Day 21 - How to Ride Sideways in 1 Easy Lesson

Day 21
Almost an Ironbutt
Taos, NM to Hot Springs, Arkansas
987 miles

As has been my usual for the last few days, I got away from Taos later than I wanted to, about 9 am. I passed on the free hot breakfast offered by the hotel because I knew it would be a tough day - thunderstorms forecast for my entire route.

The ride along US Hwy 64 from Taos to Angel Fire was serene, and the area beautiful. I want to resume my attempts at snow skiing soon, and this region offers some of the best in the area I am told.

In the panhandle of Texas I could see rough weather ahead, so I donned my rain gear for the first of six times total. When it was not actually raining, the waterproof gear did not allow enough airflow to keep me from sweltering in the Texas heat, so off it came when the storm area has passed.

Somewhere in all that scenic beauty (that's sarcasm, folks) I ran across a Harley dresser on the side of the road and stopped to investigate. It's rider, "Gator Larry", en route from Alaska to Florida, had run out of gas and seemed to be at a loss for how to proceed. We checked the navigation system on my Honda - it showed gas 10 miles away. My bike is fuel injected, and it is not an easy task to get fuel out of the line like on a carbureted bike with a gravity-fed fuel system. Neither of us had anything to siphon with, so that option was not available. He didn't have a cell phone either, so we used mine to call for roadside assistance. Once we were sure they were on their way, I bid him farewell, and with an eye towards a VERY black sky ahead, I moved on wishing that I had an informative pamphlet on the wonders of cell phones to pass along.

The second-scariest moment of the trip came shortly thereafter. I had slowed down a bit and rain and wind hit me suddenly and hard from my right, pushing me across my lane. In a moment, rain and intense wind lashed in, making it very difficult to stay in my lane. I moved to the right side of the right lane to give myself a little buffer, and started looking for shelter. Just then, a huge blast of wind started pushing me to the left. I had the bike leaned WAY over just to stay going straight ahead, and all the surface area of the fairing and luggage was giving the wind quite a bit of area to push against! The wind pushed harder and harder, and I steered to right as hard as I could, but I was still being pushed to the left and towards the edge of the road. The asphalt was one huge puddle and the volume of water coming down was unbelievable. I could not stop for fear of being run over by 18 wheelers, and I had to maintain enough speed to allow me to steer.

With about 10 inches to spare, the wind eased enough for a moment for me to get back to the right side of the road. Within a moment, an overpass came into view and I ducked underneath it. I said a silent "thank you" prayer and waited for the storm to pass. True to form, within 10 minutes it was history, and I continued down I-40 towards home.

At 3:30 am, I pulled into my driveway, 13 miles short of 1000 miles in a day. I didn't care that I hadn't done an official "Ironbutt" distance. I was tired, wind-battered, and sleepy, but I was HOME.

Day 20 - Four States in One Step

Day 20
Near Four Corners
Salina, UT to Taos, New Mexico
580 miles

I'm a little road weary at this point and I'm having trouble getting "up and at 'em" as my Dad would say. I would probably make better progress if I could hit the road before 9 am, but I'm tired and that's about the best I can manage.

The Weather Channel tells me there are likely to be thunderstorms along my route in the afternoon. I've been extremely lucky so far and have not dealt with any moisture to speak of - the fog encountered going from Tehachapi to Santa Cruz got me wetter and colder than most rainstorms!

I have always wanted to visit the Four Corners - the spot where the borders of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado all converge. I don't know WHY I wanted to go there, other than to see how it feels to have my feet and arms in four different states. The spot itself is completely unremarkable - a monument surrounded by Navajo Nation souvenir sellers and native food vendors. I made my contribution to their economy, then headed east.

At the recommendation of my friend Jeff Tarlton, I chose US Hwy 64 to cross New Mexico. He had ridden it some years earlier and was so enthusiastic about it I changed my original plan to include it. I experienced the greatest extremes of the trip so far today, seeing a high temperature of 110 degrees and a low of 45 degrees. That low came together with the highest altitude I had seen of the entire trip - about 10,500 feet in the mountains near Taos.

I arrived in Taos in a chilly drizzle right about dark, found a Best Western, and arrived in the restaurant just before closing. As an unexpected bonus, I got a ground floor room and was able to put the bike under the eaves to keep it out of the light rain. The area is beautiful, and I made a mental note that I must return when I can explore it a little more completely.

