#2 East coast/Gkids/NaPstamps

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With new tires and a fast mounting we were almost back on our schedule. Add the fact that we had some-slush-time and this whole episode turned out pretty good.

Leaving North Carolina I'm heading for South Carolina.

Fort Jackson to be precise. Despite the tire problems we've arrived a day early,  and we were very happy to have a rest day.

And then the big day arrived.

Actually "Family Day" is first, the new soldier has to stay on base but gets to visit with their family. Or whoever they choose for the day.

Pictures from Family Day 

Luke missed his family and his family missed him!

Luke standing tall with Beverly and I.

Then he tries to make me look taller.....

He was such a good kid and now he has become a good man!

Tomorrow is the actual graduation. We are so proud of Luke, and also proud of the other Troops in our family;

(Old to young)

    Michael 

(Luke's father)

Will

Jacob

Fenton

Mason 

(and I'm in there somewhere)

Graduation day arrives

Luke and Michael

Luke flies to his next school, Kaybi and family will fly home. Beverly will drive home, meanwhile

 I'll motor south into Fla. To get stamps for the National Parks

And soon,

I'm on my way south to Florida.

And then in Florida I'm cruising along on I believe was i-95 and I passed this guy and his bike a valkyrie sitting on the side of the road. I didn't see him in time to pull over. So I kept going and arguing with myself whether I should turn around and help him or just keep going. Well I knew if I didn't go back and try to help it would bother me all night long so although it was 12 miles I took the next exit returned to the exit behind him and return to the rider. I asked if he was  out of gas and his reply was affirmative so it was easy for me to help we took the gallon off the back of my bike and he was soon on his way. While I was stopped he got some more help from a family member and by then he had plenty of gas to make it to the next gas station.

Those Valkyries are sweet machines but hoo boy are they gas hogs!

A bit later I stopped at a rest stop, I needed to close my eyes for a spell...when I woke up I made a friend.....

Sunday and I'm up and out a little before 8

I kind of wanted to start around 7 but the comp brekkie didn't start until seven.

The day is cloudy and breezy.

While at Everglades NP I thought I had heard 'Something' in the bushes..... So I sat still and tried to see what was creeping around...but it must have been a little kitty or something harmless.....

Meh ..

After I get the three stamps I head north....but a cloudy day turned into a wet and windy day.

I kept riding until I was appropriately soaked - then got a room. The closest grocery store had an incredible deli...

Hopefully tomorrow is better weather!

And wat-d-U-no....

tomorrow was a LOT better! I hit a tiny bit of sprinkles a few minutes after leaving the motel. Other than that ....it was very nice!

Yesterday at my hotel I met two cool guys and some nice conversation. Unfortunately I didn't have my phone with me so no pics of them... :( And when did have my phone I didn't think about it.

Then today I ran into the guy from Pa on this GSA at a rest stop. Another nice conversation, but I also made certain to get a photo...

This trip had a deadline...we were very concerned that we make it it to Luke's graduation. Which we did- no problem. But the deadline made for a rushed feeling.

So I hope to sloooow down for the rest of the trip.....I'll have to remind myself ....."sloooooow dooown Kennnnn.....

I need to make that work,

When I re-entered South Carolina I saw sign for a visitor center...and this is it, but WOW was it hard to find!

Of course, once I did find the Low Country Visitors Center, the young lady was very helpful!

It was really neat seeing the old house

So l'm sort of homeward bound, I have 4 more Nat Parks to visit, and I'll stop in Tennessee to see my old buddy Sean...... I'm looking forward to all of that.

And that is part 2

Thanks for stopping in!

I'll post part III in a few days 

Life is excellent!

#1 East coast/G-kids/NP stamps

We have grandkids in Missouri, Connecticut, and one graduating from Army bootcamp in South Carolina.

That sounds like an excellent excuse for a long ride! Plus there are national parks stamps to collect!

But when it was time to go - mother nature refused to cooperate. So the ride started out with the bike in a trailer 

Snow A-plenty! Lucky for me we loaded the bike into our enclosed trailer - and it rode along tied down and I rode along warm, and comfy 

Our first stop/grandkids visit is in Missouri. The week flew by way to fast, the next thing we knew it was time to drive over to Connecticut for our second stop/grandkids visit.

