Show me the way to Amarillo.....

More coffee needed

Having breakfast at Lucille's Roadhouse on Route 66

Laundry done..... Sun is up, wind is high....

The threads just have to get washed sometimes....

Yukon OK

Still in Oklamoma

Hi reader,

Due to a very lazy day off from riding yesterday.. I managed to get an early start ... Although it did start to rain as I was packing up the tent...  I was on the road by 7:30 and in the middle of the Oklahoma City rush hour very soon after that....

Not a good start as the wind is a pain in the arse again today.... Huh should have ridden yesterday and had a day off today ... Even on the small roads through the city it was very unpleasant riding and a little scary..  Did my usual of stopping at a McDs for hash browns and coffee and send my mail and I got chatting to a chap about the bike in the car park.... You have good day now yawl....

Once clear of the city I got onto Route 66 passing through Yukon and then refuelled at El Reno.... Route 66 then runs parallel to I-40 for miles... I tried both and both were just too windy to be safe..... The wind was doing from the south and by the looks of it a start was coming too....  I just was not prepared to carry on, so asked Gertie to find a amp site at only 11am... Only 3.50 hours on the road incl breakfast....   I feel like a whimp but I have time on my side and being blown off the road is not an option......  

So here I sit.... I could not be arsed (CBA) to put up the tent again so I have taken a cheap cabin (no linen, no water,no en suite, no toilet). And I am now drying out the tarp... And sheltering from the wind..... Can't get the WiFi to work so off the reception and the the laundry.....  Far to early to cook, so it will be a coffee on my return...

Same route tomorrow but I will stop at Hydro, Weatherford and the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum near Clinton.. And try again to make it to Amarillo....

A poor life this if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.

Nigel

They take tornados seriously here in Oklahoma

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KOA Oklahoma - what a grey day

Dear Reader,

Well decision made... Not riding today... Getting all the stuff charged, washing done, emails sorted, I spoke to my wife Debbie, my mother and Grandma (note she is 90 next week)..
The sky is overcast and it cool, with the occasional sunshine but they forecast a little rain this afternoon.... Mind you it is the same for tomorrow too!!! Slept ok, even though self-inflating ground mat is also self-deflating.... Looks like a dual purpose item... Where is a camping shop when you want one.... I remember buying this one at Hay on Wye when the last one got a puncture... I think that was on a weekend away with David Charlton when we were preparing for the trip to Morocco last April/May... So only a year old...

I am now sitting on the porch or stoop of the Kampsite Office in a rocking chair, looking at the maps for tomorrow, after staying over at Amarillo I will drop down south the the Paulo Duro Canyons State Park passed Lake Tanglewood.. The guidebook says its "Cut into the Texas plain by the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River, and stretches for over 100 miles, with Canyon walls climbing to 1,000 feet"....... you could not make it up could you...

Oklahoma City...

I hit the road earlier and rode until about 11am stopping for a coffee, hash brown and fuel.... On the road today I have chatted with some great people, a whole garage full on Route 66 near Vinita and a couple with there grandchildren.... the lad had a trophy for football ... Now that is good....  I managed to avoid the Will Rogers Turnpike and rode the 66 all the way to Claremore then over the top of Tulsa... Dropping down through the City with all it's very tall building and very few cars...???  The through some back streets towards Mannford.... It was only 12.30 so decided to ride on into the afternoon to Cushing, then Stroud and finally stopping at the Oklahoma KOA at Choctaw...

It has been very hot today, so I am glad that I got the waterproof boots !!! Sod's law...

The tent is pitched but I am sitting away from it as there is no shade there at present....  at least there are other tent campers here today....  I may even take a day off tomorrow.. And give my backside a rest.... But with no shade I might not..

Once I get back on the road then we are heading to Amarillo... And I am sure that know the way to there....  Passing through Clinton, Elk City and Pampa.  There is a museum at Weatherford, and the Roger Miller Museum near Erick....   Or I could just ride on Sunday and rest on Monday.... Decisions !!!! Now where did I put that coin....

Odometer is 72038.  Just a few miles shy of 3,000 miles in less that three weeks...

It is hard to believe that I have been riding for only 18 days... Minus 1 non-riding day and 3 non-riding days whilst at the HU meeting.... So that is 14 days on the road....  Is that right? Average of 214 per day...  That's only 4 hours riding - too many coffee stops !!!!  

