Wednesday, May 4, 2016 1000hrs.
(21639)
Left home at precisely 10:00am, cool and overcast..weather report said rain would fall in the afternoon. Stopped to top off the fuel tank before getting on eastbound interstate 70. I made a quick stop in St. Clairsville, OH to pick up a couple items at a sporting goods outlet then continued east. BRRRRRRR it's not cool out, it's cold! Continued east through the northern panhandle of WV into PA...then headed south on I79 towards Morgantown...planned to stop their for lunch..missed the exit to the Cracker Barrel located on the north side of Morgantown..because???Who knows why, I missed the stupid exit. Decided to stop on the east side of Morgantown...I'm cold and hungry. murging east on I68, stopped at exit 7 at a Outback Steakhouse, my fingertips are numb from the cold. Ordered a burger from "grassfed beef"...the waiter was friendly...it took the kitchen 30 minutes just to catch the cow and another five to cook the burger...at least my fingers aren't numb anymore...I top off the fuel tank before getting back on the road...switched gloves from the plain leather to my insulated gloves, also noted that the clouds caught up with me...brrrrrrr it's cold. Started to rain just a few miles further down the road, not hard enough to get me wet as the NT provides very adequate protection from the elements. BRRRRRR, Did I mention I was cold?
I soon stopped at a exit that had an obvious easy return to the interstate to put on my rain gear....more to help me keep warm than dry. Had light rain off an on from there on. I68 ends and I'm back on I70...then turn south on I270 towards washington stopping for gas in Frederick, Md..Traffic starts getting heavy as I get close to Washington, D.C. I think I'm still on schedule to beat the evening rush hour traffic...murge off Rt 270 onto the Washington beltway..Rt495 and traffic is already slow. Stopped for just a moment on Rt495 in a couple places but overall, it's not bad and I am able to keep moving, BRRRRRRR....exit 495 onto eastbound Rt 50 towards Annapolis, arriving at my mother's house at 5:30...the trip took about an hour longer than usual.
May 5,
Left Annapolis at 7:40 am, heading to Waldorf and La Plata, Md to take care of business...primary reason for making this trip. My business is sorted out, I meet up with a couple of the guys I used to work with and they tell me I'm nuts for riding a motorcycle...especially in the weather we are having. No one is available for lunch so I stopped at the house of my wife's very good friend to say hi since I haven't seen this woman in about 10 years, she was too busy for lunch but it was good to see her just the same. I get back on the road and....you guessed it, I'm cold! I return to Annapolis to my mom's empty house..mom took a day trip with the Senior Ctr. I have some cookies for lunch and fall asleep in a recliner while working on a Soduku puzzle. Mom get's home, we go to Panera Bread for a light dinner, taking her car as she won't ride on the bike anymore...I don't carry a second helmet with me anyway....get back to her house and I assembled a shelf that my siblings and I bought for mom's 86th birthday which was just a few days ago. The shelf gets assembled with surprise! No profannity! (That's an accomplishment all by itself!)
May 6
Last year I joined the retiree's group from my former employer... this will be the first time I've been in the area when their monthly lunch date takes place so I will go. It's raining when I leave Annapolis. Mother offers the use of her car but I decline as this steady rain will give me the opportunity to better assess my rain gear. Traffic is heavier than I anticipate and much of the 50 mile ride to La Plata is done at 40mph...I finally break free of the traffic on Rt 301 for a while only to catch even heavier traffic as I get into the Waldorf area. I have close call while stopping short, front wheel locks up on a tar patch, I am able to get off the front brake quickly enough to maintain control, still, a little unnerving just the same. I arrive for the luncheon about 15 m inutes late and had a excellent crab cake sandwich. Visited with some fellow retirees than head back to Annapolis. Stopping at 2 motorcycle shops along the way to shop for riding boots, gloves and new rain gear. Bought new "Joe Rocket" rain gear. The waterproof gloves and boots will have to wait until I am back home. Fill the gas tank up when I get back in Annapolis in anticipation of my trip home.
May7
First time in a long time that my mother has had all of her children together. We all go out for lunch and visit.... I decide to put off my ride home until first thing Sunday morning
May 8
Bike is loaded, farewell's are said, I'm on the road at 8 am. Traffic is light, I make good time and stop for breakfast in Frederick, Md...Cracker Barrel already has a line so I go to McDonalds right down the road, getting back on the road quickly. I stop for gas west of Cumberland, Md
Then stop again at the West Virginia Welcome Ctr where I finally give in to the cold and put my rain gear on to keep the cold air off me.
Weather forecast was half right...it is a beautiful day, windy, but the temps never reach into the 70's...still, it's the best day weather wise on this trip. I fill the tank again just a few miles from home so that the bike will be ready for the next ride. I arrive home at 1:50pm.
