Trike Trek - An American Story

24/06/2024

An amazing day on the road! We got an early start leaving Dalhart, TX right after sunrise and headed northwest into New Mexico. Before crossing the state line, we stopped for coffee and breakfast at the town of Texline at a Cafe run by a couple of Mennonite women called The Front Porch. Great coffee and food plus the service was excellent. I had biscuits and gravy served with made from scratch biscuits that were fantastic. If you are in Texline you won't go wrong patronizing this cafe. Crossing over into New Mexico the landscape changed dramatically with the flat plains of northwest Texas giving way to volcanic lava flows, shield volcanoes, and spectacular cinder cone volcanic features. Principal among these was Mount Capulin, which is an extinct cinder cone volcano. Some 10,000 years ago this area of New Mexico was the site of a volcanic "hot spot" with frequent eruptions and lava flows covering the countryside. Capulin rises above the surrounding hills and plateaus in stark contrast to the other topography. We rode out to the volcano with the intention of riding the road to the top, but unfortunately they don't allow vehicles pulling trailers on the park road. We were treated to seeing two turkey hens who each had a brood of babies in tow. Traveling on to our camping spot at Raton, NM we also saw many pronghorn antelope in the grassy valleys between the dormant lava flows. Tomorrow we will day trip to some local points of interest and may revisit Capulin without the trailer. More to follow as Trike Trek - An American Story rolls on!

23/06/2024

We left Lubbock early this morning and headed north. The plains above Littlefield gave way to rolling hills and then Caprock mesas then slowly reverted back to plains once again. As we approached our stopping point for today, we began to see signs referring to the XIT ranch. A little further study revealed an interesting story. The XIT ranch was once the largest ranch under fence in the world. At a whopping 3 million acres and compromising 10 Texas counties, the ranch began near Lubbock and extended west to the New Mexico border and went north to the Oklahoma panhandle some 200 miles in length and was 20 to 30 miles wide. Sadly, the ranch no longer exists having been broken up and sold off. However, the city of Dalhart Texas keeps the memories alive with a celebration including a rodeo and reunion. Some claim that the XIT name stood for "10 in Texas" but the original owners wanted a brand that cattle rustlers could not easily change. The annual event draws people from all over the world and more than triples the size of the population of Dalhart. So if you ever wanted to party like its 1889, come to the XIT Rodeo and Réunion. Tomorrow we enter New Mexico and then push on into Colorado. Join us as Trike Trek - An American Story rumbles into the mountains. Should be an interesting echo!

23/06/2024

Update: We leave Lubbock in a few hours heading north and away from the wildfires in New Mexico and Arizona. Lashing down the last of our gear for a 6am departure. Glad to be getting back on the road. Thanks to all who have followed the page. Y'all are awesome! Trike Trek - An American Story rides again!

22/06/2024

Update: As is the case with any worthwhile project, funding becomes necessary to carry on the work being done. My goal from the beginning has been to keep the page and all the content posted free for all to follow without charging a membership or subscription to view the content posted. That is still my desire. So I am asking you to help me accomplish that goal. If you enjoy reading our content and seeing our photos, please donate to help keep Trike Trek - An American Story coming to you daily. We would also welcome sponsors who would receive ad space and a daily endorsement of your products and services. You don't have to be a big doner to help, Small dollar $5 and $10 donations are just as important as those of higher amounts. Every dollar donated helps keep the content you enjoy coming and allows everyone on Facebook to follow us as we travel from place to place and take all of you along. I dislike asking for help, but it is needed. Without your donations or sponsorships progress will be slowed and your daily content may be impacted. Donations may be made on Cash App at bluebonnet1957 and at Gordon White on Venmo. Potential sponsors may contact me directly at 432-250-9157 for details. I am putting all of my personal income into this project as I believe it to be a valuable investment. Seeiing and experiencing this journey are my reward. Sharing those sights and experiences with you is my privilege. Help me if you can, but regardless keep following us everyday. Thank you and God bless.

