Friends | Peaches Prattlings

{September 16, 2026} Day 12: 354.4 Miles, 9:36:21 Hours, 2 Countries, 7 Cities, 2 National Parks, 1 Lake

Day 12 started early, 630am alarm to be exact, we have a long way to go and…get your passports ready kids…we’re going to Canadia! Yes, I know it’s Canada! I worked with someone from there who used to say Canadia and it stuck!

We’re going to Canada, but first…breakfast! Can’t go to another country on an empty stomach! So…we loaded up the bikes, loaded up the people and then went to the Laughing Grizzly Restaurant, Bar & Casino. It was close, the reviews were great, and supposedly the corn beef hash is very popular. We got in, got seated, it was crowded, a lot of Post Malone tshirts, a lot of college students! He had played the Washington-Grizzly Stadium, apparently it was part of the BIG ASS Stadium Tour Part 2, good on ’em. Our server was great! I know we’ve talked about good and bad servers before, but a good server can really make a meal. I wish I could remember our server’s name, but he was one of the good ones, thank you!

On the bikes, we rode through Wye, Polson, through Lakeside, Kalispell, Martin City, Coram, until we got to Glacier National Park!

Riding over a bridge in Polson. Riding through Lakeside. Riding past the Montana Vortex and House of Mystery.

Glacier National Park is a place that DJH, PSM, and I had been to in 2023, I don’t know if you remember me telling you about it back then…there was construction and I don’t mean a wee bit…there was NINE miles of dirt and gravel and we could only go about 5 miles an hour, if that. If you know me and my love of gravel you know I was miserable, but we survived! Thankfully, this trip was not like that!

This was VGT’s first time at Glacier and we were excited to share it with him because, the Going-to-the-Sun Road is 50 miles connecting West Glacier and St Mary and the highest point is Logan Pass at 6,646 feet. It can take about 2 hours without stopping, that is…if you are actually moving more than 2 miles an hour. One of the pluses 3 years ago, aside from the negative construction, was the timed entry. You had to sign up on recreation.gov to get timed entry for the Going-to-the-Sun Road. We had to do this for Cadillac Mountain in Maine, among others. The benefit is there are a limited number of tickets that you can get to cut down on the issues we faced…S L O W MOVING VEHICLES. We spent most of our time starting, stopping, inching, trying not to fall over on the bikes because we were going soooo slowly.

Even going back down it was excruciatingly slow. There were places we would have liked to have stopped to get pics, but everyone else had the same idea and there were no places to pull over. I’ll be honest, the scenery was amazing, but it was also exhausting. I would like to go another time when it’s not so crowded, not sure when that is. I asked a park ranger why they took away the timed entry and it was a bureaucratic answer that she had to give…

Riding through a tunnel. Can you feel how slow we were riding?! The videos don’t do it justice! Look at the snow on the side of the mountain! Green on both sides, snow above!

We rode out of Glacier looking for a place for lunch and ended up in Whitefish, at the edge of Glacier National Park in the Northern Rocky Mountains. We landed at the Bulldog Saloon, a bit bigger than a hole-in-the-wall type of plac,e but definitely a local hangout. There are bulldog pictures everywhere, college pennants and sports memorabilia, and the bathrooms were trippy!

The sign on the ladie’s room door had Notice: The men’s restroom and the first stall of the women’s restroom contain adult material. Please escort children to the second stall of the women’s restroom. Let’s just say, everything outside of the second stall was cheeky and one or two things could make you blush, but they were defintely funny!

Back on the bikes, riding through the Kootenai National Forest, located in the extreme northwest corner or Montana, bordered on the north by Canada and the west by Idaho, guess which one we were headed for?! Just before 7p we crossed the border into Canada! And Oh Canada was it a beautiful ride as we headed towards the Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort in Cranbrook, BC.

Riding into Canada. Look at the mountains! Not a bridge over troubled waters!

We rode into the sunset, but got to the hotel just before, but don’t forget…this is the summer, sunset is about 9p/10p, we have time! It really was a beautiful sunset. Our goal tomorrow is Canmore, BC, which is in the province of Alberta! because the day after, we are getting our bikes serviced in Calgary!

For now friends, it is late and it’s time to crash! Do you see how close Eunice is to 30,000 miles?! I am sooo stoked! I will definitely be getting a picture of that!

We did a lot today! Gotta get some rest, tomorrow’s another grand adventure!

Day 12: July 22 Relive

Day 12: 354+ Miles, 9+ Hours, 2 Countries, 1 National Park, what more could you ask for!? Tomorrow…another province!

{September 15, 2026} Day 11: 355.9 Miles, 7:24:13 Hours, 5 Cities, 2 Lakes, and 1 Pass

Day 11: Get up, pack up, load the bikes, get breakfast, get on the road! Sounds so tedious! HA HA. Since breakfast wasn’t great yesterday, even though it’s included, we found a place while we were out walking last night to dinner.

We loaded up and headed to the Outpost Restaurant, our server served, but not much else. Do you ever get that feeling that your server wished they could be anywhere else in the world than standing in front of you? Do you see the one pic in the collage below ‘If you are grouchy, irritable, or just plain mean, there will be a $10 charge for putting up with you.’ Yeah, that was our server, we tried, but cracking a smile didn’t seem to be his jam, oh well….speaking of jam, I did buy a little jar of their huckleberry jam, it is sooo sweet, but you can only get it in some parts of the US and I wasn’t missing out! Small jar, you never know if you’re going to like it and one of the advantages of motorcycle travel…you only have so much room!

We headed out of West Yellowstone towards Missoula, MT. I just realized, well I probably realized it a long time ago, I should get commission from some places, I always add the web address for the place, hopefully it gives you an idea of where to go and what to do when you get there!

Look at that view!

We rode through Drummond, Bearmouth, and Lolo Hot Springs, all cities and towns in Montana. Looking at these websites for theses places makes me want to pull up a chair and stay a while! Especially in the winter! The images covered in snow, quiet and tranquil look amazing! We rode the Lolo Pass, unfortunately, the visitor center was closed, how do I get my patch, magnet, and sticker?! There are a few theories on how the Lolo Pass got its name, one of them is it’s a nickname or ‘corruption’ of a French name, like Laurence or Laurent and used by 18th or 19th century fur trappers. The Lolo Pass is along US Highway 12 on the Montana-Idaho border. Apparently there is a myth about the Montana-Idaho border, which you can check out here!

