We left Palm Springs very early; when it's so hot, it's best to ride in the relative cool of the morning & get some miles under your belt before the temperatures rise to funace levels.
So we enjoyed our ride through Joshua Tree National Park, named by early religious travellers who thought the trees were holding their arms upwards to heaven. The Yucca-like trees thrive here, amongst the wierd & wonderful rock formations in the Mojave Desert.
Then it was onward through the valley & the dried up salt flats of a long-forgotten sea, until we reached Amboy where we joined the road that's very special in the heart of all Harley riders; Route 66. Once the main carriageway for migrating people seeking a better life in the west, the road is a now shadow of its former glory, with a few faded old diners & businesses trying to keep the dream alive. Last year when we came, we were disappointed at Roy's Cafe, it was run-down & offered little to Route 66 pilgrims, happily this year it's under new ownership, & they are lovingly restoring & reviving it, & by next year it should be more like it was in it's heyday.
We rode the iconic road for a while longer, past the trees which for some reason travellers have covered with shoes over the years, & on to Needles for lunch at another old diner. After buying Route 66 souveniers at the gift shop, we eventually left the Mother Road, & followed the mighty Colorado River into Laughlin, where we revelled in the air conditioning of our overnight hotel.
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