Wild Motorcyle Roads in Illinios and Wisconsin

One of my favorite things to do is to break the day on a Motorcycle. The changing light in the morning is mesmerizing. I departed Tennessee at 0430; I'm on my way to Wisconsin on a 1,400-mile
odyssey. I'm in search of a River Road. This one is on the Illinois River between Peoria and La Sala.

The road is always calling my name. It's like a song I can't get out of my head. It's been that way since I was a little kid of 10, riding my Honda 50 around our neighborhood. I was always looking for new trails to ride. Today, it's no different. On the second day of the trip, I start on an unknown road, Illinois Highway 29/26.

It's a fast climb out of the Illinois River Valley onto the northern Prairie. Riding on the Prairie has its advantages. You can see the weather for miles; sometimes it is unavoidable, and sometimes it isn't. Today I skirt a squall line to the west, heading into Wisconsin, and only get a few raindrops. Riding on flat terrain gives you a peaceful, relaxing feeling. Then there are the windmills that fill the corn fields. Which, to me, brings an added beauty.

Once I get into Wisconsin, the terrain turns to rolling hills of the Driftless Area. A rare northern geographical feature where no glaciers were ever present during the last ice age. I make a turn to head north on County Road J, which turns into a gift from the motorcycle gods. Some of the best roads I've ridden, I have found by accident. This one was special, about 30 miles of switchbacks and S-turns.

It's been a good ride so far today. I'm stopping for an early lunch, and it's only an hour to Mom's house for a 4-day visit. After my 4-day visit with Mom, it's time to head home, another 700-mile adventure.  

After a 500-mile ride from Wisconsin, where I rinse and repeat County Road J, I thought about riding straight through to home. But the heat was getting to me, so I decided to stop outside of Mount Vernon in southern Illinois.  It's only a short 219 miles to the house.  

The next day I decided to leave the interstate to ride some more unknown roads.  Leaving the highway behind, Illinois Route 142 opened up into a rider's paradise, characterized by long, unbroken straightaways punctuated by wide, sweeping turns.  On this pavement, the heavy rumble of a classic V-twin engine smoothed out the tarmac, making the rural highway feel like pure silk. 

The final stretch promises a familiar rhythm.  The high-energy rock discography of the band Seether provides the soundtrack for the remaining miles, keeping the heat fatigue at bay.

Ahead lies Kentucky Route 109—a twisting asphalt ribbon that this motorcycle knows by heart.  The garage in Clarksville, Tennessee, is finally calling, bringing an end to an epic 1,400-mile journey defined by open roads.

A Night at The Bluebird Cafe

This was definitely a bucket list item, and when a good friend Gregg said Let's go try to get in on standby, I jumped at the chance.  The Bluebird, which only seats 90 people, is one of the hardest tickets in Nashville; when released for sale online, they sell out in seconds.  

This iconic venue is a showcase for songwriters and upcoming artists that gives you an up-close, hard-to-find personal experience.  We get here more than an hour before the show and are 5th and 6th in line.  As they seat the ticket holders, the door manager says they usually seat at least 6 walk-ups.  We are the last 2 through the door.  

Music City, Nashville, above all else, is a songwriters' town, and last night we got to listen to 3 of the best.  Listening to their music and their journey to success was a transcendent experience. 

Marv Green,  Kent Blazy, and Leslie Satcher are seasoned professionals who are clearly good friends.  Experiences and anecdotes roll off their tongues like a fine art display in a museum.  Marv said that when he first got to Nashville in 93, no one wanted to go to Broadway; Kent then chimed in, "Yes, the only thing down there were drunks and hookers.  And look at it now; they have Drunks and Hookers. 

 

Kent Blazy - had a long tribute to Kris Kristopherson.  He said he was the most driven songwriter he ever met.  Kristofferson, an Army officer whose father was an Air Force general, taught English at West Point, became a Rhodes Scholar, and was on the fast track for an illustrious Army career.  He gave all up to be a songwriter in Nashville. His family disowned him, and he started in Nashville at Capitol Records, cleaning toilets and sweeping floors.  The rest is history.

Merv Green sang a song he wrote for Willie Nelson: "If We Knew We Were Going to Live This Long.

