I ran across these notes from earlier in the trip:
Bugs are bigger in the mountains.
People will approach a single person on a motorcycle more often than when two are traveling together. I’m not sure why. Either there is something about a single motorcyclist that invites conversation, or maybe having “Robert De Niro” along on the early part of the trip was just too intimidating.
When all you’ve seen hit the windshield are bees and yellowjackets, a bug flying up your sleeve at 40 MPH will increase your heart rate.
No matter how hard you try, or how clear it appears to you, you just can’t predict where a wild animal is going to cross the road.
Tips for spring travel at high altitude:
• When the sign says “Watch for Falling Rocks,” assume they are already in the road. When there is no sign, assume that a rock has knocked it down.
• When the sign says “Wildlife in the Road,” assume that it means more than “they occasionally cross said road.” They stand in it, lay down in it, and congregate in the road. When there is no sign, assume that some bison pushed it over while scratching.
• When the sign says “Rough Road Ahead,” assume that there are potholes the size of Rhode Island, washed out sections that have been replaced with gravel the size of golfballs, and miles of groves from ripping off the top layer of asphalt. When there is no sign, just assume it’s the normal rough road.
• When you see a sign that says “Motorcycles use Extreme Caution,” just turn around and go back.