I LOVE TEXAS - Day 7 (and epilogue) - 825 words

ABILENE, TX to KILLEEN, TX   (Sunday, July 26)

4:20am - Up and at 'em, 10 minutes before my alarm was set to wake me up.

6:20am - Posts and coffee complete, time for my morning beer and packing ritual.

8:00am - On the road again.  It felt like it was already about 75, and I was sweating when I finished packing up.  It was nice though, 'cuz the wetness on my tee shirt felt good as the breeze hit me, as I headed down the frontage road to the highway.  The forecast was for intermittent thunder showers, but all I saw was a slight overcast… not a cloud in the sky.

8:09am - Apache High School's sign, at the southern outskirts of Abilene, told me I was wrong about the temperature.  It was already 80.

8:25am - Denton Valley Store.  Good thing I had one beer in my cooler left, it looked like it had been a few years since this establishment had served any customers.

 

I had gotten off the major highway, and onto a two laner.  No more highways or freeways until a short stretch, just coming into Killeen (pronounced kill een)… my final destination for this trip.

9:00am - Crossplains.  How many dry Counties are there in Texas?  I did find sunscreen and aloe though.  My skin was turning into 'A Darker Shade of Leather.'

Met Victor, who said there was a lot of construction going on in Abilene.  I would've never guessed it from what I had seen.   I knew that it was true in Killeen though… that's the reason I was headed there, and his news gave me hope that I would be able to find steady employment for the first time in too many years.

9:10am - Passed a turn off to a town named 'Nimrod'.  I kid you not.  I would love to meet some people from that town… I bet I'd fit right in.

9:15am - Rising Star.  A different County… but the same dry story.  A local told me that he thought that Comanche, down the road was damp.  When I told him my guess as to what that meant, he confirmed me to be correct… beer and wine, but no liquor.

10:00am - Comanche.  The guy in the last town was right, but what he didn't mention to me was that there was a new law (throughout Texas) that wouldn't allow the sale of any alcohol before noon on Sundays.  I wondered if God was trying to tell me something.

I still love Texas, but I've decided that if I'm gonna do road trips in this State, I have only three options:  1) drink less;   2) ride faster thru the dry Counties;  or 3) carry a bigger ice chest.

The clerk at the mini mart told me that Gatesville, down the road was damp, but it was only an hour's ride, and it would be only 11am when I got there.  I sure didn't want to run the risk of continuing down the road, finding myself in another one of those confounded dry Counties when the drinking lantern was finally lit.  That would have been a horrible thing… no… it would have been a disaster.

10:30am - Hamilton.  I stopped at Storms, a cozy little country style restaurant.  Their parking lot was full, so I figured it would be a good place to get some grub and kill some time.  $4.32 for a 3-egg omelet with cheese, onions, hash browns, toast, and a side of salsa.  I love Texas.  The only thing was, just like last night… the salsa was as tasteless as bland tomato sauce.  I added some Tabasco to put a little life in it.

12:30pm - Gatesville.  I stopped at three different stores, and spent over an hour trying to find a Texas State Flag for Honey.  No luck.  But I did find some beer, thank ya jesus.

1:00pm - Copperas Cove.  Stopped at two more stores, looking for Honey's Flag.  Interesting… as proud as Texans are of their State, they sure are making it hard for me to show that Honey and I are too.

1:36pm - Killeen.  Taumie's House.    Final Destination.    209 miles for the day.         

                                                  2,406 for the Voyage.   Bon, that is.

 

                                                                     EPILOGUE

The next day, even before I could schedule my first interview for employment, I got a call from Gaeir, the gal I'd met just before leaving.  After only three dates, and less than two hours in bed, she told me she wanted me to move in and live with her, and be her 'personal assistant'.

She told me she would support me in my effort to follow my new path towards a better understanding of my spirituality.   She also offered her experience and knowledge that she gained while working as an editor for a publishing firm, to help me become a published author.  I'm crossing my fingers for both.

I LOVE TEXAS - Day 6 - 1.7k words

FORT SUMNER, NM to ABILENE, TX   (Saturday, July 25)

1:30am - Rats.  Couldn't sleep.  Oh well, I had wanted to get an early start anyway and beat the afternoon heat, so… up and at 'em.  6½ hours of good sleep was more than enough anyway.

4:00am - Caught up with a bunch of emails, mostly from Gaeir, the gal who was supposed to give me that wake up call on my first night out.  I'd met her on OKCupid because I wanted to associate with someone about spirituality instead of sex.  Sex was fun and I know I'll never give it up, but I'd decided I wanted to try something other than the movie star gorgeous type of girlfriend.  I wanted to give something else a chance.  You'll hear more about that (and Gaeir) later.

The birds were starting to chirp, so I knew it was time I started packing up Honey.  I wanted to hit the road just before sunrise this morning.  Then I met Angel.  She came across the parking lot from her room and walked right up to my door and started talking like it was the middle of the day… loud and fast.

