Motorcycle

Tag: Motorcycle

	Annular Eclipse 2023 - Days 7 to Home After viewing the Annular Eclipse in New Mexico, Silvia and I travel through Colorado to view the awesome Aspen trees in their autumn glory. Then a mad dash home.
	Annular Eclipse 2023 - Days 5-6 Silvia and I stay in a very nice Route 66 motel, the Motel Safari. The next day we see the Annular Eclipse in the ghost town of Lucy New Mexico.
	Annular Eclipse 2023 - Days 1-4 Quick dash to Lucy New Mexico to see the annular eclipse. I make a few stops along the way.
	Days 16-22 - Panguitch UT to Home Day 16 we travel from Panguitch Utah along Utah 12, a scenic byway, to Blanding Utah. Day 17 is a down day, but late in the day we travel down to Monument Valley. The following day we head home with several days of travel. I break down the expenses for the trip and reveal our next trip plans on Holland America Cruise Line to Norway.
	Days 14, 15 - Carson City to Austin NV to Panguitch UT On day 14 we travel from Carson City NV to Austin NV on the loneliest road in America (US 50 in Nevada) and spend the night in a castle. Watch the video to get all the details about a love story and the building of a castle in the Nevada desert. We had a wonderful stay at the Paradise Ranch Castle. Day 15 finds us on the loneliest road in America again and see some of the best scenery yet. The day ends in Panguitch UT at the Blue Pine Motel. The local restaurant was very crowded but some folks I had briefly spoken to while in line outside, invited me to sit with them as they had an extra chair. My Stetson hat makes an impression on folks.
	Day 13 - Donner Memorial State Park Day 13 has us taking a down day to rest and edit videos. After lunch Silvia and I ride around the east side of Lake Tahoe to Donner Memorial State Park. Most of it is still covered in snow but we enjoy the visitor center. Next is Donner Lake and a beautiful ride through the snowscape to Donner Pass. We return down the west side of Lake Tahoe to finish the day. We missed some stops because of the heavy snow, but it was a fun day.
	Day 12 - Elko NV to Carson City NV Day 12 finds us on the California Trail as we visit the end of the Hastings Cutoff that sets up the Donner/Reed party for disaster, Carlin Canyon, some beautiful remote Nevada scenery, Big Meadows, Humboldt Sink, 40 Mile Desert, "Traveling Through Hell", Truckee River and the "first drink of cold water.
	Day 11 - Logan UT to Elko NV Day 11 finds us on the California Trail as we visit the Golden Spike National Monument where the Trans Continental Rail Road was completed. As we travel around the north side of Salt Lake toward Nevada we stop and watch real cowboys working their cattle and branding the young calves.
	Day 10 - Evanston WY to Logan UT Day 10 starts with us leaving the Oregon Trail and continuing to Salt Lake City on the California/Mormon Trail. We visit Echo Canyon, Historic Echo, Weber River Crossing, Little Mountain Summit, Brigham Young's Last Camp, Donner Hill and "This is the Place" park in Salt Lake City.
	Day 9 - Lander WY to Evanston WY Day 9 starts with clearing overnight snow from Silvia and making repairs to my heated gear. Then it is off to the Lander Cutoff, South Pass, Little Sandy Crossing, Pilot Butte and Lombard Ferry crossing. We end the day with some scenic video of the snow.
	Days 7-8 - Casper WY to Lander WY Day 7 is a down day for Silvia to rest and for me to sleep late, work on video editing and relax a little. Day 8 starts with snow and it doesn't stop until late in the day. We visit Immigrant Pass and agonize whether to take a long ride on a dirt road. We get some neat drone footage in the snow with my DJI Mini 3 Pro. We visit Bessemer Bend, Independence Rock, Split Rock, Ice Slough and finish the day with some snowy scenery set to music.
	Day 6 - Morrill NE to Casper WY We visit a treaty site where as many as 12,000 Indians attended, a massacre site where a group of soldiers were killed over a sick cow, a tribute to a famous horse, Fort Laramie, Guernsey Ruts and a couple of lonely graves.