As we rode, we passed by Earthquake or ‘Quake’ Lake, which was formed August 17, 1959 when a massive 7.3 magnitude earthquake triggered a huget mountain landslide that dammed the Madison River! We also rode by Hebgen Lake, a scenic man-made reservoir, about 15 to 16 miles log and up to 4 miles wide, reaching a maximum depth of 70 feet, and sits at 6,240 feet abov sea level. Don’t you love learning something new every day?!

Riding by Hebgen Lake. Riding the Lolo Pass. Riding the Lolo Pass back. Highway 12.

I know what I haven’t told you, at least I don’t think I’ve told you… The orange bike is DJH, the black bike is VGT, the white bike is PSM, and my bike is the blue one, which you’ve seen Eunice before!

We stopped at the Bear Cave Bar & Grill, which is part of the Lolo Hot Springs Pools Resort. It was the perfect spot for a break, it wasn’t crowded, the staff was nice, the regulars looked like regulars, and the food was decent, exactly what we needed to take a breather!

Back on the bikes for more twists, turns, switchbacks, twist the wick, hammer down on the throttle to our next destination, the Baymont in Missoula, MT. Very glad we had a reservation because they were sold out, along with almost every other hotel in town. Felt bad because there were a few guys trying to get a room after being on the road for work and someone had messed up on their reservations. We found out the next day, there was a Post Malone concert, and he was joined by Jelly Roll and Carter Faith.

The rooms were comfortable and clean, this was one of the places that DJH stayed by himself, we both admitted it would be a little weird! He was going to miss my back scratching to wake him up! HA HA. No pool, but we could keep our bikes under the porte-cochere, don’t worry, I didn’t know what it was until just now! It’s basically the sheltered area outside the front door of the hotel that helps keeps vehichles protected from the elements and when we’re lucky, the hotels have let us keep our bikes there, to protect from potential rain.

After showers and a bit of a rest, we walked across the parking lot to Sean Kelly’s Stone of Accord Irish Pub! You know I love a good Irish Pub!!! The atmosphere was welcoming, the wait staff charming, the food delicious, he boys all had corned beef and cabbage and were not dissapointed, and Guinness for PSM, of course, happy fella! For me… they had sticky toffee pudding! Sticky Toffee Pudding is a gooey sponge cake drenched in warm toffee sauce. I discovered it on The Great British Bake Off, could have been before that, but…I finally found some when I was in Scotland and fell in love with it! I’ll be honest, it’s not always the easiest to make and sometimes I’ve had it when it tastes burnt, which ruins it, but this was grand!

Best part of the evening…walking back across the street to the hotel! No Uber, taxi, long walk, ride, just a nice liesurely stroll, up to our rooms, relax, maybe work on our Relive videos, and lights out!

Day 11: July 21 Relive

Day 11: 355.9 Miles, 7.24 Hours, 1 Pass, 2 Lakes, tomorrow…shhh..a surprise!

{September 10, 2026} Day 10: 259.5 Miles, 7.5 Hours, 2 States, 5 Cities, 2 National Parks, 1 National Forest, 1 Continental Divide, and 1 Waterfall

Day 10 started nice and liesurely! Why, you may be asking? Because we’re staying at the same hotel another night! Kind of a luxury on this trip, wouldn’t you say?! I think I mentioned that this is the kind of trip where we’re at a new hotel almost every night, so to be able to take it easy, get on the bike, not have to pack up and load the bikes, a treat!

We decided to meet for breakfast at the hotel. When we were there in 2023, we really enjoyed the breakfast, this time, not so much. And that’s ok, we’re here for the hotel, the location, not the breakfast. Oh, I completely forgot! Yesterday was when Spain won the World Cup!

Admittedly, I am not a futbol fan, even though I played in high school, it didn’t stick with me, but… I come from a futbol family! My dad played 4th grade through college at his alma mater, Guildford College in Greensboro, NC! My b-i-l played, and still does, my sister and I both played, and against the school our dad was a coach, both EJS and MGS play, and EJS is playing for Endicott College in Beverly, MA! I told you, I might not play or be a huge fan, I am a fan of my family and love to see them play!

I digress…we happened to have just come from the pool when the final match was on tv and everyone was rivited! Even if you aren’t a futbol fan, the World Cup swept everyone up in the excitement! I was swept up in the excitment as well! We watched the last 15 minutes with everyone else and saw Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time in South Africa to win it all! I will just say WOW!

Back to our regularly scheduled program…That was Day 9! Back to Day 10!

One of the things we realized was we had a little too much in the way of clothing and needed to lighten the load a bit! PSM and I had originally gotten riding pants that would work with all weather, which we decided to nix at the last minute. Since we had already packed and loaded the bikes, we didn’t feel like undoing all that work, so we just threw on another pair of jeans, that was one pair too many. We also had heated vests that we knew we wouldn’t need for more than maybe a day or two, if that, and as much as we might use them for those two days, they were puffy and take up a lot of room. PSM had a leather jacket that was definitely taking up too much room. The thing is, when you’re packing, even though you’re trying to pack as little as possible, you’re still trying to pack for all eventualities. DJH had a bunch of things he also wanted to send home.

So…first stop of the day… Post Office! 8:55a, loaded up the things we were shipping home, got on the bikes, shipped our items, felt lighter, and then we were off for another day of adventure!

We headed into Yellowstone and rode through to our first picture spot, the Continental Divide. The Continental Divide runs for about 115 miles through the southern and western portions of Yellowstone National Park, it separates the Pacific Ocean watershed from the Gulf of Mexico/Atlantic Ocean watershed. 37 sec video, 48 sec video

Next stop, Lewis Falls, While the falls are only 30 feet in height, the width of this waterfall is the full width of the river and is quite impressive. You can often see anglers casting their line just below the falls and from there downstream about 2 miles before the river enters the canyon. It was absolutely stunning, and peaceful, you could feel how much everyone enjoyed it. Doesn’t the sound of the water just fill you with peace and joy?

After a nice respite, back on the bikes and on to Grand Teton National Park. Have you ever wondered how Grand Teton got its name? Better yet, do you know what it translates to? The name Grand Teton comes from the French phrase les trois tétons, which translates to the three breasts or the three teats. In the early 19th century, French-Canadian and Iroquois fur trappers working for the North West Company named the prominent peaks after noticing their resemblance to female breasts. Ya loin’ something new every day! Grand Tetons…unreal!

Next stop…Jackson. I know, I know, you’re asking yourself, but JJ, isn’t it Jackson Hole, WY? Why no, no it’s not! I was schooled while we were there! Jackson is the main incorporated hub located at the southern end of the valley, famous for its elk antler arches at Jackson Town Square. While Jackson Hole is a 55-mile-long valley in western Wyoming framed by the Teton and Gros Ventre mountain ranges, serving as a premier gateway to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Who knew!

