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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?"
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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.
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This is an original Route 66 bridge with the original Route 66 roadbed before and after the bridge,
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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