Everyone knows it’s windy…..
Wow. We had no idea it would be this extreme. Every flag we pass is blowing straight out from the pole. We constantly have to lean into the wind to stay straight on the road. Multiple bikes have to stagger…there’s no question about riding side by side…you’d end up in each other’s laps. The gusts are unpredictible and strong….Frank lost his skull cap to a gust on 93 North before Hoover Dam. But the skies were sunny and the temps got HOT! A bad day riding beats a good day at work…and this was not a bad day, just a challenging one. It was a bit chilly when we left Flagstaff at 9:10 this morning, and stayed cool till we hit the valley. We packed up our warm gear after lunch in Kingman, AZ, and never even thought about being cold after that.
Old route 66…what can I say…It is said that with the advent of the interstate you could cross the country without seeing anything. All I can say after this stretch of the mother road is you could have crossed the country before without seeing anything, just not as fast! The wind from Seligman to the Indian reservation is wicked. It is open range with mountain vistas in the distance and nothing of note to mention. After that, you get into the mountains and canyons and the wind is somewhat blocked and the scenery much more interesting. Is the mother road over romanticized? Maybe.
93 North through the Golden Valley…now there’s a wind tunnel! Yowza! Get past that and the police checkpoint before the dam, and marvel at the sight that is Hoover Dam. Wow. Absolutely worth the trouble, thank you Stephanie at La Quinta in Elizabethtown, KY. Best advice we’ve had so far. The new bridge they’re building over the dam…words fall short of the engineering and construction feat happening there. Absolutely amazing.
We saw more bikes on the road today than the entire trip so far…obviously due to the River Run at Laughlin. We plan to get down there for a look see Friday or Saturday.
We hit Vegas around 3:30 Thursday afternoon. What insanity! Traffic from hell, and more people than I care to deal with. We met up with my sis Susan and Roy and got checked in, then joined everyone for my nephew’s rehearsal dinner. It was at the Brio Tuscan Grill in Town Square south of town. What a mall and what a meal! Top notch all the way!
By the numbers: 265 miles traveled, 32 mpg, and 45 mpg. What a difference mph makes! Total miles between Belleville and Las Vegas=2500 give or take a few. A few extra miles on side trips, but that is our distance over 6 days.[gallery]
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congrats frankie and sharon.. it must have been a great ride..
Quoting Eric Burdon..
Strobe lights beam create dreams
walls move minds to do
on a warm San Francisco night
old child young child feel alright
on a warm San Francisco night
angels sing leather wings
jeans of blue Harley Davidsons too
on a warm San Francisco night
old angels young angels feel alright
on a warm San Francisco night.
Well, I am glad that you have arrived. Get some rest from the bike for a few days Hope to talk to you soon. Love Mom
Glad to see you made it to Vegas. wouldn’t you know that’s the show that’s on the tv in the other room. the route 66 thing made me think of the Disney movie Cars. as the theme song goes “life is a highway”. take care.
Hey Frank & Sharon,
Well, we’ve been back in the Burgh for a few days and I think we are finally over the jet lag. We wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed seeing you in Vegas, and how much we appreciate the fact that you made attending Daryl’s wedding part of your journey. I know he was thrilled to see you again after all these years, you really helped make Daryl and Britanny’s special occasion even more memorable. Thank you so much for being my Brother and allowing us into your life.
Sharon, thank you also for the pleasure of spending time with you and giving us the opportunity to get to know one another. We wish you both God’s speed on the return back east and we will continue to monitor your trip on the blog. Love Ted & Cheryl