My Upcoming Summer Vacation

Call me nuts - and you may be right - but I'm looking forward to my approximately 3-week solo vacation on my motorcycle.  I'll explain how this trip came to be, but let me just say right away that I plan to ride from my home in Michigan to Miami, FL and back.  That'll be a LOT of riding.

A few years ago I was pondering where I might go for an extended motorcycle adventure.  The destination wasn't really important, as any motorcyclist will tell you that the ride itself is what it's all about.  I decided that the easiest way to not get lost would be to follow a single road till it ends; that led to the idea of tracking the full length of a road from one end to the other.  There are highways that cross the country and then there are roads that can be traveled in a couple of hours.  I could probably find a road to fit any schedule.  As I looked at the US highway system, I discovered there are several major roadways that begin in Michigan and go west or south.  An obvious trip would be to go west, as our children all live on the west coast.  However, we will likely fly there sometime during the year.  Then I thought of our time share membership which allows us to stay at any of our resorts around the country.  By using a time share resort I could reduce my financial cost of lodging.  Thus the combination of finding a resort with availability and a city where the highway ends led me to Miami.

US 27 - Fort Wayne to Miami

My trip south will be via US27, which actually begins in Fort Wayne, IN, so I'll begin my trip by riding to Fort Wayne.  Driving 300 miles a day I expect to reach Miami in six days.  I do have a hotel reservation in Miami so I need to stick to this schedule.  That could be a problem if I encounter any serious weather conditions or, God forbid, any other difficulties.  Assuming I reach Miami as planned, I will have three nights and two days to relax on the beach (and off the motorcycle) before starting the return trip.  I'll try to recount my daily journal here in this Blog for anyone who may be interested, like the IRS or the NSA.

I don't know yet just what these roads will be like, but the idea is to avoid the interstates.  I hope to have a lot of 2-lanes and to see quite a bit of small-town America.  What I fear is that these highways have been improved to divided highways that now bypass many towns.  We'll see.

US 41 - Miami to Copper Harbor

After two days of rest, I'll begin the much longer trip home.  Without any reservations or deadlines, this part could be much more leisurely done.  As I said, it's a much longer trip.  US41 runs from Miami all the way to the northernmost tip of Upper Michigan, way further than just driving back home.  In fact, if I make it to the end of this road at Copper Harbor, MI, it will still take me 2 or 3 days to get back home from there.  

Now regarding the length of this insane trip, I know I may very well not be able to complete it.  US41 runs through Chicago and up the left side of Lake Michigan.  If I'm not inclined to finish that road, I can turn right before Chicago and just come home.  Even on the ride south, I may get tired and turn around at any time.  I do realize a ride like this will be very strenuous and tiring due to seat fatigue, heat, possible rain and wind, traffic, mountain riding and always listening for 'banjo music.'  On the other hand, people have been making trips like this for a hundred years, from when roads were much more rustic and facilities fewer and more far between.  I think their cell phones and GPS trackers were more primitive as well.  Plus their machines were not as awesome as mine.

I drive a 1998 'retro' Honda Shadow ACE Tourer 1100 cc V-twin motorcycle that is running great.  I get about 40 mpg and can go 120 miles between fill-ups.  It currently has 41000 miles on the odometer.  I've had this bike for 11 years and I still receive compliments wherever I go.  

Departing on July 4th, I'll spend my birthday
somewhere in Mid-America with this beauty.

As always, thanks for reading my thoughts.  If you're interested in my trip, you can follow it here.  God bless you, and God bless the good old USA.