We slept in a little today, not sure if we were that tired from yesterday’s ride, or if the time zone change threw us off.  Not that it matters why.  It was in the 90’s yesterday and my oil pressure was getting scary low, so I decided to watch it closely today.  There is a Harley dealer just east of where we spent the night, so I figured if it acted up at all in the morning, I’d pull in and get some fresh oil.   Temps were in the high 70’s when we pulled out, and the pressure ran low from the start (yes, I checked the level and looked for signs of leakage), so I wheeled into Barnett’s (the world’s largest they say) Harley Davidson.  They recommended straight 60 weight for the heat down this way, so I had them dump the 20 - 50 and go with the heavy stuff.  My bike likes me for that!  So we didn’t really get on the road till noon.

The wind was out of the southwest, so we pretty much had a tail wind all day again today.  From El Paso to Fort Stockton the scenery was pretty much like yesterday, wide, sparse, arid valleys surrounded by mountain scenes in the distance.  The only break in the monotony was when you got to a small mountain range and cut through the pass to the next valley.  Riding through the barren terrain makes one wonder what hardships the settlers must have faced passing through and learning the land.  East of Fort Stockton, we moved into higher ground, so it cooled off a bit and things were much greener and more pleasing to the eye.  We fell in with a group of bikers and rode with them for about 20 miles till it was time for a gas stop.  It was nice riding with a group for a while.  It looks like Texas is taking the lead on wind energy.  We saw a gazillion giant windmills in several huge farms.  We also were right next to a couple blades on a semi in a rest area.  Those puppies are ginormous when right next to you.  We’d have gotten a pic, but he was pulling out right when we got off the bike.  The 80 mph speed limit?  Looks good, but I didn’t want the engine exposed to the extra heat of necessary revs with the oil pressure situation.  Even with the 60 weight, the heat stressed the oil and kept the pressure lower than I liked.

We finally rode into Ozona, TX about 7:00 local time.  It’s a quiet little town and welcome to our eyes.  It’s just a short little 210 mile jaunt from here into San Antonio tomorrow.  We ate dinner at the Cafe Next Door.  Yes, I capitalized that as it’s the name of the joint.  A cozy little diner in a cozy little town. 

Today’s numbers:  365 miles ridden; 51 mpg; and 45 mpg.[gallery]

We rolled into El Paso tonight at 7:00 local time.  The ride from Scottsdale was marked with cloudy skies and warm temps.  It never got really hot and we had a nice tailwind all day, so it was a comfortable ride.  So comfortable, in fact, that Sharon could’nt stay awake, what with the endless flatness of the southern plains combining with the warm temps.  I had to wrap her arms around me and tie her wrists together so she couldn’t fall off!  OK, it wasn’t quite that bad, but she did nap a lot today!

We didn’t see much of note today.  One high spot was the trike we  saw.  It looks home made, and sports a V-8 engine, and steering set up like a tractor.  Then we hit the foothills at Las Cruces, and things were greener and more hilly.

One of the great things about motorcycling is that you are out in the weather and sense everything right away.  No isolation in the litttle cocoon of a car’s cabin with A/C or heat.  You know right away if the temp dips or jumps, if it starts to rain, or if you pass a stockyard (yuck!).  There were several of those between Las Cruces and El Paso.  Nice.  Still, a bad day riding beats a good day working!  Today was a good day riding.

Dinner was at Leo’s Mexican Restaurant, a local (exit 11 off I-10) joint here in El Paso.  It was very good; I had some of the best nachos I have ever eaten.  Yes,  Tim, better than Mexican Fiesta, and sorry Susan, but I think it beats Tony’s, too.

Today by the numbers:  455 miles ridden, 42.5 mpg, 42.3 mpg, and 44.6 mpg.   Love that tailwind!  We were cruising 75 mph much of the day.  Tomorrow we’ll break 4000 miles since Belleville![gallery]

Another great day in the southwest! Woke up to sunshine and temps in the 70’s. Who runs their chainsaw at 6:00 a.m.? And why do you need a chainsaw to trim a cactus?

Craig had to work, but Teddy took us up to Cave Creek where every bar is a saloon and every saloon is a bar. We toured the shops and checked out The Town Dump (an eclectic artsy antique sort of place). Then we had lunch at the biker friendly Hideaway Grill ( http://www.hideaway-usa.com/ ). Our friendly barmaid Dawn took our pictures for their website, so then we got a picture of her with us. The food was great, the beer was cold, and we walked out happy.

When Craig finished work, we met him at the Desert Botanical Gardens to check out the work of Dale Chihuly, a talented custom glass blower. They had his art mixed in with the flora around the garden. As the sun set, the changing light gave much of it an ethereal look. We left there for a late dinner at Bandera’s in downtown Scottsdale. Very nice place. We are now very tired and very full!

No riding today.[gallery]

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We left Solana Beach around 9:45 under cloudy skies and temps in the low 60’s. Headed down the Old Highway 101 toward Del Mar, taking the scenic route. Down in San Diego we hit I - 8 and headed east into the mountains. Up in the pass at 4180 feet elevation it was a tad nippy. That little detail wouldn’t be a problem for long. It took about an hour to get through the mountains, which were very rocky (big ‘uns, too) and barren. The long downgrade into the desert was not quite as steep as the one into San Bernardino the other day, but was enjoyable. We had a nice tailwind all day, making it a very relaxing ride. Once down on the desert floor, we promptly made a pit stop to remove our warm gear. By the time we got to Phoenix (Scottsdale, actually) it was 84 degrees and we were cookin’!

