2018 FALL ADVENTURE 11-11

It was cold in Killeen this morning, but dry. We made our way across a good chunk of Texas today. We’re still not out of the state, but we are getting close. The weather turned, and it was a really beautiful ride. The strangest landscape you could ever imagine but beautiful in a desolate, western kind of way.

Map of the Day 523 Miles

Rudy in the Lone Star State

2018 FALL ADVENTURE 11-10

We got to spend the night in Killeen, TX at the home of dear friends, Allen & Michelle. Turns out Michelle was in Puyallup visiting Ponce, so we missed her this time. We had a nice visit with Allen, a great meal and a much-needed rest to rejuvenate our spirits. Tomorrow’s another long day.

Map of the Day 295 Miles

2018 FALL ADVENTURE 11-9

The journey home begins. Making our first long ride today from Birmingham to Shreveport. The weather outlook for today is grim. Bad rains with lightning and thunderstorms. Too bad for us I’m afraid. We rode through some pretty good downpours, but wound up safe and sound in Shreveport, LA as planned. Whew!

Map of the Day 451 Miles

2018 FALL ADVENTURE 11-8 (Part 2)

Rudy died and went to motorcycle heaven today. Yesterday was all freeway so today we gave ourselves a little treat and road some back roads into Birmingham. 

Map of the Day 200 Miles

Enroute to our final destination we stopped at a place I read about called the Barber Antique Motorcycle Museum. I thought this might be a nice little stop for us, but I had no idea we were about to step into the most incredible collection of motorcycles I think anyone on this planet might own. There are not words enough to explain the breadth and quality of this collection. It was mind blowing. Who would have thunk you would find such a gem in Birmingham, AL.

Oh Boy!

Yowza!

And this aint all....

Gotta LOVE Sears

Styling!

I want it!

The following was the first production internal combustion motorcycle built in 1880 believe it or not in Munich Germany.

(Whhaat I never knew that)

Here is a video of the place

The Barber Vintage Motorcycle Museum

2018 FALL ADVENTURE 11-8

Hurrying Home.

My Big Brother

This evening, shortly after we arrived in Birmingham, my Brother Dan called to tell us that he has cancer and that there is nothing that can be done to save his life. We are ending our trip in Birmingham and turning around to get back home as fast as possible. The journey now will be long days with lots of miles each day. We expect that the return trip will take us until sometime next week.

2018 FALL ADVENTURE 11-06

Greetings from Atlanta,

Rudy dropped the bike off at the 4^th shop this morning for the 3rd service on the same problem on this trip. Our fingers are crossed that this time the darn leak will truly be fixed! Once that chore was complete we headed out to the Carter Center to poke around the Presidential Library. It’s been so inspiring to relive the great works done by the men who have served our country as President. You forget the details after so many years, but the collective display is such a powerful reminder of the work Jimmy and Roslyn have done to help the people of the world. And, the campus is beautiful and located in a lovely old part of Atlanta.

More than we can say for 45

After our visit to the center we took a long walk through a funky little neighborhood called Five Points

 and then an old stately neighborhood that reminded me a lot of Queen Anne, called Inman Park. 

We came to rest in the Old Fourth Ward on a barstool at a restaurant called Noni’s where we, along with an exited group of Atlanteans, settled in to watch the results of the mid-term elections. WOW, what a night that turned out to be especially for Atlanta.

2018 FALL ADVENTURE 11-07

Today we returned to the Old Fourth Ward, just around the corner from where we watched the historic mid-term elections, to visit the Martin Luther King National Historic Park. The park is dedicated to the work done by MLK to end segregation in the south and features museum displays and a collection of historical buildings including MLKs birth home, which we toured. Much of the neighborhood where MLK was born and raised is now owned by the National Park Service so you can see and feel what 1960s Atlanta was all about. Pretty cool.

We paid a visit to the tomb of MLK and Coretta Scott King. The tomb sits in a river of clear blue water and gives a powerful, yet serene environment to reflect on the achievements of this great man. The aftershock of Stacy Abram’s electoral “defeat” still shaking our hearts and minds brought MLK’s DREAM of an equal America into a harsh focus for us both. It was a powerful reminder of how much remains to be done.

In the corner, we met David, who sang us a song to sooth our souls.

Found along the way on to visit MLK memorial

2018 FALL ADVENTURE 11-5

Welcome to Atlanta.

Took a pleasant ride from Macon, GA into Atlanta today. We'll be here for a couple of days -- a good thing since the weather's gonna turn a bit nasty for a day or two. Rudy's putting the bike in the shop tomorrow and hopefully we will see it again in a day or two. With any luck, this will be the end of the mechanical saga that has plagued us since Virginia.

Map of the Day 154 Miles

We stopped for a nice lunch at a small cafe which was a re-purposed general store which reminded me a lot ot the Stielacoom Bair Drug and Hardware Store.  It still had the old very high shelves and the ladder that rolled on the floor to access the goods on the shelves.

Once we arrived in Atlanta we took a short walk in the neighborhood tonight after settling in. We've got lot's of things on the agenda for Atlanta, so we should be pretty busy. Gonna start with The Jimmy Carter Center and Presidential Library. Seems a fitting adventure for Election day.

Cool Graffiti

Stumbled upon home of Uncle Remus creator