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America.......The Beautiful


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3 hours ago, Mr. Smooth said:

The Dodge Ram brought me up into Idaho and crossing the gorgeous Snake River Canyon in Twin Falls. Over 45 years ago, somewhere up river, Evil Knievel tried jumping the canyon and it was a spectacular failure. I was cool with just admiring the view.

Did you see any of the BASE jumpers launch off the Snake River Bridge?

The ramp Evel used is on the south rim in this pic...

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Edited by lazarus
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Nice trip report, thank you  for posting. Some years ago I took 6 months off and travelled around the States using what was then called Auto Driveway, delivering different vehicles from state to state and covered thousands of miles. 

It is indeed a beautiful country and each State has its own identity and feel about it. Was a great adventure. I realised just how big the USA is compared to my own country, UK. 

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Great, positive thread. In fact, could you refrain from being too positive, some are expecting the Sick Buffalo variant any day now, Bill Gates to buy up most of Isaan and retire to his jade encrusted concrete table with the profits from his 'plandemic'

In other positive news, we're off to Turkey in a couple of weeks.

Better days, they are a coming ...

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Outstanding report and pics buddy. That Dodge Ram of yours you bought, served you well on this adventure huh? 

Did you feel the elevation at 8,391  feet?  If you had met a bar girl anywhere up there, those "multiple shots" on goal would test your stamina LOL! 

Been waiting for this report, well done. 

 

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9 hours ago, lazarus said:

Did you see any of the BASE jumpers launch off the Snake River Bridge?

The ramp Evel used is on the south rim in this pic...

Capture.JPG

 

As a matter of fact I did. I walked out along that bridge to the middle to take a couple of pics and as I was, a saw a couple people with parachutes strapped on and making their way over the railing. And then......whoosh......over the side they went. I saw their majestic fall to earth, chutes open, landing with ease on the shore of the south side of the river.

As I leaned against the railing, the tractor trailers passing by not 12 feet behind me at 50-60 mph, caused such a strong vibration that it got me to quickly retreat to solid ground. I would say it must be about a 500 foot drop to the river. 

Not for the faint of heart.

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Coming out of Yellowstone and heading east toward Cody, Wyoming. Some ruggedly beautiful mountain scenery that the road negotiated with numerous switchbacks and drastic changes of elevation. Once over the Bighorn Range, that would be it for any high elevation travel until the return back home through Colorado. And with the descent into the plains, the engine, finally getting the first couple of thousand miles on the odometer, began to break in and the mileage was actually better than what was advertised on the window sticker when I bought it. It had stated 25 mpg on the highway, but at a 65 mph clip on these 2 lane roads, I was getting upwards of 27. And with gas prices at least a dollar cheaper per gallon than in California, I wasn't complaining a bit.

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Wow, some stunning scenery there and most impressive. A few years ago we did a family Road trip to the USA, took in Boston, Springfield, NY, Washington, Arlington and visited Gettysburg, then we looped back via Harrisburg and took the very scenic route back to Hartford over the period of 2-3 weeks.

The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, the hospitality was incredible and Arlington Cemetery was one of the most moving experiences I've had.

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Another nice update Smooth......Sturgis looks to be a blast for sure. 

But I have to admonish you a bit here...please. please you are from California, do not continue to dress like "Larry The Cable Guy" And you're wearing " Crocs" too??  Good Lord LOL! 

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4 hours ago, Yessongs said:

Another nice update Smooth......Sturgis looks to be a blast for sure. 

But I have to admonish you a bit here...please. please you are from California, do not continue to dress like "Larry The Cable Guy" And you're wearing " Crocs" too??  Good Lord LOL! 

LOL....I've worn Crocs for over a decade and they are the most comfortable "Jesus shoes" I've ever owned. As far as the rest, those humid low 90's daytime temps called for comfort over fashion. Besides, no need to get all dressed up to drink beer at a campground!

But thanks for the sartorial critique! 🤣

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31 minutes ago, Mr. Smooth said:

I next crossed the Mackinac Bridge that connected Upper and Lower Michigan, and where Lakes Michigan and Huron meet. I made a beeline for the greater Detroit area and a visit with my Aunt and Uncle I hadn't seen in over twenty years. He's 75 now and doesn't get around very well anymore, thanks to disk damage in his lower back from an accident years ago. My aunt basically is his caregiver and not wanting to overstay my welcome, after about a 3 and a half hour visit that included a terrific dinner she made, I said goodbye and spent the night in Pontiac, Mich outside of Detroit.

