Ride Report

I Have Been Everywhere Tour homepage

I've Been Everywhere Tour---Spells trouble when it comes from TeamStranGe. The object of this challenge is to visit as many cities as possible from the song "I've been everywhere". I decided to set a goal of 50 cities based on where I liveand I felt possible. I had set aside several weekends for riding and I thought I might as well as have a definite plan of where I would ride. My first trip was a Sunday ride down through Iowa. I wanted to try out the camera and see how I could get the bike, towel and bike all in one picture. I hit 7 stops the first time out. I got the pictures developed and I got the city sign and towel but no bike on several shots so I knew I would be revisiting these towns or not. My next trip out was to be a shakedown run with the Concours, getting ready for the Midwest Fest and ButtLite II. My plan was to ride to Devils Lake , ND and head down through Minnesota and into NW Iowa. I got an early start and headed up I-29, time to stop for gas in Madison, SD and got off the bike and I discovered I had lost my new tailbag. Inside was my new camera, cell phone, and the most important was my number 59 towel. So I off I race back towards home to see if I could find my tailbag. I had been in the passing lane the entire time so I felt it should be laying someplace on the edge of the road. After 4 hours of looking I gave up and rode back home. I learned one lesson, DON"T EVER LET YOUR TOWEL OUT OF YOUR SIGHT. The experience reminds me of the individual that lost their towel in Mpls on ButtLite 1 and how I thought how could anyone lose their towel

Next on the Internet to TeamStranGe and ordered a new number. I am now number 459 and have 23 towns down and 27 to go.

First trip out as #459 included stop in Lincoln, NE over to Louisville, Springfield, Panama. I am feeling pretty good when I pull onto the road and hear this rubbing sound, I slow down the sound is still there, I speed up and it speeds up. I am puzzled so I pull off the road and go to put my kickstand down and it already is down. My kickstand spring broke. There I am trying to figure out what to do. I am about 50 miles from Omaha. And had several stops left. How do I keep the kickstand up? Of course duct tape. I cut off about a 3-foot piece and folded it up I than tied it around my rear footpeg. I got to Omaha and got a new spring. Put it on and headed on down the road. My next stop was Nashville, NE. I spent an hour asking directions and not finding it. gave up and headed to Winslow, Ne and my hometown Sioux City, IA.

Next trip is to retry my aborted trip to Fargo and Devils Lake and down through MN and NW Iowa. I left early July 3 headed up I-29, Toronto , SD stopped for gas in Brookings. Mistake one was not packing cold weather riding gear. As I keep going north it kept getting colder. I got into ND and construction was bad, about 1000 feet in front of me a car hit a deer in the south lane and it ended up on the hood of a north bound car. Of course traffic stops while we drag deer off the side of the road and LEO are called. After this I put the fuel tank onto reserve and see a sign that says 48 miles to Fargo. I thought there would be a gas stop along there, Mistake 2 there are no gas stations in ND unless they are near a big city. I rolled into Fargo, and put 5.01 gallons in and the tank holds 5.2 gallons. Why are there no city signs along the interstate? We should all write our congress people and tell them about this problem. Try and find a post office in any big city. I stopped 3 people and 2 told me about a grocery store that has a post office inside. The third gave me directions like I KNEW my way around Fargo. After a half hour riding around I spotted a mail delivery truck. I sure hopped they would know about a post office. They did and I got my pic.

Onto Devils Lake, the ride was uneventful other than my teeth were chattering so hard I ended up buying a sweat shirt. Over to Hackensack, MN and hit the sheets in St Cloud. 14 hours after starting and 850 miles later I was feeling tired and good. Looking forward to an easy day on the 4th. Boy I was wrong.

Got up early and listend to the weather, rain in Mankato but should be out of the area by 10 AM, which was about the time I should ride through. Loaded up and headed down the road. Lets see the 4th of July holiday can only mean one thing LEO out in masses. My speed had to watched or I was sure I would be leaving money in the state. So progress was greatly reduced. And I believe every road in the state is under construction. I had a long detour trying to find Waterville, MN. A left than a right, than another left. Boy I hate detours. Onto Mankato and guess what the rain had not left the area and I had to stop and put the rain gear on. Rode in a light rain and finally out of it. Hit 2 more stops in Iowa and back home. Whew, 1363 miles later I had 13 more cities.

Stay tuned for the trip to Kansas, OK and MO for another 15 cities.

July 9 Trip!!! UNEVENTFUL. Using the Harley.

This was a an easy 700 mile ride. It would take me through Iowa and pick up some easy cities. I am getting behind in my schedule. i wanted to be done before Butt Lite, but it looks like i am not going to make it. The weather today was cloudy with the forecast of rain. Rain gear packed and i dared the skies to open up.

First stop was the missing nashville NE. It was as easy sign to find once i got on the correct road. Onto I-680 and the ride over on the slab to des moines, IA. It started to mist on the ride up I-29 to I-80. It was not enough to put the rain stuff on, put it did get the bike dirty.

Hit Des Moines and headed south on I-35 to the Knoxville exit. Over to Knoxville found the city sign. And continued to follow BUS 92 through town. Drove out of the east end of town still looking for a sign to 92. never did find it and got a little lost. Break out the map put glasses on to read map<damn hate needing glasses> and found a road out of town that would lead me to 92.

Found Oskaloosa and GAS was $1.38 a gallon. Of course i had filled up in knoxville for $1.59. Up to marshalltown to have lunch with my daughter Alex <she is an english teacher so i do need to use correct grammer, as she is reading this also>. After lunch <i ate too much need a nap> Out of Marshalltown up the road to Parkersburg, IA Nice ride through the iowa countryside. Sun is coming out and getting warm.

After Parkersburg on the road home picked up Dayton, IA. i knew where this city was located as I had been to it as number 59, but i got my picture as 459 now.

Back home. 673 miles later. Next trip out is Midwest Fest and will be picking up some cities on the way over to Elkhart, Indiana

July 20 Trip to MidWest Fest on the Concours

Check back after July 26 for details about trip to Midwest Fest and read about my anticipated completion of it. I will be visiting the following cities

Charleston, IA
Tennesse, IL
Santa Fe, MO
Louisana, MO
Pittsfield, IL
Jacksonville, IL
Nebraska, IN
Boston, IN
Maybe Davenport, IA on trip home