6:00am - Two hours later, and she was still going at it.  Even after I had asked her to give me some space so I could concentrate on getting packed… she just kept on talking.  For a while she was sitting outside my door on the porch, talking to herself.  Poor, lost angel… she was kinda sweet in a way… but troubled to say the least.  She said that her car had broken down and that she was going to the swimmin' hole, to try and find a ride somewhere else.  She said she didn't care where, as long as it was somewhere else.

One of the funny things she told me was that Angelia Jolie had it out for her because she had stolen Brad Pitt away from her for a while, early in their relationship. 

The last time she wandered into my room before I left, she was wearing a skimpy little tank top and black see-thru underwear.  Too bad she was a bit off… she was cute enough to have a go-around with under different circumstances.

6:05am - On the road.

6:15am - Took a 3-mile detour to watch the sunrise over Billy The Kid's Grave.

7:00am - Melrose.  Wanted a beer and some ice, but was in a dry County.

7:30am - Clovis… still dry... gas, water, and ice.

9:30am - Texas.  Sudan, Texas… and… BEER.  I love Texas.  I packed five of the six cans into the pre-cooled ice chest, but for some reason I didn't crack open the one I was holding in my hand, and about five seconds later a Texas Ranger pulled up and parked right next to me.  Without acting suspicious, I tucked it under my leather jacket, which was draped over Honey's tail bag… lit a smoke… and took my journal out, to make the entry I'm now writing about.

It wasn't long before the Ranger came out of the store and left.  He wasn't out of the parking lot yet, when I was reaching underneath my jacket with my body between my still ice-cold faithful friend, and the Ranger.  I opened and drank the beer while chatting with Steve, who warned me to be careful and to, "Watch out for those Rangers", as he sipped from his metal flask which most likely contained whiskey or bourbon.

10:45am - Lubbock.  Taco Bell and my first junk food of the trip at the 2K-mile mark.

11:45am - Post.  It was long past due time to get off Highway 84, the four lane highway I'd been on for way too long.  At least it hadn't been a 'freeway', but still… Honey and I were both getting tired and bored of the straight-line syndrome.

12:45pm - Clairmont.                Kent County Jail House… Rock.

The door was falling off its hinges, so I cautiously stuck my head in to look around.  It was one big room, full of steel cages.  There were food containers, old tattered clothes, and other types of garbage scattered all over the floor, and the smell of urine was nauseating.  I thought to myself that this place must've been horrible while it was being used, but now abandoned and being abused… it was disgusting and sickening.  Honey and I scrambled outta there, pronto.

1:30pm - Roby… another dry town in another dry County.  At least they had ice for my warmies though.  I sat in the comfort of the air-conditioned mini mart, and made journal entries while they got cold.  After about five minutes, I popped a beverage of choice and hit the road.  Abilene, my chosen destination for the day, was only a couple hours away.  It was getting warm…  95 with an expected high of 105.

2:00pm - The little highway I was following bypassed the town of Sweetwater, but I was sure to find a gas station when it merged onto Interstate-20.  Nope… and this was gonna be close.  I calc'd Honey had about 15 miles left in her tummy, and Abilene was 30 miles away.  The map showed some little squares between here and there, so… I went into my tuck position, to make us as streamlined as possible.

2:20pm - Whew.  Trent… with gas available signs.  Nope... strike two… the signs were wrong.  I merged back onto the freeway and lowered myself into an even more streamlined position.  I laughed to myself, 'cuz the last two times I'd run out of gas were both in Texas, on my previous trip to Killeen last year.

2:35pm - I coasted to the off ramp, and pulled over to the side of the frontage road. 

2:36pm - I didn't even have time to take off my shirt to wave someone down.  The first vehicle that came by stopped and asked if they could help.  I love Texas.  Joey and Billy refused to take any money and said they'd be back in 20 minutes with some gas for Honey.  Begrudgingly, Joey accepted the $25 I forced into his hand.

2:40pm - Off they went.                                                                                                               

2:41pm - Jim, in the next vehicle that drove by, stopped.  Again, without me even acting like I needed any help whatsoever.  What is it about people in Texas being so darned nice?  He offered to give me the ½ gallon of gas he had in the back of his truck, but I told him I was sure that Joey and Billy would be back, and I didn't want to be rude, having them show up and find me gone, after going thru their effort.  I laughed to myself after Jim drove off, 'cuz I remembered they'd taken the $25, and would've been fine with that.

2:45pm - Three cars slowed down to stop, but continued on, only after I waved to them, and gave them the ok sign that I didn't need help.                                                      

2:48pm - Ty and his girlfriend rolled to a stop in front of me.  I hadn't seen or heard them coming, so I got up from the shade and meandered over to their car to chat a spell.  Really nice kids.  Again, they had gas with them, and offered it to me for free.  As before, I passed up their offer.  Funny huh?  Here I was, stuck on the side of the road, and I turned down multiple offers that would've had me moving again.