Day 19 - The Loneliest Road in America

Day 19
The Loneliest Road In America
Fallon, Nevada to Salina, Utah
494 miles

As I mentioned before, US Highway 50, which traverses Nevada from east to west, is called "The Loneliest Road in America". There is certainly good reason - through most of the route, there are no houses, no buildings, no cars, no gas stations, often no power lines or even other roads - NOTHING. There were plenty of beautiful vistas, comfortable temps due to the altitude of 5000 feet and above, and the satellite radio didn't seem affected by the desolation at all. All in all, it was a pleasant ride and upon my arrival to Salina, UT, I stayed in a Super 8 with the friendliest and most accomodating desk clerk I've ever met. It's nice when they understand your "bike paranoia" and work to get you a ground floor room where the bike can be close by!

Day 18 - Head East & Come Full Circle

Day 18
Coming Full Circle
Santa Cruz, CA to Fallon, NV
344 miles

I awoke to the scent of ocean air and made preparations to hit the road, still not quite sure which way I was going to use for my return route. By the time I pointed the front wheel out the driveway, I had decided to head for cooler mountain temperatures and Lake Tahoe once again, and then strike out across the “Loneliest Road in America”, US Hwy 50 across Nevada. I got my last dose of extreme heat, with the temp gauge reading 115 degrees briefly in Livermore, CA, before settling in at a steady 111 by the time I rode through Stockton. I motored up and over Carson Pass, also known as California Hwy 88, through some of the most gorgeous and spellbinding scenery yet. Anyone reading this who has not experienced it – mark it down as a “must see”. Many thanks to the generous CHP officer who gave me a break (and not a ticket) when I fudged my way past a 5th wheel rig that had not completely pulled into a turnout. More good fortune, and I've already had plenty on this trip.

I briefly considered staying in Tahoe – it would be my last visit there for a while after all – but I decided to press on a little farther east and spend the night in the town of my birth, Fallon, Nevada. While in Fallon, I found and took photos of the old high school, where my father was principal during the late 50's. It safe to say that Fallon looks completely different than it did when I was born.

Day 17 - With Old Friends

Day 17
With Old Friends
Santa Cruz, CA

My friend Jim Hodge, his girlfriend Rafaela, and Charles the miniature schnauzer were kind enough to take me in, feed me, give me a place to sleep, wash my clothes, and recharge in preparation for the long journey home to Arkansas. Jim has taken a run down, nondescript little house and transformed it into a cozy and inviting home for two. The fact that it is right next door to where he grew up is just icing on the cake.

Jim is a professional cook and eating at his house is always a treat. (the other way of sampling his cuisine is not as appealing – he cooks at the county jail!) Any offer extended to assist him in the kitchen is quickly but politely rebuffed – I mean, does Pavarotti need help to sing “Ave Maria”? I think not.

Jim and I were joined by another old friend, Ken Botelho (jah Kenny!) for an excursion into Monterey Bay aboard Jim’s sailboat. It was a glorious day on the bay, the kind of day that makes one forget that living in Santa Cruz has a few downsides (housing costs, traffic, bizarre local politics, etc). For a few hours we enjoyed the company and conversation and managed to forget that we had jobs and school to return to in the very near future.

Later that night, Jim barbequed some marinated skirt steaks from Shopper’s Corner, the coolest grocery store on the planet, and Ken contributed his “Killer” garlic bread to top everything off.

Day 14 - Day 16 ---- LAGUNA !!!!

Day 14 to Day 16
United States Motorcycle Grand Prix
Laguna Seca Raceway
Monterey, CA

Ron and I have been attending the motorcycle races at Laguna Seca since 1978. Since I moved to Arkansas, my attendance has been spotty, and I miss more races than I make. I died a thousand deaths as I sat at home last year watching the Laguna GP live on Speed Channel, Ron was kind enough to call me and remind me how great things were and that I was "really missing it". I knew that I had to find a way to get to Laguna this year. If you are a dyed-in-the-wool motorcycle nut, there is no other place to be. This is our Mecca, our Holy Land and thousands make the annual pilgrimage. Are you getting the impression that this is an important event?