	Day 5 - North Platte NE to Morrill NE The emmigrants begin to hit rough terrain at California Hill and Windlass Hill. Ash Hollow is like a park and a welcome relief after those two hills. They pass by Jail and Courthouse Rocks, Chimney Rock and finally Scotts Bluff.
	Day 4 - Fairbury NE to North Platte NE Silvia and I visit graves and massacre sites on the Oregon Trail from Fairbury to North Platte NE.
	Day 3 - Blue Springs MO to Fairbury NE Day 3, Silvia the Gold Wing motorcycle and I, start our Oregon Trail adventure from Independence Missouri .
	Day 2 - Clarksville TN to Blue Springs MO The rain stops and Silvia and I make it to Blue Springs Missouri, ready to start the Oregon Trail tomorrow.,
	Day 1 - Home to Clarksville TN Silvia and I fight a frog strangler rain storm for many hours to kick off our Oregon/California Trails journey.
	Day 18 - Amarillo TX to El Reno OK Amarillo TX to El Reno OK
	Day 17 - Santa Fe NM to Amarillo TX Santa Fee NM to Amarillo TX
	Day 16 - Green River UT to Santa Fe NM Another day of few photos but the video contains more beautiful red rock views of Utah and New Mexico.
	Day 15 - Ely NV to Green River UT I really enjoyed my stay with Vera at the Rustic Inn, Ely NV. Today I cross some beautiful red rock mountains on my way to Green River UT.
	Day 14 - Lee Vining CA to Ely NV Riding US 395 up the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains and visiting family in NV. The the loneliest road in America, US 50 to Ely NV
	Day 13 - Beatty NV to Lee Vining CA I leave Beatty NV and Death Valley today headed for Lee Vining CA. I have always enjoyed US 395 up the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
	Day 12 - Death Valley Most of today involved riding to Wildrose Charcoal Kilns which included some very rough gravel road. Then visiting the ghost town of Rhyolite with its outdoor art late in the day.
	Day 11 - Death Valley I got a late start today after working on videos in the motel room. The ride to Dante's Peak and the dark lonely ride thru the desert after dark was something I won't soon forget. Check out the video.
	Day 10 - Needles CA to Beatty NV Needles CA to Beatty NV via Roys in Amboy and Death Valley CA
	Day 9 - Holbrook AZ to Needles CA I missed the Shaffer Fish Bowl Spring the last time I was through here. I found it this time. There are stops at places I have visited before like Truxton Station, Hackberry Store, Cool Springs Station and Oatman. New stops are Jackrabbit Trading Post, Meteor Crater Trading Post, Two Guns and Twin Arrows.
	Day 8 - Socorro NM to Holbrook AZ Petrified Forest National Park and another bucket list item, The WigWam Motel in Holbrook AZ.
	Day 7 - Socorro NM and Trinity Site I visit the Trinity Site NM where the world's first atomic bomb was tested on July 16,1945.
	Day 6 - Tumcumcari NM to Socorro NM I reach the 1st object of my trip, Socorro NM. Tomorrow I go to the Trinity Site
	Day 5 - Lawton OK to Tucumcari NM Finally get to stay in the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, NM. I visit a very funny cemetery, meet Harley at the Sandhill Curiosity Shop and visit a WWII German POW camp.
	Day 4 - Lawton OK I like reading about WWII and the atomic bomb development so Atomic Annie was on my bucket list along with Geronimo's grave and the Fort Sill Tar Pits
	Day 3 - Conway AR to Lawton OK I ride the beautiful Talimena Scenic Drive in Arkansas and Oklahoma and end the day in Lawton OK
	Day 2 - Chattanooga TN to Conway AR I travel from Chattanooga TN to Conway AR. The Lookout Mountain Civil War Battlefield and Shiloh National Military Park are on the agenda.