3:12pm - When Joey and Billy pulled up, I walked up to the truck, and said with as straight a face as I could manage… "You're twelve minutes late".  Before they left, Joey forced the $25 back into my hand and said to me, "Maybe you'll find me on the side of the road someday."  I gave him one of my business cards, and said, "Please call me the next time you're in the Austin area, I'd like to buy you dinner".

                                                   Joey & Billy, outside Abilene

3:20pm - Fueled up at gas station not more than two miles up the freeway.  It was only 45 minutes after I had coasted to a stop.  I love Texas.

3:45pm - Abilene.  Beered and iced up, I started looking for my motel.  I hoped to find one with a pool and jacuzzi, but being able to park outside the door to my room was really the only necessity.

4:30pm - At the fourth motel I stopped at, I finally found one with a pool and the parking.  Abilene seemed dirty to me.  Most of the motels were closed down and falling apart, and there was a scent of financial depression in the air.

4:45pm - After a quick dip in the pool and a cold beer, I showered and walked down the street for some Chinese food.

5:30pm - I'd decided on Mexican instead of Chinese for dinner.  Bad choice.  I don't remember EVER having such bland, almost tasteless Mexican food before.  I literally drank both the green and the red, hot sauces out of their serving bowls.  The dinner was edible, but not really enjoyable.  I do not recommend the Fenix restaurant in Abilene.  The waitresses were cute though.

One more thing about dinner, and then I'll move on.  When I ordered a house margarita, the waitress told me their machine was broken.  I told them I didn't want it blended anyway, and that the perfect margarita was equal parts of Jose Cuervo Gold, Quantro, and fresh squeezed limejuice.  She responded that the only kind of margarita they served was made with wine.  No… I do not recommend the Fenix.

Before retiring for the night, I hung out with John and Tino… two out of work construction workers barbequing their dinner, out in the parking lot of the motel.

6:30pm - Curled up in bed, watching TV.

8:15pm - Woke up and turned off the TV.      365 miles for the day, 2,197 for the trip.

I LOVE TEXAS - Day 5 - 1.6k words

SANTA FE, NM to FORT SUMNER, NM   (Friday, July 24)

4:30am - Up and at 'em.  Normal routine.  Emails, posts, coffee, beer, packing.

7:00am - Just as I was getting ready to mount up, I met Ed, a local retired rider brother.  He gave me an American Flag for Honey.  Someone had given him the flag the day before, and he had no use for it.

7:45am - It took me 45 minutes to find gas and beer.  I couldn't find premium at the first three stations I stopped at, and apparently beer is not a premium commodity in Santa Fe either.

9:15am - Gosh darn it.  New Mexico seems to have an issue with their road signs.  Lots of the highway intersections don't have numbers posted, and it seems that more than half the ones that are posted, have different numbers on them, than what is shown on the road map.

After turning around at a dead end in a residential area, a very nice Native Nambre Tribe resident drove up and stopped.  He told me I was really close to the road I was looking for.  Good thing he came along, I was getting ready to backtrack 15 minutes back to the last intersection with any hope of having a posted sign with numbers or arrows on it.

Traveling the back roads has its benefits… with the slower pace, you get to see a much closer and clearer view of the real America, but the downside is occasionally getting lost.  A very fair trade in my book… getting lost sometimes is just what I'm looking for on these rides.  Some of the most beautiful scenery and interesting circumstances have occurred when I accidentally stumbled into them when I was lost.

10:15am - Taos Pueblo.  Established in 1402.  Actually that's the last date from recorded history.  Legend has it, that the community goes back to the ancient times of The Egyptians and The Mayans.  Next time I'm there, I'll schedule at least one full day to explore and learn about this area and the people who originally lived here.

11:15am - Eagles Nest - Angel Fire.  Finally, some pretty scenery.  I had just come over a pass… elevation 9,820 feet, and thru an area called Red River.  It was more than pretty actually.  It was gorgeous.  Just what I had envisioned when I'd thought about what the Rocky Mountains in northern New Mexico might look like… commanding… statuesque… elegant… and truly magnificent.

Next time I'm in the area I'm gonna make sure I'm feeling less in a rush, and stop and take more pictures.

            This picture, taken looking back towards Red River, does not do the area justice.

I'd just come thru a spectacular area, and was getting ready to go thru some even more meaningful terrain…

Noon - I stopped at the side of the little one lane road I was on, at an old wooden bridge.  I drank the crystalline, sweet cold water from Coyote Creek, which wound it's way down this pristine little valley I had found.  I took a picture of the bridge, and filled my spare water bottle with it's nectar, and vowed to save it for a special occasion, with my niece and her family in Killeen Texas, which is where I thought at the time, was going to be my new home.

I drank the water like it was expensive champagne or fine cognac.  I took little sips and savored the flavor, keeping the taste in my mouth and in my memory for a long time.  I must've stood beside that bridge for 30 minutes… an eternity for me.  I had found the reason the reason I'd chosen this route.  I was in heaven.  I need to go back to this bridge someday.  With a truckload of 5-gallon water bottles and an equally larger amount of time to spend there, rather than the measly 30 minutes I allotted myself on this day.

