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I'm looking forward to taking a couple of extended solo motorcycle rides in 2012. I'd like to ride all the way to Washington state, but such a trip would require a lot of time, so I'm planning on doing a couple of rides within a 1,000 mile radias of home. That way I can be there and back in about 5 days and spending 4 nights in hotels, one night on the way, two nights at the destination and one night on the way back.

Back in the olden days, when Vince Neil wasn't fat and the president wasn't an asshole communist, I was stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood, aka Fort Lost in the Woods. My wife and I lived in two different crappy apartments off post in Waynesville and my oldest son was born in the base hospital. Since it meets the requirement of being within 1,000 and I've not been back since I drove to Pittsburgh in a uHaul, I'd kind of like to go back.

While the shortest way to get there is just over 700 miles or so, that route requires driving through Illinois and given their disregard of the constitution, I'll not cross their border. Sure, I could pull over before I get there, unload the pistol, and lock it up and then rearm once leaving, screw them. I'll take on an extra 200 miles and stay in states that respect my rights. Plus, the journey is the destination anyway and the goal was 1,000 miles so it works out perfectly. I'll swing briefly through WV and then OH, KY, TN and then MO. Those extra points on the map are only there so that I could figure out a route that bypasses asshat Obama's home state not because there is anything special about them.

I'd like to make this trip in mid to late April, I'll just need 5 days of decent weather. If anybody wants to tag along, let me know, I'd welcome company even though I love the solitude of a nice long ride.