Trip to Florida - 2

Louisville is my immediate goal as I take off through the uneventful southern Indiana landscape. My memory is refreshed as I approach the modest skyline of the downtown area. What I did not recall was the impressive bridge over the Ohio made all the more memorable this time by being on a motorcycle. I imagined how more than a century-and-a-half ago, people risked their lives swimming across that huge expanse of water to escape slavery. I could not help but think of the similarity (on a higher level of hazard) to the Florida Straits in more recent times.


As I got closer to the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, I decided to take an alternate route further east. I headed towards Lexington and eventually Knoxville where the Blue Ridge begins. I had never been through this area before, and I'm glad I made the effort to travel that way. Outside of Knoxville there was a traffic jam due to construction. I stopped and asked for alternate directions. One of the women working at the gas station immediately asked me if I was in town for the "Honda Hoot." I had read about this gathering of Honda motorcyclists before, but had forgotten that it was being celebrated that weekend. I told her that I regretted not being able to remain, but I had a commitment to be in Florida for family reasons. She was very attentive and gave me intricate directions on a route that turned out to be one the most fun little side trips I've even taken. It was the windiest road I'd been on in that wing of mine. That machine was a delight to drive as I leaned on every turn and marveled at how it hugged the road. I got back on the interstate and headed towards Asheville, North Carolina.



I am hesitant to admit it, but the beauty of the landscape I was about to witness brought tears to my eyes. There is something about the nature of beauty, no matter in what form, that fills one's soul with such joy that it is difficult (and perhaps undesirable) to contain it. Such was my experience as I felt dwarfed by the densely packed mountain landscape through which I biked. I felt enveloped by steep, cavernous
passages reigning over the strip of asphalt I was riding. I rested well that night just outside Asheville in the midst of the Blue Ridge.

Trip to Florida - 1

So what does one do with a Goldwing and a lot of extra time? ROAD TRIP!!

The truth is that I had promised my aging godfather and aunt that I would visit them this summer. I had a crazy thought of going out there on my Vulcan 750 (on hindsight, that was a crazier thought than I could have ever imagined). It would have been cheaper and more practical to fly out there, but now I had this Goldwing...definitely several steps up from the little Vulcan. But could I actually make it to Florida? I decided to go for it.

At one time in my life, I would have tossed a few things in a bag and taken off without much of a thought. Now a days, I've settled into a middle/old age conservatism that compels me to do some planning (stubbornly, I still feel it is cumbersome although necessary). Without going into all the details, (which would force me to admit that I brought my laptop, GPS unit, PDA and a collection of other things that I hardly used and would curl the hair of any minimalist) I was able to stuff all that I "needed" into the sizable built-in luggage compartments on the wing. I had written out a long check list, and by the time I had check and doubled-checked that I had everything, it was lunch time of the first day that I had planned on leaving. I decided to have a farewell lunch with Bunny, but that I would still try to get away in spite of the lateness of the hour. And so, off I went.

I thought it would be best to stay on the back roads at the beginning, and perhaps for the whole trip. I was still not very familiar with my bike, and thought this might be prudent (old-age conservatism). It was almost three hours later in Mason City, Illinois when I finally took the bold step of venturing onto an interstate. I had had enough of slow-poke riding. When I arrived at Champaign, I eagerly took I-74 out towards Indianapolis. Wow, what a revelation! This Goldwing was made for the big road!! I started out slowly as I got used to the speed. But after I discovered the cruise control, I found freedom! I loved it how the miles went by so quickly. I was finally making good time. I actually traveled farther the second half of my half day than the first. I got past Indianapolis as far as Brownsville, Indiana and stopped for the night feeling good that I had made it that far.

New Motorcycle

As a teacher, the last day of school before summer vacation is always a special day...maybe even more so than for students. On that day, I found myself traveling past the motorcycle dealer and decided to stop and check things out. I had no intention of buying anything. I was simply browsing and dreaming. I've always wanted to own a Goldwing, ever since I started riding a few years ago. That day, I found a used one and thought about it a bit, but looked at other new bikes with more interest. As I compared what I could get for about the same money, the 2002 Goldwing seemed more and more attractive. I left the shop and called my wife thinking she might want to see it. We went out for a bite to eat and then headed out to see the bike. To my surprise, she really liked it. We put some money down and thought about it over the weekend. I did more research on the web and decided it would be a good deal. We lined up our financing with the credit union and went to pick it up. In a matter of just a few days, I realized a long-time dream of owning a Goldwing. I didn't realize, however, what future adventures lay in store for me and my "couch rocket."