My travels would then bring me south into Toledo, Ohio, then up to Cleveland and along the shores of Lake Erie toward Buffalo, NY. It was a bit disheartening to see so many "Help Wanted" signs in businesses all over the place. Restaurants, hotels, bars, even factories, were all advertising that they were hiring. From small handmade notices up to billboards on the side of the highway, jobs were out there and plentiful and had I been in the market for a job, I'm convinced that after a 5 minute talk with an owner or manager of a business and a handshake, I could have been hired right then and there at any of a hundred different employers. When I asked why there was a staffing shortage, the person would tell me that between what the state and federal government benefits added up to, employers couldn't match it, so a hotel manager might shut down a third of their rooms since they didn't have the staffing to accommodate them all.

I had a chance to visit an old friend who I hadn't seen in nearly 10 years when we were going from bar to bar in the Dominican Republic and flirting with the chicas, drinking plenty of Presidente beer, and passing the day on Sosua Beach. These days, Ron was enjoying life in Rochester, NY with a home right where his backyard backed on the the beach of Lake Ontario. It was great visiting again and catching up and he promised he would jump on a plane and head down the next time I'd be in the DR. He surprised me with a 12 pack bottle of Presidente from his garage, as that beer is imported to several eastern states.

In Albany, the capital of New York, a Hooters was located a 5 minute walk away from my hotel and knew where my destination was for the night. The bartender, a gorgeous blonde, took very good care of me (no...not THAT way...) never going too long without filling my mug up with a fresh pint. I ordered the wings and an appetizer of buffalo shrimp. But mostly I kept an eye on the bartender as she ran the place with a professional demeanor but also with a nearly constant and engaging smile when talking to a customer. My bill came to about $40 USD and I included a $20 for a tip. Fantastic service and "scenery"!

What followed the next day was a drive through some of the most beautiful and scenic country I have ever seen. Upstate New York through the Hudson River Valley going east of Albany and toward the corner where Massachusetts and Vermont meet up was absolutely gorgeous. I saw more motorcyclists enjoying the twisting roads through the wooded and mountainous terrain in this region of the country than anywhere else besides Sturgis. I stopped at a small roadside market just inside Vermont that carried only stock made and manufactured in Vermont. I left with a gift package of maple flavored rum, one bottle light and one dark rum. I also loaded up on gift sized jugs of genuine Vermont maple syrup to give to family and friends when I returned home. I bought a bigger one for my own use and since getting back home, all I can say is that I'll never buy that fake Log Cabin or Mrs Buttersworth crap ever again! The Vermont stuff is the best I've ever had. I always knew I made tasty pancakes at home but now with the real thing to pour over them, they are even better on a Sunday morning.

 

 

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What an excellent report with stunning photographs.

Thanks for all the time and effort you must have put in posting.

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Yes, nice report - I often wonder if I will ever go for a long driving holiday like this again, what with the old junk I drive combined with getting stiff if I sit too long and a bladder that wants relief every couple of hours, never mind the price of gas and hotels nowadays. I'd sure like to explore that eastern seaboard myself and maybe if the price of rental cars returns to reality I'll fly out and pick up a set of wheels and cruise around...

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1 hour ago, Yessongs said:

Nice follow up buddy, always wanted to see lake Huron, big lake huh? 

You are a fine man for liking that Hooters bartender.😆

My drive took me along the shores of each Great Lake. When I first laid eyes on Superior, I couldn't help but start humming the melody to that haunting, classic Gordon Lightfoot tune, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald", which told the story of the sinking of that freighter in Lake Superior in 1975.

I once read that Lake Superior is so massive, so deep, that you could actually pour the combined cubic feet of water from all the other Great Lakes into Superior and not fill it up. An inland ocean for sure

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1 hour ago, maipenrai said:

Yes, nice report - I often wonder if I will ever go for a long driving holiday like this again, what with the old junk I drive combined with getting stiff if I sit too long and a bladder that wants relief every couple of hours, never mind the price of gas and hotels nowadays. I'd sure like to explore that eastern seaboard myself and maybe if the price of rental cars returns to reality I'll fly out and pick up a set of wheels and cruise around...

If you need to make compromises due to your health or age, I would certainly do it. Take whatever time you think you might need, a couple weeks, a few.....whatever works, and make a plan to see those places you want. You won't regret it, believe me.

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