Story by Jim Park
Editor’s Note: This story was originally published the December 2020 edition of the MSTA Florida Chapter newsletter, The Florida Gator Tale. The story has been edited to match the MSTA website’s style.
Blue Ridge Parkway (2006-2009)
In 2006, 2007 and 2009, all our trips took place in the Eastern United States. Our stops on those trips included the Outer Banks of North Carolina — including several ferry crossings — and the Kitty Hawk site. We also stopped at historic Williamsburg, Va., and attending several STAR rallies.
The one thing each of these trips had in common was traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Parkway has remained our favorite ride. It’s not necessarily a challenging ride, but it allows no commercial traffic — and has little traffic for that matter. Every mile produces scenic views and majestic overlooks to pull over and enjoy. It’s a photographer’s playground.
A word of warning — there are no gas stations on the parkway. So, do your homework in advance to know what exits offer nearby stations. The Parkway is 469 miles long!
If you’re a camper, there are several to choose from on the parkway. For the non-campers like us, there’s lodging at the Pisgah Inn and farther north at the Peaks of Otter. Both have good restaurants with fantastic views. They run a bit on the pricey side, but keep in mind that you’re paying for the location which is fantastic at both lodges! Convenient
lodging can also be found near Waynesville, Va., Asheville, N.C., and Roanoke, Va. You can ride the length of the Parkway in less than two days, but it’s worth it to plan for three to four days to take in all of the many sites along the way.
The Great Northwest (2010)
Our 2010 trip was a bit different. I wanted to explore the Great Northwest and ride the Pacific Coast Highway along California’s west coast. The Boss didn’t share my enthusiasm, but still wanted to travel. So, we made a compromise. I rode the first half of the trip alone, and we would meet at STAR in Taos, N.M. This country is BIG, so traveling from the farthest Southeast corner to the farthest Northwest corner takes a while. Traveling alone, I tended to put in more miles on average per day. My internal clock seemed to stay on East Coast time, so I often woke up at 4 a.m., got up and headed out! I planned to take in several of our National Parks along the way, including the Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone and Glacier.
I had decent weather most of the way — with perhaps one exception. I had spent the night in Kalispell, Mont., to visit a friend of the family. The next morning I awoke early,to head to Glacier National Park. It was cold, but bearable. While heading north towards the park, I thought I could see the base of a mountain. It was very dark, almost black. Well, it wasn’t a mountain — it was a low hanging storm cloud!
The temperature dropped from cold to colder, and the rain started. I entered the park in heavy rain with the thermometer at 39°F! I recall passing a herd of elk that I didn’t see until they were out of the corner of my eye. One real nice thing I discovered about Glacier is that there are big lodges with really big fireplaces! I walked in dripping like a wet rat and hung my wet gear over a rocking chair in front of a roaring fire….heaven!
A disappointment on this trip was both Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier and Bear Tooth Pass were both closed due to snow. The storm I had encountered was the beginning of a cold front moving into the area, which brought high winds. While heading north on U.S. Route 98 along the eastern side of Glacier, I encountered very high winds. It was by far the most difficult riding I had ever encountered in all of my travels. I was glad that Dianne wasn’t with me for this experience!
I crossed the Canadian border and made it to Banff, Alberta, before nightfall in spite of the poor conditions. I was pretty beat up at that point. The next morning was cold, but there were clear skies and only a light breeze. So, I headed towards Lake Louise. Later, I turned southwest to the Great Northwest where I discovered Highway 20, the North Cascades Scenic Highway. This was one of those surprises that make you realize it was worth the trip! While there was still snow on the ground, the highway was clear and dry, the weather was first rate and the views fantastic!
Heading south I visited Crater Lake and the Redwood Forest, two more “first time there” visits. Then came the Pacific Coast Highway. I wanted to do this ride ever since my teen years watching “Then Came Bronson,” where the opening scene each week showed Michael Parks riding his Harley Sportster down that highway!
Continuing south I rode across the Golden Gate Bridge, yet another treat. Riding through San Francisco was a story in itself, and it was there that I turned east to Merced, Calif., where I met Dennis Villarose. At this point I had been on the road for several weeks and had covered around 5,000 miles. Dennis had bee-lined it across the country. We had set a meeting date (I was one day ahead of schedule), but we did not pick a specific location/hotel. I arrived first and selected a hotel that I thought Dennis would pick. When I went to text him the details, Dennis pulled into the parking lot behind me.
The next day we rode to Yosemite National Park, another first time visit for me. The park was crowded, of course, but beautiful beyond description. We continued east towards Taos taking in Death Valley National Park, Las Vegas, the North rim of the Grand Canyon and the Million Dollar Highway. One interesting note was we rode through snow to get to the front gate of the Canyon!
Dennis and I arrived at the STAR host hotel in Taos a couple of days after Dianne had arrived. We got in a few rides in the Taos area, in particular the Enchanted Circle. The 83-mile loop encompasses Wheeler Peak which stands at 13,159 feet (the highest in New Mexico) and passes through mountains, mesas and forest land. All in all, a beautiful ride. Our trip home was fairly direct. However, we did manage to take in a few sections of the famous Route 66. Pulling in our driveway in Florida, my odometer showed just shy of 10,000 miles, and I had been on the road for 42 days. What a great trip!