12:30pm - I had only gone around two or three bends in the road before I came up to another little wooden bridge… this one, with a car parked just past it, and three young 70 year old ladies standing at the middle of it.

I stopped next to them, right in the middle of the bridge, turned off Honey's engine, and took off my sunglasses.  They told me they'd stopped because when they'd passed me just minutes before and noticed me writing in my journal, they realized they wanted to stop and enjoy the moment too.  They had been traveling for several days from the east coast and were almost to their turning back point in Santa Fe.  They asked me what I had written in my journal, and I told them the truth (I am looking at my journal while I type this)…  I had written the words, "This is why I am here".

There was not a mention of names between us, but the moment was very intimate.  One of them asked me where I was born and when I told her… "Just south of San Francisco", she responded with a loud and proud, "I was conceived in San Francisco".  I came back with an equally loud and even more melodramatically proud, "I was conceived in the Grand Canyon" (which is true).

It was priceless, these few moments with these strangers from a different generation and from a different part of the Country.  Sometimes I think back and wish that I'd traded names and contact information, and then I remember… these are the moments that are supposed to be anonymous.  It's not the names or the numbers that make moments like this special.  It's something very difficult to express.  It's like they say sometimes… 'I guess you had to be there.'

We stayed right there, talking in the middle of the bridge for at least 10 minutes, without me even getting off Honey.  I took a picture of them with their camera, but thinking back on it now, I purposefully chose not to take a picture of them, knowing but not realizing it at the time, that I wanted to keep this part of my adventure as private and as special as possible.

Eventually a car came around the corner.  I took in a deep breath… let out a long, slow sigh… put on my sunglasses… fired up Honey… nodded my appreciation and respect to the old chicks on the bridge… and took off with a big smile of complete contentment and love in my heart.

I must go back to this area… an approximate 75-mile stretch from the north side of the Taos Loop… highway 434/ 38… from just north of Red River, south to Las Vegas.

2:22pm - Las Vegas is nothing more than a pit stop.  After what I'd just experienced up the road, I was amazed at how much the ambience could change in just a few short miles… from cool, sweet, and refreshing… to hot, arid, and unfriendly.  Out of about 15 motorcycles I passed going the other way, only two sport bike riders waved back.  Most of the Harley riders didn't even turn their heads.  Even the guy I caught up to and rode into town with didn't bother to acknowledge my existence.

3:30pm - Santa Rosa.  Gas and beer.  Shook hands with Gus.  We recognized each other from another pit stop we'd seen each other at in Angel Fire. Although it was only about 100 miles away, it might just as well have been on another planet.  I'll be interested to find out if I get the same feeling of the change in the mood of the two areas when I go back.  Or… do any of you readers out there know what I'm talking about?  Have any of you been to this area before?  Have you experienced the same sort of extreme change in the feeling of these two areas?

4:15pm - Fort Sumner.  This is the town where 'Billy The Kid' is (allegedly) buried.  The first motel I stopped at didn't have outdoor entrances, and the second one didn't want my kind.  The proprietor said it was nothing personal, but that he'd just finally had to say 'no' to anyone who said they smoked.  He said he'd had too many people tell him they'd smoke outside, and instead had found cigarette burns in the sheet and carpets.

There was only one other motel in town, and fortunately they took me in.  Tito Gonzales owned the Coronado Motel, and he was a real gentleman.  Not that the guy who turned me away wasn't, it's just that I definitely felt a kindred connection with Tito.  He had that typical Mexican sense of humor.  It's hard to explain, if you're not one of us.  In a nutshell, I can describe it as:  simple, silly, and sincere.

5:30pm - After checking in and unpacking Honey, I took a short ride to the middle of town, and met Isha, a darling young blonde with child bearing hips.  She served me my Navaho green chili taco dinner with a innocent sweetness that touched me deeply.

When I finished eating and pushed the plate away from me, she came up and asked if there was anything else she could get for me.  I couldn't resist and said, "How about your mother."  She didn't bat an eye.  She said, "My mom isn't working today". Naivety is a blessed thing.   Then she continued… "She named me after an Indian princess."  I think her mother was a woman of good judgment.

7:00pm - I took the short ride back to my motel, and was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

                         Day 5 complete:  355 for the day and 1,832 for the trip.

I LOVE TEXAS - Day 4 - 850 words

WINSLOW, AZ to SANTA FE, NM   (Thursday, July 23)

4:00am - No coffee.  Warm beer.  Not the perfect start for my day.  But even the thought of a complaint about such minor inconveniences was the furthest thing from my mind.  Any experience on these adventure rides is a good experience.  Living life on the open road to it's fullest, is what I live for.  Even if I do have to be sleepy and sober once in awhile.

6:00am - Posts and emails completed, it was time to pack up Honey and hit the road.

7:15am - Breakfast across the street.  I usually don't eat breakfast on my road trips… they normally make me groggy, but I decided I needed a little coffee, and the sign outside The Falcon Restaurant said it was World Famous, so in I went.

