Last Manc Standing

10pm on a Monday night, and I am about to retire for the day. Good start this morning from Manchester Washington, and leaving Jack my host and guide to the I-5 freeway, I got a 130 miles in before breakfast. A quick realisation that I was just motoring for the sake of it, I turned west and headed for the iconic 101 Pacific Highway.
80 miles west seemed an odd choice seeing as I wanted to get South to Manchester, California, 500 miles away.
Twisting and turning through a mist covered forest on the way down to Lincoln City, it turns out that it was raining when I reached the sea. Just in time to speak to BBC radio Manchester (John Barnes), live , I did my stuff via mobile phone before once again doing a few miles more.
So in the Dublin House Hotel, Yachats, Oregon (Spelt by a native indian or an Irish settler???? I dunno), a good chilli burger, beer and chat with the locals was the norm.
Bed now with 325 miles less to travel tomorrow. Looking for Giant redwood trees and giant sand dunes en-route.
Next blog.......
The Last Manc standing at the last Manc on the list.......... sad, happy, relieved and ready for my own bed, a good cup of tea, and a cuddle (but not necessarly in that order.

HOW FAR?????

The past few days have been a blur. Just one very long day that lasted until Saturday night. On Friday morning 10 June 2011 my odometer read 19460 miles making my total journey 6029 miles in 27 days. Despite 2 days off, I still rode a little bit, just to relax !!!

Today is Sunday 12th and I am having my 3rd 'Day Off ' I have ridden 2333 miles this week and despite missing a whole lot of things, needs must. Deadlines are deadlines. So just a little ride with Jack my host in Manchester Washington. (Facebook friends are great) This is a beautiful place overlooking the sea with Seattle just in view about 10 miles away.The short ferry ride was enough to get back some sanity after all those miles and the Seattle rush hour.

Before I go anywhere though........ odometer reading is now 20650 and my 12 hrs jaunt yesterday from Livingston, Montana through Idaho to Washington clocked off at 748 miles, six tanks of gas (Petrol), and one tired rider..... BUT the beer at the Manchester Pub was cold, the Pizza was incredible and the welcome from everyone was staggering. So...... I am staying again tonight as the good people of Manchester WA, (SSHHH! keep this place a secret !) are expecting some mad guy from England to arrive on a Goldwing this afternoon. Might be worth staying around to meet me, him, I. (4 time zones in 4 weeks...... its 10am here, my watch says 1pm and at home its past 5pm, no wonder I am confused).

Monday and SOUTH, to my final Manchester, Port Arena, California.
Happy to be heading home, missing my wife, daughter and dogs, but boy do I have a tale to tell.

Highway 1 down the Pacific coast.......... what a way to finish.

NB: Anyone anywhere in the world thinking that the Honda Goldwing is a poor bike...... Wrong. 7209 miles without a hitch, murmer or issue. 120mph in total silence (Ssssh, someone told me that !), comfort and load capacity second to few. Big? , Yes, Heavy ?, Yes, but so am I.

QED.

Horse shoes and turbo bikes.

Running a few days behind, the need to get places has become the main activity with 12 hour riding and big states to cross.

To catch up I have to add my thanks to Corey Clark in Fond Du Lac in Wisconsin. Another Facebook/Advrider pal, who asked me home for B&B (Beers and Bed). A busy night with Horse Shoe throwing contests, chicken wings to feed an army, and good company back at Corey's place.

It was Corey's idea to take the SS Badger, the old ferry across then lake. Good Call.

Next day Manchester Just down the road. A small agricultural village with a great Diner and a big breakfast. The ladies that 'do', were great and the facebook page gets another friend. ( Rubber Bottom, is another story).

A big day of almost 400 miles in 100 degree winds (From the South), and by 6pm I had covered 2 more villages with the name. Now in Minnesota the wind was burning as the temperatures hit 105 again. Drink, cover up your arms and use factor 50. Riding in the gusts and side wind was a killer with 12 degree off vertical and massive jumps from side to side when passing trucks. The avergage speed was in triple figures ans the miles swent by.

Another Super 8 Motel by the free way and an early night, I managed a good 9hrs sleep before heading west again. Today 52 F and a north Westerly wind..... the full riding suit was bag out of the panniers. 3 layers, double gloves and RAIN.

South Dakota...... IS.....................massive !

Manchester SD was blown away by a hurricane. No wonder, this is one BIG FLAT state. Straight roads that blow your mind. Views so far in all directions, you can see the curve of the earth. Manc SD....... as predicted NOTHING.......................... Little House on the Prairie, my they had it tough.

