The 2019 BMW National Rally

Sometimes the motorcycle gods are not certain whether or not to bless you. Yesterday it rained all day in Green Bay. I rode my 2011 R 1200 GSA from its home to my house and it sat in the rain all night. The day dawned dry, cold and cloudy. My alarm, or its operator, misfired so the day got off to a quick start. The day, in particular, was the the day I was on my way to the 2019 BMW National Rally in Lebanon, Tennessee.

I had planned to carefully load the bike in the morning due to the rain the day before. Due to the alarm issue it became a quick, but efficient load out. I was able to suck down only one cup of strong coffee, but when my brother arrived on his 2016 BMW R 1200 GSA I was ready to go.

Our route took us south on I 43 through Milwaukee. It was only in the low 50's, so I was grateful for my clothing choices. I wore a Nike thermal shirt along with two others and Under Armour 4.0 thermal layer pants under my jeans. My trusty Olympia AST, with liner, was up to the task.

We stopped at a Kwik Trip north of Milwaukee and then at the Lake Forest Oasis in Illinois.
I had anticipated a bit of rain, and Mother Nature did not disappoint. After a hearty breakfast of Dunkin' Donuts and coffee we merged back onto I 94 East. The rain continued intermittently from northern Illinois right through central Indiana. But by the time we neared Louisville, Kentucky there was abundant sunshine and temperatures in the low 70's.

We arrived at Fort Knox at about 1900 Eastern Daylight Time. The receptionists at the Newgarden Inn made registration a breeze and soon we were ensconced in our excellent accommodations. As an Army veteran it is always a pleasure to be back on a military installation.

At the Fort Knox Visitor Center.