Well, I’m in the East Bay of California. My buyer backed out and decided he doesn’t want the bike so I’m on my way home…. grr…

2300 miles of expressway. I’m hoping to make it in 2 or 2.5 days.

Well, I haven’t made it as far as I was hoping. I’m in Arizona just a little south of Monument Valley. I had a little bit of a delay on the road up to Monument Valley. I drove past a car pulled over, with a police car behind, and a man on the ground receiving CPR. I ended up assisting while waiting for the Ambulance (20 minutes) and then in the Ambulance while waiting for Life Flight (20 minutes.) The Native American had been selling merchandise in the park when he was hit by lighting. It entered his left shoulder and exited his right foot. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it.

Please keep his family in your prayers. His sister was present at the scene and saw it all happen. I’m doing fine. I took a Red Cross CPR/First Aid course this summer. Might I recommend you do the same sometime? You never know when you might need it…

I’ve updated my photo gallery with pictures that are more orderly. Check it out at http://picasaweb.google.com/elenbaum

Dearest Blog Readers,

I regret to inform you that I’m having too good of a time touring the countryside that I’m not returning. I’m just going to stay out here on the road until I run broke and am homeless. OK, Maybe not….

I am having a great time. I spent the last two days riding with a Ride Motorcycle friend from Grand Rapids who is in Colorado for 9 days. We did the Million Dollar Highway in Colorado and played around there for a day. Yesterday we went out to Canyonlands National Park and I shot up to Arches National Park. We camped at a remote campground in the park.

The weather has been OK. Afternoon Thunderstorms are the norm and the temp varies depending on the elevation and where I’m at.

Today I’m going to shoot down through monument valley and the Grand Canyon. I might hit Zion and Grand Staircase depending on how things go.

Back to the road!

Ryan

I haven’t had time to do writeups. Sorry. I have uploaded some pictures but I think they got out of order and I hacen’t had time to clean them up.

http://picasaweb.google.com/elenbaum/

Currently in Pagosa Springs, CO.

You get to see interesting things when traveling on a bike. For example: I left the campground and headed west on 16. I came into Spring Valley looking for a place to eat when I saw a sign that it was the Wilderfest and it is the hometown of Laura Ingles Wilder of Little House On the Prairie fame. I stopped at the museum but they didn’t open for another 15 minutes but they did recommend a little restaurant for breakfast. While eating breakfast I talked to an older gentleman who is working on the wind power plants going up. We talked about power generation and he explained that all our cars should be running on acetylene because it is made from coal and limestone, both of which are readily available.

I got back to the museum and was give and guided tour by a cute girl who was probably a couple years younger than I… No, I didn’t get her number… It was kind of a flop. I guess Laura lived in many places and this was just one of them. There were some memorabilia but most of it was local history stuff. The museum is in the Methodist church she went to but there wasn’t a lot that was too interesting. I did learn that Spring Valley is also the hometown of Mr. Sears of the Sears stores.

I stopped at the Spam museum which was worth the price (free.) I learned yet more about pork processing. The museum is modern and had really good displays that seem aimed mostly and children. I almost bought a can of spam, but resisted the temptation.

I also visited the famous Corn Palace. It wasn’t that impressive.

The rest of the day was spent slabbing it across South Dakota and counting the Wall Drug billboards. I lost count. After one stretch of boring highway at “elevated” speeds I stopped for gas and returned to the bike to hear a horrid hissing coming from the rear tire. Drats! Sure enough I had a nail. I carry a plug kit but am hesitant to use it so I elected to spend $5.00 on a can of fix a flat to see if it would work… It didn’t, the contents of the can went right out the hole. I stuck a plug in and it held. I made it out to the badlands just as it was getting dark. I elected to stay at a KOA rather than finding a deserted stretch of road just camping there because the KOA advertised High Speed Internet. J

PS. My return travel is coming together. It looks like I’m going to fly from San Francisco to Indianapolis over the night of Wednesday the 30’th. I’ll drive a truck home from Indy.

***warning*** Too tired to proofread and edit.

One of the nice things about traveling solo on a motorcycle is the people you meet. When in a group people are hesitant to initiate a conversation and your generally talking to your travel partners and aren’t looking for opportunities to meet new people.

I stopped at a service area outside of Chicago for lunch and had a rather long conversation with Paul, a trucker from Florida hauling a load of Bud up to the stadium for the weekends game. He rides Harleys so we talked bikes and routes. He gave me some good ideas for routes and some new places to explore on other trips (Glacier National Park.)

