Sunday, January 6, 2013

A Long Short Week And An Even Shorter Weekend

You'd expect that a 3 day workweek would have passed quickly but it felt like one twice that long for some reason...maybe I was simply still full of too much Holiday Spirit.  Our turkeys are even more present, today there were 5 in the tree at one time; the one below running back and forth gathering what the others were carelessly dropping.



I didn't see this happen, though maybe was the cause.  Wingtips in the snow and evidence of a hasty take-off??



The season's ride planning has begun, both the short and long ones.  I've been trying to do a central Michigan tour the last couple of years and it hasn't really worked out.  Thinking it might finally be an option last fall changed when all my vacation days were used up for other unplanned events.



Last week the "Michigan Travel Ideas" packet arrived and was opened with glee.`As I was reading through the guide and focusing on some potential 'targets', I was made aware of this year's Moto Guzzi National Rally in Lavigne, ONT.  So, not only was a new, updated Ontario (I've already got one a few years old) Travel Planner ordered on Saturday, but then later in the afternoon on the phone with Gene I learned of this year's BMWMOA National to be held in Salem, OR.  Now that I'm an honest-to-goodness owner and a former MOA member, this one sounds tantalizing.

Those are at least some of the long trip potentials though I'm not embarrassed or afraid of planning weekend rides that are much more local.  We do have after all, some very nice riding within 200-300 miles from home.  Plans are already firming up for a meet-up with Jeff on his CR230 Honda.  I'll meet him on the TW200 and we'll explore some of the more rare, gravel and Rustic Roads in the southern parts of Wisconsin.  Finding rural gravel in Minnesota is mere child's play, but in southern Wisconsin, where even small lanes are paved, it's a bit more work.  I know where the good ones are and hope to share them once spring arrives.

Then there's always the almost world famous "Doug's 85 miles of Gravel" ride that loops out from our home, using those aforementioned plentiful MN gravel roads.  90% of the ride takes place on non-paved roads, makes good use of 4 Minimum Maintenance roads and never gets further than 20 miles from our home.

Days are getting longer, gas is cheaper....wouldn't it be nice if these trends continue?

10 comments:

  1. There's a ride planning season? I'm missing out on that. I've been to a couple of MOA rally's and have enjoyed them both. Salem should be a great location. Not as hot as Bend or Bloomsburg. I'm pretty sure I won't be riding down but I might still fly down.

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  2. We were at West Bend and headed for Gillette then plans changed. It's been quite awhile since I've been to OR.

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  3. That sounds absolutely wonderful. Plans for rides. That's true about WI and our Rustic Roads. They did pave most of them and I'm not sure why. Is it a health and safety issue? Can't older tourists manage to drive on gravel? Is it for bicycles? Is it for motorcycles? I don't know why they are almost all paved now. They need to scrap the signs because they are not rustic anymore.

    Along the highway the other day I thought I was looking at a couple black garbage bags hung up in the trees along the road. Not black bags- turkeys.

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    1. Ride planning and map reading are a couple of cheap and easy things that make winter pass easily for me, tasks I find very pleasurable.

      I've got paragraphs worth of observations on the RR's, too much to offer here and as in plenty of other things, am conflicted. I did revisit the website since I hadn't been there in awhile and requested the updated guidebook. When I started visiting them, there were ~100 and now I see the newest (#112) is down in your new neighborhood. My riding has taken me to 45 or so.

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  4. I should have put the link in the post.
    http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/scenic/rusticroads.htm

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  5. Planning the trip is half the fun. Let us know if you are heading to Salem, we are only 30 miles south/southwest in Corvallis.

    I know time might be short for you if you are attending the rally, but even if we could get together for a coffee or a meal it would be great to meet you.

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  6. Brandy, I knew right away where Corvallis was but had to check on Salem. If I get out there, we will meet.

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  7. I am always amazed at how long a short work week can and usually does feel ... Planning for the summer is great fun and it looks like you could go in any direction. In all honesty I didn't know where Lavigne was, but having looked it up, I must have gone by or near there on my trip around Superior. It's about 550km (a day's ride) from where I live as well ... Like Brandy mentioned, it's always great to meet a fellow motoblogger if you head this way. Keep us posted.
    PS - gotta love those turkeys. There's a gang of up to 40 that hang out around here (the numbers vary dependiing on how good the coyotes are at hunting.)

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    1. Karen, I had been near there long ago when I visited the Maritimes; crossed at the Soo, followed 17 through Ottawa, Montreal and finally Quebec where I crossed and rounded the Gaspe. A number of years ago, I was bringing our daughter home from a summer music camp in Maine. We crossed at The Falls, fought Toronto traffic and headed up to Sudbury and came back down through the Soo. I've not been along the southern end of Ontario at all, always curious about the 1000 islands (sounds like a lot).

      If I plan to get east of WI, I'll be sure and let you know. Our youngest attends school in Cleveland and we get there often, but you're still a ways east from there.

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