After spending time with family and friends, I left Heber on the Lake Creek dirt road, over the mountain to Currant Creek, then onward to Vernal, Utah. Enjoyed pizza at Antica Forma in Vernal. Route 191 heads north from Vernal toward Flaming Gorge. Within Ashley National Forest, dispersed camping is possible (as well as several campgrounds).
Most of my route through Utah was inspired by the Utah Backcountry Discovery Route.
I approached Monument Valley from Kayenta, AZ. While I have visited Monument Valley many times, this time felt like I was seeing this special place for the first time. I arrived at mid-day, the lighting for photographs was not ideal. I left Grand Canyon early to avoid traveling through the Cameron area during the heat of the day. It might be possible to find nice Lodging in Kayenta to enjoy this part of the drive in the morning light. There … Read More
I visited Grand Canyon twice on this trip. I stayed one night at a motel in Tusayan and on the return trip, I stayed in the Mather Campground (easily booked at https://www.recreation.gov). I enjoy the camping better than hotels. The Mather Campground is a large campground, the sites are positioned close to each other, and my campsite did not have water or electricity. If was a little walk to the bathrooms. My campsite was reserved with only 2 days advance … Read More
Lake Havasu and Parker have many activities; but visit when the weather is favorable. Temperatures ranged from 105 to 117F during my visit. We spent more time indoors and site seeing from an air conditioned SUV. From off road riding, boating, classic cars, and even taking a ferry across to the Casino, there are many things to enjoy. I especially enjoyed the company of my good friends and their dogs.
Route 66, or the Mother Road, is one of the most famous roads in America. There is a lot of information available for the part of the trip. The primary sources that I have used for my trip planning are; Butler Motorcycle Maps, Oklahoma Route 66 attractions map,
The Melrose Plantation was the home of Marie Thérèse dite Coincoin, a notable planter and businesswoman. As the daughter of slaves, her freedom was purchased in 1778 by Claude Thomas Pierre Métoyer, with whom she had ten children A free spirit, she used her plantation for artist retreats. One of the most famous folkartists who began painting in her 50s lived on the property.
With some heavy rain, I made my way to Nacogdoches.
Years ago I lived for a summer close to the Mississippi. Riding along the great river is something that I have looked forward to. I spent quite a bit of time touring plantations and seeing other sites. Destrehan Plantation is a good starting point as their tour provided a good historical overview. I toured several other plantations before arriving at the grand Houmas House Plantation and Gardens. Destrehan Plantation Tour The grounds surrounding Destrehan had live oak and resurrection ferns. … Read More
Riding for long distances will have good days and challenging days. Last night I had a hard time sleeping. Some campgrounds are designed for RVs and generally should be avoided for motorcycle camping. The bright lights in the campground proximity to two highways, and a splitting headache made for a long night. I initially thought that I was having a dehydration headache, but later found a spider/insect bite that was the primary cause. Stopping by a grocery store for some … Read More
