In nearly a month on the road, I have made a few observations:
1) There must be a special school were villages send their idiots to become designers of hotel rooms. With very few exceptions, the lighting in rooms is totally inadequate and for no apparent reason. Showers over a bath are still found in 95% of rooms - can’t remember the last time anyone said they’d had a bath. Elevators are often inadequate (one 3 story establishment did not have an elevator at all) Almost without exception, Air conditioning units are LOUD! 2) People - both in Canada and the US, the people we have met have been curious and friendly, and on the roads, almost unfailingly courteous and aware - much more so than you’d expect in New Zealand. Anytime one of our number made an unintentional faux pas, there was no sign of the impatience, road rage or horn tooting we’re used to. 3) Tipping is a real thing here - people in service industries rely on tips to survive. Any prospective tourist who can’t get their head around adding at least 15% to restaurant bills should stay at home. 4) In travelling we become appreciative of the beauty and difference of other places - we are also reminded of those special people and places we a missing back at home - a sacrifice with benefits, hopefully not quickly forgotten 5) Food - bearing in mind that we have been living on the road, some of the best food we’ve found has been at gas station’s, particularly bigger ones. Decent sandwiches, salads, pizza, slushies, coffee, through to packaged beef jerky, and a myriad of other delights can be found, although chance plays a very big part. Places like McDonalds can be an absolute oasis when desperation is a factor - consistent, clean and a fairly varied menu. Hotel breakfasts have proven to be very average at best, with scrambled eggs of a fairly “loose” consistency are universal, with cereals, “biscuits & gravy”, pancakes being other staples. Evening meals have usually offered variations on burgers, steaks, salads, even the occasional fish & chips 6) Temperature- We have experienced everything from extreme cold and wet, (even hail), through to extreme heat - the key is to be prepared and we have been. Hydration, sun block, rest, more hydration, more sunblock…. 7) Personalities- being a big group of 24 travelling together for close to a month in fairly close quarters has offered plenty of opportunities to get pissed off with each other. That said, we have all had the ability to get away from people and situations that may have been frustrating at each day’s end, and it is my opinion that we’re all more accepting of each other at the end of the trip than at the start - perhaps better people too! 8) Although we know we’ll be heading back to the middle of winter, we’re looking forward to getting home to family, home and “normality”, where the past month will quickly become a memory , with only photos, my blog and Visa statements to remind us of this epic journey. As I finish my notes, Linda has taken our mascot Kiwi, who has quietly ridden with us from Vancouver to Phoenix, never once complaining about weather or circumstance, and given it to a small child in a room close to ours - perhaps that child will have their interest piqued and learn about NZ in the years to come. Anticipating the leg between Flagstaff and Phoenix to be the most demanding of the tour, we were all ready for a 7am departure in 22c, knowing that by mid morning we’d be well into the mid 40’c.
Some opted to blast straight up the highway, with Nev leading the rest along a more scenic route that was both picturesque and technically engaging, most engaging - that said, our route was a mixture of both, with the intention to peel off and hit the highway before the blast furnace really cranked up. Once we reached the highway, the water temperatures gauge that has been a problem all tour, and the engine warning light both came on - the prospect of a road side calamity hung over us for the next couple of hours, but with no other option, we gassed it, cruising at about 82mph to get to days end as quickly as possible. The conditions really were at the fairly extreme end of uncomfortable but we ate up the miles and eventually reached the hotel, where thankfully a room was available for early check in - at least for Linda, I had to return the bike. There were far too many traffic lights along that route, all of which seemed stuck on red - the heat from my engine was so extreme that I had to dismount at each stop - anyway, on the ride back to the hotel with Mike, Mickey and Baldric we could reflect on a job well done, nearly 8000km through 8 states over 3 weeks, no real issues, and no injuries! Perhaps the power of our Harley bells is real! One last celebratory photo after the fines gleaned by our hard working and thoroughly disreputable sheriff had been spent at the bar, before we headed off to a BBQ restaurant for our final dinner together- tomorrow we all disappear, some heading straight back to Auckland, others, with more time and energy taking a more circuitous route. in deference to the gear we have (helmets, boots, jackets etc all take up a lot of “bag room” when not being worn, I have an Uber XL booked to take us on the first leg of our journey home. Like several other couples, we have a flight from Phoenix to LAX, then a 5 hour layover before Air NZ takes us home. A quick moment of reflection- what a fabulous bunch of people, all different in so many ways, but each of whom have contributed to make this tour so successful Until next time Today’s ride incorporated part of the Grand Canyon which normally is a must see - Linda and I have done a couple of tours over the years , including onein a helicopter, so we opted to bypass that leg. Unfortunately the same warning lights as previously came up so we were compelled to seek the advice of the local Harley dealer. Thankfully they were very accomodating and whilst they could find no fault, they reset everything and we were soon on our way.
