many days combined

well the house didn't close on time, they were having a hard time verifying that I really do get soc sec. Even though they had 1099's, letters etc. So I drove to las vegas and stayed with Bruce and Marsden. After the house finally closed I drove the wrong way back to Buckeye, thru the Mojave and roasted, again almost heat stroke, could have paid for it big time. Then a problem with keys, another 100 miles in 110 degree which was cooler than the mojave, oh yea I had forgotten my cool vest at B & M's. Anyhow I'm here and alive so I will start getting things done.

Oh the total time for las vegas to buckeye to phoenix to buckeye was 8 hrs in 110 plus degrees on a motorcycle, about 425 miles.

Arrival in the Valley of the Sun?

Today was to be a liesurely 415 mile day. So I got up at 6am, had breakfast at the motel and was on the road before 8am. It was hot but was going according to plan until Flagstaff,AZ. Then the thunderclouds appeared. About 10 miles South they found me. I stopped and put on my hvy gear and within 10 min was out of the storm. 40 miles later, burning up, I stopped and put on the light gear. Guess what??? You got it, another storm got me and it felt like freezing rain but I just kept riding and was out of it 10-15 min. This happened twice more before I reached Phoenix. Once I got there I met up with Brian and did the walk thru on the house, a tree has fallen down since looking at it but such is life. I go in at 9am tommorow to sign the final papers so by noon I should be ahomeowner again. For good or bad. :)

That isn't a bush behind the m/c that is the tree on its side.

Oh, my ongoing motel story. I found a very nice comfort inn at a good price. It looked to me from the coupon map to be 20 miles from Buckeye....nope, it was 50 miles so I rode another 100 miles to do the walkthru and return. Total for the day over 514 miles.

My realtor Brian is in the pic with the house/valkyrie.

Into the Valley of Death rode the 500

After waking at 3am thirsty i was unable to go back to sleep so I loaded up. It had rained during the night. Within 5 min there was constant lightning to the north and south of me. " cannon to the left of them volleyed and thundered". So I thought i would luck out, no lightning in front of me. Then a large strike down the road in front of me and the waterfall started. But I was out of it in about 30 min. The whole time The Charge of the Light Brigade was going thru my mind.

To be in the flat lands in the dark of night with constant lightning is very impressive.

I stopped for breakfast in Amarillo, Tx (after 280 miles) at the home of the 72oz steak feed. You have 60 min to eat the whole thing to get it free. I meet Larry, a harley rider from Huston there and we shared a table.

After that i went on to Albuquerque, NM and stopped. Got a nice room and went to Panda Express for dinner. 581 miles today. And as I finish the thunder is rolling.

Today was a very long day...covered 745 miles. Finished up in Shawnee, OK. about 25 miles short of reaching Oklahoma City.

The weather was cool going thru TN and Arkansa but in western Arkansa to Shawnee it was like being in an oven. I didn't think I was drinking enough and was worried about dehydration and heat stroke. But I did pass the test at every stop :)

My big mistake of the day was at the end of the ride. I stopped at a Motel 6 instead of going into OK city. Never again to a motel 6. It was horrible. mold in the bathroom and when I woke up at 3am thirsty, I found there was no glass in the room.

Off Again

I left today from Hampton, VA, on my way to Buckeye, AZ. I am buying a house there and have to do the walkthru and sign the papers. I moved most of what I have earlier and put it in storage. What is left Dori will ship to me.

I was going to leave yesterday but things happen. I forgot the camera case in the bike so I will add pics next time I update. Hey I remembered.

I was planning on riding further and camping. But the weather wasnt looking good and I got tired and hungry. only rode 436 miles, not the 700 i was hoping for, maybe tommorow? I plan on being on the road by 6am...we'll see how it works. Forgot to mention that I stopped in crossville, TN.