Actually, I spoke with Frank from Kansas outside for awhile, before I went in.  He said he liked the back roads better than the freeways too, and from the look of the Jeep he was driving, his back roads where smaller and muddier than the ones Honey and I like.

When I went in and sat down inside, I immediately asked Dodie & Marie if I could have a cocktail from the adjoining lounge.  They both laughed…  I don't think they thought I was serious.  They said that legally they had to wait until 10am, but if I wanted to ask the Mayor of Winslow, she was sitting right over there and pointed to a dark haired, middle-aged woman sitting alone at the counter.

Setima was a Hopi Native American Indian and told me that she was an ambassador for her Nation, currently involved with the battle with the US Government over a piece of their Holy Ground that us palefaces wanted to mine for uranium.  She also told me she was a speaker for her Tribe… verbal history is still valued and often even preferred with their culture.  She respectfully declined my request to take her picture, and explained that she was going to need her soul for other things she had on her schedule later that day.

                                                                   Dodie and Marie                                                                                   (Marie was actually much more personable than this picture makes her look)

 

Side Note:  I forgot to mention something about yesterday's ride.  After saying good-bye to Eron and Sid in Valle Verde, and on my way to Winslow… the road and weather conditions cooperated, and I got Honey up to her highest speed ever.  Even loaded down with all my gear, she hit 121mph.  And no… we were not going downhill or downwind.  I held that speed for only a minute or two, and then let her level off at 105, where we cruised comfortably for about 15 minutes.

8:00am - Back on the road after the best eight dollar breakfast I'd ever had.  Huevos rancheros con chili verde.  Yum.

I didn't make any journal notes for the next 4 hours… not sure why.

Noon - Zuni.  Gas and Beer.

1:30pm - Grants.  Gas and Beer.  And food.  Went thru a summer storm squall a ways back, and had to stop to put on my jacket.  With the wet conditions and the altitude I was at (7,884 feet when crossing the Continental Divide), the wind chill was pretty darn cold.

I almost stopped to put on gloves with fingers on them, but after about 15 minutes, I came out the other side of the storm and in about another 15 minutes I was warm and dry.  In fact I had to stop again, to take off my jacket.

Another stretch of a couple hours without a journal entry…  I must've been tired.

4:15pm - Just east of Albuquerque.  I'm not sure why I've heard that this area is pretty.  It's not ugly, don't get me wrong, but I guess being raised on the west coast between Monterey and Santa Cruz, and spending so much time in the Sierra Nevadas… including the Yosemite and Lake Tahoe areas… I've been spoile.  It usually takes something pretty darn impressive to get my motor running.  Speaking of that… I haven't seen my next potential ex-wife yet today.  Where the heck is she?

4:45pm - After the longest single stretch of freeway of the trip so far (72 miles), I turned off onto a small highway.  Route 14… also called The Turquoise Highway and The Scenic Bypass to Santa Fe.  As with my impression of Albuquerque… the terrain remained non descript in my opinion.

5:15pm - Santa Fe.  I found her.  Rose was working behind the counter at the motel I stopped at, and would've made a wonderful ex-wife… hooo baby.  Too bad I was so tired.

6:00pm - Rib eye steak and cheese enchilada, both smothered in red sauce… very good.

7:00pm - Watched a little TV for the first time on the trip.  Nothing special.  Bones.  I like that show.  They're both hotties.

8:00pm - Fastly and soundly asleep.  

 

                                              381 miles for the day, 1,477 for the trip.

I LOVE TEXAS - Day 3 - 1.5k words

KINGMAN, AZ TO WINSLOW, AZ   (Wednesday, July 22)

4:00am - Up and at 'em.  Emailing & coffee drinking.

6:00am - Just about finished with my packing, I told Glenn I'd be leaving in 15 minutes as he walked out the door… I thought, just for a quick smoke.  He didn't say a word, not even a grunt.  45 minutes later, I figured he wasn't coming back for a good-bye hug or even to kick me in the groin.

6:45am - On the road.  The first 100 miles was gonna be much like the previous stretch coming into town… more beautiful mountainous desert on a narrow, winding, two lane road.  This is what this trip was about.  This is what almost all of my adventure rides are about.  Honey and I live for the quiet serenity of the back roads.  Freeways are long boring stretches of time, mostly spent wishing, hoping, and looking forward to the exit, to get back on a smaller road.

I wasn't more than 10 miles out of town before I'd completely gotten over the problem with my friend.  This was a once in a lifetime adventure for me and I realized I'd enjoy it more on my own.  Glenn and I are close and we truly love each other, but our personalities are not very similar.  I'm better on my own.  I have yet to find anyone who can enjoy my company for more than a few days, without taking some time alone, or else suffer from some sort of insanity or other mental disorder.

8:30am - Peach Springs-Nelson.  Franny, a cute blonde behind the counter caught my eye, but I could tell she would not pan out for me… much too frail… I'd break her.

Met Johan and Sebastian, two Netherland biker brothers riding from LA thru Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and San Francisco, before returning to LA.  I asked them if they were gonna go thru Yosemite, and they surprised me when they said they'd never heard of it.

