Track Pete

Today I rode over 500 miles and the only thing that stopped me was the dark. Even then, I still rode on and on. If you've never felt the pure joy of riding (or driving), you probably will shake your head - but today was one of the reasons I'm on this trip. Imagine seeing a road stretched out before you for miles, smooth and clean. Cattle ranches and desert scattered on either side, with fences to keep strays from the road. Now take everyone off that road in your mind - because it's yours. To do with as you please. For hours and hours. The only thing to interrupt you is the occasional slowdown through a one-block small town and stops for gas - and the little worry in the back of your head about the gear strapped on your bike. It was intense, awesome, beautiful. Whether staying steady at 85 or ripping it wide open past 100, all day was amazing. The last few days I thought riding into the west as the sun went down was annoying - today, watching the sky turn to fire in...

Sad thing is I cleaned it this morning! On to Abilene!* * So I actually sent this around 5-6PM when I thought I was heading towards Abilene to end the night (I mean how cool would that be, anyone that has read any westerns knows that name)... unfortunately I apparently took the wrong road from the gas station and did not, in fact, head on to Abilene. Woops.

Finally got warm enough to switch to my riding gloves!

Sad that this is cheap!

Breakfast of champions! I am on my way through Texas and decided to leave the interstate, heading off on smaller roads. Still going for distance just not as much!

As I pushed on through the night thinking I might hit 500 miles in one day, I see a sign that says "The Birthplace of Bill Clinton" in huge letters. How could I not stop there? I just knew my Mom would ask about it, perfect excuse to finally stop. Today was weird. Started to really feel like vacation finally, and I started to enjoy the ride even though I was still pushing so hard. Started out a bit chilly moving into Nashville, but that was a quick ride. Took me awhile to find the Parthenon - there were no signs initially and Google Maps directions were all "take 70S" but the streets had real names darnit! After a couple false stops, even paying the meter at one, I finally figured things out and made it to the Parthenon . How utterly sweet. First major goal complete! It's hard to describe my feelings seeing this. First, I know it's not the real Parthenon, and it's not even the original constructed for the fair in 1897 (it was rebuilt in the 20...

Feel like I am on a roll today - gonna push on just a little further.

Well I am in arkansas now, done almost a thousand miles. Guess I an going to keep pushing until Texas as planned! Also getting warm now, still windy but definitely more comfortable.

Okay that was sweet, will flickr more pics later. Pretty cool to see, hard to describe. On to points west!

Hello from the parthenon! Nashville is kinda confusing but sorta neat as well. I am excited!

Haha yes that is frost on my bike. Eep!

So I go out for dinner all excited about a sign I saw for a place called "Whittman's BBQ" - figured I'd have some good local Tennessee barbecue cuisine. Woops, uh, no - turns out that's a chain fast food restaurant. Go figure - so I drove up and down the main drive looking around and honestly every restaurant parking lot except Cracker Barrel and Applebees was empty. Not sure what that says about America, since I followed the trend and went to Cracker Barrel. Oh well, could've been worse. Rewind - Today was a good day overall! The first 100 or so miles were a fair horror of cold hands, misery, and random near-death-experiences from numb hands+crazy wind. Then, as I hit 100 miles on my trip odo and started looking for gas, I saw a sign of wonder spread out before me on the road... And thus began my pilgrimage to the holy Target, which provided me with warmth, clothing, and encouragement. With all those extra layers and the ski gloves (I bought XL so I co...

That's what is left after I totally stuffed my face and feel like I am going to explode. Wtf! It wasn't too bad actually just way too much (I could totally make better tho). Now back to motel to crash then 28 miles to the parthenon tomorrow!

Seems odd that even though Cracker Barrels are everywhere I don't recall ever eating here before. Figured I'd check it out since it had by far the busiest parking lot around here.

Got cold and dark really fast so holed up in a knights inn. Gonna go find some grub after I warm up a bit.

Awesome! With the new layers and temps warming up very slightly I just did a full tank stretch (100 miles) without stopping and only mildly cold. Now I am about 85 miles from Nashville, figure I will gas up and do another 80 or so them find a place to sleep.

WARMTH! Thanks to three sets of long johns and three thermal shirts and SKI GLOVES I am merely slightly uncomfortable!

Sweet exactly 100 miles in for the day I say a target. Definitely worth it to buy more layers! Been in the store over ten minutes and I am still shivering lol

It looks so beautiful outside but is colder than yesterday! Feels like 28 according to weather.com . Gonna take off around 10 when it should be a teensy bit warmer.

In the last two days I've had possibly the worst riding experiences of my life: Yesterday, riding into DC in extremely cold weather with solid rain and rush hour traffic (on roads that were so slippery I almost lost my balance every time I put my feet down and I constantly watched cars spinning their tires)... and today, riding 300 miles in the low 40's with constant wind and gusts of up to 50+MPH. Not cool. Can't decide which was worse, the wind or the cold... either of them by themselves I could have handled no problem, but the combination was intense. I couldn't relax, couldn't get into a comfortable riding position, and couldn't shake my hands out to warm them up because a wind gust with no warning can easily cause Bad Things at 70MPH. The most annoying part about it all is that I was driving through some really pretty countryside but didn't really get to enjoy it! As the sun started to go down, I decided to call it a day early and make sure I was ...

Camping in a comfort inn in a town called Radford time to get WARM!

Upgraded to three gloves-still crazy cold but I can go further without stopping. Grabbing lunch now, figure one more tank of gas then I will stop early for the day in a motel and take a warm shower. I dont want to be out riding when the sun goes down, just the times when it goes behind the clouds are noticeable enough!

First gas stop about 50 miles from DC. It is freezing cold and even wearing two gloves I have to keep stopping to warm my hands. Plus the wind is insane making it so hard to ride. In summary I am shivering freezing miserable and LOVING IT!

Hitting the road towards Nashville in horrid weather - at least its not as bad as yesterday!

Geared up and ready to leave!

Storage unit COMPLETE!

Returning home for the last time ever... always a weird feeling.

Made it to DCA woot for Five Guys in the terminal!

Sweet. At La Guardia I had to exit and walk to another terminal and now I get to go through security again. adventure!

Woot my first flight is delayed, hope I dont miss my connection now.

Best part of flying! At least I hit New York on the way home and add another state to my trip!

ARRIVED!

Ah my favorite part of Chicago - endless traffic tolls and construction

almost halfway home!

Fifteen miles and already stuck in traffic. Great.

Step one: Virginia to Chicago to return borrowed truck to my family. Off I go!

About to leave my desk for the final time this year!

From October 28 through November 14 I will be on a motorcycle somewhere between Washington DC and San Diego, CA. From November 14 to January 9 I will be somewhere around San Diego, CA. Yay? Click here to see where I've been over the last 24 hours!