A new story riding at its best!

[solo1]

                                              My Vstrom gave me another Gift Today


I woke up to the first really nice day for riding, May 8th, 2014.. The temp is 70 degrees, the sun is shining.  The V is willing.

Time to GO!

ATGATT first except an open face helmet this am, might take some pics. on the fly.

The Vstrom fired up immediately.and I'm off. Straight East on highway 930, then 30 out of New Haven and then a short run until it's time to make a left turn onto Old Lincoln Highway.

Entering this old famous stretch the first thing that I see is the red, white, and blue sign designating this as the original route. Lincoln Highway has been swallowed up by 'new' highway 30, a four lane.

This old road has become increasingly rough due to low maintenance and expansion ridges. However, it still is an enjoyable ride as the Strom's long suspension travel decreases the road bumps to mere minor disruptions.

Old Lincoln highway has many of the old time brick farmhouses next to the road and it's a joy to travel this 12 miles stretch that ends just before the Ohio border.  Not much has changed and I can mentally go back to when I rode this same stretch many years ago on my Whizzer motorbike.

I'm just riding past an old cemetery so I know that this part of the ride is about over.

I stop for the busy highway 30, turn left, haul arse and abruptly make a right turn onto State Line Road.  On the left parked cars have Ohio license plates, on the right, Indiana license plates. This road has a deep 10 foot ditch next to it with no berm and I note a wide tractor coming at me. Farming is in full bloom and lots of farm equipment are on the move on back roads. Both of us move to the our edge of the road and we pass safely.

Time to relax at an easy going 40 mph. I take in the smells. The earthy smell of newly plowed fields, the occasional smell of newly mowed grass, and the different smell of liquid fertilizer being applied to the fields by the farmers., all Good!

I blinked my eyes once, go through the tired town of Dixon Indiana?Ohio and immediately make a right turn after crossing over the railroad track  at the soon to fall down? grain elevator.  Now I'm riding on a well paved road on the way to the small town of Hoagland.  Again, the smells of Spring and awakened farming, hit my nose again.  The wind is picking up from the south and my nose is itching from the wind blowing under my face shield, of course this is all part of riding and I welcome it!

Entering Hoagland I see where the tavern, "The Three Kings" is torn down.  Too bad as they had  the best fish dinners around!  As Hoagland is slightly larger than Dixon, I passed it in two blinks of the eye.instead of one.   These small towns, tho, are the heartland as far as I'm concerned.

Going through Hoagland I  turn left onto Wayne Trace, a winding road that, unfortunately isn't very long. The few curves that it has I take with ferver ( that's leaned over nicely) but soon it ends and I'm back to the last straight road before I ride back home.  I finish my road back on highway 930.  The ride has been a great gift today to me, courtesy of Suzuki and their Vstrom 1000.

As I pull into the garage and shut off the V Strom's engine, I pull off my gloves, helmet, and reach over and pat the gas tank.  A whispered 'thank you' and I go back into the apartment.

The riding and the bike have one again worked their magic. 

Wayne. Solo1

[old2soon]

Wayne-the way you tell it I feel like I was riding b tch.  Whether I go short long or a couple of weeks I pat the Phatt Ghurl on her big butt and thank her.  :cooldude:Sides-iffin ya don't talk to em they tend to git cranky!!  RIDE SAFE.

[six2go #152]

Good read Wayne. I'm familiar with the places that you mentioned. The thing that I didn't know was that "Three Kings" was known for their fish. Every time I went there I had one of their big 'ol slabs of ribs. I sure do miss them.

[Karen]

Thanks, Wayne, always enjoy riding with you.

[MarkT]

Thanks for the stream-of-consciousness ride report, Wayne.  It was so detailed I had no problem mapping it out on mapsource (except for the exact start & end points).  Here's your ride.  Just for grins.  Looks like the best parts are the Old Lincoln Highway and Wayne's Trace. Yes, I have work to do, not too much time on my hands.  Maybe just extending my office time before I resume welding downstairs...

[Black Dog]

Thanks Wayne 

The smells, this time of year, really get me too.  It's that everything is new, or will be soon...

Thanks for carrying my weight on yer shoulders, it was a good ride 

Black Dog

[R J]

Good ride Wayne.

Wife is down with a bad knee right now, no one knows exactly what's wrong, but I have the wife duties right now.

I'm trying to figure out how to get the dirty clothes basket to the basement and do some laundry.

Think I'll call the son and have him stop by to do my heavy lifting.   I'll just tell him it is payback time.

Daughter is still on crutches from her ankle surgery, so she is of no value right now either.

Oh well, no complaints here, I've been waited on for several years.   LOL..

[boss hoss bill]

As always, your posts are well written.

Between you and Daniel Meyer we have some talented people on this forum.

Reading about US 30 brought back fond memories of growing up in the late 50's and 60's on Chicagos south side. We would head out to the drag strip on US 30, as they used to say "When you're near it, you'll hear it!"
Had some big names, Connie Kalita, Mr Norms Grand Spalding Dodge cars, Nickey Chevrolets vehicles. What a great time I had, dragging a tri power 389 Grand Prix.

Thanks for the memories