tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13428899860728324492024-03-14T05:53:35.265-04:00Trans-America Trail 2008 (30.2.1.1)30 years old, 2 wheels, 1 man, 1 goal...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-30837975161656228772008-09-06T09:30:00.002-04:002008-09-06T09:34:49.716-04:00Epilogue<strong>Just about everything worked, but here is what I found that worked exceptionally well:</strong><br /><br />1. The bike. 2008 KTM EXC-R 450, what more can I say? It just worked. Being nearly brand new probably helped too though. I changed the .6 liters of engine oil about every 2 days going through about 8 or 9 liters of high quality oil (either Motorex or Mobil 1). This wasn’t such a hassle for me as I had plenty of time each night and carrying 3 liters of oil at all times wasn’t so bad. Here is a link to all of my farkle.<br /><br />2. Moose Heavy Duty Tire Tubes. They didn’t bust, enough said.<br /><br />3. Wolfman Small Expedition Rear Bag. I never had to thing about this bag. It didn’t burn on the exhaust (I had about a 1/8th inch gap), it didn’t tear while I was beating it around and dropping the bike, it didn’t move around and required no modifications to the bike and had surprisingly few re-tightens. Good stuff.<br /><br />4. Enduro Engineering Comfort Seat: I had monkey butt only one day. And that was because I was wearing old cotton underwear and sliding around in the seat and heat all day. Otherwise, monkey butt was not an issue.<br /><br />5. Scott’s Steering Stabilizer. It’s expensive but well worth the investment. Mandatory suspension upgrade in my book.<br /><br />6. My laptop! How? I dunno, I fell directly on it in NV and I’m still typing on it right now. HP Pavilion dv1000.<br /><br />7. Sicass Racing Rearview Mirror. I never had to put a screwdriver on it once. One less thing to worry about.<br /><br />8. Under Armour Base 1.0 Crew Long-sleeve shirt. Quick dry.<br /><br />9. MSR ISDE Pant. Big pockets placed perfectly. Quality material.<br /><br />10. Garmin GPSMap 478. Yes I had mapping problems but that was solely my fault. The battery issue was not, but I was running off the bike’s electrical system. Other than that, it’s bulletproof.<br /><br />11. Keen sandals: Perfect in every way… except fashion.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>What failed to meet my expectations:<br /></strong><br />1. Firstgear Master Waterproof Summer Rain Gloves: Once wet, virtually impossible to get on and off. And what are they doing wet in the first place?<br /><br />2. Cotton underwear: leave it at home<br /><br />3. Fox coolmax socks: Still wet…<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>What I would have done differently:</strong><br /><br />1. Purchased a quality voice recorder. I thought I would remember all the thoughts that I had throughout the trip, but I didn’t. I’m sure it would be easy to rig it up to make it easy to record on the fly.<br /><br />2. Ride longer. I rarely rode past 4pm and never in the dark. Had I rode longer I could have…<br /><br />3. Scheduled more side trips and soak in the historical sites a bit more.<br /><br />4. Not drink so much. Riding the TAT is too much fun in and of itself, drinking too much that one night set me back a little bit and spoiled some fun.<br /><br />5. ATGATT. This would have saved some road rash and possibly two fractured bones (I’d still wheelie all the gas out though)<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lessons Learned:</strong><br /><br />1. I didn’t really learn anything “new”, however a lot of the teaching of my parents and all the little idioms and sayings we hear everyday were reinforced… “the hard way”.<br /><br />2. Patience<br /><br />3. Sacrifice<br /><br />4. I learned (and I’m still learning) more about myself. I learned that I’m a pretty good “leader” when I’m by myself and like to be a “follower” when in a group. I’m most definitely an introvert, not necessarily always shy or depressed, but I gain energy through introspect rather than yapping it up with others. There are also many attributes about myself (riding skills and degree of kindness come to mind) that I thought were higher than they really were. As I told several people that I met along the way, “this has been a very humbling experience”.<br /><br />5. If you have no other choice but to ride through a flock of birds, keep your line.<br /><br />6. If you stall out on a steep slope, and it’s possible to turn around, just go back down and go back up faster than your first try… you can wear yourself out trying to pick up where you left off.<br /><br />7. Treat everyone with kindness and respect, it’s truly contagious, just like cruelty and disrespect are.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Final thoughts:</strong><br /><br />1. Seeing the environment and climate changes first hand is priceless.<br /><br />2. Sam Correro, creator of the TAT, is a true pioneer, well deserving of all credit.<br /><br />3. If you have the desire to do this (not everyone does) or something similar… make it happen.<br /><br />4. I need to do this sort of thing much more often. I still have a lot to explore and learn.<br /><br /><br /><br />A friend asked me when I got home to sum up my trip in a few words… that’s easy: Mind-expanding.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Trip Favorites:</strong><br /><br />Favorite Sight: Crater Lake (I know, I know, not very original, but it’s the truth)<br /><br />Favorite Scent: The array of pines and evergreens riding through Oregon.