Day 15

July 23

I realize today will be the last day on the road for me. It is hard to believe I will have ridden almost 8700 miles in 15 days by the time I get home. I've ridden through Wyoming, into Yellowstone, through Montana, across the Rockies, all over the Dakotas, up to Alaska, down the PCH on Oregon and California coast, across the Sierras, across the deserts of Nevada and Utah, across the Rockies again in Colorado and through the plains of Kansas - in one trip. It's still a pretty good little haul to Nashville, but I'm like a mule that smells the feed – I'm ready to head for the barn. There will be few photo ops today cause I got home on my mind and heart. I load up the RedBird and head back to the grill for breakfast. I'm amazed – the same lady that waited on me last night is there opening up this morning.

“Don't they let you go home at night?” I ask her.

“Yeah, sometimes” she says with a grin.

I order an omelet, a side of pig meat and some unsweetened ice tea. The meal comes quickly and I'm glad. I figure this poor lady puts in some long hours, so I leave her a big tip before I head out. The heat is climbing quickly and I know I've got to push it to get home. I get into Missouri and finally make it to Springfield. There 400 turns back into 60 so I motor along. Highway 60 will take me all the way to Paducah where I can jump on I24 to get to Nashville. Traffic is slowed to a crawl just as I approach Willow Springs due to construction. And as some DOTs do in construction zones, the highway signs are taken down. There's a fifty/fifty chance as the road splits that I will get it right. My choice is wrong and I end up on highway 63 instead of highway 60. After a while, my internal compass tells me I'm headed south when I want to be headed east. I finally see a road sign and I realize where I am. It's map time to sort out where I need to go. Looks like Highway 160 will take me back to Poplar Bluff where I can reconnect with Highway 60. It's a bit out of the way, but it appears to be quicker than doubling back. Highway 160 is a winding 2 lane through the country so I don't mind my missed turn too much. I'm focusing on making up time and I do not notice the sky is turning that weird green and black. As the wind begins to pick up, I notice up ahead is Tweedly-Dee driving Tweedly-Dum along in an old beater at about 20 mph. There's a bright flash of lightning, then I'm hit with a sideways fury of water and wind. This makes the driver in front of me slow down even more. I contemplate parking the bike and walking up there to see if they are still breathing. I can't stop to put on my rain gear because there's no place to pull off – no shoulder, no driveway - nothing. I can't pass them to find a spot because you can barely see through the rain and they're dead center of the road. Lightning is hitting all around and trees are coming down. I feel my waterproof boots filling up on the inside with water and my clothes getting a fresh washing. II have no other options except to ride on at a snail's pace behind the folks in front. Finally I come to a place to pull off but it's a little late now. I manage to pour the water out of my boots and get my rainsuit on over my wet clothes. Thankfully it's warm or I would be in big trouble. I quickly catch back up with the slowpokes but they finally turn off – and for that I am thankful. I pickup my speed as best I can and make it to Poplar Bluff in a few miserable hours. I see a store off on the side road, and I pray that it at least has a restroom I can use to change into something dry. It does, so I grab my Stich and some dry clothes and slosh inside. Not only does this place have a large restroom, the restroom has one of those wash-hands-dry-on-pants machines. I dry out my boots as best I can and blow some of that nice hot air into them. It feels good to get into some dry clothes after several hours of soaking. Outside under the awning, there are two couples on cruisers holding up, waiting for the rain to stop. They have the usual hot weather uniform – shorts, T-shirts and tennis shoes. The apparent leader notices me putting on my Stich and asks

“Ain't that suit hot?”

“Yeah it is little bit. But you know, the skin just don't grow back real well if you go down” I tell them.

I think of the dead spots on my body from get-offs before I wore protective gear. They just shake their head, unable to comprehend that they could possibly go down. I wonder to myself why do they think they are called accidents? I guess some riders believe you get to plan your get-offs but you get off with the clothes you get on with. As I load up the Redbird with my soggy clothes, I decide I'll stop at Lambert's in Sikeston for supper since it is kind of on the way. It's the fairly famous home of the ‘Flying Rolls' and I've never been there. When I do pull up, it appears to be a three-day wait, so I settle for a nearby Burger King.

I wolf down a so-so Whopper and head back to the road. At least it has stopped raining and I'm a lot closer to Paducah. Highway 60 is kind of nice as it crosses the rivers over old iron bridges and passes the river marshes. Before long I see the signs for I24 and know I'll be home in about 2-3 hours. I stop at the convenience store for one last fill-up and some more Pepsi and peanuts. I give my lovely wife, Sharyn, a call to let her know my estimated time of arrival. Tired, but happy to be almost home, I swing a leg over the RedBird and head her for the Holler.

My mind is on automatic pilot as I click off the miles. The Tennessee border never looked so good to me. Finally, I pull into the drive and Bubba gives me a welcoming bark of hello.

I hit the remote and the door opens just as it is supposed to. I ease the Redbird into her spot, and put her up on the center-stand. Just for grins I check the rear tire and it's down to the nubbin's at 8,645 miles. Another few hundred miles and I would have been in deep trouble.

Once again, it's great to be home at the place I love and the place where I am loved. There will be other rides I know, but not like this one. The memory of this Ascent To Alaska will be with me for the rest of my life.

THE END

A FOOTNOTE

My beloved Friend Bubba had to be put to sleep December, 2006 due to bone cancer. He was always sad to see me leave on the bike and always glad to see me return. He is deeply missed.