Wednesday, May 22, 2019: Day 11, Ft. Belvoir, VA to Washington, DC

Departing the comforts and relative sanity of Ft. Belvoir around noon, I mistakenly thought I would have the I-95 and the I-395 connecting beltway post morning rush hour traffic mostly all to myself and an easy-peasy drive…but not in this mortal life, apparently.

Road construction funneling multiple lanes of traffic into fewer lanes sunk that fantasy not more than 3 miles from home base…and when we finally reached D.C. we had to circle back around to park in an underground parking garage (remember the tight hairpin ‘training’ turns coming off the Blue Ridge Parkway?). Oh, and it was apparently mating and calving season for migrating tour buses as they seemed to be EVERYWHERE, all looking for any available parking spot to disgorge millions of visiting students from EVERYWHERE!

Once safely parked 5 stories below street level, the 13-block walking began toward the U.S. Holocaust Museum & Memorial. Lori and I bypassed the endless lines of excited students using our military IDs to score tickets reserved for veterans and first responders into the permanent exhibit…only to encounter ZILLIONS more students excitedly fltting from one exhibit to another. After an hour we decided to visit the cafe to raise our glucose levels beyond being ‘hangry’ and to walk to Union Station to take the twilight tour on the Big Bus.

2.5 hour later Lori and I walked back the parking garage to make our way back to Ft. Belvoir…only to find our favored gate locked for the night. We finally made it to an alternate gate opened 24/7 and finally back to our hotel room to prepare for our next journey using our Explorer day pass.

Deep, restful sleep will come easy tonight!

Tuesday, May 21, 2019: Day 10, Staunton to Ft. Belvoir, VA.

Navigating so many tight turns, especially in pitch black darkness without the benefit of moonlight or street lights or reflective road markings required intense concentration to keep Raven near and on the right side of faded double yellows, so sleeping in was a given. We entered Shenandoah NP to find the weather a bit cooler and road conditions much better…

The 105 mile Skyline Drive was as scenic as the Blue Ridge Parkway, but with fresh homemade pumpkin pie fudge!

After some additional stops to suit up for the cooler weather we arrived at the park’s north entrance in Front Royal, VA.

With plenty of daylight left we decided to push on to Ft. Belvoir where we would stay for the next 7 days for the Memorial Day holiday.

Lori has done a phenomenal job navigating our way through 3 states by the skillful use of Google Maps, our Bose earbuds, and our synced Bluetooth Sena helmets. I am blessed to have this wonderful woman as my co-pilot and Eternal Companion!

Wednesday we begin to explore our nation’s capitol!

Monday, May 20, 2019: Day 9, Winston-Salem, NC to Staunton, VA via Blue Ridge Parkway

Heading north on NC Hwy 52 from Winston-Salem, NC I pointed out the places I once lived and frequented 18 years ago when I served as a military production recruiter. Pilot Mountain is a prominent landmark on the way to Mt. Airy, the hometown of Andy Griffith and the inspiration for the town of Mayberry in the iconic Andy Griffith Show. We arrived just in time to experience our first torrential rainstorm which gave us and Raven our first North Carolina rainwater rinse…with our brand-spankin’ new H-D matching rainsuits safely tucked away in our motorcycle bags!

But we took this surprise development in stride and we decided to wait out the rainstorm in a nearby diner where we met a lovely couple, Donna and Steve Isenhour, who shared their love of travel and music tales with us…

The storm moved on, we wiped Raven down, and we headed to Fancy Gap, VA where we once again picked up the Blue Ridge Parkway…

We took a needed Butter Pecan rest break at Mabry Mill, a picturesque turn-of-the-last-century sawmill that reminded us of the difficulty rural life could be to cut lumber, grind corn, work wood and iron, and cook sorghum juice into molasses…no wonder corn mash was commonly distilled into moonshine to treat ‘the rhumatiz’, as Granny Clampett would often say…

As the sun began to dip below the horizon it was time to depart the Parkway as the deepening darkness combined with curves and no road edge (fog) lines required us to slow considerably. Running low on fuel was also an incentive to head for the nearest services…

Descending from the Ridge became an adventure in and of itself: pitch black dark, 20 MPH hairpin curves and switchbacks combined with a steep grade required constant up-down shift to take advantage of Raven’s high compression engine to brake her momentum. Those last 3-4 miles coming off the Ridge following Raven’s spotlight was more intensely technical than I’d ever experienced, especially with precious ‘cargo’ aboard! But we arrived in Staunton, VA prepared to enter Shenandoah National Park on our final leg to Front Royal, VA and Washington, DC on Wednesday!

Sunday, May 19, 2019: Day 8, Asheville to Winston-Salem, NC.

We arrived to the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor’s Center & Headquarters to check on any road closures (none) and preview our travels over the next 2 to 3 days. We also watched a video presentation on the history of this meandering asphalt ribbon of scenic beauty through the heart of the Appalachians. We also had the pleasure of meeting a fellow traveler and retired brother-in-arms…

John Dillon, US Army (ret.) has spent the past 9 years traveling Europe and the United States on his motorcycles (he’s on his 3rd mount) to see those places he has not yet experienced…and in our case meet his ‘brothers’ from other mothers! After exchanging contact information we temporarily parted ways until…Rolling Thunder…or a road trip to Santa Fe/Taos, NM…or a run to the Yarnell Hotshots Memorial and Sedona. Safe travels, my brother until we meet again soon!

