Retirement, What's Next? Part 2
No Sleep for Me
My plan was to get up early and be at the start when the Chase Riders left Milwaukee but that didn’t work out. Something was going on at the motel I was staying at with a lot of yelling and noise most of the night. I didn’t get much sleep so I slept a little more in the morning when it was quiet.
I thought whatever was going on during the night resolved itself but there was more to it than I realized. As I was getting ready to leave I looked out the window to discover there were police cars in the parking lot. So much for being in a safe place.
It was quiet and I thought all was OK so I headed out of my room to leave. As I walked into the hall I saw police officers escorting two handcuffed men down the hall. They were walking toward the back parking lot where the police cars were. My motorcycle was out front and I was going the other way so I was OK leaving.
It was a relief to get away from the motel and whatever was happening. Arriving shortly after the Harley-Davidson Museum opened, there was plenty of time to take in all the museum had to offer. I was learning so much about the motorcycles that grab people’s attention.
The museum displays covered everything Harley. It was more interesting than I thought it would be and I spent about 3 hours looking at the variety of exhibits.
There is a huge display of colorful fuel tanks.
Incredible Racing Exhibits.
It was fun seeing the pictures of the motorcycles that were being ridden in tough terrain. Today, riders “need” dirt-specific motorcycles to ride that type of terrain.
They even have a motorcycle like the one I rode in the ‘80s. This made me wonder “Does finding a motorcycle model like the one I rode in a museum, mean I’m at a museum age?”
Me & my motorcycle in the mid-80s.
My 1986 Harley-Davidson FXRD in 1989 at The John Day Fossil Beds in Oregon.
The Museum’s bike.
The engine display was terrific and I learned why the names of the different engines are what they are. There is also a display showing the different parts of the engines and what they do.
– Flathead
– Knucklehead
– Panhead
– Ironhead
– Shovelhead
– Evolution (Blockhead)
– Twin Cam
– Revolution
– Milwaukee Eight (Wafflehead)
This museum is a must-see for anyone that has an interest in motorcycles. I especially recommend it for the riders that don’t understand the Harley appeal.
Being in Milwaukee of course I had to ride to the Harley-Davidson factory. It was Sunday and not open but I got to see the buildings and the campus.
After a full day of playing tourist, it is a pleasant ride to Wausau, WI where my sisters are. Riding through the lush Wisconsin countryside thoughts filled my mind about life. It was feeling very odd not to be concerned about returning to work. Even more important was the feeling of gratitude that my sisters are in my life again.
Quality Sister Time
After a good night’s sleep, it was time to get together with my sisters. We had a girls’ day celebrating the second sister’s birthday. with going to my favorite Harley-Davidson Dealership. Her husband was at work and we would get together with him later.
In 2016 I first learned of Doc’s Harley-Davidson as I was following the Motorcycle Cannonball. Doc was riding a sidecar rig with his girlfriend, Dawn, riding in the car made of wicker. The rig fascinated me and I looked up the rider’s number on the Cannonball site and found this – – -> Link
Doc’s Harley-Davidson in Bonduel, WI was added to my to-do list but I thought it would be a number of years before I would get there. It was a pleasant surprise to discover the shop is only about 60 miles from where my sisters live. In 2018 when I went to WI to see my sisters my oldest sister and I spent a day at Doc’s.
My second sister hadn’t been to Doc’s yet so we decided we would take her there for her birthday. Along with motorcycles, parts, accessories, clothing, and service, there is so much more. They also have a zoo, a museum, an antique shop, a restaurant, and an outside patio used for music, BBQs, and fun. We had lunch and spent the day looking at the critters and at all the other fun things.
The celebration continued at my sister’s house. Her husband, daughter, son-in-law, and grandson were waiting there to have birthday cake with her. My brother-in-law had bought a Harley built by Doc that year and I was thrilled to get to see it. I haven’t been able to ride with him yet but one of these days I will.
It was a total family day, one of the many types of days we missed not growing up together and we were making up for lost time.
Truck Loading and Moving
The next day my oldest sister and I picked up the U-Haul truck that we would be driving back to Spokane Valley, WA. Our younger sister came with her daughter to help load the truck. Even though we were working we were still having fun visiting and joking.
With the truck loaded we went back to the motel to load my motorcycle. There wasn’t much room left in the truck but I determined it was enough for the motorcycle. My sister was a little shocked when I rode the motorcycle up the ramp and into the back of the truck. I was nervous about riding it up and stopping before hitting anything. The short scary ride worked out fine and I didn’t hit anything. With the bike strapped down the door was shut and locked.
The next morning we returned to the U-Haul store. They hooked up a car hauler trailer to the truck and loaded my sister’s car on it. With the car loaded we were on our way west.
Driving a box truck and towing a trailer, on the interstate sounds daunting but it was great. We spent the 1500 miles back to WA State from WI having quality sister time. We were able to share stories about our lives and get to know each other a little.
Driving the truck stopping for tourist attractions wasn’t in the travel plan. That part wasn’t fun but finding places to park wasn’t easy. It’s so much easier when I’m riding a motorcycle. We were also on a timeline to get the truck turned in on a specific day. The drive was all driving, with not much in the way of stops other than gas, eating, and sleeping.
While driving through North Dakota we did make one easy tourist stop. We were able to stop at the Painted Canyon rest area/visitor center. The North Dakota Badlands aren’t as popular as the South Dakota Badlands but they are still very spectacular. The views from the rest area were good and we spent a little time there enjoying what the earth has provided for us.
I had worked out a lunch surprise for my sister at a restaurant about 60 miles from home. Our older brother, his wife, and my friend Becky would be meeting us for lunch. They were waiting to welcome her when we arrived at the Snakepit in Enaville, ID. The Snakepit is a historic Bar and Cafe built in 1880.
Our younger brother looks like our older brother and they both look like our father. The first picture I saw of our younger brother I wondered how my sisters had a picture of our older brother. That’s how much they look alike.
When we pulled up my sister saw our brother and she called him by our other brother’s name even though she knew who he was. She had no idea she would be seeing him that day. It was so fun to see her reaction.
After a nice family visit over lunch we completed the drive and it was then time to get my sister settled in. Retirement had started with a bang, by taking a nice long ride and bringing my sister home with me.
