Day 19 – June 28, 2009
We left Albuquerque under cloudy skies and the ever present wind. Within 30 minutes we pulled off to put on jackets and 30 more minutes we stopped to put on the rain suits. The ground and the mountains in New Mexico are all a deep red. Quickly the mountains slip into the far distance and the wide open range is covered with brown grass and cactus. In this semi-desert environment there are no trees and one of the locals at a rest stop said ‘it never rains here’ well I guess we brought it because it was raining; not hard and not for long but enough to make it cold. By 1 PM the sun was out and the temp was climbing fast so another stop to remove the rain suits and jackets. As we crossed into Texas the range changed from red to white sand with more cactus and small trees; some dead and some trying to survive then suddenly the range was green around Vega Texas. There were cattle in the fields and corn growing. We passed the first feed lot since the ones we saw in Kansas. It was as if a line had been drawn in the sand – west dry, desert – east green, growing. My brother-in-law moved to Texas over 15 years ago and sold his motorcycle because the wind was such a problem. He just purchased another one this past year. Had the wind stopped or had he gotten use to it? I can tell you the wind has not stopped. It is always blowing but usually it picks up strength around 2 in the afternoon. The sun is hot and you can get a real nice tan in about an hour out here in the wide open spaces. We have arrived in Amarillo for the night.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Hello from New Mexico
Day 18 – June 27, 2009
It was already warm when we left Winslow around 7:30 AM heading for Albuquerque, New Mexico. A few miles down the road we pulled off route 66 at Holbrook, AZ to find the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest NP. Downtown Holbrook is a typical example of the old route 66 era where you find the Wigwam Motel with several cars from the 1950’s parked in front. Just as we entered the road to the Petrified Forest there were two information/souvenir businesses with several cars parked outside. I pulled into one and when we parked the bikes we noticed the tires were flat on one of the cars; then we noticed the second car didn’t have a tag and the tires on the third car were flat. Wouldn’t you guess – all the cars were ‘junks’ parked there to make it appear as if they were busy when in reality they weren’t even opened yet! We went across the street to the second business and while they were open and did have two or three real customers they too had 2 ro 3 cars setup for show. We proceeded to the park and got a few pictures, walked the trail around the forest and in an hour headed back for route 40 and eastward bound. It is hard to imagine that millions of years ago this dry, desert was lush with vegetation and inhabited by dinosaurs. All along the way were signs for Navajo Indian Trading Posts offering jewelry, food, gas, blankets, you name it. As we entered New Mexico we were greeted by magnificent red and yellow cliffs with Navajo homes built in their native adobe style sheltered at the base of the cliffs just as their ancestors had built their homes years ago. Small homes dot the reservation with broken down cars or trucks in the yards and horses grazing on what they can find green to eat. The red cliffs are always to our left towering high and stately. Suddenly just past the Continental Divide the earth looked as if it had erupted as blacktop does during an intense heat wave. The rocks were black as pitch and appeared as if the earth had been pushed up from underneath by massive pressure trying to escape from deep within the earth’s crust. Bernie told me later that years ago when he traveled this way he was told it was from volcanic activity thousands of years ago. We have settled at the Quality Inn in Albuquerque NM. I picked up one of those advertising magazines at some McDonalds on the way and found a coupon for a very good rate and they have a full hot breakfast buffet with your room rate. I never paid much attention to these little advertisement booklets until Kathy showed me the wisdom in checking them out.
It was already warm when we left Winslow around 7:30 AM heading for Albuquerque, New Mexico. A few miles down the road we pulled off route 66 at Holbrook, AZ to find the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest NP. Downtown Holbrook is a typical example of the old route 66 era where you find the Wigwam Motel with several cars from the 1950’s parked in front. Just as we entered the road to the Petrified Forest there were two information/souvenir businesses with several cars parked outside. I pulled into one and when we parked the bikes we noticed the tires were flat on one of the cars; then we noticed the second car didn’t have a tag and the tires on the third car were flat. Wouldn’t you guess – all the cars were ‘junks’ parked there to make it appear as if they were busy when in reality they weren’t even opened yet! We went across the street to the second business and while they were open and did have two or three real customers they too had 2 ro 3 cars setup for show. We proceeded to the park and got a few pictures, walked the trail around the forest and in an hour headed back for route 40 and eastward bound. It is hard to imagine that millions of years ago this dry, desert was lush with vegetation and inhabited by dinosaurs. All along the way were signs for Navajo Indian Trading Posts offering jewelry, food, gas, blankets, you name it. As we entered New Mexico we were greeted by magnificent red and yellow cliffs with Navajo homes built in their native adobe style sheltered at the base of the cliffs just as their ancestors had built their homes years ago. Small homes dot the reservation with broken down cars or trucks in the yards and horses grazing on what they can find green to eat. The red cliffs are always to our left towering high and stately. Suddenly just past the Continental Divide the earth looked as if it had erupted as blacktop does during an intense heat wave. The rocks were black as pitch and appeared as if the earth had been pushed up from underneath by massive pressure trying to escape from deep within the earth’s crust. Bernie told me later that years ago when he traveled this way he was told it was from volcanic activity thousands of years ago. We have settled at the Quality Inn in Albuquerque NM. I picked up one of those advertising magazines at some McDonalds on the way and found a coupon for a very good rate and they have a full hot breakfast buffet with your room rate. I never paid much attention to these little advertisement booklets until Kathy showed me the wisdom in checking them out.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Traveling Route 66
Day 17 – June 26, 2009
Breakfast at the Silver Spoon Diner on route 66 in Kingman and then off we went heading east on The Mother Road. We begin to see more green in the fields to the left and right. Small trees and shrubs and the tumbleweed is green but still no grass. There are a few small herds of longhorn cattle or other beef breeds. In one of the open semi-desert fields I noticed hundreds of prairie dog holes and little prairie dogs sitting up watching us pass; some were scurrying across the road while others were just resting and sunning themselves on the road. Not real smart animals! We stopped for a rest break and some route 66 souvenir shopping in Seligman, AZ. In Williams AZ we stop for some pictures and Glenn, Kathy, Roger and Ginny decide to stay for the night and then visit the Grand Canyon tomorrow. We will meet them back in Delaware. Bernie, Shirley, Don and I head for Winslow, AZ for the night.
