ATHENS — Mansfield Scott, 70, of Elkmont, saw “the window of opportunity closing” two years ago when he had a heart attack.
He figured if he were ever to realize his lifelong dream of taking a four-corners tour of the United States, it had better be soon.
Scott, who lives in the Elkmont Rural Village with his wife, Lois, is set to straddle his new Honda Goldwing 1800 and hit the open road. Lois, who has logged a lot of miles on the back of his Honda 1500, said she would sit this trip out.
Scott estimates it will take at least two months to make the circuit of the United States. He thumbs through a dog-eared atlas and explains his route.
“I’ll head south to Mobile and then take 10 west and get off at Biloxi and go through New Orleans,” he said. “Once I get into Texas, I’m going down to Brownsville and on to San Diego, then get on Highway 1 for awhile and up to Seattle. I’ll bring 2 across into Upper Michigan and cross over the Straights of Mackinac, through Michigan and up to Maine and then down the East Coast to Miami and then back up to Alabama.”
Scott will make the trip alone.
“I have a friend who was going to go with me,” he said. “We’ve been friends since we were 5, but he got cancer.”
Scott has been riding motorcycles since he was 15.
“I’ve always loved bikes,” he said. “When I was young my brother got a motorized bicycle. I got on it and started it, but I had forgotten to put the kickstand up and I just sat there and I couldn’t figure out how to turn it off.”
He said his friend got a small Harley when they were 13 and they would ride that bike everywhere.
Originally from Limestone County, the couple moved to Racine, Wis., where Scott worked for J.I. Case Co., manufacturing farm and construction equipment. He retired at 55 and they moved back to Limestone County.
“We couldn’t agree on a house,” he said. “What she liked I didn’t like and what I liked she didn’t like, but we both agreed on this house here in the Rural Village.”
Scott said he enjoys watching the deer in his yard.
The Scotts have three adult children, the oldest of whom lives in Rockford, Ill., the youngest in Milwaukee and the middle child, Wayne, who lives in Beulah Land of south Limestone County.
But his latest baby is the Honda 1800. The massive bike seems to take up half of his workshop, glistening like a jewel on wheels. It comes equipped with a GPS system and DVD changer.
“I’m going to take a tape recorder on my trip, a new camera and my laptop,” he said. “Whenever I get tired, I’ll pull off and spend a couple of days in a location.”
He says he hopes to write up an account of his adventure when he returns.
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June 29, 2009
Song of the open road lures Elkmont man
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