Day 28 - Marietta, OH to Home

Last night the band finished around 10:30pm after many audience chants of "One more song!" They were loud, but played songs we liked so it didn't bother us. At some point in the night we briefly heard intense thunder, rain and wind. After that we had a quiet nights' rest in our nice room. 

In the morning we mentioned to each other that we both woke from the thunder and hoped the bike was okay outside right before falling back asleep. When Rob stepped into the hallway to pack a few bags in the trailer, he noticed it was sprinkling. Dang WeatherBug did not forecast rain. By 8am it was pouring! We did an awkward dance of holding the umbrella while partially opening the trailer to try to get bags in. Rob said had we known we could have left earlier and beat the rain which started around 7:30am. 

We brought our rain gear inside and changed in our room, then finished packing and went out. It was raining even harder. Normally this is not an issue but with the trailer lights not working, it would make us difficult to see. Based on our route and the rain on the radar, Rob figured that we'd have just an hour of rain as we moved eastward. 

As we got ready to leave the hotel, Rob noticed two police cars parked under the drive-thru Bank across the street. We picked a less visible exit from the hotel so they would be less likely to notice us and our dark trailer. We got fuel on the edge of town. Right as we were finishing up the sheriff showed up to fill up his car and get coffee inside. Rob signaled to Michele to quickly jump on so we could sneak out without him seeing our lack of lights! We got away free and clear!

Since it rained hard for an hour, Michele didn't take any photos. We made our way east on US50 to I-79. We crossed the Ohio river and were in West Virginia within minutes of starting our trip. About an 50 miles into the morning, the rain let up and the clouds gave way to sunshine. Temperatures were still mild in the low 70s so we decided to stop later to change out of our rain suits. Once at I-79, we proceeded north towards Morgantown and then west on I-68. About 180 miles away from home, we were just east of Morgantown and picked a nice Sheetz to fuel up and get out of our rain gear. This is the alternate exit we took instead of the Bruceton Mills exit that doesn't have nice facilities. The temperatures were starting to climb and we didn't want to overheat in the rain suits. This would be our final fuel up for the trip.

We continued along I-68 east crossing into Maryland. We stopped at Buddy Lou's Eats for lunch in Hancock, MD around 1pm. Michele loved these garden ornament pups and wanted to take a pair home. It's a quirky restaurant/ice creamery/antique store.

Buddy Lou's is right on the C&O Canal so it is a convenient stop for bicyclists and walkers. We haven't visited this part of the Canal this far west before and it looked like a fun area to spend more time.

The rest of our trip was uneventful and traffic was heavy on I-68 and I-70. Thankfully, without any incidents. As we descended from the Maryland mountains, the heat really kicked in as did the humidity. As we were approaching the US340/US15 split, traffic slowed way down. Turns out there were three Maryland police units on the side of the road dealing with a single vehicle. As we slowly rolled by (along with everyone else doing a looky-loo), we could see that one of the two occupants was in handcuffs. Not a good day for him! The remainder of the short trip south on US15 was smooth. 

Today started off wet and cool and ended warm and humid. The high today was 91 degrees. 

Here's our entire trip route:

Trip stats: 

• 6,073 miles traveled
• 28 continuous days on the bike
• 14,200 feet at highest elevation reached (in Colorado at Mt. Evans)
• 99 degrees in highest temp experienced in Kansas
• 42 degrees in lowest temp experienced in Colorado on top of Trail Ridge Road (RMNP)
• 14 days where we got rain
• 14 states visited (VA, MD, WV, KY, IN, IL, MO, KS, OK, NM, CO, WY, NE, IA)
• 9 parks or monuments visited (federal and state)
• 17 hotels/inns stayed in
• 30 miles of hiking
• 177,000 mileage reached on the Goldwing's odometer by trip's end
• 44,000 miles we have now pulled the trailer behind the Wing on all our trips
• 5,000+ pictures snapped.

We really loved this trip and being in Colorado. Rocky Mountain National Park exceeded our expectations. Each hike was very different, and we loved taking a relaxed pace to see wildlife and amazing scenery.

By far this is our longest trip/vacation in terms of the number of days. As we always do, we talk about where we want to go next. The entire Blue Ridge Parkway might be a spring trip. Since national parks book up a year in advance, we need to start thinking about 2024 already and a return trip to Jasper/Banff and Canada looks exciting. 

Day 27 - Columbus, OH to Marietta, OH

Our Fairfield Inn in Dublin was really nice, and surprisingly quiet given it was next to the I-270 and in a busy area. We'd stay there again. This morning upon walking outside it was very humid. The skies looked a bit unsettled and showers were already coming down in the distance, so we wondered if there would be rain in our future. 

