National Parks Tour - East to West Pt.1

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January, 2022

Part three for the east to west trip.

Part one is located here: NPT West to East Pt.1

Part two is located here: NPT West to East Pt.2

July 2-4, 2021 Glen Cove, NY

Our primary goal was achieved, and we managed to fully dry out.  The bike was no worse for the exposure to the rain, and it was time to begin the process of heading home.  Getting more stamps was also on the list of things to do and places to go.  Only a brief amount of route planning was created; might not have been the smartest thing to have omitted.  ??


An attempt was made to get a stamp at a local unit.  From what we were able to discern, at the time we were there, the VC was closed, and markings removed from buildings. 

July 5, 2021 Glen Cove, NY to New Cumberland, PA

For a couple of reasons, we decided we’d hit the road, and begin the process of collecting more of those stamps.  You do get into that “where’s the next one?” mode, and I tried to keep the information flowing to the back seat, so she had an idea of how any given day was going.  Now, since this was originally supposed to have been the (general) route to get from AZ to NY, my head was a little mixed up.


The federal, state and local holiday celebration was on a Sunday, and so the official holiday was today.  Which means, traffic was light - real light.  So, here’s where the routing anomaly happened…totally on me.


When you select “avoid tolls” on Google Maps, guess what?  It does some pretty interesting routing exercises to keep you away from toll roads.  Like taking a rider right thru Williamsburg, across the 100+ year old Williamsburg Bridge, the Lower East Side, Soho, Greenwich Village, Hudson Square, thru the Holland Tunnel, and into the Garden State of New Jersey.  Yep, no tolls.  I’ll learn my lesson, but it was an 'interesting’ route!


The location we were supposed to go to today was the Thomas Edison National Historical Park.  That simply going to be another one of those places that maybe I get to take another stab at going to.  The day ended just a short distance into Pennsylvania, very close to roads we’d crossed on the way into the region.


210 miles.  Since the locations in New Jersey were unavailable, this day ended early with zero stamps.  Which wasn’t a bad thing.


July 6, 2021 New Cumberland, PA to Grove City, OH


With only the Nat’l Park locations planned, I’m now making our room reservations either the night before, or as we get up and before we head out on the road.  I look at the distance between two locations, split the difference, and start looking there.  Crude, but effective routing. Just like the old days. There’s no need to bust our butts on this trip, now that we’re into week three.


I’ll share a story on today’s ride.  I pulled onto the drive that leads to the Flight 93 Memorial. A few miles to the east, I passed a ubiquitous Harley rider, and he soon joined in behind me.


We took that ride into the Memorial at the speed limit, kinda lost in thought looking at the surroundings and thinking of those heroes who did what they did that day.


I pull into the parking lot, the Harley guy pulls in beside me. His shift linkage managed to come loose on that ride, so his heel-toe shifter lever is wobbling freely.


As I'm waiting, he's rooting around in his panniers, looking for tools. Well, he had a small kit, but only had Torx head bits. Obviously, not going to have much luck removing the socket head screw with those bits.


I go into my "oh shit" side (left) where I'd pulled out my tool bag. In it, I have this ¼ inch drive socket set I'd bought years ago from Costco. That went into the tool bag as a last-second addition.


About ten minutes later...yeah, this guy and tools...he had it buttoned up. So, I tell him he'd better consider a bit of loc-tite on that bolt as soon as he could get that done...


Yeah, the Loc-Tite I had was buried a bit further in the bag, but I wasn't telling him that. My good karma towards motorcyclists that day had been used up.


The Flight 93 National Memorial memorial was sobering...very sobering.  The first part of the tour, you take the time to view the artifacts from the scene that are on display.  It took me back to my working days; soon as I’d seen what had happened in Manhattan, I knew work would be crazy - and it was for many, many months.


White marble Wall of Names on left of those that perished, center is Visitor Center.  Original visitor center at Flight 93 National Memorial, Stoystown, PA

Visitor Center entrance Flight 93 National Memorial, Stoystown, PA

White marble Wall of Names of those that perished at Flight 93 National Memorial, Stoystown, PA


We were able to stay and become a lot more educated about the days, weeks and months after the tragedy and how investigators were able to use the clues from this location to help those in NY with the investigations there.  We're both glad we stopped, but that was rough.  Glad the day ended reasonably early.




389 miles for the day, and one stamp in a single location.



July 7, 2021 Grove City, OH to Effingham, IL


Rough day getting back on the bike after yesterday…but we’re a long way from home. Yet another issue with times, time zones and we didn’t get a chance to see the Dayton Aviation Heritage Cycle Shop. Ugh. But yet again, we did get the stamp! Well, the ride up here was fun, and now it's time to continue to the next stop.


Dayton Aviation Heritage NHP Cycle Shop, Dayton, OH


The Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial was a bit underwhelming. The state of Indiana was claiming the Lincoln family legacy, even though he was born in what would become Kentucky. Confused yet? More of that history class many of us slept thru once again.

Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, Lincoln City, IN

Gravestone of A. Lincoln's mother at Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, Lincoln City, IN



457 miles and two stamps from two stops in two states.


Continue with Part four here: NPT East-to-West Pt2
Location: Effingham, IL 62401, USA

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