Motorcycle - Adventure - Stories - and - More: I LOVE TEXAS - Day 2

BARSTOW, CA to KINGMAN, AZ (Tuesday, July 21)

5:45am - Oops, I slept in. I thought I was gonna get a wake up call from a gal I'd met just before leaving. Obviously we got our signals mixed up. As you will find out later though, we were able to get our channels tuned in better… much better.

6:30am - I was able to get change for a ten from one of the other motel guests, for the maid. Glenn was too busy packing his bike to look in his wallet to see if he had change for me, and for some reason he didn't think it was appropriate to leave a tip for the maid.

7:15am - Denny's for baby grand slams for each of us. I had a very nice conversation with David & Vera Perez from Brownsville, Texas, who were on their way to San Francisco. We were like four ships passing in the morning… going in the opposite direction… their starting point being our destination... and visa versa.

David & Vera Perez in Barstow, CA

8:00am - After a nice breakfast, we were on the road.

8:45am - Glenn tried to ditch me. He was following behind me, and pulled off at the off-ramp to a rest stop without signaling. I thought about continuing on without him, but since there was no one behind me, I turned and went back up the on-ramp going the wrong direction. When I pulled up next to him, he said his radar detector had slipped off its bracket, and was about to become highway litter. He made no apology, and none was required.

We met Pat, who was on his way to Yellowstone in his RV, who told us he and four of his buddies had done a 26-day 9,875-mile motorcycle ride the year before. They'd done all four corners of the Continental United States. Maine, Florida, Washington and California. What an experience that must've been… it made our trip seem puny by comparison.

9:15am - Just as we were merging back onto the highway, a babe in a mustang passed us. I couldn't resist, so I sped up, pulled up along side her, and when she turned her head, I asked her if she was married. She smiled and held up her hand, showing me the ring on her finger. Too bad, I mean… lucky guy… she was beautiful.

It wasn't more than a few minutes after that, when I got a big smile and a friendly wave from another girl… this one driving a big rig. Not nearly as cute as the gal in the mustang, but heck… this ol' cowboy doesn't normally turn down any attention from the fairer sex.

9:45am - Only an hour on the road, and we stopped again. Glenn & I had already promised each other that we'd not make the same mistake as the day before… plenty of stops and lots of water.

Before we left the rest stop, I had gotten the chance to meet Denise, the gal in the big rig. She said she'd been driving with her husband Stan, for the last 2½ years and was enjoying the time on the road with him. After getting a closer look at Denise, I thought to myself that I'd be enjoying the time with her too.

10:15am - Gas stop at an Indian Casino. We spent about 30 minutes changing a flat tire for Eolo (pronounced yolo) and her little dog Pepe. She asked what she could do for us as a thank you, and after Glenn said nothing, I told her a 12oz. Bud in a can would be great. She came back with a six-pack. Bless her heart… she was a real sweetie.

11:30am - Outskirts of Las Vegas. Somehow we had missed our turn, but Chief and his buddy Junior told us it was a good thing, 'cuz that road had been shut down earlier in the morning, due to a fuel spill. I love it when you think you made a mistake, and then find out later, it was the best thing that coulda happened.

Chief was cool. An Apache of the White Mountain Tribe, who was proud to tell us he was, "From the same Tribe as Geronimo." He was probably in his mid 30's, and hitch hiking his way to Bakersfield to try to find work. He told us we should to go to his reservation, Fort Apache, for their yearly Pow Wow.

It was tempting, but if we were gonna make it to my niece's house in Killeen, in the time frame we'd allowed for ourselves, we'd have to take a rain (dance) check.

12:30pm - Our revised route established, we were happy and cruising side by side on an open freeway. Glenn and I had shaken hands while riding side by side a couple of times already, but now I thought it would be fun for him to try and hand me the cigar he was getting was ready to finish off.

We made the hand off on our first attempt. I came up on his left, moving slightly faster than he, then… just as I was coming up next to him, I took my right hand off the throttle, and pulled in the clutch lever with my left, so I was coasting. Then it was Glenn's responsibility to match my speed, which basically amounted to him waiting for me to drift back to him after I had passed him.

It was a dangerous and unnecessary maneuver, and a foolish risk, but it was just what we needed. We were acting like silly boys… out on the road, having fun. Glenn and I decided many years ago that we were never going to grow up. So far, we've been pretty darn successful at attaining that goal. It is a lifetime's work however.

2:30pm - After a quick stop for gas, we were riding thru Bullhead City. 114 degrees. A HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN DEGREES. Just like yesterday, the hot wind burned our skin. Why would anyone choose to live in this climate? Being born and raised on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, this was like hell, or at least as close as it could be.

I kept reminding myself that tomorrow we'd be in Flagstaff… higher in elevation and much cooler. The forecast there was actually the exact same temperature as the forecast for our hometown that day… a perfect 75 degrees.

3:30pm - Oatman. We were finally on an old section of Route 66. I'd been to Oatman years ago, but had forgotten how much fun the frontier town was. We bought and drank a couple ice-cold mugs of beer from Nancy, while her husband John-George, the gun slinger-sheriff, entertained us and the other patrons in and outside their saloon.

5:30pm - Kingman. The ride from Bullhead City thru Oatman was spectacular. Rocky and desolate… dry and barren… the eastern Arizona desert at it's finest.

When we had left Watsonville just yesterday morning, I'd thought we'd make it to Kingman in one day, but with all the unplanned stops the first day, and all the planned water (and beer) stops today… we decided to stable our ponies and have a nice steak dinner.

7:30pm - It was at dinner that Glenn told me he'd decided to turn back. I wasn't too surprised. Disappointed yes, but not surprised. I'd prepared myself for the very real possibility that Glenn was just not cut out for a cross Country adventure with someone like me. There were no hard feelings, at least not on my part.

But the teasing and kidding I'd been giving him about his parking maneuver and his battle with heat stroke had taken its toll on him. He wasn't happy and said he'd be heading back to spend a few days in Las Vegas the next morning. Oh well, I'd done all my previous road trips solo so I was certainly not gonna let his lack of ability to laugh at himself, keep me from enjoying myself.

I felt bad that we were separating, but I hope he recovers from the drama & trauma of this trip, and decides to ride with me again someday. Glenn and I have always had our differences, and will probably butt heads again… but in the end and from the heart… we are from the same Tribe, called: "Brothers from different Mothers."