<br /><br />Favorite Sound: Mountainside brooks<br /><br />Favorite Taste: Fried Chicken meal in Oark, AR!!! Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm!<br /><br />Favorite Feel: All the kind people.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-65705216205020557812008-09-03T20:48:00.004-04:002008-09-10T21:59:37.390-04:00(Day 24-29) “Looped” it back home…Sunday, July 27th, 2008<br />Day 24<br />Port Orford, OR to Eugene, OR<br /><br />Yesterday was great. I had a huge sense of relief and achievement by reaching my goal in what I considered to be in the most favorable of conditions. For example:<br /><br />1. Rain only changed my direction twice (OK and CO)<br />2. I was only rained on once (AR)<br />3. I had one major wreck (OK), but escaped with only a jammed thumb<br />4. I had no major problems with the Orangutan (leaky fork seals (CO) is the only minor problem I had)<br />5. I did have some mapping issues (my fault) and a blown fuse (NV) with the GPS, but it performed flawlessly otherwise.<br />6. And the most fortunate non-occurrence: No flat tires!<br /><br />I knew better than to think that this was “too easy”, I was just simply very, very fortunate.<br /><br />HOWEVER!!! I also knew that the trip wasn’t over, as I still had about 300 miles of asphalt between me and the airport. But, I also had 5 days to get there.<br /><br />While I was in Monticello, UT, I booked a flight home for August 1st from Portland to Charlotte. August 1st is Friday and today was Sunday. I obviously gave myself too much cushion, so I called the airline to see if I could change my itinerary… “Sure… for $500”. Uhh… well… I guess I’ll just take my time on my way to Portland!<br /><br />I know there are probably many dirt roads that I passed on the way, but I just spent 23 days riding dirt and gravel, so the prospects of making it home safely, the change to pavement and more people was OK with me… for now. Port Orford wasn’t really doing it for me and the day before, this hitchhiker named Jim:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339445114_Fierb-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339445114_Fierb-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…suggested I go to Coos Bay. (I offered him a ride, but he declined…wonder why? So picky these hitchhikers are). So anyway, off I went to Coos Bay. First, let’s get some breakfast:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363689213_KBA8Q-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363689213_KBA8Q-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The group of Canadian riders that owned the bikes in the above picture were all really interested in my trip and I had fun talking with them. I told them my trip was changing at this point, and offered an even trade for one of their more street friendly bikes… but they weren’t budging. Oh well, let’s see what this famous highway 101 is all about:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363691499_UKiki-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363691499_UKiki-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Brandon, OR was a cool port town. Not very big, but I liked it better than Port Orford:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363690890_rv7ds-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363690890_rv7ds-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Moving along... another tunnel. I should have paid attention to the “Turn On Lights” sign:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363692907_A3TT3-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363692907_A3TT3-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Why? Here’s why:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363694110_pWDvB-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363694110_pWDvB-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />My first thought was, “Ah cool, wait till this cop hears my story!” (I’ve been pulled over many times before, I should have known that this wasn’t going to help) I was pretty sure that he was pulling me over for speeding, but as I was trying to figure out how fast I might have been going, I realized that I was probably only going 68-70 max.<br /><br />“Sir, I pulled you over because you don’t have your headlights on”<br />“Oh! I normally do, my battery has been acting a little weak and I turned them off so it would start easier. I must have forgotten to turn them back on”<br />[I turn them on and he confirms that they work]<br />“Can I see your license, registration and proof of insurance?”<br />[Doh! More times than not, this means the cop wants to write you a ticket for whatever reason they can find, but I felt confident that I had all my paperwork and he was going to have a hard time finding something else to bust me on]<br />“Here’s my license… registration… and… and… doh! I have proof of insurance on my Jeep and street bike, but I forgot to put my KTM insurance card in my wallet. Can I call the insurance company to confirm with you?”<br />“No, in the state of Oregon, you have to have proof of insurance with you at all times. I’ll be right back.”<br />[Well, great. 10 times out of 10, if the cop takes your paperwork back to his car, he’s going to come back with a yellow piece of paper for you to sign with a court date to add to your schedule]:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363694532_Bx7NZ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363694532_Bx7NZ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And please don’t let the smirk fool you. This guy was all business until I pointed the camera at him.