Day 7: Amarillo - Las Vegas, NM

After a good drink and chin-wag with Croc and the Aussies last night, I had to set my alarm nice and early in order to make sure I was up in time for the 8 o'clock start - yes, I'm back on a timetable! It was chilly when we left, but I knew that as soon as the sun rose higher it would get soon heat up, so decided to go with the warm weather gear from the outset this morning. Most of the Aussies were travelling in cars, but there were 8 bikes, and I was going with them.

Our first stop was after a short ride to the Cadillac Ranch. Here, there are about 8 or ten half buried Cadillacs, nose down, and aerosol spray cans are left lying around so that visitors can decorate them. So the display is constantly changing:

A little further on and another photo op at Magnolia Filling Station. This place actually pre-dates Route 66 by a couple of years, and once again has been restored to how it used to be.

It was nice to be riding with a group for a change, and I appreciated being invited to tag along. I was great to have some company at the various stops along the way, and to have someone else take my picture for a change! It also reminded me of the downside of being in a group - the extra time it takes to do anything, for example at fuel stops you can't fill up and leave - you have to wait for all 8 bikes to refuel. Same with photo stops or when stopping for lunch - you can't continue your journey until everyone is ready to go.

Spot the English bike!

Moving along we came to Adrian Texas. This is officially the mid-point of the route - it's the same distance to Chicago as it is to Los Angeles. Time for a photo at the sign marking this point, and coffee and pie at Fran's MidPoint Cafe. Fran was the inspiration behind the Flo character in Disney's movie Cars. She's a sweetheart!
Here I am at the middle of the Route - but not yet the middle of my trip. Not sure why I'm standing like that?

And the obligatory group shot with all the Aussies, one American, one Zimbabwean and one Brit. I'm  front right.

Just before we left Texas we visited Glenco, a ghost town, and just one of many examples of how the new Interstates affected towns along the old Route 66.

And then we were entering New Mexico, and suddenly gained an extra hour as we moved to Mountain Time. This is the sixth state of the nine I'll be visiting this trip.

Yes that really is me behind the mask!

Lunch was in Tucumcari (Two-come-care-ee). A first for me - I had salad! I really could not face any more fried food, and getting my five a day has been proving challenging. There are some nice murals on the walls of the buildings around town, and also a Route 66 sculpture:

And so it was that we eventually arrived at Santa Rosa, the Ausies' stop for the night. Having said my goodbyes and thanking them for allowing a pom to join them, I set off, once again on my own. A brief visit to Bozo's Auto Museum, and then to drive the 60 or so miles to Las Vegas, New Mexico (the little town with a big name!).

All the time we'd been driving west into a head wind, and this combined with the long, long climb out of Santa Rosa meant the bike wasn't able to maintain 70mph in top (6th) gear. I started to worry that there might be something wrong, but when I turned off north for Las Vegas the head wind became a side wind, and only then did I realise just how strong it was. I drove the remaining 40 miles canted over 45 degrees to the left, just to go straight!. No wonder the bike was struggling riding into it!

Las Vegas NM is the complete opposite of its namesake further west. It is a quiet, old fashioned little western town. The hotel I am staying at tonight is the Plaza, built in 1882,and has a very Victorian feel to it. I rather like it after some of the impersonal hotel rooms I've slept in recently. Also, it was used in the Coen Brothers movie No Country for Old Men (what am I doing here then?) for the hotel scenes (even though the film was set in Texas).

Having unpacked I made my way to the hotel bar, as you do, and was chatting to a couple (Joseph and Chtistine) who had a nice little Harley Sportster parked outside. As we chatted a guy walked in and ordered a beer, and then announced that he would buy everyone in the bar a round. We happily accepted, upon which he paid, finished his drink and left. I don't think he'd said a word to anyone other than the barman, who later said he'd never seen him before! How peculiar. Anyway thank you, who every you are!

After that I got talking to a group of business colleagues (Amy, Leah, Lisa, Kevin and Nancy - Hi y'all). They are museum specialists, and were in town looking at how a local state park could improve its displays and exhibits at their visitor centre. After a couple of drinks with them they invited me to join them for dinner which was very kind, and very entertaining, especially when we found all the local restaurants seem to be closed on a Monday. Needless to say, we ended up back in the bar, but my pizza was very good. As well as everything else, I also learned something about American history today!

And now it's time for bed, and tomorrow I head for Albuquerque, where I may run into the Aussies once more.

Today's route and more pictures can be found here:

Today's Mileage: 251
Total Trip Mileage:1514

Day 6: Clinton - Amarillo

I was awoken at about 4 this morning by a thunderstorm passing overhead, but luckily it had passed by the time I woke properly at 7. I opened the curtains only  to be greeted by a dank miserable drizzly day.

They say that Elvis used to stay here when passing through - then again lots of places say that!

