oct 11th, day 22... i'm coming home.

I am coming home... just a little detour first... I still need to get to Florida, try out some roads in the south, find the best fried chicken in the world, and so on. hah.  I'm coming home, the long way 'round.

This gave me the best feeling this morning.

through the peep hole, Beast is in his spot.

Since Beast is not only my way home, but my home for the time being, it's nice to know someone didn't pick it up and put it in the back of a truck.

Turn on the shower and ... it the lever to turn on the shower head is busted.  CRAP.  oh well, sink wash it is.  I'm travelling, i don't care if i stink. hah.

I got my morning americano at Starbucks, and bumped into Don and Mark.(forgive me if i got the names wrong, bad memory! send me an email!)  Nice guys, work in telecom as well.  Don's a geek like i am :)  You wouldn't know it but Yuma has a population of 193,000.  wow.  i thought it was more like 20,000.  haha...  Yuma is surrounded by bases and proving grounds.  Look at a map sometime.  see the greyed out area? Military.  lots around here.

Before i forget, i did eat after posting my blog.  I wasn't really hungry, but knew i had to eat.  I went for a walk and next door to the motel was a jack in the box.  in i went.

some turkey bacon melt thing, curly fries and a strawberry banana smoothie.  maybe  i wasn't hungry but it tasted like crap.  The smoothie was ok, but the mix came in a carton.  meh.  all fake crap.  gimme real fruit! It had turkey, so happy thanksgiving to me.  meh.

I wanted to get a lot of miles in today, but had two stops to make before i did so.
First stop was only a few blocks away to my surprise.

A muffler man!

The second was about a half hour drive out of my way, but it was a nice ride getting there.  A lot of agriculture going on around here and a lot of workers doing things manually.  I saw some heavy equipment, but not much.  Just bus loads of workers.

some sort of fog or something.  maybe due to all the water they are spraying? it was a neat site.  Oh, and this area smelled great.  Further along i smelled some herb farms (thyme and coriander i think)  

The second, another oddity.  heh.

what's this you say?

a tiny church!

Odd to put the tiny church in the middle of ... well, there's nothing but desert all over. hah.

if you think the desert scenery is boring, it isn't.  it's pretty awesome actually.

I call this pose "determination"

my first big cactus!  At the rest stop before the Sonoran national monument.

The Sonoran Desert is ... hot.
I was starting to get really hungry, and really low on fuel.  I stopped into a town called Gila Bend.  Did some shopping for some things, and looked around for a family style restaurant.  I hate chains.

Found this place:

The Space age restaurant.  attached to a best western i believe, but i used to be The Space Age Lodge and Restaurant.  Neato, established in 1963.  renovated in 1996, burned in 1998 and remodeled again.  Neato.  

 I was hungry but wanted something... light.  I went for an open salad bar and a BLT.
I guess I've been missing veggies in my diet, so i went to work.

I started off with this:

a mostly caesar salad. nom nom nom.

then i went back and got this

Garden salad with almost everything,. I love beets and baby corn. nom nom nom

this was then delivered to me

BLT on sourdough

I wanted more salad bar, so i went back.

two pasta, one potato and the best strawberries I've ever had.

seriously.  Those strawberries were so sweet and juicy it was something else.  Never had any like it before.   We get these (picked at the wrong time) from the USA, and shipped up to canada and they taste... ok.  not like these.  I think i'll need to stop at a fruit vendor at the side of the road and pick up some fruits for snacks.

I walked outside and checked the bike over, specifically the back tire to see how much life it has left.  I really should do more checks on the bike (all motorcyclists should do this each and every time they get on it).  I'm glad i did, because it looks like i ran over something.

Nasty Gash!

now i was a little worried.  will the tire hold together going 88 mph? will it fail and i go careening off the road? will it last until i find a replacement? will there be a replacement down the road? AHHHH...  i didn't panic though.  I have inner tubes and it's not a puncture, so i should be ok for a little while.

I call this pose "Stoic"

the long road is long

San Simeon enjoying the ride and the view

I enjoyed going through the desert (even though i was baking) as i had never seen a cactus that wasn't in a pot before. heh.  ya, not really a worldly man, am i.

seems this cactus was going to jump on the bike and go for a ride. heh.

me in full ATGATT... in the desert.  also proof that i didn't hire a stunt double.

This was just outside of Tucson, where the GPS brought me to a starbucks that didn't exist. dammit!  I needed wifi now to find a motorcycle shop so i could find a tire.
One thing to note, it seemed dead today.  Most shops closed, etc.  Then i remembered it's Columbus day. DAMMIT!.

I did manage to find a starbucks and found two possible places.  Scratch that, one is closed on mondays (and holidays) I headed to the other.
Only to find the store doesn't exist.  dammit.

I saw a guy on a 1984 bmw r75.  Nice bike in nice shape.  I asked him if there were any shops nearby, and he said there is one about a block away!  Another biker (hd ultra) admired my bike at this time too.  Odd how i get approached all the time with people saying that they ride and they like my bike and the way i outfitted it.  Beast is happy. heh.  makes me think i did the right  choice. (although i'd change the sprockets to go highway gearing)  The BMW owner (Ron Mario) said that if i'm ever in town again, we should go for a ride.  If i am, i'll take him up on it.  Nice fellows.