There were no points of interest to stop at today, so we just stayed on the road. You don’t even want to know where we had lunch. Scenery wise, the mountains were interesting, the desert was pretty boring, but there are a lot of farms green from irrigation. I did see a snake on Arizona Hwy 85. I thought there was a board in the road ahead and swerved to avoid it, but it slithered in front of me and I ran it over! Whoops. Not a board. I couldn’t tell you what kind it was , as I was tooling along at 70 mph.

By the way, we did get a face shield for Sharon, but that was a little too late - - the sun had already cooked her good. Then she decided she didn’t want to wear it as it impeded her vision and was difficult to take pics of the scenery and such. Just an FYI so those who care know that we tried! Also, when riding through states that do not require helmets, the face shield is a rather moot point. Thanks for caring, though!

By the numbers: Miles traveled today: 412; 3 gas stops (for the bike not us!): 42.5 mpg; 45.6 mpg and 41 mpg. Miles traveled total so far: 3,422 (whew!)

Today has been an absolutely delightful, sunny, laid back, gorgeous day!  We slept in, had a nice homemade breakfast, relaxed over coffee, and took the pups for a walk through town.  After a tour of town, we hit the beach for a photo op, and watched the surfers ride the waves.  What a gorgeous little community.  Then we got a few needed tasks accomplished.  We started with getting some laundry going, then proceeded to wash the dirty, filthy, bug encrusted bike.  It actually looks good again! 

While walking through town, we dropped in to Moreland Choppers (www.morelandchoppers.com) and looked over the bikes they had for sale and projects in progress.  They are doing some really nice work over there!  I chatted with Ben about getting ready to cross the lower southwest and whether or not to go to a higher viscosity oil.  He said with the springtime temps, I would be all right with the 20 - 50 I am using.  So seeing as I had 3000 miles on this oil already, I bought some fresh juice and a filter and proceeded to give the old girl some fresh fluid.  (The bike, not Sharon!) 

My sister is an awesome hostess!  For dinner, she rustled up some rockin’ good porterhouse steaks and salmon!  MMMMM!  Dessert…chocolate decadence…mmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!  Ya’ll come visit, now, ya hear?  She spoils the heck out of us.  We’re lovin’ it!  Too bad time constraints demand that we hit the road again tomorrow.  This time tomorrow we will be in Scottsdale with Teddy and Craig, barring any problems.

By the numbers:  nuttin’, honey, we stayed put!

P.S. We love all of your comments…please keep them coming!  Thanks for being with us.

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Here we are in our 2nd full day in California.  Today saw us leaving Debbie in Pasadena around noon and heading south down the coast to Solana Beach and sister Susan.  Temps were in the 60’s with overcast skies and barely a hint of wind.  Heading south through LA to the coast, we hit the carpool lane (2 or more people per vehicle!) and cruised nicely to the Pacific Coast Highway (at 80 mph of course).  It was great to get on the PCH and run slower and experience the local flavor.  There are still offshore oil rigs from pre-ban days in view from the LA area.  Who knew?  Running down the coastal highway with the ocean on our right and the homes on our left, seeing all the local shops and sights, was very enjoyable.

The houses on the bluffs and hills overlooking the ocean are amazing.  Some areas are reminiscent of photos of Tuscany, Italy, with all the tile roofs and stucco walls.  It was probably the most pleasant day of riding so far on the entire journey.  The clouds burned off around 1:30 or so, but the temps never got too hot, so it was simply a glorious day for riding.

We hit Solana Beach around 3:30, kicked back and visited with Susan and the dogs.  We had dinner at her and Roy’s favorite local Mexican joint, Tony’s Jacal.  We were joined by her friends Peggy and Walter.  Walter used to ride Harleys, so we had plenty of good biker conversation.  Then back to Susan’s for dessert.

By the numbers:

Yesterday:  55 miles, 1 fill up 35.11 mpg

Today:  117 miles, didn’t buy gas yet!

3010 miles since leaving Belleville.[gallery]

Just a hop, skip, and jump to Pasadena from San Bernardino, so we took our time getting on the road.  Less than an hour later, we were at Debbie’s door.  After chatting a while and getting reacquainted, we decided to head over and tour the Gamble House.  That would be the Gamble of Proctor and Gamble.  It was built in 1907 and is still in great shape.  The woodwork inside is phenomenal!   The grounds are very well kept, and the architecture by Greene and Greene is very unique and attractive.  Then we headed down the arroyo and saw the Rose Bowl (Frank’s request). 

Lunch was at Island’s, a restaurant with a Hawaiian theme.  Very good burgers and very cold beer.  Picked up some groceries and dinner is at Debbie’s.  We thought about going out to hear some live music, but Sunday night didn’t have much to offer, so we’ll just chill out and visit.  Tomorrow we head down the coast to Solana Beach.[gallery]