As I had said earlier on the home page, I want to get out more this year. The first thing is that I need to get out of my head, and get other things to stay out too!
I had been planning the idea of the ride for a few weeks. Most of that time was had snow and/or temps well below freezing. When the calendar showed me some warm and decent weather 10 days out, I started making sure that my other events would fall into place.
The crux of the ride was to get some miles on the bike! I have been taking day rides to see that the bike was ready. During a few day rides, I was noticing a weird issue: the radio/head unit was flicker off then back on. I did a couple of rides with this issue, but couldn’t seem to regularly recreate the issue at will.
I had worked on the placement of some additional lights, I wanted the mounting and installation to look as close to factory as possible, I don’t like the look of things being just thrown together.
I had finally found the parts that would make it look like a professional installation. I got things mounted, but not wired up. Then I took off on a day ride.
I was on US-72 when I looked down at the lights to see how they looked to me. I noticed one was easy to see, but I was having to lean over to see the other one. I finally managed to get a glimpse of the light on the right side. I realized that the mount was loose, the light was leaning upside-down.
I found a place to pull over to fix the lights. I was very glad that I brought the tools for the lights, I would have been in a bind if they had fallen off.
While on this ride, I was still experiencing the radio/head unit flicker. I kept a watch on other things to see if I could find some other indication of a problem. Then I saw it. The voltmeter should usually show between 12-14.2V. Running consistently at 14.2V is not a problem. However, my voltmeter would show 14.2V for a while, then gradually ease up to 15 to 16V. This is not a good sign. Just before the voltmeter reached 16V, the radio/head unit would flicker. When it did, the voltage would drop. Sometimes for a few seconds, other times for longer times. It make stay close to 16V for a few miles, with the radio/head unit flickering. When the voltage would dropped back down closer to 14.2V, everything would be fine.
I stopped by the dealership and talked about the issue. One person said all the lights on the bike were causing the problems. I let him rant. I explained the the service department that the lights were not wired up yet.
A few days later, I used the spare connection on the one HEX EZ-can and connected the lights. I drove it around the neighborhood for a while. Eventually, voltmeter was ease up to 16V and the flickering would commenced
I completely disconnected the HEX EZ-can. This meant that the camera, GPS, extra brake light, and the extra rear turn signals would not function. The factory lighting would still work.
I headed up the Trace. I still had the voltmeter easing up to 16V and the flickering. This was with all the accessories that I had added having been disconnected. At the north end of the Trace, I pulled over and reconnected the HEX EZ-can. The trip back down to the shop did not have the voltmeter rise close to 16V, and the flickering issue did not reappear.
On February 8, I was going to go with Mark and some others for a ride to Amory for lunch. on the ride to the dealership to meet the other riders, the flickering was almost constant. On the last mile to the dealership, the radio/head unit flickered the entire time until I got to the shop. I told Mark I was going to get the bike checked, I was concerned that something serious would develop if I didn’t get this repaired now.
They had a great ride, I got the bike repaired. The voltage regulator was bad. left the bike and it was ready for me to pickup Sunday after church. I was torn between just going home and going to the meeting for one of my riding groups. As we left, MaryJo said the light seemed to be working and I didn’t see any problems. I decided to go on to the meeting.
MaryJo headed home, I headed toward the meeting. I decided to take a some backroads to the meeting. I started noticing that the voltmeter was now dropping below 12V. I could hit a bump and it was go back to 14.2V, but the voltage was fluctuating between 0V and 14.2V. The voltage regulator was working as it should.
I called the shop to see if I needed to bring it in. They said it should be find, they again said that the problem could be due to “all those lights.”
The weather was going to get colder and I wanted to get the lights connected in the more permanent manner. This required that I add another HEX EZ-can controller. While adding the second controller, I wanted to clean up some of the other wiring on the bike.
I had the bike apart for about a week. I would work on a few things, then take a break. I wanted to make sure that I had done things right. I was in no hurry, there was still snow and ice on the ground.
I would work on one accessory at a time. I would make sure the wires were connected and spliced properly, soldered with heat shielding, then routed and secured to look neat. I got the second controller added and configured both of the controllers with the devices that were connected to each. And I got the self-laminating labels to ensure that I had all the cables labeled in the event I needed to make changes.
