 (total 39)

    P.S.: Hurricane Sally in September 2020 caused quite a bit of damage to Pensacola. The dealership hasn't yet replaced their bar-and-shields.    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarSummer on the Harley
    Day 15

    Lunch in New Orleans

    April 3, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    By the time I finished service in Pensacola, the temperature came up to about 55°F, so I wasn't too cold on I-10.

    Outside of Biloxi near Kessler Air Force Base, I met up with another retired Air Force friend from Germany. He and his family were driving to Florida, so we met for a bite along the way. Awesome!

    The rest of the day was uneventful, but short. Driving into the setting sun is terrible, so I stopped in Hammond, LA, around 18:00.

    I was woken again by very cold weather. It was only 44 at 07:00 🥶. So I had breakfast at IHOP and didn't hit the road until just after 09:00. The sunshine was nice, but the wind chill was not.

    After a couple of dealerships, I've stopped at semi-famous Melba's for a shrimp po-boy. It should be amazing!

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

    Day 14 mileage: 240.3 (total 3578.1)
    HD Dealership Challenge: 6 (total 45)

    P.S.: The grilled shrimp was über delicious! Tender, not chewy, and lots of seasoning that didn't overpower the shrimp flavor. I could've eaten a whole plate of just the shrimp. Otherwise, the po-boy was just another sandwich.    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarSummer on the Harley
    Day 16

    Waiting for the Ferry

    April 4, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    The remainder of yesterday was warming weather then scattered rain, so I stopped before I got completely wet and before the temperature could begin to drop.

    I've gone south this morning to pick up the Creole Nature Trail, which is Louisiana's portion of the 50 Rides 1 Nation challenge.

    This part of Louisiana seems to have a significant role in the crawfish economy as there are hundreds of ponds in the area. Also, there is significant damage to man-made structures, mainly homes, from what I assume was a recent hurricane. Perhaps it was Sally, the storm that hit Pensacola.

    Now, I'm about to board the ferry. It's warm enough today that two long-sleeve shirts and my fingerless gloves are plenty. Yay!

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

    Day 15 mileage: 297.0 (total 3875.1)
    HD Dealership Challenge: 2 (total 47)
    50 Rides, 1 Nation: 1 (total 2)    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarSummer on the Harley
    Day 17

    Kisatchie National Forest (Wow!)

    April 5, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    After the ferry crossing, I came back into Texas at Port Arthur, wiggled up to Beaumont to hit Cowboy HD, then went back to Louisiana for two more dealerships before stopping for the night in Alexandria.

    The entire gulf coast of LA is just oil. I could see 8 off-shore rigs at one point. Port Arthur, Texas, is just one huge refinery. And in Lake Charles, more evidence of devastating storm damage.

    The drive to Alexandria was nice and uneventful except for one thing. At one point a hawk flew over me, low enough that if I had been in a cage [aka car] I wouldn't have been able to see him. He was fighting to stay airborne, loaded down with a black bird clutched in his talons. Beautiful.

    I left the hotel--another dive of a Motel 6 but cheap--around 10:15 this morning. I've taken nothing but back roads, letting my GPS decide how to get me back to Texas. I'm so glad I did because I've just ridden through the Kisatchie National Forest along the Longleaf Trail Byway. Just amazing...and massive! The forest is 600,000 acres! It smelled intensive, the oily pine seeping into my nostrils. But I didn't leave my helmet up because the dragonflies were more like dragons! So huge I could see them coming and either dodged or ducked under the windscreen. What a beautiful road!

    (More info: https://www.louisianatravel.com/)

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

    Day 16 mileage: 357.5 (total 4232.6)
    HD Dealership Challenge: 3 (total 50)    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarSummer on the Harley
    1
    Day 18

    Back to the [former] Republic of Texas

    April 6, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    Did you know Texas was its own country? As such, it had borders with the Continental United States. One of these markers still stands. I LOVE BACK ROADS!!!
    France: 1684–1689
    Spain: 1690–1821
    Mexico: 1821–1836
    **Republic of Texas: 1836–1845**
    USA: 1845–1860
    Confederate States of America: 1861–1865
    USA again: 1865-present
    [Six flags have flown over Texas, hence the theme park name Six Flags Over Texas 😁.]

    After stumbling across this amazing historical marker, I made my way to Marshall where I stayed the night. I called it an early day because the skies were looking like rain.

    I left a little after 10:00 this morning and squiggled my way northwest to the HD in Longview. On the way I had a run in with a big white dog. Man, was he fast! He tore down the fence line like a blur, but he was behind the fence, so I just kept putting along at about 30 mph. What he knew, and I didn't, was that the fence just stopped. Out he came on my left flank, full speed, tail straight out, teeth bared, and I hit the gas to stay in front of him. Close one.

    After Longview, I took more little farm roads to Gladewater. Now, I've stopped at three locations on the Texas Tour: the Elvis mural, the old derrick, and the museum. This is a pretty cool little town with a decent old downtown. If you're into antiques, this is apparently the place to shop.

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

    Day 17 mileage: 202.2 (total 4434.8)
    HD Dealership Challenge: 1 (total 51)
    MCGTTX Stops: 3 (total 5)    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarSummer on the Harley
    Day 19

    Laundry Day

    April 7, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    Yesterday I had lunch in Gladewater at Booshay's Central Station Cafe, which had a better shrimp po-boy than that "famous" place in New Orleans. Then I made my way up to Paris to hit two more Texas Tour stops and the HD. The Cowboy hat topped Eifel Tower was very odd.

    I spent the night in Paris and since I'm staying tonight as well, right now I'm doing laundry.

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

    Day 18 mileage: 156.4 (total 4591.2)
    HD Dealership Challenge: 1 (total 52)
    MCGTTX Stops: 2 (total 7)    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarSummer on the Harley
    Day 20

    Mostly Nothing

    April 8, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    I had a wonderful day of doing mostly nothing yesterday 😁. It's good to take a break and sleep in a comfy bed.

    Now I'm packing up the bike to head only a little further south while picking up some shopping, like toothpaste, etc.

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

    Day 19 mileage: 0 (total still 4591.2)    Read more

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