It was a relaxing week at my sister's place just a bit southwest of St Louis. I literally had to remove spider webs from my 2020 Harley Road King. The last time I rode it was a year ago from St Louis, Mo., to Cape Breton and Halifax, Nova Scotia. I used to throw rocks at Harleys but changed my mind after purchasing and riding one. The new M8 engine is smoother than my BMW boxer. 

They are big and heavy (Road King is 850lbs/386kgs) but so comfortable. Between the big seat, back rest, floor boards, highway pegs and cruise control, it feels like a rolling barko lounger. We covered 500 miles (800kms) today with minimum effort. What I have never understood and honestly I never expect to is why most Harley owners insist on dressing like an escapee from THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN movie set. And most seem to ignore the simplest in protective riding gear and helmets if their state does not require them to wear one. And we won't even talk about loud exhaust pipes.

Beautiful autumn weather with temperatures between 60 to 80 degrees (16 to 26 degrees C).  Most of Missouri and Kansas is rich farmland and crops are being harvested right now. For the last 15 miles to the hotel, we turned south and were hit with the worst rain, wind and hail I have ever ridden through. And there really was not any place to pull over.  The heavy weigh of the Harley was really at home in the high winds. I dread thinking about what the 340lb BEAST would have done in those conditions.

So my clothes are drying and it was a pretty good test of the KLIM jacket and pants. I am traveling with my sister(Donna) and her partner(Dennis). They each own a couple Harleys and have never ridden any other brand of motorcycle. I think their underwear have Harley emblems on it. They were in jeans and tee shirts with open face helmets! I am pretty sure their clothing is in the dryer. Tomorrow, we will be riding to Denver for a couple days of visiting  Dennis' family.  I know we might ride to the summit Mt Evans (14100feet/4550m) and tour the Coors bewery.  I promise to take photos.  Then, Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona, on 26 Sept 2023.  

With the present craziness in Congress thanks to nutty Republicans in the House, the government may shut down 1 Oct which means all the national parks in Utah will be closed.  It happened to me during the last shutdown as I was driving to San Francisco for a wedding and had planned on photography at Zion or Arches and they were closed.  We hope to see a few of the parks before they close.

Both the BRP and the BEAST are at the mechanics getting fresh oil and a few other routine maintenance things done. I honestly don't know which I will be riding south. Between the two bikes, there really is not a wrong choice so I will decide when I start south in mid October. 

By the way, my email is ktmrider2[at]live[dot]com if anyone has any questions or comments on what gets posted here.  I have ridden a motorcycle to Alaska from the US/Mexican border three times, driven the ALCAN in a pickup, and even flown a small airplane from North Carolina to Anchorage following the ALCAN back in 1986.  Let me hear from you if you are enjoying this tale.