I packed up, had breakfast and then wandered over to the Route 66 Museum for it's opening time of 9. There was no sign of life. Then it dawned on me; it is Sunday today, and the museum doesn't open until 1 on a Sunday. Well I couldn't hang around for 4 hours, so I reluctantly had to give it a miss.

The weather did not look like getting any better, but I set off taking the old Route 66 roads. I soon decided that this was not the best idea today, the worn out concrete surface was slick and slippery, and a couple of times the back wheel started to slide out on bends. Discretion got the better of me - I could do without any more buttock-clenching moments - and I decided that I should take the interstate for a bit until the weather dried up.

This was disappointing, but it did mean that I made good time. Once on the Interstate I set the cruise control (that's right, this thing has cruise control!) to 70, and slabbed it through the remainder of Oklahoma, and into Texas.

Through this last part of Oklahoma the land had been flat for as far as the eye could see in all directions, but entering Texas, things started to change to a more rugged terrain, which was much more interesting to look at. I had hoped that the weather would also improve on entering Texas, but that wouldn't happen for a while yet.

Texas landscape

A reminder that if you get caught short out here, don't just nip behind a bush!

I did make a couple of detours off the Interstate though when I spotted this old, but restored gas station in McLean:

And also this deliberately leaning water tower in Grants:

By now, things had started to improve weatherwise, and by the time I was 30 miles from Amarillo the clouds started to lift, then break up, and eventually disappear, leaving a nice sunny day with temperatures in the high 70s.

As I'd been on the freeway  for most of today, I had made good time and arrived in Amarillo soon after lunchtime. Now, I've got to say that I had no problem finding Amarillo at all. It's pretty well sign posted, and I didn't have to stop to ask for directions once, so why Tony Christie had so much trouble getting here I just don't know.

I went straight to the hotel and was lucky that my room was ready. I'm staying at the Ambassador a rather nice hotel that Bob 'Croc' Lile booked for me at the special Route 66 rate of, yes, $66. As it was still early, and the weather was now good, I took a little side trip to Palo Duro Canyon, around 20 miles south. It was quite spectacular, but I suspect only a taster of what is to come later on the trip.

Riding the winding roads along the edge of the Canyon, and the down almost to the bottom is one of the great biking experiences, with the sun on my back and the wind in my hair, this is what it's all about!

Also staying at the hotel tonight is a group of over 50 Aussies who are doing the trip, mostly in cars but also about 8 bikes. Croc had a reception for them this evening at his art gallery, and was kind enough to invite me along:: they seem like a good bunch, and we had a laugh over beers and nibbles that he'd layed on. Tomorrow I will ride with them for a bit, out the other side of Texas into New Mexico. But first, I've a feeling that they've lined up a couple of beers with my name on in the bar downstairs - gotta go!

Today's route and more photos:



Today's Mileage: 242
Total Trip Mileage: 1264

So, here it is....

..... the route. I've done a bit of research and stuff on t'internet and found a few places that suggest routes. WikiTravel has a good one that takes about 9 days. This is a bit too quick for me, as it averages about 300 miles a day. Eventually I've settled on the route below that is based on an itinerary from a company called Riding Route 66. It takes about 14 days, and includes side trips to The Grand Canyon and Las Vegas, where I might spend a couple of days, meaning this part of the trip could actually take me 16 days. So here it is in more detail:

Day 1: Pick up bike in Chicago, fairly short ride to Springfield IL.
Day 2: Springfield, IL to St Louis, MI
Day 3: St Louis, MI to Springfield, Missouri
Day 4: Then on to Tulsa, Oklahoma (202 miles), cutting the corner of Kansas for about 20 miles
Day 5: Tulsa, OK to Clinton, OK (217miles)
Day 6: Is this the way to Amarillo? I sure hope so, as that's tonight's stop
Day 7: Amarillo TX to Las Vegas New Mexico, passing through the half way point on this route
Day 8: Las Vegas, NM to Grants, NM/AZ, about 239 miles
Day 9: Grants to Holbrook, AZ
Day 10: Then a side trip up to the Grand Canyon
Day 11: Back on track, and stop for the night in Needles
Day 12: A short ride for the 2nd side trip up to Las Vegas, Nevada
Day 13 (& maybe 14): Stay in Vegas and clean up on the poker tables
Day 15: Back onto Route 66 to Bartsow, CA
Day 16: Arrive at the end of Route 66 at Santa Monica Pier
Day 17 - 21: meander up to San Fransisco and give the bike back :-(

 Of course, this is the first cut. I might find something interesting on the way and spend longer in one place, and then make up time elsewhere. I'm not planning to book any accomodation more that a day or 2 in advance, so there will not be a strict schedule that I have to keep to.

Getting exciting now!! Can I go this year instead?