In a nutshell - it occurred in the midst of a huge heatwave in California. Temperatures at the track, which can normally range from cold and foggy to quite warm, easily topped the 100 degree mark on both Saturday and Sunday. The heat caused all kinds of problems for the riders and spectators alike - many were hospitalized with heat-related problems. Nicky Hayden, a factory Honda rider from Owensboro, Kentucky, won the MotoGP race convincingly for the second year in a row. There were many other support races, including national-level Superbike races, which would normally stand on their own as a "headline" act. The inclusion of AMA Superbikes in the USGP weekend makes this even more a "must see" event.

Ron and I have traditionally ridden from Santa Cruz the 40 miles or so over to Laguna every morning, and since we were staying with his mother in Scotts Valley, CA, just north of Santa Cruz, (thanks, Mom!) we made the traditional journey three times this year. Sunday after the race, Ron headed home to Tehachapi and family, and I went back to Santa Cruz to spend a couple of days with another lifelong buddy, Jim Hodge (the man who makes Turbo Suzukis cower in fear!)

A few photos to get the flavor of the event .....

Day 13 - Reunions

Day 13
Kelseyville, CA to Scotts Valley, CA
332 miles

I may never have slept so soundly as on my friends Robert and Donna Marie Stahl's living room cot. Robert is Ron's younger brother. Robert took his first tour with us in 1984 with a total of 5000 miles of riding experience under his belt. Today he is an accomplished and skilled rider with nearly 200,000 miles of experience (most of it on his astoundingly clean 1983 Suzuki GS750 - more on that in a moment) and the unique claim of never having been "down" on a street bike. To do that, one must be well trained, vigilant, skilled, and lucky. Robert is all of the above.

We had intended to get up and leave early, but Robert was getting off work at noon, so we waited for him and visited a little in the afternoon. I gave him an impromptu bass guitar lesson, and we sat around, napped, and listed to music until it was obvious we needed to get going if we were going to get to Scotts Valley that day.

California is still in the midst of a heat wave and Kelseyville was not exempt, so we headed for the cool of the coast. Robert rode with us to the coast near Mendocino, where we had dinner at Elk, CA in front of a gorgeous sunset over the Pacific. I always have difficulty when I visit areas where the ocean is not to the west - after living on the left coast for so many years, it just throws me off to have the sun RISE over the ocean.

Robert's immaculate 1983 GS750E has over 130,000 miles on the original, untouched engine - a testament to both the quality of modern machinery and the value of fastidious maintenance. I am not a "group" rider at all - I have very few people I'm really at ease riding with, so it was a rare treat indeed to roll down the road with two good friends and great riders - it did not escape me how fleeting this opportunity would be, and I enjoyed every second.

Robert had to work the next day, and we needed to make time to get back to Scotts Valley, so we all headed back inland. Ron and I had an uneventful ride down 101, including a fog-shrouded Golden Gate bridge, to arrive about 1 am.

Day 12 - Lost Time on the Lost Coast

Day 12
Arcata, CA to Kelseyville, CA
271 miles

We rose to a cool clear morning, somewhat of an oddity in these parts during the summer. After a little map=gazing we decided to ride down the "Lost Coast", a relatively unpopulated area of the Northern California coast not accessible by any major highway.

After a wonderful breakfast in the bucolic berg of Ferndale, we returned to the bikes to discover that Ron's BMW would not start. I had a not-so-private chuckle over this, as my own mechanical problem had been the source of good-natured needling from Ron just a few days earlier. We put our heads together and quickly determined that we had a fuel delivery problem. The fuel pump on a R1150RT is inside the fuel tank, so surgery was begun. I wish I had remembered that my friends, Mark and Debbie Topping, were "motorcycle people", lived close by and would have been happy to help out.

We found and fixed the problem within two hours - amazing considering the limited supply of tools we had and the less-than-optimum working conditions. Once repaired, we made our way through the unspoiled beauty of the "Lost Coast". The road was in very poor condition in some places. We were told later that a section of the coastal road gave way under the weight of several motorcycles just a couples of weeks earlier, resulting in rider injuries serious enough to require MedEvac flights to get them to the hospital. The road would be great for a big dual sport machine, something with long travel suspension, but it was taxing and uncomfortable on my stiffly suspended VFR. We completed our loop with a run through the redwoods in Humbolt Redwoods State Park. The size and majesty of those trees never fails to leave me awed.

The time lost in making roadside repairs required an alteration in schedule, and we rode Hwy 101 south to Ron's brother's house in Kelseyville. A wonderful dinner was waiting for us on the grill, and I for one was ready to stop rolling for a while.