	Day 1 - Home to Chattanooga, TN I have plotted and planned this trip for months and now it begins. The main goal is to visit the Trinity atomic bomb test site in New Mexico. The site only opens twice a year and has been high on my bucket list. I will give more details about Trinity when I visit on Saturday.
	2021 Motorcycle Trip Along Southern US Coast to NM, Rain, Snow and Hail I combined the videos from my spring 2021 cross country motorcycle trip into one video. I am using Luma Fusion for editing and find that I really like it. The entire editing process can be done on my iPad and adding music and transitions is very easy.
	Day 12, More Route 66 and Final Blog Rushing to El Reno, OK last night and skipping some things I wanted to see was the right choice. This morning there is snow in Santa Rosa and Moriarty. There seems to be ice or snow in Amarillo. I guess they knew what they were doing with the brine on the bridges. This is also my last blog for the trip. I will take a couple of days to get to eastern KY to see my Dad, then return to home and wife in NC on Saturday.
	Day 11, Route 66 and Drone Footage of the Ghost Town of Glenrio, TX There are still Route 66 sites I have not seen. I planned to hit a few of them today. However, my snow storm ordeal yesterday left me an hour west of where I had planned to be. I also crossed a time zone today and lost an hour. Then in Amarillo I noticed they had applied brine to all the bridges. Checking my weather app, Amarillo should get snow tonight.
	Day 10, Where Can I Get Snow Chains for my Gold Wing I had no idea this breakfast burrito would "fuel" me through this day. I wanted to see a little snow but I got more than I wanted. I rode north from Moriarty NM hoping to see a little snow. I have been to Santa Fe a few times so I skipped that and headed east on a local Route 66 road that parallels I-25. The snow kept falling. I thought it was neat.
	Day 9, Another Great High Elevation Day and a Super Dust Devil Encounter I put an extra day in my plans in case of mechanical or weather trouble. But I have been lucky and not needed it. So I took that extra day and did an unplanned ride today. That was a great idea. I said a couple of days ago that these trips recharge me. Today I did a lot of recharging and am nearing 100% (grin).
	Day 8, Alpine Forest and Giving up on my GoPro I really like the higher elevations and New Mexico has plenty. You can be riding along with the temps in the 50's and in a short amount of time drop a few thousand feet and the temp's are in the 70's. Today the topography changed frequently from flat desert to alpine like forest then back to desert. Never boring.
	Day 7, Beautiful Sunrise Ride and Looking For Gasoline I got out before sunrise based on the recommendations of my cousin and I was not disappointed. Please watch the video. It is shorter than yesterday and has some neat content.
	Day 6, Higher Elevations and Cool Temperatures I decided to skip Big Bend National Park. Mid March is their busiest time of the year because of Spring Break and with COVID easing up everyone is traveling. They are having 25% larger crowds. People and traffic jams are not what I want. I will return to this park some day with Laurie.
	Day 5, Finally a Perfect Riding Day in the American West Today was a good day. The temperature started at 59 and remained in the low 70's most the day. I gained some elevation and there was a cool nip in the air. No traffic, wide open spaces and friendly people. Even with a few mishaps, it was a great day. Read more details along with the photos and video below.
	Day 4, A Rain Delay and Slow Ferry Crossing I got a late start today because of a light rain. The entire day was gray and cloudy. And the public access roads to the beach were not paved. Silvia does not do well in sand. So the only photo I have for the entire day is of an ice cream break. But I did meet a couple of fellow motorcyclists who warned me about some road construction in the area. So I was able to avoid that.
	Day 3, It Is Looking Up Yesterday was tough. I called it quits early and looked for a motel. This one had a Waffle House so it was a yes!!!
	Day 2, Had Some Issues Today started out very nice. Perfect temperature, wide scenic views and no traffic. Then around noon I hit 100 miles of Mrytle Beach SC. Putt putt golf, water parks and hundreds of traffic lights. Which is fine if you like that kind of thing, but I don't.