Breakfast at the Silver Spoon Diner on route 66 in Kingman and then off we went heading east on The Mother Road. We begin to see more green in the fields to the left and right. Small trees and shrubs and the tumbleweed is green but still no grass. There are a few small herds of longhorn cattle or other beef breeds. In one of the open semi-desert fields I noticed hundreds of prairie dog holes and little prairie dogs sitting up watching us pass; some were scurrying across the road while others were just resting and sunning themselves on the road. Not real smart animals! We stopped for a rest break and some route 66 souvenir shopping in Seligman, AZ. In Williams AZ we stop for some pictures and Glenn, Kathy, Roger and Ginny decide to stay for the night and then visit the Grand Canyon tomorrow. We will meet them back in Delaware. Bernie, Shirley, Don and I head for Winslow, AZ for the night.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Beginning the Mother Road
Day 16 – June 25, 2009
Planned to meet at 9:30 AM to leave Vegas; Bernie checked his oil and found the shop had not filled the bike so he called Glenn to stop and get a quart since the shop was close to their hotel. We waited and waited and Glenn, Kathy, Roger and Ginny finally showed up about an hour or so later – they had gotten lost in the vast, fast moving city. It was hot – about 90 degrees already as we headed south for Hoover Dam. The traffic was pretty heavy and there is now a security check point before you cross the dam. Traffic was moving at 5 mph; bumper to bumper for about 15 miles. The new bypass to route 93 is almost complete and then you will not be able to travel across the dam. The next 70 miles were hot with more deserts. Honestly I’m getting pretty tired of the desert, the heat and the wind. I cannot imagine how the settlers must have felt crossing this waste land in covered wagons. I’m certainly ready for the green fields of Kentucky and Tennessee. We have arrived in Kingman and will begin traveling the Mother Road – Route 66 tomorrow as much as possible. We had lunch at Mr. D’Z on route 66 and it was a step back in time. We only traveled 114 miles today but everyone felt beat-up I think because of the heat and the very slow, tense pace at the Hoover Dam.
Planned to meet at 9:30 AM to leave Vegas; Bernie checked his oil and found the shop had not filled the bike so he called Glenn to stop and get a quart since the shop was close to their hotel. We waited and waited and Glenn, Kathy, Roger and Ginny finally showed up about an hour or so later – they had gotten lost in the vast, fast moving city. It was hot – about 90 degrees already as we headed south for Hoover Dam. The traffic was pretty heavy and there is now a security check point before you cross the dam. Traffic was moving at 5 mph; bumper to bumper for about 15 miles. The new bypass to route 93 is almost complete and then you will not be able to travel across the dam. The next 70 miles were hot with more deserts. Honestly I’m getting pretty tired of the desert, the heat and the wind. I cannot imagine how the settlers must have felt crossing this waste land in covered wagons. I’m certainly ready for the green fields of Kentucky and Tennessee. We have arrived in Kingman and will begin traveling the Mother Road – Route 66 tomorrow as much as possible. We had lunch at Mr. D’Z on route 66 and it was a step back in time. We only traveled 114 miles today but everyone felt beat-up I think because of the heat and the very slow, tense pace at the Hoover Dam.
Las Vegas
Day 15 – June 24, 2009
We rode through Death Valley today. As soon as we entered the region we began to descend like a roller coaster into a furnace. As we went deeper into the belly of the earth the heat climbed and was registering 125 degrees on the bike thermometer. The whole area was one pile or mountain of ash, desert, rock and dead tumbleweed. About the time I decided nothing was living in this God forsaken place a small critter ran across the road. I felt as if I was riding through the bottom of a huge furnace twisting and turning climbing and descending among the burning cinders. But we were still at 2000 feet elevation and then the roller coaster dropped to sea level and to our right and left were sand dunes just as you find at the beach back home in Delaware. For the first time on this trip I was wondering what I had gotten into. Leaving Death Valley was not much better – more desert, heat, blowing sand and dead tumbleweed but with one added feature – the wind was back. It was as if the ‘wind switch’ was turned on the minute we crossed the Nevada state line. We planned to spend the night in Las Vegas giving Shirley time to visit her sister and the guys wanted to get the oil changed in their bikes. Glenn, Kathy, Roger and Ginny wanted to get a hotel in the old downtown Vegas and I had no desire to wonder around downtown or the strip so Bernie, Shirley, Don and I stayed at Patsy’s house (Shirley’s sister). Immediately Don and I headed for the closest Honda shop and Glenn and Bernie headed for a Harley shop 10 miles away in the downtown area. The Honda shop was very busy but worked us in with a 3 hour wait and then when they finished we noticed oil leaking and they had to do a little more work to get it right. After getting the Harleys serviced Bernie headed back to Patsy’s while Glenn headed for their hotel. Bernie became so turned around in the busy streets and he said he saw several skeletons of people who got on the freeway and just never found their way off! He tried to call Patsy’s cell phone – no answer – he tried to call Don’s cell phone – no answer because he had the number wrong. He stopped and asked someone on the street but they had no idea. He continued to ride round and round hoping something would look familiar. Finally after about an hour or two he was off the bike and Shirley called his cell and asked where he was and Patsy’s daughter gave him directions to get back to the house. Poor Bernie – he was within a block or two of the house all the time. Patsy was laughing her head off. In Bernie’s defense I must say the traffic is crazy in Las Vegas.
We rode through Death Valley today. As soon as we entered the region we began to descend like a roller coaster into a furnace. As we went deeper into the belly of the earth the heat climbed and was registering 125 degrees on the bike thermometer. The whole area was one pile or mountain of ash, desert, rock and dead tumbleweed. About the time I decided nothing was living in this God forsaken place a small critter ran across the road. I felt as if I was riding through the bottom of a huge furnace twisting and turning climbing and descending among the burning cinders. But we were still at 2000 feet elevation and then the roller coaster dropped to sea level and to our right and left were sand dunes just as you find at the beach back home in Delaware. For the first time on this trip I was wondering what I had gotten into. Leaving Death Valley was not much better – more desert, heat, blowing sand and dead tumbleweed but with one added feature – the wind was back. It was as if the ‘wind switch’ was turned on the minute we crossed the Nevada state line. We planned to spend the night in Las Vegas giving Shirley time to visit her sister and the guys wanted to get the oil changed in their bikes. Glenn, Kathy, Roger and Ginny wanted to get a hotel in the old downtown Vegas and I had no desire to wonder around downtown or the strip so Bernie, Shirley, Don and I stayed at Patsy’s house (Shirley’s sister). Immediately Don and I headed for the closest Honda shop and Glenn and Bernie headed for a Harley shop 10 miles away in the downtown area. The Honda shop was very busy but worked us in with a 3 hour wait and then when they finished we noticed oil leaking and they had to do a little more work to get it right. After getting the Harleys serviced Bernie headed back to Patsy’s while Glenn headed for their hotel. Bernie became so turned around in the busy streets and he said he saw several skeletons of people who got on the freeway and just never found their way off! He tried to call Patsy’s cell phone – no answer – he tried to call Don’s cell phone – no answer because he had the number wrong. He stopped and asked someone on the street but they had no idea. He continued to ride round and round hoping something would look familiar. Finally after about an hour or two he was off the bike and Shirley called his cell and asked where he was and Patsy’s daughter gave him directions to get back to the house. Poor Bernie – he was within a block or two of the house all the time. Patsy was laughing her head off. In Bernie’s defense I must say the traffic is crazy in Las Vegas.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Last night in California
Day 14 – June 23, 2009
Leaving Placerville this morning we took 49 South heading for Yosemite NP. HWY 49 North was a real treat with all its twists and turns and 49 South proved to be just as much fun to ride. But nothing compares with route 120 approaching Yosemite! We climbed thousands of feet with 5 or 6 switchbacks because the climb was so steep. This road is not just the park entrance – it is traveled by trucks as well as buses and small towns (or what were towns in the past) can be found along the road. We were behind a truck and a bus trying to inch their way up this mountain and maneuver the switchbacks so this dropped our speed to about 10 mph so I was playing with the clutch and the brake to keep Abigail pulling. In Yosemite the stone walls reach high into the sky and the waterfalls seem to be falling in slow motion. You stand with your head tipped back as far as possible to see the tops. We saw a brown bear resting in a meadow and some dear. Heading out of the park we continued on route 120 which is Tioga Pass and climbs to over 9000 feet in elevation. The ride is amazing as you pass through meadows and forest then suddenly the forest slips away and the earth has suddenly opened up and you are riding beside a bottomless pit with no guard rails or shoulders on the road. I glance at the view but dare not linger lest I begin to pull the bike in the direction of my sight. Then as suddenly as the gapping hole appeared it is gone and the space is filled with the forest again and all the time we are climbing and coasting down the other side. About 9000 feet up I was getting cold so we stopped to put on our jackets. When we reached route 395 the speed picked up and we could move along at 70 mph then suddenly around Bishop CA we were in the desert again with no warning and the heat index jumped to a very uncomfortable degree. We have settled for the night at Motel 6 in Bishop, CA.
