End of part 1

Odometer when I left (above) and odometer when I parked (below). Doing the math, roughtly 7,800 miles.

Part 1 of American Ramble is complete! I had to cut a lot out of the east coast, and I fully intend to go back, so that will be part 2.
The trip to the Yukon (sans ural) is delayed, so I am passing the time back here in Bremerton Washington until then. It sucks to be delayed, but its not all bad as this gives me time to take care of some things.
Once I leave for the great white north, ill probably keep this blog or make a link to another one. I doubt ill have a way to post updates rapidly, but ill try. Maybe rename it to North American Ramble!

catching up

Where to begin.. havent been able to update in a few days due to not being near any reliable network, blah blah nobody likes excuses! So I'll start in Gulf Shores (mississippi? alabama... I dont really know..)

Last time I was online I was contacted by a friend who was staying in Gulf Shores and invited me out. Since it was on the way to Louisiana, I've never been there, and BBQ was offered, it was an easy decision. I spent the night at the place after fighting my way through some much welcomed rain. The next morning, we said our goodbyes and I hit the road.

Just after leaving the parking lot, I thought it'd be a great idea to get a picture of Freya on the beach! I kept looking and looking to the side of the road, eventually seeing a parking lot of sorts with sand and rocks and tire tracks through it. It just rained the night before, so its probably alright to drive on. Boy was I wrong!

 Soon as I jump into the sand, its SO THICK, FINE, and DEEP! I couldnt even get out with 2WD going forwards or backwards, nor could I get any grip on some boards I put underneath the tires!!

Feeling very humbled, I called John and asked if he could come get me out. I didnt get quite the pictures I had in mind, but, I think these turned out even better! Thanks again for helpin me out of that muck John!

 The man in action, wranglin up a Ural!

Back on the road, still laughing, I made my way to Thibadeaux Lousiana to visit with my dad and sister. During this time, with much regret, I didnt get any pictures. When I get around family and friends, updating this blog becomes the last thing on my mind! Anyhoo...

I met lots of local people, all of em fantastic and incredibly easy to get along with. The food was even better! Some of what I tried I wasnt much of a fan of, but gimme any kind of etoufee and I'll probably enjoy myself!

The entire time, however, I didnt see A SINGLE ALIGATOR! I heard about it all the time how they're everywhere... guess they were hiding the entire time I was there! Ah well, one more reason to go back!

Leaving the bayou, I went up north on my return trip to Jonesboro, Arkansas. The time I spent there with more friends and even more family was truly great. Food wasnt much to talk about, but arkansas isnt really known for its food, so no biggie!

I will be around Cape Girardeau, Missouri, tomorow. That is the end point for this American Ramble, as the next adventure is taking place way up north in Alaska and the Yukon Territory. I'll try and make another blog for it, and do my best to keep track of it, though I very much doubt I'll have any decent wifi up there!

Can't believe tomorow is the end of the road. I'm finding it kind of hard to write about. I know I should say something, leave with some nugget of wisdom and knowledge, or some kind of cool saying. I dont really have anything like that right now, I dont have words. Best I can muster as this one paragraph is now on its 15th minute of me staring at it, is a saying somebody in Jackson Mississippi told me;

"Keep looking forward, but remember the road behind"

On past Atlanta, GA

Not many pictures to post at all since I was basically on the road for time.. what road you ask? The interstate. Freya was cruising along at 60 and sometimes 65, tearin up the lanes in really congested but still fast Atlanta traffic! I took a loop and went around the downtown area. I still have miles to go on my way to New Orleans, and I'm running out of time (the last thing I wanted to worry about).

That being said, Freya is steady as she goes. Thanks to the Soviet Steeds forums, I got some really good advice and learned some things earlier today. I'm not having any problems, just saw some signs that may be possible trouble in the future (so I thought). The reality is, its pretty much normal, its just new to me. HAH!

Now that I got time, I'd like to show off something I picked up on the Skyline Drive and Shenandoah national forest: flamesless oven!

