In Feb of 2002, I bought my first Goldwing! It was a 1986 Interstate. It was black and ugly! It had been sitting in a wooden barn for several months and had only been ridden by its 2nd owner 4 times. The first owner put only 24.000 miles on it. It had a little over 25.000 when I bought it. Well, I changed a few parts including new timing belts, put new tires on it and also painted it Corvette Yellow and named her "Old Yeller".

A buddy of mine whos name is Stan Robinson has a 2001 Wing. He had had several others in the past and had made many long trips. He was planning on going to Washington State in July 2002. Well, being that he and I had made a few smaller trips together including going to Bike Week in 2002, I asked him if he would like to have some company tag along with him to Washington.

I loved to ride and many times, Stan would tell me that one day (he had yet to do it) he was going to ride my ass off. So, this would have been the perfect trip to attempt to do this feat.

He said that he would love to have me come along. We set a date in July where we would take off and meet his brother in Jackson Hole Wyoming. His brother and his wife live in Tacoma Washington and would meet us there. We gave ourselves 4 days to make the trip.

First part of July, we took off to Wyoming. The first day, we rode 740 or so miles and got about 40 miles west of St. Louis MO on I-70. I tell ya...St. Louis is one place we did not want to stop in. We were so happy to get out of that place. The roads were terrible!

We found a little motel that was a dump. Our room smelled of sewage. We asked to get another and was put in a room just below it that was much better. However, it seems that the guy who keeps things running around there, had a room next to us and had his whole family living in it. We listened to them till we dozed off into never never land. We were too pooped to pop!

Next morning, we hit I-70 and rode the rest of the way across that pitiful state on into and across Kansas. It was 105 degrees gong across that beautiful state. We would stop every 50 miles or so and take our shirts off and soak them in water. Without ringing them out, we would put them back on. Mmmmmm..that felt good! We would also fill up our Gatorade bottles with water that we drank during the previous 50 miles and put them in Stan's cooler which had ice in it and get out two more each that had been cooling.

If there was a fawset outside, we would soak our pants down also and hit the road again. By 15 miles or so, we were bone dry again. We did this all the way across Kansas.

That evening, we had ridden 600 and something miles and made it to Colorado. We spent the night at the first exit we came to (Burlington) that had motels. While checking in, we met a man and woman who lived in Wyoming and used to have a Goldwing. We ate dinner with them and they told us that we should start heading north and not to go through Denver as we had planned on doing. They said that the road construction in Denver was very bad. Well, with St. Lous still in our butts and our bikes still shaking outside in the parking lot, we decided to take their advice.

Next morning, we took Hwy 385 north to Hwy 38. While on 385, we went through some beautiful country. Saw and smelled many cattle ranches also. PU! Cept for that, it was a great ride.

We hit Hwy 38 and rode through Estee's National Park. That was beautiful! I think I will be using that word many times. We got up to I think it was 12.750 or so feat MSL and it actually started sleeting. It was a warm 75 or so in the valleys. After getting off the mountain and heading north, it started raining! We rode in rain for two hours. We stopped one time at a small gas station and learned that it has not rained there in months. Of all days to decided to do this, Mother Nature decided to let the rain fall when we were going through. They really needed the rain, so we did not get too mad. As is let up and looked like it was finished, we took off again. A little while later, the bottom fell out yet again.

We made another stop a another gas station. Within 10 minutes, there were 8 other bikes that joined us. A few Wings and BMW's. Course, this gave us time to chat with other bikers and all was well.

The rain let up again after about an hour and we were back on the road again. Sing it Willy!!! "On the road again...I just can't wait to get on the road again...... "

We traveled on up into Wyoming and got on I-80 and headed west. We ran around 75 miles on I-80, found a motel and spent the night.

Next morning, we went on to Jackson Hole and got there around 2:00 pm local time.

Jackson Hole is something else! Here's that word again...BEAUTIFUL!!! We had already made reservations at the local KOA Campground before the trip started and figured we would not get there till at least 5:00 local time to meet his brother. So, Stan and I went looking for some grubb downtown. We found a great steak house (Teton Steakhouse) and filled our tummies then walked around till time to meet Raymond and Donna.

They showed up around 6:00 pm. They have a black 1999 Valkyrie Interstate with a black trailer, both which were now white because of all the road construction they had gone through. He was pissed! Well, we got our cabin and got our stuff out of the trailers (Stan had one too) for our two night stay in Jackson Hole.

The next day, we went rafting on the Snake River. That was a blast! Stan had never done anything like that before. Until one gets to know Stan, he usually comes off as a grumpy old bear, but that day, he was a kid again. We all had a great time! That night, he did the cooking and also did breakfast the next morning. Pretty dog gone good!

The next day, we rode through the Grand Tetons. BEAUTIFUL!! I have never seen mountains like that before. I had been through Denver many years ago while driving trucks and saw some mountains, but nothing like those.

