

















|
|
The 2005 TeamStrange Grand Tour
Do you think a "day trip" on the motorcycle is 750+ miles? If so,
Team Strange may be just the group for you. It is not the destination
so much that counts, its the ride to get there. Well, every year this
group has a Grand Tour. The object is/was to visit city
limits signs, or post offices, beginning with the letters in TEAMSTRANGE
AIRHEADS 21 (kind-of like the God Bless America tour
I did in
2004 and seen elsewhere on this website). The "21" represents the 21 years TeamStrange has been
around. Visit the website
www.teamstrange.com for more information and to register yourself.
Listed and shown below are my photos for the Grand Tour. I had a
lot of fun visiting these cities as I had never been to any of the New
England states, like Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, etc. Now, I did not
have to visit each state (there are three ways to finish the tour). But there is a little more fun in visiting
one letter city from each state and I received special plaque for
doing it. I am not sure how it all started, but the Dave McQueeney Award
sounded like fun. And,
as you can see, the Highway 21 sign is from a different state and Ontario
too! Good thing my addiction is to motorcycle touring.
Final City Signs and Post Offices:
|
T |
Talleyville,
Delaware |
|
|
A |
Adirondack, New
York |
|
|
E |
East Thetford, Vermont |
|
|
I |
Iselin, New Jersey |
|
|
A |
Angola, Indiana |
|
|
R |
Rushford, Minnesota |
|
|
M |
Menominee, Michigan |
|
|
H |
Harmony, Rhode Island |
|
|
S |
Stephenson, Virginia |
|
|
E |
Exeter, New Hampshire |
|
|
T |
Thompson, Connecticut |
|
|
A |
Acton, Massachusetts |
|
|
R |
Ranson, West Virginia |
|
|
D |
De Pere, Wisconsin |
|
|
A |
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania |
|
|
S |
Smithsburg, Maryland |
|
|
N |
New Albin, Iowa |
|
|
|
|
|
|
G |
Gurnee, Illinois |
|
|
21 |
Ohio 21 (Independence, OH) |
|
|
E |
Elliot, Maine |
|
|
|
Miles Traveled |
4109 |
Shown below are the photos taken at each location. Some of these
are scans of Polaroid photos taken. I take the Polaroid pictures so
that when I leave a location, I am sure that I will have one good photo in
the bag. Plus,
in most TeamStrange rallies, Polaroid pictures are the only valid
proof of being at a location. That was not a requirement for this
tour, but it did not hurt to keep the practice. Also, I made sure my rally flag, 181, was visible in each photo. If you read
this before I have inserted the GPS coordinates, just hold your horses.
Come back in a couple weeks and I will have them included.
I get visitors from all over the world and I like to hear comments.
They have helped me improve the site, so join the voices and send me a note
on what you found interesting by visiting my
Feedback Page.
 |
Talleyville,
Delaware The server crashed at work
and I spent an hour at this spot trouble shooting from a thousand
miles away. Not the way I wished to be brought back to reality.
GPS: N W |
 |
East Thetford, Vermont
My favorite photo. I saw some very tiny post
offices along the way. A kind postal patron took this photo as I
extolled the virtues of TeamStrange. The lady rode a Harley and
departed with a new appreciation for long distance riders. GPS: N W |
 |
Angola, Indiana
What can you say about Indiana that has not been said
already.
GPS: N W |
 |
Menominee, Michigan
My boyhood hometown and the last photo taken on the
Grand Tour. Home of the "Lloyd Loom" for making wicker
furniture. You might be able to make it out in a tiny sign in
the background. After I got all packed up, I noticed that sign
said "Welcome to Menominee, MI. Home of the Lloyd Loom".
Would have made a unique, and acceptable photo too. Last photo taken April 30, 2005.
GPS: N W |
 |
Stephenson, Virginia
After the sun goes down, the Polaroid Camera needs a
little stroking to get good photos. I will have to find out from
the veterans how to get good photos at night. GPS: N
W |
 |
Thompson, Connecticut
Another tiny post office. GPS: N
W |
 |
Ranson, West
Virginia I was in West Virginia for
about two minutes. Good thing there was an "R" city along the
way.
GPS: N W |
 |
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
This was a very difficult photo to get. The light
lettering against similar color brick. And, shooting against the
sun. It took three polaroids to convince myself it was not going
to work. Fortunately I bring a 35mm SLR film camera as a backup.
GPS: N W
|
 |
New Albin, Iowa
On the last day of the tour. Light flurries in
the air. Bundled up and electrified. GPS: N
W |
 |
Gurnee, Illinois
Right out of the box, there it was, a
letter I needed. Right down the street was an "Illinois 21" sign
that made the state choice very difficult. Always ask permission
to park on the sidewalk. I met the nicest people this way and I
was never turned down.
