Thursday, June 27, 2013 – Day 14

Not surprisingly, today was much the same as yesterday … just eating up the highway on my way to the Smokies.  The scenery did improve … it was flat, hot and dry when I first started out and by the time I hit Arkansas, I was into the Ozarks, which are really rolling hills with some higher hills interspersed and the whole thing is covered with a verdant green carpet.  Very pretty actually.  A lot of haze though due to the heat.

The issue today was, once again, the incredible heat wave that’s hit this area.  I had a 5 hour ride and by the time I hit Conway, Arkansas, the mercury was at 101.5 degrees.  But, this gets even better.  Because of the low humidity in Western Oklahoma, the 104 I experienced yesterday actually felt like 105.  Today’s 101.5 degrees, when taking into consideration the high humidity level, feels like …… 117 degrees!!!!  Okay, so I’m all about the adventure and experiencing the road on top of a bike.  Nevertheless, let me be the first to tell you that riding a bike under these conditions is damn hard work!  I was literally stopping every 30 to 60 minutes to replenish fluids, even though I wasn’t visibly sweating, because at 75 mph, the sweat just evaporates off of you and dries you out like one of those little tiny flat sponges.  You know the ones … as soon as you hit them with water, they puff up to about 10X their original size.  I think I dropped about 20 pounds today until I got to the hotel and hydrated!

By the time I hit the hotel, it was time for a shower and a nap.  However, no rest for the wicked … I did my laundry instead and now I’m writing this.  Once it cools off a little out there, I’ll take the bike for it’s daily bath at one of those “do it yourself” car washes.  After the first day on this trip, I got tired of trying to clean the bugs off the windshield, especially when two bucks and 5 minutes leaves my bike sparkling!  (little road trip trick here)

Really, I don’t have any pictures because I haven’t taken any today.  Let’s face it, pictures of flat, dry land and rolling, green hills are just plain boring.  However, there is one milestone I hit today … I’ve crossed the 4,000 mile mark on this trip, with a total of just over 4,300 miles on the trip odometer.  With all that behind me a 1,000+ miles in front of me, I feel absolutely great!  This trip has made me feel 30 years younger (even though the beard I’ve grown is gray).

That’s it for today.  Tomorrow is going to be another 7 hour run and the last “snoozer” day because on Saturday and Sunday I ride The Dragon and the Blue Ridge Parkway … should be very interesting.  I’ll be taking a movie of The Dragon with my bike cam and if I can get around to opening a YouTube account, I’ll post a link top that on this blog.

Stay tuned.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 – Day 13 – 420 miles

Well, I said on yesterday’s post that I wouldn’t have much to write today, and really, I don't. The next couple of days are just a run across the country to get to some interesting rides through the Smokies.  But what a trip this has been so far!

This is what two weeks on the road does to you (I can't wait to hear from Patti after she sees this!)

Since I had a 7 – 8 hour ride ahead of me, I left the hotel early and hit the road towards Clinton, Oklahoma.  While having breakfast before leaving, I met a older couple from Dayton, OH and had a discussion that got me thinking while on the long ride ahead.  But, more on that later.

Heading out of Santa Fe, the scenery was pretty nice until I got about a hundred miles down the road, at which point it began to exceed my expectations that I mentioned yesterday.  When I said it would be flat and not very interesting, it was an understatement.  The panhandle of Texas is flat, hot and basically barren.  Oklahoma so far isn’t hugely different but there are some rolling pine covered hills.  Don’t misunderstand … the ride today wasn’t a visual feast like it has been, but it was still a new experience and an adventure.  The Texas panhandle was loaded with hundreds (literally) of those huge, ugly, white windmills.  Normally, when I see those things on the New England Coast or in the forest covered hills of New York’s Southern Tier, I regard them as an eye sore.  On the flatland of the Texas Panhandle, they add an interesting perspective.  Also, wherever I've stopped, the people have been very friendly.  This area is no different.

On the way over here, the temperature hit 104.  That’s not as bad as it sounds though, because at 75 mph, the thermometer on my bike only showed 102 degrees … much cooler …  Tomorrow, it’s climbing to 108 … I’ll be leaving VERY early.  Let me be the first to say, riding a motorcycle for 7 hours at 104 degrees is an adventure in itself!

During one of my many gas stops (I fill up every 150 to 175 miles), I took a brief 2 mile detour to the original Route 66 and then back to I-40 (which parallels Route 66).  Now I can say I rode Route 66, just like George Maharis and Martin Milner (for those of you under 60, don't worry about it ... it's not important).  I also saw the "Leaning Water Tower", which is one of the many unique landmarks along this historic piece of Americana.

I didn't shoot this - I stole it off the web

So, back to the guy from Dayton.  He asked me if the bike parked out front was mine (I’ve been parking it on the front sidewalk under the canopy). Then he proceeded to tell me how he owned his own business, was 70 years old (he didn’t look it) and when he retired, he and his wife are going to be cruising the US on a motorcycle.  This got me thinking.  At 70, if he hasn’t retired yet, by the time he does he’ll never be able to do what he wants.  It also made me feel pretty good about doing what I’m doing, because I'm not retiring either, but I am doing what I've always wanted to do. There's always a reason (excuse?) to not do what we want to.  To take this all a step further and state the obvious, none of us is getting any younger and the time to do what we “always wanted to do” is now.  I’m not going to beat this one to death … 

Tomorrow, on to Conway, Arkansas