22/06/2024

Tonight we had dinner with our new found friends, Paul and Deb. These Lubbock locals have really made us feel welcomed during our stay here. We enjoyed good food and good conversation with these good folks and sincerely hope to see them again. Today we began plotting a new course to make up for some lost time and a route that will take us out of the wildfire areas of New Mexico and Arizona. While those states still hold treasures to be explored, the combination of the fires and summer heat is driving the decision to turn north. We are hopeful that this new course will make for interesting travel. The new route will take us north towards Dalhart, TX then crossing over into northern New Mexico to Raton. From there we will turn due north towards Canon City, CO and points north such as Manitou Springs. Points of interest along this route include Royal Gorge Bridge, Garden of the God's, and eventually the Rocky Mountain National Park. At that point we will turn west through Steamboat Springs and the middle park area. Hot Sulphur Springs and points beyond should be of interest to our followers. Plus we are open to other course deviations to take in the rugged beauty of the state. Then it is on to Utah, Nevada, and California, picking up our original travel path on the Pacific Coast Highway on up to Oregon. Some of these locals will require another visit to fully investigate the states we will travel through. It should be an exciting ride for everyone to follow. We kick off this new route Sunday with an early morning departure. Come along with us as Trike Trek - An American Story turns a new page.

21/06/2024

Yee-Haw! Our signs were finished early. I hope that the signs will be a conversation starter and allow us the opportunity to gather more interest and followers. We often are asked where we are from and that too can lead to more people coming with us on our journey. The couple pictured are some local folks we met today at the Wild West Harley Davidson shop. Allow me to introduce Paul and his wife, Deborah, who were out riding together. He is a retired US Army veteran and she is a former teacher. Very friendly folks as has been our experience with the Lubbock natives. We had a very pleasant conversation with them and explained our mission quest in some detail. I hope to see them again before we leave. We have been seriously considering diverting to an alternate route. The wildfires in New Mexico and Arizona are impacting many of the points of interest we had hoped to see. The revised plan at this point is to swing northwest through northern New Mexico and enter Colorado. From there our choices are Utah, Nevada, then pick up our planned trail on the Pacific Coast Highway above San Francisco and turn north. Cutting off the desert southwest portion of the trip will mean missing some really interesting places, but time and safety considerations must prevail. Traveling through Colorado, Nevada, and Utah should yield some stunning views so we are excited about that. My groin pull is a nagging injury, but I refuse to let that stop the journey. Ibuprofen and a tight wrap will make it bearable until it heals completely. Regardless, Trike Trek - An American Story continues.

20/06/2024

Pictured is the courtyard of the Nicolett restaurant in Lubbock. Our dining experience there was less than I had hoped for as it was extremely over-priced for the quality and quantity of food served. Suffice it to say. I was disappointed. I have had a little set back in my recovery from my groin injury. It was very painful today, so I switched tactics from just treatment and rest to tightly wrapping my upper thigh and groin area with Ace bandages to apply pressure to the painful areas. This gave me enough relief that I believe I will be able to function fairly normally using compression to stabilize the injured area. I am getting really anxious about the days we have lost and the road ahead. We have been getting reports of a large number of wildfires impacting areas of New Mexico and Arizona. We may be forced off of our planned travel route, but I have not given up on seeing some of the points of interest in those states. Then today we got word that the Texas National Guard was being deployed ahead of a tropical storm coming ashore in south Texas. The rains it will bring will be welcomed by the wildfire fighters in the region but will make for soggy travel days. So much of the trip has already been throttled by stormy weather, with that pattern seeming to continue. I will feel a sense of relief when the road takes us north into the mountains. My resolve is unshaken as we forge ahead. Thanks to all who have stuck with us even in this down time. The posts will get much better when we are covering new ground. Hang in there with us. I promise you it will be worth the wait. Trike Trek - An American Story will be awesome again.

19/06/2024

When you think of Lubbock's favorite sons, Buddy Holly tops the list. Allow me to introduce you to Bubba Shobert. The Lubbock native was a three time AMA Grand National Champion flat track racer between 1985 and 1989. He also was an AMA Superbike Champion during that period. His career was cut short from a post race accident when Shobert's bike struck another bike and rider who had stopped in the middle of the track to do a "burnout " for the crowd. The extent of Bubba's injuries made returning to racing impossible. I was first made aware of Bubba's career as flat track motorcycle racer by way of a mutual acquaintance. Later I was asked to take part in restoring one of Bubba's bikes. I had a small powder coating business at the time, and was asked to powder coat the bikes frame. The completed restoration is on loan to a motorsports museum. However, in more recent times, we hear Bubba is doing a bit of racing. Having acquired and sold a number of Chinese made dirt bikes with small cc engines Bubba and friends have formed a group that meets periodically to race. One source tells me that there may be as many as 20 racers participating. Doing what you love is always a wise choice. It seems Lubbock's other favorite son has made a wise choice. We wish Bubba and his friends safe and fun race days and a long ride ahead! God speed to all as Trike Trek - An American Story travels on.