The ride through the park was lovely, then we were stuck, and I mean stuck…to get to Jackson we were stuck in traffic trying to leave the park, we were probably sitting for about 30-45 minutes, maybe more, which is not fun by itself, but when you’re sitting on a bike that gives off heat, your calves are near the pipes, and it’s close to 100 degrees, well, I think you get the idea. We finally made it into Jackson and found parking, thankfully! and made our way to the Roadhouse Brewing Company. Ice waters all around for my friends!

After lunch it was time to head back to West Yellowstone. The ride was beautiful and moved a lot faster than getting to Jackson! And we rode through Caribou-Targhee National Forest, this country is just beautiful! When we got back, it was pool, relax, find some food. We went to a Mexican restaurant ant we didn’t really enjoy that much, so no mention here. Video: Ride through Caribou-Targhee National Forest

Back at the hotel, we hung out a bit by the firepit and planned tomorrow’s ride. What more could you ask for?!

Day 10: July 20 Relive

Day 10: 259.5 Miles, 7.5 Hours, Post Office, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, tomorrow…more of the good stuff!

{September 4, 2026} Day 9: 146.1 Miles, 6 Hours, 4 Cities, 1 National Park, Old Faithful

Day 9 started liesurely, I know crazy, right?! I told you PSM was catching up with us and we were going to meet today in West Yellowstone at the hotel, he spent the night in Billings, MT, which was only about 2 hours from where we were at the Comfort Inn Bozeman, he said if he had realized that, he would have joined us last night, go figure!

So…he got up early to head out to meet us, so that would be why we decided to start a little liesurely and we got a text at 945a from PSM “I am here.” You know what I did, right?! If you guessed that I jumped up, ran out the door, down the stairs, and out the front door of the hotel in my jammies and barefoot…you would be correct! One thing you may not know about me, I am a barefoot baby! If I can go barefoot, I will. Needlesss to say…that’s how PSM found me when I literally ran into him! Finally!

Back to the rooms to regroup, get dressed, pack up, take everything downstairs, load the bikes, load the riders, and take off! We headed to Tru North Cafe, it was charming inside and we got there just in time, I snagged a table before we ordered, good thing too! right after we ordered, the line was out the door! PSM and VGT had already eaten, so it was coffee for them and breakfast for DJH and I. Y U M!

We came out and there was a family admiring our bikes, they had 2 small kids and we offered for them to sit on the bikes, gotta love when they get on and get that look on their faces! We are definitely the type of bikers who will allow others to sit on our bikes, some aren’t like that! Never, and I mean never touch someone’s bike or sit on it without asking, that’s just rude! But if someone offers, if you’re game, go for it! Just like the woman we met in Hayes, KS, I’m happy to encourage anyone to get the biker bug!

Back on the bikes, petrol first, then vroom vroom, weeeee! We rode about an hour and we were at one entrance of Yellowstone National Park. PSM, DJH, and I had been there on our 3 week trip in 2023, but VGT had never been, score! And…DJH promised on this trip, we’re going to stop more and take pictures, so far, he’s held true to his word!

The first stop, Fumaroles, an opening in the Earth’s surface that releases hot steam and volcanic gases, oooh! an you see the steam? Thank goodness we weren’t close enough to smell the sulfur! And no…we did not coordinate our shirts, we all just wore something from the red family! 1.5 minute video, 5 minute video

Next, we stopped at the Old Faithful Visitor Center. Old Faithful si noe of nearly 500 geysers in Yellowstone and one of six that the park rangers currently predict! Isn’t that wild! And the reason it’s called Old Faithful? Becuase it errupts with high regularity and predictability! It is so predictable that there is a clock that tells you approximately when the next erruption will be! It errupts every 60 to 90 minutes, and let me tell you, the clock was spot on!

There were so many people gathered, ready for this natural phenomenon, it was set to go off about 10 minutes past 2p and wouldn’t you know it…they truly don’t call it Old Faithful for nutin’! It did not disappoint! There was something so magical about watching it errupt and the effect it had on everyone watching! Isn’t this spectacular?!

After watching Old Faithful with everyone else, we got patches, stickers, and I got my magnet, we headed back to the bikes to head to the hotel, the Kelly Inn, located in West Yellowstone. West Yellowstone is just outside the West Entrance to the park. We stayed at the Kelly Inn 3 years ago on our 3 week trip, we knew we wanted to stay there again.

I will tell you, this is not an inexpensive hotel, but definitely worth it, hence why we stayed here again this trip! This is also the only time we spend two nights in one location! I have to tell you, it’s nice not to have to pack up our stuff and load the bikes the next day! The hotel is charming, they have bear statues all over the property, including climing up the side of the buildings!

We unpacked, then took advantage of the hot tub and pool, regrouping to head out to dinner at a place everyone really loved the last time, Bullwinkle’s Montana Italian Steakhouse & Saloon. The service and the food did not disappoint the second time! We walked around a bit after dinner, the guys were in search of ice cream to cleanse the palate. Then we headed back to the hotel to relax and enjoy the firepits before turning in for the evening. Tomorrow, we’re just riding…

Day 9: July 19 Relive

Day 9: 146 Miles, 6 Hours, Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park! The views! Tomorrow…Grand Teton!

{August 31, 2026} Day 7: 308.2 Miles, 4 Hours, 2 States, 6 Cities, A Bad Meal, A Car/Motorcycle Parade, and a Good Meal!

Day 7 started kind of liesurely, I think I mentioned I had an interview, so we waited for me to complete it before we took off. Since it was going to be a later departure, we slept in until 730a, well, the alarm was set for 730a, DJH is really good at sleeping in, unlike me! We met at the bikes to load up about 8a, then breakfast about 830a, could have been earlier, not sure. And no, I haven’t heard anything about the interview results, after a month, I don’t hold much hope, not losing sleep over it!

We got on the road, destination Riverton, WY, and heading closer to seeing PSM! He would be joining us Sunday! And…DJH put his GoPro mount on my handlebar, and I was going to be taking video of our rides! So…the images should be much better! Some of the pics when I first starting using it might not be the best, but with practice, they definitey got better!

There were some really, really, really, long stretches of road, some pretty, some not so much, but it was wide open road and allowed us to drop the throttle and get up there, wind therapy, here we come! And…if you’re thinking just because we’re moving fast, 99+ degrees is refreshing, hot wind is hot wind, no matter how fast you’re going! We rode from Loveland, CO into Wyoming through Rawlins, The Buttes, and Laporte, CO.

