Hadrian HD Tours

Lusk to Loveland

2010-08-24T17:11:00.000-07:00

Friday, 13th August 2010

OMG! Friday 13th! I say a little prayer this morning - please, please, please may everyone stay safe on their bikes today - & every day, come to that. I'll be good forever, honest.
We visited Fort Laramie this morning, & I find early American history so fascinating. We learned all about day to day life in the fort from costumed re-enactors. It was never stockaded with wooden defensive walls the way we usually imagine frontier forts to be. Truth is, there were enough men & artillery housed there so the Indians would never attack; they just picked the soldiers off like snipers when they ventured out in small groups.

Ali Barber & the Cavalry!

We also learned how the settlers & cowboys left messages for eachother before emails - they'd write on bleached bones with charcoal from their campfires.

Click on this picture to read the travellers' messages.

I loved hearing the tales of the life of a laundress back in the day; a hard life, though not without some status & benefits. But I would have preferred to be an Officer's Wife, all afternoon tea & dishing out orders! No change there, then! John enjoyed it, too. Delusions of grandeur surfaced in John, as he spied a cavalry hat he fancied - he says he'll have three stripes on his shoulder by next year to go with it!

I didn't take a photo of John's new hat, but it was nothing like these!

I'm sure we could have stayed longer at Fort Laramie, but it was getting hot, & we had a road to ride, so after grabbing a quick bottle of Sarsparilla from the Soldiers Bar, we mounted up & continued our journey.

Our destination for lunch was Laramie itself, which strangely enough is almost a hundred miles from the Fort, & afterwards we headed for Loveland, where we had scheduled a visit to Thunder Mountain H-D. They keep some great ladies clothing in there, & I was looking forward to calling in, but for some reason, my sat-nav took me straight past it to our hotel. John & all our riders stopped & shopped there, but I had dropped so far behind the group in the busy teatime traffic that I didn't see them turn off the motorway. Funny that, I must ask John how I bypassed it, as he's the one who programmes the sat-navs ...

Friday evening, Colin & Sandra, Kev & Janet, & John & Janice found a hip 'n' happnin' little pub around the corner from our hotel, where they had already sampled several glasses of the landlord's finest when who should walk in but our cheeky cockney chappies, Harry & Bob! Well, much frivolity, singing on the karaoke & dancing moves ensued, & a cracking good night was had by all! Good enough to give Kev the mother of all hangovers next morning anyway! I'll leave you with these images ...

Kev gets wiv it, large!

Sandra & Janice - at least three sheets to the wind!

John makes some shapes on the dancefloor!

And a good time was had by all!

So, Friday 13th ended well after all. Mind you, Saturday the 14th was a bit of a headache for some!!!!

Deadwood to Lusk - continued

2010-08-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

Thursday, 12th August 2010

Leaving Crazy Horse, we were heading for Custer State Park, & a twisty, winding road called the Needles Highway. Well, I say we - that is, everyone except me in the van! Truth is, there are some extremely narrow passageways between the rocks, & I don't think the van would get through them. I just scraped (not literally!) through last year, in a smaller van, so I didn't want to risk it in the Mercedes, which was both wider & higher than the Chevvy. So, the plan was that I'd meet up with the bikes at the restaurant in Custer State Park for lunch, & that's pretty much what happened. Custer is famous for large numbers of Bison, & we saw plenty of them. Up at the front, they were on the road & the bikes had a great view, but by the time I got there with the van they had wandered over into the fields.

What's the difference between a bison & a buffalo?

We arrived at Lusk for our overnight stay in good time for a swim in the outdoor pool, but sadly there was no BBQ for us, as Tom, who owns the hotel & is chief BBQ cook on these occasions, was away at Sturgis enjoying himself. However, he was thoughtful enough to leave a little 'Goody Bag' for every room in our group instead. How very kind of him, it's little touches like these that make us want to go back each year.

Deadwood to Lusk

2010-08-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

Thursday, 12th August 2010

We left Deadwood on the Thursday morning, anxious to resume our adventures on the road. It was great to stay in one place for a few days, but there are still a lot of wonderful places to visit, as we begin the second leg of this epic tour.

We began with a ride through Keystone - keeping an eye out for the cops - & pretty soon we were faced with Mount Rushmore. We stopped for a few photos, but carried on to Crazy Horse where we were to spend a couple of hours learning more about this mammoth task. This is much more of an achievement, when you consider it was one man's dream, with no government help or funding. The monument to Crazy Horse is a fantastic tribute to native American Indians, & will not be completed for many, many years.

Scale model of finished Crazy Horse Monument

Must go & board the plane home .... will continue later ...

Images of Sturgis

2010-08-14T22:14:00.000-07:00

Big Guy at Full Throttle Saloon

Wednesday, 11th August 2010

I thought I'd not ramble on too much with this page, & try to fill it with photos instead. That's me on the left with Wild Bill Hikock.

We didn't have a group ride-out today, John & I had a few things to do, & we thought we'd just let everyone do their own thing.

One of John's tasks for today was to wash the bike. Luckily for him, he found some help! Doesn't he look pleased with himself?

Well, he does like a nice clean bike!

This bike belongs to a serious Beatles fan!

Bare Bones Bike at Buffalo Chip

That's all for now, it's late & I'm tired. I'll try to write more tomorrow.

Hang 'em High at Hullet!

2010-08-13T23:18:00.000-07:00

Spearfish Canyon

Tuesday, 10th August 2010

Part of the attraction of Sturgis is the fantastic rides & wonderful scenery all around the area. The plan today was to take a ride through the beautiful Spearfish Canyon, all twists & turns, with dramatic rocky walls towering over the lush green canyon floor. I coudn't help imagining how peaceful it must be there, when there isn't a constant stream of noisy motorcycles roaring through.

The canyon receded & the landscape gradually opened up, & we carried on our ride for a while longer, until we came to a stone building on a gentle mound, slap-bang in the middle of nowhere. There were loads of bikes outside, so we decided to call in & see what was going on. It had been a while since we left Deadwood, so we we thought everyone would be ready for a 'comfort' stop about now, anyway. We turned up the long drive, & while we were parking the bikes, I noticed Harry admiring a sort of Davy Crockett-style hat worn by another biker. Now Harry has been gradually 'going native' since we began this tour. He arrived in Las Vegas in T-shirt & jeans, looking like a regular sort of guy. But, as the tour progressed, he's bought an Indian-style leather waistcoat & ditched the T-shirts, some leather chaps, (& he got some flak for those, I can tell you!) & next time I looked he's wearing the hat, & the other guy is walking away stuffing a wad of dollars into his pocket!

We're going to Hullett next, Harry! Wear the fox hat!!

The building we had stopped at was called the Stone House - quite appropriate I thought. It's a bar/restaurant, but the best thing about it was the loos! Away from the main building, which was quite decrepit, there was an obviously brand new wooden structure, all pale pine & spotlessly clean. I went into the ladies door, & it was just wonderful! Completely open to the skies, it had no roof at all, & a new stone floor, several wooden cubicles & proper loos. There was also a row of basins, gleaming in the sunshine, lovely handwashing lotions, soft paper towels - the whole place was posher than a lot of places I've visited, & totally unexpected. So our 'comfort' stop turned out to be quite an experience!

Next, we were headed for a little place called Hullett. Hullett is famous for 'No Panties Wednesday'! Apparrently, way back in the day, all the bikers would converge in Hullett on the Wednesday, on their way to Sturgis for the rally weekend. Spirits would get a little high, beer would flow, & the bikers would get a bit raucous. 'Course, it's all rather more low-key & PC now - but I made sure we went on the Tuesday, just in case!

Pat & Chris decided to keep their panties on - with dire consequences!

