South Bend Indiana

I figured as long as I’m Catholic I might as well make a stop at South Bend Indiana to see what I can find on the Notre Dame campus, and it’s put me here, Between the buns. A local sports bar that is worth the eats. From here it sounds as though Corby’s is the dive bar in town to visit according to Karen the bartender helping me out. She already complained about downtown Mpls visiting the bars where she was looking for a dive bar in the cities to visit, but everyone sent her to the pickup joints of downtown Mpls, she’s gonna make sure I don’t make the same mistake.

Ok, as for the travels today, freeway all the way here. I was hoping to get an earlier start, but woke up to rain so finally decided once it was a little lighter it was time to throw on the gators (knee high rain boots) and a jacket to hit the road. Just a few miles North and it was dry so I swear it was just raining on my place keeping me from getting an early start. Good thing I did have the gators and jacket on though cuz got spit on too many times to count so was able to get away with only my knees getting wet and the rest of me dry. The trip was pretty much non eventful so to spice it up a little, had the cruise set weaving in and out of traffic. Almost thought about pulling a white liner (remember California), but did have to slow for all the slow people on the road and too many hanging in the fast lane trying to patrol the speed limit themselves. I did have some older guy and his wife not too happy with me when I passed them on the right and pulled in to the fast left lane...i thought for sure the guy was gonna run me over because all of a sudden he found the accelerator and pulled within inches, how I wish I had that stone or better yet, a spark plug to toss over the shoulder.

This trip wouldn’t be the same without a stop at Janesville to visit the crew at Kutter’s Harley Davidson. Sorry to say Jame’s (service manager who put me up for the night through a couple years ago) wasn’t there anymore, I did get to see Aaron and Lucy and once again, I got to walk out of there with a free tshirt...thanks much Lucy and you know you’ll always have my business. From there the rest of the service guys told me my best beat to get around Chicago was the long way, 39 down to Interstate 80 east and it wasn’t too bad until I got closer to Chicago because it was stop and go traffic quite a while. I didn’t hit the open full throttle road until getting well into Indiana on the toll road which doesn’t cost you to get one, but costs you once you exit. There’s a ticket you pickup when you get on the toll road so once you get off they decide how much to charge. Not sure if it’s distance or what it is, but I do know it cost me over $3 to get off as South Bend. That reminds me of one other incident while on the toll way, whether I could pull off to get gas or not. Well, I was gonna ask someone in the stop and go traffic, but figured I’d take my chances and pull off on an exit just for the gas and I was able too without paying another toll. This was before I got to the ticket toll, but still had me questioning whether to keep going for one of the gas stops on the toll road and possible run out of gas getting there or playing it safe and getting gas when I need it. It is different once you get on the ticketed toll road cuz they do have the plaza stops along the way and will warn you how far to the next one so I am fortunate to say, NO running out of gas today.

Back to South Bend and after taking a few pictures of Notre Dame it was off to find a place to stay and even though I tried, couldn’t find any cheap stay for the night on campus, and believe me I did try. I did end up at the other end of town in a Motel 6 and although the sign out front had a higher rate, I got a deal and got the freeway rate. All ya gotta do is ask, now I’m just hoping there aren’t any bed bugs after seeing the story on the news on how bed bug problems are up throughout the nation. Oh well, at least its a bed and shower in the morning.

Here’s to a dry warm day for riding tomorrow and we’ll see where the bike ends up.