We stopped for lunch in Rawlins, WY, unfortunately, the town was a bit dead and there weren’t a lot of food choices, but we were sticky hot and hungry, so we settled on Shogunz Pizzeria & Bar, the atmosphere was welcoming and the decorations were fun, DJH had a great sandwich, VGT wasn’t thrilled with what he got and I ordered a flatbread, well, a pizza with no cheese and the toppings I asked for weren’t there and what I asked to be removed, there, so, one out of three of us had a good meal. I believe I mentioned that all but a few meals weren’t great, this was one of them. The people were nice and the beverages were cold, that was a big plus!

After lunch, back on the bikes heading towards our destination for the evening, the Super 8 Riverton, it was a place to crash and rest our heads. We rode through Three Forks, finally getting to Riverton, WY. Turns out, they messed up our reservation, they only had 2 king rooms for us, I ended up getting a cot, which was fine for me, and gave DJH the bed. The only bad part for DJH, was that I was right in front of the AC and if he could, he would probably sleep inside it! lol. He loved to turn the air down to 60 no matter where we were! Let me just say… brrrrr!

As we were riding down Federal Blvd towards the hotel, it seemed like everyone from Riverton was setting up their chairs on the road for something, and it looked like Main Street was blocked off for a block party, good for us? Turns out, we arrived just in time for the Rocky Mountain Rebels Car Show and Riveton Rendezvous Balloon Rally weekend! It started with the parade of cars, it went on for a very long time, felt like there were at least 100+ cars, both classic and modern, motorcycles, trucks, busses, you name it, they were there!

As we stood there watching, there was a family next to us, and luckily for them, they were throwing candy from the parade to the spectators, those kids lucked out! After the parade, we were trying to get an Uber to take us to Main Street, but that wasn’t going to happen any time soon. But…we were in luck, County Commissioner Ron Fabrizius and his wife offered us a ride to Main Street! He is a 3rd generation farmer, rancher, and manufacturer. They were lovely people who seemed to know everyone!

We got out at Main Street, walked up and down, looking at the cars, bikes, and other vehicles that had been in the parade. We also tried to go to one or two of the restaurants I had on my list, but they were closed for the event. We ended up at Taqueria Los Amigos, unfortunately, they don’t have a website, but if you’re in Riverton, WY, definitely go! They are at 712 E Fremont Ave, Riverton, WY 82501. They offer authentic Mexican street food, the staff was friendly, and the food was terrific! It wasn’t on my original list, but it is now!

We tried to get an Uber back to the hotel, but…because of the street fair, it was proving very difficult and we eneded up walking back. VGT had taken a shower when we got to the hotel, unfortunately, DJH and I were still in our riding attire and our riding boots, my feet needed to breath! It wasn’t that far from the hotel, just under a mile, but when you rode all day and it was hot and sticky, then walked the few blocks of the street fair, even a quarter mile feels like 20!

All-in-all, a good day of riding that ended with a parade and a festival, what more could you want?! And tomorrow…we’re off to Montana!

Also…this is when I started recording our rides using the Relive app. It’s an app that tracks whatever you ask it, could be hiking, cycling, running, skiing, boating, driving, fishing, you name it, it can probably track it, and for us…motorcycling. It tracks from whenever you click start to finish, and it will add any pictures or videos that you take. It gives stats: Duration, Distance, Elevation. It also shows different cities and states that you enter and cross, speeds you may achieve, and it shows you the route you took. I’m still perfecting how I use it, but I’m going to start including the recordings, I hope you enjoy!

Relive: Day 7

Day 7: 308.2 Miles, 4+ Hours 99+ degrees, and a parade! Tomorrow…Montana!

{August 30, 2026} Day 6: 357.6 Miles, 8.5 Hours, 4 National Forests, 8 Cities, and a Hornet Attack

Day 6 started casually, VGT’s bike was at the dealership getting attended to, so…wake up at 8a, what? oh yeah! You know me, I don’t sleep a lot, and this trip was no different despite riding for 6/8/10/12 hours, some nights I just couldn’t sleep past 3 or 4am, fun…

We met at 830a for breakfast at the hotel, took our time, when we were done we went outside to sit on the patio, finish our coffee and tea, chat, and just enjoy the liesurely morning. At one point DJH went inside for something and VGT and I moved to another table, all of a sudden I felt something, turns out it was a hornet, actually several hornets…not sure if you can see how swollen my wrist became, but it wasn’t fun. And boy howdy did it hurt! We looked under the table and there were 2 nests, terrific. When we went inside, I told the front desk, they said they would take care of it, but…I spoke with a maintenance worker who was stung last week, and told the hotel…

I put some ice on it, which helped a little. VGT looke up stings and ice and a wet teabag were the immediate solution, and it helped a lot! As the days wore on, I realized there were more and more stings, I lost count after 7!!! Eventually the swelling and itching went down and then away.

When VGT got word that his bike was ready, I offered my bike to ride over and I jumped on the back of DJH’s, that was surreal, I’m not usually on the back of a bike. When we got to the Teddy Morse’s Grand Junction Powersports, I asked VGT what he thought, first thing he said “Can you say back rest?!” I don’t have one and I don’t really mind. When I have my bag strapped to the bike, then I use that as a back rest, but the rest of the time, I’m ok.

VGT went to the service area and DJH and I walked inside, first thing I see…little Amira, an 11 week old Doxie puppy. What a doll baby! We walked around, DJH needed a new rain jacket and I got a t-shirt, just a momento from the dealership. PSM and I have a stupid number of dealer t-shirts, it’s a great way to remember where we’ve been and we have quite a few Harley Davidson ones, especially if there isn’t an Indian Motorcycle dealership nearby. Well, VGT was ready to roll and we all headed back to the hotel to load up and take off!

And they’re off! We headed out on I70W, a major westbound highway that spans about 2,150 miles across the United States, running from Maryland to Utah. We rode through Fruitvale, Paraschute, Silt, White River National Forest, Dotsero, McCoy, and a bunch of unknown locations until we stopped for gas at this really charming gas station, Egeria Fuel Station and Liquor Store in Toponas, CO, very unassuming on the outside, but inside, the front had all these great framed alcohol advertisement images, and quite the colleciton of wine, hard alcohol, and moonshine, just to name a few, for sale. And the guy who worked there…charming! I bought PSM some wee dram bottles of things I knew he liked and one local for him to try. Since I’m not sure what he would like, outside of what we have at home, I never buy him anything more than a nip bottle, just in case it’s not his cup o’ tea, so to speak!