We had lunch in Hullett, & a little look around, & we came across a couple of mean-looking cattle rustlers who paid the ultimate price for their misdeeds. Funny though, they looked strangely familiar ...

We decided to leave Hullett while we still had some of our group left alive, & headed off towards Devil's Tower, famous rendezvous point for the aliens in Close Encounter of the Third Kind. Devil's Tower Trading Post is also famous for wonderful ice-cream (well, it is with me, anyway), & I was so looking forward to a large helping of Praline Pecan as we approached the strange mound of rock. However, when we arrived at the Trading Post, it seemed that one or two hundred other bikers were of the same mind, & we couldn't even get parked, let alone get anywhere near the ice-cream counter. With deep regret on my part, we aborted the mission, & headed instead for Sundance, home of the Sundance Kid, & site of recently opened Harley-Davidson dealership, which was to be our new goal.

Devil's Tower - & Praline Pecan - far in the background

Later that evening, John & I, & Elaine & Dave, went to the Buffalo Chip, one of Strugis' famous campgrounds, to see Bob Dylan. What an experience that was! Bob was good, no doubt about it, but it was the crowd there that was truly entertaining! I don't have any photos to put on here, (just as well, I might get arrested!) but there were girls there wearing nothing but skimpy bikinis - well, skimpy bikinis just painted on their skin - they were actually not wearing a stitch! Others wore little shorts - real ones - with bodices or corsets painted on as tops, & they all loved to be stopped by the guys to have their pictures taken. Well, you know what they say about having it & flaunting it! Speaking of which, one very large lady had a lot more than most, & she flaunted hers in a string vest -very scary!

STURGIS!!!

2010-08-12T23:27:00.000-07:00

Monday, 9th August 2010

At last! We're actually going to Sturgis today! We met at 9am for the 10 mile ride to the small town where the 70th Sturgis Rally was taking place. It's a lovely ride from Deadwood, with long, sweeping curves through pleasant countryside, & of course those roads are teeming with motorcycles on both sides, coming from & going to Sturgis.
Riding along Lazelle Street we slowed to a snails pace, snarled up in the sheer volume of traffic, with multiple STOP signs at the junctions slowing us down even further, but giving us the chance to see the many stalls & trade stands which line both sides of the road, all vying for our attention & tempting us to buy from them.
We were baking in the heat, with the sun beating down, & the engines burning our legs as we crawled off Lazelle, & eventually turned in to Main Street. We rode slowly up the street, parked motorcycles lining both sides of the road, with a double row up the middle. Every building wore biker livery - all the usual shops & businesses move out for the rally, & rent their premises to the hundreds of t-shirt shops, food outlets, stalls selling cold drinks, leather gear, tattoo parlours, bars, pin & patch stalls - anything to make a buck from the bikers.
We continued in awe along Main Street, until we came to the end of the shops & stalls, & into the residential area. There were tents in almost every garden - some people move out of their homes for the rally & rent them to bikers, others have signs up advertising camping space in their gardens, some offer bike parking, some offer showers, some sell cold bottled water & soft drinks from coolboxes in the garden, & all along people sit on garden chairs to watch the bikes go by.

We left our group in Sturgis to wander & soak up the atmosphere, & maybe even buy a t-shirt or two, or chill out on the balcony of One Eyed Jack's Saloon with a cold drink to watch the biking world go by. Bliss!

Buffalo to Deadwood

2010-08-12T00:09:00.000-07:00

Sunday, 8th August 2010

Nothing on the road apart from us!

8th of August is our actual anniversary, & when we came into the dining room for breakfast this morning, everyone cheered & applauded. Bob serenaded us with some old cockney song - don't give up your day-job, Bob - & we were handed a lovely card, which everyone had signed. Well, we were so overwhelmed, & I came over all emotional! Thank you everyone, for all your good wishes & kindness. What a great bunch you are! Eeeh, I'm filling up again just thinking about it!

And today's a big day in another way, too; today we hit Deadwood, where we get to stay in the same place for 4 consecutive nights, & enjoy the Sturgis Rally, & the reason for this tour. We've been seeing more & more Harleys on the road in the last few days, although you wouldn't think it from the picture above! We stop for lunch at the Buckhorn Saloon, along with a whole lot of other bikers, all heading for the same destination. Some people there like to show off a bit ...

Boss Hoss Trike - for sale at $90,000!

We passed some great placenames on today's ride; Crazy Woman Creek, Dead Horse Gulch, Sundance (where The Kid got his name from), & another, which was far more familiar!

We called in at Deluxe H-D in Gillette for a bit of retail therapy, taking full advantage of the free coffee & help-yourself ice-cream machine. Well, it'd be rude not to, wouldn't it? I know who came off best from our visit - collectively we boosted their sales enormously, so I s'pose a drop of coffee & a dollop of ice-cream is neither here nor there in the scale of things!

The roads began to curve gently & were filled with bikes as we swept down towards Deadwood, arriving at Cadillac Jack's, our hotel for the next four nights, around 3.30pm. Our people were like kids let loose in a candy store, barely taking the time to dump their bags in their rooms before rushing out to see as much as they could of this exciting area. The whole place was buzzing - or should that be roaring? - with thousands of bikes & bikers everywhere you looked. We agreed to meet at 8am next morning to go into Sturgis, & see what delights awaited us all there!

Dining in the Footsteps of Butch & Sundance

2010-08-11T23:13:00.000-07:00

Saturday 7th August 2010

I've just discovered that you can click on the photos to enlarge them!

Our journey today took us into the Bighorn Mountains, ziz-zagging upwards ultimately to a height of almost 9500 feet, where the air was fresh, & cool enough to preserve a small glacier a couple of hundred yards further up.

Bob decided he would climb up & bring us a small lump of ice back, & we all had to touch it as it slowly began to melt.

Malcolm, Barry & Duncan living the high life!

Dropping down on the other side of the Bighorns, the landscape changed again, with soft, rolling hills, low & green & lush, & grazing cattle scattered in the fields. We took the interstate to Buffalo, & encountered very little traffic on the way.

Buffalo is the home of the historical Occidental Hotel, lovingly restored to it's late 19th century splendour. As part of the hotel, there's also an authentic saloon, an old barber's shop, & a row of rocking chairs on the sidewalk outside, (I'm fluent in American, now!) to sit awhile & watch the world go by. That night, we dined in it's Virginian Restaurant, once frequented by Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid. Part of the restaurant used to be the bank, & the only room they had for John & I was in the old vault. It turned out to be a very special evening for us. The following day was our 30th wedding anniversary, & the rest of our group had heard about this, & had been secretly plotting. We had a lovely meal, & when we asked for the bill, the waitress told us there was nothing to pay, as our group had taken care of it for our anniversary. We were so touched at their kindness.

Celebrating our Pearl Wedding in the vault. Nobody shut the door, mind ..

Jackson to Cody

2010-08-09T20:22:00.000-07:00

Friday, 6th August

We collected Colin's bike from Eaglerider early this morning, & it seemed to be running well enough. Even though we weren't convinced with their 'bad gas' theory, they had drained the tank & replaced the gas, & as long as it was running & we could be on our way, we were happy with that.
Once again we rode through the plains with the Tetons on our left, towards Yellowstone. Colin & Sandra, & Kev & Janet hed missed having their photo taken at the Yellowstone sign, so we pulled into the lay-by for them at the entrance to the park. There we met some people with interesting motorcycle & sidecar combos, & very comfortable they looked, too, with all mod cons in the sidecar, including a DVD player with drop-down screen! The one below is a Triumph.

Colin & Co also wanted to see Old Faithful as they had missed it the previous day, so we gave them directions & agreed to meet up later in the day at our Cody hotel.

