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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 |
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A |
Adirondack,
New York |
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E |
East Thetford, Vermont |
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I |
Iselin, New Jersey |
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A |
Angola, Indiana |
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R |
Rushford, Minnesota |
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M |
Menominee, Michigan |
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H |
Harmony, Rhode Island |
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S |
Stephenson, Virginia |
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E |
Exeter, New Hampshire |
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T |
Thompson, Connecticut |
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A |
Acton, Massachusetts |
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R |
Ranson, West Virginia |
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D |
De Pere, Wisconsin |
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A |
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania |
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S |
Smithsburg, Maryland |
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N |
New Albin, Iowa |
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G |
Gurnee, Illinois |
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21 |
Ohio 21 (Independence, OH) |
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E |
Elliot,
Maine |
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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.
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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
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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
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Angola, Indiana
What can you say about Indiana that has not been said already.
GPS: N W
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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
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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
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Thompson,
Connecticut
Another tiny post office.
GPS: N W
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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
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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
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New Albin,
Iowa
On the last day of the tour. Light flurries in the
air. Bundled up and electrified.
GPS: N W
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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
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Eliot, Maine
You would not know it from this picture, but one hour earlier it was a
snow storm.
GPS: N W
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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
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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
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Rushford,
Minnesota
Last day of the tour.
GPS: N W
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Other sights of
note:
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"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
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"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
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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
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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
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Dakota,
Minnesota
Minnesota calls me off the Interstate for a quick stop.
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Diamond
Point, New York
Another tiny post office.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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This
site was last updated
03/07/09
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