We rode on and stopped in Walden for petrol, more unnamed roads, Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Arapaho National Forest, Roosevelt National Forests, and Pawnee National Grassland, you could see where some of the wild fires had taken its toll on the trees, and finally making it to Loveland, CO, where we were spending the evening at the Hampton Inn Loveland.

We got settled in, DJH and I went for a dip in the pool, VGT went to grab a shower and a rest. Eventually I called an Uber and we went to the Lazy Dog Bar & Grill. Our driver to the Lazy Dog Bar & Grill was great, very chatty, in a good way, talking about Loveland and other things, our driver back to the hotel, not a fan…the music was really loud, don’t get me wrong, I like the volume in my car to be up so loud the mirrors shake, but I’m alone, not driving other people around, hoping for a tip… just saying…

The Lazy Dog Bar & Grill was enjoyable! The atmosphere was great, it was a sports bar, but it was also very dog themed! All the pics on the walls were dogs, the signs for the restrooms, you name it, it was kitschy and I loved it! The food, really good. So far… except for the first night, we’ve had some great meals!

Back to the hotel, let’s get some laundry done, it’s about time! A later start to the day tomorrow, I have an interview at 1130a local time, so…breakfast at 8a, I’ll do my interview and then we’ll head out!

Day 6: 357.6 Miles, 8.5 Hours, hot temps, a hornet attack… tomorrow Wyoming!

{August 26, 2026} Day 2: 351 Miles, 4 States, Hello Kansas! Day 3: 494 Miles, 2 States, Hello Colorado!

Day 2: KSU [don’t forget, that’s kick stands up! and I’ll remind you a few more times, and then you’re on your own!] 7a. We were very done with this hotel, it was time to get going!

We packed up the bikes and we were off, first stop… gas, we didn’t get a chance when we got to the hotel because it was raining and we were done. We try to get gas just before we get to the hotel so we don’t have to think about it in the morning, we can just get up and go.

We decided to get on the road and stop for breakfast somewhere on the road. We rode for almost 2 hours, about 140 miles. We took I-70W, crossed into Illinois, you may have noticed that I have screenshots from when we cross a state line, it’s dorky, but it’s something I enjoy trying to catch. I love the icons they use for each state and I just found a site that has all of them!

We were looking for a place to eat and get gas, first order of business…gas, then food. There was a sign on the highway about the world’s largest golf tee in Casey, Illinois, we were SO close, but didn’t go to see it, but…we did pass by the Giant Antlers in Casey, Illinois! One of these days we’re going to visit every silly world’s largest things! Did I tell you a few years ago, when we lived in Missouri, we went to see the world’s largets bottle of Catsup?! It’s actually a water tower, but who cares! It was sooo cool!

Not finding food at that exit, we got back on the highway, found a gas station, then I got a text from DJH, he was at Niemerg’s Steak House in Effingham, IL, holding a table for us! Sounds good! The joint was jumpin’! We had a good breakfast, made up for the crappy evening we had, we are off to a good start!

After breakfast, we got back on the bikes and headed towards Kansas, riding through Missouri. As we were riding, we were passing a lot of the places PSM and I had spent time in while we lived in Missouri, it was bringing back such good memories, we really did enjoy our time there, we made the most of what Covid tried to shut down, we didn’t let that stop us! We stopped for gas near where PSM was headed for the week and here we said see ya, So long. Farewell. Auf wiedersehen. Aloha. Did that sound a little like the Sound of Music, you’re welcome! But sadly…we had to say see you soon to PSM, got back on the bikes, we headed towards Kansas and he was…. let’s just say… outta there!

A few hours later we crossed into Kansas and about 4p we were at the Ramada Topeka Downtown. It was a decent hotel, it reminded me a little of an Embassy Suites, where the rooms open over the center courtyard of the hotel. We got to our rooms, explored a little, ended up in the basement and when we got off the elevator, this statue scared the you-know-what out of DJH and I! At first it really looked like a person! I went to take a picture with it, pretending to sit on its lap and the entire top half moved, no thanks!

We got settled into the rooms, DJH and I took advantage of the pool and hot tub, some took a nap, then showers, I ordered an Uber, we were NOT getting back on the bikes! Let’s just say, when we got to our hotels, if we didn’t eat at the hotel, unless the restaurant was less than a 5 minute walk, it was Uber or taxi for us! It was the start of steaks, steaks, and more steaks! Not for me, no, but the fellas! There would be a lot of steaks on this trip! We went to The Weather Room, for dinner, the guys had steaks, and I had a really good strawberry and spinache salad, not as good as my mom’s but good! and grilled asparagus, I was very happy!

Then it was call an Uber, head back to the hotel for some well deserved R&R! The people in Topeka were very nice, both of our Uber drivers, the wait staff at the restaurant, the hotel staff, but downtown Topeka, there was a lot of construction happening, but not much else, unfortunately. It looked like it would be a nice city to explore, when they finish renovating.

Day 2: 351 Miles, Sunny Skies!

Day 3: Meet at the bikes at 7a, load the bikes, grab some breakfast, then take off by 8a. The woman at the front desk when we checked in, very nice, raved about the breakfast, we think she over sold it! But…we had some food, then it was KSU at 8a, we were heading to LaJunta, Colorado.

One of our stops, about lunch time, was in Hayes, KS. While I was pumping gas, a woman at the next pump started asking me questions about my bike and riding, she was about my height, and I let her sit on my bike to get a feel for it. She was very nice, she actually approached me and said “This might be creepy, but you’re about my height and that’s a big bike! could I ask you some questions?” Of course! We chatted for a while, her husband is 6’3 and rides a much bigger bike, she’s interested in learning and she showed me the bike she was looking to buy for a first bike, a very good choice!

We chatted for a few more minutes and she gave us a recommendation for lunch, Thirsty’s Grill and Pub, that’s where she was going! sounds good. We went and it did not disappoint! In the waiting area to the side, they had a red pickup truck, kids version, of course we had to pile into it! I tried to get in, I was able to get my head in, that’s all, so we piled on the truck bed! We got a table, and it was an eclectic place. Sports bar, lots of tvs, KS Chiefs memorabelia, astroturf looking floor, a stage with a piano, then decorated like a beach hut, driving scenes painted on the wall, and Marilyn Monroe. While we were there, I saw the woman from the gas station, we greeted each other like old friends! The food was as good as she said!