I drew them a thumb-nail sketch of the western United States and the planned route they gave me, and showed them that they'd be going out of their way if they didn't go thru Yosemite, and that it would be the highlight of their trip if they did.

I also met Cindy, a gorgeously built, olive skinned beauty, but didn't take the time to pursue anything with her either, and I still don't exactly know why.  Maybe it was the look I saw in her eyes, that she could break me… or maybe it was the look I saw in the eyes of her younger brother sitting next to her… the you better not even think about it look.

9:00am - Seligman and The Road Kill Café.  The owner's son said he couldn't sell me a drink until 10am, but that he could sell me a bottle of vodka, no problem.  I bought a ½ pint of Skyy and a small bottle of grapefruit juice, and had my drink in their parking lot.  Respectfully of course…  I'm a very respectful functioning alcoholic.

While having my cocktail and smoking a cigarette, I met and took a picture of Steve and Helena, who told me they were newlyweds from New York, on their honeymoon road trip to Las Vegas.

                                                                                                                                               

10:00am - Ash Fork.  Kellie.  Now this is the gal I'd been waiting for all morning.  When I asked her if I could take her picture, she posed and instead of waiting for me to say, "Say cheese"… she said, "Say sex".  Strong… big boned… blonde… and tall.  Yep… she looked like she could take and dish out the kind of loving I'd been thinking about for the last few hours.

For at least 30 minutes I tried to talk her into meeting me after she got off work that day.  I told her I was taking a detour, to meet my youngest daughter and her boyfriend, but that I'd be more than happy to buy her a nice dinner and whatever else she wanted, if she'd meet me at a clean motel just down the road in Flagstaff.

I had her convinced that I should be taken seriously, when I told her to go ahead and call her boyfriend, to make sure it was ok with him.  She must've told me at least five times during this good spirited courtship... "You are so cute".  Sure… cute… that and ham sandwich… that's just what I wanted.  I gave her my cell phone number, and told her to call me, if she changed her mind.  I left her just the way I wanted to.  The way I like to leave all the girls I meet on my road trips… happy and complimented.

                     I wish the picture I took turned out better… she's much cuter than this…

11:15am - Prescott Valley.  Be sure to pronounce it 'press-kit'.  The locals are kinda funny about that.  I met a family of bikers from Florida and Tennessee:  Gary, his wife, his dad, his mom, his uncle, and his aunt.  His aunt asked me how far up the road it was 'til the next gas, and after telling her, and about Kellie in Ash Fork, she told me she'd say hi to her for me and let her know that I was still hoping to hear from her.  I hope it put a smile on Kellie's face… getting messages from me via random tourists walking into her store.

Noon - Jerome.  Jerome is kinda like a bigger, more developed Oatman.  An old mining town that now gets its gold and silver from the tourists' pockets, instead of from the ground.  It's just up the hill from Sedona and has a magnificent view of the colorful valley below.  I highly recommend checking it out, if you're ever in the area.

It didn't take me very long to find my way back to The Grand Hotel.  I'd stopped there on my last trip thru the area, and had a great time… with the employees mostly.  Young college aged kids, with lots of good fun spirit.  I usually identify more with the younger generations than I do with my own.  So many of the people my age are just too old.

None of the kids that had been there my last visit were there, but Jason the bartender told me he'd heard about me from Kayla and Matt, who weren't working that day.  I love it.  I have a reputation.  It's nice to know that once in a while, all my hard work and effort pays off.

Tony the on duty manager was a cool dude, and posed with me on the steps out front as I was leaving.  Fiona was cute too, but she was just a little too young for me to feel ok about flirting with.

2:00pm - Valle Verde.  Yea!!  Eron… my youngest and most precious daughter showed up right on schedule, to meet me.  Please don’t tell my other two daughters, Kellie & Ashley, that Eron is my favorite.

She drove two hours north from the Greater Phoenix Basin with Sid her boyfriend, to meet me for just an hour or so.  She is so beautiful.  Again… I apologize for the 'bad' picture.  I could use a different one, but I want this story to be authentic and accurate.  Plus, it's the only one I have of Sid.

 

We laughed and cried and talked non-stop about all sorts of things until it was time for me to hit the dusty trail again.  If I stayed too long, I wouldn't get to Flagstaff until late, and I'd run the risk of missing out on Kellie if she decided she wanted that nice dinner at a clean motel.

4:00pm - Change of plans.  I decided to forgo the very slim possibility that Kellie might make me lucky tonight, and instead veered east, which kept me on the small highway, which would take me in a more direct route to my ultimate destination.

I must admit, the geography was part of my decision.  I wanted to stay in the heavy forest for as long as possible before going back up to the high desert plateau.  The cool, less arid aroma of this elevation was much more suitable for my not yet adjusted nasal passages.  The humidity where I live is 'dry' when the percentage gets below 50.  Now I was living with numbers closer to teens, or even single digits.

5:30pm - "Oh my Lord, I see a flat bed Ford, slowin' down to take a look at me."  Winslow, Arizona.

