In July, 4 buddies handed the 4 corners verify.
What are the “4 corners”? The 4 corners are the 4 most extreme areas throughout the northwest, the southwest, the southeast and the northeast of the continental U.S.
Each little factor about their bike verify of velocity and endurance — organized by the Southern California Motorcycling Affiliation — is fantastic.
The youngest of the 4 Motor Maids — Mary Lee, Beth Pickett, Julie Starkey and Roxanne Fike — is 57.
From their first nook, the verify allowed 21 days for completion. They did it in 17.
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They left northeast Indiana July 3 nevertheless the verify did not begin until they’ve been at their first nook, Blaine, Washington. It was 2,828 miles to Blaine from Roxanne’s dwelling, east of Avilla, on Baseline Freeway in DeKalb County.
July 8 was the day their countdown from Blaine began.
They arrived at their subsequent nook — San Ysidro, California — immediately north of the U.S.-Mexico border — July 12, and have been 4,104 miles from Roxanne’s home.
On July 19 they reached Key West, Florida, 7,274 miles from Roxanne’s home.
They reached Madawaska, Maine, the fourth nook, on July 24. “Our households tracked us,” Roxanne recalled. “We now have been very close to Canada various events (on their technique to and from Madawaska).”
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For the competitors, they rode 9,461 miles. Nevertheless counting the journey to Blaine after which the journey home from Madawaska, they totaled 10,746 miles, arriving once more home in Indiana July 27.
They rode by the use of rain and hail and battled extreme winds. South Dakota’s cross winds topped 40 mph. “Bodily, it was very troublesome to stay upright,” Roxanne talked about. “We did good.”
Usually they rode in moonlight to steer clear of temperatures as extreme as 120 ranges.
They rode by the use of wildfire smoke in California, nevertheless they on no account felt unsafe.
They communicated using headsets on their helmets.
In Florida a fatality involving three semi vans and 5 cars pressured them to attend on the sting of the road for larger than two hours. Roxanne used an umbrella for shade.
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The 4 Motor Maids have been Julie Starkey of Auburn, the lead bike (2017 Harley Davidson Tri Glide trike); Beth Pickett of Portland, Indiana (2015 Harley Davidson Highway Glide); Roxanne (2017 Indian Chieftain) and the tail, their blocker, Mary Lee of Fort Wayne (2017 Harley Davidson Tri Glide trike).
Required documentation included a picture taken with a landmark (such as a result of the publish office) at each location; gasoline receipts with title of metropolis, full and date; and odometer readings. The USA 4 Corners Tour, open to men and women and any kind of bike, is organized by the Southern California Motorcycling Affiliation.
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Roxanne’s father and her uncles all had bikes and so does her husband, Kenneth. She rode on the once more of his nevertheless then she obtained an endorsement and commenced utilizing her private bike with a pal.
A 1977 East Noble graduate (her maiden title is Ransom) she is in Extension Homemakers, a quilter and he or she used to guage 4-H and county truthful competitions.
An Extension Homemakers pal, Margaret Menges of Noble County, instructed her about Motor Maids, Inc., with members throughout the U.S. and Canada.
“That was 24 years up to now,” Roxanne talked about. “I joined and on no account appeared once more.”
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Basic, their bikes did very nicely and the women had no bodily points. They modified their oil every 5,000 miles. The one “panic” was when Julie’s bike misplaced fluid throughout the clutch — correct off the freeway her bike stopped and it was extremely regarded. They wanted to expertise 100 miles — Julie with no clutch — to find a Harley vendor.
Temperatures ranged from 51 to 120 ranges. “When you expertise, it seems to be like 30 ranges a lot much less so it’s essential to bundle up,” Roxanne talked about. “Nevertheless the heat off the pavement could also be very scorching.” Roxanne is allergic to the photo voltaic so she was lined up all the time.
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All their journey was on the interstate because of they wanted to go fast. “Normally we take it gradual on two-lane roads,” Roxanne talked about, “and this was fast. It was so scorching we decided to expertise at night time time just a few events. We rode by the use of Los Angeles at night time time. Website guests was tons increased than if we had ridden all through the day.”
Normally they took good thing about the diamond lane — the far left lane for cars with three or additional passengers, buses and bikes. On account of this truth, they weren’t often caught in website guests.
“Seattle was the proper metropolis ever to see downtown on the diamond lane and naturally, Key West.”
They left on July 3 and expert fireworks all alongside the best way during which. “We seen various patriotism throughout the U.S. — that’s for sure,” Roxanne talked about. “We seen tons and plenty of flags — large flags. Basic individuals are great good. In any case we seen various crazy drivers, nevertheless complete it was good.”
For a while, in Los Angeles, they wanted to get off the interstate and have been throughout the metropolis. “It was early throughout the morning and we seen homeless people,” Roxanne talked about. “We weren’t frightened, nevertheless you are concerned.”
They seen seven lifeless armadillos and one reside one, in Florida. “It really is a ravishing animal,” Roxanne talked about.
Moreover they seen three lifeless purple foxes and one Key deer (Key deer, found solely throughout the Florida Keys, are smaller than widespread deer, and endangered). Roxanne remembers seeing deer eyeballs mirrored throughout the moonlight.
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Roxanne wanted to do the 4 corners collectively along with her husband, Kenneth, to mark their thirty fifth anniversary, nevertheless he is not a protracted distance rider. They’ve two sons, Andrew and Matthew, and one grandson, Henry.
What is the prize for passing the 4 corners verify? “We get a pat on the once more and presumably a plaque,” Roxanne talked about.
Nevertheless much more important: Roxanne realized a 15-year dream.
Roxanne Fike’s crusing career began in 2008
Together with motorcycling, Roxanne travels by sea.
Chef for a crew of 10 on a Service supplier Marine vessel, she started crusing in 2008 and attended The Harry Lundeberg College of Seamanship.
She is scheduled to return to her ship (most likely at Tampa, Florida) Aug. 24.
Normally, her hitches on the chemical tanker are 45 days on and 45 days off nevertheless when COVID hit they’ve been confined to the boat until they might work out what would happen. “They saved us 85 days when the pandemic first started,” she talked about.
When her assist needed 60 days off, Roxanne labored for her “and the deal was after I needed break day to try this journey she would work for me.”
They sail in U.S. coastal waters, regulated by the U.S. Coast Guard. A private agency owns the vessel and they also transport quite a lot of cargo, ranging from gasoline oil to elements in fingernail polish remover to molasses for cattle feed.
