At the end of the CVMA 15-1 Labor Day Charlie Mike event, everyone split into groups to either ride back to the Fayetteville area or to other destinations. I rolled south, riding part of the Moonshiner 28 again, until turning east on Walnut Creek Road just south of Franklin, NC to pick up what’s known... Continue Reading →
CHARLIE MIKE
CHARLIE MIKE (C-M) means “Continue Mission” using the military phonetic alphabet. It is a command given to keep moving forward and complete the mission objective after an operational military unit experiences delay, obstacles, or adversity. For veterans, it’s a call to continue service beyond the uniform. I’ve posted many times over the years about my... Continue Reading →
Banner Elk with Tri-State CVMA Family
So many good things came out of my road trip last summer – gorgeous scenery, impactful history lessons, amazing riding (despite ever-present road construction), and most-importantly, human connections. I’ve been incredibly fortunate that many of the interactions from my trip have resulted in continuing friendships, including from a chance encounter with fellow CVMA (Combat Veterans... Continue Reading →
Journey Through Hallowed Ground – Where America Happened
Cutting a 75-mile wide, 180-mile long path, extending from Gettysburg, PA to Monticello, VA, the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area covers “400 years of multicultural American heritage.” According to the National Parks Conservation Association, this swath of land includes hundreds of African-American and Native-American Heritage Sites as well as battlefields and historic sites... Continue Reading →
East Coast Scenic Byways
I woke up and checked the weather on my phone. Hmm, thunderstorms in the afternoon. Whatever, I’m gonna check out a couple of scenic byways anyway. If I get wet, I get wet. Famous last words. . . Just a few miles from Annapolis, I crossed the Chesapeake Bay via the William Preston Lane, Jr.... Continue Reading →
A Mid-Summer Roll-About: Lighthouses, Horses, and Underground Railroads
I recently took a 10-day, 1,800-mile roll-about (kind of like a “walk-about” but on two-wheels!). I’ll give more specifics in my next post about what prompted me to jump on the bike and head north, but for now, I’ll share my first couple of days on the road with y’all. Sticking to two-lane backroads as... Continue Reading →
Bunk-a-Bikers, moonshiners, dragons, iron horses, elk, snakes and so much more…
The twisty mountain roads were calling, so when I found out that my Bunk-a-Biker hosts in California last summer were on their own cross-country trip this year and heading east, I jumped on the “excuse” to ride out to the Smokey Mountains to meet them! If Larry and Shannon couldn’t make it all the way... Continue Reading →
Where the Mississippi River ends… and it’s not New Orleans!
Skirting the Mississippi River, via the Louisiana Great River Road, to where it spills into the Gulf of Mexico, is a ride I’ve wanted to do for quite some time. Now, a little over two months after I walked across the mighty Mississippi’s headwaters in Itasca, MN, I was going to complete the loop to... Continue Reading →
Easter Trip Wrap-up
Perfect way to wind-down at the end of a day or riding. I felt it while it was happening. I wasn’t going to be able to keep the bike upright. I pulled in the clutch and heard the engine rev in rebellion at the lack of throttle release, then leaned hard left and dumped the... Continue Reading →
Gulf Coast Cruisin
Saying good-bye to family is never easy, but my heart and belly were full as I rolled out of my parents’ driveway and picked up U.S. Highway 90 for a scenic drive along the Gulf Coast. For the most part, Hwy 90 has run a little over 1600 miles from Van Horn, TX to Jacksonville,... Continue Reading →