Leaving Placerville this morning we took 49 South heading for Yosemite NP. HWY 49 North was a real treat with all its twists and turns and 49 South proved to be just as much fun to ride. But nothing compares with route 120 approaching Yosemite! We climbed thousands of feet with 5 or 6 switchbacks because the climb was so steep. This road is not just the park entrance – it is traveled by trucks as well as buses and small towns (or what were towns in the past) can be found along the road. We were behind a truck and a bus trying to inch their way up this mountain and maneuver the switchbacks so this dropped our speed to about 10 mph so I was playing with the clutch and the brake to keep Abigail pulling. In Yosemite the stone walls reach high into the sky and the waterfalls seem to be falling in slow motion. You stand with your head tipped back as far as possible to see the tops. We saw a brown bear resting in a meadow and some dear. Heading out of the park we continued on route 120 which is Tioga Pass and climbs to over 9000 feet in elevation. The ride is amazing as you pass through meadows and forest then suddenly the forest slips away and the earth has suddenly opened up and you are riding beside a bottomless pit with no guard rails or shoulders on the road. I glance at the view but dare not linger lest I begin to pull the bike in the direction of my sight. Then as suddenly as the gapping hole appeared it is gone and the space is filled with the forest again and all the time we are climbing and coasting down the other side. About 9000 feet up I was getting cold so we stopped to put on our jackets. When we reached route 395 the speed picked up and we could move along at 70 mph then suddenly around Bishop CA we were in the desert again with no warning and the heat index jumped to a very uncomfortable degree. We have settled for the night at Motel 6 in Bishop, CA.
Monday, June 22, 2009
The Pacific Ocean At Last
Day 13 – June 22, 2009
Up early and heading back to Leggett to take California HWY 1 to Fort Bragg in hopes of seeing the Pacific Ocean. This part of HWY 1 is up and over some mountains with more twists and turns; for over 30 miles it was one curve after another with very few straight sections. We could smell the ocean before we could see it but the anticipation mounted. Finally we topped a mountain and cleared the forest and there it was in all its beauty. We rode HWY 1 for about 80 miles and stopped for breakfast at Fort Bragg. Glenn, Kathy, Roger and Ginny decided to ride on to San Francisco and will join up with us later tonight while Bernie, Shirley, Don and I headed cross country to Placerville for the night. We picked up the last part of route 50 at West Sacramento since we had departed the route at Placerville two days earlier. Route 50 begins and ends the same way – a 4 and 6 lane divided super highway with fast moving traffic. We have settled for the night at National 9 Inn in Placerville and I can highly recommend this establishment. The price is right at $48 a night and the room is very clean and well maintained.
Up early and heading back to Leggett to take California HWY 1 to Fort Bragg in hopes of seeing the Pacific Ocean. This part of HWY 1 is up and over some mountains with more twists and turns; for over 30 miles it was one curve after another with very few straight sections. We could smell the ocean before we could see it but the anticipation mounted. Finally we topped a mountain and cleared the forest and there it was in all its beauty. We rode HWY 1 for about 80 miles and stopped for breakfast at Fort Bragg. Glenn, Kathy, Roger and Ginny decided to ride on to San Francisco and will join up with us later tonight while Bernie, Shirley, Don and I headed cross country to Placerville for the night. We picked up the last part of route 50 at West Sacramento since we had departed the route at Placerville two days earlier. Route 50 begins and ends the same way – a 4 and 6 lane divided super highway with fast moving traffic. We have settled for the night at National 9 Inn in Placerville and I can highly recommend this establishment. The price is right at $48 a night and the room is very clean and well maintained.
The Giant Redwoods are Amazing!!!!
Day 12 – June 21, 2009
What a wonderful day! Garberville is a sleepy little town and the last town before the Avenue of the Giants so you pay the going price for food in the one diner in town. We headed for the Avenue around 9 AM and they are awesome. I took so many pictures but they do not do justice to these magnificent trees. We stopped at so many sights; the Chimney Tree where the whole tree was hollow and you could walk inside; two trees you can actually drive through, trees with rooms inside and more. We stopped and walked the woods and it was so quiet and the wind was blowing the tops of the trees and you could hear what sounded like the trees talking. Glenn, Kathy, Don and I were climbing fallen logs, crossing streams and getting inside several hollow trees we found in the woods. I saw an eagle perched on top of one of the trees watching us pass and then 3 or 4 others soaring high above the Redwood canopy as we were riding along. I was hoping to see a bear but no luck. I did see a baby fawn yesterday as we were riding. It couldn’t have been more than a day or two old and was running along side the road. Not sure where his mama was but I hope she found him. A couple of days ago in the Carson City area where the deer and the antelope play we saw a small herd of antelope grazing but that’s it so far. Our room at Sherwood Forest is nice for $66 a night; clean and comfortable with Redwoods in the yard.