Back on the bikes and a few hours later, we crossed into Colorado! I was home! Some amazing winding roads we were on, DJH knows how to make what could be a boring road more fun. We stopped for gas and finally made it to the Hampton Inn La Junta. Unfortunately, the pool was not available, they were having some issues, no worries, cool showers for us! Then regroup and walk across the parking lot to Felicia’s Mexican Restaurant. The service was good, food was good, wait staff friendly, what more could you want?! Back to the hotel to crash and do it all again tomorrow!

Do you know those videos ‘tell me you xx without telling me you xx’? Well…look at my picture “Tell me you ride a motorcycle without telling me you ride a motorcycle!” This was just Day 3, more to come!

Day 3: 494 Miles, Sunny Skies, Hot Wind, Hot Weather, and it’s only getting hotter!

Tomorrow… Durango…then the real fun begins! G’night!

{January 2, 2026} What a trip! What a year!

Oh, my friends, so much has happened since we last spoke! But where do I begin?!

There were motorcycle trips, family trips, father-daughter trips, local trips, international trips, auntie-niece trips, friend trips, cross country trips, graduations, birthday milestones, college, vow renewal, oh my! We met new people, reconnected with old friends [notice I didn’t say old people!], put some miles on the vehicles, retired other vehicles, dreamed, worked, didn’t work, worked again, all within the span of 365 days. That’s a year, right? We all know math isn’t my strong suit, but I do know that much.

I’m going to tell you some stories of travel, of milestones, but that will take time and I want to jump right in, so… I’ll give you one or two milestones per month and then I’ll tell you more as the year goes on, sound fair?

January 2025: PSM and I spent the last year of 2024 and the first week of 2025 in Hawai’i. GES, ACS, MGS, and EMS joined us on the Big Island for a week, we got to see Mauna Loa erupting, toured Volcano National Park, swam with manta rays, we rang in the new year riding motorcycles up some challenging roads, and before we left, did some stargazing at the Mauna Kea observatory, before biding farewell again to our beloved Hawai’i. ACS turned 54, I always say he’s my older younger brother!

February 2025: I drove to Atlanta to participate in the Hot Chocolate 15k again, and each year I say I’m not going to do it again, and what did I do? Signed up for 2026! I got to visit with some friends and family in Atlanta and on my drive there and back. We took a family trip to NYC with dad, GES, ACS, EMS, and MGS, went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, walked through Central Park, went to a revival of Chiacgo, attended a memorial for a beloved family member. End of February, PSM got a new motorcyle.

March 2025: EMS turned 18! O M G!!! What a celebration! Where does the time go?! We explored Strasburg and discovered so much about the railrold and Pennsylvania’s impact! We even participated in a murder mystery train ride! We rode our bikes to Gettysburg and went to the National Military Park Museum, what an experience! And… they had air conditioning! That may have been the best part! PSM took said new motorcycle to Daytona Bike Week.

April 2025: SDL, Miss A, and I went to Amsterdam to celebrate Miss A’s 15th birthday! What a trip that was! The day I left for Amsterdam was my last day with IBX, I was a free woman! Came home in time to celebrate Passover with the family in Boston. While I looked for a job, I took the dogs for lots of walks at the Reading Arboretum, even got to take some friends with us! Spring was just beginning! We drove our two beetles to Volkfest, VWs for miles! We participated in a Biker Blessing with the Lebanon Valley Motorcycle Club. Not to mention trying new restaurants and distilleries here and there, but that’s every month!

May 2025: MGS turned 15! Just wow! Another great celebration! Dad and I flew to Edinburgh, Scotland to meet GES there for our first father-daughters trip! Dad even got to hang with the pilots on the way back! I finally got to pet a Scottish Highland COOOO!!! We toured Edinburgh and Glasgow, what an AMAZING trip! So amazing, we decided we needed to do another father-daughters trip again in 2026! I’ll keep you posted! We did a ladies carnival motorcycle ride with friends, a memorial day ride to the National Cemetary, then we had one of our trees cut down in our backyard. Went to Boston to…help throw my BABY sister a 50th, yes, I say BABY SISTER FIFTIEITH birthday party! That’s a WOW! And boy was she surprised! The same weekend, we took pictures with MGS after she got ready for THE PROM!

June 2025: Rode my motorcycle to Boston, first solo trip on a motorcycle that far! MUCH to celebrate! MGS graduated high school! We had a graduation party for said graduate! We got to celebrate my sister’s 50th birthday! I got to hug and kiss her on the date of her birth, and remember when we brought her home from the hospital in 1975! Then I got on my bike and rode home in the rain, as soon as I got to New Jersey, the sky cleared up, go figure! We had a new roof put on ourhouse, part of the reason we had to remove the tree in May. A classic car show and more motorcycle rides. Towards the end of June, we drove to Boston to surprise our friend’s son-in-law who was being deployed, it was great to spend time with friends and family, on the way back, we stopped at Tree House Brewing Company to bring some goodies back to one of the guys at Hernley’s Indian Motorcycle.

July 2025: Did I mention one of the great things about being between gigs…being able to meet dad for lunch during the week, exploring new places to meet and eat! PSM had a birthday, not telling you any more about that! I rode to spend a weekend with CWB, then rode my bike in the blistering heat, no thank you, then I rode into Manhattan to see Jinx Monsoon, one of my favorite drag queens, in The Pirates of Penzance, a show my grandmother took me to as a kid! And…I found vegan NY style pizza at Zillions Pizza! OMG! At home, we had our 4th bay cemented and finished out the blacktop on the driveway. I also got to swim in our neighbor’s pool, loverly! And best of all, well, so much is great, but…July 31, 2025, just over 3 years since I bought Eunice, my 2022 Indian Super Chief Limited, she hit 20,000 miles!

August 2025: We rode to the Berkshires in Massachusettes to spend dad’s 83rd birthday with him! It was great! We went to the Normal Rockwell Museum, The Clark Art Institute, Ventforth Hall, Chesterwood, Tanglewood for a concert, The Red Lion Inn for his birthday dinner, the Berkshire Botanical Garden, Frelinghuysen Morris House & Studio, and Williams College of Art. We were only there only 5 days! At home, we had the entire area where the tree had been done over into a beautiful landscape. K&D N came to visit for a weekend, PSM got DN on the back of his bike and KN rode mine, first time DN had been on a bike in a long time, she enjoyed it and felt safe! Here’s hoping for a weekend trip! We rode up to Wellsboro, PA, the Grand Canyon of PA with the Lebanon Valley Motorcyle Group, got to walk on the Kinzua Creek Skywalk, wow! The last week of August, I drove with a friend I met recently at the park with her dog, Oscar, across country to help her move from PA to Shelton, WA. We loaded up the trailer, suv, the dog, and the cat, and we were off! We even got to celebrate her birthday when we got there! We became fast friends and travel companions, and I’m happy we’re still friends! And JM, our nephew, started veterinary school in St Kitts! Good luck to him! We’re coming to visit, promise!

