After a dismal day yesterday I launched at 9:30 from Flagstaff. 35 degrees again, took a shot at 89a route, but there was ice in shaded areas and I realized that I would not be enjoying the ride even if it DID get better -- scardy moose always thinking that on some shaded canyon turn there could be that patch that would be "invisible". Yea, I know, "it could be anything", but it was going to prevent enjoyment no matter how good the ride was.
So, I chickened to I40 and sputtered along in the right lane in the wheel tracks that were pretty much dry and watched the bridges like a hawk. It was dropping down out of the Kaibab area at like Williams before it cleared 40. In the current Wing config, I need 45 degrees to get to the "edge of comfort" ... hours of riding without deep freeze. The vents pulling heat off the engine, the grips, etc make 45 OK in "reasonable wind". Today, I was nearly to Seligman before that happened.
Had a nice breakfast at the "Road Kill Grill" there, warmed up, gassed up, and took the old Route 66 to Kingman. Really enjoyed the ride, saw quite a few bikes. Seligman and a couple of other holes in the wall gave a hint of how hoppin 66 must have been before the interstates took all the tourists. EVERYTHING has it's unintended consequences!
93 from Kingman up to Vegas was funny ... 65 MPH speed limit, slow traffic doing 85, plenty of folks at 90-95 and LOTS of bikes going the other way .. Harleys, in groups, often loud enough I copuld hear the thunder in my lane. When I popped the ridge prior to the Colorado River I once again wished I had a helmet cam set up! Very nice scenery from there over the new bridge above the dam to where I stopped and gassed up at Boulder City and shot the pic with Lake Mead in the back. Had to be upper 60's by then.
To top my bad day off yestday I discovered that my iPad had not been charging ... so I had my snazzy new phone route me to the Apple store. Right down town, big cool malln called "The Fashion Show" on Las Vegas drive, right next to a huge Wynns Casino. Bad cable ... cats DO have "some issues". Vegas reminds me of the Lords Prayer ... definitely, it is LOADED with temptaion "Gentlemens Club, topless this and that, this kind of girl, that kind of girl ..." not to mention gambling and enough beverages to tempt an LCMS guy during Lent! Oh well, it is remarkable how many big buildings temptation can build. Lots flashier than DC, but not NEARLY as much money actually!
Looking forward to riding down to LA tomorrow and then I will be turning for home by a more southernly route! Sure felt nice to drive around town with the big jacket in the saddlebag and just the kevlar shirt on for a change!
No comments:
Post a Comment