Day 11 - Changes in attitudes, changes in latitudes

Day 11
Quincy, CA to Arcata, CA
417 miles

We got an early start this morning and headed north on CA 89 out of Quincy. We stopped for some "Then and Now" photos along the way and at McArthur-Burney Falls State Park, where we originally intended to camp for the night. We changed our minds because of the over 100 degree heat forecast for the area.

We decided to reroute ourselves and get over to the coast a day early. the difference in temperature can be dramatic - 60s and 70s on the coast, and over 100 just a few miles inland. For our purposes, lower is better this time of year!

Day 10 - The Long and Winding Road - Now and Then Photos

Day 10
Hogdon Meadow, Yosemite to Quincy, CA
351 miles

Dawn broke in a very brisk and beautiful Yosemite fashion, and I broke out the stove and coffee pot to get it started. Ron was still a bit tired from his pre-vacation vacation, so he slept in a little later.

It's hard to describe how waking up in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and Yosemite in particular, makes you feel if you haven't done it yourself, but it is invigorating and renewing and something I would recommend everyone experience at least once. Special note though - if you want to camp inside the park, better get your campsite reservation many months in advance. I secured these reservations for July in the the preceding March and didn't have a great selection.

We got moving before things got too hot, and headed out on the route we originally took back in 1981 - namely, up CA 49 to Angels Camp (104 degrees when we arrived) and then up CA 4 into the high country past Lake Alpine and Mosquito Lake, and down the other side into Markleeville and South Shore Lake Tahoe. From there we moved farther up CA 89 and settled in Quincy before running out of steam and daylight, in that order. We were both pretty worn out from the heat and traffic. We had virtually no traffic in 1981, but then again, there are over 13 million more people in California today than there were in 1981. A million here, a million there and sooner or later it starts to add up!

Finally for today, a few "Then and Now" photos.


Bridge over the Stanislaus River and the New Malones reservoir from CA Hwy 49 - circa 1981 (left) and 2006
















Ron awakens in Yosemite on the morning of Day 2 of the tour circa 1981 (left) and 2006

Day 9 - Into Yosemite

Day 9
Scotts Valley, CA to Hogdon Meadow, Yosemite

We got a later start than we wanted, but knew we had lots of time. As we headed north out of Scotts Valley, we were both astounded at the level of traffic. When Ron moved to Scotts Valley, it had one stop sign. I remember it slightly more advanced - stop lights and a shopping center.

We followed CA Hwy 9 through the San Lorenzo Valley, Brookdale and Boulder Creek, still struggling with heavy traffic. As we neared CA Hwy 35, Skyline Blvd, we finally got a break and traffic thinned out. We spent many a Sunday in years past riding up Skyline to Alice's Restaurant, a local hangout for motorcyclists on Sunday. We stopped for lunch and quickly realized that the secret is out, and everyone knows about Alice's now.

After lunch and some obligatory parking lot trolling, we headed east over the San Francisco Bay and through the baking hot central valley. I saw 105 in Manteca. As we moved up into the higher altitudes, I was rewarded again with the incredible aroma of evergreens and lower temperatures. We camped in Hogdon Valley, a camp at the northern entrance.

After setting up camp, we rode down into Yosemite Valley for some fine pizza at Currey's. On the way back to camp, we pulled over to gaze at the incredible carpet of stars on display in the blackness above the valley floor. I don't know if I have ever seen that many stars, and I know for sure I haven't in a very long time, if I ever did.

Yosemite is a magical place, and I never tire of going back.

Day 8 - Break down, go ahead and give it to me ....

Day 8
Tehachapi, CA to Scotts Valley, CA
348 miles


Internet access has been hard to find, but it's Sunday July 16th - Day 9. Ron & I are in Scotts Valley, CA at his mother's house. In an hour or so, we'll start the actual rerunning of the 81 tour.

We had an interesting trip from his house in Tehachapi, CA yesterday. My Honda decided to start running on three cylinders about 20 miles after we left his house. I rode it that way about 150 miles through some twisty bits until we reached the coast - I knew if I had to disassemble the thing, I wanted to do it in 70 degree temps, not the 100 plus we saw inland. We found an Albertson's in San Luis Obispo, CA with a suitable parking lot. After removing the bodywork, I discovered a loose wire that seemed to be the problem, put it back together, and we rode up to the Santa Cruz area in 55 degree temps, finishing off with a typical Monterey Bay area fog. Brrrr.

