The trip ended before August arrived and covered 3,706 miles. Talk about saddle sores! Although Marcia says traveling on their Harley Electra Glide is like riding a luxury car.

Marcia Michalski Westfall, Class of 1974, of Kilarm, and husband Dave Westfall, Class of 1948, are gallivanting off on their Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide again.

This time they’re putting in a few thousands miles between Fairmont and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It’s only 525 miles if you take the main highways, but Marcia and Dave enjoy the back roads with their bike.

They're on their way back to Fairmont, stopping Wednesday, July 16 in Myrtle Beach for the day and a sleepover.

This trip is child’s play compared to 2012, when, as Marcia put it, “We rode across the United States and saw so many amazing things. When my husband was a teenager he had a Honda 100, his brother had a Suzuki 125 and they rode the trails. We have a great time on our bike!!"

Absolutely.

Added Marcia: "Last year we rode the bike to 

the Keys and the year before we went across the country to the Golden Gate Bridge and saw sooooo much !!"

I didn’t learn to ride a motorcycle till I was 38 years old and electrician friend the late Gene Gray of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio taught me how to ride on his farm land in Willard, Ohio, then sold me one of his bikes, a 250 cc Benelli, an Italian motorcycle. We bought a 175 Yamama, 125 Honda and 75 Suzuki – rigged up devices in our camping trailer to haul the bikes – and would go off to Pennsylvania and New York for logging trails and other less-traveled roads. We also got our son, John Larry, a Penton dirt trail bike. 

There was a time when I rode shotgun with several families of bikers and mine was the 15^th motorcycle in the line on a country highway.

While Marcia and Dave are sailing along with the wind massaging their bodies and souls all over this magnificent country of ours, my wife Monnie and three children were happy staying off the highways, except for an occasional foray onto the curvy, mountain roads of West Virginia.

There’s no feeling like it, except maybe freefalling from an airplane.

Marcia, who put her Fairmont State degree to good use by becoming an elementary teacher in Marion County, and Dave, put 596 miles on their bike just to get to Virginia Beach, Virginia and expect to hit the Outer Banks today.

Marcia's parents are Ramona Fullen Michalski, Class of 1949, who lives in Monongah, and the late Frank Michalski, who was in the Class of 1948.

Marcia and Dave’s daughter, Amy Westfall Raines, North Marion grad and former Fairmont State cheerleader, is the North Marion cheerleading coach.  

Marcia’s son, also David Westfall and a North Marion graduate, on May 13, 2014, provided Ramona with her 20^th great-grandchild in Lucille “Lucy” Marie Westfall.

Marcia’s siblings are Mike Michalski (wife Jan) and Jay Michalski (wife Debbie), both of Monongah, Carol Michalski Drake (husband Bob) of Shinnston and Ramona Michalski, who lives with Ramona in Monongah. 

Their sister, Mary Frances Michalski Gapen, Class of 1968, married to Rick Gapen, passed away in 2012. Mary was a teacher at Barrackville Middle School and Monongah Elementary.

Ramona's grandson, Tony Michalski, is Marion County Parks and Recreation Comission executive director.

Keep your mouth shut and behind the faring, Marcia and Dave. Otherwise you’ll need bug-removing equipment for your teeth. Face shields were invented for that purpose, too.

Happy trails to both of you, M & D!!! Come home safe and sound.