Scent of a Roadway

Binghamton, New York to Cleveland, Illinois. 337 miles.

Spent Friday with family. Ran errands, did more work on the bike (including cutting off the clutch and brake lever knobs after a scary moment on the highway when my glove got caught in-between the clutch lever knob and my brush guard). I completed a finalized packing, not to fit everything, but to organize stuff for convenience of use. All camping gear went into one bag with toiletries and uncommonly used tools and spare parts (common tools are on the bike’s tool box I made), the other bag held clothing, important documents, and my laptop. The top case functioned as a daily storage device/day bag. It held a bike cover, spare cable lock, chain lube, water, and other sundries. I liked to keep extra room there to lock up the riding suit at rest stops. Saturday morning I left at around 10am. Took back roads, 17 to 417 to 346 to scenic route 59 to 6 and 6N. Ended up on 90 again for the last 70 miles to Cleveland. Great trip through beautiful scenery, not at all hot and oppressive. Just nice easy miles on winding roads, averaging about 55-60mph. Great small towns, lots of garage sales in all the little burgs. Saturday must be garage sale day; I saw at least 10-15 of them.

Road smells: manure, mown grass, compost, diesel exhaust, barbecue, bovine body odor.

posted by goat hill dreamer @ 4:20 PM