I finally had things installed, wiring and cables neat, and the controllers all configured. I would check the configuration on the new lights since there were many of options. I even did an initial aiming of the new lights.
I rode the bike a few times to lodge, specifically so I could see the lights at night! Things seemed to be ready.
So, with the weather ready to cooperate, I was ready for my first overnight ride of the year.
The plan was to ride the Natchez Trace from Florence to Natchez, MS. I would spend the night there. The next day would have me riding back roads, visiting some sites, scouting 2026 Tour of Honor, and making my way down toward Lake Charles. I would then spend a day or two riding the Creole Trail. Then I would ease back home.
Initially, the plan was to leave on Monday. But a chance of plans came a few days earlier with an event at the lodge that I needed to attend. Not a problem since I haven’t made any hotel reservations in advance and I didn’t have exact routing plans. So, I headed out Tuesday morning.
I was packed with the plan to come back on Saturday. I had gotten things ready on Monday so all I had to do was put the bags on the bike Tuesday morning.
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
The link for Tuesday’s ride via Spotwalla is HERE.
My plan was to leave as MaryJo left for school. I was putting the bags on the bike as she left. I expected that I would be right behind her. I took a quick check in the house and got a text from Steve. He asked if I had sent out the announcement that he had mentioned to me. I told him that I had included that in the newsletter, which I had planned to send out first thing this morning. Unload the laptop from the bike and send out the email with the newsletter. Reload the bike, adjust a few things.
I left the gas station at 9:40. Over to the Trace on my usual route, then heading south. Based on my calculations, it would be close, but I might be able to make it all the way to Natchez without stopping for fuel. I pulled over at the Mississippi state line to grab a quick picture of the state sign.
Some would say the ride was boring, I call it relaxing. This was one of the first times that I did not see an 18-wheeler on the Trace. I must admit, I have wondered if they were enforcing the “No Commercial Vehicles” rule on the Trace in Mississippi. I set the cruise control at 55mph and just enjoyed the trip. Only a little traffic near Tupelo.
At Mathison, the half-way point on the Trace, I decided to stop for fuel. I had plenty, but decided to not risk fate. It was more of a “top off” than a fill up. I only put in 2.5 gallons, I have a 6 gallon tank. Fuel mileage was 58 miles to the gallon. I would have been just short making it all the way to Natchez if I hadn’t stopped.
There was some traffic in Jackson near the interstates. This was a nice shortcut for people that need to go from north Jackson to the western side of Jackson (Clinton, MS). I usually find construction on the interstates in Jackson, so I would even take advantage of this stretch unless I need to go downtown Jackson. Even with other cars, few were in a hurry to disrupt the calmness of the Trace.
I pulled over at a rest stop near Jackson to make my hotel reservation. I had hoped to stay at The Stone House B-n-B, but it was booked for the night. I had already found a backup site, so I got my reservation at the Hampton Inn.
The GPS led me to the hotel without issues. As I checked in, the young lady at the desk asked my last name. As I unloaded my arms, I told her. Before I could get unloaded and to the desk, she already had everything ready. I offered me ID and payment, only to be told that she already had it and handed me my key. As she handed me the key, she said she hoped I was okay with the location of the room, she had put me in a suite overlooking the bike (which also overlooked the river!).
I asked about the Magnolia Grill. I was given directions and even told that, though it was a long walk, it was very nice. I had already planned to walk instead of taking the bike. I remembered the road from my visit last year and did NOT want to deal with the bike on that hill.
As I walked to the restaurant, I passed the docks. There were two river boats docked, one was set up for their passengers returning from a day trip. I spoke with a couple of the men on the boat. They were telling me about the routes that they take and the accommodations. I told them that I lived in Florence and was told that they use the docks at McFarland Park when the locks at the dams are backed up or closed. They loved the music scene in the Shoals.
I was afraid that the grill would be packs due to two boats being docked, but I had arrived before the passengers had decided to go out to eat. The boats did have dinner available for passengers, but many came out to try the local eateries when docked. The grill only had two or three tables of people when I walked in, shortly after I placed my drink order, the place started to fill up.
