Hilton Head+Paul – to Sturdevant’s - Summer 2013 log... ERBb'

Day 1 - Tuesday - 6.4.13 Str Cty: Madison Str Mls: 2119 End Cty: Harrison, OH End Mls: 2594 Dly Mls: 477 Miles Tot Mls: 477 Notes : sore time 7.5 hours Left Madison with brother Paul at 9:00 AM after physical therapy with Andy Bachhuber. 2 stops and small lunch at Bloomington IL Culvers. Averaging 66 mph, 44 mpg, and only 200 miles on a tank...so rode into Bloomington on fumes with gas warning flashing and showing NO gas. On to Indiana and Indy as the battery on our walkie-talkies ran out. We are learning more about the charging and reliability. We rode around Indy at rush hour and toward Cincinnati where we found a HIexp for $104, but by the time we checked in the price was $89. Ate at O'Charleys for only 14 points- steak and wedge lettuce with blue cheese and bacon. Rode 477 miles in 7:30 ride time. Sore, sore....

Day 2 - Wednesday - 6.5.13. - south from Cincinnati Str Cty: Harrison, OH Str Mls: 2594 End Cty: Alcoa, TN End Mls: 2923 Dly Mls: 329 Miles Tot Mls: 806 Miles Time : 6.5 hours Notes : rain from 1:00 on Up to a beautiful morning and on the road to Lexington by I-71. 80 miles on thoroughfare before getting on Hwy 27 thru the hinterland, down to Harriman TN, and east to Maryville. At 1:00 we got a 6 minute rain which soaked us. The temperature was 88 when it started raining and 60 degrees after the rain. We dried till 2:00 when we got soaked by another short rain and had similar temperature changes, going from 82 to 66. The road was great and the undulating terrain was beautiful. At 3:00 it started drizzling and continued onoff till arrival in Alcoa, TN at the HIexp by 4:30. Dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Drying everything out. There are 75 bikes within view of our motel of people riding the parkway and the Smokies parks. 6.25 hours and 320 miles. Our intercom system works nicely tho we would like 2 more hours of battery.

Day 3 - Thursday - 6.6.13. - Into the RAIN of tropical storm Andrea Str Cty: Alcoa, TN Str Mls: 2923 End Cty: Bluffton , SC End Mls: 3330 Dly Mls: 408 Miles Tot Mls: 1214 Miles Time : 8.5 hours Left at 8 AM in partly sunny skies.. Winding and undulating ...to the "Tail of the Dragon" - 318 turns in 11 miles. Spent 1/2 hour there before going further into the Smokies and on hwy 28 into Georgia. When we crossed a bridge which was under construction, Paul picked up a nail in his rear tire. We stopped at the next junction-store and I got out my plug kit - I have been carrying it since '07 but never had to use. We figured out how to use it and slowed the leak down... losing 1# per 10 miles, so every 50 miles we refilled the tire. Finally, I saw a tire shop and pulled into a bay out of the rain. They professionally plugged the hole and it held air throughout the remaining 120 miles of our rain soaked journey. The rain started at 1:00 and we arrived in Okatie/Sun City at 8:00 PM. Bike and schedules do not go well together. At the dragon we were at 1600 feet elevation, then went up to 2200 feet to the eastern front, and then down to sea level here. 408 miles today.. 1200 overall.. Rest days ahead. Picture: Rick and Paul at the bottom of the Dragon. What a great trip this would be if it were dry.

  Day 4 - Friday - 6.7.13 Str Cty: Okatie, SC/HH/SAV (days 4,5,& 6) Str Mls: 3330 End Cty: Sun City End Mls: 3340, 3410, 3470 Dly Mls: 277 Miles Tot Mls: 1490 Miles Notes : 3 days at Sturdevant's - Sun City We found a BMW dealer in Charleston and they had the tire, so Paul left for Charleston to get a rear tire at 9:15. Al and Linn got tied up at dr's office related to the fevers he has been having in the evening. I went to their house about 11:30 and we kibitzed for the afternoon. Paul came in about 3 from after a successful trip to BMW-Charleston. Had a great dinner and spent the evening talking. Back to our hotel at 8:30 and read till late.

Day 5 - Saturday - 6.8.13 Left at 8am for a bike tour of Hilton Head. Coffee and breakfast on the way. Hwy 278 to the end of the island and to Shelter Cove - all the way to the end and Broad Creek, where we used to anchor off and get supplies on our way between Florida and Maine in 1990. Paul then took a riding tour to Beaufort, while Linn, Al and I discussed the ways of the world, the pains of the USA, and had lunch. Hoping for southern barbecue for the evening meal ( now scheduled for tomorrow). Paul did not feel well and rested the afternoon in our room. Linn made a wonderful meal with Mahi Mahi. Beautiful day with no rain in site till tomorrow. We watched Palace Malice win the Belmont. Home to bed at 9:00.

Day 6 - Sunday - 6.9.13 - To Savannah Left at 8 for the 25 miles to Savannah...as we rode off the river bridge we were greeted by a tour opportunity- 1 1/2 hr ride in the historic district. We took it and got a great overview of the downtown. After the tour we rode south for brunch and to see where the normal people live...one story bungalows common throughout the south. Then back to Al and Linn's for an afternoon of pictures of their last trip west. Then, for Paul, carry-in southern barbecue - ribs, pulled pork, sweet potato fries, Al's potato salad and lots of napkins. Then we remembered and talked about our work and lives in West Virginia. Back to bed early for an early start tomorrow.

