Captain's Travel Log - Ride Across USA
On 16 July 2021, I commenced a drive across country from Alexandria VA to San Diego, California to visit family before shooting up the West Coast to Portland, Oregon to start a unique photography job documenting the 2021 Suffragists Centennial Motorcycle Ride (SCMR2021). I naively thought I could keep up with my blog daily, but alas, the days grew longer with every mile! I was able to capture daily stories on Instagram.
So I have finally found some time to summarize the epic trip and what follows is a daily snapshot in pictures of the trip back to the East Coast.
The Suffragists Centennial Motorcycle Ride was a cross-country event commemorating the 100th Anniversary (plus one year) of the passage of the 19th Amendment and the Woman's Right To Vote. The tour was presented by Women's Motorcycle Tours and Harley-Davidson. I volunteered to follow and document the once in a life time journey in my SUV loaded with my photography gear and youngest son, Hunter. My friend and Veteran Sister, Kim, joined us for the first week.
If you don't have the patience to read through the following 20 days of entries describing this trip feel free to watch a 10 minute video instead.
Day One (31 July 2021): Over 20 Women from all over the country gathered in Portland Oregon on 31 July 2021 to register and celebrate with an evening launch party, sponsored by Moto Corsa and Dunlop tires.
Registration photography gallery
Launch Party photography gallery
 |
| Laura & Hunter (son) |
 |
| SCMR2021 Day One, Portland Oregon Registration & Launch Party |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 080121
 |
| Drone Imagery of the Bridge of Gods |
 |
| Drone imagery of the motorcycles crossing The Bridge of the Gods |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 080221
Day Three: The Dalles, Oregon to Lewiston, Idaho. The highlight of this day was visiting the mini full scale replica of Stonehenge. The Stonehenge Memorial and Klickitat County Veterans Memorial has an interesting history and made for a great backdrop to capture one of the first group pictures of the ladies and their motorcycles. The riders were split up into three different groups (pod) based on speed. Each day the ride leader would pick the route to get to the next destination. Day three's mileage was between 260-300 miles depending on what route they chose. I had an interesting challenge of keeping up with my pod, I tried to anticipate where they would be but if you watch this facebook live video you'll understand that it didn't necessarily work out as I planned. Not on FB? Click here to see the video.
 |
| Stonehenge Memorial |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 080321
Day Four: Lewiston, Idaho to Missoula, Montana. Today's mileage was 217 miles following route 12 through Lolo Pass, a mountainous road that links Idaho to Montana and reached elevations of over 5200 feet. I let my son Hunter (on a driver's permit) practice his driving through some serious switchbacks while my friend Kim and I held our breath.
 |
| Lolo Pass, Idaho to Montana |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 080421
Day Five: Missoula, Montana to Butte, Montana. As we drove through the state of Montana, the air quality from the many forrest fires was notably thick. We encountered a few unexpected challenges along the way in terms of road construction and charred landscapes. Mileage ranged from 155 miles to 223 depending on the chosen route. We drove 198 miles on day five and chatted about it on a facebook live video, we broadcasted twice that day, here's the second FB live video -- which was hijacked half way through, apparently there's only one cell signal in Montana. Not on FB? Click here for the first video and here for the second video.
 |
| We saw the advisory sign, but at this point we were committed |
 |
| Montana landscape charred by recent fires |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 080521
Day Six: Butte, Montana to West Yellowstone, Montana. Mileage for this day was between 153 to 238 miles. The landscape was beautiful through this leg of the journey. While at this picturesque rest stop we interviewed the riders on a FB live video. Not on FB? Click here to see the video.
 |
| Took a gas break in Norris, Montana; almost like stepping into an episode of the Twilight Zone |
 |
| Rest stop on the way to West Yellowstone. |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 080621
Day Seven: West Yellowstone, Montana. Day Seven was a rest day in the tourist town of West Yellowstone. It rained most of the day.