The hotel staff were also very helpful and soon we were out of the searing heat and comfortable in our air conditioned room, with the pool beckoning. Most of us were apprehensive about the final leg from Flagstaff to Phoenix, with mid morning temperatures in the mid 40’s on the cards, with late 40’s from early afternoon in the offing - that is blistering hot, unforgiving and dangerous. Dunner for most of us was at a ubiquitous sports bar named “Dirty Birdies” (reason unknown), where the usual fare of burgers, ribs and for a few unfortunates, a highly seasoned ham steak that was pronounced inedible -c’est la vie…. We had a welcome day off the bikes , with a tour booked to take in the local sights - there were those who wondered how we’d cope with the het in the old, open air trucks, but time proved that a lack of suspension was a bigger problem! We were taken well beyond any semblance of “the bean track”, our local guides relishing the opportunity to prove the 4wd off road skills - one vehicle was bogged to its axles and stuck for all money, but no, with clouds of dust and sand (covering the occupants with more than a liberal coating) it popped out.
The fact that man and beast can can actually survive out here beggars belief - survival perhaps, but little more than that, with no one appearing to look particular happy (understandable). The scenery is as far removed for what we’re used to as you can imagine - that said, it does rain occasionally (when the Medicine Man does his thing), and even snows in the winter time, with the yucca plant giving advance warning of it’s impending severity. One of our guides (Rita) sung a lovely “waiata” while we lay back in a sacred cave - her song was a combination of traditional and commercial, but a hit none the less. Three and a half hot and bone shaking hours soon passed with the general consensus being that it was time and money well spent. A rare 9am departure gave those keen to visit the local Walmart an opportunity to visit this US shopping icon - others headed around the corner to Durango Harley for another T shirt - the grandmothers in our midst can’t pass by the kid’s section without having a look.
Our first break was at the local McDonalds in Cortez - there is a lot to be said for the variety, the consistency, the toilets and the aircon at any Golden Arches, and this one was no different. Iced coffee and a cheeseburger provided something to last until lunchtime. Next stop was “four corners”, the spot where Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona all meet, and an opportunity for the local Naive Americans to charge US$8 per head for those silly enough to pay it. The “spot” is surrounded by locals peddling trinkets and Knick knacks, although the guy selling bottled water at a very reasonable $1 a pop was the busiest by far. He’d pay $6-7 for a pack of 24 bottles, so his margin is fairly significant. Most of today’s riding was in very desolate country - any who have experienced New Zealand’s Desert Road in summer might think it is hot, rugged and inhospitable- think again, today we rode through what I’d describe as the Devil’s Playground- stretching as far as the eye can see, arid, seemingly lifeless other than a few fairly skinny horses. The few buildings scattered here and there were mostly weary with age, others having succumbed to too many hard summers and even harder winters had finally collapsed with exhaustion. All that said, again the emphasis of the day was the ever increasing heat with temperatures in the mid 30’s c again causing concern (and some angst), with riders really having to pay attention to hydration. After a pretty agreeable gas station lunch, in desperation to get to the air conditioned comfort of our room, now in Utah, we took the opportunity to blast through to the final destination as quickly as we could - a few others decided to follow suit and soon we were there! Our accommodation is on Native Ameland and is by law, absolutely alcohol free. There are some in our midst who couldn’t bear that prospect and are now (I suspect) law breakers ! The last 20 miles into Glenwood Springs is spectacular in that it runs through a gorge following the course of a river below. Rather than being carved into one side of the gorge or the other, it is built over the river, almost suspended - 4 lanes of magnificent divided highway that allows an enthusiastic Harley rider to cruise comfortably at 70-80 mph- perfect for those who’ve had enough of the heat and just want to get to the air conditioned comfort of their room at days end.
Others dug out swimming attire and made good use of the pool - awesome. Mexican for dinner then off to bed. Once we’d cleared the township of Glenwood Springs, our route followed the curves of picturesque and fast moving Crystal River, a very pleasant way to start the days ride. We climbed mountains (the torque of our big Harleys making short work of the job) then rumbled down the other side, with apparently five passes making up the day’s total. At one point we saw massive black piles of fine coal approaching, evidence that rather than silver and other minerals apparently prevalent in the state, we were passing through an area of black rock, soon confirmed by the poverty that goes hand in hand with coal mining. More wrecked cars, more trailer homes half buried in weeds and junk, as desperate as their occupants, with no prospect of an easy life any time soon. We stopped in a small town called Delta for coffee and were very pleased to find a small and nondescript shop front housed a small and very “green” cafe which provided an air conditioned oasis from the ever increasing heat. The most memorable thing about Delta were a couple of used car lots on the outskirts of town specialising in unrestored cars of the 1950s - very unique. More miles under our tyres before stopping for lunch in Silverton (yes, a town made popular by the wealth of silver mining), before tackling what is known as the Million Dollar Highway - apparently named as the first road in the US that cost a million dollars a mile to construct. This road is terrifying for many, unlike the elevated marvel of yesterday, this has been blasted and hewn from solid rock. Seems the budget did not run to Armco barriers, so any miscalculation would mean a very long and rapid descent and no chance of a happy ending. Spectacular scenery though, waterfalls, even a massive American flag in the middle of a paddock flown at the Weber Ranch - very patriotic. More of the aforementioned passes followed, twisting up to 10000 then 11000 feet where the air is thin and cool, then twisting down the other side. Some had earlier joked that a cooling rain would be appreciated, not anticipating the hail and freezing rain that ensued, thankfully in short bursts, a relief for those of us in T shirts. Our hotel in Durango was situated a little further than most of us were prepared to walk, so pizzas in the lobby were deemed a great option. I have just lost the past 2-3 days blogs and am pretty frustrated as a consequence… I need a few minutes to decide whether to bother putting everything together again. Grrrr
Over the past few days we’ve visited quite a few real cowboy towns, with Laramie perhaps the most “genuine” - no flashy (tacky) casinos, no romanticising of history. Despite the popularity of the series Yellowstone, there really is no glamour in the life of a cowboy now, and 150 years ago there was even less. Like most communities Laramie is a town of two disparate parts, with one being prosperous and vibrant, the other pretty dowdy and depressing.