When my supper came, the couple sitting at the table next to me commented on the thickness of the burger. It was an 8oz burger on a brioche bun. With the onions, tomato, and lettuce, it was thick! I managed to get the burger in my mouth to get a bite. It was one of the best burgers I eaten in a long time! I talked with the couple for a while. They had to leave because they had a reservation for one of the ghost tours. Natchez is supposed to be one of the most haunted cities in the south. A lot of history, good and bad, is in Natchez.
On my previous trip to Natchez, I don’t remember if it had been on a Wednesday night. One day, I want to visit the Church of Christ in Natchez. My Uncle Coleman had been the preacher there. He announced that he was retiring. He planned to have a hip replacement, then stay until they could find a replacement. He passed away before coming out of the anesthesia.
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
The link for Wednesday’s ride via Spotwalla is HERE.
HERE is the video of the Mississippi Lizard Run.
The next morning, I had a great breakfast. I sat in the corner where I could just watch people. A few police officers came in for breakfast. It was nice to see that the hotel supports the local police force. I was not in a hurry, so casually got things ready to leave. I did my morning reading, then was ready to hit the road.
I still had plenty of fuel from yesterday, so I decided to fill up near Brookhaven.
A side note here, I LOVE Brookhaven. There is a place where we love to stay. On my first visit, I stayed for three nights and reserved the largest suite they had. I could have parked the bike at the back door which would have allowed me to have it outside my window. The backdoor was also connected to the kitchen of the restaurant next door. I am sure they would not have had any problems of me leaving through that door, but I doubt they would have liked me coming in that way. The owner told me to park the bike on the sidewalk in front of the inn between the two doors. It was fun to ride half a block from the side on the cobblestone sidewalk. Luckily I didn’t have to deal with any pedestrians.
I filled up the bike in Brookhaven near the interstate. The low fuel light had just come on when I pulled into the gas station. I didn’t need to be alarmed, it only took 5.2 gallons. I could have gone another 30 miles on that tank.
The GPS and I didn’t agree on the route for most of the morning. My goals for today were:
- Avoid interstates
- Ride the Mississippi Lizard Run
- Visit the Lynyrd Skynyrd Memorial
- Enjoy back roads in Louisianna
To start the Lizard Run, I needed to get to Monticello, MS and turn south on MS-587. From there, just follow MS-587 until I got to the other end in Foxworth, MS. Easy enough plan, right? Well, the GPS thought that I needed to get on MS-13 which was a “better” road. I wanted the 40 miles of twisty back roads!
The first few miles had me questioning if this was what I really wanted to ride. Though it was paved, there was plenty of spots where the pavement was either missing or covered with loose gravel and/or sand. The GPS kept telling me to take a dirt road to loop back around to go back up to Monticello and over to the other road.
After about 10 miles, the road improved and the twisties were a little more fun. These weren’t the twisties that I would have expected on the Tail of the Dragon, but they were fun and I could see what several car clubs enjoy this route. The speed limit was 55 mph. For the first half, it was almost impossible to reach and stay at 55mph.
At the midway point, I crossed into Marion County. The road here was a huge improvement. The twisties were still there, though not as tight as I would have expected, and the road was much better. This meant that 55mph was again a challenge. On the first half, the challenge was to get up to 55mph. One the second half, the challenge was to stay below 55mph. Spotwalla did not have any incriminating evidence.
I turned onto US-98 and headed to McComb. The GPS and I were not in agreement, but I knew where I wanted to go and I was not sure that the route in the GPS matched my head. I turned left on US-51 in McComb when the GPS and I were finally in agreement. I followed the back roads from US-51 toward Gillsburg, MS and Easley Dr.
The Lynyrd Skynyrd Memorial is near where their plane crashed in October 1977. I was in college and had just gotten into their music. (Yeah, I was musically secluded in high school, limited to the radio stations and the albums that my parents approved of me hearing.)
While there, I got my picture for the Harley Ride 365 challenge. As I was loaded up, a truck pulled up with a Dyna Wide Glide on the back. A beautiful dark red with gold stripes and lettering. We talked for a while. He asked if I had cell coverage to help him get to the New Orleans airport. He was picking up a friend and they were going to make their way to Daytona, though it was still over a week away. I gave him easy directions and we talked for a while.
