Ribbon of Highway - Dry Run

Ribbon of Highway

Dry Run

October 1, 2011- Bristol Indiana:

The oft-postponed first leg of my motorcycle Odyssey around the U.S. was to begin today – but the temperature outside this morning is 43 degrees, with Atlanta predicting a high of 67 for the day. This puts a little chill into my enthusiasm, even though I have to go to Fort Wayne to coach a soccer game. The rationalizations kick in. I really haven’t checked out the bike for a long trip, not even the tire pressure. I haven’t changed the oil. And the business reason for heading through Nashville has not yet clarified, and might any day now.

So I pack my bag – change of shirt, underwear, socks and dop kit – snap the liner into my leather jacket, buckle on my chaps, wrap a scarf around my neck, turn on the hand grip warmers and seat heater, and start out, not sure whether I will return home tonight or continue heading South if it starts to warm up.

The ride was beautiful. West on US 20 to Shipshewana, then South in SR 5 through Amish country. Flat land. The sky was ice blue with high white clouds and the sun was shining on infinite horizons in all directions. The buggies were out all over between Shipshe and Ligonier, and the farmers were hooking up their Belgians to the wagons to begin the day’s harvest. It was glorious. I shook my head thinking of all the people who overlook this part of the world because it doesn’t have mountains or other spectacular geography. “It’s so flat.” Get out of bed early and ride through it. It’s lush. The beauty is hidden right in plain sight.

South of Ligonier – where they tore down the big brick bug buggy whip factory just a year or two ago – and where now they make tacos and sell tortillas all along Main Street – the land along US 33 becomes rolling hills, pock marked with kettle lakes formed by the last glaciers in this area some 10,000 years ago when the “lakes” were still huge chunks of ice. The Elkhart River and nameless streams wander aimlessly across the landscape.  There are little towns named after victories in the Mexican War of the 1840’s, like Churubusco, named when Americans were still proud of who they are. Ironic that there is now such a large Mexican population across the entire area, hardworking family oriented people who are proud to be here. Churches in Ligonier and Wolf Lake now have Spanish names. But you can also see the American cultural influence as you start seeing Mexican-American kids on all of the high school soccer teams, boys and girls! You would never see these Mexican girls playing soccer in Mexico, but here in American where everything is possible, they are on the team, and their parents are shouting lustily in support in Spanish from the sidelines. Part of the constantly changing American melting pot.

But to the North, dark clouds press in. I think I am catching up to the cold front that blew through Elkhart last night. The thermometer on my bike says 45 degrees, but I don’t believe it, The dark clouds make it feel colder. At 60 mph, its lots colder. I wore cowboy boots this morning, and when I stretch out on the highway pegs, putting them fully in the wind, my feet get cold quickly. Note to self: insulated motorcycle boots would be better!

I stop for gas at a cheap price in Wolf  Lake. Went inside to take a pee, some redneck beat me into the one unisex toilet. I still had my helmet on. The lady from behind the counter came over to me and apologized for the inconvenience, but asked me to remove my helmet. Store policy. They had to see my face so it could be picked up on the security cameras. I asked should I smile? Interesting – even in Wolf Lake Indiana they need security cameras, obviously because they might be (have been?) robbed. And just a obviously they enforce it 24 hours a day, not just at night, making somebody from whom they felt no threat at all remove his helmet. A sad commentary on what our society ahs come to. Meantime I think the redneck died in there or maybe flushed himself down the toilet, so I gave up on waiting and decided to hold it ‘til the next stop! Good decision: that fellow was still in there playing with himself or something by the time I walked out, put on my gloves, helmet and sunglasses, started the bike and pulled out!

Arrived at Fort Wayne Carroll High School – very expensive big new school out in the boonies. I think it’s a Catholic High School. Didn’t warm up much. Our last game of the season and the consensus is that Carroll is better than we are. So much for consensus. We played above some injuries and for once the players all did as the coaches asked – lots of quick passing with minimal dribbling, and though they out shot us, we beat them 2-0. Great way to end a season – smiles and pictures and hugs on our side. Shared Subway sandwiches and cupcakes with sprinkles on top made for one of the girls who turned 16 that day. Sweet 16 and never been kissed – well, maybe in 2011 she had been kissed, but nothing more, I’m sure of it. Sweet  kid.  Not everything has changed that much everywhere!

But still very cold and windy. So I finally decided that maybe this should be a shake-down run rather than the first leg of the real journey. Actually I didn’t want to ride 3 hours in this cold and then have to continue in it the next day if it didn’t turn. So I headed back the way I came, but took a different route through some back roads. Turned North on SR 9 to stop at Chain O’Lakes State Park. That’s another thing strangers overlook about the Midwestern states, a plethora of state parks all with great facilities and something worth seeing and doing. Not just strangers, locals, too. I’ve lived in Indiana almost 14 years and have never made it to Chain O’Lakes which is less than 50 miles from my house! My loss! It has 9 kettle lakes nestled in heavily wooded hills, all connected by canoeing channels. Fishing, swimming and hiking. Lovely rustic “family cabins” for only $70/night during the week, $8-0 on weekends. I will be coming back, and not alone! Note to self: Stay at state parks on the Odyssey. Note to self: state park cabins like these require you bring your own towels and bedding: make sure to pack some on the bike so you don’t have to pass them up in favor of a Holiday Inn Express!

It had warmed a little to 55 degrees. At 55, the ride was definitely comfortable. At 45, definitely uncomfortable. Note to self: travel at 55 degrees and up!

From Chain O’Lakes went North to Albion – picturesque little Indiana farm town in the middle of nowhere with the prototype County Courthouse in the middle of the town square. Then West on

Albion Road

, which twists and turns along the Elkhart River. Great riding road. Passed by a York Hills (?) horse park where people trailer in and camp and/or ride their horses. Didn’t know it was there, either! Rejoined US 33 at West Noble, just South of Ligonier – and booked it for home. Passed several Amish wagons working in the fields, bring in the corn. Not something you see much anymore, those teams of giant horse pulling wagons, and strange devices worked by hand to haul in the ears of corn and separate them from the stalks.

If you’re out this way, stop at Rise n Roll Bakery between Middlebury and Shipshewana on US 20. Wonderful stuff, especially their cinnamon caramel raised donuts! I also bought a pumpkin pie and warmed up with a free cup of coffee.

When I got home, I took inventory of what I should do to my bike before striking out: change oil, coolant, and clutch fluid. Top off brake fluid. Check tightness of rear wheel lugs. Make sure tires are at proper inflation. Check that all electrics are working. Yep, definitely good that this was a shake-down run. Now I’ve got to get all that done and check my packing list!

And in the meantime, I discovered another perfectly lovely day ride SE from home!