From The National Parks Service
I was sorry to read today that The Wall Arch in Arches National Park in Utah collapsed last week.
Arches NP is one of my favorite places to visit. I have been there three times in the last two years.
The cause of collapse was not man-made. It was just the natural process of erosion with the landscape.
I hope to be out in Arches for another visit very soon.
Okay it might be a little silly to get excited about this, but I can now publish blog entries and pictures with my Iphone.
After a successful upgrade of my Wordpress blog software, I can now use the application Wordpress for Iphone to create blog posts without the need to find Internet access on the road.
As most of you know, I have been putting quite of bit of miles on my bike. With that, parts get worn and need to be maintained. Well this last weekend, that is what I did.
I rode up to a good friend in Howell, Michigan and with his help, I did an incredible amount of work on my bike.
The main projects were replacing a steering head bearing, chains, sprockets and checking the valves. Most of this work I would be able to do on my own but my friend has many of the correct tools and with his background, I was able to get all the work done in about a third of the time that it would taken me to do it alone.
On, Monday I stopped by Blimpy Burger in Ann Arbor, MI.
Evidently this is a pretty popular burger joint for University of Michigan students. I first learned about this place when I saw the restaurant profiled on the Food Network program, “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”. Go here for the segment.
The place wasn’t hopping as much as in the show but the burgers were still pretty darn good.
I’m going to have to do some hiking to work this baby off.
After my meal I rode back down to Ohio. I’m happy to say I notice a great improvement in the handling of my bike.
From Watertown, NY I decided I wanted to start making some miles so I hit the super-slab (interstate) and headed south on I-81 until I reached I-90. From there I rode west to the Canadian border.
I wanted to see Niagara Falls and make it to a Provincial Campsite early along Lake Erie so I could enjoy the water. Lucky me though gets investigated by the Canadian Border Police. Okay…not necessarily investigated but they went through my bags and I got put off by one officer who said I was “nervous”. After about a 45 minute delay, the border police realized that I had no drugs and I wasn’t hiding a terrorist in my gas tank, so they let me pass. They ask me lots of the same questions and took down some information so I thought for sure I was going to get the same experience heading back into the U.S. Luckily that didn’t happen.
Anyway after I crossed the border, I made my way to Niagara Falls. I’m told the Canadian side is much prettier than the U.S. side. I parked my motorcycle for $8 in a $20 parking lot. One advantage of riding a motorcycle is that we usually don’t get charged as much for tolls, parking and ferry rides.
I took in the falls from several angles and enjoyed the views.
The crowds did get a little much for me so I decided to make my way to a Lake Erie campsite.
I arrived at Selkirk Provincial Park around 5pm. I set up camp and grab some dinner in a near by town. As I was riding back to camp I saw some VERY dark clouds in the distance and they were heading my way.
I rode faster than I probably should have to get back to camp. There I covered up my bike and made sure I had everything I needed off my vehicle for the night in case the rain was going to be around a while.
The storm was probably the worse I have been in since I started camping with my bike but my tent held up like a trooper and I didn’t get wet at all. The rain lasted most of the night and slept very well.
The next morning I continued west toward Michigan.
I came across this cute bike stand.
I decided I still liked using a motor over foot pedal so I continued on my way.
In Michigan, I have a friend in the city of Howell who I stayed with for a couple days. After which, I road for another half-day back to Yellow Springs, OH to end this trip.
Another 4000 miles and several states ridden.
After I left Exeter, NH and Eric’s family, I rode east toward the Catskill Mountains. Traffic was slow and I got caught behind several long lines of cars so I cut my way to “Superslab” (Interstate) to make it to the Catskills.
That night in the Catskills, I stayed the Devil’s Tombstone Campground with only one other camper. I was in spot #4
The ranger and his assistant were really, REALLY eerie too. The ranger looked like Christoper Walkin and his assistant behaved like someone out of the movie “Deliverance”.
