West 2009
  
 

Day 01

August 27

 
 
 
  It seems that the days leading up to a trip like this move imperceptibly until the time to go finally arrives. Andy and I have talked about when we should hit the road, and decide that early is good. If all goes as planned, we should be on the other side of Kansas City before the evening rush hour traffic starts. Frost is loaded and ready to roll when Andy pulls into the Holler. We do a radio check, and we're off into the dark.  
 
 
  As we make our way out of Nashville and onto I24 toward Paducah, the sky is showing its best colors in a glorious sunrise. As we move along, the shades vary in intensity and hue like a kaleidoscope.  
 
 
  We will be crossing more major rivers today that most folks will in a lifetime. And with the rivers come the fog, laying across the fields and highways like a heavy, wet blanket.  
 
 
  Soon we encounter what will seem like a million construction zones on this trip - and the ensuing traffic backups that accompany them. All you can do is just lay back, follow the parade, and be thankful that it is moving.  
 
 
  This day could be easily called the 'river' day since, we cross the Cumberland, the Tennessee, the Missouri, the Ohio, and the Mississippi. The Land Between The Lakes is a beautiful area that is south of I24 before you get to Paducah, nestled between the Tennessee and the Cumberland, just before they drain into the Ohio.  
 
 
  As we make our way across Paducah, I remember a Bob Evans right off the highway which will work nicely for breakfast. I try to pick meal stops and fuel stops together so that we minimize the 'stopped' time. You can generally figure 30 to 60 minutes every time you stop, so combinations do save quite a bit of time during a day long trip. As I make my way into the restaurant to get us a booth, Andy tends to a little preventative 'chain oiling' on his V-Strom.  
 
 
  Bob Evans is one of those restaurant chains that I call a 'safe choice' - predictable prices, quality, and service. I happen to really like their sausage so that's a plus for me also, since there is not one close to where I live.  
 
 
 

It's funny, but over the years, I have my 'choices' at each particular chain restaurant so I seldom look at the menu. Here it's a cheese and sausage omelet with a side of sausage. Since it's been a little cool, I go for a hot chocolate. Andy is a coffee man, so he gets a cup of brew and places his order.

"I reckon if we can keep this pace up, we should beat the traffic through Kansas City" I tell him.

We've got 620+ miles to go, all of it interstate, or 'slab' as we call it. Times are pretty predictable if you don't run into a lot construction zones or accidents.

Breakfast comes and we wade into it. On trips like these, we skip a 'set down' lunch to save time and avoid the sleepiness that can come after a meal. So we tank up on breakfast, figuring we can snack along the way and then have a nice sit down supper when we get to the destination. The highway is calling, so we do justice to our plates and are soon back on the road - to cross another series of river bridges.

  
 
 
  I'm in the lead as we approach another construction zone with a tanker on my right. Realizing what can happen, I decide to speed past him when all of a sudden the tanker just comes over on top of me. He never signals or anything - just comes straight over. Since he has right of weight and I am paying attention, I just move over and ease off the throttle. 40+ years of riding teaches me that I am invisible when I swing a leg over a motorcycle so his actions do not surprise me very much. Back in another 'construction parade', I check my PPS system and chuckle. A lot of riders have gone to the GPS (global positioning system) and there is nothing wrong with that. But I have developed a simple shorthand notation system that works well for me. It's waterproof, takes up little space, and inexpensive. I call it my PPS - Papyrus Positioning System.  
 
 
  Before long, we are working our way around the city of St. Louis. I70 will take us from here to Kansas City and on to Topeka, but the direct route by the Arches and downtown St. Louis is a malfunction junction. It requires a bunch of merges in short order which spell trouble for any motorcyclist in a traffic situation. I have found a simple way that takes I255 north to I270 then deposits us on the other side of the city on I70. It's a few miles longer, but a lot less fraught with opportunity of becoming a hood ornament. So before long, we cross the Missouri River and I check it off my mental river list.  
 
 
 

It's a good time for a gas stop, so we pull off as we get into St. Charles. It is hotter than blazes, so we also take time to remove some layers and rehydrate. As you travel distances across this country, temperature management can really be a challenge. You may start off in the morning with heated gear and end up in well ventilated mesh before noon. And today is exactly that way - leaving home it was pretty cool, now it's not so cool.