Day 7 - Monday - 6.10.13 - To Asheville, NC Str Cty: Sun City Str Mls: 3470 End Cty: Asheville, NC End Mls: 3780 Dly Mls: 317 Miles Tot Mls: 1887 Time : 6 hours Notes : rain started @ Anderson, SC Up early and off on a very warm and overcast day. All morning we drove where it had previously rained and we were dry and comfortable. We hit rain at Anderson, SC. We got under cover after being inundated by the splash from a large truck going the other way. Went for a snack break and came out to sunshine 10 minutes later. In another 30 miles when we got blasted we pulled into someone's garage. Finally we decided to run for Asheville instead of going to the smoky mnt park area first. Got in at 3:00 after 309 miles. After a rest we went downtown Asheville and rode to the Biltmore estate area. Impressed with renewal, number of people downtown, and cleanliness. We had dinner at the Stone Ridge Tavern for a big salad. Home for news of Americans spying on Americans.

Day 8 - Tuesday -3.11.13 - riding the Blue Ridge Parkway Str Cty: Asheville, NC Str Mls: 3780 End Cty: Waynesboro, VA End Mls: 4213 Dly Mls: 426 Miles Tot Mls: 2234 Miles Time ; 9 hours +25Miles Notes : Blue Ridge Parkway 25 miles around Asheville yesterday and 400 miles on the Parkway. We started out in thick fog with 50' visibility the first half hour. Then we had bright sun but never above 75 degrees and very windy from the west. A stop was required every 50 miles for a standing. We were worried about gas but found some 4 miles off the parkway. I broke the mount on my communicator. We saw tons of mountain laurel along the way- dark pink, lite pink, and white depending on the elevation. We spied many turkeys, a deer and a bear cub. We went over a mile high in the cold morning and maintained elevation above 2400 for the duration. We made it to Waynesburg, VA HIexp tonite. Mexican dinner of guacamole.

Day 9 - Wednesday - 6.12.13. On to Athens, OH on hwy 250 Str Cty: Waynesboro, VA Str Mls: 4213 End Cty: Athens, OH End Mls: 4524 Dly Mls: 309 Miles Tot Mls: 2543 Miles Time : 6 hours Notes : nicest ride We left Waynesboro at 7:30 and skirted Staunton on I-64 to intersect 250. Then into the Allegheny hills rising 3800, 3400, 3700 and 4200 feet up and back down to 1800 with no flat spots on top and little flat space in the valleys. Much nicer ride than yesterday. We got to Huttonsville, WV and called a friend from Buchannan to have of our bridges but her instructions were so poor we did not get lunch on Bridgeport Hill at Panera at noon after touring Weston State Hospital. We then preceded to Salem and North 23 to our WV farm which old friends now own. Kelzie she wanted pictures the picture of our cemented initials from the mid '80s, but her instructions were so poor we did not get the picture she wanted. On to Parkersburg with a stop at Tim Horton’s cafe and then to the Athens, OH HIexp. 309 miles in 6 hours; our best ride. The weather may again interfere tomorrow.

Day 10 - Thursday - 6.13.13 to Gosport, IN and beyond Str Cty: Athens, OH Str Mls: 4524 End Cty: Danville, IL End Mls: 4936 Dly Mls: 413 Miles Tot Mls: 2955 Miles Time : 7:21 Notes : visited on Mt Pleasant We left at 7:30 AM from Athens in overcast conditions after a huge rain storm over nite. About 100 miles out the weather turned windy and rainy but this time we were prepared, except we had an 18 degree drop in temp from 82 to 64 - But the conditions drove us under a gas station cover to wait. When the wind reduced and it was sprinkling we ran west to get out from under the storm. We were dry around Cincinnati and up I-74 to Shelbyville to catch 46 to Bloomington, IN. It rained before Columbus and we had warm sunshine as we entered Bloomington. Up HWY 37 to Burma road and N Mt Pleasant. We visited with Gladys, Jewel and Dakota Red for 45 minutes. Then we went to the (Chittenden Brook Farm) field to see John Lawson making round bales. We were then invited to the house and perused the developments. Being refreshed we decided to move on up HWY 231 to Crawfordsville and the nearest HIexp at Danville, IL. We had dinner at Big Boy and found $4.49 gas. Our wifi was screwed up and our TV was not fully functional. Rode 409 miles in 7:30 hours. Did I forget to mention that today is Marnie's 44th wedding anniversary..new diamond ring has been deserved.


Day 11 - Friday - 6.14.13 Str Cty: Danville, IL Str Mls: 4936 End Cty: Home End Mls: 5243 Dly Mls: 307 Miles Tot Mls: 3257 Miles Time : 4.5 hours Notes : 3124 Miles on bike Left Danville with low oil and could not find an auto store until Bloomington IL.. After coffee we got back on the road. We had wind to the side or quartering all day long, which made us more tired in only 309 miles in 4:30 hours... Driving very fast on the interstate today.

Total miles. 3257
miles in 11 days $$$$.
 All. $1472.90
Gas. 261.63
Motel 852.87 2 = 426.44
Food 127.29
Misc 131.11

Trip to Sturdevant's and Sun City Paul and Rick June 4 thru June 14, 2013 3257 miles Madison - Cincinnati, OH - Alcoa, TN - Okatie, SC - Asheville, NC - waynesboror, VA - Athens, OH - Danville, IL - Madison