I headed to the motorcycle shop and they tried to help me out, but my tires are oddball sized.  at 90/90-21 front and 130/80-17 rear... they are oddball.  The kenda's i have on now are 90/100-21 and 130/90-17 rear.
Oh well, i made a choice.  Stay and wait for a tire to be shipped which would take about 3 days, or press on.
Press on i did.  If it pops, so be it... this is supposed to be an adventure, right?

going through Tucson, i noticed a boneyard.

neato.  was on both sides of me, but hard to take pictures in all that traffic.  love boneyards.

EAST!  to more desert. stunning scenery.  If you haven't been to Arizona, i suggest you go.  Quite a diverse landscape.

picture porn.
I was on the interstate, and there's not much else to do except take pictures and listen to music.  It's not like i can fix myself a snack, have a smoke or a drink, etc...

Ghostrider shot of the day.  a tall shadow like that means two things at this time of day.  I'm heading east, and the sun is dropping fast, shortly to be replaced by dark.

I needed a rest after being on the bike for about 100 miles non-stop.  remember, this isn't a comfy car with cruise control... i have to grip it and rip it for that whole time. the KLR is a real bone shaker.  My hands have been numb for about ...20 days.

Good thing i have a strong forearm... all that practice you see.

I found this interesting...  Let's just say i started looking where i was walking more.

I do not fear riding in the dark. i love it, but i do not like risking my life because some moron didn't see me.  oh well, i was going to watch the sun set, and deal with riding in the dark.

M-O-O-N, That spells Sunset!

M-O-O-N! that spells Moon!

the sunset was quite a thing of beauty.

Now that it's going to get dark soon, i needed a place to bunk up for the night.  Camping was an option if i could find a spot, or a cheap motel.  No hits on the GPS, but the GPS is so out of date i don't trust it anymore.

speeding along at the speed of ...

...82 mph.  I hit 6666 miles on this trip. lol.

the sun sets fast.... especially if you're going east.

I saw a sign for the usual chain of motels in Lordsburg and figured there would be an alternative near.  Which i found, called the Holiday Motel.  A single story old style motor inn.  It also has a pool and restaurant.
Smoking room, Wifi, and for $40 it's a pretty good deal, considering the shower works... and i does, i checked.  Now if only they had shampoo!! damn you.  good thing i come prepared (which i took from the other motels)
I kept seeing signs all around town and on the interstate for this restaurant called Kranberry.  I didn't have to look far.  I headed into the center of town, all the while looking for a place to eat.  There isn't much here, and wouldn't you know it, Kranberry is in the center of town and open.

I spotted a State trooper SUV outside, and there were a lot of people there.  Good sign.
There were at least 2 troopers and another guy with police on his back. he was the cheif or something running the show as i overheard his conversation on his two way.  (kind of hard to not overhear)
I got the Steak sandwich with a side of slaw.

the food was ok... maybe after the lunch i had i wasn't very hungry, or perhaps it's this pounding in my head.  I think i have a sinus infection or something.  it's killing me.  Time for a hot shower for like an hour, and some rest.
The song of the day today was Tom Petty's I won't back down

Sept 25th - onward to find Route 66 and in absolute Missouri.

I didn't get to write much in my journal i keep with me at all times.  Years ago, it was all about miles travelled and other related motorcycle entries.  I've kept one for 1 car road trip and 3 bike trips.  These have evolved over time and are now keepers of my most intimate thoughts and feelings.

I was up till 3am finishing up the blog, and i realized today that the blog isn't the most important thing out there.  From now on, if i don't update the blog daily, it doesn't mean i'm dead, just means i couldn't find Wifi.  oddly, it's hard to find wifi in a cheap motel, but you can sit outside McDicks or Starbucks and surf to your heart's content.

Left the motel at 10 am.  Not really late, but these days, it gets dark by 7pm so every minute counts.  I need to be up at the crack of dawn.
I needed coffee and fuel.  One because i was running on empty, and the other because i spilt fuel all over the bike and only had it half way full.

I stopped at the I-55 truck stop, on the corner of US53 and I55. As it's a truck stop, it has almost everything and i scored some american flag stickers for the bike. SCORE!  The trip is all about the stickers.  seriously.

I chatted with the two girls working behind the counter and one asked some interesting questions.  one which i didn't have an answer and have been thinking about all day.

Q #1 do you always have to wear the suit.
A.  No, but i choose to.  keeps me protected from the elements and possible crashes.
I went on to tell them about last year's trip.  people seem awe struck when i tell them about these trips.  for anyone reading, they are nothing.  it's just a collection of little road trips, for many days in a row... that's all it is really.  A little time, a little money and a drive to learn is all you need.

Q #2 Why do you travel?
A. I like to see how other people live.
That's pretty much a bullshit answer.  I've been wrestling with my thoughts today to find out exactly WHY i do travel, and why like this.  maybe an answer will come out of it.  no clue.