We again rode through Yellowstone, but this time taking a different route, turning eastwards through Fishing Bridge, & enjoying the beautiful scenery as we followed the edge of Heart Lake for several miles. Eventually we left the park, & skirted the edge of the Shoshone Forest before dropping down the sweeping bends to our lunch stop at Pahaska Teepee Lodge, once Buffalo Bill's hunting lodge. There were a group of people on the roadside when we arrived; they had sighted a moose in the trees about 50 yards away, but he had moseyed off by the time I got my camera. Shucks!

Heavy black clouds loomed in the distance, & we could see the occasional lightning bolt on the far side of the hills as we continued our ride towards Cody. As the afternoon wore on, the wind got up & large spots of rain began to fall, slowly at first, then it lashed down hard & heavy for several minutes. We got through it quickly enough though, & by the time we reached our log cabin acommodations around 3.30pm everyone had dried out again.

Every Nite is Rodeo Nite in Cody! So the posters proclaim, & it's such a fun & entertaining evening it's really not to be missed! Not just for tourists, Cody residents take their rodeo seriously, & it's an evening out for the whole family. Everyone in our group wanted to go, & they all had a great time, however John & I had to pass; we've been before, & we had more mundane things to attend to, shopping for drinks for the van, washing, & checking out alternative cabin accommodations for future tours. We also wanted to update this blog, but couldn't get online, so we thankfully had an early(ish) night.

Yellowstone & the Grand Tetons

2010-08-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

Entering Yellowstone National Park

The Grand Tetons - what a stunning backdrop!

Janice & John Allsop, & Elaine & Dave Protheroe, en-route to Yellowstone

Thursday, 6th August.

John had started Colin's bike this morning & it seemed to be running a lot better, but he decided to take it to Eaglerider anyway, so they could check it over. Kev & Janet stayed in Jackson Hole with Colin & Sandra; there's plenty to see & do there, especially for a cowboy buff like Colin, so they were quite happy. Then we left for the 50 mile ride to Yellowstone, taking us through the Grand Teton National Park, which is so beautiful with it's jagged, snow-covered peaks. Buffalo, elk & moose roam freely here, but apart from some deer, we didn't see any other wildlife to speak of. Shame.

No visit to Yellowstone is complete without seeing Old Faithful, the huge geyser which predictably erupts every 90 minutes or so. Of course there are many smaller & less predictable geysers in the park, all emitting the evil smell of sulphur as they bubble & hiss away through the thin muddy crust.

There were reports from other tourists of buffalo blocking the road further on, causing 2 hour delays, but sadly there were none to be seen when we rode that way. Never mind, we didn't want long delays anyway, as we were looking forward to a Cowboy Cookout that evening. On our way back to Jackson, again through Grand Teton NP, we were finally lucky enough to see a herd of bison grazing on the plains.

We arrived at the corral for our cowboy cookout just in time to hear a brief history of the beginnings of Jackson Hole (Hole is another term for 'valley'), & the Bar J Ranch hosting the event. Our transport to the camp awaited us in the form of covered wagons, each seating 24 people & easily pulled by two large horses. As we ambled up the two mile trail, our driver Wes pointed out a fox, a beaver lodge in the creek, & told us more about our horse team, Ben & Joe. We also met a crazy mountain man, & were attacked by Shoshone indians, but I think they might not have been chance encounters, if you know what I mean! The evening was fun, & 'interactive', we were well fed & enjoyed the music, & afterwards we sang & joked all the way back down the trail in the wagons. A beer or two in the bar, & the evening was complete.

The Earth Moved in Jackson Hole!

2010-08-04T22:14:00.000-07:00

Idaho Girls - easier on the eye than the other photo, entitled Idaho Boys!! Is this a rugged male model from the Freeman's catalogue? Oh no, it's only Barry striking a pose!

Here we all are taking a breather at Bear Lake. Didn't they park nice & neatly?

Forked lightning & booming thunder greeted us at 5.30am, with lashings of rain for good measure. Oh, thanks very much, I thought, as I rolled my eyes heavenward. That's all we need. However, we weren't scheduled to leave until eight, & by the time we had breakfast the storm had passed & the roads were dry, with just the odd telltale puddle left here & there. As we pulled out of the hotel car park to begin the day's ride, I sneaked another glance heavenward & muttered a sheepish 'thank you'.

Big day today, riding through three states. Beginning in Utah, we cross into Idaho, & end up in Wyoming. All through beautiful countryside, much greener (that'll be thanks to all that rain), & comfortably cooler. Not cold at all, mind you, still on par with a hot summer's day at home, but not the oppressive, sticky, burn-your-eyeballs heat of Las Vegas & southern Utah. Very pleasant indeed, everything going wonderfully well. We stopped beside Bear Lake, a huge, deep turquoise blue picture-postcard kind of a lake, with a backdrop of mountains adding the finishing touch to the view. Bear Trapper Lodge had laid on a wonderful buffet lunch for us, with fresh salads, hot dishes, fruit, bread, jam & ice-cream made with delicious local raspberries. They really did us proud. Next door was a chocolate shop, & we even had time to call in & buy some goodies. Could things get any better than this?

Actually, no. But they could get worse. And they did. We stopped a couple of miles up the road at the Idaho sign, for a photo. Colin's bike had been playing up since our last petrol stop, losing power when he went to accelerate, & after the photo stop, it just gave up. We still had 120 miles to do, & there wasn't really anywhere nearby where we could get help. There was nothing for it but to load his bike into the van, & carry on to Jackson Hole, where we knew there was an EagleRider. Colin went on the back of Bob, who was riding solo, but he made Colin take photos from the bike for him as payment for his ride. Colin's wife, Janet, joined me in the van, & we soon forgot the broken bike as we had a good old natter & the miles just slipped away.

After a couple more photo/comfort stops, we arrived at aour hotel in Jackson Hole at 5.30pm, & John went straight up to EagleRider to report the problem, while I got us all checked in. EagleRider said John should take Colin's bike up there before they closed at 6pm, so I went up in the van with him.

As we stood in the evening sunshine discussing the possible diagnosis of the problem, I was leaning against the van when it started to rock gently. Not knowing the cause, I moved away from it, but felt the ground still moving strangely under my feet. Was it perhaps the effect of a large wagon passing by? No, it was an earthquake! We all felt it, John, me, & a couple of EagleRider guys. OMG! An actual earthquake! It lasted about five seconds, & it was really weird, & quite uncommon for the area. Whatever next!

They couldn't decide what the problem was at five-to-closing-time, it was a new bike, with nothing obviously wrong. Except, of course, it wouldn't go. Had diesel been put in by mistake? No, others had used the same pump. Well, it could have been bad gas (that's petrol, to you & me), according to the EagleRider guy, the tank should be drained, & that would probably fix it. But they were closing, so John said he would take it back to the hotel & do it. When we got back, Colin said that other bikes had used the same pump before & after him at the gas station, & they were OK, so it couldn't be that. John checked the oil filter, spark plugs (I'm guessing now, I went back to the room), & generally fiddled about with it a bit. But no joy, so we'll take it up to EagleRider to sort it out in the morning.

Just when you think the day is going well, you have a breakdown & then an earthquake to contend with. Ain't life wonderful!

