Well this trick really does work…
Team 60’s was meandering around the northeast since we finished the 4 Corners Tour early. I have a family event on Saturday 7/24 at JanieV’s place to attend, and it looks like we would get to her place earlier. So before we left Mansfield PA we happen to call the local dealer in Manchester MI and found out if service department opened on Monday and due to a shipping of parts on a bike they were working on, they could squeeze our service in on Monday. So the decision was to get to my sisters house on Sunday evening. Two days to do about 500 to 600 miles.. easy !
When we woke up in Mansfield on Saturday morning and checked the weather, there was no way we’re were not going to get rain today. Our goal was to get south of Cleveland.
For this motorcycle trip I’ve been using my old iPhone that hangs around my neck to take pictures while riding. I use my new phone to record the ride and that phone is protected from the elements.
We have run into rain before in this trip but on this particular leg from Mansfield PA to Ohio it was more intense and longer in spots. On our evening and overnight in Ohio I could not get my old iPhones Bluetooth to turn on or WiFi, even after hard resets. I couldn’t even adjust the settings and the camera lens was all foggy. It obviously got some water today, so I couldn’t do any video summary as I had no way to get my pictures from the old phone to the new phone to add to the video.
On Sunday, the weather for our leg from Ohio to Michigan was clear and sunny. We continue to stay off the interstates, but due to the heavy rains, some of the bridges on these smaller farm roads were closed due to flooding.
Once we made it to my sisters, we did the rice in a bag with the phone trick. That evening I noticed that I could turn on bluetooth and Wi-Fi, but the camera was still blurry and foggy. By the end of the next day, the old phone was back to 100%!
So over the last few days team 60’s has been enjoying home cook meals, taking care of our bikes, a pool in the back yard, and I’ve been visiting my old hood where I grew up and went to school. Rick and I also went to visit Axzl and see his improvements at his new home and then we treated him to dinner at a lakefront dinner place.
As typical in summer afternoons in the Midwest, while we were wrapping up dinner out on the patio, we noticed the clouds building and there was a severe thunderstorm warning for the area. The manager came out telling every one on the patio you have three minutes before it starts raining. He overheard us say we won’t make it home in time on our bikes and that we would wait it out. He pointed to a tent and said we could park there and that we would have to wait out 48 minutes, which we did and proceeded to the bar to wait it out.
The scary part was, it did rain in three minutes and it was over in 48 minutes….
After the storm we road back to Axzl’s house, said out goodbyes, and headed back to JanieVs about an hour and 15 minutes away. We missed anymore rain on the way back, but there was plenty of lighting to watch as the storm moved to the east. It was dark when we exited the freeway and we road slowly down the country roads as the fog and steam from the storm was starting to form and lift off the pavement as we did our last 15 miles to the house while watching the fire flies dance all around us.
On Wednesday, Rick wanted to explore some parts of Michigan so he took off to ride the west coast of Lake Michigan with eying the Mackinaw bridge crossing and a ride across the upper peninsula. Rick and I may hook up again on the trip back west, with maybe an eye on Sturgis, but we are keeping the plans loose.
I’m staying at my sister house for the party on Saturday to see a cousin I haven’t known since I was about 4 or 5. I’ll probably leave Michigan on Monday
It’s a great pleasure to be hosting Team 60’s and to have my brother here for an entire week!! Unheard of! Sorry to see Rick leave, but the west coast of Michigan and the UP are certainly worth exploring. Safe travels and come on back anytime. We’re in the homestretch for the party Saturday… more family arriving tomorrow. Let the good times roll!
JannieV, nice place! The pool looks inviting… I’d be in there in a second after riding a bike for that long! 🤣
Nice video of the bikes rolling in with the flashers on!
Rick told me those weren’t flashers on the bikes, but that’s how the LED lights show up on video! I guess it makes sense they’re not flashers, otherwise they look like cops. 😂
Wow great writing Jimmy Kerouac! Thanks for the detailed summary since there was no video. That sounds like a great American dream trip. Great read Jimmy. I guess that guy knows his rainstorms! Look forward to seeing you when you get back. The Black Cat Studios House Band is rockin!. We will have to include some of your video for use in our band videos. Have a great time at your sisters. I would like to see some photos of your old school and area you grew up in. Have a great one.
Glad you guys made it over to see Akzl and have dinner! Looks like some great riding even with the rain. Some beautiful country out there. Rick will enjoy that ride we did last year with you. Hopefully he can hit the Tunnel of Trees and ride the coast on the 31 down to Traverse City. This is a good break from the big riding days you have been doing.
Great writing! It’s like Part 2 of the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maitainence, with added IPhone maintenance. Ha!
Good rice trick!
You did make it look fun riding in the rain. Good to see rain after so much drought and fires all over the country.
The fireflies …awesome!!
I’ll be following Rick on Glympse, Hwy 31 along Lake Michigan. That’s been on my bucket list for awhile. Looks so beautiful with the road so close to the lake