And so begins our 400+ mile northward journey to Front Royal, VA, the terminus of our Blue Ridge journey prior to Memorial Day week events.

After a brief detour via the 421 toward Winston-Salem we finished our day at The Village Tavern with delicious meals of prime rib (excellent) and Cajun seafood fettuccini topped of with superb creme brulee and the best carrot cake I’ve ever enjoyed (as promised by our waitress)!

Tomorrow it will be Pilot Mountain, Snappy Diner chop sandwiches, and the inspiration for Mayberry before re-entering the Parkway at Fancy Gap, VA.

Saturday, May 18, 2019: Day 7, Nashville, TN to Asheville, NC

Lori and I finally arrived in Asheville, NC to begin our northward journey along the iconic Blue Ridge Parkway famed for its beautiful scenic vistas.

Departing Nashville, however, the hauntingly beautiful ‘Okechobee Wind’ performed by 90-year old mandolin master Jesse McReynolds last night at The Grand Ole Opry House kept playing over in my heart, and mind…a truly wonderful ending to a memorable day in the country music capitol.

This view welcomed us as we entered the Great Smokey Mountains by way of the Cherokee National Forest. The temperatures cooled to an invigorating upper 60’s as we fortunately managed to skirt a localized thunderstorm with only a handful of face-stinging rain showers…

We finally settled in for the night in preparation for our moto journey north to Ft. Belvoir, VA near Washington, DC. Phase 2 begins Sunday!

Andy & Lori indulging in a 70 MPH selfie! Great work, Lori!

Friday, May 17, 2019: Day 6, Nashville, TN.

After giving the alarm the day off, Lori and I went in pursuit of the ‘best BBQ in Nashville’ and rode a quick 4.5 miles to Opry Mills Marketplace and Mission BBQ which was highly rated for its Q and highly patriotic decór…I was not disappointed on either count. Today was the final day of a weeklong tribute to the US Armed Forces, and it just so happened to be Coast Guard Day! A free Q sandwich and handshakes from all the staff wearing Coast Guard ballcaps made our visit to Mission BBQ an event not soon forgotten. Kudos to Holly and her staff for honoring all first responders and military personnel in their unique way!

After a great brisket plate lunch Lori and I enjoyed a wonderful backstage tour of The Grand Ole Opry House where Lori and I made our stage debut on The Circle where countless country music legends have and still do perform (the circle of flooring was cut from the original stage at the Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville:

We manage to score great seats…

8:00 PM After a brief rest we motor back to Opry Mills through a refreshingly cool Southern night and a full moon to sample and share some TN caviar (cold bean salad), a TX toast grilled cheese sandwich, followed up with dollop of GA peach bread pudding…healthy eating at its southern finest from a gorgeously restored 1940’s era bus lovingly converted into a state-of-the-art food truck named The Opry Belle:

Showtime arrives and we’re treated to a wonderful live broadcast of classic old and new country and bluegrass:

Dailey & Vincent and Rickey Skaggs with Kentucky Thunder were my favorite performances, but the entire 2 hour broadcast made for a memorable capstone to a great day in Nashville.

After a long day and flight, Lori safely arrives at Nashville International Airport to rest and begin her grand tour of the Great Smokey Mountains and the famously beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway on our way to Washington, DC for the Memorial Day weekend.

Highlights will include visits to Asheville, NC; Mt. Airy, NC (Andy Griffith’s hometown and basis for Mayberry); chop sandwiches at Snappy Diner; buckwheat pancakes; Pilot Mountain; the Shenandoah Valley; Arlington National Cemetery; Tomb of the Unknowns; The Wall and other war memorials; the Holocaust Memorial; and all the other usual sights.

Rest up, Buttercup…there will be a test afterwards, with photos to follow.

Thursday, 5/16/2019 Leg 5, W. Memphis, AR to Nashville, TN.

Noon. After fueling in W. Memphis I crossed the muddy Mississippi into Memphis, TN proper on another beautiful day to ride…then the ‘fun’ begins…

Despite driving the posted speed limit cars and commercial trucks are whizzing around oblivious to and cutting off one another to cross several lanes of traffic to make an exit that in a same world a normal person would have missed, and then driven to the next exit and backtracked, right?

No sir, not in the Volunteer To Be Stupid While Driving State. The jockeying for position continues until well out of Memphis. I settle in for a peaceful and uneventful cruise to Exit 87 BBQ, literally a converted utility trailer serving a good BBQ pork sandwich with Cole slaw. While turning around through a nearby Speedway gas/convenience store parking lot another Tennessean cuts me off racing into his favorite parking spot without giving me a sideways glance. I brake then continue back to the shed where there always seems to be a line of locals, truckers, and lone motorcyclist blogging about the curt server sporting an ankle bracelet and matching tattoos dishing up ribs and Q sandwiches. The stream of customers is steady and varied, but the Q was worth the price of admission. Time to hit the road to Nashville to await my Lori’s arrival (who I’m pretty sure hasn’t worn an ankle tracker…I think).

