Day 12
I intentionally slept in today, waking naturally after 8:00. With only about a three-hour ride ahead, I take my time getting ready. After showering and putting on freshly laundered clothes, I sit down to research possible routes home and just kind of relax before heading out. The quickest and easiest option takes me back onto I-40 and Route 66, but I haven’t decided whether I want to take it. I’ve already seen it this trip, but I’ve still got 1,600 miles to go to get home.
It’s a bit cloudy out to start the day, but there’s nothing in the sky that threatens rain. I have only one stop planned aside from lunch, the Harley-Davidson dealership in Bakersfield. The plan is for a quick stop to pick poker chips for my collection. Then onto my final destination in Clovis.
Leaving out I make a quick stop across the street to fill up on gas and hit the road. Finally finished with Route 66 means I no longer have to try and navigate around my GPS and can just follow the directions. No more getting lost and turned around trying to follow signs. Just straight forward directions on where to turn.
The highway runs into the mountains again, winding its way up before finally descending into the valley below. The smell of truck brakes hangs heavy in the air as several 18-wheelers slowly make their way down the slopes. Finally at on the valley floor, large fields of tall, yellow grass appear. Large vineyards and massive orchards soon follow.
My only stop for today is in Bakersfield, about the halfway point for my day. The stop is at Bakersfield Harley-Davidson to grab some poker chips. It’s a good sized dealership with plenty of dream machines and merchandise to check out, but I only stick around for a few moments. From the dealership I decide to stop for a quick bite. The Old River Grill is just few miles away and looks like a good place to eat. Lunch is the Fabulous Thunderbird sandwich. I wouldn’t call it fabulous but it was good. It’s just a turkey sandwich with avocado.
I only have about 100 miles to go to get to my destination today. Mostly orchards and vineyards the rest of the way, with a couple of cornfields thrown into the mix. I soon arrive and spend the evening catching up with my California family. I have a warm bed to sleep in and at night’s end, fall asleep quickly.
Day 13
Alarm went of at 7:00 this morning, and yes, I hit the snooze button. But only once. I’ve got to get on the road by 8:00 in order to get a full day of riding in. Most of my days this past week have been 300 miles or less with plenty of stops. Today will be at least 400 miles with minimal stops. I need as much time as I can to get as many miles as I can.
Breakfast is prepared for me when I wake and I spend a few minutes chatting before packing up what little I took off the bike and heading out. It’s a very cool start, 60 degrees. I backtracked on the road I came in on yesterday. The same vineyards and orchards fly by, this time in reverse. I make really good time and knock out the first 100 miles quickly, back into Bakersfield. Here I turn off onto new road that runs into the mountains. Just a couple of hours in and I have to pull off to pull out my jacket. I was chilly to start and was hoping the air would warm quickly, but that hasn’t happened. I’m starting to feel the shakes coming on and don’t want that. It’s the first time I’ve needed to don my jacket this trip.
Highway 58 runs me right back to Barstow where I decide to stop for gas and lunch. The Pit Stop is just around the corner from where I fill up. I don’t want much to eat as I’m not terribly hungry, but I know I need to eat. I settle on their corn dogs, it’s not a ton of food and I do love a good corndog. I meet Joe on the way out, a local biker who just happens to be leaving out the same time I do. We chat briefly and I’m back out on the road.
The temps have risen now so I’ve shed my jacket and stowed it away. I’m back in the desert now. I get a few miles on I-15 before jumping back onto I-40. At this point it’s almost 800 miles before my next turn off. The road continues back through the desert and as the temperature has risen, so does the wind. It’s near constant and keeps me from moving quickly down the road. At some points the gusts are so strong and prolonged that I’m slowed to 40mph. The road eventually returns to the mountains where the gusts blow between the mountain ridges I pass.
Back out of the mountains and into the desert again. The wind persists. Approaching and passing 18-wheelers is a chore. I’m battered by the wind they produce. On a calm day it’s not bad, but with the added wind I’m getting slapped around. I decide to set my sights on Kingman. It’s less than 500 miles for the day but still far enough to make it a good travel day.
I finally reach the state line and cross back into Arizona. The wind in the Arizona desert isn’t bad and I’m able to pick up my speed to knock out the last few miles of my day. Off the bike and I’m incredibly sore. My butt since I’ve been in the saddle longer today then any other in the last week, but my arms too. Fighting the wind has caused my muscles to ache. It passes but my finger joints ache still.
I have one stop to make before heading to dinner, The Mother Road Harley-Davidson dealership to get poker chips for Arizona. I didn’t think about it coming through here a few days ago, but glad I did now. One of their chips has a Route 66 100 year anniversary design which is perfect for this trip. Dinner is at the Rickety Cricket, a local brew house. I get an order of wings and a cool, crisp ale.
Tomorrow I will get in as many miles as I can before calling it a day. I should make it to New Mexico which mean I will lose an hour. I’ll have to be on the road early again just to make sure I get far enough down the road. It’s been a great trip so far, but we’re not quite done yet.