<br /><br />“OK, I let you go on the headlight…”<br />“… … … … ok”<br />“But, I had to write you up on the proof of insurance”<br />“… … … … thanks?”<br /><br />Doh! I’m still trying to put myself in this man’s shoes and figure out how much money someone would have to pay me to write up a guy in my situation. He did ask, “So you rode this bike all the way from North Carolina, huh.” “Yep”. But apparently this didn’t mean squat to him as he had no problems writing a ticket. My guess is that this guy has either never ridden a motorcycle…ever, or had a “bad experience” with some other biker in the past and thinks we’re all the same.<br /><br />Anyway, with my headlight now on, I march north (but still without proof of insurance, lol). I hit Coos Bay shortly thereafter and pull into a gas station.<br /><br />Young blonde, stripper-looking chick in an old Grand Cherokee with 4 bald tires, one of them losing air as you could hear the hissing: “Hey, do you know how to change a tire?”<br />“Sure, do you have a jack?”<br />“I have this…”<br />[shows me a jack with no lever and a spare tire with no tire iron]<br />“Well, you’re going to need at least a tire iron to get the lug nuts off. Maybe you can drive it to an auto shop and they can plug it for you”<br />“I did, they won’t plug it because the tires are bald”<br />“Well, maybe they can put the spare tire on for you?”<br />“Well, I don’t want to pay for it!!!”<br />”Well, I wish I could help you out, but I’m afraid there’s not much I can do for you…sorry”<br />“Ugh.”<br /><br />WHAT!? Are you kidding me!? “I don’t want to pay for it??” Have I driven all the way to France or Europe or something?<br /><br />Anyway, I couldn’t find a room for less than 80 bucks in Coos Bay (pot kettle black), let’s go to Eugene:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363696280_DmkVZ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363696280_DmkVZ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363697174_CBhvz-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363697174_CBhvz-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363697538_Kc4eD-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363697538_Kc4eD-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I get a room near the University of Oregon campus for around 60 bucks, walk to all the local breweries and let the Orangutan sleep inside with me and not outside with the drunk college kids.<br /><br />Monday, July 28th, 2008<br />Day 25<br />Eugene, OR to Portland, OR<br /><br />Morning arrives, I gradually get out of bed and determine that this town was too expensive so off I go to Portland (like that’s going to be any cheaper).<br /><br />To summarize Portland: I stop by all the KTM dealerships I could find. This one was the smallest I’ve ever seen (but not open on Mondays):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363701331_LxYAe-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363701331_LxYAe-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I eat at this kick-ass restaurant near Hillsboro:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363703082_wFQep-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363703082_wFQep-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…if you’re ever in the area, STOP BY TWIN OAKS BAR & GRILL. The guy is German and has been cooking for over 50 years. This burger was fantastic:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363702428_FF3fY-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363702428_FF3fY-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Later on, I find another KTM dealership and purchase some tie-downs to secure the bike for shipping. One of the customers (not anyone working there) was interested in my trip, so we talked awhile and he offered to snap my picture (thanks man!):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363704339_UVtpq-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363704339_UVtpq-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />He also offered a couch to sleep on. This was very hard to turn down, but I wanted to explore on my own, so I kept on truckin’ into Portland:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363704877_TTic9-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363704877_TTic9-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It was getting late, so I just picked a motel close to the airport and called it a night.<br /><br /><br />Tuesday, July 29th, 2008<br />Day 26<br />Portland, OR<br /><br />I didn’t get any pictures the next three days, so I’ll just have to summarize what I did. The motel was a little pricey, so I found a hostel in the “artsy” district for 23 bucks a night. I booked 3 nights, but could only handle 2! You get what you pay for and this place was freaking WEIRD. It was really like living in an episode of MTV’s “The Real World” without the cameras. I lived like a bum for a couple days and determined that since I wasn’t on TV, there was no need to put up with living with all these strange people. For the last night, I went back to the airport motel I stayed at three nights ago. This would work out better anyway since I had to crate the bike on Thursday (right near the airport) and fly out at 7am Friday.