The Ride Home From Seattle to Pittsburgh (Four Months Later)

It has taken me four months to sit down and write this but I finally got it down on paper.

During the Summer of 2010 I completed the second half of my crossing of the United States the on the Lincoln Highway. The Lincoln Highway Terminus is located in Lincoln Park not far from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. After completing the trip I rode the pacific coast to Seattle where I visited with some friends.


When it was time to go home I decided to take US 2 out of Seattle through the Cascade Mountains. Route Two passes through the Stevens Pass Greenway. It is one of two east-west highways with mountain passes open year-round in Washington State. The 105-mile Stevens Pass scenic byway winds through the rugged, forested Cascade Mountains and runs beside Skykomish and Wenatchee rivers along most of its length. The rivers running along the highway provided a beautiful view over every hill and around every turn.







If you are ever out this way please make certain to take some time to visit the town of Leavenworth. It is a reproduction of a German village high in the hills with a Bavarian tourism theme. Totally gorgeous and well worth the time spent.



Through Montana, US 2 passes through three Indian reservations, Most of the Montana segment of runs close to the northern BNSF Railway main line. It is in Montana where you understand the term "Big Skies" Riding across the Northern Plains on a Harley Tour Bike reminded me of the Seger song "Roll Me Away"

Took a bead on the northern plains
and just rolled that power on.

All you can see are fields of gold with the two lane black top of US 2 staring you down, daring you to keep those wheels a turnin'.








As I was riding from Idaho into Montana the trip took a slight detour. Just outside of Montana I stopped for coffee at a road stop. While there I made conversation with other travelers and some locals. When they see a Pennsylvania plate on a motorcycle they are always interested in what you are doing. One of the perks of traveling solo is that people will approach you and start conversing whereas if you are with a group this will not happen.

As I was ready to leave the rest area I spotted something on the ground about forty feet away. I rolled my bike over to find a wallet. The wallet had a drivers license, a military ID and some of the basic stuff you would find in a mans wallet. I looked for a phone number but had no luck and besides up in these hills there is little cell service. I figured it was lost or stolen and tossed since there was no money. I threw it in my pack and figured I would send it to back through the U.S. Mail with a nice note telling him where I found it.

As I was riding, I kept thinking that this guy is probably going crazy looking for his lost wallet. I pulled over to see where he lived. Turned out he was from Missoula Montana. The town of Missoula was south of US 2 and was a slight detour for me but I decided to make the delivery. It was the least I could do for a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army. So I set my GPS to the address listed on his drivers license and off I went not knowing what I would eventually find.



With the sun starting its descent into the evening sky, into Missoula I rolled. I made a turn onto his street which was a typical small town street. As I rolled down the street near his house a middle age woman was standing in the driveway speaking to two younger woman in an SUV. The sound of my Harley caught their attention and they were all staring. When I turned into their driveway, stopped and took off my helmet they almost became slightly alarmed.

I politely introduced my self as Chris from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and that I was there to speak to the Nathan because I had something that belonged to him. Before I could finish my sentence they started screaming and cheering and repeatedly kept asking me where I found it. Within a moment, Nathan appeared and was walking down the sidewalk asking me where I found it. He was in total disbelief. He stated that he searched and searched and was getting ready to call his credit card companies to report the cards as lost. Turns out the wallet popped out of his pocket when he was pulling the leash for his dog that was also tucked in his back pocket. The dog took off and he quickly ran after it losing his wallet in the process.



He then began to ask me what he could give me and my reply was "nothing, it is the least I could do for a member of our armed forces". It turns out that Nathan had already served four tours in Afghanistan. A few moments later Nate's father came outside, on his hat it said U.S. Marines, Vietnam 69-74. Again, his father asked what he could do for me and my reply was I owe more to you than you could ever give to me. I explained to them that I truly felt this way and they graciously accepted my reply. They are a family of true patriots and have given more to our country than we could ever realize. We are all indebted to them for their service.

Without a doubt this was the best part of my 18 day trip. I quit blogging after this portion because it just could not get any better.

Nathan, Merry Christmas to you and your family and Stay safe where ever you are.

Rt 2 out of Seattle

On Wednesday Morning bright and early I will leave Seattle via I5 North and then start my trek home via Rt2. This road will take me through some great scenic areas right to Glacier National Park and the "Going to the Sun Road" This should be good.

Today, Tuesday, July 27th I met up with Mick Watson in Everett, WA. Mick is a member of the forum www.saxontheweb.net and has been a very strong supporter of my Saxophone Charity Project www.Saxothon.org

We went to visit Sarge at World Wide Saxophones to view his shop and check out some great old saxes. Sarge agreed to get on board with my charity effort and volunteered to prepare on of my saxophones that will be going to a needy and deserving student. THANKS Sarge!

After visiting Sarge and his shop Mick and I went to lunch at Everett's best cajun restaurant...Alligator Soul. I had a great Shrimp Po Boy.
http://www.alligatorsoulrestaurant.com/

Seattle is a great town to visit although the traffic is much like any large metro area.