Thursday, 5/16/2019 Leg 5, W. Memphis, AR to Nashville, TN.

Noon. After fueling in W. Memphis I crossed the muddy Mississippi into Memphis, TN proper on another beautiful day to ride…then the ‘fun’ begins…

Despite driving the posted speed limit cars and commercial trucks are whizzing around oblivious to and cutting off one another to cross several lanes of traffic to make an exit that in a same world a normal person would have missed, and then driven to the next exit and backtracked, right?

No sir, not in the Volunteer To Be Stupid While Driving State. The jockeying for position continues until well out of Memphis. I settle in for a peaceful and uneventful cruise to Exit 87 BBQ, literally a converted utility trailer serving a good BBQ pork sandwich with Cole slaw. While turning around through a nearby Speedway gas/convenience store parking lot another Tennessean cuts me off literally racing into a parking spot without giving me a sideways glance. I brake hard, then cautiously return to the shed to join a small line of hungry locals, obese truckers, and a lone motorcyclist blogging about the curt server sporting an ankle bracelet dishing up rib plates and Q sandwiches. The stream of customers is steady and the Q was worth the price of admission. Then a H-D couple ride up to scratch their BBQ ‘itch’…

Karen stands proudly next to her baby ‘No Lean Jolene’ while Fritz and ‘Ol’ Betsy’ serve as Karen’s wingman. Karen is a melanoma survivor and Fritz has survived more hard times than most people can imagine. Both have been humbled by their circumstances but still work hard in service to others: she works with the severely mentally ill in a residential care facility, and he supports adults in recovery. There are no strangers in the Harley-Davidson family; just friends I’ve yet to meet. Oh, and they both confirmed my hypothesis that there are no shortages of sociopathic drivers ‘driving dead’ in Tennesee.

Later that night several hotel guests arriving to check in comment on Raven’s appearance and initiate conversations to share stories I never would have had the opportunity to enjoy by riding a different motorcycle or driving a car.

The H-D ‘family’ is real and bonded by a shared love of an American icon. I am glad to finally be a member.

Time to mount Raven for a 3+-hour ride to Nashville International to find a hotel and await my Lori’s arrival (who I’m pretty sure hasn’t worn an ankle tracker…ever…I think).

Wednesday, May 15, 2019: 4th Leg, Tinker AFB to W. Memphis, AR.

Determined to wring every delicious drop of sleep from my military-approved mattress, I jump out of bed and pack Raven before the check-out police come a’knockin’. I’m headed to the on base Burger King for “brunch” when I spot a wine-colored food truck and quickly decide I’ll try some fresh vs processed food. I’m rewarded with samples of warm Turkish bread with homemade cherry, strawberry, and blueberry preserves while I await my halal roasted chicken sandwich stuffed with a half acre garden of lettuce, tomatoes, and NO onions, all drizzled with a savory yogurt sauce and ‘mo-feta-da-bettah’ cheese. Oh. My…and the iced Dr. Pepper topped of my brief reminisce back to my deployment to the KSA during Gulf War I.

I’m soon back on the road enjoying the perfect weather and sunshine…but I’d forgotten about the sticky humidity post drenching thunderstorms that makes the lush grasses along the roadside and highway medians possible. The wildflowers are in full, fragrant bloom in bright yellows, vivid purples, and pretty pinks throughout eastern OK and well into the Ozarks of AR. There I enter towering green corridors of trees 5 stories high, and the smell of freshly mowed grass now fills the air thanks to the 6 state-owned tractor mowers desperately trying to keep the wild grass at bay. Thanks, boys, for the olfactory treats (something I would have missed in an air conditioned, XM Sirius-equipped car).

Having downed a sugar-free Rockstar at a fuel stop I arrive in Little Rock and spot a sign promising Memphis is only 122 miles away. I reply, “I can make that!” and I decide to charge ahead while listening to Bob Segar’s ‘Hollywood Nights’ on my Bose earbuds tuned to iHeart Radio Classic Rock tunes. Then I see distant and ominously pregnant rain clouds on the horizon…

Now I’m sitting in a porch rocker at Cracker d’Barrel in W. Memphis, digesting a mighty fine meatloaf dinner and buttermilk custard pie with fresh strawberries and whipped creme (both were def-EATED after a valiant struggle) after lightening strikes just east of the Ol’ Mississippi convinced me to hunker down at the La Quinta until the severe thunderstorm warning was lifted. I can smell fresh rain in the air as I watch I-40 traffic thundering a stone’s throw away, the self-same route I once drove 18 years ago to deliver carpet and furniture from central North Carolina’s many furniture companies. Fortunately, the roads are much better now than then…

Tomorrow I leisurely ride to Nashville, TN to await my lovely wife’s arrival where we will continue our journey to Washington, DC to commemorate Memorial Day week together!

It’s a Southern thang, don’t ya know?