Zion to Park City - the Longest Day

2010-08-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was to be the longest mileage day of the tour, at 330 miles. We were all looking forward to our ride through Zion Canyon, & shortly after 8am we were eagerly queing at the gate, park passes at the ready, while the lady Ranger tried to work out if she should let us enter or not. You probably know the type - a proper 'Jobsworth'. She delayed us for about half an hour, checking each pass & rider's ID, as the queue of cars wanting to enter the park steadily grew longer & longer behind us. The she made me go & get all the receipts for the passes from the van, which I did, smiling sweetly all the time while inwardly cursing her for making our group wait for no real reason. She studied the receipts, the passes, the ID's & our group before finally allowing us to go through, & she even had the cheek to wave & smile us through, after all that.
Then, there were more delays due to roadworks in the canyon, with unsurfaced roads, pilot cars, lots of red lights, & workers holding STOP & SLOW signs. But even with all of that, Zion Canyon is breathtakingly beautiful. The morning sun lit up the pink rocks, while the jagged mountainous peaks reached up to the sky, & our long line of flashing chrome snaked it's way upwards around the gentle curves of this awesome canyon.
The landscape began to flatten out & become greener as we reached the high plains, passing a small herd of bison & a llama farm, before coming across a welcome coffee/comfort stop in the shape of an old 50's style diner. The poor young girls serving didn't know quite what had hit them as 24 of us piled into the small cafe, our Englishness coming to the fore as we quickly formed two queues; one for the coffee, & one for the loos.
Relieved, refreshed & ready to go once more, our riders revved up their Harleys, & we were off again. However, we encountered yet more roadworks, often with red lights on so long that we had long enough to get off the bikes & wander about, chatting to eachother.
We stopped for fuel at a nice little town called Maryville, & we & arrived behind schedule at The Big Rock Candy Mountain, where we had booked lunch.
Then it was on to the I15, which was very scenic & traffic-free for a motorway, & steadily decreased our remaining mileage on the fast road to our overnight at the picturesque ski resort of Park City. Our longest day had been stretched to the limits with delays by an over-zealous Park Ranger, miles of unsurfaced roads, & more red lights & long stops than you could shake a stick at.

Sturgis Tour - First Riding Day; Vegas to Zion

2010-08-02T22:54:00.000-07:00

Ann & Chris had a special birthday recently,
so we celebrated with them!

We had a 200 mile ride today, beginning with a ride down The Strip, before taking the I15 freeway out of Las Vegas. Even at 6.30am the interstate traffic was heavy, but gradually thinned out a bit as we got further away from the city. By the time we turned off for Valley of Fire State Park, we were almost the only ones on the road.

Valley of Fire is stunningly beautiful, with it's deep red rock formations making curious shapes & backdrops as we rode through the twists & curves. Temperatures were rising steadily, & everyone was thankful for the ice-chest containing water & soft drinks that we carry in the support vehicle. Hydration jackets & neckies were wetted & donned, as some respite against the morning heat.
We stopped for a late breakfast at Overton, where our favourite cafe had opened early especially to accommodate us, & before too long we were back on the road, the riders by now beginning to relax & settle in to riding their rented Harleys.
We carried on another 90 miles or so, & were ready for a stop at Zion Harley-Davidson. They too had opened especially for us, as they are usually closed on Mondays. John & I had called in to see them a few days before, & asked if they would open for an hour or so, in case any of our group wanted to buy souvenier T-shirts. Laura, the manager kindly agreed, & I think they were pleased that we came! Apart from our group, half a dozen or so other bikes pulled in after seeing our bikes parked outside, so I think Laura was quite happy to give up her Monday morning off in exchange for hugely increased sales!

H-D carrier bags containing T-shirts, jackets, boots, & an array of other bits & pieces were duly bunged into the back of the van, before we set off on the 30 mile ride to Zion Canyon, & our lovely overnight stop. The photo above shows all the bikes neatly parked as we arrived at the hotel, with the beautiful mountains behind. We arrived mid-afternoon, giving us plenty of time to enjoy a swim & the sunshine at the outdoor pool, while others took the free shuttle-bus to the village a few miles further down the road, or simply relaxed in the cool of their comforable rooms.

We met for dinner in the restaurant with stunning mountain views, & as dusk fell we watched the bats swooping outside in search of insects. Ann & Chris had both celebrated special birthdays recently, so we surprised them with a cake, candles & all! Later, when leaving the restaurant to go back to our rooms across the car-park, we were stopped by one of the hotel staff shining a torch on the grass several feet away. It turned out to be a rattlesnake, 3 or 4 foot long! They were very concerned for the guest's safety, & had sent for someone to come & 'deal' with it. She warned us to keep well back, as rattlers can jump up to 3 times their length when they strike. John didn't need two tellings - he's terrified of snakes! Anyway, a pick-up truck pulled up, & a couple jumped out. The man was carrying a spade, & after a little hestation & a lot of direction from his wife, he gingerly went nearer & struck, chopping the poor rattler's head off with his spade. The body continued to writhe for several minutes, & when it quietened down a bit, one of the onlookers got brave & approached to give the tail a shake. Sure enough, it rattled just like we used to hear on the John Wayne films on a Sunday afternoon! Last year, we saw tarantulas here; this year, a rattlesnake. Wonder what we'll see next year. Couldn't help feeling a bit sad for the snake, though.

STURGIS TOUR - ALL REVVED UP & RARING TO GO!

2010-08-01T20:14:00.000-07:00

It's here at last! The Sturgis Tour, after a year of planning, tweaking, & making changes for the better, we are ready to embark on this our third Sturgis Tour. We have a lively group, 24 strong, on 14 Harleys, & we're gonna have a great time!

We all met up in the Harley-Davidson Cafe for our Welcome Meal. Some had flown into Las Vegas a day or two before & were beginning to get acclimatised, where others had just stepped off the plane that same day (Saturday), & were buzzing with adrenalin after the arduous flight. We chatted as we ate, & arranged to meet at 2.30pm on Sunday, to go & collect the bikes, in readiness for Monday's early start. After the meal, some went to have a wander down The Strip, some went for a bevvy or two, while others just wanted to get back to the hotel & fall gratefully into bed. The first day is always a long one!

This afternoon (Sunday), we collected the bikes from Eaglerider, & John led the way to the iconic 'Welcome to Las Vegas' sign, for a photo. Here I must apologise, especially to Elaine at one side, & Jaquie at the other, for chopping them in half on the photo above! I also apologise to June, who went to get a bottle of water from the van, & Mike, who went to fetch her for the photo, & missed it. Sorry to those not pictured above, but you all know how hot it was, & how long we'd all been standing posing for all the different pics, & how bright the sun was shining in the viewer on my camera. I just had to 'click' & get it done, so we could get out of the heat before you all melted!

We returned to the hotel, parked the bikes, & agreed to meet at 6am, for the first leg of our journey.

Last Leg - Laughlin back to Las Vegas

2010-08-01T18:41:00.000-07:00

Oatman - yes, it is Fast Fanny's Place! This is NOT Abbey Road!

Homeward bound (that is, if we can call Las Vegas Home!)

I forgot to say that we heard from Beryl & Bob while we were in Palm Springs, & the good news was they were at the airport in San Francisco, ready to board for their upgraded flight home. It was such a relief for us (& no doubt for them, too) to know that they were homeward bound at last.

Tuesday morning saw us leaving Laughlin at 06.30am to beat the heat, again following the Colorado River southwards, before turning east back onto Route 66 to Oatman, where they were expecting us at the Olive Oatman Saloon for breakfast. Oatman is an old silver mining town, now defunct, but open for tourists. When they closed the old mine, they set the burros free, & their descendants now live wild in the surrounding hills. But they're not daft, & have learned that people = food. Funnily enough, the shopkeepers in Oatman aren't daft either, & they sell bags of carrotts to feed them with. We only saw one mummy burro with her baby, but it was early in the morning with not many tourists, & Laurie from the saloon told me the burros count the cars, & won't bother coming down if there aren't enough people to make it worth their while! Told you they're not daft!

There's lots of interesting buildings there, even a very old hotel, where bygone stars of the silver screen used to go & stay for a bit of peace & quiet. Clark Gable & Carole Lombard honeymooned there, & you can see their room. I really don't know what the new Mrs Gable thought of the bathroom facilities though - there was a po under the bed!

