2014 Watkins Glen Ride

Day 13 On My Own Again And Back Into Canada

So, when I left Dad and headed home I had some intention to take Interstate to the border. But as things happen I didn't. Kinda went out of my way. I got on the Seaway Trail. I saw it listed recently on a list of top 10 motorcycle roads in the US. It's a lie. There are 100 roads better in the county I live in alone. But it wasn't a bad road, and I had some decent stops to enjoy Lake Erie.

Way out on the horizon of Lake Erie was a little dot. I thought it might be a boat coming in, but through binoculars it turned out to be a light house. Just way out there ... alone and exposed. It looked really cool. I researched it when I got home, it is the East Charity Shoals lighthouse: http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=316. Some guy bought it from the Coast Guard for $25k! Damn, I want it. Can you imagine owning a lighthouse!

But, apparently he is obligated to keep it maintain up to National Historical standards or something. And this summer, it looks like this:

How do you paint such a thing? Set up scaffolding? On a calm day, it must be as windy as hell out there. What would you have to pay to have that done?

Still, I want to own a lighthouse.

From there I pounded some miles. Rain started in and I got this little motel room. Cash only place. I didn't need a receipt and he didn't need my name. It weren't too bad.

Day 14

That rainstorm brought in a cold front. Thank god for a heated vest. It was cold enough that it was a problem. Didn't make for a bad day, but certainly a challenge. I got a nice comfortable room that night though, and made it to the beer store with minutes to spare.

Day 15

So, I was in Blind River Ontario. Two days ride to get home. It was damned cold in the morning, and the forecast was for it to warm up to simply cold. And there was likely to be not too much rain.

So, I put in some earbuds and road with few stops. Got through customs easy. Took a back road through much of the UP, but few stops or side trips. I got to my hotel room around 3. Then I realized with the time zone change it was only 2. I was 320 miles from home. I checked the forecast, and rain was going to hold off. So hell, save some money and get home a day early.

So, I plowed on, and it immediately started raining. I rode home cold and wet. It was a weird kind of cold, because my vest kept my core warm, but the rest of me wasn't that protected. I felt warm enough kinda, but when I'd try and get off the bike I realized how stiff I was.

Got home around 9 PM, 640 miles later. Everyone was surprised to see me, that was fun.

No real pictures from the last day. Just one at the Rexton Airport. Nothing special, but a nice destination to add to a photo tag game or something.

So, there. The End.

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