What a wonderful day! Garberville is a sleepy little town and the last town before the Avenue of the Giants so you pay the going price for food in the one diner in town. We headed for the Avenue around 9 AM and they are awesome. I took so many pictures but they do not do justice to these magnificent trees. We stopped at so many sights; the Chimney Tree where the whole tree was hollow and you could walk inside; two trees you can actually drive through, trees with rooms inside and more. We stopped and walked the woods and it was so quiet and the wind was blowing the tops of the trees and you could hear what sounded like the trees talking. Glenn, Kathy, Don and I were climbing fallen logs, crossing streams and getting inside several hollow trees we found in the woods. I saw an eagle perched on top of one of the trees watching us pass and then 3 or 4 others soaring high above the Redwood canopy as we were riding along. I was hoping to see a bear but no luck. I did see a baby fawn yesterday as we were riding. It couldn’t have been more than a day or two old and was running along side the road. Not sure where his mama was but I hope she found him. A couple of days ago in the Carson City area where the deer and the antelope play we saw a small herd of antelope grazing but that’s it so far. Our room at Sherwood Forest is nice for $66 a night; clean and comfortable with Redwoods in the yard.
Bits and Pieces of Information
We are doing pretty good keeping this group together through towns. Rest stops have been made at service stations or fast food joints when possible but there have been times when we have just had to pull off the side of the road. Those are the times when Glenn is out walking in the desert looking for snakes and Bernie is doing jumping jacks to get the feeling back in his arms and legs. We have had a couple of minor mishaps, the one time my bike didn’t want to start and then today when Roger’s bike refused to start. He noticed it was not starting right earlier in the day and then we made our last rest stop around 4 PM and she wouldn’t start. Talk about good things happening; we had stopped at a service station located between two auto parts stores. He went to the NAPA store and they just happened to have a battery for his bike. The guys removed the old battery and installed the new one and an hour later we were back on our way. I lost my cell phone – this may not be a mishap but rather a blessing. Ginny put her camcorder in her coat pocket and it went bouncing down the road. Bernie stopped to pick it up even though he was sure it was broken but don’t you know it still works perfectly! When traveling this way you need to know the regular gas is 85 NOT 87; I think that is what happened the day my bike was acting up. I had filled up and just grabbed the regular gas. Once I ran that tank out and paid attention to get the 87 she has been running fine; plus we are now at an altitude of 300 feet instead of 7000 +.
We made it!
Day 11 – June 20, 2009
We have arrived in California today! Within minutes of leaving Carson City I began to see trees on the mountains; not big trees but at least they were green; mostly pines or evergreens. By the time we had circled around South Lake Tahoe the trees were Ponderosa Pines, huge tall trees. Lake Tahoe is beautiful but definitely a tourist spot. We continued to climb summits of over 7000 feet and rock and roll down the other side. The curves were so gentle until we reached Placerville California where we left route 50 and headed north west on California 49; wow what a road! We must have traveled at least 50 miles with hairpin curves and S turns one right after another. Now I have never ridden Deals Gap but I’m sure this road has that one bet. No guardrails, step banks, tight turns, on coming buses and trucks it was a real test of skills – a motorcyclist’s playground. I’m estimating we passed 100 locals riding bikes on this road today. After lunch we called and reserved rooms at the Sherwood Forest Motel in Garberville. We have found it is less stressful if we call ahead and reserve rooms for the night around noon instead of just taking our chances each night. California appears to be the land of milk and honey after several days of dry and windy deserts. I can only imagine how the settlers must have felt crossing this great country of ours. Was that all there was? Why would anyone want that barren wasteland? In California we found trees and lots of them; green fields of tomato plants, hay, vineyards, orchards and herds of cattle. The mountains in the distance look ‘fuzzy’ and when we got close and began to climb I noticed they are covered with a low growing brown grasses which make them very pretty. Soon we follow route 20 into the northern coastal area where we begin to see the mountains covered with large pine trees and then taking route 101 we begin to see the Redwoods. The ones along route 101 are huge but they are just baby trees. I cannot wait to see the giants tomorrow. It is cold! It was cold when we left Carson City then warmed around noon and then by 3 it was getting cooler and by 4 it was just plain cold. I would never have dreamed it would be this cold in June traveling across the country. Everyone we talk to says this is not the normal weather.
We have arrived in California today! Within minutes of leaving Carson City I began to see trees on the mountains; not big trees but at least they were green; mostly pines or evergreens. By the time we had circled around South Lake Tahoe the trees were Ponderosa Pines, huge tall trees. Lake Tahoe is beautiful but definitely a tourist spot. We continued to climb summits of over 7000 feet and rock and roll down the other side. The curves were so gentle until we reached Placerville California where we left route 50 and headed north west on California 49; wow what a road! We must have traveled at least 50 miles with hairpin curves and S turns one right after another. Now I have never ridden Deals Gap but I’m sure this road has that one bet. No guardrails, step banks, tight turns, on coming buses and trucks it was a real test of skills – a motorcyclist’s playground. I’m estimating we passed 100 locals riding bikes on this road today. After lunch we called and reserved rooms at the Sherwood Forest Motel in Garberville. We have found it is less stressful if we call ahead and reserve rooms for the night around noon instead of just taking our chances each night. California appears to be the land of milk and honey after several days of dry and windy deserts. I can only imagine how the settlers must have felt crossing this great country of ours. Was that all there was? Why would anyone want that barren wasteland? In California we found trees and lots of them; green fields of tomato plants, hay, vineyards, orchards and herds of cattle. The mountains in the distance look ‘fuzzy’ and when we got close and began to climb I noticed they are covered with a low growing brown grasses which make them very pretty. Soon we follow route 20 into the northern coastal area where we begin to see the mountains covered with large pine trees and then taking route 101 we begin to see the Redwoods. The ones along route 101 are huge but they are just baby trees. I cannot wait to see the giants tomorrow. It is cold! It was cold when we left Carson City then warmed around noon and then by 3 it was getting cooler and by 4 it was just plain cold. I would never have dreamed it would be this cold in June traveling across the country. Everyone we talk to says this is not the normal weather.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Day 10 – June 19, 2009
It dropped to 40 degrees last night in Ely so we started out with extra layers. After having our HWY 50 Survival Guide stamped in Ely we headed for all points west stopping in each town on the Nevada list to get the guide stamped. Within minutes of leaving Ely we were traveling the loneliest road in America. I would not consider this road lonely because of lack of vehicles, even though there were not many, but because of the feel of emptiness you get. We climbed summits, traveled through passes and snaked our way down to …. more sand and desert covered with tumbleweed and mountains in the distance. At one point it looked like a lake was just up ahead but when we arrived at that point it was just more of the same – sand. At some places the sand and desert were all and not even tumbleweed would grow. Then the wind began to blow! The air became hazy with the dust and you could see dust devils circling in the distance. By 10 AM we warmed up enough to remove the first and second layer of coats and after lunch we were getting hot. Our eyes were burning from the heat and the dust – the wind was now blowing harder. We were all struggling to keep the bikes steady; I know I was almost standing on the left floorboard to keep the bike from blowing off the road. The Lord and I were having a long talk – well I was pleading for help because every muscle in my arm, back, neck and legs were burning from the pressure to hold Abigail on the road. I have been told by a few local people that this is pretty much the norm so if you plan to travel this way on route 50 be prepared between Ely and Carson City for wind, heat and dust storms. Just before entering Fallon I think we saw miles of white sand with nothing growing. The area was damp and even had some puddles; you could distinguish the sand but what was that white stuff covering everything? Salt – we had run up on a salt field and as far as you could see on either side of the road was white. We have survived the loneliest road in America and have settled for the night at Best Value Inn in Carson City, NV. We are all doing laundry tonight.
