Travelin' Man Day 6

This was the last day in Iowa, but it was a good one. First stop was the National Motorcycle Museum.  This was one of the main reasons they chose this destination and they were not disappointed. Now Steve has been to the Harley museum in Milwaukee, but there aren't too many Harley riders I know that have always been exclusive to the brand.  Even I started on a Kawasaki and was kicked off a Yamaha on my maiden voyage as a driver.  The point is most motorcycle riders have a diverse brand background. Therefore a museum that covers all brands is a very appealing place to a rider that wants to take a walk through motorcycle history. This ended up being a walk down memory lane for both of the guys. 

Here we have Rodney by a '72 Yamaha 350. (All you moms out there may want to skip this next part.) When he was 16, he rode one just like this that was purple and white along with his friend Bo (who was on a Honda 350 Scrambler) from Vicksburg, MS to Panama City, FL. (My son is 14 *shudder*) 

Now Steve is standing by his original Ironman. This is a Honda Trail 70. It's the same color and everything as the one Steve started riding when he was 11.  Another frightening thought for moms out there I know.  At least he was mostly under adult supervision.  There were plenty more bikes to see and they got many pictures, but we don't want to spoil the fun for any of the rest of you out there who want to visit and find your own memories.  After leaving the museum, they enjoyed another piece of history.  They stayed outside this one though. 

 It was the Iowa State Peniteniary in Anamosa.

This facility was built in 1880 with other parts being added through the years. Interesting that you don't see any razor wire even though the prison is still in use. I'm proud to say that both guys managed to get away without being detained, but I also know that they both have fast bikes too.  It was time to move on at this point, so good bye to Iowa until another time. Our adventurers started heading south.  They were riding into a headwind for most of the day which any rider knows can be exhausting as well as hard on your mileage.  Also along the way, a truck decided to share part of his load with the road and it hit and cracked Rodney's new fairing. I've got a few names for morons like that who can't keep their loads to themselves, but I like to keep this a family friendly blog. They managed 303 miles though before safely parking in Champaign, IL for the night. Tomorrow could be interesting depending on what the weather decides to do. Stay tuned. 

Travelin' Man Day 2

So day 2 went much smoother than the first. After 534 miles in one day it was time for an easier day. Of course the first order of business was a new battery. That took two trips to get the right one. (How silly you are to think they'd give him the right one first on this trip!)  Weather was a concern on this day. They were ready with their rain gear, but it was barely a problem. They just hit enough to get the bikes a little dirty. That alone is enough to make Steve's eye twitch but somehow they managed to thread their way through the dry patches of the thunderstorms all day.  They arrived safely in Maryville to a steak dinner and a cold beer. 263 miles down today and even got 45 mpg from one tank. Maybe things are looking up.  I'll leave you with pics of one of the ones they visited in Eldon. This is Cocoa aka Sidewinder because of the cast. (Yes, my uncle Dan has a sick sense of humor. I come by it rightly.) No worries though. Cocoa was born with a bum leg and the vet thinks the cast will straighten it.  As you can see the dog just loves her too.  Remember when you're traveling, don't forget to stop and smell the donkeys!