We left the hotel at 8:30am. We back-tracked on I-270 South to the south side of Columbus and picked up US 23 South. About an hour in Michele needed a quick bathroom break. When she came back out Rob said we’d likely get rain. We rode a few miles and he decided to pull over in South Bloomfield on US 23 to put our rain suits on. With our rain pants this time! Looking at the radar and the skies it appeared to be moving fast and looked like it would blow through in an hour. Given the intensity of the rain and the darkness caused by it, Rob decided to wait out the heavy rain since the trailer lights weren't working consistently. Heavy rain causes poor visibility for other drivers to see the trailer. The below radar clip shows us as the blue dot and we were heading due south on US23 into the red blobs. 

There was quite a bit of lightning and thunder all around us.

Rob set up our chairs and we waited it out under an abandoned gas station across the street from Buckeye Pawn Shop (they buy gold and sell chainsaws!) and a TJ Hortons with a non-stop line of folks getting their morning joe. Definitely not glamorous travel, but we were dry, comfortable and safe. 

We arrived there around 9:30am and left at 10:15am. The rain moved out and we had a small window to drive south and east before the next round came our way. Michele was watching this cloud with interest as it moved quickly and was changing colors. 

We ended up having light rain from 11am to 4pm today.

We rode through Amish Country and saw one horse and buggy, the horse definitely gave the Wing the side eye!

We continued on US 23 South through Circleville, and headed east through the Tar Hollow State Forest and Zaleski State Forest areas and into the Hocking Hills area. Mechele told us this area is really beautiful and we agree. It looked like there was plenty to do regarding hikes and outdoor activities and we'll have to add this to our list of places to return to. 

Rob planned our lunch stop at the Lake Hope Lodge. It was the first state park lodge built in Ohio in 1951. It burned down in 2006 due to an electrical fire and was rebuilt in 2013. Rob was worried it would be very busy on a holiday weekend for lunch (similar to how Skyline's dining rooms are always packed) but it had plenty of tables available. Perhaps the rain kept the crowds away today. Lucky us!

It was very welcoming inside, especially on this nasty weather day. We got a nice table by the window and shed our rain gear for the time being.

We shared a smoked turkey (not the one above) bacon swiss sandwich and looked outside at kayakers in the river below. We also saw the rain roll back in over the hills. Once done with lunch, we suited back up and decided to keep going since the radar showed that the rain wouldn't let up for the next hour. As we were ready to go, a kind gent stopped by to ask us about the trailer. We chatted a bit and got moving. Again, no lights on the trailer, unfortunately. We even passed a trooper and Rob said, "Don't look at us!" for fear he'd give us a ticket for no lights on the trailer. He didn't see us or didn't care.

We had a good bit of light to moderate rain for at least an hour after lunch on our 90-minute ride to Marietta. Lighting remained good so Rob wasn't worried about visibility. Michele didn't take many photos because of the rain today, but it was very scenic.

As we approached the Marietta area, the rain stopped. We arrived in Marietta and at our hotel, The Hackett Hotel, in Marietta at 3:30pm. By then we were dry so we could immediately pack up and stow our rain gear. 

Our  hotel sits above The Gallery restaurant and pub in an old building, and along the Ohio River. Our room is along a hallway of a handful of rooms above the pub and has a large common area. It's charming, has really high ceilings, and is a nice change from the chain hotels. 

Our room is named after a prominent ship builder in the area. This is his biography if you'd like to read it.

We brought our bags up the long two-story staircase (51 steps), and then quickly cleaned off the bike and put the cover on since light sprinkles started up again. The rain that we rode through earlier caught back up to us and we wanted to get the bike secured for the night.

We rested in our room for awhile and walked down for dinner at 6:30pm. We got a table outside on the patio facing the street. Rob ordered a berry bourbon cocktail and Michele ordered a Piña Colada sangria, both delicious. We shared the homemade fried chicken, mashed potatoes and a salad. After dinner we walked to the river to look about. 

Marietta is the oldest city in the state of Ohio, established in 1788. It is the first American settlement territory north and west of the Ohio River and known for its riverboats, although we didn't see them. 

This is a love locks sculpture.

This is a war walk to honor the branches of the military.

This is a Spanish War relic.

Then we walked along Front Street and looked in the shop windows since they were closed. A restaurant had a live band just starting up and there are a lot of eateries in the area. The band is right outside our hotel window. We could very clearly hear them playing. We hope they don't play too late into the night!

We head home tomorrow. We've been traveling so long it will be a bit surreal to live in our house again!

Day 26 - Peoria, IL to Columbus, OH

We left the hotel at 8:15am and took I-74 South into Indiana. The roads were in considerably worse condition than in Illinois, which we knew from previous trips. Rutted and bumpy.

Lunch was in Pittsboro, Indiana at Love's gas station with a Subway and a dog park. We put out our chairs and table and ate in the grass next to the fenced dog park. A lady brought over her huge dog to run around while she filled her car with gas. He was not happy to be left in there! He tried to get out and whined. She was talking to him from way over at the gas pumps. Michele thought that dog could easily jump the fence if he got a running start. We joked that it wasn’t the most glamorous or romantic lunch location, but we made do!

