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The 2022 Motorcycle Adventure

February - October 2022
No whining! The purpose of this trip is to enjoy motorcycling the US while seeing old friends, making new old friends, and accomplishing a whole bunch of mostly crazy goals. Read more
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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarThe 2022 Motorcycle Adventure

    2022 Begins Tomorrow

    February 13, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 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)    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarThe 2022 Motorcycle Adventure

    On The Road Again!

    February 14, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 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)    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarThe 2022 Motorcycle Adventure

    I Need To Plan Better

    February 15, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 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)    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarThe 2022 Motorcycle Adventure

    An Expensive Day (WTF?!)

    February 16, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 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)    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarThe 2022 Motorcycle Adventure

    Sometimes It's Just Best To Stop

    February 17, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 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)    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarThe 2022 Motorcycle Adventure

    Friends Are Irreplaceable

    February 19, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 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)    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarThe 2022 Motorcycle Adventure

    Sunday Is A Hashing Day!

    February 20, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 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 🤣!    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarThe 2022 Motorcycle Adventure

    Get Well Soon, Lumpy!!

    February 21, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 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)    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarThe 2022 Motorcycle Adventure

    More Okinawa Friends

    February 22, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌬 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)    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarThe 2022 Motorcycle Adventure

    Adulting Day

    February 23, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 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)    Read more

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