Day 24: The End of the Road

Home.

The last day was great—a long breakfast with James followed by fast, easy miles. The wind was brutal when I hit Laramie, almost pushing the bike over on an inclined exit, but I made it down into Colorado exactly the way I came up.

Little Man was both surprised and down at my arrival. We snuggled for a bit on his bed, and he loosened up when we went outside, but clearly he felt abandoned. On the other hand, Nani, Helen’s cat, was delighted to see me and paraded all around.

Helen and I went to sushi when she got home from work. I missed her greatly and it was a lot of fun to trade stories and catch up on the last three weeks.

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The bike is a rocket. It looks fast just standing still. It’s smooth and quiet and can hold 92mph all day long or sit in bumper to bumper traffic cooking for an hour. It’s the only Harley I’ve owned that needed no engine modifications to achieve real power, and the most responsive bike I’ve ever ridden in my life. It’s finish is so well done that I enjoy looking at it even after all these miles.

After that first check engine light, it did not miss a beat for the entire trip. My only complaint is that the front handlebar remains cocked so that the left side is a little high. It’s annoying mile in and mile out. High Country Harley Davidson hasn’t been able to fix it, and I’ll want them to take another try.

Harley-Davidson is known for building glitzy bar hoppers and truck-like interstate cruisers. This bike is something different, a true sport tourer that can handle the highways and byways alike.

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Together, the bike and I covered well over 4,000 miles and visited ten states: CO, WY, UT, AZ, NV, CA, OR, WA, ID, and MT.

I need to reflect on the trip and write a more thoughtful conclusion to the experience tomorrow. It might take a few days to think it through.

Still, every trip needs a top ten list. Here’s mine:

• Best Road: 120 out of Lee Vining through the Tioga Pass into Yosemite was the most exciting to ride and showcased the landscape most beautifully.
• Best Diner Breakfast: The Eel River Cafe in Garberville, CA. The waitress really cared about the place, the pancakes were light and crisp, and the gravy was a cut above.
• Best Non-Diner Meal: There were a lot of really good meals. If I had to pull one from memory, though, it would be James’ fried eggs, fresh from the hen house. For two fried eggs to stand out like that means those hens are really working out there!
• Best Bargain Motel: El Mono Motel Da Latte in Lee Vining had a nice feeling about it—safe, homey, well cared for, and relaxing—for $100 a night.
• Best Motel Overall: El Mono Motel Da Latte wins again. I didn’t splurge on hotels on this trip, but my stay there would have been excellent at a higher price. Sitting out on the porch with a cup of coffee was a delight.
• Worst Drivers: Seattle drivers take the cake. It was the only city in which I almost got hit. The drivers all appear to be on their phones, and they wait a long time at a green light before starting out.
• Most Congested State: Washington. Seattle is built for a smaller scale of traffic than it currently holds. LA has the same problem but say what you will, LA drivers are focused on getting down the road without getting their cars dented. That’s good for everyone. What’s worse is that I couldn’t escape the Washington traffic. Even out in the mountains the traffic was heavy.
• Scariest Moment: Though the near tip-over on the 101 above Big Lagoon, CA, was a shock, it wasn’t deadly. There was a sudden stop while coming into an underpass in Seattle traffic that scared me and stayed with me for the rest of my time there.
• Best Room in a Museum: That room in MOCA with the three enormous Rothkos rivets me every time I see it.
• Best Chicken: There were a lot of chickens on this trip. The leader of James and Adela’s flock, Katsu, wins for her calming management of nine hens and her amazing bronze and green plumage.

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The bike is tucked away in the garage now. It needs a good washing and an oil change. All to come this week.

My hands are sore, my shins are plumeled, I’m sunburnt, my butt is worn, and I’m well behind in my email. I have a full day of grading to do.

This was a great experience and am already planning my next ride.