![\"Paco](\"http:\/\/www.honeybadgerbikerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Paco-and-the-Badger-Den-leave-for-home.jpg\")
<\/a>To \u201cPaco\u201d<\/em>: Where to begin in thanking the Outlaw Badger, Frank \u201cPaco\u201d Bartlett, for making this trip possible? He spent months in preparation: planning our route west, buying and testing out the camper (AKA, \u201cThe Badger Den\u201d), putting new tires on the trailer, and undertaking countless other tasks during the winter and early spring. Most importantly, it was his diligence in tracking me down several years ago that led to our reuniting after losing touch with one another sometime in the mid-80s. If he hadn\u2019t worked so hard to find me, none of this would have been possible.<\/p>\n During the trip he was the ultimate road warrior clocking up to more than 600 miles some days, listening to my stories and dumb jokes with patience and humor as the hours and miles ticked by, making sure we had Coronas in the cooler for the evening arrival celebrations, and preparing really good coffee each morning. He endured my occasional snoring, which he described as \u201ctwo hogs fighting over a bucket of slops.\u201d As unfair as that might be, it\u2019s a pretty funny image and I forgive him for his lack of respect for my snoring.<\/p>\n Paco\u2019s self-deprecating, earthy stories touched off many eye-watering laughing fits on my part and lessened the monotony of the long stretches of highway we had to travel. He encouraged my blogging, sometimes with relentless persistence when I didn\u2019t feel like writing, to ensure we had an up-to-date record of our trip. He did so even when my blogging prevented him from lying down for a rest.<\/p>\n He also convincingly praised my so-called cooking\u2014an accomplished acting performance for the ages. He took countless and outstanding back-up pictures with his phone camera since mine was unreliable and researched facts and figures. The blog is better for his many contributions.<\/p>\n As Cicero said: \u201cFriendship improves happiness and abates misery by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief.\u201d For all of this, thank you, Paco!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n To Rosa<\/em>: Rosa\u2019s consistent and enthusiastic support of this three-week odyssey and her positive response to the blog were immeasurably important to me. In fact, the blog was possible only because Rosa sent me a link to a website that walked me through the blog creation process. Without her help, the blog would not exist. And because I knew she genuinely wanted me to go on this bucket list lark, I was able do so with a light heart. She was left with care of our geriatric cat while she had to work each day, and sometimes travel, which necessitated having a cat sitter to feed Simon while she was away. So, my little excursion was not especially convenient for her, but she was always happy for me and was clearly pleased I was finally making a trip of a lifetime.<\/p>\n Thank you, Rosa, for all the love!<\/p>\n The Members of the Honey Badger Motorcycle Club: John, Ray and Steve<\/em>\u2014thanks for following us on the blog and for your continued camaraderie.<\/p>\n A Few Stats<\/span> Things we were glad we had<\/span> Things we brought but didn\u2019t need<\/span> Things we should have had<\/span> Hits and Misses<\/span><\/p>\n Answers to Your Burning Questions<\/span><\/p>\n About the Badger Den (BD): \u2022 What appliances are in it? A propane stove, a refrigerator, a microwave, and an air conditioner. The fridge, microwave and A\/C operate when connected to a 30 amp electrical service. The stove operates off a propane tank connected from the outside of the BD. –Breakfast: English muffins and coffee<\/p>\n –Lunch: Usually granola bars; we ate lunch out only 3 times What kind of computer set-up was used to write the blog?<\/span><\/p>\n A big goofy arrangement was required. See photo below.<\/p>\n Just before the trip, the screen on my Dell laptop went haywire. After consulting several PC experts I was told there was no fix. Rather than rush to replace it and possibly lose documents and pictures already stored on it, I opted to bring an old monitor and borrowed a key board from my sister, Barbara. All the components had to be connected and plugged in and arranged in the small space available in the Badger Den, which happened to be where Paco slept. It was a crazy arrangement but it worked.<\/p>\n (Message to Dell: Thanks for making a piece of crap which became a hi-tech paperweight in less than five years. There won\u2019t be another Dell in my laptop future.)<\/p>\n Next Trip<\/span><\/p>\n We’re working on a plan. More on that\u00a0 in a future blog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Epilogue Acknowledgements To \u201cPaco\u201d: Where to begin in thanking the Outlaw Badger, Frank \u201cPaco\u201d Bartlett, for making this trip possible? He spent months in preparation: planning our route west, buying and testing out the camper (AKA, \u201cThe Badger Den\u201d), putting new tires on the trailer, and undertaking countless other tasks during the winter and early … Continue reading The Westward Ho Epilogue: Acknowledgements,Reflections and Fun Facts<\/span> <\/a>
\n\u2022 Left Reston, VA: May 17, 2014 at 8:50 a.m.; returned: June 7, 2014 at 5:30 p.m.
\n\u2022 Miles traveled in truck, round trip from Reston: 5,714
\n\u2022 Motorcycle mileage: 1,073
\n\u2022 States covered on the bikes: 9
\n\u2022 Longest round trip ride: 247 miles (Four Corners)
\n\u2022 Shortest round trip ride: 19 miles (Little Big Horn)
\n\u2022 Days away: 21
\n\u2022 Nights at Flying J Travel Plaza: 1
\n\u2022 Nights in RV parks: 15
\n\u2022 Nights in motels: 4<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Pillows from home
\n\u2022 \u201cMiner\u2019s\u201d lights (great for getting around in the dark RV parks or reading)
\n\u2022 Empty 1.1 liter plastic bottles (for nighttime emergencies)
\n\u2022 Extra sunglasses (my regular pair popped a lens the first day on the road)<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Tarp for shade canopy
\n\u2022 Extra face shield for helmet
\n\u2022 Multiple lanterns\/lights
\n\u2022 Generator (we always found RV park with space and electrical hookups)<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Portable electric heater (BD’s propane heater didn\u2019t work)
\n\u2022 Antibiotic ointment (didn\u2019t check supply in first aid kit)
\n\u2022 Extra motorcycle gloves
\n\u2022 Polypropylene base layers
\n\u2022 More rubber bands
\n\u2022 More kitchen trash bags
\n\u2022 Sandwich bags & aluminum foil
\n\u2022 Back-up prescription script for a hard-to-fill medication
\n\u2022 Roll of quarters for RV park washers and dryers<\/p>\n\n
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\n\u2022 How big\u00a0 is it? Approximately 6.5 ft. wide and 9 ft. long
\n\u2022 How many people does it sleep ? Two adults comfortably
\n\u2022 Did it leak during rain storms? No
\n\u2022 Is there a bathroom? No
\n\u2022 Is there running water? No. We used a jug to hold water<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nFood and Drink:
\n\u2022 What do the Badgers eat?
\nTypical Badger food shown below.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>
\n–Dinner: One-pot meals; sometimes freeze-dried camping meals, other times pasta\/rice packets prepared in hot water along with canned vegetables, canned chicken or fish added in; occasionally we got Subway subs or carryout for dinner; we ate out once at a Golden Corral in Amarillo, TX, which was a BIG mistake, and once at a Denny\u2019s, not so bad.
\n\u2022 What beer do the Badgers drink? Corona
\n\u2022 What\u2019s the Badgers\u2019 favorite hors d\u2019oeuvre? \u201cEasy Cheese\u201d squirted on rice crackers
\n\u2022 What\u2019s the Badgers\u2019 favorite after dinner drink? Yukon Jack<\/p>\n<\/a>