It’s Sunday morning and I’m sipping coffee and typing this in the breakfast room in at an EconoLodge in Shelbyville, KY. Temps were still in the 80’s last night when the sun began to go down so I didn’t feel like camping – and I had ridden over 600 miles on Saturday so a bed sounded nice. I had camped on Thursday and Friday nights where it was nice and cool up in the mountains. The Parkway is a great road trip that everyone needs to experience sometime. Beautiful views and cool little towns to stop for coffee and lunch along the way – most just minutes off the Parkway. Along the 469 miles I had 3 bear sightings – one that I almost hit as he bounded across the road out of the brush, and more deer that I could count. Lots of cool birds also flying above along the way.
After getting off the Parkway I had planned to stay in Asheville, NC but couldn’t find a room under $150/night – way over my budget. With the tropical storm/hurricane making its way inland over the next few days I decide to start heading north and west to try to beat the incoming wet weather. That part of the ride was mostly super slab, long and hot – temps over 90 most of the way. I was wishing I had just paid the $150 and stayed in Asheville after about 100 miles of interstate. Then I just got myself into a mental “make miles” zone and rode. Didn’t really enjoy much of it after the Parkway experience and today will be more of the same boring slab just to make miles. If it weren’t so hot I would take the slower backroads which are more interesting but that would just add more days in parts of the country I don’t really want to spend time in right now.
Some are probably wondering what happened to Mexico. I had shared with friends and family that I was planning to ride down to Oaxaca, Mexico for some Spanish lanquage and cooking immersion after leaving Breck. It all came down to time…just not enough of it and I didn’t want to rush Mexico. On the little Yamaha 250 it would take at least 10 days each way on a straight line. As mentioned, I have a commitment in Michigan the first part of September so I’ve decide to delay Mexico until sometime after the golf trip. Should be better temps and weather anyways as the rainy season is happening now in many parts of Mexico. I want to be able to dedicate 2-3 months to Oaxaca and riding throughout interior Mexico. So this going on right now is my plan B – just ride with a loose plan as to where to go next. I honestly don’t even know which exact route I’m heading this morning. Need to get on google maps and see what route north and west to choose. I’m hoping to get about 400 miles in today. Time to motivate and get at it…