Leaving Oatman, we ride some of what we consider to be the best bits of old Route 66. Twisty & curling around the hillsides, it's a bikers' dream. In the van at the back, I could see the silver snake of chrome glinting in the sunshine as they wended their way up the desert hills.

Of course, we had to visit Kingman, & The Mother Road Harley-Davidson - just in case anyone wanted another T-shirt - & of course, there were those who did! Then it was back on the road, to the Hoover Dam. Security is understandably tight at the dam, & we must have caught the guards with nothing to do, as they waved us in, ordered all the luggage out of the van, & made us all stand by our open cases for inspection. Oh joy! It was 40 degrees & the sun burned down on us as they barely glimpsed at the bags, before wandering off to wave a fully air-conditioned tour bus straight through, while we wearily humped all the bags back into the van. There's no justice!

Hoover Dam is a remarkable feat of engineering, & we stopped further down the road for photos, before riding across the massive structure. To the left, we could see the new bridge, which is almost completed & should be open this autumn, & from then vehicles will not be allowed to ride across the dam any more.

All too soon, we saw the familiar Las Vegas skyline looming, & the volume of traffic increased & stepped up a pace as we neared the city. Sadly, we returned the bikes, & all met up later that evening for a farewell meal, back in the Harley-Davidson Cafe, where it had all began, 1800 miles before.

At the beginning of the Golden Gate Tour, we had a group of people who had something in common - the wish to ride motorcycles in the USA. By the end of the tour, we were a group of friends, who had made their wish come true.

Thank you to all of our friends on the tour, both old & new. Please keep in touch, & we hope to ride with you again some day.

Palm Springs to Laughlin

2010-07-31T11:16:00.000-07:00

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.

Hell's Kitchen to Palm Springs

2010-07-31T01:00:00.000-07:00

We left Los Angeles on the freeway the following morning, & although the traffic was heavy by UK standards, it was less busy than usual because it was a Sunday. We try to stay off the freeways whenever possible, but sometimes they're a necessary evil to get to the better roads quickly. Kevin & Monica again joined us for the ride, & we eventually turned off the fast-flowing freeway & on to the amazing route 74 Ortega Highway. This is a peach of a road, all sweeping curves & S-bends, & from my viewpoint at the back of the group I could see how much they were enjoying the twists & flowing curves ahead.

Time for a refreshing cold drink, & we pulled up at Hell's Kitchen, another favourite biker's hang-out, & the place was buzzing with motorcyclists out for a Sunday ride. Inside the cafe they have a unique feature - a full sized black coffin adorned with painted flames & a curious lever by the side of it. Pull the lever, & the lid will slowly open to reveal ... ketchup, mustard, pickles & other condiments to enhance your burger & fries! They also have voodoo-style totem poles, a wall made of skulls (not real ones, they're sort of cast from concrete), & a lady selling biker leathers & strange, studded leather underwear - well, it takes all sorts, doesn't it? We could have stayed there a lot longer, soaking up the atmosphere & chewing the fat with other riders, but the road beckoned, & we had places to go.

Back on to Ortega, & the twists & turns continued as we began the descent towards Lake Elsinore & Palm Springs. Temperatures were around 40 celsius when we stopped at a viewpoint overlooking Palm Springs, so we took a few photos, including the one of Clare & Steve above, had a cold drink from the coolbox, & said our goodbyes to Kevin & Monica who were leaving us to ride back to LA. We only had another 25 miles or so to reach our hotel, but Kevin & Monice would ride for another 3 hours before they reached home. Tough cookies, these Californian bikers!

It got hotter & hotter as we descended in to Palm Springs, a beautiful oasis in the desert, famous for it's immaculate golf courses. How much water it must take to keep them looking so lush & green in the intense heat doesn't bear thinking about, also the misters constantly spraying a fine mist outside the bars & restaurants to keep the patios & doorways cool & inviting to customers. After a refreshing dip in the pool, our guests were ready to explore the town in search of sustenance & entertainment, & happily found both. John & I spoke to Beryl & Bob on the phone; they were still in San Francisco awaiting details of their flight home.

Cold Springs Tavern, & Hot Stuff for Beth!

2010-07-31T00:07:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning saw us leaving the coast & again heading inland on twisy, climbing roads towards the famous biker haunt, Cold Springs Tavern. Formerly an old coaching inn from the late 1800's, these quaint log cabins are now frequented by motorcyclists who relish the ride to & from the olde worlde cafe.

We stopped at another cafe before we got to Cold Springs, where Beth was delighted to find a collection of fit firefighters who'd stopped for a cold drink. She has a 'bit of a thing' for firemen, & was there like a shot. I'm sure she was drooling just a little as she posed for this photo amongst them!

We had arranged to meet Kevin, our friend from LA at Cold Springs, & he arrived on his Road King with Monica, his biking buddy & friend of 10 years, on her 1200 Sportster. After lunch, Kevin led the way back to the coast on more wonderful woodland roads, descending back to PCH 1 & Malibu. After several seaside miles, we again turned inland & upwards, heading for the Rock Store, yet another famous cafe on a favourite road for bikers. The twists & bends on this road are so good, professional photographers sit at strategic points with cameras at the ready, snapping away at the many bikes & fancy cars as they negotiate the curves, then post the photos on their websites for you to buy. On the downside, the road is also frequented by the California Highway Patrol out to catch any speeding bikers, or CHiPS to those of us old enough to remember the TV program.

Kevin led us to our Los Angeles hotel, where we had a scant hour to check in to our rooms & have a quick break. I parked the van, & quickly changed into boots & jeans before getting on the back of John's bike for a whizz of a tour around LA, Hollywood, Rodeo Drive, Mulholland Drive, Beverly Hills & the even more exclusive Bel Air. Someone up there must have been having a party, & the road was lined with dozens of fabulous cars; oh, how the other half live! We got back late & exhausted that night, but what a fabulous days riding & a great evening tour we'd had. We buzzed with both tiredness & exhilaration.

The Big Sur & HWY 1

2010-07-30T23:36:00.000-07:00

Sandy beach at Carmel-by-the-Sea

We had a leisurely ride through the storybook streets of affluent Carmel this morning, with a photo stop at the beautiful sandy beach. Then it was back on Pacific Coast Highway 1, to enjoy the ride & the dramatic coastline to our right. Maurice was lucky enough to see a whale surface out to sea, as it migrated on to distant breeding waters. We stopped for lunch at the aptly named Whale Watchers Cafe, before continuing our scenic ride.

Further down the coast we stopped to see the elephant seals basking on the beach, great big blubbery creatures, flicking the sand over themselves, & bickering noisily as they moulted their shabby, winter coats in favour of summer splendour.

Dinner at Clint's

2010-07-30T23:16:00.001-07:00

Clint Eastwood owns the nearby Mission Ranch Restaurant at Carmel, & we all decided to have dinner there that evening. He is known to just turn up unannounced, & was there recently for his 80th birthday - can you believe it, Dirty Harry is 80! Bet that Made His Day!

Mr Eastwood obviously didn't know we'd be there that Thursday as he didn't show up to see us, but a whole lot of other people did! The restaurant was extremely busy, & we sat outside on the patio enjoying lovely views towards the ocean, with patio heaters to keep the ozone chill at bay. We had a lovely evening, with the wine flowing freely (wasn't it, Mary?) pianist playing, excellent food & great company. A night to remember.

2010-07-30T20:14:00.000-07:00

Sadly, we had to say goodbye to Beryl & Bob on Thursday morning, as we had to get back on the road again to continue our ride, & they had decided to stay in San Fran to recover a little longer, while their insurance company arranged upgraded flights to get them home in a bit more comfort than the standard economy seats. They came to see us off, & although they tried to be brave, we could see how low they were feeling. It was hard to leave them there, but we had no choice, all the hotels were booked & expecting us for the rest of the tour.