Found on Google from mshf.com

18/06/2024

Monday was a day of rest. We managed to go almost the entire day without going outside. The highlight for Monday was cooking with a little bit of cleaning thrown in for good measure. I pulled a few weeds right after dark, but we did nothing adventurous. Well, we did find time to read a little. I brought Lee Child and Tom Clancy along for the ride. The rehab of the groin pull is going slowly as expected. It will be weeks before I am pain free. The lost days of travel time are weighing on .my mind. I am considering points of interest that we may have to skip to get back a few of the days we have lost. The goal of not having to rush through the trip is still foremost in our thinking so we are still going to travel the back roads and take our time. Thank you all for sticking with us during this down time. We love your comments and likes. Trike Trek - An American Story will get back on the road soon. Have a great day!

17/06/2024

On this Father's Day 2024, I am thankful for the great honor and privilege that being a father has meant to me. The calming of fears and drying of tears, the ball playing joys and favorite toys, napping on Dad's chest and who do you really love best, a first brush with love seemingly sent from above, and is the broken heart's ache really more than I can take? Answering these questions and more is being a father. Reflecting on my own relationship with my father I can see a lot more in the wisdom he tried to pass to me. The little aphorisms that made little sense to me then are some of the truths I hold most dear. I have been privileged to see my sons grow into good and honorable men with families of their own I could not be more proud. I adopted one child and probably should have adopted two, as they are now very dear to me. I draw little to no distinction between my biological children and those I have welcomed into my life. Their children are my grandsons and granddaughters regardless of blood ties. I share the successes of them all with a great sense of pride. And to all the young parents out there reading this, I encourage you to treasure these moments with your children when they are young. That special time will never come again. Take every opportunity to participate in their lives because it will make your life so much richer for the experiences you'll share. Life is a one way street. You don't get to U-turn if you miss something important. Keep them close and keep them small as long as you can, but don't smother them. Every kid gets a scratch or a bruise now and then. It's how you as a parent treat those little wounds that makes you a father, or mother. So on this Father's Day I wish all the Father's out there a blessed and wonderful day. Trike Trek - An American Story salutes you.

15/06/2024

The photos taken here were shot at the Wild West Harley Davidson shop in Lubbock. It was a fascinating display of old and new bikes and cars. Our hosts at Wild West Harley Davidson were gracious and helpful, supplying the crowd with cold drinking water and a place to cool off. The bikes were amazing and competed for prizes in several different categories. Some of the custom bikes were beautiful. I loved on Fancy when we were leaving the show and told her she was still my best girl. The Wild West employee, Khenzi, was kind enough to help me with my obligatory redhead picture. Thanks Khenzi! The show drew a lot of competitors and a wide variety of custom bikes and cars. My favorite is the old "rat rod" with the Hoosier racing tires. The sun was high and hot and we sought shelter and shade at the Sons of Liberty tent. The club was distributing pocket copies of the Constitution of the United States of America and encouraging people to exercise their right to vote. I thought that was a noble effort and that I support that cause. Afterwards we went to lunch at Bubba's Burgers and took full advantage of their cool, dark restaurant to lazily consume our food. Then it was back on Fancy and a run straight back to Jackie's daughter's house. It has really been a blessing to have such a nice place to hole up and heal up. Our special thanks to Rachel Kelley for her hospitality. The plan as it stands now is to leave here on Saturday June 22nd and continue our southwest swing. We have set reasonable traveling times and distances so as not to be over- exposed to the elements. Lots of breaks and lots of water will be the order of the day. I will travel some by night if I must, but I am hopeful that traveling early in the morning will be enough to get us where we want to go. Be safe until next time when Trike Trek - An American Story travels on a road near you!

