Day 14

Home Sweet Home...3,890 miles in 14 days...no wonder my rear hurt so much. Fortunately, the motorcycle ran good... except for the battery problem on Tuesday...and I had no lasting injuries or physical problems.

Day 13 was spent recharging my batteries at Courtney and Ethan's house in Arlington. It was extremely hot...hit 100 degrees I believe...so we ran a few errands...staying mostly in the air conditioning...and then went back to the house to cool down.

I got off this morning at 9:45am when the McDaniels headed off to church. I had packed my motorcycle earlier and was ready to go...I thought. As they drove off, I reached for my helmet...no helmet! I had left it in the garage and all the doors were locked. I quickly called Courtney and got the code for the garage door but she didn't answer. I then called Ethan and she answered and gave me the code. As I was putting the code in, they drove into the driveway. Apparently, I had gotten through to Courtney but for some reason we didn't communicate so they turned around and came back.

I retrieved my helmet, put it on and hit the road. The McDaniels continued on to church...sorry I made you late today.

I chose to go home via I-35E to Waco and then Hwy 6. I've traveled that highway so many times over the past 15 years that I can almost do it with my eyes closed. However, today I kept them open. The highway was relatively uncrowded but those folks who choose to drive 80-90 miles an hour cause one to keep their eyes open...and then there are all the trucks.

A few days ago I was making fun of the funny names along my route. Today, there weren't as many funny ones but there were some interesting ones, such as West (home of the world famous Czech Stop), Rosebud, Turkey Creek, West, Alligator Creek (think there were ever any alligators?), Riesel (big speed trap), Calvert (another speed trap) and Hearne (sometimes a speed trap). Of course, Texas is full of towns with strange names but today my route didn't take me through any of them.

Once I was on Hwy 6, I began to see what always reminds me of this part of Texas...farms and fields with various crops growing...as far as the eye can see sometimes. Us city boys can't tell you what the crops are but I can tell you that they are crops. Pretty scientific, don't you think. Anyway, I took a picture.

The road home may not look like those in Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina and other areas I've seen on this trip, but it look pretty good to me. The leg home was only 3 1/2 hours today but it seemed shorter...thank goodness.

The road between Waco and College was really familiar. The exit for Bremond, the prison just outside Waco, the large power plant in Riesel, the little town of Reagan...now being bypassed by Hwy 6...and one of the most familiar sights to anyone traveling south on Hwy 6, just outside Calvert, the red barn painted with all sorts of Texas A&M traditional sayings (see picture). Once I saw that barn, I knew I was headed the right direction...as if there was any prior doubt.

The last leg, between Hearne and College Station, really looked good...see picture. Then before I knew it, I was in College Station and then pulling up in front of the house...Home Sweet Home. It's always good to get home, isn't it? Even though you may have stayed in some great hotels or really nice houses of your friends and family, it's still good to get to your own home...it just feels right...homey even.

Well, tha, tha, tha, that's all folks! I've enjoyed keeping everyone informed of my trip activities with this blog...I hope you enjoyed it as well.