(22549 = 910 miles)
(21639)
Left home at precisely 10:00am, cool and overcast..weather report said rain would fall in the afternoon. Stopped to top off the fuel tank before getting on eastbound interstate 70. I made a quick stop in St. Clairsville, OH to pick up a couple items at a sporting goods outlet then continued east. BRRRRRRR it's not cool out, it's cold! Continued east through the northern panhandle of WV into PA...then headed south on I79 towards Morgantown...planned to stop their for lunch..missed the exit to the Cracker Barrel located on the north side of Morgantown..because???Who knows why, I missed the stupid exit. Decided to stop on the east side of Morgantown...I'm cold and hungry. murging east on I68, stopped at exit 7 at a Outback Steakhouse, my fingertips are numb from the cold. Ordered a burger from "grassfed beef"...the waiter was friendly...it took the kitchen 30 minutes just to catch the cow and another five to cook the burger...at least my fingers aren't numb anymore...I top off the fuel tank before getting back on the road...switched gloves from the plain leather to my insulated gloves, also noted that the clouds caught up with me...brrrrrrr it's cold. Started to rain just a few miles further down the road, not hard enough to get me wet as the NT provides very adequate protection from the elements. BRRRRRR, Did I mention I was cold?
I soon stopped at a exit that had an obvious easy return to the interstate to put on my rain gear....more to help me keep warm than dry. Had light rain off an on from there on. I68 ends and I'm back on I70...then turn south on I270 towards washington stopping for gas in Frederick, Md..Traffic starts getting heavy as I get close to Washington, D.C. I think I'm still on schedule to beat the evening rush hour traffic...murge off Rt 270 onto the Washington beltway..Rt495 and traffic is already slow. Stopped for just a moment on Rt495 in a couple places but overall, it's not bad and I am able to keep moving, BRRRRRRR....exit 495 onto eastbound Rt 50 towards Annapolis, arriving at my mother's house at 5:30...the trip took about an hour longer than usual.
May 5,
Left Annapolis at 7:40 am, heading to Waldorf and La Plata, Md to take care of business...primary reason for making this trip. My business is sorted out, I meet up with a couple of the guys I used to work with and they tell me I'm nuts for riding a motorcycle...especially in the weather we are having. No one is available for lunch so I stopped at the house of my wife's very good friend to say hi since I haven't seen this woman in about 10 years, she was too busy for lunch but it was good to see her just the same. I get back on the road and....you guessed it, I'm cold! I return to Annapolis to my mom's empty house..mom took a day trip with the Senior Ctr. I have some cookies for lunch and fall asleep in a recliner while working on a Soduku puzzle. Mom get's home, we go to Panera Bread for a light dinner, taking her car as she won't ride on the bike anymore...I don't carry a second helmet with me anyway....get back to her house and I assembled a shelf that my siblings and I bought for mom's 86th birthday which was just a few days ago. The shelf gets assembled with surprise! No profannity! (That's an accomplishment all by itself!)
May 6
Last year I joined the retiree's group from my former employer... this will be the first time I've been in the area when their monthly lunch date takes place so I will go. It's raining when I leave Annapolis. Mother offers the use of her car but I decline as this steady rain will give me the opportunity to better assess my rain gear. Traffic is heavier than I anticipate and much of the 50 mile ride to La Plata is done at 40mph...I finally break free of the traffic on Rt 301 for a while only to catch even heavier traffic as I get into the Waldorf area. I have close call while stopping short, front wheel locks up on a tar patch, I am able to get off the front brake quickly enough to maintain control, still, a little unnerving just the same. I arrive for the luncheon about 15 m inutes late and had a excellent crab cake sandwich. Visited with some fellow retirees than head back to Annapolis. Stopping at 2 motorcycle shops along the way to shop for riding boots, gloves and new rain gear. Bought new "Joe Rocket" rain gear. The waterproof gloves and boots will have to wait until I am back home. Fill the gas tank up when I get back in Annapolis in anticipation of my trip home.
May7
First time in a long time that my mother has had all of her children together. We all go out for lunch and visit.... I decide to put off my ride home until first thing Sunday morning
May 8
Bike is loaded, farewell's are said, I'm on the road at 8 am. Traffic is light, I make good time and stop for breakfast in Frederick, Md...Cracker Barrel already has a line so I go to McDonalds right down the road, getting back on the road quickly. I stop for gas west of Cumberland, Md
Then stop again at the West Virginia Welcome Ctr where I finally give in to the cold and put my rain gear on to keep the cold air off me.
Weather forecast was half right...it is a beautiful day, windy, but the temps never reach into the 70's...still, it's the best day weather wise on this trip. I fill the tank again just a few miles from home so that the bike will be ready for the next ride. I arrive home at 1:50pm.
(22549 = 910 miles)