Captain's Log. Roaddate 080721
Day Eight: West Yellowstone, Montana to Cody, Wyoming
This was the first time visiting Yellowstone park for me. I was not ready for all the traffic, bumper to bumper through the park, which made it difficult to document the women on their motorcycles, luckily there were plenty of pull-outs, as long as you didn't mind a few curious wild life.
 |
| Yellowstone Park |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 080821
Day Nine: Cody, Wyoming to Buffalo, Wyoming. We photographed the ladies warming up at the hotel for their next leg, but we didn't follow them that day. We had a unique opportunity to catch up with some Navy family friends who happened to be camping in their RV near the Buffalo Bill Reservoir in Wyoming. The mileage on day nine was 185 miles.
 |
| Near Buffalo Reservoir, Wyoming |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 080921
Day Ten: Buffalo, Wyoming to Hill City, South Dakota. We spent two days in Hill City, attending various Harley Davidson sponsored events and the Biker Belles ride during the annual Sturgis Rally.
 |
| Deluxe Harley-Davidson Dealership in Gillette, Wyoming |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 0801021
Day Eleven: Hill City, South Dakota. We spent two days in Hill City, attending Harley Davidson sponsored events and the Biker Belles Celebration. Biker Belles consisted of over one hundred women (including our riders) raising the "awareness of the passion, diversity and spirit of women in motorcycling, [while] celebrating women’s role in shaping the culture, art and history of motorcycling."
Facebook Live Video. Not on FB? Click here to see the video
Day Eleven Photography Gallery
 |
| The Biker Belles |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 081121
Day Twelve: Hill City, South Dakota to Murdo, South Dakota. The drive out of Sturgis, SD was probably one of the most scenic of the trip. Hunter and I got up a little earlier and snuck up to Mount Rushmore before starting our 190 mile trip to Murdo. We drove through the Badlands National Park, which was like entering another dimension. As if following women motorcycle riders across the country wasn't inspiring enough. We met a young lady bicycling through the mountains of the Badlands! We also stopped at the World-Famous Wall Drugstore.
Day Twelve Photography Gallery
 |
| Badlands, Mt Rushmore, Wall Drugstore |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 081221
Day Thirteen: Murdo, South Dakota to Albert Lea, Minnesota. Day Thirteen was probably one of the longest days on the road in terms of mileage, over 400 miles. I was able to get the drone up twice! Once in the morning as the groups left the hotel in Murdo and once when they arrived at the rest stop near Chamberlin, South Dakota. There is a beautiful 50 foot tall stainless steel statue called "Dignity", she "honors the cultures of the Lakota and Dakota people."
Day Thirteen Photography Gallery
 |
| Drone images in Murdo and Chamberlin SD |
 |
| Dignity Statue |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 081321
Day Fourteen: Albert Lea, Minnesota to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On this day we drove over 300 miles taking some beautiful country roads along the Upper Mississippi River. With the help of one the ride leaders who was very familiar with this area, we were able to park on a river pull out and put the drone up to capture the riders crossing the River between Marquette, Iowa and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
Day Fourteen Photography Gallery
 |
| Drone image of the riders cross the Upper Mississippi River |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 081421
Day Fifteen: Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We spent two nights in Milwaukee being hosted by Harley Davidson at their museum.
Day Fifteen Photography Gallery
 |
| Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 081521
Day Sixteen: Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Cloverdale, Indiana. On this day we left just before sunrise and took the scenic route through Chicago along Lake Michigan, brave concept, we know, but it was a Sunday morning, so we were confident traffic wouldn't be too bad. We still drove over 300 miles to our final Cloverdale, Indiana destination.
Day Sixteen Photography Gallery
 |
| Driving through Chicago, IL on our way to Cloverdale, IN |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 081621
Day Seventeen: Cloverdale, Indiana to Knoxville, Tennessee. During the 330 mile drive to Tennessee we encountered our first rainstorms that caused the riders to stop and dress in rain gear. The group stay in great spirits despite the weather and being tired. I even managed to get them to sing me a rain song.
Day Seventeen Photography Gallery
 |
| Driving from Indiana through Kentucky to Tennessee |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 081721
Day Eighteen: Knoxville, Tennessee. We were scheduled to stay in Knoxville for two days. Unfortunately all the activities that were lined up for us were canceled due to the rain storms.
Day Eighteen Photography Gallery
Captain's Log. Roaddate 081821
Day Nineteen: Knoxville, Tennessee to Roanoke, Virginia. This was another 300 plus mile day and pretty uneventful.
Day Nineteen Photography Gallery
 |
| Knoxville to Roanoke, Virginia |
Captain's Log. Roaddate 081921
Day Twenty: Roanoke, Virginia to Arlington, Virginia. Last day on the road before a 3 day conference in Arlington, VA to culminate the event. This last leg was just under 300 miles.
Day Twenty Photography Gallery
 |
| The Centennial Ride ended in Arlington, Virginia |
 |
| Centennial Riders Riding around Washington, DC |
Like what you read? Please hit the "Subscribe" link above to receive future blog posts via your email.
What a great adventure with cool ladies and family!!
ReplyDelete