#148h Ferry on the Fly!

Fleeter Log #148h
Ferry on the Fly!

2009 September 3
Entire trip here on Spotwalla  

After witnessing the start of the IBR in Spartanburg, South Carolina, then welcoming the ralliers at the first check-in point near Chicago, I wish them well as they continue the rally to the West Coast. Myself? I feel an inner tug to stretch my trip west of the Mississippi and into Minnesota before turning back to the East Coast.

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Jeffersonville, OH to Fairmont, WV

Day 14 - Thursday

September 3, 2009

263 miles

So many good roads to be found in Ohio and so many painted barns. I'll have to come back and have a Quilted Barn Tour when I can stay in the area longer. This Ohio Star block design will be a good start to that tour.

Holt BMW in Athens, Ohio was on my call list when looking for a tire. Unfortunately, they didn't have the tire in stock I was looking for, but agreed to mount the tire for $50 if I found it and brought it in with me. Holt BMW doesn't sport the latest contemporary facade, but inside you will find real BMW people with plenty of loyal supporters that depend on them for sales, service and parts. The small dealer with a big heart provides all the usual services, but their specialty is custom and restoration paint projects.

The new Tourance rear tire is now mounted, thanks to Holt BMW. My job is to get it scrubbed in. The rolling Ohio River Valley roads will be perfect for such a chore. Off I go!

Moving down Ohio's Hwy 550 is great fun and Fleming is a bonus. I stop to collect a photo to add to my "family names" file. Howdy, Cousin! This one's for you!

Before leaving Ohio, I make a stop in the State's Oldest City ... Marietta. There's a perfect place atop a bluff in the city to get a "postcard perfect" view of the city.

Taking advantage of the "postcard perfect" view, I get a few postcard photos for my own collection.

Marietta, Ohio

Marietta, Ohio

Ohio River Scenic Byway -- Hwy 7

The Sistersville Ferry crosses the Ohio River to connect Fly, Ohio and Sistersville, West Virginia.

The $3 fare is worth the experience of participating in the slower, romanticized method of fording the river. As much as I love the small back roads across the USA, the opportunity to take my motorcycle with me aboard a ferry to continue my adventure across the way just adds bonus points to my day!

Sistersville Ferry, established 1818

Sistersville, West Virginia

The sisters' names? Sarah & Delilah!

Not knowing where I'm staying tonight, I start giving it some thought as I head across the hills of West Virginia on Hwy 20. I land at a Burger King in Bridgeport on I-79 where I did motel recognizance while having supper. Generally, it is easier to find a motel closer to the Interstates ... and so I do, up the freeway in Fairmont, West Virginia.

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