Still sitting.



Due to some ordering delays and slow delivery, it's looking like I may be on South Padre Island for a full week. After a hold up with the first order, I purchased a drive chain from another company hoping that it would arrive more expediantly. Checking the tracking for the two chains place one arriving Tuesday and the other on Wednesday. I'm undecided but will probably wait for both, so that I have a backup.

It has been pretty leisurely here so far, and I've spent a good deal of time reading and working on puzzles(which is a rare delight of mine). But I'm eager to cross the boarder and start covering more miles. Notions of leaving the motorcycle and traveling more expediantly by bus have been working there way deeper into my thoughts. Such a scenario may not be far out, but I'm still inclined to ride at least a little further.

Performing some scheduled maintenance.

    

In the down time, I've performed an oil change and updated all my other 3,000 mile maintenance, including some valve adjustments. I have also met a nice young couple from Montreal traveling around the world. I found their plans and words encouraging and we wished each other well and fun travels.



Aside from looking forward to a second Bingo night not much else is going on. It's been good to still be in contact with home via cell phone, hope everyone else is well.

Emily's Sir Francis Drake book, an extra flashlight and some cold weather clothing.

A pile of some of the extra unnessisarys that I will be sending back to lighten my load.

NOT ACCORDING TO PLAN AT ALL! or Texas never ends.

Well it was an easy ride to Port Isabel, Texas.
And as I made to cross the long causeway over to South Padre Island and spend a leisurely day at the campground.
My brand new drive chain parted! So there I was, stranded, with no shoulder on a bridge stretching off into the fog with no sight of land.

After AAA decided to take their sweet time, the sheriff showed up. Thankfully securing my lane of traffic and calling in a local tow truck. After some speedy pondering I decided to have them drop me off at the campground anyway.

So, here I sit. In this off season beach resort town, playing bingo with the "Winter Texans"
I've ordered a new chain, and have a couple days to sit here, and ponder what happened and what I'll be doing next.

What new hell is this?

Almost according to plan.

Monday has come.
I have been making the most of this desolate campground on the lake.
Truely perfect, except an overabundance of solitude and the drought induced burn-ban precluding any campfire.

Not such a suprise but when I showed up to the shop my sprockets are in, but no new chain. Seems it Shipped from Wisconsin by mistake! But being anxious to get on the road, I install the sprockets and make for Houston.

A little rain and a traffic detour found me in a dumpy motel in Lufkin. Not much to speak of, but some reasuring phone calls with family help sooth my lonelyness. and an early mornings set of errands finds me with a new chain!

I have packed away the miles, and now find myself south of Corpus Christi in another motel. (nicer this time) I'm on a communal computer in the lobby (as the Wifi is not yet installed) I may go back to edit/elaborate on these last two post.
Included, a photo of my first palm tree sighting.

A slow start.

The rains have let up outside of St. Louis and I've set out on the road.

I made good time to Little Rock and spent the night at Hot Springs National Park.
{ Did not make use of the hotsprings though :-( }

From there I continued to Texarkana when my drive chain started slipping. Erk!

My rear sprocket is worn almost beyond use and I didn't notice!

Thankfully some biker cops pointed me in the direction of a motorcycle shop that placed my nessisarys on order. Sprockets and a chain.

However, it being friday, regardless veteran's day, the parts will (should) be in on Monday.

Thankfully there is a lovely campground just outside of town on a peacefull reservoir where I can while away the rest of the weekend.

So with a few groceries my only delema (aside from my poorly compiled scentences) is that this is a dry county! Agh! The only liquor store is in the next county, 10 miles down the road.

Hmmm, how far can I limp on this worn sprocket?

I got my Jive on route 55??

Annnnnd off!
The run down to St. Louis was a longer one that I'd remembered.
Dad and Eileen saw me off from Oconomowoc on Saturday morning followed by a brief stop over in Chicago to catch up with my good friend, Liz. Then, South to Missouri. (I think I use too many commas.)
I had hoped to see more of Historic Route 66, but as the wind picked up and the sun set I hopped back over to modern Highway 55 and took it most of the way down.

I'm staying with my Aunt Marguerite and it's wonderful to spend time with relatives from both sides of the family again.
Anna, Mom, Howie and I visited with Grandma and checked out the Cahokia indian mounds. Of which little seems to be really known.

Tuesday morning the motorcycle that must not be named and I recieved a laying on of hands blessing (I'll take whatever good fortune I can get!) and the relative trio rolled into the rain, northward toward The Kee.

As the massive thunderstorm line blotted out my entire path to Texas, :-/

my cousin Warren & his wife Sarah, treated me to movie night. 

I've finally gotten to see Casablanca!

Still here in St. Louis, waiting out the cold and the clouds.

It's good to be warm, dry, and with family.

Eep!

K,
Anna just called me to go over my to do list and see if she can help with anything.
Guess it has just this moment sunk in that I'll be rolling from Milwaukee in two days.

Most is ready.
Have a couple of final luggage things to do, some filters for the bike, car into storage- that sort of thing.
But mostly I think I'm ready.
Maybe I should learn Spanish. :-\

Minnesota and Beyond



Well, still no name has come to me yet.
But the test run went smashingly well...heh heh, cough.

A shout out to Claire, Angie, Jake, Jess, Pete & Amanda! As well as my old Profs at MSU.
All of whom I was ever so happy to see.
I got some insight as to how my new motorcycle performs, learned a few tidbits on load distribution and re-engaged my cold weather endurance.



Highway Bars













Luggage Rack, in progress.



All geared up



Gov. Dodge State Park, WI