A Day in Boston

What can I say about Boston?   It was a great experience.  I wish I had visited sooner.   Although we only spent 2 nights and a full day here we saw and walked a lot.  The freedom trail should be on everyone’s bucket list.  A 2.5 mile is a walk through American History.  The Paul Revers house, the site of the Boston Massacre, Bunker Hill, the USS Constitution it’s all here and more.

The city is much different now that the big dig is over with.  All of the freeways have been moved underneath the city.  This gives the city a park-like atmosphere.  It is hard to imagine what it was like when those freeways were above ground.   

We stayed right across from Faneuil Hall where Samuel Adams read the Declaration of Independence on 18 July 1776.  Near the Union Oyster House a restaurant that opened in 1826 and the Tavern across the street in continues operation since 1795. The Faneuil Quincy Market is a large open-air Mall with a great food court surrounded by modern shops. 

Man do they love there Cannoli’s after dinner at Durgin Park we walked up Hanover street in the heart of little Italy.  The line to Mikes Pastry was out the door and halfway down the block.  

We must get back here and see more of the city.  It was a great time we must come back for a Sox’s game at Fenway.  Oh so much to do so little time.

Riding Tennessee Counties: A Short Nervous Trip to Kentucky and a RiverRoad.

Here is a collection of roads that I have ridden as part of the Harley-Davidson Directors Challenge. The challenge was to ride as many Tennessee Counties as possible in 2015.   I have completed all 95 Tennessee Counties over the course of the last, spring, summer, and fall. Here are a sample best roads between the Mississippi River and Chattanooga.  These roads are a must to achieve Motorcycle Nirvana in Tennessee. Note these ride entries will be published periodically.

This ride starts in Union City Tennessee crosses into Kentucky to Hickman.  I always feel nervous about going to Kentucky, just because it's Kentucky.   Once in Kentucky, the road runs south along the Mississippi River to Tiptonville; finally ending up in Dyersburg.   Don't feel too nervous about being in Kentucky they've come along way in the last few days.

Leaving Union City to take TN 5 to Hickman.  Once in Hickman Kentucky which includes magnificent views of the Mississippi, we take Kentucky 94 towards Tiptonville.  Crossing back into Tennessee the road turns into Tennessee Highway 78.   Riding along Highway 78 you realize that this is a river road.  You continue to Tiptonville the County seat of Lake County.   The site of the infamous Battle for Island Number 10 and Grants fight for the Mississippi.   It is then on to Dyersburg you are in the low country crossing muddy streams that feed the muddy river.  This road gives you a glimpse of the old cotton South, passing fields with dirt left by a mighty river.   This ride lets you know we are a muddy river nation.

Riding all 95 Tennessee Counties

Well its done all 95 Tennessee Counties have been ridden.  It was one heck of a ride about 4000 miles.  It started in March and over a series of weekends finally ended in September.  Actually I never intended to ride all of them.  I thought I could win the free service from the local Harley Ownership Group (HOG) with 30 or 40.  But I had some competition from a fellow Tuckessee Chapter  member that pushed me to do it.  

It was an incredible ride in scenery and the wealth of knowledge gained.  Don't get me wrong I had a lot of WTF moments, but it is something that no one can ever take away from me. We have a beautiful state,  rich in the history of the birth of our great nation and the history that almost tore it apart.   Tennessee is a great diverse place to live and it's getting better everyday.   My wife Terri was also a big inspiration.  She rides a softail slim and rode all but 20 counties with me.  It was a fun time with her.

In riding my motorcycle from Memphis to Bristol there was never a moment that I didn't feel safe.  It was a incredible run. So I challenge everyone get out there and ride, learn about the place that you live and call home.  There will be a time in your life that you wish that you did.  Don't let any place in America scare you. I don't plan to have any regrets and I hope you don't either.