	Day 1, Getting on the Road Again Last year I had planned a very nice motorcycle trip to New Mexico to visit the Trinity Site. But COVID caused me to cancel those plans. In January of this year I started thinking of another motorcycle trip. I have also informed my employer that I intend to retire this year, so this is going to be an interesting year. Laurie still has reservations about the virus so she will not be with me on this trip. But my can of Lysol will be!
	Quick Trip to Ky to Ride our Motorcycle and See Some Leaf Color Laurie and I had planned to tour Abington VA this weekend but with the recent passing of my mother we decided to go to Ky to spend some time with my father. In a few days we hope to get on the road, ignore Covid 19 and tour some Route 66 sites in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. This weekend trip was a dry run since we have not travelled anyplace for a while.
	Video Summary of Our 2019 40 to Phoenix Ride If the trip proved too much for Laurie, we planned to get her on a plane back home. In Springerville, AZ she had severe pains during the night and I was trying to figure out how to get her to Phoenix, AZ and on a plane. But with drugs and a mule like stubbornness by 8:00 AM she was ready to go. She did great on the whole trip. Actually she seems to have fewer aches and pains at higher elevations which gives me a good excuse to say we need to head west on a trip to higher elevations.
	Days 16-19, Clovis, NM to Home, NC We battled strong winds from Clovis NM to home. There was a huge weather system north of us that dumped snow across most of the northern plains. I think parts of the Dakotas got two feet of snow. That weather system probably influenced the weather even into Tennessee.
	Day 15, Truth or Consequences, NM to Clovis, NM We decided to get out a little earlier today as we expected to do some stops to sightsee. The sun rose as we were headed south from Truth or Consequences. I thought we would have plenty of time to get to our destination of Clovis, NM but several extended stops during the day put us behind.
	Day 14, Bisbee, AZ to Truth or Consequences, NM Another great day in the American Southwest. After a great (healthy) breakfast at the School House Inn Bed and Breakfast, we headed to Silver City, NM where we then took NM 152 to Hillsboro, NM. I wanted to do this ride in 2017 but after riding AZ 191 (Devil's Highway) I was tired of curves. So that ride was delayed until today. It did not disappoint. Be sure to watch the video below.
	Day 13, Casa Grande AZ to Bisbee AZ Quality Inn in Casa Grande, AZ was great. Nice, clean rooms with a hot breakfast. We did some laundry the night before and they had multiple machines. Would definitely stay there again. We went south for a while as I wanted to see the Kitt Observatory. The views and temperature were excellent. We have had great luck with the weather for the past several days. Blue skies with scattered clouds and temps in the 60's and low 70's in the American desert southwest.
	Day 12, Chula Vista CA to Casa Grande, AZ We got up early to avoid the local traffic and headed to the beach. We actually did this crazy thing. Rode Silvia from coast to coast in 11 days. Through rain, wind, cold, rain again, snow and finally California traffic.
	Day 11, Brawley, CA to Chula Vista CA The ride from Phoenix, AZ to Brawley, CA was not much to talk about. Boring and hot, but wow! Today was great. I expected southern California to be hot, dry and boring. I was wrong. We rode all day with temps in the 50's to low 60's. I am not an artsy fellow but I love the metal outdoor art and so does Laurie. Someone in the 40 to Phoenix Facebook group suggested we go to Borrego Springs and view the metal art. We both loved it. I scored some brownie points with Laurie with this side trip.
	Day 10, Phoenix, AZ to Brawley, CA As I said in my last blog, due to the reduced agenda at the GWRRA head quarters, we decided to leave Phoenix early. I wanted to break up the 400 mile ride to Chula Vista into two easy days. We ended up in Brawley, CA.
	Day 9, Springerville AZ to Phoenix I really love the Rode Inn plus they have gravy and biscuits for breakfast. We could hear the ceiling squeaking as folks walked around above us and someone was snoring pretty loudly in the adjacent room, but the place has charm. Laurie even liked it. They have a very nice lobby and dinning area. Be sure to check out the 360 photo of the lobby below. The front desk said they really decorate the place for Christmas.