6:30pm - After John checked me into my room, I had two cocktails with Shauna the barkeep, and a couple biker brothers who were also staying at the Desert Cockroach Inn across the parking lot.

8:00pm - Physically and emotionally exhausted… happily and soundly asleep.

                                Another short day.  323 miles for a total of 1,096.

I LOVE TEXAS - Day 2 - 1.4k words

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."

                   Day 2 completed, a modest 330 miles for the day and a total of 773.

I LOVE TEXAS - Day 1 - 2.2k words

WATSONVILLE, CA to BARSTOW, CA   (Monday, July 20, 2009)

 2:45am - As soon as I turned over and saw the clock, I knew my four hours of rest was gonna have to do.  Over the years, I've learned to be able to tell the difference right away, between waking up and being able to go back to sleep, versus waking up and not.  I envy the people who can lounge in bed… waking up slowly… enjoying the semi dream state of that la la land.  Sometimes I can relax and enjoy this state of (semi) awareness, but typically once my brain starts turning… it's like a rollercoaster… an E ticket ride, as I like to say.

4:00am - Honey looked beautiful, parked in front of Glenn's house, under the streetlight.  She posed for me like the prized thoroughbred she is.  A pack mule is dependable and functional, but Honey has those qualities and manages to do it with style.  She is a magnificent beast.

As I was walking back inside after taking her picture, I dropped my brand new camera on the tile floor of the entryway.  I took one picture with it the day before and downloaded it to my laptop to verify that it was gonna be compatible, but after it hit the floor, it instantly became a very expensive paperweight, which is not what I needed to take on my estimated 2,500 mile voyage with Glenn.  I started to get upset, but remembered the big picture (yep, a pun already)… if this was the worst thing that happened to me on this trip, I would consider myself to be very lucky.

Glenn Kramer is one of my best and longest known friends.  We grew up together in a small central California coastal community called La Selva Beach, and except for a 15-year period when we ran in different circles after high school, have been close friends our entire lives.  He's my best client and one of my very best friends.  He loves me, and I do not take that lightly.

I have met only a small handful of individuals who have been able to maintain their love for me for more than a few years or so.  I am a very high maintenance individual.  Demanding of myself and of others, especially when I care about them.  Like my dear old mom used to say… "All I'm trying to do is help you to be perfect… just like me".

6:00am - Just like the last time I rode to Killeen (in October of 2008), my older brother Bev got up early and wished me a bon voyage.  His dose of white light protective energy served me well on my last trip and I was pleased… no, I was honored to have him share his love and concern for me again.  I love you Bev.

This time, his bon voyage included sharing his loving energy with Glenn as well as myself, and so it was that Glenn and I rode off into the cool foggy morning air with the clear feeling of joy and the confidence that our adventures would hold nothing but good things for us.

6:15am - Just outside Castroville… only 15 minutes into the ride, and Glenn was waving to me that he wanted to pull over.  I thought maybe he wanted to adjust his load, or tell me I needed to adjust mine.  We were both packed to the gills, and scattering any of our belongings along the side of the road was just not an option.  Turned out, he wanted to drink the last of his coffee and have another cigarette.

It was his first trip of anything more than about 500 miles.  Obviously his excitement about this adventure was tainting his realization that in order to accomplish our goal, we needed to continue moving for more than 15 minutes at a time.

7:00am - King City.  Gas for our girls and food for the GMan, which was the road name he chose for himself.  I was content with the name I had chosen for myself many years ago, when the idea struck me that a road name would be a fun idea… I am Thor Master of the Universe, but you can call me Thor for short.

At the filling station we met Bruce, a guy on the last leg of his adventure… an 8,000 mile loop from Los Angeles to Alaska (the Arctic Circle) and back.  After he rode off, I remembered that the GMan was going to be responsible for taking pictures and I had forgotten to remind him of his duty.

                 Here are our faithful girls, obediently waiting for us outside a McDonald's

10:00am - Lost Hills.  Highway 198 thru Coalinga had been as beautiful and invigorating as I had remembered from my return ride last year.  We'd left the fog behind us… the sun was in our faces… and we stopped to strip down to our t-shirts.

10:15am - Just outside Lost Hills.  After gassing up our girls, we decided to pull off and park under the shade of some trees just off the pavement, and enjoy a cool beverage...

    ... and for some unknown reason, the GMan decided he should drive his mare into a ditch.

Glenn couldn't get off his bike, so he sat there for 15 minutes while he spoke with AAA, trying to get them to send a tow truck out to pull him out.   When he was told it would be over an hour, he became so frustrated that he took his bike down into the ditch, and then tried to get it back up the other side.  His attempt failed.

While he was doing that, I was able to flag down Chris, who had pulled over in his truck for a rest.  He was more than happy to help.  I was surprised when Glenn didn't offer him any more of a reward than a 'thank you'.

                                                               Time lost:  45 minutes

11:00am - Back on the road, we were on our initial of several visits along Historic Route 66.  Although the GMan said he was focused on making good time, we were in perfect agreement that our route should be planned, so as to be able to spend as much time as possible on this particular highway.

