Shakedown Ride Rockford to Dubuque IA & Back
| It's 55 F outside today. Mostly clear. The bike
is running for the first time in many weeks (some small leaks need to
be sealed but they're not significant). Leave Rockford about 2pm for an
afternoon ride. Warm-n-Safe electric jacket will come in handy later in
the day. A second set of gloves and a neck piece are also stowed for
the evening ride. Leaving Rockford I headed out to the Freeport airport and stopped to talk with some folks there for a bit. Leaving there I started the loop (clockwise). I kept deciding weather to visit the Mississippi River / Iowa or to make a short trip and get back during the daylight. The front wheel kept heading westerly - I'll get back after dark. I checked out the "valley ride" south of Kent and followed some "comfortable as an old shoe" roads up towards Galena. Once at Galena it was a jump to get over the River and into Iowa. The route back was basic US-20 the whole way. Traffic wasn't too bad. Tomorrow I'll park the bike for the season and tend to those small leaks in the Springtime. I can't say that any of the photos are spectacular but its been a while so it just wouldn't be right not to take something... |
| The Mississippi River (or rather the backwaters) at Blanding Landing. Land in the background is Iowa. |
| Somewhere between Blanding Landing and Galena |
| On the horizon... Iowa soil stair-stepping down to the River |
| The next two photos - the first w/o flash... No reflections from the bike but the bluffs in the background aren't as pronounced. |
| With the flash... |