The camp was beautiful though and I survived the night.
The next morning I looked at possible routes back to Ohio and the direct route looked awefully boring so I decided to head north to Lake Placid, NY in the Adirondack Park.
There, I got to see potential Olympic downhill skiers practice their routines. They were not practicing in the snow obviously but in a pool. I able to get quite close to the athletes to get pictures.
After I watch the skiers perform their routines, I rode to a different part of Lake Placid where I got to ride to the top ski lift where the skiers performed their long jumps during the 1980 Olympic games.
I wandered through the town of Lake Placid and stopped by The Olympic Center but nothing much was going on so I moved on to Watertown, NY where I overnighted.
I’m back in Ohio but I wanted to post some highlights of my return since Bar Harbor, Maine.
From Bar Harbor I took Route 1 all the way down to Kennebunkport, ME. Before I reached Kennebunkport, I stayed overnight on Hermit Island right on the water.
I was eaten by mosquitos and had to be careful of all the poison ivy around, but the location was beautiful. My campsite had a view of the water from three sides.
After a wonderful night’s sleep, I woke up to the sound of fog horns in the distance.
Once I climbed out of my tent, I saw why. The campground and bay were layered with the type of fog you might see in a spooky movie. It was quite eerie.
That morning I left Hermit Island and continued down Rt. 1 to Kennebunkport, Maine and had lunch with George Bush Sr. and we chatted about his crazy son, the president. Well…I guess I actually didn’t do that but I did ride by the Bush Sr. estate.
Kennebunkport itself is quite a nice town. A little smaller than I thought it was but very in character for what you expect of a northeast coastal community.
After Kennebunkport, I made my way to the interstate then back down to my friend Eric Lipsitt. I wasn’t planning on riding back this way but I needed a part from my motorcycle so a friend overnighted it to his place.
That night at Eric’s I got drafted into a softball game he was having. I would love to say I came in as a “ringer” but I don’t have those skills anymore. Some would debate I never had those skills. Well luckily I didn’t embarrass myself and held my own. Eric and I reminisced about when we played little league together as kids. We also remembered that we moved alot better back then.
More soon….
Here’s my intended general route back to Ohio.
I plan to leave soon from Watertown, NY and head to the Canadian side of the Niagara Falls. After which I plan to head to the coast of Lake Erie and find a Provincial campsite somewhere around Nanticoke, ON. Tomorrow I will ride to some friends in Howell, Michigan. Then I will take the last short leg back to Ohio.
Because I haven’t had access to much Wifi and the Internet that I have had has been slow, I have not been able to update when I want.
Below are some pictures for just a taste of the areas I have seen the past few days.
Complete blog entries will be added when I can get some consistent Internet.
For now I hope you like.
This was my campsite on Hermit Island, ME
Olympic skiers training
This is where the Olympic skiers start their long jump. High High up.
I have many more pictures to post with details of my visit in Lake Placid plus a visiting the Catskills and playing softball in New Hampshire. All of this to be posted soon I hope.
Outside of Bar Harbor, ME, I decided to try this take out place and I was intridged by one of the items on their menu.
It was a Wild Rice Burger. The woman claimed that people come specifically to her place for this delight. Well after I tried the rice burger, I wondered why. It wasn’t terrible but not inspiring.
Almost $4 for a small serving of onion rings seem a little silly as well
After my camp in Fundy National Park, I road my bike up to Rt 1 south, then back to the Canadian Border.
From there I took “Coastal” Rt-1 back to Bar Harbor. There is not alot to report today. It was just a nice leasurely ride back down through Maine and in to Bar Harbor. I set up camp again at the Blackwoods Campground in Acadia National Park.
Next I plan to continue to take Rt. 1 down the Maine and New Hampshire coasts and visit some of the towns along the way.
A part for my motorcycle is being overnighted to a friend of mine in Exeter, NH. The plan is to pick the part up there and stay the night.