15/06/2024

Sitting alone tonight making ci******es. Jackie is an early to bed person as I am making her be an early riser, much to her chagrin. Smoking is the only vice I have left. I don't drink alcohol, I don't do drugs, and I'm too crippled up to chase redheads with big freckled......ideas. (The dog chasing cars analogy applies.) Making my own ci******es is one way I am reducing my costs on the trip. I can make a carton of ci******es for about $15.00, where even the least expensive store bought brands are about $50.00 a carton. Plus I think I tend to smoke less when I make my own smokes. I'm turning into a cowboy on a steel horse, I guess. The plan for tomorrow is to go to the car and motorcycle show at Wild West Harley Davidson here in Lubbock. Should be fun and yield some good pictures to post tomorrow night. I picked up a set of vacuum storage bags to help reduce the volume that our pillows and sleeping bags take up in the trailer. As a result, I have eliminated the tote I had strapped on the top of my cooler and downsized my tarp for covering the trailer and our gear in camp. I am slowly, but surely reducing our Beverly Hillbillies look when I am packed up and traveling. Only the tent, camp chairs and folding table, gas cans, small cooler, and my two thin totes remain as tie-downs on the deck lid of the trailer. The reduced weight should help improve fuel economy and reduce tire wear. Fancy is holding up well and I gave her a good cleaning this morning. I am having a set of decals made to advertise our Trike Trek - An American Story page along with some business cards to hand out and help explain our mission. Come back tomorrow as Trike Trek - An American Story rolls on.

14/06/2024

Lubbock and Amarillo are set at the gateway to the American west. The Great Plains occupies the central area stretching to the Rocky Mountains, while the desert southwest borders on Mexico extending to the coast of Southern California. Both areas have a rugged beauty with a fragile, but tenacious ecosystem. So far, the imported fireants have not spread to the region favoring cooler and more moist environments. Because of the limited spread of this invasive species, the region still has healthy populations of ground nesting birds such as the Bob White and chucker or scaled quail, Rio Grande turkeys, and sage grouse. Even in such a harsh environment, beauty can still be found by those who look. Those photos showing the Texas wildflowers give silent testimony to the handiwork of our Creator. He also gave us the ability to see His natural world. I am really looking forward to be getting back on the road after being derailed by a groin strain. Very soon it will be time to hit the road again on Trike Trek - An American Story.

13/06/2024

Pictured is a time lapse view from the student sky bridge at the Texas Tech campus. Looks like I could have used a filter and done a longer exposure. I set out last night about sunset to see if there were any local points of interest at night. I may try again tonight and use a filter and longer exposure time. My evening adventure included treating myself to a late night malt and fries at Whataburger, I was stopped by the county deputy sheriffs patrol for somehow getting headed the wrong way on the wrong side of the freeway, (thank God nobody got hurt. The deputies were nice and even programmed my GPS to get to the spot I was going. No ticket. One of the deputies even commented that this sort of thing happens frequently on that stretch of highway..), and I met a nice young black student who offered to help me get my pictures from the student sky bridge. All in all, an interesting evening. Hopefully, I will be able to improve the quality and quantity of the photos as time goes on. I am planning to load a photography program on this laptop that will make producing and sharing good content easier. The rehab of my groin strain of progressing well, but it will be a few more days if not weeks. It is frustrating to not be able to walk without discomfort. Still planning to head for Midland and points west into New Mexico. Keeping it short and sweet today, Come on the Trek tomorrow as Trike Trek - An American Story carries on. Cheers

12/06/2024

The Trek continued today with a visit to the Science Spectrum museum. It is a very interesting place that is geared towards hands- on, interactive exhibits for children and adults. Exhibits included many topics of interest including physics, natural history, space exploration, an aquarium, play areas for the little ones, and changing fashions. The natural history exhibits were of particular interest for me as a geologist. The fossils and minerals on display were all found right here in Texas. The fish in our area were well represented, as were several other flora and fauna. Texas has many direct and indirect connections to NASA and the aerospace industry. Who can forget, "Houston, we have a problem." from the Apollo 13 mission. But prior to that, the three astronauts pictured, Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee died in a launch pad fire during a test of the Apollo 1 spacecraft. The findings of the investigation of the fire changed the design of the spacecraft and mission rules for the flights that followed the tragedy. The EVA spacesuit pictured is from the Skylab missions. The fossil amonite pictured was from the Cretaceous period and that species died out about the same time as the dinosaurs. Geologic exploration has revealed a very large impact feature encompassing part of the Yucatan peninsula and the gulf waters to the north. The remnants of the crater of this extinction level event have been confirmed by satellite imagery. The Tesla ball lightning in a glass sphere is always fun. The colorful fish on display seemed a bit out of place among the high tech exhibits. Still, it is relaxing to view the salt water environment. The small tropical fish pictured, hava a pretty appearance as it looks like it is hovering like a hummingbird. Hope everyone is well and planning to continue following our journey on Trike Trek - An American Story.

