Paul Mihalka Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 I'm just opening this thread with my ride starting tomorrow. With a small step into the 21th century I now have a mini laptop. So wi-fi permitting I'll post some comments on where and how I am. I do this mostly as I'll give the link to friends and family who are not on the board. PS If you wonder about FART: http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=789089#Post789089 Link to comment
TEWKS Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Have a great ride Paul! Pat Link to comment
LBump Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Have a great ride Paul! Pat +1 It's 105 out here, bring the cool'n vest. Link to comment
Kathy R Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Living vicariously through you, Paul. I wish we had a SPOT on you though. I know you will enjoy your adventure. Can't wait to hear all about it. Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted September 16, 2012 Author Share Posted September 16, 2012 "I wish we had a SPOT on you though " Nah, I'm not that much into the 21st yet... Link to comment
jbr7t Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Looking forward to seeing you Fart....errr, I mean AT the Fart. Safe travels. Link to comment
Tank Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Runway west out of Maryland cleared for take off Link to comment
EffBee Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Shouldn't that be the Overland Long Distance Fall Appalachian Riding Tour? Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted September 16, 2012 Author Share Posted September 16, 2012 Yee-ha! Kickstand up in ten minutes! Link to comment
LuckyLeif Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 On Sunday I get up, have a coffee and breakfast, boot up the computer and learn that Paul, with sun at his back, is already out of Maryland and well into Ohio! Looks to be superb riding weather. Have a great tour...Scott Link to comment
Firefight911 Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 "I wish we had a SPOT on you though " Nah, I'm not that much into the 21st yet... I'd be happy to loan you mine. Just send me an address if you want to borrow it. Link to comment
CoarsegoldKid Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 California is awaiting you with open arms. Ride safe. Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted September 16, 2012 Author Share Posted September 16, 2012 Shouldn't that be the Overland Long Distance Fall Appalachian Riding Tour? I'd be good with that! First day. As good as a Interstate drag can be. Installed in the luxurious Super8 in the metropolis ofCrawfordsville IN.About 620 miles. Tomorrow is another day. Link to comment
Endobob Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Shouldn't that be the Overland Long Distance Fall Appalachian Riding Tour? I'd be good with that! First day. As good as a Interstate drag can be. Installed in the luxurious Super8 in the metropolis ofCrawfordsville IN.About 620 miles. Tomorrow is another day. Long Distance FART sounds better. Paul - sounds like a good first day. Keep us posted. Link to comment
EffBee Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Long Distance FART sounds better. I dunno. I think you might have missed this one, Bob. The acronym would be OLD FART, which is Paul's license plate. Either way, we all wish Paul a safe journey, and I'll personally see him in Torrey. Link to comment
Endobob Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Long Distance FART sounds better. I dunno. I think you might have missed this one, Bob. The acronym would be OLD FART, which is Paul's license plate. Either way, we all wish Paul a safe journey, and I'll personally see him in Torrey. I did miss it! OLD FART it is! Link to comment
Chris K Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Have a great, saft trip Paul! Link to comment
tallman Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Ya know, if you'd just buy a GPS you wouldn't get so lost on the way to NC. California is not on the way to anywhere but Mexico. Still hoping to see you in Maggie Valley. Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted September 17, 2012 Author Share Posted September 17, 2012 Getting "lost" like this is the most fun! Another day - a good one. Another Super8. Another metropolis, Bellevillr KS. Another 625 miles. To travel in the middle of the country rt. 36 is great. 4 lanes in Missouri, 2 in Kansas, all 65 limit, NO traffic! Happenings: I passed a touring/traveling gentleman on a beat up white BMW R69! I had a nice conversation with one of Missouri's finest. Already came up to me smiling. The OLDFRT plate is the best thing I ever did. Checked my papers, gave nothing in writing. His recommendation was to "stay a bit closer to the 65 limit". I was doing about 80. Tomorrow another day, Colorado! Link to comment
mrzoom Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Try this next time,"Gee Officer at my age my I can't read the speedometer and the road at the same time so I just keep my eyes on the road." Link to comment
