now Friday so here

is an up date on the last 3 days, after nashville we arrived at the Jack Danials distillery and meet up with Speed,Phil & Ocker and had a tour around the plant which was awesome and all the guys enjoyed it. Then off to Memphis and found a hotel near the airport as Phil and Speed had to fly out next morning back to NZ and bugger me didn't know but it's Elvis week and hotel full of impersonators and old ladies but they didn't see much of us as it was such a big hotel ,just about needed a GPS to find your way around. So the order of the night was swim, few beers, meal, few beers then bed.

Next morning the boys after a tearfull good buy from Speed they were one the shuttle and off,  so after packing up did the Grace land tour and then we moved into down town near Beale st as this was where all the entertainment was with a free outside concert and some of the country's top Elvis impersonators preforming in the bars and they also close off the streets and you are allowed to purchase a drink and wander around and drink it. We had a blast mingling with all the old ladies ( meet some from England and Scotland and they would be in there 70  just here for the week) and they were screaming and yahooing at these entertainers and the truth be known we enjoyed them also.

Today we split up and I am heading to Dallas and have got as far as Mount Plesant and Dallas only 2 hours down the road so am by the pool no drinks as a dry county and just chilling .

Now in Nashville after a great ride around the back roads as you go to fast on the freeways and it's stressfulso it was a nice easy ride plenty of country side, huge homes with stables and no corn ( well just a bit) Got Into town about 2 and got into a cafe to shelter from the rain and got talking to a guy who recommend a hotel, got there and what a dump, next thing police arrive so got talkin to them and the advised us not to stay there as was full of drug dealer and good time girls so we have ended up at the Remada inn which is very nice ,big pool shaped like a guitar and 5 minutes from down town. Thankfully just as we settled into the room it started to rain and it bucketed down, cars were just crawling along ,thunder lightening had the whole lot, think we got the tail end of what hit Hawaii
Went into town last night and bar hopped had a few beersies and listened to the bands , what a great night got home about 10.30 and crashed we were buggered.
Late start this morning breakfast at 9 and took my pbike to a shop to get checked over then caught a cab to the country music museum then the Johnny Cash museum both these were great and we enjoyed. About 3.0 now laundry on then time for a swim then maybe a nana nap ( dave sleeping now ) then into town for tea and check out some more music. The music scene here is great all these bars with some really talented people playing in them

Monday morning 11.8.2014  8 am in Bowling Green Kentucky and it's raining and there is thunder ,lightening and it's not nice out there but still 23 degree so going to stay in bed for a while and see what happens.
I had a hell of a trip on Saturday , left Bloomington and just getting out of town and there were some railway tracks across the road and hit these at 60 mph but they were doing repair work and they had removed a lot of the road , so hit this next thing bike and me in the air but landed safely a few wobbles and on the way. Later on down the road went from a 2 lane to a 1 lane because of road works so all these big orange plastic barrels with black bases to hold them down separate the road , now with road works here you are allowed to travel 60 mph which means 70 so following this car at 70 mph then boom hit one of the bases that was lying in the middle of the road gave me a hell of a fright but straightened out and on the way. Getting into Louisville it started to rain and I mean rain ,only had the skid lid helmet on and Sun glasses on so stopped changed glasses then on the way then it really started raining going at 60 mph couldn't see any road couldn't see what was in front was in a 3 lane freeway , had suntan lotion on, this was wet running into my eyes so was blind, pulled over took glasses off , wiped eyes and crouched down beside screen and carried on finally getting to motel soakin wet , so not a good day riding but not so much corn now and the scenery is very nice .
Sunday Phil, Speed and Ocker have departed in the car for 3 days to have a look around ( ahhh peace and quite no Aussie accent ) so Dave, Mark and myself are heading for  Nashville as one of Dave things on his bucket list is to do some line dancing in the country music capital before he is 60. Today we had a look around the Jim Beam distillery which we really enjoyed as all we have been doing is riding and no sight seeing so thanks Callum from Beam Global