It dropped to 40 degrees last night in Ely so we started out with extra layers. After having our HWY 50 Survival Guide stamped in Ely we headed for all points west stopping in each town on the Nevada list to get the guide stamped. Within minutes of leaving Ely we were traveling the loneliest road in America. I would not consider this road lonely because of lack of vehicles, even though there were not many, but because of the feel of emptiness you get. We climbed summits, traveled through passes and snaked our way down to …. more sand and desert covered with tumbleweed and mountains in the distance. At one point it looked like a lake was just up ahead but when we arrived at that point it was just more of the same – sand. At some places the sand and desert were all and not even tumbleweed would grow. Then the wind began to blow! The air became hazy with the dust and you could see dust devils circling in the distance. By 10 AM we warmed up enough to remove the first and second layer of coats and after lunch we were getting hot. Our eyes were burning from the heat and the dust – the wind was now blowing harder. We were all struggling to keep the bikes steady; I know I was almost standing on the left floorboard to keep the bike from blowing off the road. The Lord and I were having a long talk – well I was pleading for help because every muscle in my arm, back, neck and legs were burning from the pressure to hold Abigail on the road. I have been told by a few local people that this is pretty much the norm so if you plan to travel this way on route 50 be prepared between Ely and Carson City for wind, heat and dust storms. Just before entering Fallon I think we saw miles of white sand with nothing growing. The area was damp and even had some puddles; you could distinguish the sand but what was that white stuff covering everything? Salt – we had run up on a salt field and as far as you could see on either side of the road was white. We have survived the loneliest road in America and have settled for the night at Best Value Inn in Carson City, NV. We are all doing laundry tonight.
Ely, NV first stop on the loneliest highway
Day 9 – June 18, 2009
Up early with a stop at the truck stop restaurant for breakfast and then we headed west for Ely, NV and it was cold again. I thought it was hot in the desert and I thought it didn’t rain but we did get a few sprinkles. We traveled through so many different types of terrain and let so much the same. More of the petrified sand and desert with tumbleweed; climbing ridges and twisting down the other side; some areas the sand looks like huge trucks have dumped piles of sand and I expected to see the ocean just over the ridge. Some desert areas had low growing tumbleweed and other brush while other desert areas support no living plant life at all. We entered the Great Basin and as far as we could see the fields were covered with brown grasses waving in the wind. Suddenly as we drew closer to Delta the mountains became draped with green and the ground at the foot of the mountains was thick with some type of pine or juniper. The trees are short, maybe 7 feet and twisted like twine with the branches starting at ground level giving them more of the appearance of a large bush instead of a tree. We stopped for lunch at Delta and that was a good idea because our next stop was Ely, NV 158 miles down the road. With nothing in sight we rode for 100 miles without stopping because there just wasn’t any place to pull over safely. We have stopped for the night at the Jailhouse Casino in Ely, NV. Rooms are nice, parking lot is level and the price is right at $58 per room. After dinner at the Casino I had to stop and play which means just giving a few bucks to some hungry slot machine. Don on the other hand won a little and Roger won $250.
Up early with a stop at the truck stop restaurant for breakfast and then we headed west for Ely, NV and it was cold again. I thought it was hot in the desert and I thought it didn’t rain but we did get a few sprinkles. We traveled through so many different types of terrain and let so much the same. More of the petrified sand and desert with tumbleweed; climbing ridges and twisting down the other side; some areas the sand looks like huge trucks have dumped piles of sand and I expected to see the ocean just over the ridge. Some desert areas had low growing tumbleweed and other brush while other desert areas support no living plant life at all. We entered the Great Basin and as far as we could see the fields were covered with brown grasses waving in the wind. Suddenly as we drew closer to Delta the mountains became draped with green and the ground at the foot of the mountains was thick with some type of pine or juniper. The trees are short, maybe 7 feet and twisted like twine with the branches starting at ground level giving them more of the appearance of a large bush instead of a tree. We stopped for lunch at Delta and that was a good idea because our next stop was Ely, NV 158 miles down the road. With nothing in sight we rode for 100 miles without stopping because there just wasn’t any place to pull over safely. We have stopped for the night at the Jailhouse Casino in Ely, NV. Rooms are nice, parking lot is level and the price is right at $58 per room. After dinner at the Casino I had to stop and play which means just giving a few bucks to some hungry slot machine. Don on the other hand won a little and Roger won $250.
Arches and Canyonlands NP
Day 8 – June 17, 2009
First stop today was Arches NP. After visiting the visitor’s center and watching the short film we began our drive through and it was one amazing view after another. The rocks are a deep red in color and rise hundreds of feet to our left and right. Some sections are curved while others seem to be blocked or sectioned as if cut and shaped by an artist. The sides of the cliffs are smooth like butter cut with a knife. Around every turn I was amazed at the beauty. To view all of Arches NP took well over 3 hours and a total of 49 miles. We headed back to Moab for lunch before going to the Canyonlands NP. If you get to Moab stop at Smitty’s for lunch. The Canyonlands NP is about 35 miles north of Moab and while not as large as Arches or as colorful the grand view point at the end of the road is well worth the drive. The whole ride is on top of the canyon and when we stepped out on the edge and looked at the panoramic view it took our breath away. The sky was dark in the distance and you could tell the rain was falling so we started racing the rain to get back to Moab where we filled up with gas and had dinner. The rain passed in about 30 minutes and our destination was Green River. If you ever get to Moab UT you must ride route 128. This road is in the very bottom of the canyon with the Colorado River twisting and turning to our left. The canyon walls were so close we could almost touch them. Then the road opens up into a wide open valley with cattle grates every so often and open range signs but we never saw a single cow. As the sun began to sink we reached route 70 and headed the remaining 70 miles to Green River. We stopped at the Sleepy Hollow Motel and Don and I shared the family suite with Bernie and Shirley for a real budget price of $60. This was a nice, clean motel.