11/06/2024

Sometimes it comes down to an attitude. Whether it is a steadfast rebellion against the status quo, or a profound sense of well being, an attitude can make all the difference in the end. Greetings all! As I mentioned yesterday, somehow I managed to pull a right groin muscle. We decided to stop back by Lubbock enroute to Midland to Pecos to New Mexico, to avoid the forecast stormy weather and allow me to treat my injury so we can get back on the road. As a result, the content may be a little thin. I don't want what we share with you to become telling jokes when I should be telling the story of the day. Please stay with us for updates and thank you again for your friendship and company as we continue on the ride of a lifetime, Trike Trek - An American Story.

10/06/2024

Hello Facebook friends and followers! Allow me to introduce Michael Dorn and his 2024 Tesla Cybertruck with the Beast power package. And no, he is not the Michael Dorn who played Lt. Work on Star Trek: TNG. Michael told me that he had just taken delivery on his new electric truck last week on an order he placed in 2019. Apparently it was worth the wait. The sleek futuristic vehicle has some off the charts power as Michael claimed he could go from zero to 60mph in about 4 seconds while pulling his Airstream. The super quiet truck has an instrument panel that you would expect to find in a fighter plane cockpit. Simply amazing! We broke camp this morning a bit later than anticipated due to a power outage at the campground. They lost a leg of their 480volt, 3 phase power for the campground electricity, so the lights would still operate, but very dimly. My CPAP will not operate on less than 110volts and shut down to avoid electric motor so very little sleep since just after midnight. I have been nursing a slightly pulled groin for several days but will be alright, but it really slows me down. What we should have been able to accomplish in an hour took 4 because of my lack of mobility. Jackie is a trooper and picked up the slack wherever she was able. Having loaded and secured our gear, we headed south to Lubbock where we will spend a few days resting and healing. I am using alternately hot and cold therapy to rehab my groin issues. We arrived in Lubbock about 3:30pm and sheltered the trike and trailer in the garage of the house belonging to Rachel Kelley, Jackie's daughter, just as the storm front hit. Thunderstorms are expected today and tomorrow, so we will hunker down here until we have good weather for travel. Then we will move on towards New Mexico by way of Pecos, TX and set up basecamp for day trips to points of interest. Tomorrow we plan to have another paring down party as much of the remaining gear we are carrying is unnecessary for our needs on the road. I would ideally like to lighten the load by another 100 lbs, which will help in our travels in more mountaous parts of the country. I have a many duplicate and tripĺicate items that can be left behind here. Learning to long-term camp is a challenging task, but we are up for a good challenge. We had our first meal of the day in the city of Canyon, TX at the Texas Rose Steakhouse. I can recommend this to anyone visiting Canyon. Good food, reasonably priced, and well prepared. Our table was visited by several of the locals who are very friendly and curious about our travel plans. Always good to get to know local folks. Check back with Trike Trek - An American Story tomorrow as our journey progresses.

09/06/2024

You never know who is set to cross your path on any given day and this day was no different. Sometimes people are placed in your way as a guide, or a prophet, or to offer perspective in some unusual way. At times their voices seem familiar and comforting, while others simply stir the pot of thoughts or add an ingredient you may be lacking to firm up a memory or desire you have harbored for a long time. Today I met Don Johnson. He was nothing like I imagined he would be like. He was friendly and unassuming. Just a regular guy you might say for a person who has reached heights few will ever know. Yesterday, while traveling to Palo Duro Canyon State Park, I had observed a vintage airplane sitting on an apron in front of a small local airport hanger and decided I should investigate today. Meeting Don Johnson was not what I expected, but then again I hadn't expected to be awakened at 3:00am by a bull, a cow, and a donkey in our campground either. I found Don to be easy to talk to and we shared many common interests in music, travel, and flying. The vintage T-6 Texan tucked inside his open hanger door was a beauty, as was the vintage Cessna he was restoring. We chated about aviation, Buddy Holly, band, and our first experiences of flying in small aircraft. It was apparent that I had stumbled upon an enclave of vintage aircraft owners and pilots. Don told me that the T-6 Texan was a shared project between himself and a partner due to the expense and labor required to maintain a vintage plane in good flying condition. Don was tanned as one might have expected and wore shorts and an aviation parts company polo shirt. He spoke about attending the fly-in at Oshkosh, Wisconsin and that he had not missed the event in 22 years. He shared that many of the two dozen hangers on the grass airfield housed vintage warplanes from both World Wars with most in flying condition. He graciously asked me to visit him again at later date and we would take the T-6 up when it was less windy. I am quite sure I have not seen the last of Don Johnson. Come along for the ride tomorrow as we strike out for the west Texas town of Pecos when Trike Trek - An American Story rolls on!