I had made up a rough plan to hit Gardner, IL to pick up Route 66 there. little did i know that the hotel i was at on US53 WAS the old Route 66.  I ended up taking I55, heading to Gardner.  I got distracted by a sign for the Abe Lincoln National Cemetary.  I took the exit it was to be at and looked for it, but didn't find it right away.  Instead of turning around, I let the GPS plot a course back to Gardner, but without using I55.

rule of thumb, NEVER backtrack when on a bike trip unless you have to and never say to yourself  "i'll swing by after and check it out". 1) you never know what's right around the corner and 2) you'll never swing back around because of #1.

Following the GPS to the first corner, i see a sign for the highway the motel was on and a sign for the Cemetary.  I like cemetaries for what they stand for but don't agree with wasting acres of land for it.  cemetaries stand for one thing only.  respect.

Turning said corner i find this:

US53/Route 66. you can see the rail lines in the background



Had i known that US53 was historic Route 66, i would have stayed on it direct from the hotel!  To note: route 66 was always right near the rail lines, so if you're looking for it and know the general area, keep a look out for a road right next to the railroad.

I like cemetaries.  I'm not exactly certain why, but they are peaceful respectful places... a safe haven if you will. 

I left the cemetary with more questions than answers and continued on route 66.  Today felt like the total opposite of yesterday. everything was going well for once.

I came upon my first taste of the old cheesy route 66.  this is what i came down to see.

A rocket man, and i think it's gonna be a long long time

I love driving through old little towns that are still very active and still live by the old Route 66 way.  The problem is, it's dying out.

With no food in me yet and only bad truck stop coffee i decided to hit the next place that looked authentic Route 66.

polk-a-dot drive in

The place seemed really authentic.  The inside seemed very authentic... you could tell it's been painted a few times, but the counters, booths and stools seem authentic.

so did the food.  I got a chili cheeseburger fries and coleslaw. quite delicious.  I ate outside and was surprised people still went to the McDonalds just up the street (you can see it in the above picture)

people should stop doing that... they are just enabling corporate america to run small businesses into the ground.

tons of food. cheap too.

delicious chili cheese

I'd eat at a small joint like Polk-a-dot over McDicks any day of the week.

I liked the cheese of the place.

i wonder if this figures were there in 1956.

a closeup, just for Shawn

So far i was having a good day, feeling good and in a really good mood.  I got a txt from a friend and made my already good mood, better. heh.

I continued on, in good spirits. I took a few pictures. 

original route 66 on the right. it can be seen on and off

pretty much 90% of what i saw along route 66 so far.

these are all over on the old route 66 that still stands.

giant muffler man converted to hot dog man

you can see how big they are in this shot

all water towers and the like should be painted with funny faces

a giant abe lincoln!

an old route 66 garage.  was closed when i went by

i hit 123456 awesomes!!

F4 phantom i believe. it was just outside an airport. neato

same airport... F86 sabre maybe?

I realized that the "route 66 experience" isn't for everyone.  myself included.  Sure, there are corny muffler men, and other such sites, but those sites are far and few in between.  Much of it was following I55 and having to get on and off the interstate to just follow a broken up road with nothing on it.  not my idea of fun.

The drive through Springfield, IL was pissing me off.  All i wanted was a nice cup of coffee at starbucks and maybe a bit of wifi.  something was going on downtown and there were detours everywhere.  doesn't help when most of the roads are one ways.  what an annoying town to drive through.
the only good thing i was was a hot blond cop giving me the evil eye.  good thing my mirror face shield was down. heh.

From springfield south, it was VERY boring.  on and off the interstate (no route 66 existed) and it followed I55 the whole way south.  I decided to finally get off Route 66 when i had it essentially WOT (wide open throttle) and was going 88.6 mph.  seems i didn't install the flux capacitor correctly.  I was on route 66 passing people on I55.  Time to join the herd.

Join i did until i got a hit on the GPS for a starbucks.  turns out that the GPS lead me to the southern illinois university.  oops.  I went to another location the gps had.  closed for good.  ARG.  all i wanted was my 6pm coffee ritual!

I decided to push forward to St Louis.  Rush hour traffic? on a saturday? WTF??  i took the nearest exit as i could barely stand any longer, let alone ride. I was dead tired... body, not mind.

I hunted for a cheap motel, and no such luck.  I took a room at the comfort in.  Worth the price i suppose, but it's not something i can keep doing.  it's way way too expensive.

bike should be safe enough as i can see it from  my room

I'm a king dammit, i didn't ask for two queens! wha wha whaaa..

1st time at a popeyes.  the skin is the best ever... the chicken, greasy and disgusting.  rice and red beans were bland, and biscuit was ok.  meh. i was hoping i found a good fried chicken place.

That being said, i am not going very much out of my way to find route 66, but i still hope to touch it again on this trip.  I just want good roads, good sites and a good time.  When it becomes work, it's time to pack the bags and go home.

Tomorrow i will be in riding in misery, i meant Missouri.