The next day, we all took off to Yellow Stone. First thing we did was go to see Old Faithful. I tell ya folks, she ain't that faithful nowadays. We waited about 45 minutes for her to show her stuff.

We had reservations at another KOA just outside West Yellow Stone in Montana. We spent the night there and the next day we went back in the park. Bad mistake! We took the northern loop which was 75% construction. BAD CONSTRUCTION! Those roads beat our poor bikes to death! It was hard to enjoy the park with all that mess!

We saw many Elk, Moose, Caribou, Buffalo and a few other critters, but saw only two bears. The traffic was horrible! Especially when someone saw a wild beast. In the case of the two bears (momma and cub) which were about 150 yards from the road, traffic was backed up over a mile. There were people actually getting out of their cars and running all the way up to where they were. Clutch hand got very tired! Every time someone would see something, it would get like that. By the time we got to where the action was, whatever it was, was usually gone.

I made the mistake of catching a Buffalo in my sights one time and we pulled off the road. In less than 1 minute, there were 20 or so vehicles stopped with us.

Well, that day was pretty much filled with the same ol same ol. Stop, go look...stop, go, look..

It was not what I had seen on the television or in brochures! We were to say the least, disappointed. If it had not been for the bad roads, it would have been a lot better. Dunno if I will do it again anytime soon.

After leaving the park for the last time, I had to stop in town to change my oil. I had not changed it before leaving home because it only had 2000 miles or so on it when I left, so I stopped just out side the park and started looking for some synthetic oil, but there was none to be found. No oil filters either. So, I stopped at a station that changed oil in cars and changed it myself with their tools and put regular 40 wt oil in it without changing the filter.

I had decided that I would not have enough time to go all the way to Tacoma with them because I had to be back at work the next week and would not be able to stay long enough to enjoy the state.

That night, I loaded my stuff up to be ready to take off early the next morning and head back home. Stan went on to Tacoma with Raymond and Donna.

The next day, I took off on my own. I dropped down into Idaho on Hwy 20 down to I-15. Took I-15 to Hwy 6 in Utah down and over to I-70 and over to Hwy 181 which I took down to Hwy 180 in Arizona to Hwy 64 to Hwy 666 in New Mexico.

I stopped at a McDonald's at the intersection of 666. By the way, I had always thought riding through the Indian areas was going to be dangerous. Ya know, lone white man in their land.. Too much TV I guess!....I was very pleased that it seemed like every Indian I saw, was very nice and some even waved as I rode by while they were on their horses and in their cars. Very nice Indians were all that worked at the McDonald's. I was very surprised and felt really stupid at the same time. The white man has taken so much from these people. I am ashamed of what we did many many years ago.

After I sat (they even brought me my food to my table) I ate the best Big Mac I ever had and munched on a few fries and coke, then got back on my bike. It was starting to get late and the sun was just above the horizon. I took off on 666 and stopped about 40 miles later to get some gas ( I got gas even when I did not really need it because I knew that gas stations were few and far in between) about half way between where I got on 666 at the top of the state and Gallup NM. It was real neat the way I could see 3 thunder storms at one time with all the nothingness out there. Well, I started to get kinda chilly. Was not raining at the time where I was. I had only a tee shirt on most of the day. I decided to pull over on the side of the road to get my jacket. Well, I turned the motor off because I had my saddle bags locked. (I lost the top of one on a bad road a few days ago but did get it back and started locking them after that)

I turn the switch....and nothing happens! I turn it again, and again, and again....still nothing! CRAP!

Ok...here I am in the middle on no freaking where! Its dark! No lights anywhere cept in a tiny town about 10 miles away. Now it starts raining! The wind is blowing at least 30 mph from the left. And I am alone!!! Cell phone has no signal....nobody will answer me on the cb. Double crap...along with every choice words I have ever heard in my 39 years plus a few I came up with on my own.

What in the heck am I going to do? Its also about 10:30 pm. Well after crying a little (yes I was crying I was so mad) and screaming out into nothingness, kicking around rocks and dirt....I got my flashlight and took my side cover off from the battery and started looking for bad wires, checked the fuse box under the shelter above the gas tank, took out every fuse and replaced them and noticed that the ING fuse was blown. WALAAA I thought! I found the problem! NOT!!!!

Well, after about 20 minutes of checking everything I could think of....my flashlight went dead. No more light! So, I rattle all those nasty words off again.

Now....while I am doing all this...I am about 7 feet from the road. There ARE cars, trucks and all going by not really constantly, but they are still going by now and then. Evidently this 666 is a very well traveled road.

I already put my 9mm Glock on my side soon as I knew I was going to be there awhile. . (I'm a copper you know) I had seen a Coyote back at that last gas stop and did not want one to start chewing at my legs out there.

