2011 Bike Trip, WI,MI,Canada, NY,PA,OH,IN,IL

Well..what a trip so far..

Day 1- traveling north on Hwy 43 through WI. No data servcie on my mobile phone once I left Milwaukee. As for what did WI look like? Well it was green grass, farm land and the smell of poop in the air!! lol Seriously, if you're from Chester County Pa and you're reading this...Northern WI looks like Lancaster county and smells like it too! lol

Once to the Green Bay area, I made a stop for gas and food. I was on a hunt for sunblock..but no one had it ..it was like as if no one knew what it was in northern WI. So, after filling up my tank, I drive across the street to McD's cause I know they have free WIFI..so I did a status update to let you all know I've survived the first few hours of my trip. While there, I meet to guys..which now I can't remember their names, one was from D.C. and the other guy from a part of WI. They were traveling by bicycles up and around Lake Michigan. The fella from D.C. had already been riding for weeks alone. Pretty hardcore guys..I thought what I was doing was epic..but that blew my story out of the water..lol.

From there I continued north now taking route 141/41-N heading towards Michigan Penencula. The next few hours of riding around the Lake Michigan were absoulelty amazing!!! It was so beautiful up there...sandy beaches, huge homes on the Lake front...4 Light Houses...just breath taking!! Absolutely, breath taking!!! I must of made a million stops to just look in ahhh.

The first stop I made was at a look at point when I first noticed the beaches were soooooooooo much more cleaner than Milwaukee...NO DEAD FISH on these beaches and clear blue water. It looked like ocean water not lake water..huge waves..amazing! I was begining to take pics of myself and my bike, when this guy approached me and offered to take my pic for me. Turns out him and his wife where from Chester County PA..West Chester to be exact. Their names Flo and Joe, so funny! They have been cruising the USA in their camper! They even spent time in AZ...we talked for awhile. They have a son that works at the Giant in Thorndale. I was telling them my family owns pizzerias all up and down route 30. I mentioned my cousins run Joe's Pizza...so they plan on going there and showing Shadi my pic on their phone and telling them they meet me in Michigan on my motorcycle!! How awesome is that.

I continued north, now on Route 2 towards the Mackinaw Bridge into the Northern part of Michigan.As I get ready to get on the bridge there are signs for construction and traffic is limited to center lanes going over the bridge. This bridge is huge ...like the Verrezanno bridge enter into NYC. Only this is a grated bridge in the center lanes. (If you ride motorcycles you can relate to where I'm going with this.) I was so scared riding on the grated road cause my bike was moving through the grates for the entire length of the rest of the bridge and it was so difficult to control it. On top of that, the wind was so intense....like probably over 40mph...it was so freakin scary! I swear if there was a time when it was ok to shit your pants...well that was the time!!! I have never been so scared riding...I've been through an AZ monsoon and that didn't scare me as much as this did! When I got off the other side, I decided I had to get a tattoo that says survivor in arabic!! ..or maybe find a patch somewhere that says: "I Survived The Mackinaw Bridge".

After this intense and emotional moment...I hurried to find an exit where I could just sit down for a minute! As for the rest of Michigan...not really much to look at once you leave the Mackinaw area. Very boring..no different than farm land and green fields anywhere else in the country. But Mackinaw was an awesome lake town. I saw some huge homes and lots of boats and pubs. Looks like a cool place to travel to. Especially the other side of the bridge cause I've never seen beaches so sandy on a Lake front. Its apparently that way because Lake Supierior empties into Lake Michigan. (So I'm told)

Anyhow, I end up arriving in Bay City,MI..where I reserved a room for the night at the Delta Motel. Cool place, had everything I needed and was close to everything I could ever need. Bay City is an awesome place with 9 miles of river front walking, with pubs, restuarants, cafe's and theaters for entertainment. If I ever travel through Michigan again..this is a great place to hang out for a few days. As for the motel, it was clean and cheap..I paid about 44 bucks! lol can't beat that. I was hanging out with the owner Bob all night. We talked about business and travel and family. Great guy so friendly! A quote of his that I will never forget from our conversation was: "Live Simple, Think High"! This came up because we were talking about how people live outside of their means and never think about their decisions! Hence "live a simple life, and think high or big about everything you choose to do in life, before you commit" . So, if you want words of wisdom from an Indian Enterpenur named Bob...stop by the Delta Motel in Bay City on route 13-S.