	Day 8, Moriarty NM to Springerville AZ I had a few stops planned for today but we decided to take a more direct path to Springerville so Laurie could give her neck a break. The temperature dropped to 18 ° overnight in Moriarty so we opted for a late departure like a lot of folks. After clearing the snow from Silvia we departed and the day surprised us. It was wonderful with no winds, blue skies and moderate temperatures.
	Day 7, Amarillo TX to Moriarty NM Yesterday was rough. We had severe side winds and by the time we got to Amarillo we were both exhausted. I think we were both dreading today. I decided we would get a late start today because our planned miles were pretty low and I wanted to let the temperature rise a little before we had to deal with the wind. I still had to wipe frost off the seats.
	Day 6, El Reno OK to Amarillo TX This is an original Route 66 bridge with the original Route 66 roadbed before and after the bridge,
	Day 5, Conway AR to El Reno OK Today we visited Sequoyah's Cabin. Sequoyah created the Cherokee alphabet which is still used today and is accessible on computers and even Apple's iPhones. This was a fascinating park.
	Day 4, Leeds AL to Conway AR People are really curious about the two of us in our helmets and jackets. This morning we stopped for a biscuit at Hardees and this older gentleman keep sneaking looks at me. I never said anything. We got our food and sat down near him and his wife. Then he had to speak up. At this time of year every one opens the conversation the same way. "It's pretty cold out there ain't it?"
	Day 3, Conyers GA to Leeds AL Today was a low mileage day so we planned to leave late. I think we were the last to leave the motel. We took a detour to Cheaha State Park and the highest point in Alabama. See photos and short description below. The evening ended at Irondale Cafe which is always a good meal. They are normally not open for dinner but open for the 40 to Phoenix crew.
	Day 2, Wilmington NC to Conyers GA This morning the weather radar on my iPad showed the clouds had moved through during the night and were off the coast so we expected a rain free day. It was not to be. We did not get drenched but we had off and on drizzle for several hours. Also today did not offer much in the way of photos.
	Day 1, Home to Wilmington NC We had most of our preparations done by this past weekend so we were taking it easy. On Sunday afternoon, we took the bike and car down to the local gas station, fueled them both and grabbed a Subway sandwich. As we were eating our sandwiches back at home, Laurie happened to mention that the three top lights on the trailer were a little brighter than the lower two. That got my attention. The lower two are on all the time and the upper three only light up when the brakes are applied.
	Chihuly Art Exhibit at Biltmore House We wanted to go to the national Gold Wing rally, Wing Ding 40, in Knoxville, TN during the last week in August but the extended forecast called for rain and high humidity. Thursday and Friday of August 23, 24 was going to be beautiful for late summer in the Carolinas. Low 80's in the day, 50's at night, low humidity and no rain. I got a couple of PTO days approved at work, we loaded up Silvia the Gold Wing and headed for the mountains.
	My Harbor Freight Motorcycle Trailer and Modifications The 2017 40 to Phoenix ride was the first multi day trip I had ever taken on a motorcycle. I was unsure about how to pack clothes for such a trip but I think I did ok. Every cubic inch of storage was used and I strapped a bag on the luggage carrier. This worked fine but there was a precise location for everything and if I did not pack everything in its location every morning then I had "extra" stuff that did not fit.
	Video Summary of my 40 to Phoenix Ride 2018 This year I completed my 2nd 40 to Phoenix ride. I was miserable for half the trip with a cold but it was still better than being at work. Even though we started this trip a couple of weeks later than last year the weather was colder for most of the trip. Also the winds across the plains states were worse than last year
	Day 15 Gunnison Co to the Denver Airport We had a motel reservation near the Denver airport because we planned for Laurie to fly home from there. Those plans seemed doubtful at one point during the day. The weather forecast called for snow and rain in Denver in the morning and a 50% chance of rain for an hour or so during our ride to Denver. The forecast for the previous day was similar and we had a great day so we were not too concerned. We should have been concerned.