September 2025: First weekend of September, PSM and I rode up to Jim Thorpe, PA with some friends and took the scenic railroad to see the fall folliage, it was stunning! Unforatunely, I got some heartbreaking news the same day, it was rough riding home and for a while after that. Second week of September, we rode with RC to Ocean City, MD for Bike Week. Great ride down and back, some fun rides in between, and RC’s son joined us for part of it. I got to put my feet in the ocean on many beaches, we went to Assateague State Park to see the beach and wild horses. We got back and went to the famous Hinklefest, then discovered a new place for dinner. PSM started a new position at Bayer! Wahoo! He’s going to be traveling from time to time! Our friends D & M came for a weekend and we did some riding, went up to Hawk Mountain and saw some amazing birds, took them on some fabulous back roads, truly spectacular. I snuck in an interview for a long term training gig. Towards the end of September, we went to Boston for the holidays, then a car show in Myerstown. Since we’re adding birthdays, I turned 54, seriously?!

October 2025: I drove to Boston for the holidays and the Jimmy Fund Walk. I got to see PSM’s family that were in for the holiday, split my time between my our families, I represented! While I was there, I got the call that I got the gig! I will now be commuting from Lebanon, PA to Long Island, NY! Got to see EMS play in a college futbol game, she was great! Did the Jimmy Fund Walk with ACS’ Pink Warriors, and found the placard that dad and I were quoted on! Went out one night before I left and celebrated September and October birthdays with my sister’s friends, they’ve adopted me! I started the new gig by spending a week in NYC watching some training classes. On the way home one Friday, I went to a celebration of life for a friend that I had lost, his birthday is coming up in February, smiling. PSM and I went to the Golden Age Air Museum and took a ride in a bi-plane! I am SO proud of him! His brother and s-i-l drove their RV to PA and we met them in Bethlehem for brunch and then we toured the National Museum of Industrial History. PSM got a new truck! She’s pretty!

November 2025: We started November off by dancing the night away at the LVMC Halloween Party! PSM had his runes read at The Drunken Smithey’s Faerie Fest, we had some of the absolute best pancakes we have ever had at The Brickerville House, then drove to New Hampshire for the week of Thanksgiving, enjoyed some snow, baked several mock apple pies, visited his uncles, spent part of Thanksgiving with his side and the other part with my side. We also got to see K&D N, we love spending time with them, even got to see one of their kids while we were ther, where does the time go?! PSM was traveling so I had the dogs with me in NY before we left for Thanksgiving, they kept me company, they were great in the car there and back. We’re not sure what happened on the way to NH, but it turns out Bee might not be great for long car rides anymore. They were definitely happy to be home!

December 2025: Back and forth to Long Island, some of my travel days were awful! 4 hours there, but 5-7 hours home, no thanks! All good, we worked out a decent travel schedule for me! The best part about going back and forth, I stop at dad’s on the way there or the way back home. Sometimes it’s for lunch or dinner, sometimes it’s just to say hello and get a hug, whatever it is, it’s worth it! GES & ACS celebrated 21 years of marriage, I can’t wait for them to see what we got them! It didn’t make it in time to send to them before we went on vacation, but dad is taking it to them this weekend! Speaking of leaving…PSM and I drove to a Doubletree near JFK on Friday, December 19th, and VERY early Saturday, December 20th, we started our annual 2 week end of year holiday in… Grenada! What an amazing trip that was! The weather, the sand, the surf, the ocean, the fish, the people, both the locals and our fellow vistors, and the food. I will tell you all about it, promise! We brought in the new year at the top of a hill and it was spectacular! Some of you who are reading this as we speak are new friends we made when we were in Grenada. The funniest question I got from someone…what’s in Grenada besides you two?! Well… I’m gonna tell you…but not tonight!

For now, I am going to sign off and grab a few winks, it’s late, I’m a little knackered, my fingers are a little sore from ‘talking’ so much! I have to tell you, I’m excited to be talking to you again and I look forward to a long, happy, and healthy relationship!

A Happy, Healthy, and Wonderful New Year to you my friends! May 2026 bring you all you hope for and more! Good night!

{February 14, 2025} February 14th…a bittersweet day

I say bittersweet because there is much sweet and a little bitter.

Let me start with the obvious, February 14th is Valentine’s Day, also called Saint Valentine’s Day, or the Feast of Saint Valentine. It began as a tribute to a martyr, but it has transformed into a cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of love and romance in many parts of the world. No shade to anyone who celebrates and enjoys the sentiment, I, myself am a sucker for romance. When I can shower my loved ones with love, what could be wrong?!

There was the St Valentine’s Day Massacre in 1929, when Chicago’s Northside Gang lost seven of their members, on the plus side, sort of?, it inspired the Paper Lace’s 1974 song The Night Chicago Died. On the happier side, Valentine’s Day has inspired countless stories, movies, tv show episodes, books, songs, and a feeling of joy.

For me…aside from showing my loved ones how I feel, there are three things that stick in my mind. One, I was a part of from the beginning, one I wasn’t there for, but I can wish them well, and one, I’m getting to the point I can smile. I’m going to share, happy, sad, then happy, that will be a good way to end this post.

My friend JCT and her husband celebrate their wedding anniversary today, isn’t that wonderful?! A day about love and they get to wish each other love and happiness on a whole different level. I’ve known JCT and JT, yeah, I just realized that myself!, for 16 years! WOW! I met JCT when I started working for a company that hired me as a trainer, my first official software trainer gig, and it just went from there!

I met her and two other people I am still good friends with today. We traveled together to different locations training for a soft drink company, she and I hit it off like gangbusters. I still remember her calling me that Thanksgiving about 12am, could have been later, telling me that she was going to Walmart to buy a laptop for Black Friday. I thought she was nuts, but why not, I’ll come and keep you company!

I ended up hanging with her while her husband was at some other store getting some other Black Friday deal. After we took our winnings with us, I introduced her to Waffle House! And a tradition was born! NO! That was my one and only Black Friday middle of the night waiting for a deal experience, thank you very much! No, it was let’s go to Waffle House! Once I left Georgia, I didn’t always have access to Waffle House, so…when I would visit Atlanta, someone, didn’t matter who, and they would take turns, someone…was taking me to Waffle House! Y U M!