Day 2- Heading towards Port Huron on hgihway 25 in MI. I rode around that whole area while looking at Lake Huron. So pretty..even more intese than Lake Michigan was. I stopped at Port Sanilac, which is north of Port Huron about half an hour. Really cool town, with neat restaurants and lots of boat owners. "fisherman welcome" signs everywhere! So, I assumed this was a destination for fisherman! lol

As I'm riding toward Port Huron, I had a thought hit me..something about what Bob said from the Delta Motel. Perhaps, I had thought about this..but never really "thought" about it in the past. Well what I became to notice is that everywhere in America is the same. I mean I've traveled all over the states, drove coast to coast 7 times...I think I know the country pretty well..well enough to make this statement. Just like Bob said, "there are walmarts everywhere, home depo's, mcd's, walgreens, and gas stations, there are grocery stores everywhere and every shopping mall in America basically has the similar stores..just different names, in different cities".

You and I both know this, but when you really think about it..its so true. The US is so cookie cutter. Really the point where I'm going with this is, since its really all the same, you just have to personally decide where you truely are happy and where you would like to call home. The factors that help you decide are really the only true differences about any city in the US; the weather and whether or not you want to be by a body of water. That's it...these are really the only varying options when seeking happiness or a simply a place to call home. This was a revolutionary discovery for me personally. As I haven't been able to decide where and what makes me really happy in life..I mean besides my Harley! lol (ok..and friends and family...I don't want people to think I'm selfish, that wasn't my intension)

I can say..that I think I've come to a conclusion that I do want to live by a body of water. I love the beach life and that type of happiness I think makes for a long and healthy life ahead. So, perhaps the rest of the journey I will figure out how to make that happen.

Wow..I know that was a lot of thinking..heck I didn't even hit Canada yet and already I'm thinking "High". And I just remembered that something else that took me by surprise, before I begin to talk about Canada, was I had no idea that Medical Maryijuana was legal in Michigan. lol..I know this is crazy...but what got my attention was the billboards that I saw. Example: "GOT DANK" , "WE CARRY THE LARGEST VARIETY OF BUDS!, STOP BY OUR CLINIC TODAY FOR A FREE CONSULTATION"

I was laughing my ass off!!!! Anyways..had to mention that...now lets talk about Canada!

Oh Canada...entering into Ontario, I had to lie to border patrol that I wasn't carrying tobacco. I had about 5 cigars..lol..no one was taking those away!!! Boy was I testing the system..Arab, with illegal goods, entering into French Canada...oh boy...not a good recipe! haha (next tattoo, "rebel")

As for the scenery...nothing different ..farm land left and right!! Really boring, felt like I was riding through Kansas..I had to pull over cause I was starting to dose off..literally boring. I stopped at Rocky's Harley Davidson in London Ontario. Well the ladies working there were super duper nice..the guys..were probably the most unapproachable men I have ever met in my life..or even in the Harley culture. Didn't stay there long at all.

I continued to look for sunblock and 3 gas stations to no avail! Even in Canada I couldn't find sunblock!! B.S. Anyways..I hit Hwy 401 towards Niagara falls. Well this is where my google map directions go wrong! In addition to that, my phone is shut off cause data service is outrages and changing my plan to include Canada for 4 hrs..really just didn't make sense..cause even the data still would have been outrages!!!

Anyways..I figure out how to make to the Niagara parkway, and as soon as I get into the town of Niagara..I felt like I just pulled into Orlando Fl to go to Disney World. I just wanted to leave..the excitement was gone as quick as it arrived.