It's quite an achievement to get a group of 10 motorcycles & a large van out of a huge city like SF, through all the traffic & lights & junctions, without getting hopelessly split up, but we managed rather well, I smugly thought to myself. But I shouldn't have tempted fate, pride comes before a fall & all that. The clutch failed on one of the bikes on the oustskirts of the city, & there was nothing for it but John had to give his bike to the broken-down rider, & nurse the broken one slowly back to Eaglerider in San Francisco, while Steve took our spare sat-nav & confidently stepped into the breach to lead our riders inland, onward & away from the cold mists of SF, gratefully back into the hot sunshine to Alice's Restaurant.

It's no wonder Alice's was one of Steve McQueen's favourite haunts, he loved to ride his motorcycle on the twisty, hilly roads to get there, & the food is delicious, too!

We had lunch, bought souvenier t-shirts, soaked up the atmosphere & enjoyed the sunshine while waiting for word from John. He rang to say a replacement bike was being prepared, but would take a while yet, so while we carried on with the planned, scenic route, back towards the coast & on to Highway 1, he would take the motorway when the bike was ready, & meet us at our hotel in Monterey. The road back to the coast is fabulous for bikers, but a little more challenging for a large, high van with a 5 foot radio ariel on top due to overhanging trees, but I made it, & soon we joined the Pacific Coast Highway, with spectacular views to the ocean. When we arrived at Monterey, John was waiting, room keys at the ready & cool as a cucumber with his new Street Glide in the late afternoon sun.

San Francisco

2010-07-30T18:04:00.000-07:00

Several members of our group had wanted to visit Alcatraz, so months ago we booked their places & on Wednesday morning we set off on foot for the short walk to Pier 33, where the Alcatraz boat leaves from. It's no good just hopefully turning up on the day to visit this fascinating rock, places are snapped up & you must book several weeks ahead. It's typically cold & misty in San Francisco at this time of year, & today was no exception as our group boarded the boat for the chilly crossing. The audio tour is a great way to learn all the interesting facts & stories of life for those who were incarcerated there.
Beryl & Bob were recouperating at the hotel, & we called in to see if they needed anything while we left the others on their Alcatraz tour, & went off to get some antiseptic cream for the angry looking gravel-rash on Bob's arm.
We had arranged to meet up with more of the others after lunch for a ride to the Golden Gate Bridge, before tackling Lombard Street, the top of which is the twistiest street in SF. First you have to climb up the long, straight, but extremely steep road, before you can get to the top & come down the steep, zig-zag street made famous by Steve McQueen in the film Bullet, & all the while the tourists were snapping away at the bikes going down, no doubt more than a little envious at the fun we were having!
A free evening meant those that chose to could have a ride on a cable car, perhaps have a delicious meal in Chinatown, visit the bustling Pier 39 to see the seals & the shops, or even spend some time at an Irish Bar, to enjoy the Guinness & the lively craic. There's something for everyone in the lovely city of San Francisco.

Catastrophe Strikes

2010-07-23T23:06:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning our worst nightmare was realised. Bob & Beryl had an accident, & parted company with their bike in the worst way. Leaving Oakhurst en-route to San Francisco, the first hour was riding lovely, sweeping bends on quiet mountain roads, with stunning views into the valley below. Somehow, Bob lost control on a gentle left hand bend, & he & Beryl were thrown off their bike. I've posted this photo (taken in Yosemite the previous day), & Bob is 3rd from the left raising his hand, Beryl is wearing pink, sitting at the far-right of the picture.
Those riding behind immediately stopped to help, & after a few more moments I came around the corner in the van & my heart sank at the sight. Fortunately, I was able to inform John via the CB radio, & then I grabbed my US phone to dial 911. No signal. They were both conscious & talking, but obviously in need of expert medical attention, & just then a passing motorist kindly offered to drive down to the next village & call for the emergency services. John had sent the rest of our group on to wait in Coulterville, & returned to the scene. Steve & Clare, Stuart & Beth, & Terry & Mary stayed to help, & with 2 ex-policemen & another ex-nurse in that little group, we attended to our friends until Fire & Rescue, the Sheriff & Paramedics arrived. Bob's shoulder was terribly sore, possibly either broken or dislocated, he'd bitten his lip & grazed his arm, while Beryl had nasty cuts to her fingers, a sore wrist & forearm, & both of them were very badly shaken up. Clare, the ex-nurse, was brilliant, & kindly offered to accompany them both to hospital, as of course, John had to lead the others, & I had to drive the van.
We kept in touch with Clare all day, & were so relieved when she told us that neither Bob nor Beryl had any broken bones, & after a few stitches & bandages each, both would be discharged with pain killers & medication. They eventually arrived at the hotel in San Francisco in a limo which Clare had hired for the 150 mile trip, & there just aren't words to say how pleased & relieved we all were to see them, battered & bruised as they were. We had been so worried abouth them.
We first met Awesome Bob & ZinfanBeryl last year when they joined our Sturgis Tour, & since then we've had some great times together, they have joined us on other tours, & we've become good friends. We are devastated that they've been hurt like this, & are unable to continue the tour. We had 2 nights planned in San Francisco anyway, which gave them both some time to rest & recover, & gave us all a bit of breathing space to figure out what to do next. There's no way Bob could ride as his shoulder is badly sprained, & both of them are too sore. So we booked them some extra nights in the same hotel, while their insurance is sorting out flights to take them back to Manchester, business class to give them more room on the long flight home.
Of course, we had to leave San Fran after our two nights, & carry on with the tour, & we felt terribly sad to leave them. But we've spoken to them several times, & are happy to say they're feeling much, much better now, & may be flying home in a day or two. But we miss them, & are thinking of them often.

Yosemite National Park

2010-07-23T22:38:00.000-07:00

Leaving Bishop, we head for the Tioga Pass, with mile after mile of twists & bends, climbing steadily through the Sierra Nevada mountains. It's warm, but not oppressive, as there's a cooler freshness in the air, & we can see the glaciers shining on the mountain tops in the sun as we ride to Yosemite. We've been through Yosemite National Park several times now, & it is such a picture-postcard beautiful place. John & I go straight through the park & wait near the exit, & we encourage our group to ride through at their own pace, & stop for photos wherever they like. Clare & Steve were lucky enough to have a bear run across the road in front of them, & even luckier to catch it on their camcorder.

Our group are relaxing into the tour now we're a few days into it, & getting to know eachother better. A swim in the pool before dinner helps with the bonding process, together with a glass or two of wine to discuss the day's events with in the hotel lobby as we return from our evening meal. A lovely end to another spectacular day. We're all looking forward to San Francisco tomorrow.

Road Through Death Valley

2010-07-18T22:32:00.000-07:00

We were up well before the larks on Sunday morning, excited & apprehensive about the day's ride ahead. The support van was loaded up with a large coolbox containing bottled water & soft drinks, buried under copious amounts of ice to ensure cooling drinks for the riders & pillions to re-hydrate themselves whenever we stopped. Once the luggage was loaded, neckties wetted, camel packs & hydration jackets donned, we were ready for the off.

The ride down the mile or so length of The Strip went like a dream, with the numerous sets of traffic lights smiling their green lights down on us, graciously allowing the group to remain as one unit, as the pillion riders, cameras at the ready, clicked happily away at the sights & landmarks on Las Vegas Boulevard. Temperatures were cool, in fact barely 85F, so it was no sweat as we joined the motorway, heading west towards Pahrump (yes, Pahrump! It's a great name, isn't it?) By the time we stopped for fuel at Pahrump (!) a couple of hours later, it was beginning to get quite warm (that's flippin' hot to you & me!)

