Man, Motorcycle, Mountains Day 1

Man, Motorcycle, Mountains

Day 1 -- Heading North

The long awaited and much anticipated day is finally here!  After months of planing and dreaming, the day to start riding has arrived!  No feeling like it, better than the last day of school!

The bike has 2 new tires, new brakes, fresh oil change and service, and has been washed and polished and preped.  I may have set a record for most stuff packed and loaded onto a motorcycle.
Hope it handles allright, surely my stuff doesn't weigh as much as a person.

I rolled away from home at 0630.  Toni prayed with me, hugged me, and took this picture.

I stopped before I got out of town to tie things down better--there was some bad shakin goin on.

I thought about how I had trouble getting out of bed on time, thought it odd, then decided it was God having me get a later start for a reason He knows, and I'm pretty blessed by that.

It was a cool and partly cloudy morning.  Some might have worn a jacket, but I decided not, and waited for the sun to eventually warm things, which it did, burning away the clouds by mid morning, and prompting me to get out the sun screen.  Don't want to get crispy on day one.

Rode on highway 69 north, anxious to be on roads that are new to me, and I recommend trying this road to KC if you haven't before--much less traffic.  Made real good time and stopped for lunch at Ladybug BBQ in Nebraska City.  Ate my favorite lunch, pulled pork!  All the customers were wearing jeans and boots, so I fit right in. Talked to a firefighter from Illinois who was riding his Harley the opposite direction, his trip ending, mine just beginning.

Riding through Iowa, I saw a lot of corn fields.  Really, a nice sight, being food grown out of God's great earth and an honest farmer's efforts.  I noticed that corn does have a smell, just like hay does, but different. 

Slipped into that zone this afternoon--riding the bike, taking in the sun, the wind, the blue sky, and the constant rumble of the V-twin.  You just go and go, totally relaxed and peacefull.  Never in a hurry to get there, always enjoying the ride.

Arrived in Vermillion, South Dakota at about 4pm after riding 486 miles.  Checked into the Prairie Inn across the street from University of South Dakota, apparently home of the YOTES!  I really enjoy the peoples accents up hear, don't cha know, allrighty, yup!  Tomorrow I'll head west.

I didn't have many photo opps today, so here is a pic of Bryan's college friends who came down to visit for the fireworks event 10 days ago.  What a great bunch of yutes!