Alice's Resautrant (a popular Bay Area motorcycle destination @ the intersection of CA 35 & CA 84) today for lunch, then on to Yosemite.

Day 6 - Head for the coast!

Day 6
Bermuda Dunes, CA to Morro Bay, CA
351 miles

Camping tonight is a welcome change in temperature from the last week. It’s about 60 degrees outside as opposed to the 115 I rode in leaving the desert today. I’ve taken my time for the last two days, visiting with my lifelong friend, Kevin Young, and his family. We found the best sushi deal I’ve ever had Wednesday at Joe’s Sushi in La Quinta, CA - $17.99 for all you can eat! Kevin and I scarfed down what would have cost $100 or more anywhere else and made a mental note that we must return sometime soon. Easier for him than me, I’m afraid!

I had endured all the heat I could stand, so this afternoon I made a bee line to the coast, knowing from having lived there for a big chunk of my life that the temperatures would be cool and pleasant. I was not disappointed – as I drew ever closer, the temp gauge on the VFR continued to fall, settling on a very pleasant 77 degrees when I met the coast at Ventura, CA.

No mechanical or any other issues to report. I had no real destination for tonight and was lucky enough to find a county campground for a reasonable price, and got the tent ready just as night fell. Tehachapi, and Ron’s house tomorrow. There is no ‘net access in this campground though, and I am going nuts that I won’t be able to watch practice for the German GP live. It will keep, as my wise old aunt always said.

Day 4 - close calls and a day of extremes

Day 4
Polvadera, NM - Bermuda Dunes, CA
648 miles

The dawn broke in the New Mexico desert clear and cool, and the lack of humidity was wonderful - I have never gotten completely used to the sultry summer air in Arkansas. I bade my relatives goodbye and headed west on US 60, and quickly the road took me to over 7000 feet. I glanced down at the air temperature gauge on the the VFR - 65 degrees.

After a wonderful breakfast at the Magdalena Cafe in town of the same name, I found myself in a broad, flat high mountain valley - populated only with huge radio antennas - other wise known as the Very Large Array, or VLA for short. See http://www.vla.nrao.edu/ I recognized it from the movie "Contact" with Jodie Foster.

Eventually we crossed over 8200 feet and the ride was pleasant and cool. I knew that later that day I would be fondly remembering those crisp temperatures. Moving west, I found myself in the Salt River Canyon on US 60 West in Arizona, and this road contained the first curves of the trip so far. Unfortunately, it also contained the slippery tar snakes used to repair roads in some areas (dubbed the "La Brea Tar Strips" by Ron's brother Robert when we encountered them up in Alberta back in the 80s). I hadn't experienced any issue with them and was enthusiastically bending the bike into a nice left-hander when the front tucked and slid, leaving an ugly black stripe mid-corner. I don't know how I saved it, but I stayed in the throttle and managed to keep it upright when by all rights I should have been on my head. That was the closest I have come to crashing for a long time. I tip-toed the rest of the way down the canyon and into the town of Globe, where the VFR's air temp gauge showed 111 degrees. It rose to a high reading of 115 while passing through the Tempe and Phoenix metro areas, where I was treated to some stop and go traffic to top things off. There were very few motorcycles on the road in those areas.

I can't say enough about the Joe Rocket Sahara cooling vest - once soaked in water and placed under my mesh jacket, it made the "blast furnace" effect of the wind much more tolerable. The last 200 miles of the I-10 freeway, temps in the 113-115 range, and sun lowering in the west were very taxing. Near the AZ-CA border I came upon a roll-over accident with troopers on-scene, but no medical personell. I stopped to see if the persons were badly injured, not sure if I could help or not. To my relief and just at that moment, an ambulance arrived, and I went on my way.

The pool at my friend Kevin's home in the Bermuda Dunes community was a very welcome sight after an extremely eventful day, which had me riding through a 50 degree range of temperatures.

Day 2 & 3 - west into New Mexico, visits with family

Day 2
Abilene, Texas - Polvadera, New Mexico
505 miles

The morning of Day 2 saw me up early and fixing coffee in camp. I knew it would be a long trip to central New Mexico and wanted to get going early enough to take advantage of the cool morning air.