Wherever we’ve travelled, trailer homes are a reality providing what is possibly the lowest rung on the accommodation ladder - the next step is a tent. Again, as in any community, some are occupied by proud and tidy people looking to make the most of what others would see as fairly dire straits. Unfortunately there are others whose trailer may as well be at the town dump, surrounded by wrecked cars, rubbish, the flotsam and jetsam long abandoned by anyone else. Todays ride had a bit of everything as we left Wyoming and entered Colorado, a few twistiest early on, quite a bit of long, straight and fairly quick “prairie” riding, step climbs to great heights (was past the US Army High Altitude School), with the temperature increasing hour on hour. There were times we the radiant temperature from the road was quite incredible, and will only intensify as we get closer to Phoenix. After coping with several hours in the heat, arriving at the hotel is a real highlight, with some quickly taking advantage of the swimming pool - I enjoyed a cold shower and have my liquid coolant in a bath of ice ready for our 5:30 team meeting. We had three nights in Deadwood - more than enough to get out and enjoy the fabulous riding and scenery South Dakota has to offer, including the massive Black Hills Harley Davidson - there parking lot is the size of a small suburb, and come Bike Week in August, will be absolutely chocka.
I have come to the conclusion that Deadwood is a sad town, with residents living hand to mouth as poorly paid servants to those passing through We went to the local laundromat, mainly because my riding jeans had almost taken on a life of their own after a couple of weeks of use. This establishment was hardly a credit to its absentee owner, but after a bit of trial and error tempered by the hard earned experience of other frustrated punters, we got the job done. Today’s ride began with an hour of “mountain” riding, followed by hours of “prairie riding”, where boredom due to 10’s of miles of dead straight riding, even at speeds of over 100 mph (160 kph) can become a real issue. The landscape is pretty flat, pretty consistent, with not too much to stimulate the rider. That said, there was the occasional carcass of a deer who’d fallen foul of a fast moving motorist - not something a motorcyclist would like to hit, alive or dead. As usual we lucked in on the odd “full Monty” gas station, one that offered extraordinary food, be it burgers, salads, muffins, coffee, whatever. Linda got into a conversation with a woman who drove an 18 wheeler rig for Walmart who’d parked up for a mandatory rest break. At one stop in a very rural town some of us went to Subway, after a drive through liquor store seemingly made out of old bits of plywood just about the only thing around. During our stop I heard a couple of locals talking and was again reminded how much distance there was between here and the lovies of either coast. These are simple rural people are surrounded by thousands of miles of countryside perfect for hunting, bush craft and traditions that the lovies would see come to an end… no wonder there are slogans like”from my cold dead hand” implying that the wankers from Washington or wherever will have a fight on their hands to repeal the Second Amendment, the right to bear arms. We ate up the miles, eventually arriving in Laramie during the heat of the afternoon (bad, and about to get worse with each passing day). The route to our hotel took us through a fairly humble of town that probably doesn’t appear in the tourist information, another reminder of humility. Deadwood is a cowboy town, famous for as the place Wild Bill Hickok was shot (in the back) and killed - the town plays on this western heritage but lives of the glitter of poker machines and watered down drinks. Virtually every hotel has a “casino” on the ground floor, with restaurants either upstairs or downstairs, secondary to the main earner.. I am guessing that few actually come for the history.
We’re a little different - bikers from all over flock to the Black Hills of South Dakota for other reasons. Sturgis week is famous (or infamous) -the first week each August sees a town of 7200 people transformed into a Motorcycle Mecca of between 500,000 and up to 1,000,000 mainly Harley people congregating to celebrate being part of the biker community. The area offers great rides in pretty much every direction - Nev led a ride for the many early risers at 7:30, but I opted for a slightly later start. Mt Rushmore is probably the most famous landmark, with “The Pigtails” and “The Needles” being “must do’s”. Due to a navigational faux pas, I soon found myself solo and was able to cut and paste rides to suit and at my own pace - fabulous, with even the holiday traffic at some of the tourist hot spots causing few delays -;thankfully no traffic cops about today to impede riding nirvana. So, a mixture of everything again today - Living the Dream! |
Don MalcolmA perfect day involves being on my Harley with a long ride ahead.
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