Wednesday, April 22

Stamping Time

We've had some funky weather lately. My riding has been cold and wet and often, both. I'm not complainging--it's better than not riding at all. But the times are a changin' .  The weather reports for the coming weekend will plung Chicagoans into serious summer heat. For me, it is never too hot to ride.  So, I'm heading to Iowa.

Last season I purchased a "Passport: To Your National Parks" book to collect stamps from National Parks, Historical Landmarks and Monuments, Battlefield sites, National Seashores and a host of other sites in the U.S. National Parks Service Program.

I mostly bought the passport book in consideration of another Iron Butt Association ride, this one is their National Parks Tour, which requires a visit to 50 sites in 25 states within one calendar year. This sounds doable until you take out a map and realize linking 25 states together in a short midwestern ride season will be a challenge. But a few weeks ago, the bug bit me try this tour. Why not just do it? Even if I don't complete the tour, my efforts will not be wasted--it's a win-win for me.  

Too bad I didn't grab a stamp or two on my way back from VA last week. Oh well...this gives me another reason (like I need one) to get back to the VA area.  So, it is official stamp collecting time.

My first stamp pursuit will be this weekend as I head to Harpers Ferry, IA to visit the Effigy Mounds National Monument. I wish it were farther away, as the entire trip will be under 600 miles.  If I'm going to have a decent showing in the BMW MOA mileage program, I'm going to need to up my weekly mileage, which is another way of saying, add more fun to the diet! 

Whether I make my 15,000 miles goal I've set for myself, is relevant only to me. Yes, I'm goal driven--probably too goal-driven for some but I take no prisoners. This is my riding goal that only needs to make sense to me. Nothing works for me like a nice long, long ride to cure the dark corners of my life/work.

First stamp coming up!


8 comments:

clairehelene7 said...

Sharon! That is so close to our family farm! I have a funny story about getting lost there with some other (slightly) older kids when I was about seven. Have fun!

Unknown said...

A few years ago we went to Arizona and Utah and purchased the NP pass. I think it was around $50. (for 2) and included park admission to all the parks in North America. I didn't know about this passport.
There is also the "DAM TOUR" in Washington and Oregon.
http://www.damtour.com/ Your register and are issued an ID number. It is your job to visit as many dams as you can with your bike with the dam in the background. There is also a big motorcycle rally in Hell's Canyon. While we were in the area we also discovered a BMW rally in the John Day area, hosted by the BMW riders or Oregon. You should check it out and ride WEST

bob
bobskoot: wet coast scootin

Unknown said...

If you end up in N Dakota, make a run through the Theodore Roosevelt NP. What was a simply stop over on the way to Billings, MT, turned out to be one of my best day-hiking experiences. TRNP provides a great example of the badlands along with plenty of wild horses and buffalo.

Otherwise, I will be looking forward to your travel logs of the NP visits.

Jack Riepe said...

Dear Sharon:

I first read "Iowa," and then "Harpers Ferry," which is a short da ride from here. I got excited at the propspect of running into you down around Virginia way, and then realized you were talking about a Harper's Ferry in Iowa. Too bad for me.

Enjoy your run. I got 189 miles in on my first ride of the 2009 season. Now the race is on.

Fondest regards,
Jack Riepe
Twisted Roads

Sojourner's Moto Tales said...

HI Claire,

Can't wait to hear your tale--and I hope I don't get lost.

Sojourner's Moto Tales said...

bobskoot, thanks for turning me on to the Dam Tour! I checked it out and am really intrigued. Even if I don't get west enought to participate this season, (I hope too someday). In any case, I'm going to start visiting dams and there are a couple on my trip for the weekend that I'm going to try to catch. Thanks again!

Sojourner's Moto Tales said...

Jeffry, that sounds like fun! I'd love to get out to NDakota and I have friends in Montana I'd like to visit too.

Working gets in the way of my fun--then again, without the work there'd be no fun. One season, I'm going to take off and ride from June to Labor Day!

Sojourner's Moto Tales said...

Jack--congrats on your ride--welcome to the season. Looking forward to reading about it on your blog! We shall meet. Johnson City is will be here soon. And, I might be around PA before Johnson City--I'll let you know.