KOA is Campsites of America...

Posh.... Ain't it....

The Bible Belt... Oklahoma

Oklahoma... And Route 66

Now sitting in Two Bridges State Park... In the state of Oklahoma and for $10 I appear to have most of it to myself..   So for those of you that at following me on the map... Go to page 107....  A late(ish) start about 9am... I rode through the early morning Branson... arggggggh it was a cross between Alton Towers, Blackpool and Las Vagas..  They even have a full size front end of the Titanic complete with iceberg and many other "attractions" ... The traffic was too heavy and so was my heart to stop and get a photo... But I am sure you can find it on Google...   I think I even clipped the edge of the State of Kansas near Galena just outside Joplin....

I pottered up the 65 and into the Honda Dealership at Springfield....  What a great bunch of guys...  We checked out the tyres (sorry tires) and decided that there was a good 1000 miles left on them .... At this rate that will be next weekend!!!!  We looked at some very expensive boots but decided to believe the label that said 'waterproof' on a pair for just $135... Just in time for the weather to change and start getting hot.....  All the guys from the dealership came out to see Madiba and give me a send off...  I could have brought a New Africa Twin with me and got sponsorship from Honda to show it off and it does not get released here for a little while more... But that sort of luck does not happen to me...

After that I rode out of Springfield and picked up Route 66 bound for Carthage...  I met up with two guys on HDs with patches for the "Wild Pigs" which was slightly worrying... We passed each other a couple of times and then we both stopped at and old Cafe/gas station on Route 66... And took a few photos of each other and chatted a while....  Then I followed the old 66 into Carthage with its great City Square and buildings....  But very quiet ... I think that they may have all been in church...

On the bike again and pointed it towards Wyandotte and the Two Bridges State Park.

Tomorrow is going to be a bit tricky trying to follow the 66 and stay out of the City of Tulsa and stay off the Interstates...  The planned route being Vinita, Chelsea, then West to Mannford and another State Park...   Must nearly be time for another Motel...

After that well it looks like... Over the top of Oklahoma City, then Clinton, Elk City heading towards Amarillo Texas...

Afternote:  it is now 6pm and the sun is still very hot... I have just finished a meagre supper of two coffees and a small tin of spaghetti and just two meatballs.... I still have one can of Budweiser left and that's for later when the sun has gone down.    Reading Ian Mutch's very amusing tales of his trip to NZ.  Gandalf's Garden.... (Hopeless Quests around New Zealand on a Harley Davidson)... I have listened to a few of Ian's presentation and they are very funny...  I actually met him once upon a ferry from Portsmouth the France...

 I must hit the shops tomorrow...

Afternote whilst have coffee and cream wheat at 6:30 in the morning and after a awful nights sleep... This is one of the noisiest State Parks so far... What I thought was a by road looks like a major rat run.. And just full of trucks and V8 thundering up the very slight incline... all bloody night.... And is still thundering past....  More and more each day I am missing my wife and home....  Maybe a rethink when I get to Flagstaff....

Odometer 71807

Nigel

Nigel.Grace@btinternet.com

http://www.nigel-grace.blogspot.com/

A Mini Las Vagas. Branson Missouri... Arghh

I left Hicksville at 8 this morning.. Still blowing a gale... Cold but not raining.  I did find a very cool Aircraft Heritage Musuem just by the side of the road.. Photos below... You could not have that in the UK as the yob's would have graffitied the aircraft.....Rode on some very straight and boring roads (just no alternative).. Passed Poplar Bluff and on to Van Buran.. Had another coffee stop and chatted with two guy from the Department of Road Transport and then a very nice lady nurse came up and chatted and suggested that I visit Big Spring in the Mark Twain NF - which I did...  A very calming place...

Back onto the 60 until it was time to move on the a smaller road the 160...  a good road through hills and valleys, twists and turns... Just like riding in the Ardennes... It run for about 90 miles and for 90% of that it is double yellow lines and yes I go stuck behind a very large truck... Ah well never mind...  Finally got to the campsite at Branson at about 5pm....  I know I should be riding less each day but camp site are get a little thin on the ground, and I want to be reasonably close to a Springfield for tomorrow.