steve.foote Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Paul, imagine my surprise when my dad and I pulled into a little motel in Bellville Kansas, and a blue BMW R1200GS with OLDFRT on its license plate pulled in behind us. I can't believe that we ran into each other out in the middle of nowhere. Best of wishes on the rest of your adventure and I hope to see you in North Carolina in a few weeks. Link to comment
Kathy R Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Paul, imagine my surprise when my dad and I pulled into a little motel in Bellville Kansas, and a blue BMW R1200GS with OLDFRT on its license plate pulled in behind us. I can't believe that we ran into each other out in the middle of nowhere. Best of wishes on the rest of your adventure and I hope to see you in North Carolina in a few weeks. YOU ARE KIDDING ME! Link to comment
steve.foote Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I kid you not, Kathy. It was one of those incredible coincidences. My Dad and I left Spring City Tennessee at 3:45am and had just arrived in Bellville about 7pm. Paul rode in about five minutes after we arrived. How cool is that? Link to comment
tallman Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Ranks right up there... So what bings the Spins to Kansas? Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 Yup, it is a small world. Ranks up there with meeting a few years ago two friends from the home area in the parking lot of Wall Drugs in Wall SD. They were riding west, I was riding east. Link to comment
Marty Hill Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Or us passing in washington state going in opposite directions? We were both headed to UN2 and must have been lost. Link to comment
Chris K Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Or us passing in washington state going in opposite directions? We were both headed to UN2 and must have been lost. Well, one of you was lost! Link to comment
steve.foote Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Ranks right up there... So what bings the Spins to Kansas? Just a little family business, Tim. We still have property in that area. Link to comment
Marty Hill Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Or us passing in washington state going in opposite directions? We were both headed to UN2 and must have been lost. Well, one of you was lost! Chris, I think we passed like that somewhere out west as well. Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted September 19, 2012 Author Share Posted September 19, 2012 Another day done. Holed up in Rifle CO, just off I70. Today 600 miles. The day was all good, but mixed. The first half, Kansas and East Colorado=western Kansas, looong and straiiight. I think Nevada rt. 50 is not the loneliest road, rt. 36 in Colorado is. There is a 100 mile stretch before reaching I70 where there is NOTHING. In the middle there is a shady tree repair shop with two gas pumps that should be in a museum. Easy to run out of gas. OTOH there is ZERO traffic, so you can ride without fighting anybody else and make time. Once past Denver I70 is beautiful! Note: Right after starting in the morning I visited the official marker of the Middle Of Nowhere. I mean the marker of the geographic center of the USA (48 States). Well, it felt like the middle of nowhere. Tomorrow another day... Link to comment
Endobob Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Another day done. Holed up in Rifle CO, just off I70. Nice place to be. The next couple of days of riding west should be great. Thank you for posting and allowing us to go along for the ride. Link to comment
Kathy R Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 With a small step into the 21th century I now have a mini laptop. ....and a lovely Century it is with you in it, Paul. You and Steve reminded me, especially now that you are talking about that area of KS and CO, of a trip where I ran into two friends at a nowhere crossroads in that area. Two straight and perpendicular roads met and there at the intersection were two riders I knew. We'd all departed Canon City, CO at the same time, but taken different routes. And here we were meeting up at this barren landscape. What to do but ride together up into KS on 36 until we found a celebratory ice cream shop, where we parted ways again. They went up to that same Geo Ctr of the U.S. and I put my nose to the East and followed that long 36. I still am so amazed that Steve and you met in the middle of nowhere. Link to comment
Traveler1 Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Be nice if you could see part of the Cannonball express ride while you are on the California coast. They will be riding the coast south from Fontana this weekend. Here's a link which includes their route and the bikes they are riding. http://www.motorcyclecannonball.com/ Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 Quick update. No wi-fi last night. McDonald is great, in Fallon NV. Yesterday great ride day except for the end. Eureka NV has two hotels. Best Western and cheapo Sundawn Lodge, where I had a reservation, I get there, no reservation on file - forgot to write it down. Packed full, no vacancy. Go to BW - no vacancy. From Sundown they call ahead to Austin, 70 miles. Find a room, the Lincoln motel. Got there tired. The lousiest motel I've seen in a long time - and I've seen some. Had bed and shower, All good. Today will be a good day. Link to comment