  
 
 
  Soon we are back at it, and it's another river and another bridge.  
 
 
  The skies are darkening on us but we decide to ride on. In these temps, if the rain is not a torrential downpour for a long period, it actually is refreshing. The water starts coming down in sheets but I can see sunlight up ahead, so I tuck in and ride on - hoping for the best.  
 
 
 

Soon we break out into the sunshine again and it doesn't take long to dry back out at 75 mph! I figure we'd better gas one more time before we get to Kansas City proper, so the town of Concordia provides us with a convenient fuel stop. The last thing you want to do is to head into heavy traffic and be low on fuel. Andy takes a walk over the local Wal-Mart to pick up a few things he needs, and I wander into the convenience store after I move Frost from the pumps. I pick up my usual - a Diet Coke and a Diet Orange and present them for payment. They lady behind the counter asks -

"Where you coming from?"

"Well, we left Nashville this morning early and plan to spend the night in Topeka".

She gives me the usual look I get when I mention the distances that I usually travel.

"Did you know that Topeka's zip code starts with 666?" she tells me.

I file that away in my mental floss container, as I well understand the Biblical reference to that number of the evil one.

"Well, that's interesting" I reply.

"Hmm, didn't you see the offer on Coke products? There's a great deal if you buy two Coke products. But then that's what women are for - to notice things that men miss."

I just smile, because I did notice, but Coke did not have a diet orange product.

She leads me back to the coolers for a search so I humor her. I can't fault her for trying to be helpful. And I've worked behind a store counter and it does get kind of boring.

She gets a little embarrassed when she cannot produce a diet orange in the Coke line.

I tell her, 'Oh well, thanks for trying. But I really want a diet orange."

I settle up and move on outside, downing my hard won orange as Andy completes his mission.

  
 
 
  Soon we are headed into Kansas City where we will split the city right down the middle via the slab. Our timing is good as the rush hour traffic has not started ratcheting up yet. For this we are thankful and make haste across town as quickly as we can.  
 
 
  As we get into Topeka, the capitol city of Kansas, our old friend the rain has come seeking us again. It's not too far to the Day's Inn where we will be staying, so we ride on.  
 
 
 

We manage to get to the exit without getting doused again, but it's a tough search for the Days Inn. Although the address is given as right on the street, the motel is tucked away behind a Denny's with no direct access from our side of the divided highway. But I finally find what looks like a way in, so we swing across traffic at the first break and work our way down to the motel. The lady at the desk is very helpful and quickly finds our reservations.

"Derryberry, now that's an unusual name" she says smiling.

"Yes, ma'am, but now that you've heard it you won't every forget it!"

We both laugh and she adds

"Yes, you're right."

We get our keys and unload our bikes with what little stuff we need for the evening. I put Frost to bed, nicely covered up from prying eyes.

  
 
 
 

I noticed on the way in the Timberline Restaurant, so we decide to give it a try. After we make our way across the traffic, we get a nice soft booth to rest in. We both order beef brisket sandwiches and we are not disappointed. It's some of the best brisket I have had in a while. I tell Andy -

"Well, this looks like a pretty good stop. There's easy gas, Denny's for breakfast, this place for supper and a Wal-Mart across the street. What more could a man want?"

I add "I reckon I'll hit up the lady at the front desk and see if she'll give us the same deal on our way back through here from Denver."

"Sounds like a good idea to me" he adds.

  
 
 
 

When we make it back across the street, I go have a talk with the lady at the Days Inn.

"Could you fix us up with the same rate on September 13th when we come back through?" I ask.

"Let me check" as she does whatever it is that motel folks do to check.

:"How about the same room?"

"Well, I believe I can do that also - unless the folks before you don't check out or the room has maintenance issues" she lets me know.

"Great, then put us down and we'll be back in a couple of weeks."

With that bit of business tended to, I head back for the room. We've got a little longer day tomorrow to get to Denver to meet Dave, so I pillow my head quickly and drift off to a sound sleep.