100,000 MILES!

Day 19, Thursday, May 18, 2017

My alarm sounded at 6:30 AM.  I got up and Chuck soon got us.  We got dressed and packed.  We were anxious to get moving.  We took our bags out to our Motors and packed them.  I saw that Jan and Ken were already at their Motors.  We went to breakfast and soon, the whole Group was having breakfast.  We kept hearing and seeing on the TV that the rain was coming.  We were all done and our Motors were ready.  We left at 8:42 AM.

Chuck led the Group south onto US 83.  We were going to go straight south to beat the storms that were coming our way.  Chuck led and I followed, then Jan, C.E., Ken and Jake.  It was a cold 48 degrees and overcast sky. We rode south and also experienced the cross winds coming from the East.  It didn’t let up.  We rode for 69 miles and at 9:40 AM we stopped in McCook, NE. at a McDonalds for a pit stop.  Why McDonalds you ask?  McDonalds had coffee and hot chocolate, seats, was indoors and was heated.  That’s why.  We relaxed and thawed for a short time.  We left at 10:17 AM.

We continued on US 83.  It had warmed to 50 degrees.  Now, not only was the cross winds hitting us, but so were the semis going the opposite direction.  The wind turbulence was wreaking havoc with the Motors every time they passed.  We crossed the Border into Kansas at 10:40 AM.  We continued on US 83 and after 30 miles stopped at 10:44 AM in Oberlin, KS. for gas at a Phillips 66 gas station.  We all gassed up, took a pit stop and had some snacks.  We left at 10:56 AM.

Jake was up to lead.  Ken followed, then Jan, C.E., Me and Chuck.  We still fought the cross winds and the wind turbulence from the semis.  I got to the point that whenever a semi came our way, all of the Motors next to the center line moved to the right.  It seemed to work.  It wasn’t quite as bad.  It was still 50 degrees and after riding for 12 miles, we stopped in Scott City, KS. at 12:36 PM at Subway for lunch. The locals there were telling us about the possibility of Tornadoes hitting their City later in the day.   Jake, Chuck and Jan were looking at their phones in Subway and looking at the weather App.  Jake told us that the temperature in Liberal, KS. was supposed to top off at 77 degrees.  Chuck said that we needed to stop before we got to Liberal and strip out of our warm jackets and big gloves.  We didn’t want to look strange to the locals.  We left at 1:15 PM.

We were back on the road again.  As we rode further south, the temperature started to get warmer.  We arrived in Sublette, KS. after riding 74 miles and at 2:23 PM.  As soon as we stopped, we got off our Motors and started stripping down to our shirts, pants and boots.  We secured our jackets, big gloves and anything we were using to keep warm.  We went in and made a pit stop and bought drinks.  NO!  Not that kind of drinks…water and coffee!  Jeez!  We were ready to leave and did so at 2:56 PM.

We continued south and I kept an eye on my Odometer.  It was getting close to the 100,000 mark.  We rode into the city of Liberal, KS. after riding 35 miles and arrived at 3:28 PM at a Sinclair gas station.  We all gassed up and my Odometer was closer.  We left at 3:36 PM.

Jan took the lead.  I told him that I was very near to the 100,000 mile mark.  I followed, then C.E., Ken, Chuck and Jake.  We went onto US 54 in a SW direction.  We crossed the Border into Oklahoma at 3:46 PM.  As we rode through the tiny town of Tyrone, OK., I looked at my Odometer.  At 3:55 PM, on US 54, just west of Tyrone, OK. My Odometer turned 100,000 miles.  I know, I know…big deal, so what?  I’m excited because it is my Motor and I put those miles on it.  We rode just a little further and in Guymon, OK. After riding 42 miles and at 4:19 PM we rode up to a Best Western Plus.  Jan and I went in to see if they had rooms and they didn’t have enough for us.  They gave us directions to the Holiday Inn Express.  We rode a few blocks and stopped at the Holiday Inn Express.  Jan and I went in and “made the deal.”  We all checked in.  The room assignments for tonight and tomorrow are:  Ken and Me, Jan and Jake, Chuck and C.E.  We took our bags to our rooms, came down to the breakfast area where we had coffee and cookies. We were watching the Weather Channel and we watched where there was a large storm, with possible Tornadoes, just east of Liberal, KS.  We asked about a place for dinner and it was recommended that we ride about .7 miles away to a place called, “Pub on the Bricks.”  We went and had dinner.  It was OK.  We returned to the Hotel and tucked the Motors in for the night.  It was funny trying to put the covers on the Motors because the wind had kicked up again.  It was like looking at the Keystone Kops.  We all had a laugh and enough was enough.  Time for the Hot Tub!

Today we rode for 362 miles.  We started out at 48 degrees and overcast and finished with 82 degrees and partly cloudy.  It was nice to ride to dinner without jackets and all bundled up.  I reached a milestone on my Motor by hitting 100,000 miles on the Odometer.  I believe that my Motor is ALMOST broken in.  Tomorrow we hope to not get wet.  We are going to continue to head south and ride to northern New Mexico.  Of course, this is today and not tomorrow.  Things can change.  We will see…