I have been remiss in updating this blog. After doing so much riding the past several days, I have been exhausted in the evening.

I left Montrose at 5:30am Sunday morning. Jed and I headed down Colorado 149 ( Silver Thread Scenic Byway) and saw some of the most beautiful scenery yet, especially Lake San Cristobal. HOLY COW! Absolutely beautiful...and COLD!!! Coming through Slumgullion Pass, it was 38 degrees. BRRRRRR!!!!!

We followed 149 down to Creede, Colorado and filled up with gas and food. We wanted to go through Wolf Creek Pass and Pagosa Springs, but time really didn't permit.

We continued on to Almosa, over to Walsenburg, down to Raton, New Mexico and over to Dalhart, Texas and down to Amarillo. In Amarillo, Jed and I separated. He continued on to Houston, and I started for Knoxville. I made it as far as Erik, Oklahoma the first day. I would have gone on to Oklahoma City, but storms in the area helped me make the decision to stop early.

And then it happened. Terrible storms came into the area and this morning, I had to head out in it. From Erik, OK all the way to the Oklahoma - Arkansas border, it rained. And boy did it rain! HARD RAIN! I was soaked to the bone. When I finally got to Little Rock, I decided it was time to change clothes and warm up a little. And warm up I (it) did. The sun came out and so did the heat and humidity! ARGH!!!!! 94 degrees and 80% humidity! From one extreme to the other. GEEZ!

After leaving Little Rock heading west on I-40, a car in the westbound land decided he didn't like the direction he was going so he proceeded across the median and into oncoming and right into two semi's! It was bad. I was about a mike back from the accident. I didn't see it happen, but I saw the aftermath about an hour later. Between the rain, the accident and me not hot on riding at night, I've decided to stop just outside of Nashville, Tennessee.

I'm exhausted! I'm not getting on the road till at least 9am in the morning. I am so looking forward to getting a good nights sleep.

Unfortunately, my camera is locked up in the bike and the bike is covered and I really don't feel like walking downstairs and digging it out...so you'll have to wait till tomorrow for all the pictures.

Stay tuned....

Friday, June 6 - What a AWESOME day. Thursday was rainy, cold and windy. Did some riding, but not pictures. But today was teriffic. Clear sunny skies and lots to explore. Today we hit the Grand Mesa and Colorado National Monument. We left out about 10am this morning and got back to the motel about 5pm. The pictures below tell most of the story.

On the way to the top of Grand Mesa.



The visitor center at the top of Grand Mesa. They had almost 40 feet of show at the sumit. 10,820 feet.



Your's truly! Brrrrr....it's a little chilly up here!

Well, Dennis and I finally made it to Montrose. We stopped for a couple of days in Buena Vista, Colorado to visit with Bob and Mary Ann Freed, two of my closest friends.

We've been doing a lot of riding here in Colorado already and we still have 5 more days here before we head to points west and south.

Below are some more pictures from the past several days. Enjoy!


I'm in the "mile high" club!

Can you see the snow on the mountains in the background?

The road going up to Independence Pass. Too much snow!

We're still ALIVE!!!!

Dennis and I left El Dorado, Arkansas this morning late...about 8am. Filled up the body's at the Hampton Inn and the tanks on the nearby and hauled ass. Awesome roads (Highway 82). We made great time all the way to Paris, Texas. Then it happened...it got HOT!!!! Try 104 degrees!!!! OMG!!!! It was like riding in a furnace!!!!! Even the bugs decided to hide.

Anyway, we made it all the way to Dalhart, Texas. About 660 miles. Considering it was so hot and we had to stop every 100 miles or so to re-hydrate. Had a great dinner at the "Sands" restaurant in Dalhart (Fried Chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy and the rest of the fixins)! It's now 11:20pm so we're off to bed so we can get up early and make tracks for the mountains of Colorado.

Oh...and here are some pictures we took on the road!


Bartman

Dennis

What a terrific day. Left Jacksonville this morning at about 6am. I took Interstate 10 over to I75 and then north to Valdosta. From there I picked up Highway 133 over to Moultrie, GA. Basically, I went "over the river and through the woods" working my way towards Tuscaloosa, AL. There I met Dennis (wingwing) and we continued the journey following US Highway 82. What an incredible ride. Lots of twistie roads and great sweepers and a lot of wide open 4 lane highway and NO TRAFFIC!!!!! Not too much in the way of scenery, but great roads.

We made it to El Dorado, Arkansas. 783 miles today! WHEW!!!!

No pictures today. Nothing really to take pictures of unless you want to see roads.

Tomorrow's destination is Dalhart, Texas! 6am comes very early.

More tomorrow!

It's Thursday evening, May 29 and I'm gradually recovering from a bad head cold I've had for the past couple of days. Saturday morning I head for Montrose, Colorado. Saturday can't get here quick enough.

I've starting packing for the long (3week) trip. The bike is ready and so am I!