Eventually, I had to get back on the road and he had a plane to catch. I headed out and started to follow the GPS to get to Lafayette. I had set the GPS to avoid interstates. Even though it was set to avoid dirt roads, when I missed a turn, the GPS must not have considered a mud road as being dirt. I travelled on that road for about 2 miles, which took about 20 minutes to get me back to the route that the GPS originally wanted me on.
Missing that turn, I could have stayed on that road and been on US-61 about a mile north of where the GPS had planned for me to be. I didn’t see that on the GPS and didn’t know the area well enough. And I did get some practice on mud with the Road Glide.
I stayed on back roads and loved it for a couple of hours. As I got to Opelousas, I could hit the interstate (I-49) and head south to Lafayette. If I stayed on the route in the GPS which avoided interstate, I would be in towns with stop lights and afternoon traffic. I switched the GPS to allow interstate roads, my travel time was cut from 45 minutes to less than 20 minutes to get to the hotel.
I got checked into the hotel and unpacked for two nights. I washed my riding pants and socks, letting them dry for two nights. I even set up the laptop in the office of the suite. I did opt for the two room suite instead of just the room with a king bed. I had supper at the hotel, which also provided three complimentary “adult” beverages.
I settled in for the night to work on some routing ideas for the next couple of days. I was planning to have breakfast with Lonnie before taking off on the Creole Trail in the morning. He had a friend or two that had expressed interest in joining on the ride.
Thursday, February 27, 2025
The link for Thursday’s ride via Spotwalla is HERE.
Lonnie had sent me a message Wednesday evening suggesting that we meet for breakfast before hitting the road. Sounded like a great plan. It would be a long day, and we would need our energy.
Being the type that I would rather be an hour early than a minute late, I was sitting on the front porch of the Cracker Barrel at 7am sharp. I waited a bit then checked some messages. I realized that we had agreed to meet at 7:30, not 7:00. Oh well, I am already sitting here, the weather is great, and have a great parking spot. No need to rush it.
Lonnie pulls in and parks next to me. Breakfast was great, I tried a new item on the menu. We talked for a while, we have a lot in common other than our love of motorcycles. I’ll not going into all the similarities, but I am glad that he is a friend.
Since he has ridden The Creole Trail, and this is his area, I will just follow. So many times I lead, it is nice to follow sometimes.
We head out to the interstate. We don’t get far before traffic is stopped. We walk the bikes for a while until we get close to an exit. He motions that we are going to take the exit and get around the traffic. I clear the lane for him to get to the side and we are rolling again.
Most of the people who are exiting to get around the traffic make the left turn at the end of the exit ramp. Lonnie knows the area, he heads to the right. Nice, secluded back roads! We cross over the interstate a few miles from the exit and can see the blockage, construction has one lane completely blocked and the other lane is very narrow, very tight for large trucks. We meander a few more miles on two-lane roads and get back to the interstate.
It doesn’t take long before we are at the exit for the start of The Creole Trail. We top off the tanks and make a visit at the Visitors Center. I remember my trip here last October, one of the ladies had come out to get my picture with the bike and the sign. Lonnie and I park, out comes the same lady! We visit with her for a while, potty breaks, I pick up a couple of stickers for the grandbabies, and we are ready to go.
The first part is just teasing us for what lies ahead. After getting past the town, two-lane roads with marsh and swamps. Once we get to the gulf, we hang a right and go about 30 miles. This gives us a chance to get some pictures at the Louisiana/Texas border. State sign with AULDR stickers and a chance to ride in Texas, even for a half mile, give me several points in the AULDR challenge.
The ride along the gulf was neat. I saw oil rigs in the distance. Cows in pastures. Alligators in swamps. The exciting was when there was a swamp area in a pasture, there were both cows and alligators. Sometimes I would see only the top of the alligator’s head. A few times I witnessed the an alligator basking in the sun, fully exposed because the water wasn’t deep.
We turn around and head to Cameron. We stop for the ferry. This was a little “exciting” since the were having the pack dirt and gravel for the ramp onto the ferry. The main ramp is closed, so they are using the side ramp. This boat layout was different that the one I rode last year. Lonnie and I talked while we rode the few hundred feet to the other side of the canal.
Once in Cameron, it seemed like we spent more time in road or utility work areas where one lane was closed. Each area had an escort vehicle that led people through the work zone. Each area was about a mile long, and the escort doesn’t go very fast.