To total ridden miles today was 286 and my tail end knows it...

Tomorrow the plan is to ride into Springfield and then pick up the 60 again and find a campsite just south of Joplin at Twin Bridges State Park..  And that is in Oklahoma... But I will check on the book about Route 66 later...

Odometer 71642
Nite nite

Branson Missouri - the town is like a Mini Vagas. Arghhhh

But the site cook pizza...

Weather radar says clear and sunny today,,,,, more west it is then

Missouri and the Great Mississippi

Dear reader,

What a really crap day... I left Bowling Green and the sun was shining, but only till I got on the main road and then more thunder and lighting and heavy rain...  I am not sure if the water got into my boots via the fabric or over the top... All I know is that I had very wet and cold feet.   I stopped in Princeton and had a coffee and changed my socks for my seal skin ones... an excellent product... Whoops the wind has blown down my washing line with all my smalls on it....  back now...   I had a stand up row with Gertie Garmin as she put me on the Interstate again and that was not the plan....

I spoke to one of the guys in the car park about Motorcycle shops, with the thought of getting some water proof boots, I managed to get to a Honda shop but no boots but they pointed me to a boot shop in town, but they had a few short ugly things and lots of cowboy boots... Not for me I said...... and back on the road...  after Paducah I got off the I-24 and continued along the 60 and started looking for camp sites..... Bugger all..

What I did get is high winds and I hate high cross winds especially as my bike is loaded and is like a sail....    All of a sudden there it was a huge bridge over the Great (and very wide) Mississippi River.... More bloody side wind.... I can safely say that. That was my worst day on a bike... Wet, cold and scared fartless by crosswinds... Oh I could weep.  Loads of big trucks and nowhere to pull over an take any pictures....

We passed through Charleston ( sorry if I lapse into a "we" every so often ... I mean Madiba, the bike and I - rather like 'Wilson' in the film Castaway with Tom Hanks) Then heading towards Sikeston we saw a camp site on the left... Hawling on the brakes this  will do nicely as with the land is very flat, the winds are getting on my tits....

I Pulled in and paid my $15 to the resident hermit... I filled out the form (which were in duplicate, signed it, he took the money and then threw the forms on the floor with hundreds of others!!!!!  Maybe his accountant comes in and sorts it all out....  The site is OK but right next to the main road and none of the power sockets on the pitches work, so will have to try further afield , like the rest room maybe.

Tomorrow I am hoping to get the somewhere just before Springfield and pick up what is left of the famous Route 66.  Frankly if you look at a map there is very little to see in Kentucky and not much more in Missouri I'll wager, but now I really must slow down and smell the coffee...  I will continue on the 60 through Poplar Bluff,  the Mark Twain National Forest, where there is a campsite (well on the map their is...)

Time now to get something to eat and try to send this blog...

Nite nite after one very shitty day...

Yet another storm....

Just hold up as another storm passes over... Morganstown Kentucky....  Every thing is bigger is the USA - even the thunder storms.  Met with Gary from the local mission... Nice guy... We talked about bikes and stuff...  Need to change gloves and check the weather radar app  "World Radar"

It say it will pass in 20 mins or so.... 

Hope the video works and this was one of the smaller units...

Horizons Unlimited meeting Vaginia 2016

Various

Dry clothes - motel style

Bowling Green Kentucky

Hi Reader,

Finally  made it to Bowling Green Kentucky.  Departed this morning at about 8:30 and rode through until about 2:30pm.  Lots of rain and fog riding up and through the Daniel Boone Forest.  I passed through Hazard but saw no Dukes... but heaps of V8 monsters with big wheels y'all, then on through Manchester, London, Somerset, Nancy, Glasgow before arriving here.  The sun tried to come out but still it was cold and I needed to stop and put another layer on...  I am about 50 miles North of Nashville Tennessee yee ha..  And I did pass the National Corvette Museum.... I thought about going in but.... 

I have just put up the tent and of course it is still soaked from the other day... Not enough room at the motel to hang it up...  So having a coffee and a chill before venturing down to the store to get more grits and WiFi..

Looking at the map tomorrow will be Bowling Green to Hopkinsville on the 80 then up to Paducah and then into Missouri, over the Mississippi River and I will try to get to the Mark Twain National Forest and Lake  Wappapello State Park...  Just North of the town of Poplar Bluff.