Leslie Satcher sang a song she wrote the day before the show - I Love a Man with 18 Wheels.

You could write a separate book on each about their many hits. 

Marv Green is known for co-writing Lonestar's 1999 single "Amazed", which reached number 1 on both the Hot Country Songs and Billboard Hot 100 charts.  This song won him a Song of the Year award from Broadcast Music, Inc.   He has had artists including George Strait, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Reba, Jewel, Eric Church, Dierks Bentley, Lonestar, Faith Hill, Brooks And Dunn, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Bon Jovi, Jason Aldean, Chris Young, Dustin Lynch, Jo Dee Messina, Lee Ann Womack, Sara Evans, Martina McBride, Jessica Andrews, Kelly Pickler, Brad Paisley, Rodney Atkins, Billy Currington, Danny Gokey and Joe Diffie have record his songs.

Leslie Satcher is known as a country singer and songwriter; her talents cross all genres.  She has written or co-written songs that have been recorded by everyone from Willie Nelson to Ariana Grande; Vince Gill to Sheila E.; George Strait to Sheryl Crow; Martina McBride to Keb'Mo; Blake Shelton to Bonnie Raitt and many, many more   She has received multiple BMI "Million-Air" awards recognizing a song's one millionth airplay, and her incomparable vocals contribute to an astounding number of Grammy, CMA & ACM award-winning projects.

Kent Blazy met with a then-unknown Garth Brooks, who gave him the idea for a song entitled "If Tomorrow Never Comes." He and Brooks co-wrote the song, which went on to become Brooks' first number one hit.  He has gone on to write seven #1 hits among many others with Brooks.  Many of his songs continue to be recorded by artists such as Kenny Chesney, Diamond Rio, Terri Clark, Clay Walker, Patty Loveless, Julie Roberts, Andy Griggs, and Blaine Larsen"

The Sulton of Soda

DESERT HIGHWAY, SINAI — During my 9 months in the Sinai, I made the trip from South Camp Sharm el-Sheikh to North Camp el-Gorah once by Military Vehicle.  The 8-hour trip is not bad.  It is a lonely trip, only passing a few other vehicles along the way with long stretches of varied desert terrain. Traveling from the Red Sea in the south, following the Egypt-Israeli border to the Mediterranean in the north.  It is full of ancient sites and war damage from the past Arab and Israeli conflicts.  One unusual stop is the Detroit Oasis, where we talk with the Sultan of Soda.

In the late 1980s through the late 1990s, international peacekeepers making the grueling eight-hour trek between South Camp and North Camp faced punishing 110°F desert heat as a constant. But on a barren stretch of highway connecting North and South Sinai along the Israeli border, you can find an unlikely sanctuary: a cold Coca-Cola, a classic rock soundtrack, and a chat with the "Sultan of Soda" himself. Officially known as the "Detroit Oasis," this open-air wooden shack has become a legendary mandatory stop for members of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO). Run by Mark Farber, an enterprising ex-Peace Corps volunteer from Metro Detroit, the remote outpost defies incredible logistical odds daily to serve military personnel, Bedouins, and backpackers alike.

A Logistical Miracle in the Sand that operates in the middle of nowhere, Farber relied on a diesel generator and a constant rotation of ice blocks to keep his beverages freezing cold. He hauls the ice and crates of soda across the desert from the nearest town several times a week.

As a newly minted Warrant Logistics Officer during my nine-month deployment in this desolate landscape, I find that pulling up to the shack feels like stepping back into Western comfort. The simple structure is adorned with international road signs, flags, and graffiti from passing travelers. Inside, the menu features: Ice-cold sodas and beer, freshly grilled cheese sandwiches, and Hot coffee.

During the long journey between camps, it was considered a haven for peacekeepers. The outpost has built a massive reputation among soldiers navigating the long transit between the MFO's primary bases. With his stereo blasting classic rock, Farber provides more than just physical nourishment; he offers a psychological escape from the isolation of desert patrols.

While geopolitical shifts and tightening security infrastructure loom on the horizon.  This forced its closure in the late 1990's.  The Detroit Oasis was a vibrant, free-wheeling monument to hospitality in the heart of the Sinai. For the soldiers who passed through, the Sultan of Soda ensured that the long drive between camps was always a little more bearable.