four corners

New York, <Vermont, New Brunswick, Canada, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware and then down then were heading towards the New York City metropolitan area. We did not want to go through Manhattan so we tried to stay as far away as we could. I forget the highway we were on, but it was completely stop and go one foot at a time and the temperature was in the mid-90s. So, there we are sitting on motorcycles whose engine temperature was exceeding 300°, boiling in the sun no wind to cool off the engines. As the ride leader I pulled off the next exit and started driving through some little neighborhood. All the other bikes were right behind me. I ultimately found a big tree that had enough shade for all of us to ​ park our bikes underneath. Then we sat down on a wall by the sidewalk and drank all the remaining water that we had. We were really hot, really tired and none of us really knew what to do. We did not want to get back on that highway and just spend an hour going a mile. About 1/2 an hour later we saw some guy who lived on the other side of

the street three or four houses further down come walking towards us. We hoped he was not going to remind us about the no parking sign by the tree. He was very friendly and knew a lot about Harley-Davidson motorcycles. It turns out he owned and operated a small machinery fabrication company that made aftermarket specialty parts for Harleys. 

He invited us down to his shop, gave us some snacks and let us use his restroom which we all really needed to do, then gave us a tour of his shop and showed us some of the parts that he makes. After about an hour he asked if we knew how to get where we were going... which was going to be in Virginia. He then on drew a map the best way to get to another highway that would not be as backed up and crowded as the one we got off. Then just before we were going to leave, he said: let me get in my truck then you follow me, and I will take you to where that highway begins so you can get on it easy and not get lost again. So, we followed him and got on the highway. Everything was going well. In my mind I knew there was a right lane that split off from the main highway that we were supposed to take. However, for some reason while looking at my GPS which said to continue straight, I failed to make the right turn. Sometimes a GPS is confused or will lie to you. 

All the other bikes behind me made the right turn. I could see them, and I just raised up my arms like I messed up. So, I called one of them and said I'm going to keep going on this road until I get to the place in Virginia that we're supposed to go to. Well, the traffic was so bad that I did not make it that far and had to pull into a motel at about 10:00 at night. ​

So, I called them again and we agreed to meet up at the next night's stop which was going to be in Tennessee. Which worked out. So, was I lost? In that neighborhood by the tree, I was kind of lost because I didn't know the best way to get to where I wanted to go until the neighbor across the street came and showed us. By the way we made it to Key West which is the southeast furthest point of the four corners ride. I had already been to San Ysidro in Southern California for the southwestern furthest point and to Blaine Washington, the official NW corner. (I don't know why they don't consider Anchorage AK, or Honolulu…where I have also ridden).  Now, I have all 4 corners. Along the way we made lots of wrong turns, but always figured out how to get to the next stop.  We were on small log boats crossing creeks in upstate NY, and large ferry boats crossing the Gulf of St. Lawrence.