Tales on the Courier Shift: Outside deliveries warrant a dessert.

In this episode of Tales on the Courier Shift taking place between 1/31-2/1/15, I received a request from an outside courier company to deliver mail correspondence to residents in the San Gabriel Valley. It was so impromptu that I was at the courier hub within two hours of the call and out on the road for the next ten hours after that. This one was particularly grueling because I was just thrown a list, the letters to distribute, and left to my own wits and mapping skills. Fortunately I had the combination of a standalone GPS, my smartphone, and my Sena SMH10 Bluetooth Headset to get me through the night.

It's been real, Ohio. You can go keep your winter.

Four and a half years in the Buckeye State have finally come to an end. I'm packed up and rolling out of here!

For real-time tracking of my whereabouts (if you are oh so curious), visit the "Where Am I?" section of this blog. It'll be a long drive, so feel free to send a few messages my way. The right side of this blog offers a couple methods of contacting me including a direct e-mail message and Google voicemail.

Below is the route I'm taking. Doing this in the middle of the winter and on a bit of a schedule doesn't offer many opportunities for recreation. No worries...more fun times are ahead.

Day 7: The last stretch to Billings...

**This series of posts recap my two-week trip to Billings, MT and back from July 1-16, 2013. For the entire list of my featured rides, click here.**

I returned to Minot after my visit to the International Peace Garden and spent one more night at my friend's house. The next morning, I was off to finish the last 500 miles of my ride to Billings, MT. It was pretty uneventful doing the flat slabs of US-2 and I-90 for most of the way. The increase of the speed limit from 65MPH to 80MPH was a bit of a help, though. Despite all that, I had to stop more frequently than usual out of sheer boredom. Wide open skies are quite beautiful, but the straight line for several hours can be a severe turn-off, especially after being on the road for nearly a week.

Yep...just keep following the signs.

Travelling solo is a double-edged sword. The benefit of doing this includes making your own schedule, stopping whenever you want/feel, and not having to ask for permission to take detours to absurd places. Alternatively, it can get boring when the view doesn't change and it does get to the point that the drone of PSY's "Gangnam Style" on loop for the umpteenth time from the GPS can't even keep you from dozing off. It doesn't make you any weaker of a motorcycle rider if you decide to pull over for a break. Curb your hubris and think about your body's need for rest and a stretch. All the experienced and safety-conscious riders do.

Thankfully, I did get to ride most of the way back to Ohio with a dear friend (you'll get to hear more about her later in this series).

I don't think I'll follow that sign.

I did try some tasty, locally made ice cream by Wilcoxson's that I snacked on at that Conoco gas station (I still have my clothes on at this point).

This is a visual reminder to eat ice cream and ride safely, just not at the same time.

Long story short, I survived the entire way to my final destination. Man, this state is huge. See you at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center in the next post for some WOW action.