Saturday 26 September 2009

Day 8











Rodeo photos courtesy of Cliff.






















But, just to keep you bike fans happy I will be including some photos (thanks to Fionna) of the group members riding their bikes.







This is kind of off the bikes day, in the morning we have time to look at Old Town Albuquerque and in the afternoon we will be going to the New Mexico state fair plus later this evening we are off to a rodeo event so although not on the bikes, it is a busy day!

Day 7








The next section of ride took us along some dead straight roads that could have been boring without someplaytime. So we played. We took turns at overtaking aqnd going to the front of the ride where Fiona was busy clicking away with the camera. Have a look at the piccies to get an idea of the fun we were having.
Against principals we did stop at McDonalds for coffee and a break where people had a little sustenance to keep them going. One of our number managed a chicken burger in 97 seconds without even appearing to struggle! Guesses anyone???
So, another 50 minute run bought us to our hotel in Albuquerque. Nicely laid out with pool and jacuzzi. This is our stop for a day, with Saturday seeeing us go to the state fair and rodeo. watch this space!!




We got on the old road again and rode until we got to the MidPoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas. This is so named because it is half way between Chicago and Los Angeles with 1139 miles each way. Steve and I had a coffe and two pieces of pie each which were absolutely fantastic, also needed as neither of us got up in time for breakfast! Another piece of pie was considered, but someone gave a warning eye, which intimated we were just being greedy. (We were, but what the hell, they were great pies).
The Disney pixar film cars used a lot of route 66 history, which was woven into the story. Dot's mini museum features her and her husband as a characters both runnning a museum and a car wrecker recovery business when he goes out and collects crashed vehicles on route 66. Also the two waitresses in the midpoint cafe on 'cars' are imortalised and based on true characters working at the cafe!
A look around the gift shop with a few purchases made by most of us before having the group photo taken in front of the MidPoint sign outside.
Hard to believe that we were now halfway through the roadtrip.






















Another early start today and Trey said it would remain dry but cold, and boy was he right. I had several layers on but at our first stop I put on the waterproofs just to keep the wind out.Fortunately I didn't have to wait too long as we pulled into Cadillac Ranch.


The Cadillac Ranch has 10 Cadillac cars planted nose first in a field located along the old historic Route 66, just west of Amarillo.


This site has appeared in several movies and visitors are encouraged to take a tin of spray paint along and add their own graffiti, which some of us did!

Friday 25 September 2009

Day 6...


No one in our group went for the 72oz steak at the Big Texan, but we did see another guy that tried and failed. Never the less, the steaks that we did have there were excellent.




No one in our group went for the 72oz steak at the Big Texan, but we did see another guy that tried and failed. Never the less, the steaks that we did have there were excellent.




Crossing another state line!











Off we go again, and not long into the ride does the sage call the ride to a halt and states that
the roadkill patterns show rain on the way, so we don the gear and sure enough, as we set off
it starts. A light shower, and enough to damp us but not our spirits.





We roll on eating miles and stop off at a place called Sandhills curiosity shop where we are greeted by Harley and Annabell. Two people who's neural networks obviously fire off in a different pattern to the average redneck!
Still, they make us very welcome and hand out the beers and soft drinks, and we then sit down and amongst many ye haws and shaking of various things we get a little sing song.
These guys have been doing this for years, and they look amazing when you consider they're 64 years!
I reckon the stuff they were smoking in the 60's is what makes their thinking engine fire up like a Hog on moonshine! and even then the mpg ain't that good!





Back on the road and Steve finds a new way to get a few extra mph out of his HD, and gets into three figures!



Surely, I haven't put that much weight on?




Tommy placing his order using his best Scottish accent.







After a few more cold miles we arrived at the 'Route 66 Museum' at Clinton. It had a fabulous display of
the history and plenty of artifacts to see as well. The gift shop had a fantastic selection of memorabilia
that most people seemed to purchase something of.Whilst in Clinton we popped over the road for a spot of lunch. Some people went to the Mexican while the
rest of us went into 'Del Rancho' a general grill type place that done burger and steak sandwiches etc.The interesting thing with this place was that you picked up a phone handset on the table to place your
order with someone standing behind a counter no more than 20 feet away! We all had a great laugh when one
of the Scottish guys went to place an order and he spoke so quick that they couldn't understand him!
Steve and Trey hit the tex mex, and Steve declares its the only place where the cheese dips got teeth that
bite you back, and food that warms you like swallowing lava.








































Trey, our weather sage said that today will be cooler but dry. So we fitted the linings to the jackets, put on the wind proof tops and prepared for the off at 8am. It was a busy ride through the rush hour town traffic full of commuters going to work but we eventually got out onto the open roads.




Within an hour I was really feeling the cold and couldn't wait until we stopped so I could put a waterproof jacket on to keep the wind chill off.
When we did stop, it was at an old fuel station on Route 66. It was an over the drive design of which there are only two left on the whole of Route 66.