Everything packed up easily and I headed west. Western Texas was predictably boring, but I did start to see the subtle differences in the landscape as I made my way west - flat, unremarkable grasslands started to give way to flat-topped mesas and the ever-present red dirt. I have never seen a stretch of NOTHING quite like the 50 or so miles from the Texas border to Roswell, New Mexico - no houses, buildings, or even signs of civilization - a perfect place to lose a UFO ...

Heading west on US 380 out of Roswell, I started to climb, and as I gained altitude, the temperature started to fall. Soon the high 90s of the lowlands had been replaced by high 70s and low 80s. I even found some curves and a beautiful little valley in the region between Hondo and Carrizozo - all located in the famous region around Ruidoso, original site of the Aspencade rally.

As I moved west of Carrizozo on US380, I also rode through the "Valley of the Fires", an area of volcanic flow that in covered by black lava. Seen from the satellite image, it appears as if someone spilled a bottle of ink on the landscape and never bothered to blot it. I finished my day's ride with a crossing of the Rio Grande, and then spent the last rays of evening sun on my cousin's porch, overlooking the beautiful Rio Grande valley near Socorro, NM. I'll spend a non-riding day here visiting family, then head west again early on Tuesday morning, the 11th.

Day 1 is in the bag - everything is working flawlessly

Day 1
Hot Springs, Arkansas - Abilene, Texas
485 miles

For those who did not know it already, be advised that a lot of Texas is flat. Many roads are very straight. And, in July, it is often quite hot. I saw an air temp of 100 degrees on the VFR's gauge today, in Fort Worth. That being said, I had a great first day.

As usual, I got on the road a little later than I would have liked. I went to breakfast with my family, and those things inevitably take more time than you expect. Once I got on the road, complete with my traditional in-helmet rendition of Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again" (a touring tradition for me), I had to turn back within the first 3 miles when I discovered I had forgotten the Camelbak my son Connor had been gracious enough to lend me. I considered not going back after it, but it turns out that I was wise to retrieve it - I filled and drained it four times in the space of 485 hot, flat, straight, dry miles. Good hydration is very important.

I couldn't locate any of my family in Dallas, so I pressed on, and made it easily to my alternate destination - Abilene, TX. I'm at the KOA - I always had a preference for them. Ron and I stayed in many over the years. Added bonus - lots of them now have wireless 'net access!

I was feeling a little sheepish about the addition of music and navigation to the VFR - I have received a few raised eyebrows (real and virtual) from some riding buddies who are not yet part of that camp. After today, all I can say is - guys, you don't know what you're missing! A great selection of music sure transformed the superslab for me today!

Also a pleasant surprise was the riding gear I selected. Knowing that I would see great extremes in weather and temperature on this trip, I begrudgingly left the Aerostich Darien jacket and pants at home and am wearing the versatile Joe Rocket Alter Ego, which features a mesh body and a removeable shell that covers it. A waterproof liner and the Sahara cooling vest will both zip directly inside also. I also chose my Rev'It Airflow mesh pants. The combination of this mesh gear, the Sahara cooling vest, an Aerostich Evap-A-Danna, and the Camelbak made today very tolerable indeed. I never felt miserably hot - even at 100 degrees. The pants have a rain liner also, but while it's not too big a deal to put the liner in your jacket, disrobing roadside to put the rain liner in your pants doesn't appeal to me. I brought a pair of overpants for sudden showers and anything unexpected.

Polvadera, New Mexico tomorrow.

D Day (D for Departure)

DAY 1
Hot Springs, Arkansas to Abilene, TX

Total Est. Time: 7 hours, 21 minutes
Total Est. Distance: 478 miles



Well, the planning of the last 18 months is about it go into motion. Today is the day!

I'm headed west of course, either to stay with relatives in the Dallas area or possibly to move on to Abilene, TX. I have not managed to find any of my relatives by phone or email yet (hmmmm - what are they trying to tell me?), so if I still can't find them Saturday afternoon, it's on to Abilene.

Tested the bike yesterday - everything is working AWESOME!

Route for leg one - getting to California - T minus 3 days

I debated a lot about which way to go out west and decided on this one. I'll be visiting with family along the way, and avoiding a lot of freeways. Freeways are a great way to make efficient time in a car, horrible on a motorcycle. Once at the western end of this route (Ron's house) we'll most likely head over to the coast and up to our starting point in Santa Cruz, CA.