|
Search
| |
This, the final segment of
my trip, took me to the BMW National Rally in West Bend, Wisconsin [3], and
then on home via the Lake Express ferry across Lake Michigan.
Day 42 - Thursday, July
12 - To
the National Rally
| I got to West Bend
around 5 p.m. and checked in. Over 7,000 bikers attended the rally - the
oldest rider was a man age 92, and the youngest passenger a young man
age 3. |
 |
Day 43 & 44 - Friday
and Saturday -
National Rally
 |
Most people camp
at the rally - it's kind of a BMW thing. Harley or Goldwing riders would
do it a different way... The Washington County fairgrounds
provided marvelous camping space and facilities. The rally planners
brought in three trucks with hot showers to accommodate attendees. |
| I picked a spot
just behind the BMW demo setup. This was the section reserved for
campers with "medical needs" who needed electricity to run their CPAP
machines. The weather was perfect - in the upper 70's during the day and
cool in the evenings. We had a brief wind and rain storm Saturday
morning, but my tent and I came through just fine. |
 |
 |
The rally offered
around 70 seminars on every topic you could imagine. This one was for
women riders, so I passed it up. |
| This seminar was
on photography, so I hung around for a while and picked up some good
tips. There were others I wanted to attend, but there just wasn't enough
time for everything. |
 |
 |
Vintage bikes are always
an important part of the rally. This 1926 vintage BMW
is being ridden by
Peter Nettesheim
from Huntington, NY. The
first BMW motorcycle was made in 1923 after the company
was prohibited
from manufacturing airplanes following World War I. |
| One of my
favorites is the vendor displays. There were nearly 100 at the rally
filling two buildings and a large outdoor area. I picked up some paper
funnels to use the next time I have to change oil on the road so I won't
have to scrounge for a milk jug from which to fabricate a funnel. |
 |
 |
Sidecars are
another interest for BMW riders. This is a brand new one designed for
the K1200LT (like my bike). I could see that it has possibilities as an
alternate way for Elaine to accompany me on trips, for for the grandkids
to ride along. |
I had a great time at the
rally, learning lots of new things and meeting new people. Saturday I spent most
of the day with Rodger, our son's best friend during the time we lived in
Milwaukee, and Sarah. Sarah is the daughter of my very good friend who recently
died, Insoo Kim Berg. Rodger rides a K1200RS and R1200C. Sarah has a K75S and a
new F650GS. Both are avid riders and it was fun hanging out. Unfortunately, I
left the memory card from my camera in my computer that day so I don't have any
photos to include here.
Day 45 - Sunday, July
15 - Going Home
| Today I rode down
to the ferry terminal in Milwaukee to board the Lake Express for
Muskegon, Michigan. About 100 other bikers had the same idea. We all
managed to get our bikes on and strapped down for the crossing.
|
 |
 |
It was a beautiful
and quiet day for the crossing. I always thought Milwaukee had a neat
skyline, and I still do... |
| My original plan
was to make it home this evening, but it didn't turn out that way. I
miscalculated the time from Muskegon home, and forgot about the time
change from Milwaukee. So I found a room in Ann Arbor for the night.
Before turning in I took one last peek out the window to make the LT was
tucked in for the night. |
 |
Day 46 - Monday, July
16 - Home!
 |
Finally I made it
home - around noon on Monday the 16th. Everything had gone marvelously
throughout the trip, but I was happy to be home. |
| My GPS recorded
11,660 miles for the trip, a few more than I had expected. Reflecting
back it didn't seem like it was all that far, but when you think about
it 11,660 miles is almost halfway around the world! Paris is 3,923 miles
from Cleveland, the tip of South America is 6,547, Hong Kong is 7,952,
Cape Town 8,185, and Sydney is 9,539. Realizing all this makes the world
feel like a much smaller place... |
 |
 |
I was at the
kitchen sink making lunch when I happened to glance out the window to
see my bike pointed down the driveway, and I heard a little voice in my
ear saying, "Come on, Wally, let's go some more..." |
|
|
When I dropped by
my office this afternoon my colleague Nancy mentioned I looked better
than I had in a long time - more relaxed, she said. I'm not exactly sure
what she was referring to, but here are some data - a mug shot before
and one after. |
|
|
Before |
|
After |
| My friend Paul,
who got back from Alaska a few weeks before I did, told me about the
difficulty he was having adjusting to being off the bike and getting
back into the home routine. I was beginning to feel the same, then we
left Tuesday morning to spend a week with Duncan and Angus while their
dad's went on a trip, and the feeling was replaced with the pure joy of
seeing these little guys so full of happiness and fun. Duncan and Angus
provided a marvelous postscript to a wonderful trip... |
 |
|