Several miles down the road saw us turning off for Death Valley, first climbing ever upwards on the twisty roads taking us up through the hills, then descending ever downward, hundreds of feet below sea-level to the site of an ancient, long forgotten sea-bed. White salt deposits lay like snow on the baked, dry sand of the valley floor, & it was hotter than Hell down there. You know when you open the oven door & peep in to see if the Yorkshires are nearly ready? You get a blast of the hottest air in your face, & that's just what Death Valley feels like. It was around 120F, & very possibly more than that.

We rode for several straight, flat miles, before beginning to ascend on curvy roads again, which fools you into thinking it's over, & you're on your way out of it at last. But no, the road winds downwards again, for a second, deeper dip into the fires of Hell. On & on the road goes, until we finally put Death Valley behind us, in exchange for the altogether more bearable temperatures of the High Sierras, eventually arriving around 2pm to a little town called Bishop, for our overnight stay. The first thing we all did was to get our cozzies on, & straight into the pool, to indulge in a relaxing swim, & bring our body temperatures back within normal limits. Nothing ever felt so fantastic as lounging in that pool did, with a can or two of Bud to help keep fluid levels up on the inside!

Well ridden everybody!

Golden Gate Tour - Here at Last!

2010-07-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

We always begin our tours in Las Vegas with a Welcome Meal at the Harley-Davisdon Cafe - just to set the mood! You can't miss it, just look for the massive front end of one of those iconic motorcycles smashing through the front of the building half way down The Strip. We welcomed our group, (most of whom had already met eachother at our Pre-Tour Meeting in the UK about 6 weeks ago), & had a meal together while finding out a little more about eachother, & of course, discussing the adventure that lies ahead. There are 20 of us altogether on the Golden Gate Tour, & there should have been 22, but sadly one couple had to cancel, when (at the last minute), it was discovered that he needed urgent heart surgery. We are so sorry you can't be with us Jean & Paul, but we wish you a speedy recovery & do hope that you can join us on a future tour when you're well again.

Most people flew in to Las Vegas earlier that same day (Friday), & after the meal, some plumped for a short walk along the Strip to see the larger than life hotels, the dancing waters at the Belaggio, or just absorb the Vegas atmosphere, before heading back to the hotel & the sheer relief provided by the air-conditioning. It's 110F in Vegas just now - kinda warm, that is!

Saturday at 3pm we all met up again to go & collect our rental bikes for the duration of the tour. We leave LV at 5.30am, which seems ridiculously early, but there is method in our madness. Firstly, most people's body clocks are still on 'UK time', which means they're awake at 4am anyway, secondly, it gives us the opportunity to ride down the whole length of the Strip as a group before the traffic becomes too overwhelming, & finally, & the most important reason of all, we are riding through Death Valley today, one of the hottest places on earth. It will take us a couple of hours to get there, & another couple to ride through it, with temperatures rising dangerously all the time.

The adventure begins here ...

San Diego to Mexico!

2010-07-15T23:59:00.000-07:00

We left Memphis ridiculously early for our 7.30am flight to Phoenix, Arizona (which took 3hrs, but as we crossed into Pacific Time, we gained 2 hrs), then had an hour to spare before catching our connecting flight to San Diego, where we picked up the van. We had to get the van from San Diego, as no-one in Las Vegas keeps Sprinter vans, & John particularly wanted that type, because of it's size & capabilities.

But we were dissappointed when we saw it, it's a bit shabby-looking, with rusty spots here & there, & numerous little dents & creases. Anyone who knows John will also know that he likes to keep his van in good condition, & the Sprinter he has at home always looks tidy. Never mind, I thought to meself, it's me that's going to be driving it most of the time, & on the plus side, no-one is gonna notice if I put a few little dinks in it myself!

Anyway, we had the night in San Diego, which just happens to be sooo close to the Mexican border that His Nibs wanted a photo for his ABC of Touring. That's a competition HOG runs each year, & you have to get your photo taken beside all the different place-names of the alphabet. More places, more points. He came joint 3rd last year (& that's worldwide, mind, so he did very canny), but it just made him more determined to come 1st this year. So, we were whisked along towards the border by the speeding motorway traffic, & before we knew it, there it was. Now, all we intended was to grab a quick pic, & turn right around, without ever crossing into that rather scary place. Mexico is unchartered territory for us, & that, coupled with the fact that his satnav maps stopped at the American side of the border, plus it was getting kinda late (& dark), convinced us we really shouldn't hang around. But we'd been spotted by an armed Border Patrol Officer, who said NO PHOTOS in no uncertain terms, & no U-turns either. We had to go through - but not before one very sneaky photo - see above!

So we showed our passports, which luckily were still in my bag after coming from the airport, & the van was searched. Of course, we'd just picked it up so it was absolutely empty. But we couldn't help smiling as we wondered what they thought we were trying to smuggle in to Mexico! We got through in less than 5 minutes, drove less than a mile to the first roundabout, went right around it & headed back to the border & the USA, still smiling at those border guards searching the van on the way in. But the smiles slid slowly from our faces as we realised there were 7 lanes of traffic all trying to do the same as us. It was total gridlock.
This gridlock mustn't have been unusual, because little Mexican businesses had sprung up amidst the queues of cars. There were youths with wet rags, washing not just screens, but entire cars, as they crawled slowly forwards. There were women with small children, selling fruit smoothies, men selling jewellry, great big crucifixes, blankets, sombreros - you name it, someone was weaving in & out of the traffic lanes trying to sell it. So at least we had plenty to watch as we sat there for 2 whole hours, waiting to get through. When it was our turn to go through, we did have a bit of difficulty explaining to the guard why we had a great big empty van, & didn't even know how to work the locks properly so he could search it, but once he established that we weren't carrying any drugs on the inside, or cling-ons on the underside, I think he just decided we are weird english folk, & eventually waved us through. From there, we went straight back to our hotel, relieved to be back on American soil.

Tupelo back to Memphis

2010-07-13T20:21:00.000-07:00

We had to visit Tupelo, & the small wooden shack where Elvis was born. His family were 'dirt poor', & moved to Memphis when he was a boy, in search of a better life. They certainly found it!

The Boy King.

Sign outside Elvis' Hoose.

We had a look around, sat on Elvis' porch swing, & visited the museum & (obligatory) gift shop, then we had to leave & get the car back to the rental office in Memphis by 5pm.

So, we've come full circle. We have our last night in Memphis, & leave for our ridiculously early flight to San Diego tomorrow morning, to pick up the van (oops, sorry; support vehicle) for our tours. We couldn't get the model we wanted in Las Vegas, so we'll drive it there for the start of the Golden Gate Tour on 16th July. Hope you'll log on to the blog to follow our progress with that tour, too.

We've enjoyed visiting the South, & it's been very worthwhile because we've learned such a lot about the area. It is absolutely vital to fully research a new tour, because only by travelling the prospective routes do you really find out what will work & what won't, timings, mileages, fuel & food stops, hotels, places to visit - we have such a tough job! When we get home, we'll collate all the info we've gathered, & fashion it into a fabulous tour for 2011 - watch this space!

Full Circle - Nashville Back to Memphis

2010-07-13T19:33:00.000-07:00

There was a familiar figure in the breakfast room at our Nashville Hotel, so I popped over to say goodbye before we braved the rain for our drive back to Memphis. I don't think he wanted us to leave, I'm sure he's crying - unless that's because of the pain caused by laying that square egg thing!

It was a bit scary on the motorway going out of the city, as the rain came down like stair rods & a couple of inches of water lay on the roads. In fact, we've renamed it Lashville, 'cos it was always lashing down - geddit!

