Well We Did Not Make It To St. Louis

Great place to eat and it's cheap too

Ohio River we crossed today right before the downpour

Well, what can I say about today; everything that could go wrong did! It started out with us trying to get our alarm system off our bikes, which proved to be like performing surgery. It took us at least one hour to get the security systems off and, of course they continued to scream in the underground parking garage that had to be 95 degrees. So that was the start of our day. It just got better. Mark's pack continued to slide back and forth on his bike, causing us to have to pull over and fix it about every 50 miles or so. Well that was just the beginning. Mark and I got separated and I was under a freeway overpass just past the Ohio River trying to stay dry and away from the torrential downpour and thunderstorm. Mark and I finally connected via cellphone and he was in a town looking for me that we later found out had tornado warnings. Mark finally found me, having to ride in the downpour in which lighting struck very close to him. We had to stay under the overpass for at least one hour allowing the weather to pass. After that, we made excellent time, but due to our late start and all of the trials we faced, we only made it Mt. Vernon, Illinois. We are approximately 70 miles away from St. Louis. So, we missed the fireworks, which is kind of a bummer, but, I guess it's all part of the adventure. Tomorrow we hope to make it to Kansas City, which will be a big ride. If the weather holds, we should be able to do it. The good news is that we are really getting use to out bikes.

We Made It To Nashville

I must say that today was MUCH better than yesterday. The ride to Nashville from Knoxville really was quite beautiful, it reminded us of home with smaller trees. Tennessee is really a beautiful state and we met some really nice people; also it was much cooler today, which really helped. We also had an absolutely unbelievable dinner at the the Stockyard which is one of the best steak houses in the United States. I must say, it was a fantastic dinner. Today was a fairly short day which we really needed after yesterday's long excursion. We are getting use to the bikes and I did better today. I am still struggling with slow tight turns like in parking lots, for this bike is much heavier than my rebel. We are getting better each day and gaining more confidence. I am hoping that tomorrow goes smoothly for we are heading toward St. Louis which is quite a day; keep us in your thoughts. The pictures today show you that we are in the south, notice the "Firework" stand. Of course, these are illegal at home; but in the south, everything goes!

We Made It To Knoxville

Well, family and friends we did make it to our destination today. Yes, it was nerve racking. Riding a new bike across country makes me a bit nervous. Our bikes ran beautifully; they are beautiful and we did have a good time. However, I must admit that the first day was more about getting use to the bikes. The Interstate was nuts, trucks passing us at 75 miles per hour was what really was nerve racking to me. Also, the weather, wow! I would guesstimate that it was approximately 90 plus degrees with our leathers on. Nonetheless, I think tomorrow will be better because we had a long ride today and started to gain out confidence. Tomorrow our destination is Nashville, which is only a short ride of about 180 miles, which we will be thankful for. Anyway, just letting all of you know that we did make it safely and continue gain confidence. Rick and Patrick were great!

Life

Glitter Graphics ::: Glitterboom.com
Life is like a butterfly
you have to go through change
before you become something
beautiful

My Bike After Custom Paint Job

Chris did an absolutely awesome job capturing the essence of what I wanted. what a fantastic artist creating a one of a kind bike for me. I hate being like others; I hate too much; Chris created class with flair. I am so happy with the results.

My Bike Before Custom Paint Job

Here is a picture of my bike before it's custom paint job. I didn't like the color, though Mark did. Christopher Fox, who has won numerous awards and has an art degree from Syracuse University, is painting my bike black and designing beautiful red and silver roses on it. It will have a tribal feel with class. I found the design in a body art magazine and tweaked it a bit. Chris is picking up my vision and I think he will work wonders. It will definately be one of a kind.

Baby Steps

Now my little Honda CT 110 looks like a tinker toy, but what a confidence builder this little bike was to me. Although I could not do any freeway riding, I would take the back roads and visit all my students on this little guy. I spent many hours practicing my riding skills on this bike. Yes, it is small, but it was a blast to ride.

Moving up

I still love my Rebel and though I've been told I will never ride it again once I have my Harley, I know better, for this is such a fun, quick ride. Yes, it too is what is called a "starter bike," meaning tiny in the world of motorcycle riders, but I love it and will continue to ride it despite what everyone says. This bike provided me with the confidence I needed to begin freeway riding. It is not only dependable, but never once have I felt unsafe on my Rebel. Also, for anyone who wonders, yes, the Rebel runs quiet nicely at 70 mph.