Day 5

I left my cousin's home right around 9 am but not before being treated to a bowl of fruit yogurt and granola. The kids were still asleep so I left my goodbyes with their mum and dad.

About an hour into the ride I decided to stop at a little rest area to stretch.  You have to do that on a bike or you can develop some interesting sensations that are not so pleasant.  I climbed to the top of a little hill and saw this marker.  Across the way was the peak of it's subject.

I was going to make my first stop in Brownwood, TX but when going through Zephyre I saw a little corner gift shop on the right that was intriguing so I stopped.  I saw this piece of pallet art and I snapped the photo of it thinking I may have to duplicate it for my studio.

The lady at the shop told me a little bit of the history of the building.  Part of the history included it being a hamburger shop where kids use to hang out at.  I mentioned that I could almost smell the hamburgers cooking and the lady said that without exaggeration the best burgers in the world were made and served down the road at the Diamond R Cafe.  How can you resist investigating a claim like that?  I had to circle back about a block but it was worth it.  She was absolutely right.  I ordered a cheeseburger, 1/3 lb. with a side of seasoned curly fries and in unsweetened iced tea.  The waitress asked me if I would like the burger with A sourdough jalapeño bun..."YES, PLEASE!"  It was a little earlier than I had planned for my lunch...but then again it's never too early for the "best burger in the world!"

Growing up I always loved watching the television show Bonanza.  One of the best characters on the program was without a doubt Hoss.  He was a true gentle giant.  While not originally from O'Donnel, TX, he and his family lived there for a while and the town claims the actor who played Hoss, Dan Blocker, graduated from their school.  I pulled into O'Donnell looking for a memorial to him that I had read about.  It's a very small town, population 831. I didn't find the memorial right off but after driving down several side streets I saw it in the middle of a corner park.  Around the corner was a storefront that I understand was operated by the family.  I spent a few minutes there thinking what a better world this would be if more men were like Hoss.

I think Hoss would agree with the sign I saw just around  the corner of his bust in the park.

The local museum was right across the street.  I was disappointed that it was closed.

Back on the bike and off to Brownfield.  I didn't have any hotel reservation but was able to get accommodations at the Holiday Inn.  I checked in and they gave me a room on the second floor.  They then told me the elevator was out of service.  Well,  my back is aching a bit and I didn't want to carry my big bag up the stairs.  They said a technician would have the elevator fixed in about an hour.  I asked if I could leave it in the office until then and they said sure...I was in no hurry.  I put the bag in their office then went on out to get my smaller bag and my tank bag, locked the bike and headed to room 217.  I opened my door and was surprised to see the big bag setting on the bench...now that's customer service!

I'm staying in Albuquerque tomorrow night so I called ahead and made reservations at the Best Western.  I spent a few extra bucks and got a jacuzzis room.  Today I covered over 366 miles. Tomorrow I have about 361 miles go before I reach my destination. 

I should have done this 20 years ago. 

Well, that is about it for the day!

Day 4

I got up from the "Best Value Inn" and anxiously headed to the breakfast room hoping for a banana and some juice. No such luck.  A pipe had broken and the room had soaked floors and counters so they closed it for the day.

I did lock my handlebars on my bike. I never did this on my old bike for fear of taking off and taking a tumble. I created an ingenious two part solution to reminding me to unlock the bars.  I put my TSA lock through a decorative hole on my cruise control clamp and a rubber wristband around the throttle and brake. Worked like a charm. 

I left on an empty stomach but not feeling the hunger ad much as I was feeling the need to ride.   I was determined to see that Eiffel Tower.  When I made it I found a gentleman cleaning the parking lot. He told me at one time the tower was made of wood but a tornado came through and knocked it over so they rebuilt it out of metal. The tower is now over 80 feet tall. He said at that time it was the second tallest Eiffel Tower in the world until the city of Paris, Tennessee built one that was 4 inches taller. So then they became the third tallest. That is until someone had the ingenious idea to put a cowboy hat on top. Back to second-place they wept. Then Las Vegas built one that was extremely tall. Just put them back into third place.  Just a few feet away from the tower was the local veterans memorial. It was extremely complicated and very well-built.

For this trip I have purpose to take the back roads. I stopped along several small towns on my way to Killeen.  In Wortham I ate at Joe Fridays. It's a great diner decorated with fantastic Americana. I ordered the 1/3 pound cheeseburger with lemon pepper fries. The lemon pepper was just a little bit too much for me but thankfully I had some ranch dressing to go along with it. My waitress was a young lady named Carson. She was in school studying radiology as well as court reporting. She was very friendly and checked on me several times. My meal came to $10.78. I hardly ever leave a tip over 20% but I was so impressed with Carson that I left her a $10 bill. The service was fantastic the environment was inviting and if you ever find yourself anywhere close you should stop in.

I finally made it to my cousin's home. 