I met JCT, then met her husband, JT, then their daughter, STY, she was about 8 or 9 at the time, wow! and JCT’s mom, who has become another mom to me. And now, they are my extended family and I love them for it. When I visit Atlanta, they are on my list of people to see and crash with, they welcomed me in and the door is always open. And mom keeps trying to fatten me up with some amazing, wonderful, and tasty Chinese treats, again…Y U M! Happy Anniversary JCT and JT, here’s to many, many, many, many more wonderful years together.

Next, I don’t know if you remember me telling you about the passing of a dear friend of mine, AGM, on Valentine’s Day. Kind of fitting, he was so very loved and when we all came together for the funeral, it was a definite celebration of his life and how much he loved and was loved. I still think about him and as time passes, it gets a little easier to smile when thinking about him.

Well, when you think about his life and when we were younger, it’s easy to smile, at the things he did and said and how he made you feel. And that’s what I’m doing, as we speak, I’m sitting here, writing about him and I’m smiling at the memories from high school, running and jumping up into his arms, he was so much taller than me, but who wasn’t?! Sometimes he’d catch me and twirl me around, other times, we’d fall to the ground…always said he fell for me every time.

AGM, I miss you, and I love you, thank you for being in my life and a part of it, and letting me be a small part of yours.

The last, I said would be happy… is Gotcha Day for SDL and Miss A! That is the day the adoption was official and they were officially a family. And me, of course! I became Auntie George the second I found out about Miss A! SDL and I had been talking about adoption for so long and it took a long time getting there, but she got there. I’ll never forget the day SDL sent a picture to her mom and I saying ‘how would you like to see your potential granddaughter/niece?’ oh boy…did our hearts melt!

I knew SDL’s parents from a few of their visits, but as soon as the adoption process got underway, a new family was born, yes, they adopted me too! It was me, mom-mom, pop-pop, and auntie D who went to the airport to pick up SDL and Miss A and oh wow, did we all melt into the floor when they got off the plane! And they have been stuck with me ever since!

SDL, Miss A, and I have had some grand adventures! Whenever I visit Atlanta, I am at their house, sometimes for a week, sometimes it’s my home base, then we’ve gone on some great trips! They visited me when I was on the road, traveling for work, New Orleans, we visited Elvis together, NYC, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, last year we went to London, there are more adventures in our future, and you know I’ll tell you all about them! I could go on and on, but I have to end this post at some point!

Today is a very special day, there are people in my life that bring me such happiness and joy just by existing. My husband, my family, who are related by blood and marriage, my kids, grandkids, my friends who are my chosen family, I am going to get cheesy…I want to send love into the universe, I know I tell them every time I see them, talk to them, text, I never want to let a moment go by that I don’t tell them how much they mean to me, today and every day.

I started to say some very cheesy things and while that’s me, I just want to say, I love you all, thank you for being you and allowing me to be me, yeah, that’s cheesy enough. Happy Heart Day to all!

{February 9, 2025} Let’s head north! Stop in NC, and drive 10 hours, what did you do today?!

Got up, waited for SDL and Miss A to get up, took a shower, packed, hugs and kisses all around, and headed out. My goal was to leave between 8 and 9am and I split that down the middle! I was out the door at 830a exactly! Highly unusual for me, btw!

I got on the road and headed to meet MM at Nellie’s Southern Kitchen in Belmont, NC, a little over 3.5 hours from SDL’s house, no problem. I stopped for gas, got something at Starbucks along the way, oh, and dropped the top on the beetle bug, it was 77 degrees out after all! Yes, I said 77, don’t get too jealous, I told you it was that fabulous all week, but…I was heading back to the frozen tundra, so…

We found each other at Nellie’s, sat down and started catching up. The beautiful thing about our relationship, like many of my friendships, it doesn’t matter how much time there’s been between visits, we pick up where we left off.

Nellie’s was nice, when I went to the restroom, I was looking at all the decorations, and there is a hallway that had a lot of Jonas Brothers memorabilia, photos, press releases, newspaper and magazine covers, gold records, albums, and I looked it up, the restaurant was started by Kevin Jonas Sr, his wife Denise, and their four sons. The restaurant is named for the Jonas Brothers great-grandmother Nellie Jonas, go figure!

It has a nice atmosphere and feel, it was crowded, you definitely need a reservation, there was live music and a general warm feeling. It helped that it was a very warm day in Belmont, NC, so people were not only in Nellie’s but crowding the small town’s streets.

After lunch, we walked around town, there was even a winter market in the park. I have to chuckle because a winter market implies winter temperatures, we were with everyone else in shorts and tee shirts walking around enjoying the 77 degree winter weather!

After a bit, it was time to get back on the road, I had another 8 hours of driving, best get to it! MM and I hugged our goodbyes, I got in the car, plugged in my phone, dropped the top and away we went, and by we, me and Black Betty, the beetle bug!

Something PSM and I do when we drive, we go until we’re at about half a tank, pull off the road, fill up, take care of business, maybe get a drink, and generally get the wiggles out, then back on the road, it makes the trip easier and you get to move around a bit.

It was great, it was about 77 degrees out most of the drive, I had the top down, sometimes listening to a podcast, sometimes blasting my music and dancing down the highway, what could be better! Don’t get too jealous, as soon as I got close to West Virginia, the temperature dropped, and quickly. It went from 77 to 65, then 60 in a flash, I got to West Virginia, pulled in for gas, and all of a sudden, it was 55! So…top back up and back on the road.

I drove through 7 states total, Georgia > South Carolina > North Carolina > Virginia > West Virginia > Maryland > Pennsylvania. By the time I got home…it was somewhere between 25 and 30 degrees, see…told you not to get jealous! One of the things I love about using Google Maps is when you cross a state line you get the pop up “Welcome to…” and whatever icon would represent that state. My phone did something funky just as I was crossing the border into Pennsylvania, hence, no Welcome to… oh well…

I pulled into the driveway about 1030p, it was clear, thanks to PSM who spent FOUR hours on Sunday breaking through the ice and snow, THANK YOU! I made it into the barn, unloaded my bags, headed into the house and got attacked by puppy love, not a bad way to be!

I can drive for a long time as long as it’s daylight, I’m ok at night, but if it’s been a super long drive, that last hour can be tough. Sometimes I pull into rest areas and service stations a little more often, but I make it to my destination.

Overall, not a bad day, I know it took closer to 11 hours total driving, but it wasn’t bad. Come on, what could be bad with a convertible and manual transmission?! Come with me next time, we’ll drop the top, blast the tunes and say wheeeeee!

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