After lunch we saw an onion truck. They look like oranges here but we got a close up view while on the highway and they were definitely big onions.

As we approached Indianapolis, we circled a bit north to I-65 South and then headed east on I-70. Traffic through Indy was fairly light compared to past experiences going through the city. Somewhere along the way we got a glimpse of this dam.

And we crossed into Ohio we learned that whatever you need you'll find it in Ohio!

We stopped 140 miles outside of Columbus for fuel and a final rest break. Traffic was pretty heavy from Dayton to Columbus, this being a Friday and a holiday weekend. It's always busy on this stretch though.

A mile short of 270 there was an accident and traffic stopped a few times, but we mostly rolled slowly through. Rob was watching traffic all around him - front, back and to the sides to be sure people could see us and the trailer. We took I270 North to Dublin, OH to stay at the Fairfield Marriott for the night. 

We walked the mile from our hotel to 101 Beer Kitchen in Dublin to meet Mechele for dinner at 7pm. Rob wasn't comfortable driving the trailer in the dark after dinner given its faulty lighting. It was good to get off the bike after all the highway driving and walk a bit. Michele last saw her friend in May at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, so a second visit this year was awesome! 

It was a nice restaurant and our reserved table was ready. Rob and Mechele each ordered a mule cocktail and Michele got a tropical paloma. Everyone was happy with their drink choices. We ordered soft pretzels for apps and they were among the best we've had. Mechele ordered a fish dish for dinner, and Rob and Michele shared the crusted lemon chicken. We all got the watermelon and feta salad and Rob ordered the lava cake for dessert. There was so much chatting and catching up to do that we ended up staying until closing. We also completely forgot to take photos! Mechele drove us back to our hotel and we chatted there awhile on every topic - former coworkers, Covid, knitting, travel, etc. It was a fun night. Michele and Mechele met each other at Time Warner Cable in 2006 and stayed friends ever since. Mechele lives in the north Columbus area not far from our hotel.

While our travel day was not too exciting for scenery or fun roads, it ended with a great meal with a lovely friend. Tomorrow we have a more scenic day riding in Ohio state parks and forests.

 

Day 25 - Des Moines, IA to Peoria, IL

Today was a scenic day even though it was a travel day. We planned to leave at 7:30am since we had a longer day of 420 miles. Rob tried to get the trailer lights working consistently again but to no avail, so we were on the road at 8am. Today would be a high of 84 degrees, so cooler than yesterday, and with partly cloudy skies. 

We headed out of Des Moines on I-35 to I-80 East. Even though we were on the interstate for awhile, the roads were smooth and traffic wasn't so bad. We got on US 151 North through Cedar Rapids and continued up to Dubuque. The farms were really nice in this area of Iowa. The corn looked healthy and even the barns were well maintained. 

Corn on both sides of us.

Soon we crossed over the Mississippi River into Illinois. 

We got on US 20 East and took that into Galena. We had lunch at a Subway there, Rob found one that had tables outside. A lady told Michele that our trailer was like having a car and suggested we check out the car show in Galena with Triumphs. That would have been cool to see. Michele said it's been rare that a woman has commented on the bike and/or trailer, usually it's all men. 

Rob's route today included the Stagecoach Trail, a road initially designed in the 1830s to connect Galena to Chicago that is now a 37-mile scenic byway from Galena to Lena. It has curvy roads and goes through small towns. 

We missed the Belvedere Mansion and Gardens, a 22-room Italianate house in Galena that offers tours. We'll have to catch it next time.

We took Illinois Route 3 south by Apple Canyon State Park. We went back West on US 20, then took IL 84 South towards Mississippi Palisades State Park and along the river. We saw a huge pumpkin patch.

And, this gang of seniors in golf carts, there were probably 50 of them! We're not sure what they were doing but it was an unusual sight. Michele thought it was hysterically funny. This is the tail end of the big group.

This is part of the scenic Great River Road that we rode more of years ago. 

We picked up I-80 before Davenport towards Rapids City, and took that East to I-74 South into Peoria. These gigantic cones were also random and funny.

We arrived at our hotel in East Peoria at 5pm. We ordered dinner delivery from Door Dash. After dinner Rob tried a few other tricks to get the trailer lights working consistently, but no luck. 

For the most part we had a smooth day with no traffic issues. Just this truck with aluminum soda cans flying out of the back for miles. Rob was far enough back that none hit us but he wove around to avoid them on the road. You can see them in the net hanging off the back. He finally got past the truck in a passing lane. 

The roads we took today in Iowa were smooth and well maintained. Not so in Illinois. There were bad cracks and heaves for miles and miles making our ride really bumpy. We had a brief delay on one of the smaller byways for highway workers who were shoveling small scoops of sticky asphalt into the center line to fill in holes. The road was so patched up that they really needed to start over!

 

Tomorrow we head into Ohio and plan to visit with Michele's friend, Mechele, for dinner in the Columbus, Ohio area.