Day One crossing the desert, out from Barstow I set out, made some awesome time on the exteremly straight roads, crossed the railroad tracks repeatedly, still can't see how someone can't go across railroad tracks without bonking themselves.
Then I almost got to Ludlow(sp) and there was an opportunity for me to help some people, and I tried, but I feel bad that I couldn't help them, as the road is pretty bad so I had to walk, then it started getting dark, which meant I had to find a place to camp, leaving the stranded folk, well stranded, I'll check in at the Chevron up ahead when I go through there to see if someone helped them, I tried flagging down other cars, even another guy on a bike, who I'm hoping will help them, so here I am, side of the road, in my tent, typing away on the <txt> program that google puts on this chromebook thing, it's sort of like that Note program that's just simple text and you can type in some notes Offline, very few things this chromebook does when it isn't connected.
Nighty night, time for sleeps. at 6pm.
Well thankfully when I got up an got ready there was a nice Energy Company truck coming by, I told them of the duo's predicament and hoped they could check to see that they got help, Energy guys have Sat Phones.
Then it was about a mile walk over the really bad route 66 asphalt, I can see why there are so many tire/wheel shops in Barstow, after a 100 miles on route 66 I be some people need a full set plus maybe some rims.
And I was just about a mile from Ludlow, not bad for my first day.
Now on to the secondday, found the "Heart of the Mojave Desert" parks sign, took a pic, then got back to biking, some of the road was really smooth and I had a tailwind, so had to tighten up the brakes so I didn't go too fast, trailer can only handle so much speed.
Ran into another guy on a bike, towing a trailer plus two dogs, he said I shouldn't have any problems sticking to route 66, but I am hopeful that he's right as I encountered a road closed sign, which worst case I have to carry my stuff through the desert next to the road crews doing road work, they let him past, so I should be able to play on their heartstrings and say hey there is no other route for me the guy on a bike to go, or I hope they get finished tonight enough that I can squeek by.
Feeling good, still have water, I think I'm at the 100 mile mark, or close to it. I saw a sign that said 140 miles to Kingman Az this morning, so that's 60 miles done, and who knows how far the google will take me extra...
I stopped coincidentally at an original route 66 rest stop, nothing left but a plaque, and some cement where some tables used to be.
Time for sleeps, and judging by the quiet, it will be quiet all night long. Cept for that train off in the distance. Okay looks like the road crews might have finished their work, as I'm seeing cars drive by....still very quiet.
Day three, woke up at midnight, then realized I had been asleep since about six, so set the alarm for 4am to get a good head start, and I was right, the road was passable for a bike, except for one flooding overpass that was completely gone.
Down side to route 66 is that most of it is built on flood plain.
One of the most stressful things is not knowing where things are, and it's not like you can call up the google to ask where the heck you are.
I'm almost out of Cali, true it's to cross into Nevada a place I really don't like, been there once, not sure if my lungs have recovered.
So I am aiming tomorrow for Bullhead AZ, which is right across the Colorado river from Laughlin, I'm hoping for a cheap NON smoking room, as this does seem to be a bit of trouble for hotels to comprehend that all of the stuff in the room needs to be non smoking too, as having the pillows that were in a smoking room put into a non smoking room is disgusting.
Maybe 10 more miles on US95 a road with no shoulder and every jerk who wants to blow their rent money up in Vegas driving up behind me.
Went into a gas station in Geoff, very expensive Gatorades, but needed. What was not needed was the grifter thinking he found another easy mark, "Oh I just need $2" blah blah, I've seen the gambler who needs just $2 more to buy another scratch ticket.
But at least I was on the right road, a very long road, which I'm hoping got me further than if I went on I-40 and then up US95, thankfully I went the Rte66 or what's left of it way.
It's 5:17pm and almost completely dark, time to hop in the bag, tonight is a bit noisier, but I'm off the road next to an emergency call box, okay the bike an trailer aren't off the road, but put a tarp over them.
Day four, got back on that US95 with no shoulder, and for the first couple of hours it was okay, but after mile five or so the California Safe Space Cry Babies started to show up, only had to flip off a couple of them.
Never thought I would be happy to get to Nevada, where they actually have a shoulder you can ride on.
After a few more miles I found NV163, and a few hills later, got to go down hill, yeah, tried taking a pic of the sign, but it doesn't mater, it wasn't 15 miles of downhill like they said.
Then it was time to eat, I went to Carl's Jr. and had two double Breakfast Burgers, oms to the noms.
Tomorrow I'm going to play tourist after the free breakfast, go to Walmart for pedals, there's a Bubba Gump Shrimp across the Colorado River, took a look at the menu, and found a way to get to the restaurant without going through the casino, I like to taste the food.
Below is the rest of the pics I took along Rte 66.
And Arizona is right over there.
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