Visions of 20 million Buffalo come to mind on these vast grasslands. Those early Americans must have been tough cookies to set off over these lands with no roads, no idea of what was beyond.

The Badlands, where two of the earths 'plates' meet is a surprize. The land drops a thousand feet in a display of pink white and sand coloured layers eroded into sharp peaks and troughs. $10 toll and a very pretty 'warden' at the gate, and it was twisties and awe inspiring scenery again.

After another 12 hrs day, 312 miles I find myself looking up the Devils Tower in Wyoming. The volcanic formation was the star of the film 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'. Looking like a 1200ft high tree trunk, this is a sacred place for the Native Americans and a strange looking object.

The local town of Hulett (pop: 140) was increase by myself and a guy from London, who was touring Esat to West (in a car). Good beer, good looking women, great Burger. Bonus.

Met the mayor, who seemed over cheery and loud, but hey thats fine.

Eileen from Seattle regailed tails of Sturgis Bike week and meeting her man there last year. Having dropped off Highway 90 earlier, Sturgis is getting ready for the 1/4 million bikers that turn up in a month. That must be a crazy event.

Even the sleepy town of Hulett saw 110,000 bikers turn up during Bike Week.

So its the 10th June and in 7 days I fly home to the UK. 1200 miles to Seattle and another 1000 down the Pacific Highway.

6029 miles covered to date and an average 286 per day needed to catch that flight.

Thanks to all those who have added laughs and memories, please. If I missed you out of the blog, visit www.facebook.com/roadtomanchester where the photo albums and mentions continue.

I will try and keep up with more stories right through the next seven days. But time to go........ Another Day another Manchester.

Michigan 'In a great State'

The Tour Bus.

Party time in Michigan with Missy Covill

Singer songwriter and all round mate.
www.ironcowgirl.com

Michigan gave a double whammy. After leaving my host John in Manchester Michigan, I was just a few miles down the road for Saturday

night at another facebook friend Missy Covill (See Facebook/missycovill)

Missy and I had been chatting for months about bikes, music, theme songs for my up and coming video stuff etc: the invite to come over was in the diary. Even her Mun arrived on a Harley.

Late into the night the 20-30 guests ate great food, drank more than enough beer, argued about game shooting and even had the odd wrestling match. Once I had answered questions about what we hunt in the UK (Nothing !), A ten gauge shot gun was thrust into my hand and I was sending beer cans to a better place. Add a bit of a jamming session on the old harmonica & guitar, seeing lightning bugs, hearing bull frogs and watching Chip Monks playing in the yard, I took to the 'Tour Bus' for a hot and very dark night down in the dell . Leaving Missy and her family in peace I thank here for a great experience and friendly stay that will remain a fond memory for ever.

I left after a great hot breakfast heading for an old coal fired ferry that would save me a 300 mile slog through Chicago. The SS Badger runs a 60 mile trip across lake Michigan and was around 80 miles north of my unique hotel at Missy's.

On the way I stopped for a Dune Buggy ride on the massive dunes that line the shore. The best $16 I have spent, the 45 minute tour in a massive open top 16 seater truck. (Note to self; Southport Beach???)

Ludington overnite as the ferry left at 8am, and then a quiet 4 hours on the ship. Good news I had time to sort out the massive amount of photo & video files and found my DEALS¬GAP (Dragons Tail) vid hiding in a picture file. Way Hey 80)

More pics at facebook/roadtomanchester and facebook/bennetts_bike.

Arrived in Manitowoc, Wisconsin at mid-day where it had been raining hard and 72F (seemed really cold after 85F the day before). 2 miles in land....... 85F again.
Next stop another facebook invite from Cory Clark in Fond Du Lac.

Next blog, Chicken wings, Turbo bikes, Throwing Horse Shoes, Manc' Wisconsin and 105 degrees + 35MPH side winds. (Fun in the sun.....not !).

Oh Oh Ohio and Michigan Memories

Manchester Ohio, another small town on the banks of the Ohio River. The winding road that runs by the river promises another pleasant town. And Manc-ohio is. It is what I always thought an old US` township should look like with a main street on which a combination of brick and timber buildings show the history that made the town. As if the dust road from yesteryear had simply been concreted over.

A settlement town named after a UK mancunion who was sent there to survey and mark out the area to be given to war heros and military solders as reward for their services to the country.

Suffering from the world wide recession, the town showed signs of the times with shops closed and many households holding yard sales to make ends meet. Having visit the town hall and speaking to the Mayoress, I went to the river bank where two old timers in a pick-up chatted about the demise of the town, lack of employment and stricken economy. I felt sorry for this unique and classic town that to me (Just my opinion), is what 'small town USA' should look like, its a shame that the vast River Ohio can't bring some tourism and a brighter future to a charming place.