After crossing over the Mississippi in Minnesota I stopped at an overlook and lock. I ran into a guy in his mid thirties, maybe. He had a handful of young kids running around and he seemed a bit dazed. In talking to him I found out his is a corn and soybean farmer and his grandfather’s funeral (died in a motorcycle accident returning from Sturgis; he was 80) was the day before, his wife was taking care of his grandmother who had a stroke, and he was trying to entertain the kids. We chatted a while and he suggested I take Hwy 16 west instead of I-90 because it was nice scenic route and eventually ran back into I-90 after a couple hours. I took his advice and headed out on the two lane.

I stopped for gas an hour and a half down 16 and started talking to a guy on a BMW Sport Touring bike. He and his family just relocated from Detroit because he is working at Mayo. He is living at a campground while waiting for his house to be built. He recommended the campground and said a MotoGuzi rally was going on there. It was a bit early in the evening to stop but I was tired and the weather wasn’t great so I figured it was worth a shot.

The campground is in the heart of the Minnesota bluffs and it was a very nice twisty ride getting there. I pulled in, registered, and went back to my site. Not sooner than my helmet was off but I was greeted by the people camping in the next spot over. We started talking and I hung out with them for the better part of the night. They also fed me and offered me their beers (I didn’t take them up on it) They are from Austin, MN and work for the Hormel plant. I now know more about pork processing than I did before. Hormel processes 19,000 hogs a day! They recommended I check out the Spam museum on my way through.

I slept well once I finally went to bed and found my keys (long but not that interesting of a story.)

Growing up on the road has instilled a passion for seeing new things and going new places. I’m at a transitional period (work to Peace Corps) and I’ve decided to take a road trip out west as a much needed time of recharging. I’ve been busy getting ready and working on the house so I haven’t been able to do a post about it. Now in in middle of nowhere Wis. standing outside a Super 8 leaching their wireless.

I sold the bike to a guy in Santa Cruz, California so I get to fly, train, or hitchhike back. Not sure which one yet.
I’m attaching a snapshot of my rough route and a picture I’m adding to my state sign collection.

PS. I had a couple of important E-Mails to respond to… Hence my burning daylight at my computer.

The blog has been silent for a while because the biggest thing going on in my life wasn’t something I could advertise to the world. I’ve given notice and now I can share.

This Friday will be my last day at Cornerstone University where I’ve been employed full time for three year. I’m leaving to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Moldova. My departure date is September 11, 2006 and I will be serving until November, 2008. I’m assigned to an Agribusiness group. I don’t have all the detail of exactly what I will be doing but from what I’ve read from other volunteers I’m looking forward to using my business skills to help farmers manage their businesses.

I will do a longer post sometime about the process of joining. I figured I should give a quick explanation for the posting absence and sale of my vehicles.

Details on Modova:

• http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn.wherepc.easteurope.moldova
• http://worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/md.ht
• https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/md.html
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Moldova
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moldova

Peace Corps Information:

• http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn.whatispc
• http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/40781/how_to_join_the_peace_corps.html

Well, it is a sad day. The ST1100 is for sale. It has taken me through many of the states and has treated me well. I’m leaving the country for a couple of years to serve in the Peace Corps. It doesn’t make any sense to have it sititng around collecting dust. It needs to see the open road.

1997 Honda ST1100 Standard

• Pure Pearl Red.
• 105K (+a two week trip.)
  
• Piaa 910s with Ron Major Mounts
  
• Progressive Front Springs
• Works Rear Shock
  
• Heat Troller
• Parking Brake
• Heated Grips
• 2 BWM Accs plugs
  
• Tapered Bearings
• Adjustable Clutch Lever
  
• New Front Wheel Bearings
  
• New Timing Belt at 90K
• Choice of Extra Tall Clearview, Stock, and sport shield
  

$4200 OBO. It is availiable at the end of August after I take a last trip with it. I’m willing to deliver it anywhere in the continental US (an Alaska trip would be cool) in exchange for a ride to the bus/train station or airport.

Optional Accessories

• $250 Givi Trunk and rack
  
• $250 Corbin Seat with flip up backrest

• 145,000 Highway Miles (Saabs are known for 200K Plus)
• Texas Car (Came up before Rita)
• 2.2 Turbo — 33 Highway Miles/Gallon plus enough kick to “get up and go”
• Automatic Transmission with “Sport” and “Winter” mode
• Power locks, windows, seats, mirrors
• Windshield wipers on the headlights
• Air Conditioned Seats
• Side Impact Air Bags
• Power Sunroof/Moonroof

$4800 OBO

Call: (616) 304-4685