<br /><br />The plan for Thursday was:<br /><br />1. Crate the bike at Forward Air<br />2. Walk back to the motel<br /><br />The plan for Friday was:<br /><br />1. Catch the shuttle from motel to airport at 5:30am<br />2. Fly home at 7am<br /><br />Simple enough, aye? Well, I executed each step successfully except for Thursday step 2. I’ll start with Thursday, step 1:<br /><br />Thursday, July 31st, 2008<br />Day 28<br />Portland, OR<br /><br />For some reason, the thought did not occur to me that I could wear all my gear to the shipping facility and take it all off before locking the crate up. I remember being in a hurry for some reason… but why you ask? I don’t know! So off I go in shorts and sandals…gear would have been good…<br /><br />I get there with everything that will be going into the crate on my bike, and everything that will be going on the plane with me, in my backpack. The guy running the show asked me to purge the tank of all fuel. I had about 3 gallons in there and rather than dumping it in the parking lot, I cruise back into “town” and find an auto repair shop that gladly accepts my fuel.<br /><br />I drained a little bit of the reserve too, but still had enough to get back to the shipping facility. A worker at Forward Air grabbed a fork truck and dropped my (very small) crate outside for me to load my crap into. “You can load your bike right here, let us know when you’re done so we can put it back into the warehouse” “No problemo”.<br /><br />I stripped the Orangutan down to her birthday suit and decided to go run the rest of the fuel out. (But, what I really wanted to do was be a hooligan.) I just rode 5000 miles with 50lbs of luggage and 4 extra gallons of fuel and, all the while, being extremely cautious. Now I had a few ounces of fuel and no luggage, the bike was light again. Apparently my desire to “see what she’ll do” outweighed all of the lessons that I thought I had learned on the trip. A small voice in my head told me, “If you pack up now, you win”. The other voice said, “If you pack up later, you win too! Now let’s go screw around and run this tank empty!”<br /><br />Unfortunately I listened to the latter. I was trying to catch 2nd gear on one particular wheelie, gave it too much gas and looped it. I tried to hang on for longer than I should have and I heard the license plate scraping the asphalt, so I bailed and ended up falling backwards, on my side, feet first. I watched the bike come down hard on my leg and bounce off. My first thought was that my leg was broke in half. As I was coming to a stop, it seemed to be wobbling around like that was the case. My next thought was just pure and utter disgust with myself. “All this way and I break my fracking leg in the airport parking lot! DOH!”<br /><br />I do some more personal inventory and notice the brush guard came down on my wrist, cutting a nice slit across the top of my arm and leaving a huge strawberry on the bottom of my arm from the asphalt. I checked my leg again and noticed that it was straight. So, I stood up and was able to put weight on it without anything moving around internally. I figured I better get the bike up and back over to the crate before it really started to hurt. Right after I got the bike up, a guy in a truck comes up to me, he saw the whole thing, “DUDE! ARE YOU OK!?” “No, think I broke my leg” “REALLY!!?” “Yes” “I SAW THE BIKE LAND ON YOU, SO I FIGURED I’D COME OVER TO SEE IF YOU WERE OK” “Thanks, man” “ARE YOU GOING TO BE ALRIGHT?” “Yeah, I’ll be fine” [he drives off]<br /><br />I use the bike as a crutch for about 100 yards back to the crate. I limp into the office, “Did you guys see me wreck” “No, we didn’t. What happened?” “I was being a dumbass and dropped the bike on my leg, can I hire one of you guys to load the bike for me?”. “No, we can’t do that” “…Ok, can I use your bathroom?” “OK”. So, I go in there and try to clean the road rash on my wrist and ankle, but determine that it’s not worth it. I limp back outside to see two of the employees scoping out my situation. “Dude, your bike is not going to fit in there”. These guys obviously don’t know how to improvise, so I respond, “Yes it will, we just have to take the wheels off” [one guy walks away at this point]<br /><br />The remaining guy told me he could help me for $40. Uh, thanks? This guy has probably never used a wrench before, so I instruct him on how to get the front wheel off. He proceeds to sheer off one of the pinch bolts. I laugh at him and tell him to get out of the way. So hopping around on one leg, I take BOTH wheels off and muscle it into the crate with little help from the remaining employee (actually he ended up being more of an obstruction than anything else). I manage to get one tie-down on and throw everything except my backpack in there and promptly call a cab after I give the Forward Air employee all my cash, which was only 14 bucks, lol.<br /><br />We find an urgent care facility and I wait in the waiting room for a good 10-15 minutes filling out 3 or 4 sheets of paperwork while trying to keep blood from dripping on the carpet. Before anything else, the nurse asks:<br /><br />“Were you in a car accident?”<br />“A motorcycle accident, yes”<br />“What did you hit?”<br />“The ground”<br />“Was anyone else involved?”<br />“No”<br />“Did you hit any personal property?”<br />“No”<br />“You were the only person involved?”<br />“Yes”<br />“There was no one else involved in the accident?”<br />“NO, do you double as the cops?”<br />“Well… sort of…”<br />???<br />“Are you filing a claim on your insurance?”<br />“No”<br />“So you’re just not going to fix the bike?”<br />“It’s not damaged.”<br />“You didn’t damage the bike when you wrecked?”