HARDATE 1588.3.26 This is the Captain's Log. A three day ABC ride through forests and state lines under clear blue skies and warm weather kicked off the spring season for these two Harley riders. It was pretty chilly in the mornings, though!
Tim had some meetings in Dallas, so I went along for the ride. We kicked off the weekend Friday afternoon after completing our work for the day and watching the weather turn to a balmy 72 degrees. Liz was set to go over to Bryan and Maggie's, where she would get to spend some quality time with her little newborn niece. Now that she has her license and a car she has a new sense of freedom and independence. Quite frankly it gives us a sense of freedom as well!
Friday we caught Ennis and Ellis before stopping in Dallas. For the first time in eight years Tim dropped the bike. He forgot there was a pothole on the way back to the hotel, and didn't take it quite fast enough. Fortunately someone was there to help him stand it back up, and I was not on the bike at the time. This could have been worse as he was barely moving. Actually, if he had been moving more swiftly he might not have laid down the bike! Thank God for his safety. We prayed for safe travels daily, and God was definitely watching out for us.
Saturday was a longer day through multiple construction zones and dodging potholes. A couple of yellow jackets tried to catch a ride on Yellow Jacket Lane (you can't make this stuff up), and the hawks were watching us all along the way. The GPS didn't recognize some of the streets which made navigating a bit more fun.
I considered calling one of my colleagues when driving through his hometown of Paris Texas where we took a picture of the Eiffel Tower, but it was a busy day with little room for visiting. We made it to Texarkana just before dark, took a picture of the Whiskey River Harley Davidson and scooted over to the (almost new) Hilton Garden Inn. Tim got his usual upgrade and it was a great night for ordering in.
Sunday. After our full cooked-to-order breakfast (one of the perks) we set our sites toward home, through National Forests and hard-to-reach places. It was 47 degrees when we left Texarkana this morning, and with a 40 degree swing we were peeling off layers by the hour. Lunch was consumed at one of our favorite hole-in-the wall eateries just after crossing back into Texas from Louisiana. It's a convenience store deli actually, where we have found the best Phillie Cheesesteak sandwiches around. Definitely worth a stop.
Here's the recap, with a few pictures along the way. A total of 26 points were collected in three days. We think this is our new record!
11 Cities (Ennis, Garland, Hugo, Idabel, Lufkin, Oil City, Paris, Rockwall, Texarkana, Vivian, and Zwolle)
6 Counties/parishes (Angelina, Caddo Parish, Desoto Parish, Ellis, Rockwall, and Trinity)
4 States (Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas)
2 National Forests (Sabine and Angelina)
3 Harley Davidson Dealerships (Dallas HD, Paris HD, and Whiskey River HD)
…895 miles in three days.
There is a pattern to our HARDATEs. If you figure it out, reply to this blog and the first to get it right will win a prize!
Until next time…
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