I got this for two reasons: first, believe it or not some campgrounds dont allow fires! Secondly, I've always liked the flameless heating stuff ever since I've used them with some MREs. It was on sale, had 5 uses, and I still have a lot of the dehydrated meals from the same company, to which this heating kit was designed for. Since theres no flame, it can be used anywhere, including this here countertop! Highly recommended to keep on ya, since if you're ever in the rain and still want a hot meal, this might be your best option.

NC BBQ lunch

Couldn't go through NC without getting some BBQ! Sweet potato fries and sweet tea complete the dish. The hush-puppy like fries on the top left come free with some of their sauce. Delicious!

D-Day in Bedford, VA

 The National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA. Fitting place to spend June 6th. Mr. Smith was absolutely right, this place is done right. All sorts of history is placed in bronze placards around the area, and the design is so beautiful in its tribute to such a hellish place on that day. Pictured above is a garden shaped like the sword of victory.

 You can barely tell here, but in the water are jets that simulate bullets hitting the water.

 Picture from above the cliff. Below is a picture describing the monument, if nothing else, please read it.

 Above you can barely tell in the picture, but just below the white and black granite, the word OVERLORD is inscribed in golden letters. Inscribed in the ring around the base are the names of the beaches.

 Click on the above picture and read it. On such a day, being in this place, reading that honestly brought tears to my eyes. Thank you again, Jeff Smith, for not just your service and the life you've led after it, but for telling me about this place.

Time to get back on the Blue Ridge, and continue the ride. I made my way to Roanoke in order to link back up with the BRP. After a bit of time on it, I realised that I am running out of time. I still need to make it to New Orleans, then get back to SE Missouri on the 13th of this month. I have one week. It is with much regret, dissapointment, and anger that I had to leave the BRP and get on a highway to make better time.

Pictured above is where I exited the BRP. Believe you me, I will return and complete the BRP ride. YOU HEAR THAT BRP!? I WILL BE BACK!

Now onward to Atlanta, GA, and then New Orleans.

Enter Skyline Drive, and Blue Ridge Parkway

 Where to begin... The road eventually brought me to a giant house on a horse ranch in Lovettsville, VA, full of new cousins. I say new cousins because up until about 2 years ago (ish) I had no idea we were related, and I'm not sure if they did either. Life works in weird ways sometimes, and even weirder things happen with family. If you're lucky, eventually you find more family and are reunited with them. If you're extremely lucky, the new family members you get to meet turn out to be some of the best people you could have imagined.

Sheree Hughes (sorry if I mispelled the first name!) is on the left, and she's my new first cousin. Jessica, her daughter and my new 2nd cousin (I think thats how it works) is in the middle, and the wildman on the right is yours truly. My other new 2nd cousins arent pictured because all photos were taken with another camera and I havent been able to download them yet (if they've even been sent!). Its remarkable how similar Sheree and my mother look, whats even creepier is they even laugh the same. I got to spend the night getting to know them with what little time I had, and then of course had to fire up the ps3 and blast some zombies. Like I said, great people!

Too soon it was time to leave, and approach the Skyline Drive of Shenandoah National Forest. The Skyline Drives southern entrance connects with the Blue Ridge Parkway, so for the most part its all one giant amazingly beautiful ride. Easily in the top 3 for greatest rides I've done, and I knew that about 5 minutes in to the Skyline Drive.

Night was approaching, and as much as I like to camp, I cant pass up a good deal on a sweet lodge in a beautiful place.

 Dinner time
Interesting note about the dinner, a person I met while dining learned that I was in the Navy and then paid for my tab. He also tried to keep that a secret from me, but the waitresses ratted him out. I always feel a little weird when people pay my tab because of my service. I really do appreciate it, and in fact I've done the same thing for others, but I cant shake the weird feeling it gives me... I dont know what exactly it is, but... anyway.. Turns out another guy sitting next to me asked which submarine I was on, to which I replied the world famous USS Connecticut. Wanna know how small this world can be? He helped design the S6W system! I know only a few will know what I'm talking about, but thats kind of a big deal.

 EVERYBODY checks out Freya

 The next morning, and more awesome views. I couldnt ask for better weather on this ride either. When looking at these, imagine seeing this in autumn when all those leaves start to change color!!