GPS: N W |
 |
Eliot, Maine
You would not know it from this picture, but one hour earlier it was a
snow storm.GPS: N W |
 |
Adirondack, New York
Not recognizing my limitations has been a strong or
weak point of mine (depending on how you see it). I decided to cross the
Adirondack Mountains as the sun went down. It's like crossing
the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, or Northern Minnesota at night... only one or two
towns in 150 miles, and everything closes at 5 pm. GPS: N
W |
 |
Iselin, New Jersey
Night falls and I still have not figured out how to
shoot a night picture with the Polaroid. This one is from my
Pocket PC that I use as a backup digital camera. I also use my
Pocket PC as an MP3 player, WiFi connector, and more. GPS: N
W |
 |
Rushford, Minnesota
Last day of the tour. GPS: N
W |
 |
Harmony, Rhode
Island I met some of the nicest people
in Rhode Island. A lady offered to help me out by taking my
picture. In turn I spread the good word on TeamStrange.
GPS: N W |
 |
Exeter, New Hampshire
Another extremely difficult shot. The sign is too
far from the street to get the bike, sign, and flag all in focus and
legible. GPS: N W |
 |
Acton, Massachusetts
I could not get the Polaroid to focus on the lettering
here. So, I am glad print film is accepted on this tour. GPS: N
W |
 |
De Pere, Wisconsin
Another fine grained lettering on the post office door.
Reminds me of Elliot City, Maryland. I could only get the bike
in the photo as a reflection in the window. I did not use that
"E" as I thought it was pushing the rules about the bike being "in the
photo". GPS: N
W |
 |
Smithsburg, Maryland
One of the few city signs I found. Here the
temperature was 70F and sunny skies. Now that makes the trip
worthwhile! By the way, for those looking for "21" signs,
Maryland has the state name at the top of the sign, in a box, kind of
like Minnesota. I predicted Maryland 21 to be in the vicinity of
GPS N39 11.691 W76 11.161, and that was a little too far out of my
way. GPS: N
W |
 |
Ohio
21 (Independence, OH)
I really did not want to use the Ohio sign for my "21",
but it worked out this way in the end. The shape of the state on
the sign is kind-of blob like. No offense intended to Ohio-ans.
GPS: N W |
| |
|
|
|
Other sights of note:
 |
"21 for Fun" Ontario, Canada
The photos were to be of "state" highway signs.
But, I figured "What the heck?" This sign was a few miles east
of Port Huron, Michigan. That's only 555 miles from home.
(Remember the "day trip" question above?) GPS: N
W |
 |
"21 for Fun" Gurnee, Illinois
On my way to the Gurnee Post Office, I happened across
this "21" sign and snapped a photo, just in case.... GPS: N
W |

 |
Serenity Calls
The General Store/Post Office/Meetin' Place is alive and well in Thetford Center,
Vermont. This place was a delight to visit and a refreshing
change from the Wal-Mart and Home Depots of the rest of the country.
Visiting Thetford Center, Thetford Town, Thetford Hill, East Thetford, North Thetford,
and places like these gave me a much
needed dose of serenity. Vermont, don't change a thing and
I'll keep coming back! GPS: N
W |
 |
St. Georges, Delaware
This little village is lined with National Historic
Places. Included on the list is the building currently housing
the Post Office (built in the 1850s). The building made the list
in 1982, but the post master has been making sure the mail has been
delivered since 1801, only seven years after the postal service began.
I took a break to chat with the post master. She filled me in on
the storied history of the postal service in St. Georges. Of
course I filled her in on TeamStrange and she thought it was an
appropriately named group. Plus, she let me park the bike on the
walkway for a close up. This wide view is much more interesting
than the close up photo. GPS: N
W |
 |
Dakota, Minnesota
Minnesota calls me off the Interstate for a quick stop.
|
 |
Diamond Point, New York
Another tiny post office.
|
 |
Eitzen, Minnesota
A quaint little town with a quaint little post office.
And a big @#% mail truck. Only in the north woods? A 4x4
mail truck.
|
 |
New Carlisle, Indiana
A neat welcome sign. The rally flag is "in the
photo" and I could not find anything in the rules about "legible". But, I
did not want to push it as this is my first Grand Tour with
TeamStrange. |
 |
Rohrsville-Gapland, Maryland
A double winner in a one street town. I wonder if
there is a kitchen and living room in this post office?
|
 |
Dorchester, Iowa
This is a half of one street town. Come in from
the west and you will be on five miles of gravel to get here.
Looks like it was converted from something else. I got there
after business hours so I could not get the story.
|
Home | Rustic Roads 2008 | Minnesota 1000 | Misc Stuff Page | Ride To Eat (Copper Harbor) | Jay's SS1000 | World's Largest Tour | World's Largest Too | Yellowstone Trip | Trinity Site | TeamStrange Airheads | Fall Color Ride | Car Henge | God Bless America Tour | Cranberry Highway | ET Highway Photos | Lake Superior Tour | Sue and Amy | Favorite Photos
This site was last updated
01/14/07
|