On to Michigan.

John Stedman Filling sand boxes

Manchester Village , Michigan,

After another 350 mile blast through to Michigan, I arrived in Manchester MI on Friday, about 6.30pm. Despite the long day, I was keen to meet up with John Stedman, another Facebook contact who had seen an article about me in the local Manchester Enterprize newspaper. I had spoken to Dave, there reporter a week before on a bad Skype connection that was cutting out every few seconds due the the electrical storms they were having in the area. (Great more rain up north !).

An invitation for bike talk and beer was enough to look John up.

As I arrived at THE traffic lights in one of the nicest Manchesters I had seen to date, I spotted as guy on the veranda of a bar, just above a classic Honda parked on the corner. It was John, but due to my fatigue and being at one of the four-way-give-way junctions, I didn't think it might be him until I tuirned the corner. I had his cell number and within seconds John said thats me on the corner !
A quick beer and a meet and greet from the patron of the pub, and Mrs: S turned up and I was quickly invited back for steak and a bed for the night. John had some chores to complete, and I watched as he made Tortilla Chips and a big frier in the back yard. These would be sold at the farmers market along with home made preserves.

After a steak and just one more beer, we eventually retired at 11.30pm. 4 seconds and was snoring like a good un!

Next morning more duties for the Manchester Mens Club and community led charity that created events and ploughed the profits back into the village. A few hours of filling local kids sand pits, and we were free to ride a little and see the area.

In the afternoon I was due at Missy Covill's house about 15 miles away for a party so Saturday became my second day off (but on) the bike since I started. More about Missy next time.

,

3 STATES IN A DAY

Seems like a long day all rolled into one. 19 days ago I set out from Boston and to date have ridden to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Connecticut all in the rain, then Toronto, Pennsylvania, Maryland, through Virginia to North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee Alabama (2), Georgia and back north managing Alabama to Kentucky via Tennessee in just one day. Today I visited Manchester Indiana a very pleasant small town nestled in what seemed like the county of Cheshire back home. Now I am just 12 miles from Manchester No 16 in Ohio.

This weekend another day off (thats the second in 20 days, huh!) I will be staying with music legend Missy Covill (see facebook and youtube) who has been following my progress since before I got to the US.

With a maxed out road temperature of 118F yesterday, it went from Barmy to balmy today with a mere 80F and cloud stopping even more burnt bits.

If you are in the UK, buy MCN (Motorcycle News) next Weds: for some stuff about the trip, and listen to Sidestand Down radio this Tuesday for my witty banter and general rubbish.

Thanks to the 6000 visitors to this blog, and my many facebook/roadtomanchester friends.

To date, the trip has been a pleasure and the people I have met have all been very pleasant, welcoming and interested in my quest.

May I send out my thoughts to the people in those states that I can not visit due to storm damage.

Bad vibrations

Starting off with telephone interviews by the UK's Manchester Evening News and then Rock Radio 106.1FM, I set off late (9.30) and with a balmy 75F headed for Goergia and over to Alabama. Its a sad day today though. I have lost the last weeks worth of SD cards with all my video footage. Somewhere between 7 gables Hotel in Burnside Kentucky (where I was trying to download them), and Madison, Alabama, (the long way round) I either dropped them or they were taken from the small shutter style storage boxes on the wing.(I doubt the second option). Fact is I down-loaded some to my notebook, but the big 8GB chip with Deals Gap & the Dragons Tail is lost. Sad sad day. I stopped a few times en-route and also at Lynchburg Tennesse the Jack Daniels centre. Anyone going there this week might want to ask. Small bag of SD chips all blue, most are 2GB all feature me. With a bit of luck, those finding them might realise they are lost (Doh!) and see the road to Manchester logos etc:
Alabama has two Manchester and the story about the first resulted in a quick get away as I was warned by a local who had shown me to this mountain forest 'town' !, that the area is not safe for 'outsiders'. He had left me but came back. I was setting up my camera but he wouldn't get out of his car, and soon shot off down the single track forest road. Tales of Hill Billies, meths stills and strange people were exchanged and shot guns being standard, had me make a fast retreat.
In comparison Manc#15 Alabama near Jasper, is another small community, little there and a short visit and to an air conditioned hotel in Jasper. Maxed out at 109F the Goldwings air temperature gauge told me enough was enough.Tomorrow North to Indiana and Iowa. Hope its cooler.