The slow pace was so relaxing. We made the turn to head to Lake Charles. This would give me the chance to visit a Harley Dealer and for us to have lunch. The work zones had slowed us down to the point that we had lunch about 2pm.
Lunch was at MacFarlane’s Irish Pub. There is a hotel a block away where I had thought about staying. Not able to get any local input, I decided for the Drury Inn in Lafayette. While sitting at lunch, I didn’t see the hotel and there was a street party planned for the area that evening. I was glad I didn’t book a room there.
I got a sandwich, Lonnie got a burger. The waitress asked if I wanted a full or half. I was a little puzzled by the question and said I wanted a full sandwich. Both the sandwich and the burger were huge! We cut them in half and got “to-go” boxes. I was glad that my saddle bag was empty. The second half of the sandwich ended up being my supper.
We were back on the road heading to the gulf. The work zones had cleared out for the day and we were able to make better time, though we were still enjoying the views. As we got close to Lafayette, Lonnie told me that we were on the road to the hotel. He was going to pull off in a few miles since he lives nearby.
When the sun set, it got very dark quickly. I got a chance to check out the new lights. I tried my best to be nice and not blind people coming at me. Even the new low beams are bright! A few people didn’t think I had turn off the high beams as I neared them. They quickly realized that I did have brighter lights! LOL
The hotel has a reception each night where guests can order three drinks. The reception is from 5:30 until 7:00pm. I was watching the clock, hoping to get there by 7:00pm, I knew it would be close. I pulled into the parking lot and ran into the lobby, still wearing my helmet. There were still a few people in the dining area, but the bar was closed. I respect that they are punctual, both opening right at 5:30pm as well as closing at 7:00pm. It was 7:02, and they were closed. The coke machine was still working, so I at least got a drink to go with my sandwich.
I worked on route options for Friday and Saturday. MaryJo was okay whether I came on on Friday or Saturday. If I hit the interstate, I would be home in time for supper. If I stayed on two-lane roads, I would need two days. The problem as that I didn’t have any burning desire to find a place to stop along the way, though I would have rather stayed on two-lane roads.
I packed things up and thought about options. I knew a couple of two-lane road routes that I wouldn’t need to do much planning to use, and there were a few towns along the way where I could stop and get a last minute room. Or I could get on the interstate and head home.
What will I do?
Friday, February 28, 2025
The link for Friday’s ride via Spotwalla is HERE.
As I was doing my final packing, I was still unsure of my route for today. I knew I would need to be on the interstate to Baton Rouge. From there, either I-12 or US-61.
I had a light breakfast and got things loaded on the bike. I called MaryJo to let her know that I was hitting the road. She asked if I would be home tonight or tomorrow. I hesitated, then said that I wasn’t sure. The easiest way to know would be to check where I was about lunch. If I was on the interstate, I would be home. If I was on two-lanes, I would be home tomorrow. As she hung up the phone, she said “I guess I will see you tonight.” She knows me better than I know myself.
I-10 to Baton Rouge. Bad traffic due to the design of the interchange at the bottom of the bridge into Baton Rouge. Merged onto I-12. Another slow down due to a car partially buried in the mud in the median. It looked like he didn’t believe that the far left lane was ended and the interstate was going from three lanes to two lanes in each direction.
Headed north on I-59 to Meridian. I-20 merged with I-59 and I stayed there until exiting at I-359 in Tuscaloosa. Traffic! 3:00pm on a Friday in a college town. How much traffic could there be? Silly me. I lost a lot of the time that I had made up, but I was still ahead of the 5:30 ETA to get home.
On US-43, AL-13, US-43, then in Muscle Shoals. It was good to be close to home. I pulled into the Circle K at 5:30. Got me a receipt, turned off all the trackers, then made the short trip to the house.
Blue will usually bark when I pull into the garage, but he waits until I get the bike parked and get off before he runs up to me. Today, I was still pulling into the garage when he came out! I stopped the bike to pet him and let him know I was home. He stayed with me for a bit while I got my coat and boots off. He didn’t leave my side until I took my bags into the house. Then I went back out to move the bike to the usually parking spot.
It was good to be home. About 1,600 miles in four days. This puts me at about 2,100 for the year! I will need to step up my game if I am going to get 50,000 miles on the bikes this year.