Catch up time, been 2 days since my last blog ( sounds like I'm in an a confessional box )  yesterday dat we traveled to Madison WC and the weather was good as was the ride , over the last 2 days riding appox 16 hours all we have seen is corn fields ,mile apon mile as far as the eye can see is corn and what the do with is it feed it to the stock during the winter and also convert to Ethanole to mix in with the gas ( petrol ) but in saying there is a lot of corn there is still some great scenery. We arrived in Madison about 3.30 and on the way we picked up this voucher book so stayed at the Crown Plaze for the night only cost us $30.00 each and it was 4 star , did our laundry ( down to last pair of jocks, mark already turned his inside out and Phil was going commando ) which took ages as only 1 machine then 100feet down the road for Chinese and one of the best meals of the trip.
Apologise for spelling and grammar on the blog I type as I think and spell check doesn't work .
Today not a good start, every one all loaded up on bikes and car ready to go and bugger me, my bike wouldn't start, lot of noise but wouldn't fire up , was low on gas "ahhh that's the problem " guys pushed me 150 feet to gas station ,bit of a top up no result so thank god I had bike insurance rang them and they sent a tow truck ( no charge as part of policy)  only took 20 minutes for truck to arrive an 10 minutes to Kawasaki bike shop, took bike off truck and was going to wait an hour for shop to open when this lady turned up so I explained what has happened bike not starting etc hopped on to show her and bloody hell the bike started straight away. Very embarrassing  so I waited and had a guy check out the bike and we still don't know why it didn't start. Any way back on the road again and now in Bloomington Il and have just had a great meal washed down with a margarita and it 9.30 so having an early night

Am going to catch up on 2 days with this report, so yesterday was Tuesday 05.08.2014 and we are still in Deadwood at the Sturgis rally. Today we decided to leave the car at the camp and go 2 up on the bike and go into Sturgis and show Ocker and Speed around then go to a few of the bars. I has steve on the back of my bike and we got there about 10.00 am and the place was humming, found a park ( took photo of street sign so we could find the bike ) and away we went but first up a pizza for breakfast. After that went down the main drag where all the bikes are parked ( I think they park there from about 6.00 am ) and the street was full no parks left ,people every where and hot very hot 32 degree c . So the boys did a bit of shopping then found our bikes and we went and visited the Full Throttle saloon about 2 o'clock ,band playing , body painting, bike riding competition and bikers every where then on to the buffalo chip and and checked out the bar there and met a guy call Scott who is comming to NZ in November . He was staying at the camp the and said their was a concert at the chip the night before and there was a 100000 people in attendance. Just as we were ready to leave the thunder and lightening started and about 5 miles down the road it started to rain and rain so we drove about 15 miles in the heavy rain back to camp and even thought we put on our bike jackets we got as wet as a shag. Back in can't changed and all standing in gazebo decide to go to the bar/ casino across the road and it was happy hour 6 pints for $13.50 so we dried of met some othe wet bikers had a great night and got home about 11.
Today packed up the camp and got on the road about 8 and headed to Soux falls about a 7 hour drive but we side tracked and went throughout the badlands which in now a national park, also a lot of history here as this is where a lot of the outlaws used to hide. Just after we left the park struck rain again but not to heavy and still warm 22 degree. Very boring riding as we are on the 90 free way and all there is to look at is corn fields. So now at a super 8 had tea and now ready for bed.

day 2 in Deadwood and the Wi Fi has been terrible so this is the first chance I have had to write. We'll Ocker is a bit happier was getting home sick but saw some sheep about 3 days ago so happy now. The camping ground is nice but they have put us out the back ( same thing happens when we go for a meal ) and its nice and peacefully and a trolley bus picks us up and takes us into Deadwood.. Had to get a grease and oil change as done over 5500 km and bike Is running well but have had the odd spot of bother with it but all going good now.since arriving here we have purchase a $30.00 gazebo to keep us out of the sun and it handy cause Ocker slept in it last night so I didn't have to put up with his snoring and gas omissions. Went into stuggis yesterday morning and it was a mad house bikes and people every where, so did a bit of shopping ( got chaps for grand daughter Maddy) but no tee shirts as have got the message from Jan NO tees still have some from last trip I haven't worn yet. No tattoos this year either. Have been keeping In touch with home by Face time which is good but haven't spoken to any of my family for a while so a big HI to them especially the grand kids, I hope they inherite the travel bug off Jan myself and explore this wonderful world. I am getting side tracked we are usually back in camp about 4 have a few beers have an argument with Ocker the go find some where to eat and in bed by 11pm. He'd a good ride today over to the big harley shop before Rapiid City which has every thing you need , if you want new pipes on your bike they will do it while you wait, new wheels,new seat, new motor, any thing you want, and there would be about 15000 people plus there. Thought we are going into town to visit some bars and check out the bands. As usual people here are interested in where we are from and want to know a bit more about our country and we do have to reminde them that Ocker is an Australian not a Kiwi . Still haven't figured hop to get photos on my blog as waiting to here from Steph

Today is the day we drive to Sturgess about a 5 hour drive and already we are starting to see a lot of bikes on the road. Last night stayed in Billings Montana, we arrived about 1.30 did the washing had a swim and kept in the shade as it got to 37 degree. Went for a meal at the Red lobster service was good but wouldn't rave about the meal. After we came out at 10 pm was still a nice 28 degree.when we get to Sturgess we are just going to relaxe put up the tents and just have a look around.