Laughlin to Victorville

Well this was the last full day of riding on Route 66 - tomorrow we just have the 80 mile ride into LA and the end of destination at Santa Monica pier. I think we all realised that as it was a quiet day today - but a good one nonetheless.

Still the weather was hot sunny and windy as we crossed the Mohave desert from nevada back onto Route 66 and into California, where we stopped at the towns of Amboy and Barstow, before nding up in Victorville.

The three notable events were that Ga did a photo shoot for us riding solo on a deserted Route 66 in the desert, our lunch was late at 3:00 and took two hours, and then in the 30 mile ride to Victorville, helena's bike broke and we had to hang around on the hard shoulder. Ga couldn't fix it so we left it there and came to the Hotel for a few beers. Ga went and got the part and he has vanished to go fix it.

We are staying on the Quality Inn and Suites, which is another travel inn type hotel - but at least this one has a bar. Tonight we were privileged to see the local Salsa classes, and watch the instructor run a bizarre group of shapes sizes and types through the 6 basic steps of Salsa .....they don't count the 4 as its a half step.....so 1,2,3...5,6,7.

Time for a quick shower then back to the bar as its my last night here before I fly to Boston tomorrow.

Ga gets a haircut and the road to Laughlin

....a nice start with a bright day as we left Williams and the Grand Canyon to head for the Mohave desert and Laughlin Nevada, which is like a mini Vegas for sad older yanks.

Our first stop was a little town of Seligman, where we had to wait for Ga to gte his haircut which he does aat this barbers twice each season as its the best on Route 66 (not sure that is even remotely true) anyway Angelo who is some chairman of route 66 histotical society came and gave him a haircut.



The rest of us wandered up and down main street of this typical failed route 66 town taking in the deserted shops and motels and trying not to spend in the gift shops, Oh and we havde a fantastic massive brekkie at Westside Loli's - a German who came here 30 years ago, without a lot of prescience.

Anyway after this on the road and into the desert heading for Kingman and a harley dealer so we could all top up our T Shirt collections - all credit to Ga, he got us free bandanas (why would i want one?) and a 10% discount on the stuff we bought.



its now 3:30 and in typical Ga style we should have had lunch in Oatman at 3:00 still its only 40 miles away down a windy treacherous road over the mountains - with the famous deadmans curve....nice americans have made a mini cemetery there.

its a cool ride but Trudi dropped her bike (Trudi is tiny and cant reach the floor at slow speeds - why does she ride?) while we were admiring said curve and as a result decided to ride the rest of the 10 miles into Oatman at 10mph while we all stalled and stuttered behind.

Oatman is another ghost town - but this time because the miners all left - and when they went they left their donkeys which have gone wild and wander around at will eating tourists and gifts outside the shop - they were cool.


Despite arriving at 5:30 Ga still arranged lunch at the million dollar hotel (it has loads of signed $1bills stapled to the walls and ceiling)- i abstained and wandered the town with the icelanders taking pictures. From there a nice 30 mile sunset ride to laughlin, where we are staying in one of those huge lightless tacky hotel casino's - the Aquarius.

We are all meeting now for the buffet dinner with all you can drink for free promotion - cant wait; and then we are off to watch Steve play poker as its one of his main skills at work it seems - lets hope he wins as Ga wants 50%. Just like last time i went to las vegas i don't intend to bet 1 cent tonight!

.......3 hours later i am back in my room - the place is full of fat aging white people just sitting and pumping money into machines. There are NO normal bars in the whole town, so we (me Ian and Mick) went to the Outback steak house in our casino, and had some starters and a few beers - after, we checked on Steve who seems about $30 up aftre 3 hours.....why - and DaVid who was happily $50 up with Christelle standing faithfully behind.

Bed is calling - its 10:30 and we have 200 miles across the hottest part of the desert tomorrow cant wait.