Noon - Glennville.  Smoke and beer stop.  GMan whined, "It's too hot… the road is too curvy… don't ride so fast".  This was the first time I'd done one of my adventure rides with anyone else, and I remember thinking to myself… " Yep, this is gonna be a real adventure all right."

1:30pm - The southeast side of Lake Isabella.  It was hot by now.  I was following Glenn, and when he signaled, and pulled off the road under another tree, I cringed… if he got himself stuck again, I was gonna keep on goin'.  Fortunately, he was able to park his bike without any mishaps this time.  I didn't realize it then, but he was beginning to experience the first signs of dehydration, and his upcoming bout with heat stroke.

2:30pm - Inyokern… 115…. A HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN DEGREES.  My skin was burning… not from the ultraviolet rays of the sun, but from the temperature of the air.  Even at 80 mph, the humidity was probably only about 2%, so the wind chill was more like wind heat.  After we gassed up, I downed a large bottle of water, and went inside for a cold beer.  The GMan waited outside.  Why… I have no idea.

As I was waiting in the checkout line in the store, I jokingly asked the clerk if I could drink my beer inside, in the coolness of the store.  She said, "Sure, as long as you keep an eye out for a cop… they tend to frown on that."  I thought she was kidding at first, but after realizing she was serious, I walked back to the cooler for another one, as I drank the one in my hand… gulp gulp, ahhh.  I love you beer.

2:45pm - Seven miles short of Kramer Junction.  Funny huh?  Day One's route was taking us thru towns with my partner's first and last names.  I pulled up alongside the GMan's bike, and motioned that it was already time for another beverage.  His face was pale.  He shook his head sideways, braked quickly, and stopped on the shoulder, about 50 feet short of a pull out area.

After parking and dismounting Honey in the pull out area, I strolled back to his bike.  He was still sitting on it, not moving.  I sensed something was not right.  When I got to him, I saw his face and knew we were in trouble.  I handed him and he finished the ½ bottle of water he had, and then walked slowly and carefully back down the shoulder of the road to get him my bottle from Honey's cooler.

I turned back about ½ way, and suggested that he pull his bike up to the turnout, so he would have more than about three feet of clearance between himself and the traffic screaming by at 70 mph (or more).  All he was able to do was raise his hand and motion for me to continue to my bike and bring him the water.

When I got back to him, I poured some of it down his shirt and gave him the rest to drink.  After about 45 minutes, he said he could ride, so we slowly and very carefully rode the seven miles into town.

4:00pm - We parked under a canopy at a closed Dairy Queen and Glenn collapsed on the concrete next to his bike.  Kramer Junction wasn't much more than the second word in its name… an intersection of two lonely highways.  We didn't have any ice or water, so after I suggested that Glenn move his body into the shade, I went across the street to get some.  He was so out of it, that when he got off his bike, he splayed himself on his back on the concrete… about three feet from the shade, where both the air and the concrete were substantially cooler.  Probably a cool 100 or so, which sounds strange, but when it's 115 in the direct sunlight, you really can tell the difference.

I came back with two 10-pound bags of ice and four 32-ounce bottles of water.  I took one of the water bottles and a hand full of ice for myself, and then began the slow process of bringing Glenn back from the dead.

6:30pm - Three hours and forty-five minutes after stopping on the side of the road, just seven miles back… we headed off towards Barstow.  I thought to myself… no I remember… I yelled it out to him… "Between your parking skills and your heat stroke, we've spent four and a half hours on the side of the road today.  If this is your idea of making time, it's gonna be Christmas before we get to Texas."

He didn't want to… I could tell he was fighting it back… but I saw a tight-lipped smile escape, as he throttled up and pulled out to lead us into the old borax mining-town of Barstow, only about 30 minutes up the road.

7:00pm - Barstow.  No camping out tonight.  We pulled into the first motel we came to with a swimming pool and parking outside the door to the room.

We met Lindsey and Adrian from 'down under'.  Two boomer babies from Australia, who were on their life-long dream vacation of following Route 66.  They asked if they could drive along with us the following day.  At first I thought they were gay, but after we spent some time with them over dinner at the Mexican Restaurant next door to the motel, I decided they were just happy.

I had asked Glenn if he was willing to buy me dinner, as a thank you for sticking with him during his times of trials and tribulations that day.  He agreed and I told him he could choose the restaurant.  He chose the one where my best choice for a meal was a $4.95 taco with rice and beans.  I'd spent more than that on the water and ice that helped save his life.

9:30pm - into the local dive bar, The Mayan Temple, where we met Dave the barkeep and two patrons, Major Minor and Bob.  I had one cocktail, and then went back to the motel room and directly to bed.

10pm - Day One complete.  Not as good of a start as I'd hoped for, but I was satisfied and slept like a baby.

19¼ hours since I'd gotten up that morning; 16 hours since we left Glenn's house; and 443 of some very entertaining miles.