We wake up this morning, and the parking lot at the York Motel 6 is full of … cars. And rain puddles. Arghh!!!

This is day 9 in a row of rain. If this were a TV news show, they’d call it “Harley Stormwatch 2012!”

I am really looking forward to drying out in La Quinta soon. Or maybe having a rain-free day at least once before we return to Farragut, Tennessee, on Sunday.

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If you’re riding 4,000 miles ( / -) in 17 days on a Harley, you just can’t (or shouldn’t) pass up the opportunity to tour the Harley Davidson plant in York, Pennsylvania. So of course, we check it out. Click here to learn more about the wonderful world of Harley. Click here to see a cool video, showing how my Harley was made — right here in York. You will believe in American workmanship, all over again.

At the York facility, They assemble softails, touring bikes, and trikes. Which means my Harley at hone came off the assembly line here. The drive train (engine and transmission) are shipped from Wisconsin, where theyre made lovingly by cheeseheads.

The parallels between Harley production and production of Boeing jetliners are striking. Both focus on work teams, continuous improvement, and modern manufacturing processes. The Harley plant utilizes robotics and state-of-the-art assembly.

As we walk throughout the factory, we see many parallels to Boeing production: high use of kitting, take time, visual reminders of how the production is moving, a high awareness of any issues that need immediate attention.

One major difference between Harley and Boeing production: I am not licensed to fly 747s, but I do have a California motorcycle endorsement.

Another major difference: About 30 percent of Harley production is exported. The number at Boeing is just the opposite: 30 percent are for domestic (US) delivery, while 70 percent of Boeing’s jetliner production is for international consumption.

The free tour (take note, Boeing) lasts about an hour, and takes us through all major facets of Harley production. I would show you what it looks like, but they don’t allow cameras on the factory floor.

About 1,000 workers are in the plant. Most are members of IAMAW (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers). They produce many of the more than 200,000 bikes made every year by Harley.

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We cross I-83, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Highway, and head west on US-30 toward Gettysburg. We pass the York airport, whose Runway 17/35 is 5,188 feet long. A C-17 loaded with Harleys could land here. A 747 could not. At Boeing, I did PR for both of those airplane programs — the C-17 and the 747. Speaking of C-17s, did I mention I flew into Iraq on a C-17 a few years ago during the Iraq War? Yep, I flew into a combat zone, with the permission and encouragement of the US government. True story. Ask me about it, or click here to read a first-person account of my mission to Iraq. Or, click here to read a more sanitized, corporate version of my foray into war.

And speaking of war zones (nice segue, huh?) … today there’s quite a bit of Civil War tourist stuff on our agenda. After the Harley factory, it’s time to visit Gettysburg National Military Park. If you’re a Civil War buff, this is for you. Click here to learn more about Gettysburg.

On the afternoon of November 19, 1863, the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg was dedicated. The dedication ceremony took place four and a half months after the Union armies defeated those of the Confederacy at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Among the presentations that day was the Gettysburg Address, now known as one of the most famous and enduring speeches in American history. The words of the Gettysburg Address are carved into the south wall of the interior of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. Wanna hear the two-minute Gettysburg Address in its entirety? Click here to listen to a reading by actor Jeff Daniels.

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We ride south and west from Gettysburg on US-15, crossing into Maryland. We are going from one Civil War site (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) to another (Antietam, Maryland). We cross I-70, named the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, on our way to Sharpsburg, Maryland, home of the Antietam National Battlefield, which we visited on our way north last week.

Eisenhower, who has a hospital named after him in Rancho Mirage, California, has highways and historic sites named after him in the Gettysburg area. Ike had a farm here that served as a weekend retreat when he was President. It then became the Eisenhowers’ home after they left the White House in 1961. While in office, his guests in Gettysburg included Soviet Premier Nikita Kruschev, French President Charles de Gaulle, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Eisenhower is one of only ten officers promoted to five-star rank in the history of the US military. The five-star rank was permanently retired in 1981 in this country, though other nations (including Australia, Croatia, India, Pakistan, and Poland) still award five-star ranks. As part of the USA bicentennial celebration on July 4, 1976, George Washington was permanently made superior to any other five-star general/admiral with the title “general of the armies.”

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From Sharpsburg, on the perimeter of Antietam National Battlefield, we continue south through West Virginia on US-340 near Shepherdstown, then crossing into Virginia.

So far today, our ride has not felt any raindrops (other than a few in the Motel 6 parking lot). Now, the sun comes out. It is mostly sunny the remainder of the day — until dark, of course. It appears that we are in for good weather the rest of the way.

As soon as we enter Virginia, we’re in Northern Virginia wine country. That’s what the signs say. We don’t stop at the wineries though, even though there are dozens on our route.

We ride through Berryville, Virginia, whose notables include:

• Oliver North of Iran/Contra fame, now host of “War Stories with Oliver North” on Fox (during his military career, North received zero stars)
• Drew Gilpin Faust, former president of Harvard University, and the first woman to hold that position
• Harry F. Byrd, former senator from Virginia, best remembered for his pay-as-you-go financial policies and his opposition to racial desegregation of public schools

From Berryville, we go south on US-340, cross I-66 by a Wal-Mart Supercenter and continue about five miles to Front Royal, Virginia. Front Royal is at the northern end of Skyline Drive, a spectacular 105-mile ride through Shenandoah National Park. The Park was established in 1935, ostensibly as a playground for residents of nearby Washington DC. To learn more about Shenandoah National Park, click here.

Speed limit along the length of Skyline Drive is 35 MPH. Slow down, and enjoy the scenery. What’s the hurry?

Some people seem to always be in a hurry. There’s a great story about Tina Sanders, owner of the Harley I’m riding on this trip, getting a speeding ticket on Skyline Drive some years ago. I think she was doing 70. Ray says it was a very expensive ticket. For Tina, who racks up tickets in her Cadillac the way most of us collect frequent flyer miles, it’s just part of the cost of transportation. Tina tried, unsuccessfully, to talk her way out of the Skyline Drive ticket. She’s often quite persuasive, and has turned many traffic stops into nothing more than lively conversations with officers of the law — no exchange of paperwork needed.

Today, we ride the entire length of Skyline Drive, which runs along the ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Click here to learn more about Skyline Drive.

At the southern exit from Shenandoah National Park, we continue on Skyline Drive for about 10 miles, where it connects with the Blue Ridge Parkway, and crosses I-64. We merge onto I-64 for a few miles, and roll into Waynesboro, Virginia, where we’ll stay for the night: Days Inn ($90 taxes). The motel is on the P. Buckley Moss Parkway (US-340). Who?

Waynesboro is home to P. Buckley Moss and the P. Buckley Boss Museum, which opened in 1989. Patricia Buckley Moss, now 79 years old, is an artist known for her portrayals of rural landscapes and life in the Shenandoah Valley. She was particularly drawn to the Amish and Mennonite people who farmed in the countryside, and has portrayed their figures in iconic ways. In the marketing of her artwork and museum, Moss is called “The People’s Artist.”

Waynesboro derives its name from General Anthony Wayne. Or Wayne Newton. Or rapper Lil Wayne. Not exactly sure. The city’s local newspaper is The News Virginian, made famous in 2011 by its front-page photo of the regional soap box derby finals.

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Day Fourteen Summary: Touring the Harley plant, a five-star history lesson, Skyline Drive — what’s the hurry? … the People’s Artist. Miles ridden today: 263. Total miles since leaving Farragut, Tennessee, on September 21: 3,323.

To view today’s complete route from York, Pennsylvania, to Waynesboro, Virginia, click here.

What will tomorrow bring?