Adam's 50th Birthday

...and i bet he wished he had kept it quiet!
we all ate in the hotel and Ga to his immense credit got a nice cake and some fizz for us all, which lead to a nice impromptu drinking session in the hotel bar, accompanied by a juke box that would have stretched Mr Harveys DJ talents, but we found, Springsteen, Eagles, Led Zep, Garth Brooks.......nothing this century though.

Top night nonetheless and makes you realise what good friends you can make on these trips.

Williams and the Grand Canyon

....i left off going out for dinner. Ga had booked this diner in town. We walked there so we could have a few beers - big mistake it didnt sell beer, although the lady who owned it told us the food was real good - and used fresh eggs and potatoes. So 19 of us sat down in the 1960's neon lit diner and waited .....the suspense was too much so Ian and me went to Rod's Steak house, where i had the special of char grilled sugar coated steak, with a marguerita and a beer chaser - a proper dinner.

Later back at the hotel we all met up and anglo group of English, aussie and Irish had a few more.

This morning we all rode up about 60 miles to the south rim of the grand Canyon - and its real WOW - quite spectacular, we also took a helicopter trip over, which made me feel quite ill - so after a quick pizza at the appropriately titles restaurant "WE COOK PIZZA AND PASTA", i rode home for a nice afternoon nap - after sorting out Skype to make free calls home.

Gallup to Williams AZ

Today was just brilliant, the sun was shining as we left Gallup and it shone all day.....within an hour we entered Arizona and went on to pacific time - now 8 hours behind, After 40 miles we arrived at the Petrified Forest national Park in the painted desert....jackets and helmets off for a superb 30 mile ride through the finest scenery i have ever seen - it took us two and a half hours for this bit of the ride. Aussie Graham lent the Frenchies his bike so they could join us which was really nice.



After that we checked out the Wig Wam Motel on Route 66, a spot of lunch at Dennys in Winslow, and then a photo call "on the corner" - now this is typical americana, and i am not sure what came first but a whole micro tourist economy has sprung up over the line "standing on the corner in Winslow Arizona" from Take it Easy by the Eagles. Still it beats Erike Oklahoma.


After this a 70 mile blast to Flagstaff - up to 7500ft in the mountains to visit the HD dealer and get some spares - also a bizarre low point our first road sign which said Los Angeles 497 miles - nearly there.

Then onto Williams the start off point for the Grand Canyon - we are off for some beers in town tonight and a fill day sight seeing tomorrow - with a helicopter ride.

Santa Fe to Gallup

Not really much to report on this leg of the trip - a short run out to the old town of Albuquerque, where we had a nice brunch in a cantina. Then the relatively short haul out through the high deserts of New mexico to Gallup - a total of 200 miles.

Just had a burger with the icelanders, aussies and irish, at our select Best Western Hotel and back in my room ready for bed at 10:00.

Tomorrow we have a hard days riding across the desert into Arizona of 300 miles, and we have a day off there after to see the Grand Canyon. I am hoping to do that sky bridge.

Guns

well this afternoon we went to Tina's Gun Rack, which is a gun shop and range owned by Tina - a nice woman, but not one i would want to spend a lot of time with!
Ga took us there (me, other ian, steve, mick, martyn, christian, french david, and brazilian Julie (who it appears is half german and half Japanese and lives in brazil....no i didn't ask about her grandparents..

there we shot guns and ammo like no tomorrow - first 50 rounds of a .357magnum, then 50 rounds with a Smith and wesson .45 semi automatic....this was Ok,,after the shock doubling of heart rate and the shakes i quite enjoyed it.

Then i shot the .44 magnum ...go ahead punk make my day....its frightening the noise the kick back the smell the thud as you fire it in your chest.

I have always had a mild interest in guns - this totally cured it.

but all credit to Ga, he is a qualified instructor, he knew what he was doing and it was a great experience.

Tomorrow we are off to Gallup where we can buy cheap cowboy hats.......