While in Connecticut we visit the PEZ factory, and the visitor center.

Then we spent a couple hours in the Yale Peabody museum.

Did the triceratops drop 2 year old Grant or is Dad tossing him up to the dino? :)

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Another week quickly spent on an awesome visit and then we were on our way to North Carolina to visit my brother.

There are a plethora of covered bridges in the north-east, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to get an image of this one. The train bridge just added to the charm.

I've been keeping an eye on our trailers tires...they seem to be wearing out way to fast.

And they continued to wear out incredible fast. We had them mounted just before we left on this trip. Less than 2000 miles later and ..

We stop at a rest area and rotate the two hoping to extend them for at least a day - when we will have more time to get them  fixed!

But...in the end I didn't want Bev driving home alone with lousy tires.

So we  decide to bite the bullet and purchase some new tires right away

This tire store was the second one we stopped at and start the ball rolling for a new pair.

They got us in and out in less than 1  1/2 hour. Amazing!

We also called the store back home that installed the disappointing tires and were reassured that they would make this right when we got home. 

No surprise there, they are good people.

Speaking of good people, here are two..... Beverly and ....

 Another good person!

She was sitting on a picnic table near us as we rotated the tires. As we finished she approached us and commented that,  'she had never seen anyone  "fixing a flat and smiling as much as we were."

I pointed at Beverly and said, "when you marry a woman like her it's easy to smile all the time!

And that is part one .. thanks for reading.

Check in in a week or so for more .

Expect;

Florida 

Tennessee,

Et.al.

Numerous National Parks

More fun!

..

Side by side in Moab

No motorcyle content 

It's probably time for me to change my lens protector....but here is a cloudy selfie of my brother Keith and your's truly. 

Keith has purchased a side by side so we go on its maiden voyage to Moab.

We stopped in Green River to see the Golden Ratio Sculpture.

Placed in 2013 this Andrew Rogers creation has its share of haters and lovers.

I come down on the lovers side. But then I think the "Tree of Utah", on the other side of the state is also art.

IMHO art is simply an expression. It might be beautiful or it might not. However, it is still art.

But I digress.

Soon after leaving Green River we find our selves in Moab...to early to check in - we find a little sandwich shop (I wish I had written the name down) where we both ordered a sandwich from the young, cute woman behind the counter.

By the time we each had finiched half we were sated. They gave us to go boxes, we secured each sandwich in a box and off we went to find a trail to ride.

And that trail happened to be The poisen spider trail. (I hope that is  the correct name).

We noticed the large crack in that cliff and wondered when it would break the rest of the way and be coming down....

Since we had arrived in Moab at mid day and started late on the trail, we didn't get to the end, combined with some gnarly obstacles the going was slow.

All that riding and heavy thinking about the rock cliff....  made us hungry. We were both looking forward to our waiting sandwiches but.......when we returned to the take out boxes (left "hidden" in the open trailer) they were completely empty!

Birds? Crows? Likely.....damn those birds!

Despite remaining hungry until we fixed dinner, we got a good laugh about the sandwich thieving birds.

My oldest son's name is William....

The next day we ride "Hurrah Pass" that turns into "Chicken corner"

I believe this 'lake' is manmade and the result of potash mining....

Incredible rock formations abound!

We even saw a couple of Whetstones!

One of the highlights of this very fun trip was taking a side track and stopping at the Wind caves. 

I'm not a fan of caves or tight spaces, but I stayed in the light enough that I didn't sweat it to much.  That is until I thought Keith was going to climb through a small passage into another chamber.....oh yes....and when I exited but Keith took another 20 minutes or so to come out of the caves. Before he did appear and me still not knowing our sandwiches had been stolen - I was trying to figure out how long a time it would be proper to wait before I took the Rzr down to the trailer, ate my sandwich and then called for a rescue....

There are NUMEROUS openings and chambers to explore or ignore if one is claustrophbic.

And soon it is time to turn around.

Chicken corner is an easy in and back out trail, but I for one thoroughly enjoyed the day. The incredible scenery was breath taking to say the least.

So having spent two days in a side by side will I be trading in the motorcycle any time soon?

Nooooo.....as fun as it was, and as much as I enjoy spending time with my brother.....no. I liked our time in Moab, but I LOVE riding two wheels!