00:54 CDT, Friday – Somerset, PA

It’s seems symmetrical that we’ve returned to the Super 8 that we spent the first night. We have the same distance to travel back to the barn as we traveled the first day.

….however this room is conspicuously absent one microwave. It’s going to be harder for me to incinerate my packet….which is generally good.

Lot’s has happened since we holed up in a Hojo in Cambellton, New Brunswick. Thursday morning we made the final push to Perce Rock….and it was stellar. No photos to download yet myself as Doug took them, but below is one I found on the web. That 200 mile ride was like going down a popular beach stretch….very slow. It was also even slower coming back. It seemed like that ride took most of the day.

The whole Canada experience is beyond what I can articulate this evening…more on that in my post-trip write-up.

We did some reevaluation of going to Niagara. The weather around the Great Lakes just looked horrid and we just winced at the thought of repeating what we did leaving the barn…so we pushed on down to the south through Maine and figured we’d go for New Hampshire and Pennsylvania bonii. Lot’s of little stuff that probably isn’t worth as much……but we have yet to get rained on!

About 2 blocks from the first bonus we ran into John Langan and he rode the day with us. Good, good day.

Schooner, Bath, ME – 1888

Coffee Place with a Cow (near Bath) – 456

Cigar Shop, Maine – 878 Failed because we didn’t read that it was Tuesday only. They were slightly confused why we were there “so late”. I bought a cigar anyway.

World’s Largest Rocking Chair, New Hampshire – 465

Covered Bridget, NH – 1201

License Plate Covered House, NH – 1001

Then we blazed through the NYC area skirting as much as we could by going Eastern Jersey. We were under the gun to make it to York to get the Harley Davidson plant…..but by the time we got 40 miles away from Reading……traffic was backed up for miles. I bailed at the nearest exit and found I think my favorite road of the ride yet.

Pagoda, Reading, PA – 920 (came in just before dark)

Todd Witte’s House and a Picture of the Grinch Patrol – 1712

In the surreal department is about 2 miles from Todd’s house I was at a light and an FJR came up along side me and introduced himself as Randy from the FJRForum.com. My eyes must have been as big as dinner plates. He wrote:

I just met up with Matt, Doug and John Langan in York, PA and he asked that I post this. They ate in Reading, PA before heading to York. They got their bonus and were heading back towards St. Louis. We left York around 11 PM and they peeled off to pick up I-76 and were going to try to get 2-3 more hours in before they pull off to rest. They’ll make the call later on to determine if they’ll try to get any additional points before making it back to St. Louis. They might end up in Somerset, PA tonight – the spot of their 1st rest.
They were all in good spirits and no major issues with the bikes.

Seems Randy lives in the area and was watching Doug’s Starr-Trax. He knew we were coming in and stalked waited for us. ;)

This is not without precedence. The same thing happened to Doug in the ‘05 IBR headed for Florida.

We still have 650 miles or so to ride tomorrow…..and the forecast is NOT for rain. Yahoo!!!!

Off to bed.

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Day 5

Matt called to let us know that he is in Urbana Ohio. He is doing laundry and getting ready for the final leg back to Saint Louis. Doug Chapman rode ahead to have a tire changed. They are both doing well and are ready to spend some time on the next leg, hopefully with some better weather.

Matt has visited Honda North America and also the worlds largest basket which is the seven-story corporate headquarters of the Longaberger Basket Company.

More later when Matt calls in..