Odometer is reading 71126 - I think that makes about 2,082 miles since leaving Orlando...

 The link to the Spot Nav is :  

https://share.delorme.com/nigelgrace    

and the password is        Madiba

Kentucky 2

A quick update... I am sitting having hasn't Browns and coffee in McD Muddy Creek Road Manchester... And about 20 miles from London.   The rain has cleared but more to come...

Kentucky

Well the kittens were a pain so I locked then out of the sleeping area of the tent.... But they played and then climbed up the inner fly and all three spent the night sleeping on the top of the fly sheet above by head.... Pic to follow...  and do course it rained all night and into the morning, so I had to pack up in the heavy rain - yuk...

Rode until about three, I am not sure of how many miles but most miles were trying to get around or over mountains... I stopped for gas at a gas station and met a charming old cowboy and we chatted some... He talked and showed my pictures of his wonderful horse, and he talked about Vietnam, riding in Montana, and the problems of the Mexicans and Muslims!!!  

I carried on riding until 2pm and tried to find a Motel as I was soaked and I needed a place to get some washing done... Me and clothes,  I was running out of stuff and I was starting to smell a bit ???  The Garmin sent me into the hills .. Nothing... Back down the road and was followed by the Sheriff for about 5 miles....   I finally found a motel in Whitesburg Kentucky... It was still raining and when I ask how much.... Too much... So back on the bike and up the hill.... I got to the top of a the hill and BANG something hit my helmet, and again and again... All the cars were pulled to the side of the road... It was hail stones and they hurt.... U Turn was in order and back to the Motel... Got the rate down to $50 and in we go.   The washing is done and the bathroom looks like a laundry and the bedroom has sleeping bag and stuff all over the place.... The heating is on and it's hot and humid in here....   I might even try to dry out the tent later.... Mean while we now have 30 gaiters caught, shot and in the boat!!

Just watching the TV Kentucky style.... It's all guns, God and Gaiter hunting....  Like UKs extreme fishing but with gaiters... The final blow is with a gun as you would expect... 

Will have to have a walk around later to find some food... Cooking in the room is not allowed???? LOL. Now out with the maps and plan tomorrow... and it is still only 4pm. First stop at a motel.. After 13 nights under canvas.....

A handy place to sleep

Three kittens sleep in the fly sheet above my head....

I have three kittens in my tent.... And only enough food for me.... And it is thunder and lightning and very heavy rain

And yet more rain......

.... We all had a good evening with the farewell speeches and the group photo and later we had a quiz.... and I won a book, which was good as I have been looking for one to read..  and I know I already have it but it will be good to read it again... It's Sam Manicom's Distant Drums....

We all then assembled around the big camp fire and sank a few beers and a lady was handing out Tequila - awful stuff....  Then it started to rain, and rain, and rain,,,,,, it was still raining in the morning; so we all had fun packing up in the rain, which was made more difficult by the fact that the bikes were not allowed on the grass next to the tents (how silly is that)...   Then a cooked breakfast and away... Still raining.... I met Cedric again at the petrol station and we said our goodbyes.... I then moved over to the McD to get the mail etc... And met up with another chap from the event... By now the rain was torrential, and so we chewed the fat for a little longer until it eased up.

I rode what must have been at least 150 miles to get over the mountain and then crossed the Parkway... Still raining but I could see that it was getting brighter the further I travelled West.... Towards Lexington and Covington... Where one of the guys suggested that I ride down the 39 to Marlington... Which I started to do and it was extremely nice road and good scenery but a little slow if I needed to get far enough along to find a camp site.    

So I pressed on and the sun came out at last.. I stopped for a break at Buena Vista and again for fuel near Crawley... I even managed to get through to my wife on the phone.. But then to battery failed....   I tried to ride to a state park that was on the map but could not locate it so I rode back and pressed on towards Beckley and saw a sign for a RV park... Well the road went on and on and the sound of the banjos got louder and louder.. I finally found it and gave the man $15 for the nights pitch... I had look at the toilet/showers and one quick look was enough... No shower tonight !!!

Tomorrow I will be mainly riding towards London, Somerset and Glasgow in Kentucky...

Odometer is reading 70674..

Suitcases and a seat belt !!!