Canada 2018
  
 

Day 01

July 21

  
   
   
   
  With all my medical 'adventures' of late, I am past ready to get some wind in my face. I figure it will be hotter than blazes so I am getting on the road really early in a race to beat the heat. Frost is all packed up and ready to roll and so am I as we launch out into the early morning darkness.  
   
  Lights are just a blur as I hit the slab for the long grind for today. There's very few 'Then Came Bronson' moments when you have about 800 miles to cover. But I'd rather be doing that then sitting in an office wishing I could be in Canada.  
   
  It would be nice to have lots of time to travel the backroads up to Quebec but that's not the parameters I have to work with on this trip. Best I can figure I have between 6,000 and 7,000 miles to cover in 16 days so I get about it. It's either grab a root and growl and see the sun come up on the road or sit home on the couch. After a while, Mr. Sun begins to make his appearance over the horizon.  
   
  This is the second ride I've done since surgery on my right hand back on May 4th. It will give me a real world vision of how far along I am in the healing process. But I figure I can sit at home and hurt, sit at work and hurt, or sit on a motorcycle and hurt. At least on a motorcycle the view is constantly changing and the wind is constantly blowing. And I've seen some of the most beautiful sunrises from the seat of my two wheeled companions and this morning is no exception.  
   
  There's nothing quite like watching the handiwork of the Master Painter as He uses His vast pallet to paint the morning skies.  
   
  I'm a big fan of breakfast so I plan on a stop near Louisville at a Bob Evans. Much to my dismay, this one has been closed and boarded up. I like to hit Bob Evans when I can because we only have one in Nashville and it's a bit out of the way for me. I head back to the slab and figure I'll find another one or a Cracker Barrel somewhere. When I get to La Grange Kentucky, the barrel is cracked and I get my proper dosage of hen fruit and pig meat.  
   
  Frost waits patiently on me as she just ate before I pulled into the Cracker Barrel.  
   
  The skies don't look too friendly as I get back to slabbing, but as long as I can see blue up ahead, I'll ride on and take my chances of getting wet.  
   
  Soon I leave Kentucky far behind and head into the land of Ohio.  
   
  There's some mighty fine old farmhouses along this way which I have come many times. I'm happy there's still folks that take good care of these places and haven't knock them down to put up a double wide trailer.  
   
  It seems that corn has really done well this year as I saw down my run on the Trace a few weeks ago. I learned a long time ago that farmers can do their best, but the Lord of Glory does the rest. If He doesn't bring the rain and sun in the right amounts, ain't nothing going to grow but weeds. Far too many people run from the rain and sun that He brings into their lives and then wonder why their lives are such a train wreck. If you got all sun, you'd be a desert. If you got all rain, you'd be a swamp. He and He alone knows just the right amounts of each for the fields as well as the human heart.  
   
  There's a lot of road construction going on and I will see my share of it on this trip.  
   
  I pass under a bridge that is decorated with flags. I just hope that they will maintain the flags properly as I am a bit particular about that. I fly a US flag from the back of all of my ST1100s since the days of 9/11. Nothing saddens me like seeing the flag hung out until it becomes ragged and worn.  
   
  As I make my way through Ohio, I always smile as I see the good condition of most of the barns. I don't know back home if it is the gravity or the laziness that overtakes a lot of the barns where I grew up. Neglect over time will show on barns as well as people.  
   
  Moving right along I'm into to Pennsylvania, headed for New York. So far I am pleasantly surprised that the temperatures have stayed pretty nice. I figured I'd be sweating buckets by this time in the trip.  
   
  Finally I cross into the last state for the day, New York.  
   
  One of the things I notice is they proudly display signs about the 'New York State Experience'. They have a sign for the food, the history, and so on and so forth.  
   
  But there is one part of the 'New York State Experience' they don't put up a welcoming sign about. Toll booths on a Interstate that has federal funding seem a bit wrong to me. But then I guess I'm just a peculiar feller in more than one way.  
   
  At least the vineyard business seems to be doing well as I make my way across the state.  
   
  I've booked my motel this time a little closer to the restaurant I visited the last time I was through here. It's been a long day and I am glad when I see this sign. I have to chuckle since their restaurant/bar is called Nashville where I'm from.  
   
  I bed Frost down for the evening as I look forward to a great meal right across the street. When I get into my room, I'm a little less than pleased. I'm not a picky feller, but for the price this room costs, I expect a little more than what I see.  
   
   
   
   
  But I didn't come to spend a lifetime just a night so I'll be fine. At least I should have a good meal across the street.  
   
  They have a 'Northeast Pot Roast' on the menu which sounds really good. I've had them in other restaurants up here and they are tender with wonderful gravy and veggies. When my order finally arrives it ain't what it says.  
   
  Underneath the brown axle grease gravy that tastes like it came from a can purchased at the local auto parts, is something hiding. It is a thin piece of tough roast beef folded up that just recently was introduced to the gravy. They've not been in a relationship very long as it is obvious they have kept their distance. I have to figure the lettuce is to try to divert my attention from what else is on the plate. But I'm hungry and I delubricate the meat and potatoes as best I can and pick through the remnants to find the edible parts. I make a mental note to skip this place if I am ever this way again since obviously something has changed. I settle up and make my way back across to my waiting bed. Such are the vulgarities of the road that sometimes are encountered. On the bright side, I can only hope that this will be the low point in the trip as far as food and accommodations since it won't take much to be an improvement. In spite of the supper and the room condition, it does not take me long to find the place of rest.