Well, I sat on the ground awhile with my saddle bag and side panel off laying next to me hoping that someone would notice that I was having a wee bit of trouble. NOT!!

I then said the heck with it and started trying to flag folks down as they topped the little hill I was on. I did this for about 30 minutes. Id even get in the road, but no dice. Guess they were being cautious. Here's a guy out in the middle of nowhere at night on the side of the road with a gun on his side. Naaaa.....im not stopping!

Well, I really don't think they could actually see my gun because it was under my jacket.

Anyway, I was finally able to get a Werner Truck driver to stop. Even he did not really want to he told me but something told him to stop. I'm glad he did! By the way, Werner is who I used to drive for 16 years ago.

He had no signal on his phone either, but he did have satellite system where he could text his dispatch. Great I thought!! They could call and get some help out to me. WRONG!!

After about 25 minuets waiting for them to respond to his request for them to call the local sheriff dept. or trooper post, ( we told them I was a off duty cop cause I knew they would help another cop) they sent a reply for him to go to the next town and find a phone and call them himself. Well, that pissed us both off! By the way, the thought to get my Gold-book out of my cycle did cross my mind one time, but for some reason I did not get out of his nice warm and dry truck to go get it to find someone in the closest town. Big mistake!

He said that he would stop and call someone when he got to the next town. He left and I got my bike cover out and covered me and the bike up and sat there in the dark for about another hour. I did have power to my radio, cb and fog lights for they were all hooked up to my battery. (not stock radio or cb) course I dared not turn on my fog lights for more than a few seconds just to see what was around me.

Well, after an hour I heard a vehicle pull up behind me. I got out from under the bike cover and it was a Indian Reservation police in a nice Ford Expedition. He was very nice and let me sit with him in his truck about another hour while we waited for a wrecker from Gallup (25 miles away) to get there, but they were real busy. Well, he was on his way home when he got the call about me. I told him after about an hour with him waiting with me, that as long as a wrecker was coming, he should go on home. After almost begging him to go(I felt bad for him having to stay with me) he said ok and then left.

About 30 minutes later, the wrecker finally showed up. Its now about 2:00 am.

It took the guy awhile to figure out how he was going to strap my bike down. (roll back wrecker) I had to finally tell him what to do and then off we went.

Finally got to Gallup where I told him to just drop me off at a hotel after he told me the closest Honda shop was in Albuquerque NM. 130 miles away. I was cold, wet and very tired. He dropped my and the bike off at a Days in. The wrecked bill was 217.00.

A few more choice words under my breath, but I was now safe and about to be warm and dry.

The next morning, I called a buddy of mine here in Alabama who has several bikes including a Goldwing. He also works on them. He told me several things to try checking, but no dice.

I then did what I should have done back out on 666 that night. Got my gold-book out and found that there were three folks listed in Gallup. The first one I called, dropped everything he had to do that day (Saturday) and came to the hotel with a trailer and took me all the way to Albuquerque which was 130 miles away. Luckily it was on my way home. He fed me while the bike was at the shop. Would not take any money from me. His name is James Larrabee.

The shop spent about an hour trying to figure out what the problem was. They found that a wire harness in the ignition thingy next to the battery was fried. They just happened to have the male fittings but not the female. The male was the one that was toast, so they put it on and the bike came back to life. They also gave my a big break in the money dept. 127 bucks is all I paid for everything. I guess they felt sorry for me after I told them all that had happened to me and being so far from home. They were very nice folks!

Shortly after that, I told James thank you for everything and tried again to give him some money, but he would have nothing to do with it.

I was then back on the road around 5:30 pm. By the way, I had rode 830 or so miles before breaking down the night before.

I made it on into Texas on I-40 and stopped in Vega where a huge thunderstorm was just to the East of me. I spent the night there and the next morning, I rode on through Texas, across Oklahoma where at one time I had to get off I-40 and travel about 70 miles or so on a detour due to that bridge being under construction that was hit by a barge a few months earlier, over into Arkansas and down through Little Rock where I got on Hwy 65 and went down into Louisiana to I-20 and over to Mississippi whre as soon as I hit the state line, I spent the night. I had rode exactly 900 miles that day.

The next morning I continued across Mississippi on I-20 and hit the state line of Sweet Home Alabama taking Hwy 80 to Montgomery and then I-85 back home.

The whole trip on my cycle was 5010 miles. This did not include the 175 miles towed by wrecker or James in New Mexico.

Its now January the 21st 2003. I am ready to do another long trip again. I now have a 1990 SE. I bought it back in September of 2002 and have already put 10,300 miles on it. Longest trip so far on it was to Key West Florida a few weeks ago with Randy Pippin of Atlanta Georgia. We had a great time!

I sold Old Yeller the day after I bought my 1500 to a fellow in Oklahoma City. I hope they are both doing well.