USA 4 Corners Retrospective

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From the beginning, the ride was using the usa4corners.org ride as a basic template.  It would give me a guide to travel the country and at least have something to check off by the end.  After 15,157 Miles/24, 408km – I finished my route and thought it was a good time to do a quick review. (Heh, 2x the distance, 3-4x the time, half their age…)

I’m mixed on the direction I took.   I suspect that given what I prefer, going clockwise and finishing up in the West would have been more satisfying.   I just like nature more.   But given that the Park is in Madawaska, it’s hard to say I finished in the wrong spot…

Visited 30 States:

  1. Washington
  2. Idaho
  3. Montana
  4. Wyoming
  5. Utah
  6. Colorado
  7. Arizona
  8. Nevada
  9. California
  10. New Mexico
  11. Texas
  12. Louisiana
  13. Mississippi
  14. Tennessee
  15. North Carolina
  16. Georgia
  17. Florida
  18. South Carolina
  19. Virginia
  20. D.C. (Does this count?)
  21. Ohio
  22. Pennsylvania
  23. Maryland (Barely crossed the border…)
  24. New Jersey
  25. New York
  26. Connecticut
  27. Rhode Island
  28. Massachusetts
  29. New Hampshire
  30. Maine

Equipment Consumed

  • Pilot Road 3 Rear Tire (Replaced)
  • Pilot Road 3 Front Tire (Replaced)
  • 530 Stock Chain (Replaced)
  • 3x cans of chain lube (on 4th can)
  • Rear brake pads (Replaced)

Equipment Destroyed/Lost

  • GoPro Camera (Replaced)
  • Canon Elph Camera (Replaced with Nikon Coolpix AW100)
  • Rear Tire Valve Stem Cap (Replaced with chrome caps)
  • SAE to Cigarette Adapter (New cable constructed)
  • Motomaster Inverter (Replaced with Walmart Inverter)
  • Ducati Chain Tension Measurement Tool
  • Joe Rocket Speedmaster 7.0 Gloves (Replaced with Joe Rocket Superstock)
  • Left Boot Heel Plate
  • 3x caribiners
  • Many mini fuses
  • Cargo Net (replaced with smaller one)
  • Center Stand Lever Cover

Equipment Damaged/Still Functional

  • Brake Lever – end snapped
  • Cracked Right hand protector/signal
  • scratched plastics – Right side fairing, both side cases, bar ends, etc
  • damaged side case mounts
  • snapped top case strap mounts
  • BagsConnection Tank Bag Power Ring
  • Center Stand Mounting Bolts – starting to mushroom, will need to be replaced
  • Helmet Liner – separating from helmet
  • Ducati Switchblade Key – won’t stay locked out anymore
  • Personal Mister from Walmart
  • Boot Liner/Vapour Barrier Socks – holes/tears in waterproofing layer
  • Passenger Seat corner

Equipment Additions

  • 1G Jerry Can
  • Crampbuster CB-1
  • Slime Tire Top Off pump
  • Torque Wrench
  • 10mm Hex Driver
  • 1/4″ to 3/8″ converter

Mendy’s Mishaps

  1. Left Hand Side – Grand Teton National Park, dirt road, gravel patch – minimal damage/scratching to side case
  2. Belly Pan – Stuck/rear tire dug into dirt hill – minimal damage
  3. Right Side – Dead Horse Point State Park – tipped over turning around in rocky camp site, minimal damage
  4. Right Side – Great Basin National Park – coming off center stand on gravel camp site, rolled into rock and tipped away from me – snapped brake lever, scratched plastics
  5. Right Side – Old Natchez Trace Hill – rolling down hill, went into sandy patch and tipped over – cracked hand protector/signal and heavily scratched plastics
  6. Left SIde – Dutch Motel, Palmyra – steering didn’t unlock, turned around and couldn’t straighten out – minimal damage

Some best and worsts:

Best Park Service Location
Bryce Canyon National Park – Given the time spent and what I saw, this was the best and most impressive
Worst Park Service Location
Carrizo Plain National Monument – Got me lost in the dark!
*Runners Up:  Everything else that I arrived to after they were closed – no stamps!
Most Moving Park Location
Flight 93 Memorial – not sure what brought it on, but got very emotional while there.
Worst Park Service Location
Carrizo Plain National Monument – Got me lost in the dark!
*Runners Up:  Everything else that I arrived to after they were closed – no stamps!
Most Expensive Meal
Uchi Austin – omakase is never going to be cheap.  Worth the spend, but still curious as to what it would have been like if I were pairing it with wine/sake.  Would have been a great experience – and even more expensive.
Best BBQ
Smitty’s Market in Lockhart – Deep smokey flavour that I don’t think I could replicate
Best Drink
Holeman & Finch in Atlanta – Can’t even remember what it was.  Gin based and something reminded me of blood.
Strongest Temptation to Ruin
Dirt roads – they still call to me.  And when I have to be on them(camp sites, driveways, etc), I’m still nervous as all heck.  Will have to buy Mendy some armor in the future.
Worst Park Service Location
Carrizo Plain National Monument
New Horrible Riding Experience
Flying insects inside the helmet crawling around and trying to get out
New Horrible Non-Riding Experience
Hot Chicken Aftermath – Not ring of fire, more like belly of lava.  Even worse made by the fact that I was on a bike.
Worst Fast Food Chain
Sheetz and Burger King – Terrible meals
Best Fast Food Chain
Krystal or Chick-Fil-A
Best Motel Stay
Best Western – Naples, FL
Worst Motel Stay
Howard Johnson Express Inn- New Brunswick, NJ

Missed Opportunities(Or reasons to go back and do it again!) – things I wanted to do, but never got around to:

  • White Castle
  • NASCAR event
  • MLB Game
  • Southern Baptist Church (think Sister Act, only with Baptists)
  • Florida Everglades Airboat Ride
  • Fishing Trip
  • Prince’s Hot Chicken
  • Riding the Ozarks
  • Riding through Vermont

I love being on the road – the noise, the ability to think, the changes in scenery.  But not stopping along the way seems counter to my nature.  The IBA rallys and a proper 4 corners ride don’t currently hold much appeal to me.   Of course, it might be the fact that I can only be in my seat for ~2h before it’s on fire.  Conspiracy theorists suggest that it’s Ducati’s way of selling more seats.   But I suspect that’s false, since most Multi riders seem to only go to Starbucks.

Will have to see if I change my mind after the Canada portion of the trip and a proper attempt at a Saddle Sore.   But from glancing at the rules now, it’s possible I already qualify for their “Iron Butt Association National Parks Tour Master Traveler Award”.  With 66 stamps and Canadian parks qualifying and 10 provinces to go… Only problem will be documentation.

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