First stop today was Arches NP. After visiting the visitor’s center and watching the short film we began our drive through and it was one amazing view after another. The rocks are a deep red in color and rise hundreds of feet to our left and right. Some sections are curved while others seem to be blocked or sectioned as if cut and shaped by an artist. The sides of the cliffs are smooth like butter cut with a knife. Around every turn I was amazed at the beauty. To view all of Arches NP took well over 3 hours and a total of 49 miles. We headed back to Moab for lunch before going to the Canyonlands NP. If you get to Moab stop at Smitty’s for lunch. The Canyonlands NP is about 35 miles north of Moab and while not as large as Arches or as colorful the grand view point at the end of the road is well worth the drive. The whole ride is on top of the canyon and when we stepped out on the edge and looked at the panoramic view it took our breath away. The sky was dark in the distance and you could tell the rain was falling so we started racing the rain to get back to Moab where we filled up with gas and had dinner. The rain passed in about 30 minutes and our destination was Green River. If you ever get to Moab UT you must ride route 128. This road is in the very bottom of the canyon with the Colorado River twisting and turning to our left. The canyon walls were so close we could almost touch them. Then the road opens up into a wide open valley with cattle grates every so often and open range signs but we never saw a single cow. As the sun began to sink we reached route 70 and headed the remaining 70 miles to Green River. We stopped at the Sleepy Hollow Motel and Don and I shared the family suite with Bernie and Shirley for a real budget price of $60. This was a nice, clean motel.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Crossing Monarch Pass and entering the desert
Day 7 – June 16, 2009
There are no words to describe the beauty of the land we traveled through today. Within minutes of leaving Canon City we were snaking our way through the bottom of a canyon following the Arkansas River as it cut through the rocks. At places the floor of the canyon was just wide enough for the road and the river and at other places homesteads dotted the landscape. Later we were climbing the mountains and topped the Continental Divide at Monarch Pass. The sun was shining but it was cold at this elevation. After we left Monarch Pass the land quickly turned to desert. The whole land looked like a huge quarry. Mountains of what looked like sand could be seen everywhere. The extra layers of clothing began coming off as we warmed in this dry desert heat. We covered 358 miles today and have settled at the Super 8 in Moab, UT just 10 miles from the Canyonlands National Park.
There are no words to describe the beauty of the land we traveled through today. Within minutes of leaving Canon City we were snaking our way through the bottom of a canyon following the Arkansas River as it cut through the rocks. At places the floor of the canyon was just wide enough for the road and the river and at other places homesteads dotted the landscape. Later we were climbing the mountains and topped the Continental Divide at Monarch Pass. The sun was shining but it was cold at this elevation. After we left Monarch Pass the land quickly turned to desert. The whole land looked like a huge quarry. Mountains of what looked like sand could be seen everywhere. The extra layers of clothing began coming off as we warmed in this dry desert heat. We covered 358 miles today and have settled at the Super 8 in Moab, UT just 10 miles from the Canyonlands National Park.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Day 6 - Pikes Peak
Day 6 – June 15, 2009
We had reserved tickets for the cog railroad at Pikes Peak for noon so the plan was to have a nice breakfast and leave the hotel by 9. I turned the key on Abigail and she started but then quit and no amount of sweet talk could get her started again. This bike has only left me stranded one other time in almost 3 years. Glenn, Don and Roger decided to push the bike with Bernie on it and let him pop the clutch to start it but that was a real circus. Bernie said they were pushing him over and he wouldn’t even try to start it. After that little trial and error I pressed the starter button and she kicked off. Later in the day she again hesitated. It sounds as if she is not getting enough gas on start up. I’m wondering if the high elevation has anything to do with it. I know I’m finding it harder to breath today. We still made it to Pikes Peak depot in plenty of time to get our tickets and shop before boarding the train. A cog railroad can climb grades of 25% and I felt as if I was going to slide out of the seat. The view was magnificent and as we neared the top and cleared the tree line the air was much thinner and I began to feel the effects; dizziness, difficulty breathing and headache. I thought it was just me but everyone in our group was feeling the same. The top was covered with snow and the temps were in the mid 20’s. This was well worth the $30 each to visit this beautiful mountain. Leaving Pikes Peak we took CO 115 to Canon City where we have gotten a room at the Super 8. As we were riding I noticed the mountains were on my left, right and straight ahead. The ground around the highway is a desert with some type of ragged ground cover and brush. The Rocky Mountains are not like any mountains I’ve ever seen. They don’t appear to have rolling hills but rather sharp edges jutting up at various heights. The color changes depending on the direction of the sun. Little towns dot the base of the mountains but you don’t see houses up the mountain sides as you do on the mountains in the east. Tomorrow we plan to visit Royal Gorge and then cover a lot of miles in order to get close to the Canyonlands National Park.
We had reserved tickets for the cog railroad at Pikes Peak for noon so the plan was to have a nice breakfast and leave the hotel by 9. I turned the key on Abigail and she started but then quit and no amount of sweet talk could get her started again. This bike has only left me stranded one other time in almost 3 years. Glenn, Don and Roger decided to push the bike with Bernie on it and let him pop the clutch to start it but that was a real circus. Bernie said they were pushing him over and he wouldn’t even try to start it. After that little trial and error I pressed the starter button and she kicked off. Later in the day she again hesitated. It sounds as if she is not getting enough gas on start up. I’m wondering if the high elevation has anything to do with it. I know I’m finding it harder to breath today. We still made it to Pikes Peak depot in plenty of time to get our tickets and shop before boarding the train. A cog railroad can climb grades of 25% and I felt as if I was going to slide out of the seat. The view was magnificent and as we neared the top and cleared the tree line the air was much thinner and I began to feel the effects; dizziness, difficulty breathing and headache. I thought it was just me but everyone in our group was feeling the same. The top was covered with snow and the temps were in the mid 20’s. This was well worth the $30 each to visit this beautiful mountain. Leaving Pikes Peak we took CO 115 to Canon City where we have gotten a room at the Super 8. As we were riding I noticed the mountains were on my left, right and straight ahead. The ground around the highway is a desert with some type of ragged ground cover and brush. The Rocky Mountains are not like any mountains I’ve ever seen. They don’t appear to have rolling hills but rather sharp edges jutting up at various heights. The color changes depending on the direction of the sun. Little towns dot the base of the mountains but you don’t see houses up the mountain sides as you do on the mountains in the east. Tomorrow we plan to visit Royal Gorge and then cover a lot of miles in order to get close to the Canyonlands National Park.
Day 5 Pueblo CO
Day 5, June 14, 2009
Only 220 miles to go today so we left a little later and had breakfast at a restaurant instead of McDonalds. The day began cold and damp; everyone had their rain suits on for two reasons it looked like rain and to keep warm. And the wind – it just never stops in Kansas! The wind was blowing across the prairie so hard it was difficult to control the bikes. I saw the first cowboy working a herd of beef cattle in a feed lot as we were leaving Garden City. It has been a long time since I saw a two story house – most are small bungalows or ranchers. Most have trees surrounding them to shield them from the constant wind. Other than these trees none exist and the ones that are here are small and beat-up by the wind. As we move to the western edge of Kansas I notice the change from wet flooded fields to dry and dusty. The only grass growing is prairie grass. As we enter Colorado the lack of water becomes more noticeable. The homes in the small towns have no lawns or flowers; the only thing growing is the sage brush. It appears the only road paved in this area is route 50 which is a divided highway almost all the way. Some of the small towns actually have all dirt streets. There are many fields of hay either cut and drying or ready to be cut. These are needed to feed the thousands of cattle dotting the plains. We stopped in Lamar Colorado to see the petrified wood gas station and get some pictures and then one block over we stopped to get pictures of the Madonnas of the Trail. There are 12 of these statues at various locations from east to west. While there we noticed a blade from one of the windmills on display in front of the little town museum. We learned each blade is 112 feet long and weighs 35 thousand pounds. Riding across Colorado the road begins to have a few more curves and you can see mountains far off in the distance and the wind has decreased significantly. We arrived in Pueblo around 2 PM (we had gone through one more time change) giving us time to check in to the Motel 6 and do laundry before dinner. We were joined at dinner by Lee and Cindy, friends of Bernie’s and Shirley’s. We have reserved tickets to ride the cog railroad to the top of Pikes Peak tomorrow at noon. The Motel 6 on route 50 in Pueblo is clean and comfortable and very reasonably priced.
