Days 28-31, May 19th-22nd

Day 28 (Mon. May 19/08)
Our plan was to ride back roads and connect with Hwy 219 to Lewisburg, WV which would take us all the way to Buffalo through Ellicottville.


Day 29 (Tue. May 20/08)
It rained overnight. By the time we finished breakfast, it seemed to be drying up, although the roads were still damp. We were not on the road very long when we had to stop and put the rain gear on. It rained most of the time we were travelling, so we changed our plans and headed for I-79 to take the Interstate the rest of the way.

It was bad enough having the rain, but it got worse trying to find a motel. We had been using the motel coupon books with no problem, but now the motels were saying they were full up due to construction. It was close to 2 hours before we found a place and was the second highest price on the trip aside from the rooms we booked in advance on what the motels called "race days".


Day 30 (Wed. May 21/08)
Rain again shortly after we started out and very heavy rain going through Pittsburg, PA for a few miles. We finally got so cold and damp that we started looking for a place before we got to Erie, PA. By the time we got to Dunkirk, it was colder than when we left home April 22nd. We didn't find a visitor centre or any coupon books. We found a Days Inn and paid the highest price yet.

While we were checking in, a couple came in on a goldwing towing a nice matching fiberglass trailer. They had been away since April 17th and were from Port Perry. They were cold and chilled just like us. More rain after we checked in.


Day 31 (Thu. May 22/08)
More rain overnight. We took our time checking out and headed for Niagara Falls along Hwy #5. We resisted stopping at Aunt Millies restaurant where the deserts are huge and delicious.

A little further along Hwy #5 we stopped at Stagecoast West to look at leathers, mainly chaps for Pat. She saw the same Harley Davidson boots she bought in Statesville, NC for twice the price. Yes, Pat now has boots that fit!!

We picked up 2 rear tires for the bike at my US post office address. I knew we wouldn't have room for them in the trailer and had planned on strapping them to the top of the carrier behind the axle so there wouldn't be a lot of added tongue weight. It was another cold, damp day so I had my rain jacket and electric gloves on to keep warm. Once we got into Ontario it warmed up so the rain jacket and electric gloves were no longer needed.

I weighed the trailer before we left to make sure it wasn't too heavy like it was on our west coast trip. The only time I really noticed the extra weight was after the tires were added in Niagara Falls.

187 lbs empty
291 lbs loaded
402 lbs at home without the tires
446 lbs with tires

I plan to put the trailer on a diet soon and hope to get the empty weight down to 150 lbs.

The tires looked huge sitting on top of the carrier




What you couldn't see inside the trailer is my new toy!




Now I can change bike and trailer tires with ease