	Day 14 Cortez to Gunnison CO We traveled from Cortez to Gunnison via CO 145 with a stop in Telluride for lunch. This was a beautiful ride with lots of snow on the mountain peaks. Our heated gear made for a very comfortable ride.
	Day 13, Monument Valley to Cortez, CO Today was an easy day. After leaving the cabin at Monument Valley we headed north east toward Cortez, CO. We got some more photos of Monument Valley from the east side and of course we had to stop at Forrest Gump Point, the place where Forrest stops running in the movie Forrest Gump.
	Day 12, Jerome, AZ to Monument Valley We left Jerome AZ and traveled to Sedona and the canyon north of town. We were here with my brother and his wife in 2016. This is a beautiful area.
	Day 11, Phoenix to Jerome, AZ A week before Laurie was to fly out to meet me in Phoenix she went to her doctor for a normal checkup. She had a dark spot on her big toe that looked like she had stumped her toe but it never went away or grew out. Her doctor took one look and said the toe nail had to come off. Laurie protested that she was traveling soon and wanted to wait. But her doctor said it had to come off that day and she would be good to travel in a week.
	Day 9, Springerville, AZ to Phoenix Today I picked up Laurie from the airport in Phoenix and I did not want to go to the motel in northern Phoenix first so I had plenty of time to kill. I needed a new front tire so I stopped at BTM in Show Low. They treated me right and had a great price for parts and service for 40 to Phoenix riders. I know George Bageant got a drive shaft there and they had the part in stock. Will definitely stop here again if I am in the area and need Gold Wing parts or service.
	Day 8, Moriarty NM to Springerville, AZ Wow! What a day. I checked my weather app during the day and the wind gusts were in excess of 50 MPH and they were a cross wind. I had dust storms and fire smoke. Signs on I-40 warned of 0 visibility and advised drivers to now stop in the travel lanes. I had a tumble weed hit the windshield. So I am a little tired tonight.
	Day 7, Amarillo to Moriarty, NM Slow day today. One segment of Old Route 66 I had planned to ride had a "Dead End" sign. And my drone did not cooperate to get footage of the gravel road out of Glenrio. But I hit some favorite spots. I always stop at Adrian, TX at the Route 66 Midpoint.
	Day 6, Route 66 El Reno OK to Amarillo TX I'm still not feeling well and I did not get any killer photos. Last year I skipped out on the dinner at Pablo Doro Canyon and I was determined to go this year. I goofed and about the time I got to the canyon my fuel light came on. Uh oh! I figured I would be fine. Once in the canyon I caught up with another group and I assumed they knew where they were going. I was wrong.
	Day 5, Route 66 in Oklahoma The photo above sums up this day. Extremely windy, very cold and just a crappy day in general. 41 to 43 ° does not sound very cold but without my heated gear, I don't think I could have handled the weather today. And I have a bad cold.
	Day 4, Dickson TN to Conway AR The goal today was to simply get to Conway without getting drenched. The forecast was for strong winds and a 100% chance of rain by the afternoon. I left this morning at 6:30AM to beat the weather. I even got off I-40 in Memphis and rode US64 so I could travel slower and avoid the traffic when the rain hit.
	Day 3, Dickson, TN My Mom spoiled me with some good home cooking. I had a great visit with the folks and got on the road about 7:00AM. I was riding through Menifee County when a sign caught my attention. I had all day to get to Dickson TN so I made a U turn and went back to check it out. While taking some photos a fellow parked across the road and approached me. I yelled "Howdy" and struck up a conversation.
	Day 2 NC to my Folks So many things tried to derail this trip. A major project at work kept me insanely busy for the last three months and prevented leisurely planning for the trip, boots proved to not be water proof, gloves were not warm enough at less than 30 °, electrical gremlins hit my new trailer, software problems at work kept me up until midnight last night, Laurie had a toenail ripped of by her doctor for testing that proved to be nothing, my WiFi internet router died at home, etc, etc, etc.
	Wing World Article The editor of the GWRRA magazine, Wing World, asked me to write a summary of my 40 to Phoenix trip in April of this year. It was printed in the July edition. Below is the text of the article. Following that are scans of the article as it appeared in the magazine.
