Bringing it Back Home

Wisconsin and Nebraska

Even though we only live about 15 miles from the Wisconsin state line, it ended up being the 24^th state we logged. There was really no reason it took us that long, but we made a special effort last fall to ride all the way over to the river and take a picture. In all honesty, it was probably the most difficult picture for us to take, but we have it now.

Nebraska was our most final conquest of 2012.

We took advantage of the nice fall weather to ride to Omaha for celebrate our anniversary, then road home the next day. It was good to spend time in the Old Market and revisit some of my old haunts. It’s changed a lot since high school!

You may have noticed we haven’t logged Minnesota, our home state, on our adventure yet. We decided that will be our golden state, our 50^th, in 2015.

We are getting ready to pack up for the next Quinlan’s Great 50 states by Motorcycle Adventure. We’ll try to report from the road as we go, but if we get distracted, we’ll catch up with you when we get home.

Sturgis Via the Grand Canyon

We’d been going to Sturgis Bike Rally every year for a  while. 2011 marked Sean’s 10^th visit and my 5^th.   So in 2012 we thought we do something a little different and keep heading West.

A group of our Sturgis friends decided to join us which made the adventure even better.

Colorado

After a night in Rapid City we headed through Wyoming to Colorado.

I've been to various airports in the state and attended a couple work conferences in Colorado Springs, but had never had the chance to see the glory of the mountains there. Riding in the mountains was cold and rainy but the scenery was first rate (other than the drops off the sheer cliffs). Some of the mountain towns we passed on the Million Dollar Highway deserve a trip back and much more time spent there.

Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings

New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah

The next couple days were grueling. We visited Four Corners, even though we had body parts in all four states, it wasn't quite official enough.

So the trip continued through New Mexico,

and Arizona,

It was hot, hot, hot, but full of so many wonderful things to see.

Another place neither Sean nor I had been to was the Grand Canyon. Yes, I know – everyone’s been to the Grand Canyon. And now we have too. It was even more amazing than I could have imagined. Everywhere we looked was a scene more wonderful than the last. It far exceeded anything I’d ever seen in books or movies.

In Utah

we visited Monument Valley and Arches which did look exactly like I expected it to. And I even managed to get a few good shots (or at least decent since I was taking them from the back of a Harley going 70 miles an hour.)

Idaho and Wyoming

We stayed in Utah for a night before heading to Idaho

and Wyoming, which gave us Jackson Hole. We loved the elk antlers

and the Cowboy Bar.

The next morning we drove through the lower part of Yellowstone, visited Old Faithful,

lots of buffalo and more impressive scenery.

The Big Horn Mountains proved to be quite an obstacle course as we dodged deer, stranded calves and even a runaway dog. There are no pictures of this part of the adventure because I was hanging on to Sean for dear life.

Back to Sturgis

By then it was time to mosey on back to Sturgis where we met up with the rest of our Sturgis family

and got to share our adventure around the camp fire.

Ok, actually it was a picnic table, but you get the point – and plan our next great leg of the adventure.

One Week, One Bag, One Bike

Since our Sturgis trip was at the end of summer, we had months to plan the next leg of the adventure. Sean researched roads that had state signs on their shoulders and figured out the best way to get to as many states as possible in the shortest amount of time. The next May, we headed south.

Let me interject something. For everyone, friend and family who has told us “Oh you should have stopped by!” when they found out we’d been near them or even driven by their house – I apologize. Making it through 12 states in 9 days doesn’t leave much time to visit all the places and people we’d like to. We do have a list though, of where we want to return to as soon as this adventure is over.

Our first stop was Kansas City – I grew up near there, Sean had never been, so we stayed at the Plaza, had wonderful Barbecue and took the back roads out of town as we headed south.

Through Kansas

Oklahoma

And Arkansas – the ride through the hills was scenic and at 6 am very peaceful

After a brief stop in Texas

we headed to Louisiana and stayed near Lafayette.

New Orleans

Our sights were set on New Orleans, the first visit for both of use and we pulled into our hotel mid-morning. We were staying in the French Quarter, and had a long list of things we wanted to do in the two days that we would be there.

Such as cruising through the alligator infested waterways,

Playing with baby gators,

Touring the old houses and cemeteries the city is famous for. Who knew a cemetery tour could be so educational?

We also visited the World War II museum, made friends

and had some wonderful food, adult beverages and (oh my!!) coffee.

We fell in love with the place and are happy we experienced it for the first time together.

Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee

We finally had to leave and headed through Florida

and Alabama

 to Mississippi 

 and a visit to Elvis’ Birthplace.

Next was Tennessee

Walking with Elvis

We spent the night in Memphis and hadn't had plans to do anything, but as we road into town we stopped by the Sun Records studio for a tour. Sean got to sing with his idols.

We also stopped by my brother’s business competition – Gibson Guitars – and looked around (Paul, I still like yours better, but this mandolin was beautiful).

We spent the evening down on Beale street eating barbecue and listening to the Blues.

The next day was another visit to Elvis – Graceland this time. It had grown significantly since Sean had visited 20-odd years ago and, well, I’d never been there.

Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri

We started our trip back home through Kentucky,

We touched Illinois,

On our way back to Missouri.

We spent the night in my Mom’s hometown of Sikeston, Missouri. Dinner at Lambert’s brought back wonderful memories (I remember when it was the War Drum!)

and we managed to find my Grandparents’ house.

Our apologies to the people who live in the house for showing up at 7 am on a very loud Harley to take pictures. There were a couple motorcycles in the driveway, so we assumed they wouldn't be too bothered.

Nirvana

St. Louis was only a couple hours away, so we headed to the place Sean considers his Valhalla – the Anhueiser Busch brewery.

The tour there was great and the tasting room even better. With all my beer expertise, I was surprised to find out that they made and bottled so many other brands.

Just a side note, I make it a point to try local beers wherever I can. It adds to the richness of the culture and experience… and I just like local beers. Sean likes Budweiser. In a bottle. I was happy he finally found a local beer he could drink.

We stopped by the Arch on our way out of town.

We made it as far as Des Moines before we had to stop for the night. It only took us a few hours to get home from there and by the time we pulled in to the driveway, the trip already seemed like a lifetime ago.  It didn't take long before we were ready to get back on the bike and go again.