I took this picture to send to my mother. I love the look on my cousin's wife's face.

I spent a little time in his office just doing a little goofing off.

Later my cousin's wife treated me to a light coloring of my eyebrows.  

I also had a cup of English tea with Milk.  Catherine is from England and really knows how to make this. 

Off to bed I went.  Looking forward to a full day tomorrow. 

Day 3

Well what another fantastic day!  I did a little laundry at the hotel and while it was drying I treated myself to this delicious breakfast. Wouldn't you know it...Biscuits & Gravy!

I took 40 East about 20 some odd miles and then went South on 177 through Shawnee and continued south taking the back roads to Paris, Tx.

I stopped off near Ada, Oklahoma at Golden's Gas & Grill for some stretching, some fuel...and a Dr. Pepper 10. This store is real neat, a true piece of Americana.  You are reminded of this when you walk across the old wooden floor.

 I had already fueled and was taking a moment to enjoy my sofa when a young lady in her mid 30s pulled up to the pumps. Making small talk, I asked her what the local main industry was and she said a lot of people worked at the casino down the road.  I asked her what she did aind she told me a sad story about how she was stuck in an extremely abusive marriage.  She told me she was able to work up the courage to run and she had been stable and safe for several years.  She then told me that she now organizes efforts to create women's shelters around the country to help other women.  She was kind enough to take this picture for me.  

I

I guess I left Midwest City too early because I arrive at my hotel in Paris, TX around noon.  The manager said I was too early and my room wouldn't be ready until about 3:00.  I waited in the lobby for a while and made a few phone calls, letting my family know where I was.  I looked up on a mantle to discover a metal piece of artwork fashioned into a motorcycle and another one into an Eiffel Tower with a cowboy hat on top. Around 1:30 the hotel staff let me check in...I guess they wanted me out of the lobby. 

I had steak fajitas at Don Lalo's Restaurant.  They were really great tasting.  I was going to take some leftovers back to the hotel room and I asked for a box to put them in and then I remembered that I had taken all the luggage off my bike and had no place on the bike to carry my "Doggie Box."  So that was my excuse to finish the plate.  Not regrets there.

It was a good day.  I may see more of Paris in the morning before I leave town!

Day 2

It was definitely an eventful day. I left the hotel at almost 8 am and headed to see if I could find the Bonnie and Clyde house from which they made their famous escape under a storm of flying lead.  I pitched in the location into my gps but no luck.  I didn't recognize the  house when I got to the address. I  circled around several times with negative results so instead I filled up my 4.2 gallon tank with premium and headed off to Broken Arrow where I spent a couple of hours with my niece, her husband and her new baby boy.

Then I headed for Midwest City by way of the turnpike. I got off in Bistrow and took a great scenic ride on old 66. The ride was fantastic.  I stopped in Arcadia and visited Pops,  home to over 700 flavors of soda. I picked up a Pops ball cap for Seth and a treat for myself.  I had heard and read about Moxie soda and had even seen advertisements from the 40's and 50's for this long forgotten soda but I had never seen it in the stores until now. I didn't even know they still made it. The taste is like a cola with a bit of caramel that seems to be infused with some other unknown substance which to me is somewhat indescribable. Not bad. 

Then down Hwy 35.  This was the most intense ride through big city traffic so far. 

After checking into Best Western and meeting up with a friend I visited the Oklahoma City bombing memorial. If you ever get a chance to go there, do. I felt an extreme sense of sadness as I walked the grounds. I remember watching the events as reported on television. To be right on the grounds where so many people died is a very sobering and somber experience.

It was a good day. It was a good ride. I have a little bit of laundry in the machine here at the hotel and I'm just waiting for it's completion.

It's almost time to pack up and head out.

Day 1

Well yesterday was certainly the adventure.  I left Pacific, Missouri around a little after 2 PM central.  The bike handled really well. I went through a little rain but it was hardly enough to even mention.  I stopped and had dinner with my sister and her family.  I had sworn I was not going to eat fast food on this trip but Steak & Shake was right off the highway and I needed to get right back on to make Joplin before night fall.

In case you didn't know it, that's me with the helmet hair!

Wind & Rain

Encouragement sent from my brother, Zach, today:

Ecclesiastes 11:4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

Ride on!

The Route

The Route...

This isn't the exact route I am taking but it does show most of my main stops.  I will mostly be taking back roads. I will not be going through Dallas, for sure.  As much as I love the city, I am not crazy about the traffic there.

The ride starts Monday, 8/7/17 somewhere between 2 PM and 4 PM.

Plans are to spend the night in Joplin, MO.
2nd Night, Midwest City, OK,
3rd night, Paris, TX,
4th night, Killeen, TX,
5th night, Brownsfield, TX,
Last night, Albuquerque, NM...

Then home to Alamogordo...where the women are beautiful and the men are finely groomed.