Only 220 miles to go today so we left a little later and had breakfast at a restaurant instead of McDonalds. The day began cold and damp; everyone had their rain suits on for two reasons it looked like rain and to keep warm. And the wind – it just never stops in Kansas! The wind was blowing across the prairie so hard it was difficult to control the bikes. I saw the first cowboy working a herd of beef cattle in a feed lot as we were leaving Garden City. It has been a long time since I saw a two story house – most are small bungalows or ranchers. Most have trees surrounding them to shield them from the constant wind. Other than these trees none exist and the ones that are here are small and beat-up by the wind. As we move to the western edge of Kansas I notice the change from wet flooded fields to dry and dusty. The only grass growing is prairie grass. As we enter Colorado the lack of water becomes more noticeable. The homes in the small towns have no lawns or flowers; the only thing growing is the sage brush. It appears the only road paved in this area is route 50 which is a divided highway almost all the way. Some of the small towns actually have all dirt streets. There are many fields of hay either cut and drying or ready to be cut. These are needed to feed the thousands of cattle dotting the plains. We stopped in Lamar Colorado to see the petrified wood gas station and get some pictures and then one block over we stopped to get pictures of the Madonnas of the Trail. There are 12 of these statues at various locations from east to west. While there we noticed a blade from one of the windmills on display in front of the little town museum. We learned each blade is 112 feet long and weighs 35 thousand pounds. Riding across Colorado the road begins to have a few more curves and you can see mountains far off in the distance and the wind has decreased significantly. We arrived in Pueblo around 2 PM (we had gone through one more time change) giving us time to check in to the Motel 6 and do laundry before dinner. We were joined at dinner by Lee and Cindy, friends of Bernie’s and Shirley’s. We have reserved tickets to ride the cog railroad to the top of Pikes Peak tomorrow at noon. The Motel 6 on route 50 in Pueblo is clean and comfortable and very reasonably priced.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Posting from Garden City Kansas
Day 4 – June 13, 2009
We left the hotel at 6 AM and traveled 500 miles to Garden City, Kansas. It was cold and damp for the first 100 miles or so and I was glad I had brought my heated jacket. Kansas has been a constant change all day. Parts of route 50 are 2 lane country road and others are 4 lane divided while still other locations are multi-lane super slabs. You can drive for well over 100 miles and never put your feet down and not see a curve in 10 to 20 miles or more. The terrain ranged from flat to mountainous to rolling hills. At one point it was flat on one side of the highway and rolling hills with sage brush on the other. And the wind never stopped blowing over the flat, empty fields. As we moved further west in Kansas the trees began to disappear until now around Garden City you see very few. The smell of cattle hangs heavy in the air from the numerous feed lots. I have never seen so many cattle in one place before. Oil rigs dot the fields as do the huge grain bins located in just about every town. You can see for miles and I know the fields belong to someone but you don’t see a farm or even a house near. Our goal for the day was Dodge City but when we arrived there were no rooms available. At the first hotel we sat in the parking lot and called every hotel listed in the GPS and found all to be filled. There were 3 big events taking place this weekend, so that is why we pushed on. But we did stop to see Dodge City and what a bust. A small section of the town is made up like a ‘movie set’ with the old store fronts and wooden walks. Since we had an hour to ride and it was already 6 PM we decided not to spend the $15 or the time to walk around. We did stop at Kinsley, Kansas for a rest and to take some pictures of the sign in the middle of the country.
We left the hotel at 6 AM and traveled 500 miles to Garden City, Kansas. It was cold and damp for the first 100 miles or so and I was glad I had brought my heated jacket. Kansas has been a constant change all day. Parts of route 50 are 2 lane country road and others are 4 lane divided while still other locations are multi-lane super slabs. You can drive for well over 100 miles and never put your feet down and not see a curve in 10 to 20 miles or more. The terrain ranged from flat to mountainous to rolling hills. At one point it was flat on one side of the highway and rolling hills with sage brush on the other. And the wind never stopped blowing over the flat, empty fields. As we moved further west in Kansas the trees began to disappear until now around Garden City you see very few. The smell of cattle hangs heavy in the air from the numerous feed lots. I have never seen so many cattle in one place before. Oil rigs dot the fields as do the huge grain bins located in just about every town. You can see for miles and I know the fields belong to someone but you don’t see a farm or even a house near. Our goal for the day was Dodge City but when we arrived there were no rooms available. At the first hotel we sat in the parking lot and called every hotel listed in the GPS and found all to be filled. There were 3 big events taking place this weekend, so that is why we pushed on. But we did stop to see Dodge City and what a bust. A small section of the town is made up like a ‘movie set’ with the old store fronts and wooden walks. Since we had an hour to ride and it was already 6 PM we decided not to spend the $15 or the time to walk around. We did stop at Kinsley, Kansas for a rest and to take some pictures of the sign in the middle of the country.
Day 3 – June 12, 2009
We began packing the bikes around 5:30 AM. It was cool and damp but the rain had stopped and the weatherman was predicting a dry day. No more than 30 minutes after leaving Bedford, route 50 turns into a narrow country road and we entered Martin’s County Indiana and Martin’s Forest State Park and we could not have asked for better riding; up and over mountains and the twisties again. Then 30 more minutes and we found ourselves on a highway straight and flat. The highway reached into the distance as far as you could see and if there was a curve in 10 or 20 miles you were lucky. The fields are large in Indiana and reminded me of a lumpy bed because the little humps could not even be called hills. Suddenly we were back in the mountains climbing and then just as quickly they disappeared and again we found ourselves riding almost in auto-pilot because the road requires so little maneuvering. At some point we crossed into Illinois; everyone else saw the sign but not me, but I did notice the road became rougher and straighter. The cash crop in this part of the country is corn, soybeans, barley and oats and while the grains are golden in Indiana and the corn at least 10 inches high; in Illinois the grain crops are still green and if the fields have been planted at all the corn is only about 1 or 2 inches tall. There has been so much rain; the creeks are swollen and flooding the surrounding fields. I noticed the pastures with beef cattle in Indiana, Illinois and Missouri and a few dairy farms but just past Loogootee, IN I saw the first of very few Perdue Chicken farms. In Flora, Illinois we saw oil rigs scattered about the fields. We stopped at a Hardees for a cup of coffee so I asked some ladies about the rigs. Yes they were still pumping oil from the region. Apparently in the 40’s there was a big oil boom in the region and a couple of the ladies had moved with their families to the area at that time and they are still drilling new wells. Getting around the larger cities has been a breeze – 50 is so well marked. A couple of times I have seen signs for ‘old route 50’ and ‘business 50’ but I opted not to take those since we have so many things we want to see and do further west. We have called it a night and stopped at Tipton, MO after riding 385 miles. We have had a nice dinner and the guys are outside playing cards. We are staying at the Twin Pines Motel in Tipton and it is modest but clean and priced right at $58.