08/06/2024

3:00am update. Someone's livestock is loose in the campground. One rather large bull, a cow, and a white donkey are milling around our tent. I called 911 who dispatched two deputy sheriffs to coral the critters. A long day is turning into a long night.

08/06/2024

Let's just say this comes under the heading of things you don't see every day. Enjoy!

08/06/2024

Out on the prairie near Amarillo sits one of America's true wonders, Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Built during the CCC work program years the park features an enchanted landscape. The canyon itself is a deep and wide ravine that holds the imagination of all who visit this wonderous place. The exposed strata of rocks in the canyon date back some 250 million years ago through the Pliestocene epoch when mastodons roamed the earth.along with the eohippus, a giant horse-like creature that stood over 8 feet tall. In more recent history, bison covered the plains surrounding the deep natural gourge. Native Americans would hunt the bison by stampeding a portion of the herd over the canyon rim where the village women would be waiting on the canyon floor with their skinning knives and cooking pots to receive the bounty of the days hunt. A portion of the canyon was a part of the Charles Goodnight ranch. Goodnight was the trail blazer who established the Goodnight Trail for moving cattle to the north and to markets both east and west. The rugged beauty of this place is awe inspiring to say the least with vistas spanning miles and walking trails for hikers and naturalists alike. The landscape is dotted with erosional features called hoo-doos. The most famous of these is Lighthouse Rock. The park trading post where we took our lunch today, serves meals and offers supplies to campers and guests. Due to recent rains, some of the park roads were closed off because of flooding, but most were open. I never fail to be astonished by this charming and enchanted locale. Drop back by tomorrow for more explorations here at Trike Trek - An American Story..

07/06/2024

9:34pm update. The rain is gone, but violent winds persist. Had to re-stake the tent with bigger stakes. More later.

07/06/2024

Big Chief Black Cloud reporting to you from our once again waterlogged tent on the north Texas plains near Amarillo. Got camp pitched and our gear and bike covered just before the bottom fell out. Our day began early, leaving Lubbock around 6:30am and heading north for the KOA at Amarillo. The cool morning temps were a refreshing change from the 100+ days we had until today. We motored along route 400 through the plains, passing farms and fields where giant tractors worked the land. Arriving in the farming community of Plainview, population about 20,000, we stopped at a local cafe called the Nu Griddle. The photo showing the booth mounted jukebox controls that still worked harkened back to simpler times. We took notice that all of the patrons were men, mostly 60 and older the women in the place were all wait staff with the exception of my traveling companion, Jackie. Breakfast and coffee were served with no mention of the ongoing cholesterol problem plaguing the country, but some of the locals were interested in our travels. Row crop production and rodeo dominated the conversation at the tables around our booth. I also noticed that the majority of the space in the cafe was reserved for smokers while a tiny room was set aside for the non-smoking section. Good ol boy heaven. After breakfast, we set out again for Amarillo, arriving too early to check in at the KOA. It was recommended by the KOA staff that we could wait until noon at the Big Texan restaurant, home of the 72 Oz. steak. Eat it all with all the trimmings in under an hour and it's free. If not, you'll need a line of credit at your bank to pay your dinner bill. After a pleasant lunch, we checked in and made camp. Looks like the worst has passed us, but the strong winds remain. I'm guessing most of our tent ropes have pulled up their stakes. Come join us tomorrow as Trike Trek - An American Story continues. Hopefully a bit less stormy.