Until next time
CH

Days 12 and 13

The last few days have been spent in Seattle visiting my friends Bryen and John. They have a number of Bull Terriers and I feel at home with all of the dogs. Their old dog Venus was from my Cleo's first litter of pups over 9 years ago. It is good to see old friends.

I went to North East Harley Davidson to get my oil changed. On Tuesday I will be going to Everett Washington to visit with Sarge from World Wide Saxophones. A friend of mine Mick, who has helped raise funds for my saxophone charity is from the area and has set up the visit. Sarge has a great collection of vintage saxes that most any saxophonist would give their right arm.

I will take off to go home on Wednesday morning. The last main part of the ride will be a ride through Glacier National Park on the "Going to the Sun Road. This should be a good one.

Thant's all until Wednesday Night.

Chris

Day 11 /July 24th

Day 11 July 24th

North Bend (Oregon Dunes) to Cascade Locks, Oregon.

The temperatures were below 50 degrees as I started to make my way North on Highway 101. When I first woke up it was really cold but when hit the road it “warmed up” a tiny bit so I thought I would give it go. It did not take long on the bike to realize that I would need more layers to keep warm. I did over 100 miles when I made the decision to go inland where the temps were 90 to 100.

The coast of Oregon is just plain gorgeous with its rocky cliffs. The Pacific Ocean crashes to shore over the rocks and is something to see. The problem is that when you are riding a motorcycle it is not as easy to observe the surroundings because you need to worry about the road. Much of the road is right on the edge with large cliffs. Small beach towns dot the shore with camps and bed and breakfast type establishments available. During the busy season you need to make reservations or get off the road early before these places fill up.

To those considering running the coastline I would advise you to go from North to South. The reason, most of your turns will be to the right to the scenic overviews as opposed to having to cross traffic when you are going south to North. Just a thought.
The day ended at the potluck dinner of the Oregon Coast Bull Terrier Club. When building my schedule I realized that I would be near Portland during the weekend of their specialty show. Although I did not go to the show I did attend their Saturday night dinner. It was good to see some people that I know. Naomi Waynee, Libby Martin, Bob Myall and the Alexanders were in attendance in addition to the Oregon club members. Thank you for allowing me to attend your event.

Before I went to the dinner I stripped the luggage off of my bike and emptied the saddle bags. Without the Airhawk pad and the weight of the luggage it seemed like I was riding a totally different bike.

Another note… It amazes me how many bikers do not use hand signals when riding. I have found that it is easy for drivers to ignore your turn signal but they do move back when you use hand signals. Time and time again when I use my arms to signal the car in my intended lane will slow down and allow me to safely change lanes.

The other item that you see here and not nearly as much back is east are the HIGH VISIBILITY jackets in orange and safety yellow. I was surprised to see the number of riders, young and old riding all different makes wearing this effective safety device. I wear a Hi-Vis orange jacket that was made by Harley Davidson. I have been told by many on this trip that it is a good looking jacket. When going to San Fran with James and Jennifer I noticed how effective these things actually are. While Jen was riding passenger she wore a Harley Hi-Vis orange vest. While following them I was amazed how easy it was to see Jen and her orange vest. If you do not have one… get one. They may not be as cool as black leather but they work.


See and BE SEEN.

All the best
Chris

Day 10 / July 23rd

Day 10 /July 23 Eureka to North Bend Oregon


Today’s blog will be less about the ride and more about good road karma. Today’s ride started on the coast of Northern California. Home of the giant red woods and some gorgeous coastlines. When scheduling today’s ride I made a mistake and accidentally made the ride to short. Because of this I decided to make a day of it by visiting more of the shoreline and some of the cool little towns that dot their way on the coast as you look at a map.


After breakfast I was on the road and I passed more than a few beaches and opportunities to visit the coast line. For some reason I picked one about 15 miles up the coast. As I pulled in, I immediately noticed that a young boy was attempting to change the tire on his mother’s car. I decided to help him because he just did not know what he was doing. Within minutes we were working to remove the flat tire and replace it with the spare. While working I asked him if he knew why I decided to help him. Typical for a 7th grade boy he said… “I do not know”. My reply to him was because it is the correct thing to do. I went on the explain that when you do good things for others and except and accept nothing in return that you will feel good about yourself. I asked him to help someone else some day and he agreed to do so.


Once the spare was mounted we lowered the jack to find that the spare’s air pressure was too low to use and be safe. It was Justin’s lucky day for I had a mini air pump. Before he knew it the tire was full and he and his mom were able to go on their way.


As I stated before… the day was great with a low mileage count that allowed me to see some great small towns. Around 5:00 I pulled in to the KOA at North Bend Oregon by the Oregon Sand Dunes. As I was checking in a family of four were dismayed to find out they did not have a camp site for the evening. We made some small chat and then I told them I had a site because I made a reservation. After a little more talk and some simple horse trading… they told me they would make dinner if they could stay on my site. Before you knew it we were setting up tents and having a good time over a fine dinner with some great wine and great conversation too. Jake and Sue, their daughter Caroline and her fiancé Ken are from Canada and are taking some time to tour the USA on their motorcycles. They are currently going south towards San Fran.