Parking lots were charging 20+ dollars to park..I mean, I have a motorcycle..I'm not paying 20 bucks to park the damn thing..seriously! I ended up finding an illegal but safe place for my motorcycle. This Asian family promised me they would keep an eye on it..they were taking pics of me and picnicing right by their van. lol I love Asians!!

So anyways...I proceded to follow the huge crowd over looking the walk way that you can stand on to see the Falls. Its like a riverwalk ..that's how its set up. I did conclude that if you only go to the USA side..your cutting yourself short of an experience. The Candian side is where it's at. Although watching it on TV was much more spectacular. Being there phyisically didn't move me or create an ahha moment. Just wanted to get out of dodge cause the crowds were OUTRAGES!!

So, I hoped on the bike and headed south along Niagara Parkway, towards the Peace bridge back into USA. I saw again huge homes on the waterfront. I even saw a trailer park and one of the trailers...I swear was inspired by Frank Lord Wright...holy cow!!! That was something else!!! I should of turned back around to take a pic..but oh well..I'm sure I could find it on the internet. It was crazy. That whole comminuty was so pretty, that part of the parkway was almost like a private drive. People were picinicing everywhere, on their boats fishing..or just reading a book by the lake. Heaven on earth!!!

Next destination was to cross over the Peace bridge into Buffalo and then finally make it to Erie. Nothng much to talk about besides heavy traffic and bad drivers! ( all USA major cities..lol, great welcome home)

Well I need to get going..I'll finish this later.

Moving!

The one word I dread to hear, but yet the one word that creates so much adventure!

I feel like a nomad everyday of my life. I live spontaneously, but at times that is exhausting! So, what is the solution? Is there one? Perhaps, this is "just the way it is"! Perhaps, this is what I've trained myself to be accustomed to? Either way, I do always meet more people and I guess all in all that's what life is all about! Conversation with new friends and current friends, and guess we'll count family too!

Well, I guess we'll see what this new move brings, besides work and closer bounds with a dear friend. I hope to expand my network and life knowledge with the time spent here. Where is here?, Here is Milwaukee! Yes, I moved to the "cheese capitol" of the USA. Perfect place for someone lactose intolerant would want to live...and can't forget to mention a Steelers fan.

Sometimes, our destinies are chosen for us. Other times, we choose. I think this time it was destiny that brought me here. That destiny is named Tanya! I guess more specific, Scrumptious Media! The smell of a new business. The opportunity to never see a cubicle again. The opportunity to learn from the best of the best! The opportunity to enjoy some of the best brewed beer in the world! And I can't forget, the "best bloody mary's". So, I guess when you look at that way, this isn't going to bad after all.

Speaking of Bloody's, its just about time to run out and enjoy one..heck, maybe 2! Who's counting?!

Until next time, have a great day everyone.

Twitter has helped me do so much, from moving out-of-state to finding a hotel, to getting help with my auto insurance policy. Twitter has changed my life, by adding the ease of obtaining information in one median. To further explain, I’ll discuss my some of my social media experiences.

I own a Harley Davidson, and I wanted to load on my truck. After days of researching ramps on Google, I turned back to Twitter and posted my frustrations. Within minutes I got many responses; on what products to use, video’s of ramps and bikes gone wrong, in addition to, having a Harley dealership offer to put the bike on the back of the truck! Furthermore, thanks to Twitter, I was able to have one HD dealership put the bike on the truck at point A and another helped take it off at point B.

In addition to this move, I had to update my auto insurance. I was able to get all the information and customer service done via Twitter, never picked up the phone! Progressive reps were very helpful, and even supplied me with links to coupons for the International Motorcycle show that was now in closer proximity to were I had relocate to.

Another great example was when I was planning a trip with a friend to go to Asia. We began asking questions on twitter, on where to go, where to stay and even eat and shop. We got loads of suggestions. So, we began taking some of the recommendations seriously, especially since a few places were brought to our attention numerous times. Through the use of social media we were able to choose a hotel, airline, restaurants and places for entertainment in all our Asia destinations.

These are just a few examples of how my life has been transformed by social media, more specifically Twitter.