We began packing the bikes around 5:30 AM. It was cool and damp but the rain had stopped and the weatherman was predicting a dry day. No more than 30 minutes after leaving Bedford, route 50 turns into a narrow country road and we entered Martin’s County Indiana and Martin’s Forest State Park and we could not have asked for better riding; up and over mountains and the twisties again. Then 30 more minutes and we found ourselves on a highway straight and flat. The highway reached into the distance as far as you could see and if there was a curve in 10 or 20 miles you were lucky. The fields are large in Indiana and reminded me of a lumpy bed because the little humps could not even be called hills. Suddenly we were back in the mountains climbing and then just as quickly they disappeared and again we found ourselves riding almost in auto-pilot because the road requires so little maneuvering. At some point we crossed into Illinois; everyone else saw the sign but not me, but I did notice the road became rougher and straighter. The cash crop in this part of the country is corn, soybeans, barley and oats and while the grains are golden in Indiana and the corn at least 10 inches high; in Illinois the grain crops are still green and if the fields have been planted at all the corn is only about 1 or 2 inches tall. There has been so much rain; the creeks are swollen and flooding the surrounding fields. I noticed the pastures with beef cattle in Indiana, Illinois and Missouri and a few dairy farms but just past Loogootee, IN I saw the first of very few Perdue Chicken farms. In Flora, Illinois we saw oil rigs scattered about the fields. We stopped at a Hardees for a cup of coffee so I asked some ladies about the rigs. Yes they were still pumping oil from the region. Apparently in the 40’s there was a big oil boom in the region and a couple of the ladies had moved with their families to the area at that time and they are still drilling new wells. Getting around the larger cities has been a breeze – 50 is so well marked. A couple of times I have seen signs for ‘old route 50’ and ‘business 50’ but I opted not to take those since we have so many things we want to see and do further west. We have called it a night and stopped at Tipton, MO after riding 385 miles. We have had a nice dinner and the guys are outside playing cards. We are staying at the Twin Pines Motel in Tipton and it is modest but clean and priced right at $58.
Never hurts to look for a bargin
I forgot to tell you about the great hotel we had the second night. We stayed at the Comfort Inn which was a little pricy but we got a good deal. It had been raining off and on all day and we were all tired and getting grumpy. I found a hotel in the GPS and followed the directions. I knew we were in trouble when she had me turn into a housing development but when we pulled into a person’s driveway and the GPS said you have arrived I knew something was wrong. So we headed back to route 50 and saw a Super 8 but couldn’t find the service entrance. What we did find was the Comfort Inn. We all agreed it looked out of our budgets but it began to rain so we pulled up under the porch area. Kathy, Jenny and I went in just to check the price. The clerk said $89 a night. We agreed we would call the Super 8. The clerk said she would match their price and she even looked up their number. I called from her phone and they quoted me a price of $69 so the Comfort Inn clerk said she would give us the rooms for $65. What she didn’t know was the Super 8 didn’t have 3 rooms available so we couldn’t have gone there even if we wanted to.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Hello from Bedford, IN
We were on the road by 7AM and by 8 AM it was raining – no it was pouring. Within 30 minutes visibility was seriously reduced and I was riding with my face shield up and glasses down because of the fog on both. The rain let up after 2 or 3 hours but didn’t completely stop until late afternoon. Route 50 turns into a 2 lane country road with no shoulders across the whole state of Ohio with the exception of the Cincinnati area. In Ohio we traveled through rolling hills lush with green growth and fields with young corn and others with mature barley or oats waiting to be harvested. The homes along route 50 ranged from small, barely more than 3 rooms to large farm houses. The fields seem to stretch as far as the eye can see. But you still have the forests and occasional S curves when climbing one of the few mountains in the area. Indiana picked up where Ohio left off – small country road but much straighter and fewer homes or towns. I was struck with the feeling of openness as we rode through Indiana. We stopped for the night in Bedford, Indiana around 4:30 PM. 322 miles today.
Day 1
We left at 5:30 right on schedule and arrived at the McDonalds on Kent Island only to find Glenn, Kathy, Roger and Jenny were at a different McDonalds across the bridge. Our first day has ended in Parkersburg WV, 397 miles today. Route 50 from its beginning in Ocean City to Fairfax Virginia is a mass of concrete 4 and 6 lanes with traffic racing to and fro. But after Fairfax it begins to slow down and becomes a 2 lane country road running through small towns with very old houses and well manicured lawns. I have found route 50 to be well marked with the exception of Winchester, Virginia. There is a road sign on the east side of the city and then no signs again until you exit the city on the west. It is as if the whole route just disappears within the city limits. I have traveled route 50 through Winchester twice before and both times ended up lost but thanks to my trusty GPS this trip proved to be much better through this town. Around Gore you begin to find the foothills and then enter West Virginia and find some of the best roads to ride if you like the twisties. We climb hundreds of feet to the top of a mountain and then decent trying not to ride the brakes. We can smell the brakes overheating on the cars and trucks that pass. This year the roads are some what broken up and patched after the winter freezing and thawing and with the heavy rains mud and trash have washed down on the roads from the mountains. Then we had the road crews out cleaning and placing gravel on the shoulders. On a mountain road with hairpin curves and 9% down grades this can be very dangerous for a motorcycle. I’m not complaining because I love the roads of West Virginia; just know you need to be aware of all possible dangers on these mountain roads. We had a little rain to add to the day. From Clarksburg to Parkersburg route 50 again becomes a 4 lane divided highway where you can make good time. We pulled into the motel at 6 PM – 12 hours in the saddle.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
14 HOURS until we leave!!!
We are down to the last 14 hours until we leave for the trip of a life time - at least for me. No pictures because the camera is packed along with everything else. The bike is in the garage heading OUT. Everything has been crossed off the 'to do list'. Now will I be able to sleep tonight? To everyone who is following this blog - I will do my best to post as often as possible. I will put pictures but I also have an album at photobucket.com and I'll try to put pictures there along the way. Pray that the weather is good - I'm sure we will have some rain but I certainly hope not much.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