Danny caddyshack Noonan Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Welcome to the West Paul. On the bright side, at least you cut todays ride down by an hour. Link to comment
Carnadero Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Quick update. No wi-fi last night. McDonald is great, in Fallon NV. Passing through Reno? If you don't mind checking out an HD-centered event, Street Vibrations began yesterday, lasting until Sunday. Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 Short day to Chester, near Lassen. Good ride, except for 95 heat around Quincy on 89. Tomorrow 36! Link to comment
Dennis Andress Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Ride good, Paul! See you Sunday! Dennis & Laney Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 A very very nice day. Quick loop into Lassen National Park. Beautiful views. Rt. 36 from Chester to 101. Great rider road, except a awful lot of construction delays at the lower end. The big Redwoods, seen them before, but always impressive. In Willits on 101 a simple but very nice motel. Clean, park in front of the door, good wi-fi. Inexpensive for the area. The Lark motel. Tomorrow rt. 1 past SF to visit with old friend Ted Porter of the Beemershop, in Spring Valley. Link to comment
1MPH Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 A very very nice day. Quick loop into Lassen National Park. Beautiful views. Rt. 36 from Chester to 101. Great rider road, except a awful lot of construction delays at the lower end. The big Redwoods, seen them before, but always impressive. In Willits on 101 a simple but very nice motel. Clean, park in front of the door, good wi-fi. Inexpensive for the area. The Lark motel. Tomorrow rt. 1 past SF to visit with old friend Ted Porter of the Beemershop, in Spring Valley. Paul I think you mean Scott Valley. Long haul to Spring Valley from Willits. Link to comment
JR356 Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Too bad you were not thru a few days earlier,weather was nice in Quincy over last weekend at the Autumn Beemer Bash Rally and Ted Porter was there selling shocks and GS911's. Sounds like a great trip so far. Have fun in Torrey,trying to get last minute time off to go there myself. JR356 Link to comment
roadscholar Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Paul, FYI (or anyone else that may be interested) the Motorcycle Cannonball is on it's last two stages from Newburgh, NY. Tonight they're in Fortuna, Ca., tomorrow night Cotati, then Sunday ride into S.F. for the finish. There are some amazing bikes and riders involved. http://www.motorcyclecannonball.com/ Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 "Paul I think you mean Scott Valley" Correct. I know the Cannonball is happening close, but now it doesn't work with my ride. If I'd known it earlier I would have worked it in. Having a great ride! Link to comment
Kathy R Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Having a great ride! YIPPEE! Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted September 23, 2012 Author Share Posted September 23, 2012 Another good day. Mostly rt. 1 South, even through SF. Great visit with Ted Porter (Beemershop). Updated each other on 15 years of happenings. Yeah, sure. Has a good shop, expanding. Good big hotel in Salinas, would match a Comfort Inn, at $53.20 in this part of CA! The Good Night Inn. Hasta manyana. Link to comment
Heck Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 Hey Paul!! Welcome to the Central Coast !! Heck & the Missus Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted September 24, 2012 Author Share Posted September 24, 2012 Another good day. Rode rt. 1 from Mnterey south. Too bad it was mostly foggy. Checked out the bike museum in Solvang. Worth visiting. Many bikes I had in my memories and some real special ones. For the night (and super dinner) enjoying the hospitality of Laney and Dennis . Tomorrow we'll ride a piece together! Link to comment
LuckyLeif Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 I've heard Solvang is a very interesting town. I believe the movie Sideways was filmed there. Hope you loose the fog for today. Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 Solvang is nice but a bit artificial. If you know "German" Helen GA, it is a bit like that in a better "Danish" version. Had a wonderful stay with Laney and Dennis. Dennis is the designated cook, and he can cook! Today we rode together into the mountains to Lake Isabella. They turn back and I kept going. Didn't ride over to 395 as originally planned, but rode via Kernville to the west side of Sherman Pass, rode to the top and back again. Then met up with Joe (Coarsegoldkid) and his friend Frantz at the "Ponderosa Lodge", which has 3 rooms, a general store and restaurant, and has wi-fi! Just finished dinner, it was good. Tomorrow ride to Joe's home via Sequoia. Hasta manyana... Link to comment
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