Night was approaching, and as luck would have it a nice lodge and restaurant popped up on the road. While waiting to be seated, an older gentleman asked me about my bike. The conversation led to us all having dinner together (him, his lovely wife and daughter, and myself).

 Jeff Smith (I hope i remembered that correctly!) is one of the few remaining veterans of World War II. Every year there are fewer of those brave people left. If you happen to know one, are lucky enough to meet one, spend all the time you can and try to learn just a little bit of what they know. If youre glad English is your native language instead of German or Japanese, it's in your best interest to thank them. I hope to never truly know the hell they went through, and you should too.

During the course of the evening I was informed that tomorow in Bedford there is a fantastic WWII memorial having an event to remember D-Day. What was described to me by Jeff and his family is something that I'll have to see with my own eyes, and I fully intend to. Bedford lost more people per capita on D-Day than anyone else, and this memorial is built entirely by the townspeople and funded by charity. This won't be some federally funded memorial, this ones built by the town who lost so many and wish to honor them.
Had I not met him, I would not have known about this and would have just driven on by.

The greatest thing about this trip, by far, is the people you inadvertantly meet. Freya helps a lot too!

Speaking of Freya, I might be starting to have a slight problem. Check the picture, and note that its wet but not dripping.. I think I might have a seal starting to give out. I heard of a Ural shop in Atlanta, GA, and thats on my route. Hopefully nothing catastrophically fails between here and there, and if it does, we'll deal with it.

Update overdue

 Over the bridge and through the woods, to Ohio we go! I arrived at my good friend, and brother from another mother, Jeffs place in Piketon, OH. Before getting there, I was treated to some fantastic scenery:

 The picture below gives you an idea of how exciting the ride was.. FYI this picture is real.

 awww yeah! I stayed at Jeffs place longer than I thought I would, mainly because its such a beautiful place, plenty of work to do to stay busy, and fantastic people to be there with. The people make the place most times, and when youre in a place thats a little slice of heaven and get to share it with people you love, it just makes it that much more difficult to walk away and continue on the ride.

Eventually, I did leave and went towards Mt Vernon, OH, to hang out with another great friend Braddis and his parents. Luckily they had a huge garage, as I finally hit 10,000km!! I got to spend all day doing maintenance on Freya, checking everything, greasing stuff, changing fluids.. Again, more great times with great people! Good weather too!

 On to Pennsylvania! The road led me through Pittsburgh, which was the most dramatic entrance to any city I've seen. If it werent for the traffic, I could have stopped and grabbed a picture. Instead, I'll try and describe it...
 Little highway, 2 lanes each way, surrounded by big tall green trees and steep hills. Its hard to imagine how many people live around here, because its all shrouded by the trees. Traffic picks up a bit, then leads into a tunnel. A long tunnel ride, and then you see the end of it... Once you get through the entrance, youre immediately on a bridge crossing a river, and ALL of pittsburgh is on the other bank! Skyscrapers, Heinz field... a major city staring right at you and welcoming you across the river (and into nearly dead stop traffic). Just amazing, and all the more reason to get myself a helmet camera!

Soon after I arrived at my friend Matts house in Murreysville. I met Matt while I was in the Navy, and he was there working for another company on some of our systems. He knows bikes, and knew a little about Urals. In fact, setting up this blog site to document it was partly his idea! I'm so thankful to have met so many good people. We had some local brew, some fantastic pizza (you win, Matt, your pour house is better than the Bremerton Pour House!), and I ended the night on a comfy couch with a friendly kitten trying to be my pillow. The kitten won..

This is the road now, onward to my cousins place in Virginia. After that, I approach and attack the world famous Blue Ridge Parkway. After the BRP, its onward to New Orleans. My East Coast leg has gotten a LOT shorter than the initial "Rough Route". This is due to time constraints, as I will be back in SE Missouri around the middle of this month, and then onward to the Yukon Territory and Alaska. I'll probably make a second blog for that trip, but it wont be on Freya..

Ride on.