So what does this have to do with the kid the spare tire? As I stated… when on a cycle and on a road trip it is all about karma. Instead of spending the night alone and eating some junk food because I was too tired to go get something I had a great evening, met some new friends. Pretty simple.


A trip like this has allowed me to me some great individuals. Justin from Dallas while camping in Salt Lake City, Roy from Winnipeg who I did Route 50 with, James and Jennifer who took me to San Fran from Sacramento California, JJ from Mckeesport, PA in the parking lot of a Harley shop, the Korean war vet who opened my eyes as to why the Korean War Memorial in DC is lacking, Bill and Rick from the Road King Riders who met me at the Nevada Motel with the flag, Dave Alden to sign he flag in Mendocino and now Jake, Sue, Caroline and Ken.


All people with something in common… GOOD KARMA.


Feel good about yourself by doing good for others and expecting and accepting nothing in return.


See you tomorrow.

Day 9 - July 22

Day Nine

Petaluma to Eureka California

I originally intended to immediately go to the coast from Petaluma but a member of the Road King Riders Forum (Dave A. / Hippie Dave) who lives in Mendocino suggested I take 101 to Cloverdale and then take 128 West to the Coast. I decided I would have plenty of coast to ride so I listened to his advice and I am glad I did.

California Rt 128 is the BEST road I have ever been one. It is quite long with a ton of twisty turns some nice sweepers and some straight sections although not too many. The scenery varied from Wineries to farm like areas, to some real hilly terrain. This road is as real as it gets. Thanks for sharing Dave.

Once on the coast it was very cold. Hard to believe it is July. The funny thing is if you go east 10 miles the temps will be 20 to 30 degrees higher. The coastal ride is also very worthwhile. The tempo is slow and there is a bunch to see. Tempo all depends on why you are there. Your choice.

Once in Mendocino I met up with Dave from the road King Riders so he could sign the flag that I am carrying for the time being. We had some good onion/garlic pastry at a coffee house and some good conversation.

Back on the road the coastal highway goes inland around Westport to come to an end at its intersection with Highway 101. Another great segment of 28 miles of twisties. Great road. Back on 101 you start making your way towards the great Red Woods and the boulevard of the Giants. The immense sze and beauty of these trees cannot be put into proper words. This is just so worthwhile to see.

The final stop of the day was at the Harley shop in Eureka where I met JJ, a displaced Pittsburgher who was quite happy to meet a Pittburgher out on the road. He saw my plate and asked where I was from in Pennsylvania. When I told him Pittsburgh he got off of his bike and started talking Pittsburgh stuff and Steeler football. He grew up in "The Burgh" and even though he left during the early 80's like many others did when the mills closed, he has always remained a Pittburgher. He said his brother is the same way. Cool stuff. Unfortunately there are bunches of really good Pittburgh People who were displaced during the 80's and have never come home.

See you tomorrow

CH

Day 8 The Last Day On The LH

Days Eight - July 21 The day started in Reno NV with temps that were pretty low. I was able to get some great rest and was ready to complete my trip on the Lincoln Highway by reaching the Western Terminus by the Golden Gate Bridge.

The unique thing about an old road like this is there are many ways to travel it. Because of multiple alignments you could probably run this trip 25 times and never run the same roads. Add the new interstates that replaced much of the road and changes in the urban landscape and you can see why this is.

I decided to take the northern alignment that went through Sacramento. The southern route goes to Carson City, around Lake Tahoe, through Stockton and then on to the city by the bay. I decided to take the Northern route because a member of the forum www.roadglide.org who lives in Sacramento offered to help me make my way to the Western Terminus. I met James and his wife Jennifer near Sacramento. They ride a vivid black 2010 Road Glide Just like mine… a bit cleaner though.  James and Jennifer were great and made the day fantastic for me.

Before I met them I jumped off of I80 by Trukee California and drove on Donner Road. Yes, that is Donner as in the Donner Party. Donner Road goes right through Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. You are in the heart of some of the most gorgeous scenery you will ever see.


If you have ever been to Northern California and the San Fran area you know about fog and cold mornings. Today was no different with the morning ride temp around 45 degrees. Once in San Fran the temps were in the 50’s and the wind made it quite cool. We decided to go to the terminus in Lincoln Park and then get some lunch afterward. We had lunch at Tsing Tao Chinese Restaurant. It was near Lincoln Park and the food was very good with quick service.

Once in San Fran we made our way through some city traffic and block after block of red lights. First we went by Fisherman’s Wharf and then onto California Street as we worked our way north to Lincoln Park and the LH Terminus. Once in the Park it only took two tries to locate the end of this historic road. The concrete post is a reproduction of the original post that was missing for years and then was found thrown over a nearby hill by vandals.


I was quite satisfied to make it to this historic location but I was dismayed to see that the city built a bus stop right next to it. Riding the Lincoln Highway is an adventure that I recommend to anyone who is considering it. Make certain you get the books by Brian Butko. They will provide much of what you need to make the trip and will give you some great sites to see along the way.

After completing the LH we took Highway 101 north across the Golden Gate Bridge and I finished the day by reaching my campsite in Petaluma.