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Owen's Midwest-PIP-Great Lakes Trip Report

Owen

By Owen
in Watering Hole

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Owen

Owen

Posted
Posted (edited)

Left home on 1 Sept. Got home today, 18 Sept. 4200+ miles. Great time, no mishaps. Full report with pictures tomorrow... I'm tired.

:cool:

 

 

As promised... see below.

Edited by Owen
eagleeye

eagleeye

Posted
Posted

Hi Owen,

 

Likewise, it was very nice to meet you at the PIP.

And also glad to hear that you are back after and had a safe, but good trip.

I'll look forward to your story, and pics.

 

Steve

Owen

Owen

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

I left Houston on Sept. 1 heading for the internationally renowned, often imitated but never duplicated, Pork In The Pines event in Laporte, Mn. I was loaded down pretty heavily since this was to be about a 3 week solo run.

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1206.jpg

 

The rain and wind started at about the Ok.-Tx. boarder. It was pretty rough for the next 300 miles or so. Kudos to me for deciding to take two helmets. The Exo 900 with full face shield made a huge difference in ride-ability in this stuff. Also having shortened the windshield just enough to see over it had made a great improvement in visibility. This was the first hard rain I had experienced with the new E3 tires. They performed well. I now have every bit as much confidence in them as the Avon Venoms in the wet stuff. The foul weather slowed my progress some and I only made about 650 miles the first day.

 

Day two started with better weather. I hit the road hoping for a longer run. As it turned out, I had good weather, except for strong winds, until I turned east out of South Dakota heading for Minneapolis, Mn. I was dodging heavy thunderstorms and winds all the way into the city. The news was later proclaiming the wind, hail and tornado damage near by. Gee, just like back home! Nearly 900 miles that day rolled under the wheels and I was pleased with the performance and comfort of my ’08 Low Rider. I was also exhausted!

 

Over night a cold front blew through and the morning brought temps in the upper 40’s and a misty rain. Wow, wish I had brought my leathers. I stopped in St. Cloud for my morning coffee at McDonalds, This provided my first clue that I was not in Texas anymore. First thing I noticed when I walk in was a table surrounded by 4-5 old codgers drinking coffee and playing Cribbage! Seems they stake claim to this particular table for their morning meet-n-greet every day. I had not seen anyone playing cribbage since I left New England in the ‘80s. The second clue was the strange accent the lady taking my order had. Yeeaaaa... My third clue was not finding any sugar, creamer or stirring spoons for my coffee. It was not so politely explained to me that I had not ordered my coffee with sugar and cream and that if I really wanted some she would pour out my coffee and start over. The remaining run into Laport was pretty cold for me. I stopped often just to thaw out some. I finally arrived just after lunch.

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/HPIM2142.jpg

 

The next morning was the day of the ‘Big Pig Event’. I was up early and headed over to the other side of Laporte to meet up with the guys/gals. I must say they were not as lively and upbeat as I had expected. Seems there was a bit of partying the night before and, well, lets just say there was some true suffering going on...

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1170.jpg

 

What a great bunch of folks I met! Even if they all talked funny, they welcomed this Texas boy into the fold. The first thing I notice was the wide selection of bikes, trailers, and campers. There was a little of every make and model there.

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1166.jpg

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1173.jpg

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1177.jpg

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1172.jpg

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1180.jpg

 

 

I walked into the food prep area and there he was, in all his naked glory... the Pig of Honor. He was gettin’ the treatment! The pit was heatin’ up and his time was nigh. It was decided that while the hard working cooks were doing all their chores, the rest of us ‘do nothings’ would take a cruise around the scenic area. It was a great ride. I loved the hills and curves.

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1169.jpg

 

When we got back, the pig was roastin’ and the side dishes where being prepared. What a feed they put on! It was great! Of course I ate too much as always.

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1181.jpg

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1183.jpg

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1185.jpg

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1187.jpg

 

 

It was great to meet so many of our Yankee members and make new friends! I hope to be invited back for next year. I spent the next few days with my sister in Laport. We had a very nice visit. It had been more than three years since I had seen her. I was watching the weather closely because of the fronts coming across from the west. I needed to be in Aurora, Oh. on Sunday in preparation for a one week class I had to attend. I decided to leave one day early and chase the sunshine from Minnesota to Ohio. I also decide a northerly route would provide the best chances for clear weather. My route took me across northern Wisconsin and Michigan. The ride along the southern border of Lake Superior was spectacular.

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1200.jpg

 

Great scenery, good roads and quaint towns. I had extra time and took advantage of it, exploring the area thoroughly. The Mackinaw Bridge that connects the straits between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron was very impressive.

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1208.jpg

 

As it turned out, I was able to visit 4 of the 5 Great Lakes. I only missed Lake Ontario because it was just a bit farther than I had time to manage.

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1202.jpg

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1206.jpg

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/IMG_1213.jpg

 

The training class I attended ended on Thursday and I was packed and on my way back to Houston on Friday morning. When I left it was about 50 degrees and misting rain. I ran out of the rain by the time I passed Columbus, Oh. That was the last of the rain for the remainder of the trip. The further south I went, the warmer it got, the more clothes I took off. I figured I would be naked by the time I reached Mississippi, but fortunately that did not happen. Somewhere on I-40 near Memphis, Tn., an ’06 Harley roared up beside me. He gave me one of those hard looks that don’t sit too well with me. Needless to say, Ed “Big Daddy” Roth would have been proud. There is a bit of Rat Fink in all of us, some more than others, and it was on.

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/poster-65x825-rat-fink-biker.jpg

 

I never looked at the speedo but we had a good run of it. He was more than impressed with the power of the venture. A few miles down the road I exited for fuel and a break. He followed me. At the stop sign at the end of the ramp he asked ‘Is that a Victory?’. No, better! Its a Yamaha! He followed me to the local stop-n-rob and we had a nice chat. He was a really nice guy and I enjoyed chatting with him a lot. He was very impressed with the Venture. I guess that little run on the freeway explains the GPS trip log, max speed of 104mph! Rat Fink! :sign busted:

 

The rest of the trip was pleasant and uneventful. I had zero problems with the bike. The GPS trip log showed total miles of 4815. A few hundred were site seeing. The actual route was just over 4200 miles. I visited 4 of the Great Lakes and ran through parts of 19 states.

 

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/Owen064/2010%20PIP%20solo%20run/CMCapture4.jpg

 

The only down part to the whole trip was that it was a solo run without my navigator Margaret. Next run will not be solo! :biker:

Edited by Owen
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Squidley

Squidley

Posted
Posted

Good to hear of the trip, a truly epic one considering the people that you encountered in Minnie soda

:whistling: Nice to hear you got to see the "nice" part of Michigan, the trip over the "Big Mac" is always a cool thing. We'll have to catch up with you and Margaret soon...good to have you back in TEXAS!

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