The torrent gradually subsided & eventually stopped, as we took the Natchez Trace Parkway for around a hundred miles or so, en-route to Tupelo.
The Natchez originated as a migratory route of herds of bison, as they made their way to feeding pastures. Indians 'traced' the bison's path, & it eventually became a route used by settlers. Today, it's a history trail, with many information points & markers along it's length. I also think it's a secret, as we hardly saw another vehicle for the whole hundred miles we were on it.

The King & I

Lynchburg to Nashville

2010-07-13T18:40:00.001-07:00

Just a few minutes walk from the distillery takes you into Lynchburg itself, & it's well worth visiting. Traditional American buildings form a sort of market square, lined with shops selling - guess what? Well, why wouldn't they, it's the whole reason for Lynchburg's being. Everyone there either works at the distillery, or supporting the tourist trade brought in by the distillery. It makes you wonder if the boy Jack (he was making whisky when he was just 13, & registered his business at 16) ever dreamed his creation would be celebrated worldwide, becoming more & more popular & being enjoyed by millions all these years later. Here's to you, Mr Jack!

Large drops of rain began to fall as we left Lynchburg, & pretty soon it was a torrential downpour as we headed towards Nashville, for an overnight stop. All thoughts of riding a Harley had now evaporated, & we were sooo grateful for that rented car! Well, I s'pose you can't have lush, greenery all around without a fair amount of the wet stuff to temper the hot, hot sunshine day after day.

We had two nights in Nashville, there's such a lot to see & do in the Music City. Like a couple of old farts, we took a guided coach tour to see all the famous sights - Music Row, the Ryman Theater, the Music Hall of Fame, to name but a few. Sadly, the Grand Ole' Opry is closed for restoration, as it was flooded last November. And we could understand why it was flooded; that torrential rain kept coming back, with a few full blown dramatic thunder & lightning storms thrown in for good measure. I must apologise for not having any photos of Nashville, I kept forgetting to take the camera, but take our word there are some fascinating sights around town. We enjoyed live music in the bars in the evening, & hopeful buskers on street corners. Everyone who wants to make it in the music business comes to Nashville, desperate to be heard & discovered by the 'Simon Cowells' from the many recording studios in the city.

Chattanooga to Nashville

2010-07-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

Jack Daniel's Distillery

Very reluctantly, John tore himself away from the choo choo & as we left Chattanooga, we took the scenic road up Lookout Mountain, where we saw the whole of the city laid out below us.

His gouty foot continued to improve as the medication did it's job, so I was able to cut back on the sympathy to a more tolerable level! Well, I don't want him getting used to it!

As we drove our trusty rented car on our way to Lynchburg, home of the Jack Daniel's distillery, we longed to be on a Harley, as the sweeping, curvy roads were just made for biking. Mile upon mile of traffic-free roads, with lush, green vegetation either side, sun beaming down, & only a hint of a cloud in the blue sky above - surely this is biker paradise.

Jack Daniels & Friends!

We reached the distillery & decided to take the guided tour. It's free, & really interesting as you learn about Mr Jack & the process of making Old No. 7 Tennessee Sippin' Whisky. Sadly though, Lynchburg is a dry county, so although they can make it there, they can't serve alchohol anywhere. I think they like it that way, so they don't have to give you the usual free taste at the end of the tour!

Gatlinburg, Gout & Chattanooga

2010-07-12T21:45:00.000-07:00

We left Gatlinburg en-route for Chattanooga, & all the time John complained that his left foot was painful & swollen. Now I'm a trained a nurse, & he knows better than to look for sympathy from me; I always tell him I've seen much worse than whatever it is he's got, & he shouldn't be such a wuss. But as we traipsed around Dollywood the previous day, he did mention that his big toe was sore, & I had joked that it might be gout, caused by over-indulgence & rich living!

As his foot worsened, I was more & more sure that it was indeed gout, & we went to a medical centre where the diagnosis was confirmed. We collected his prescription from Wallgreens, & he sat in the back of the car with his sore foot elevated on the passenger seat, lording it up while I chauffered him & doled out carefully measured doses of sympathy along the highway.

We stopped for a late lunch at at very quirky place called Piggy Hill, where Colonel Poole has a BBQ restaurant. Apparrantly, the local authorities wouldn't let him put a sign up on the highway to advertise his place & show where it was, so he hit on the idea of putting little piggy shaped signs on the hill behind it, & letting folks write their names & messages on them to draw people in. It was a great success, & now the place is famous for miles around, & he can charge for the piggies which are all around the car park & hillside. Apart from all that, the BBQ ribs are quite delicious, so that consoled John & took his mind off his poorly foot while he ate. Aahhh.

More lovely biking roads took us in to Chattanooga, as we headed straight for the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel - & what a fabulous place that is! Chattanooga Railway Station was in it's heyday in the early half of the last century, & immortalised by the Glenn Miller song in the early 1940's. This beautiful building has been lovingly restored, & now houses the front of the huge hotel complex. We ate that night in the Singing Servers restaurant, & were well entertained by the waiters & waitresses who one minute served our food, & the next were up on the stage, sounding polished & professional, & making great music that had the whole place calling for more. And the icing on the cake for John was the iconic Chattenooga Choo Choo itself; the majestic steam engine of a bygone era, & as he stood on the footplate & imagined himself as driver, all thoughts of gout were banished from his mind, & a huge grin was fixed upon his face.

2010-07-11T20:50:00.000-07:00

We spent several nights in Gatlinburg, & there's loads to do there, plus some great biking roads in the Great Smoky Mountains. There's a road called the Tail of the Dragon, which boasts 318 curves in 11 miles, & it's just fantastic for bikers. They come from miles around to ride it. At the bottom, there's a place to have food & buy souvenirs, & there's also the Tree of Shame, where they hang bits of bikes that fell foul on the Tail (funnily enough, it's mostly plastic bits hanging there!)

It's also where Dolly Parton grew up, so of course we've been to Dollywood, & Dolly's Dixie Stampede dinner show. John loves Dolly - can you tell?! Everybody here talks with that slow, southern drawl, (Y'all come back now, y'hear?) & people are lovely, very friendly & oh, so courteous. The food is mostly sweet, or fried, or both, & they serve Hush Puppies with everything - a sort of deep fried dumpling. Weird. And very fattening. But curiously moreish.

2010-07-11T20:26:00.000-07:00

I think we jumped the gun a bit with our last post - we should have explained that we're in the USA researching great riding roads & places to visit in & around Tennessee, Kentucky, & Georgia for a new tour we are planning for 2011.

We also should have explained that we are novices at all this blogging mularkey, & not very 'teccy' at all, so please excuse us if we fluff it now & again - as we have already! Anyway, please read on ...

We had a couple of days driving, with overnight stops in Paducah (world famous for quilting, no less!) & another in Renfro Valley (home of country music, apparently) but I don't think we'll incorporate those places into a tour, well, quilting isn't really a hobby for roughty-toughty bikers, (unless they keep that very quiet!) & the home of country music seemed to be not much more than a few barns, & not very rock 'n' roll at all. And apart from crossing the Mississippi on a ferry boat, the roads & scenery weren't much to write home about either. But they do have metal bridges over the Ohio River painted in the most shade of blue, & Dot was quite taken with them!

2010-07-11T19:48:00.000-07:00

We arrived really late & absolutely exhausted on 1st July, then were up bright & early next morning to go & see Gracelands, home of the King, & do all the Elvis stuff in Memphis. Wow, it was really worth seeing, we enjoyed Gracelands, even though you can do the whole thing in a morning. That evening, we went out to Beale Street in downtown Memphis, & the whole street was jumping with live music in almost every bar, street entertainers & a general party atmosphere. We ate at BB King's (another King!), but he didn't show up there. Maybe nobody told him we'd be there!