	Day 12, Great Photo and Last Post From the Road I originally planned to ride another curvy mountain road but I had enough of that yesterday. I decided on fast and straight and left before 6:00AM as I wanted to see the sunrise and needed to get in some miles today. I was rewarded with one of my favorite photos of this trip.
	Day 11, I Am Done With Curvy Roads for a While Laurie returned home today. We got her bag, and extra bag for stuff we bought while she was here and my usual bag all strapped on Ruby for the ride to the airport. We looked like the Beverly Hillbillies, but it all worked out and we got her on the plane for home. Southwest has a direct flight between Phoenix and Raleigh each day so that made her travel easier.
	Day 10, Old Copper Mining Town of Jerome Laurie and I headed north west from Phoenix early in the morning. I had read and heard that 89A was a fun ride and it was. It had some nice curves and at the top of a mountain we popped into Jerome. The road makes a few switchbacks through the town as it is built on the side of the mountain.
	Day 9, GWRRA Home Office I have one memory from this trip that kind of sums it up for me. I was riding on the original concrete 2 lane Route 66 all by myself about mid afternoon heading west. I had the music cranked up, no other vehicle in sight and I was just enjoying the solitude and scenery. A train track ran parallel to the road. I saw a train heading in my direction and when it got close I gave it a huge crazy wave. He gave me a couple horn blasts as he passed. Just two friendly people saying high to each other on a lonely stretch of desert in the American South West.
	Day 8, Final Dash to Phoenix This was a crazy day. I have never ridden in such strong crosswinds. Several gusts tried to take off my helmet. Then there was the snow, the snow plow and the mud. Then the temperature dropped below 30 ° and the wind chill got brutal. But my heated jacket and using my rain gear as a wind breaker kept me toasty.
	Day 7, More Route 66 Photos Today wraps up my Route 66 tour. I plan to go south in the morning and take US 60 into Phoenix. There are some sights I want to see including the VLA (Very Large Array), Pie Town and Salt River Canyon. If I ever do this ride again I will take Route 66 on to Flagstaff, AZ and beyond to get more photos.
	Day 6, Route 66 And Bobby Kemp First I will admit I wimped out on going to Palo Duro Canyon tonight for dinner. I got to the motel late and just did not have enough time to go. But I have had a blast today on Route 66. The overcast skies added a nice mood to my photos.
	Day 5, The Teacher, The Bus Driver, The Cook It has been a good ride so far with a great bunch of guys. But tomorrow I start riding on sections of old Route 66 and taking photos. I have really been looking forward to this. So check back for the next blog.
	Day 4, I Know What I Want For Christmas Today was a long day with beautiful weather. This morning was just cool enough to plug in the electric jacket. My wife got it for me as a Christmas gift because she really wanted me to take this trip. But it has made a wimp out of me. Anything below 65 ° is now electric jacket weather.
	Day 3, I Learned A Few Things Today was a slow news day. My son Tucker is doing an internship for his NC State degree in Dunwoody just north of Atlanta. So I split off from the group and had lunch with him. His internship just ended so he is headed east to home tomorrow while I continue west. But I learned a few things.
	Day 2, We are Off, NC to GA I said goodbye to Laurie this morning. She went home while I headed west with my group. I will see her again in Phoenix in a week while I cross our great country on 2 wheels.
	Day 1, Ride to the Starting Point, Wilmington NC Today at about 12:00PM I checked off the last thing on my list. There was nothing left to pack or do. I was ready. I had been working on that list and planning for this day since around Christmas. At 2:00PM a fellow GWRRA member showed up and we left for Wilmington.
	Motorcycle Ride From Durango to Silverton, Colorado Silverton, Colorado is one of the highest towns in the United States at 9,318 feet above sea level. One of the "must do" activities on this vacation was to ride our motorcycles from Durango to Silverton. We arrived at our Durango campground early in the afternoon and chilled until later as we wanted a late day ride.