West Virginia 2006

While at Sturgis a few years ago I met Cecil and Donna a couple from West Virginia . We become almost instant friends. Cecil had been asking me for some time to come visit West Virginia to take a ride through the Blue Ridge, Appalachian, and Great Smokey Mountains . So I decided to take him up on the offer. I had planned to leave early on the morning of the 29th of April. I got up at 04:00 and was going to leave at 05:00 however when I got up it was snowing. I did not get on the road till 08:30. I rode straight through to St. Louis and the next morning at 02:30. That was 1,050 miles stopping only for gas and a Subway. Not only was it a 1,050 mile straight shot it also rained on me for 600 of it. I arrived in West Virginia in the afternoon of May 1st. We left the next morning for our ride. We were on the road for nine days and around 3,000 miles. We rode through West Virginia , Virginia , North & South Carolina , Georgia , Pennsylvania , Maryland and Tennessee . We stayed mostly on small roads with little to no traffic. We were joined by Cecil’s brother Chas for a few days. If you have not been seen this park of the country there is no way to connive just how beautiful it is. This was the best time I have had in a long time. Cecil and Donna were wonderful hosts. I returned home on 11th of May. Out of the thirteen days on the road it missed raining on me only three. The rain God hates me! I have posted a few of the photos I took during my trip for you to review. They would have been better had it not been for the rain and over cast skies. However I believe they are still very good.

 

 

 

Red River 2006

The annual Memorial Day Run is held each year in Red River , New Mexico . Bikers gather here from all over New Mexico and neighboring states come to pay homage to our veterans. I have not seen the final numbers yet but I would guess there were several thousand in attendance. The entire Main Street was end to end bikes. I saw license plate from Texas , Oklahoma , Colorado , Arizona , Utah , California and Idaho to name just few. I would say Red River had as many if more bikes as Custer , SD does during the Sturgis Bike Week. There were also a large number of vendors there selling everything from run t-shirts to leather clothing. There were also a number of mobile tattoo shops doing business. Of course as at any biker event there plenty of great looking ladies. To bad most were already taken. Drive By Photo was doing a huge amount of business. Drive Buy had a photographer stationed at the edge of town taking pictures of bikers as they arrived. The photos were offered for sale later in the day. I believe I had the goofiest photo of them all. It and several pictures can be seen at:

 

 

Sturgis 2006

I left for Sturgis August 5th and arrived in Custer, SD the 6th. I have been staying at the Beaver Lake Camp Ground for the last three years. Beaver Lake is exactly the kind of place I like. It is very nice place ran by a great couple, Max & Cindy Hammer. Beaver Lake CG is right that edge of town in Custer, SD. There is plenty going with stores and vendors with about everything you could possible need. I left Custer on Thursday the 10th and headed for Glacier National Park. I was able to spend a couple of days at Glacier doing some sight seeing. I was able to travel across the Going To The Sun Road which runs east to west across the park. It is 50 miles each way and takes around four to five hours to go across and back. and back. I was able to take the ride twice, once in the late afternoon and once the next morning.

During this trip I was able to hit the South Dakota Bad Lands, Glacier, Yellowstone National Parks. I was gone for 10 days and put 5,000 miles on my bike.

 

 

 

 

2006 El Paso Toy Run

Sunday November 5th the Texas COC held their Annual Toy Run in El Paso.

 

 

 

2008 Utah's National Parks

My brother Steve and I had been talking about taking a trip through a number of the National Parks located in Utah. Steve road out from St Louis then we headed for Utah. We went through part of Arizona also. We visited Zion, Arches, Canyon Lands, Capital Reef, and Bryce Canyon National Parks. I hope you enjoy the pictures I have posted.