My Route in 2019
Across the USA (and back...AGAIN!) on a Motorcycle
Savannah to Virginia
Just like I started last year, after wetting the toes of my boots in the Atlantic surf at Tybee Beach, I'll be leaving my home in beautiful, historic, Savannah, Georgia. This year I'll head north straight up Interstate 95 toward Norfolk, Virginia where I will visit some dear friends of mine who are leaving the States to go and live in Italy. From Norfolk, I'll begin the trek westward toward Seattle.
Virginia to West Virginia
Leaving Norfolk, I'll cross Virginia into West Virginia and hopefully see some pretty Appalachian scenery as I pass through Shenandoah National Park.
West Virginia to Ohio
From Franklin, West Virginia, just on the western edge of the Appalachian mountain chain, it's west toward America's heartland and Columbus, Ohio, where I hope to visit old friends.
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois
From Columbus, it's west-northwest through Fort Wayne, Indiana and into Illinois where I will hang out for a couple of days in one of my favorite towns, Chicago.
Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin
From Chicago, it's due west along US 20 toward Dubuque, Iowa, and then a hard right up the banks of the mighty Mississippi and The Great River Road toward La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Wisconsin to Minnesota
Continuing northward up the Mississippi and The Great River Road, it's onward from La Crosse northwestward past Minneapolis, to Little Falls, Minnesota, home of Charles "Lucky Lindy" Lindbergh. His home is there and I hope to visit.
Minnesota:
Little Falls,
Grand Rapids,
Bemidji
AS I continue northward through "The Land of 10,000 Lakes" I hope to get to see the legendary Paul Bunyan. I understand that He and his big blue ox, Babe live around here somewhere.
Minnesota to North Dakota
At Bemidji, I hang a hard left and head due west, into North Dakota, home of the famous UND "Fighting Sioux." (I know it's not politically correct but it's a cool name). I enter at Fargo and continue westward all the way to the state capitol, Bismarck.
North Dakota to Montana
From Bismarck, it's a six-hour ride due west to Billings, Montana. This is called "Big Sky Country."
The Little Bighorn
Today I plan to take some time to visit the site of one of the worst defeats in military history, the Little Bighorn. This is where several tribes of the Sioux Nation gathered together and completely annihilated the United States 7th Cavalry. It was here that legend has it that Custer spoke those now-famous last words "Where the hell did all these Indians come from?" From Billings and the Little Bighorn Battlefield, I resume the westward trek and head for Bozeman, Montana
More Montana!
From Bozeman I begin the westward climb through the Rockies: Butte, Missoula, Trout Creek, to Troy. This is supposed to be a beautiful part of the ride, through national forests and Indian reservations. Stay tuned for pictures!
Montana to Washington
From Troy it's down from the mountains through Spokane and onward to Coulee City, home to the Grand Coulee Dam...the biggest producer of electricity in the US...or so I read on Google (so it has to be true...right?).
Washington:
Coulee City to Seattle
From Coulee City, I continue westward through Washington to Seattle. Here I plan to take a bit of a break, see some sights (The Space Needle, Chinatown, the Japanese Gardens, Pioneer Square, the Public Market), do some laundry, get the bike serviced, and prepare for the trip back east toward home.
From Seattle South
Along the Pacific Coast
Leaving Seattle, I take the famous highway 101 down the beautiful west coast of Washington State to the port village of Aberdeen.
Washington to Oregon
From Aberdeen, I continue southward along the Pacific Coast into Oregon, through the village of Seaside, then southeast toward Portland, and on to Madras, headed southeast toward home.
Oregon to Idaho
From Madras, the route is US 26 East through the Ochoco National Forest toward the land of the potato...Idaho,
and the land of blue(?) astroturf, Boise.
Idaho to Wyoming
Today I continue making my way east along US 20 across the remainder of Idaho potato country just across the state line into Wyoming, to the base of the Rockies and to the mountain village of Alpine (not to be confused with Alpine Helen in Georgia...another wonderful "alpine" destination).
Wyoming:
Alpine, Jackson Hole, Cody
From an overnighter just inside the state at the village of Alpine, I continue through Jackson Hole, the Grand Teton National Park, onward through Yellowstone National Park, finishing the day in Cody, Wyoming, home to the famous Buffalo Bill Center of the West.
Wyoming to South Dakota
From a visit to the Buffalo Bill Museum of the West, I'm off due east through the remainder of Wyoming, to see the famous Devil's Tower, and then on into South Dakota, stopping for a few days in Deadwood, where Wild Bill Hickok, the famous gunfighter met his end...shot in the back playing cards in a saloon. If I decide to play cards there,
I'll sit with my back to the wall.
Deadwood, and Sturgis
Deadwood and Sturgis are close to many great rides for bikers: Mount Rushmore, The Needles Highway, The Crazy Horse Memorial. Sturgis is also home to some of the biggest biker bars in the world. Sturgis also hosts the world's largest biker rally every year.
South Dakota to Nebraska
After a break for a couple of days in Sturgis, I leave South Dakota and head southeast into Nebraska toward... Omaha! That's not a Payton Manning audible, it's the town that's home to Omaha steaks, which if you do not love, you are not really 100% American.
Nebraska to Kansas
I'm going to Kansas City, Kansas City, here I come. They got a lot of pretty women there and I'm a-gonna get me one. Not really. I'm just looking for KC-style barbeque.
Kansas to Missouri
As was the case last year, I'll run right across the state of Missouri from Kansas City to Saint Louis, where I should be by early afternoon. I plan on visiting the World Famous Clydesdales while I am in town.
Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee
From Saint Louis, I'll cross the Mississippi and head south down the Great River Road and visit Chester, the home of Popeye the Sailor-man, and then on further south to Metropolis, home of Superman, then on to Nashville, where I'll stop for the night...unless they offer me a record contract.
Tennessee to Georgia
From the Music City to the ATL again. As was the case last year, the only reason I would stay in Atlanta is if they made me Governor. Come to think of it, if they made me Governor, the first thing I'd do is move the state capitol to Savannah. The second thing I'd do is move the Varsity to Savannah.
Atlanta to Savannah
Home.