<br />“NO.” (Will you please just clean me up and take a FRACKING X-RAY!!!)<br /><br />Another dose of Oregonian law I guess. Anyway, the rent-a-doctor tells me the wrist is fine, the ankle is broken. Fractures on both tibia and fibia, but no displacement, not too bad.<br /><br />The nurse does her best to clean the dirt out the road rash (she’s the type who would pull duct tape off your arm very, very slowly), wraps my leg up with a half cast, gives me crutches and shows me the door. Another cab to the hotel… and doh!, I forgot to go to the pharmacy. Another cab to the pharmacy to get some drugs (anti-inflammatory, antibiotics, pain killers) and take yet another cab back to the motel:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363706895_CBtNh-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363706895_CBtNh-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I get up just in time to catch the 5:30am shuttle to the airport. At security, I forgot to lose my hacksaw and multi-tool knife! They were cool about it and shipped those items home for me for 12 bucks. Luckily my gate was the closest to the security checkpoint. A United Airlines representative spotted me and put me on first class. Oh, it was terrible:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363709515_nFGzm-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363709515_nFGzm-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I was back over the Rockies in no time:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363712183_CjJCE-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363712183_CjJCE-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I got extremely lucky during the layover in Denver. My gate was only about 100 feet away and they gave me 1st class again. What a shame!:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363713510_NHFxs-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363713510_NHFxs-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />United Airlines really treated me well all the way home. First in line to get off the plane, the stewardess opens the hatch and BAM! Oh man, the humidity! I almost wanted to stay on the plane and head back to Colorado, but they had a wheelchair for me, so I got carted out into the surprisingly busy Charlotte airport. They wanted to get one of those electric trucks to haul my crippled ass to the taxis, but I got tired of waiting in the wheelchair and crutched it all the way out there.<br /><br />I told the Charlotte cab driver to take me to OrthoCarolina (yes, I know where it’s at) so I can get a better doctor and second opinion. The orthopedist confirms two fractures of the tibia and fibia, puts me in a boot and schedules another appointment.<br /><br />Not wanting to pay another cab fare, I decided to try public transportation. For $1.30 I get to within .7 miles of my house. Not wanting to ask anyone for help, I crutch it all the way home in the nearly unbearable Charlotte humidity. I had visions of triumphantly riding the Orangutan back home, but I ended up swinging my one good leg on crutches for the final stretch home. Either way, I still made my final destination and made it back home… on my own.<br /><br />Here is what the damage looked like back at the house:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363715026_RxT5t-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363715026_RxT5t-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363714413_Wwfwv-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/363714413_Wwfwv-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />What a way to end the trip, aye!?<br /><br />I’ll follow up later with my final thoughts, what worked, what didn’t work and what I would have done differently…Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-30695680118533905972008-08-29T18:09:00.002-04:002008-08-29T18:24:44.993-04:00The gas station "incident"...Looking back, I apparently forgot to mention my gas stop in Chiloquin, OR, just before Crater Lake. As I pull in, yet another gas station attendant was filling up the guy in front of me as I was waiting in line. Geez, not another gas pump babysitter! I don’t want to tip this guy for handing me the pump! Sheesh, I try to do it myself, but it wasn’t happening. The guy takes my card and hands me the pump. I feel like a 3 year old! But, luckily this guy goes to the next car after handing me my receipt. Ok… well… thanks? <br /><br />Now, back to Port Orford… After I finished soaking in what I had just accomplished (any how fortunate I was), I decided to get some food, find a room and gas up. I pull up to the pump to find another attendant tending to the car on the other side. I swipe my card and grab the pump. As I’m waiting to get authorized, the gas attendant, a 40-something year old woman hiding behind large sunglasses (it was almost dark outside at this point, not sure why the sunglasses were necessary) and a baseball hat, says in her most authoritative voice:<br /><br />“UMMM. EXCUSE ME SIR!? ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH OREGON STATE LAW?”<br />“Um, no?”<br />“IN THE STATE OF OREGON, YOU HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED AND TRAINED TO HANDLE CLASS 1 FLAMABLE LIQUIDS, WHICH MEANS YOU NEED TO PUT THE PUMP BACK OR FACE A $500 FINE.”<br /><br />By the tone of her voice, you would have thought that I was trying to steal or vandalize something of her own and that she had the authority and means to be judge, jury and executioner. I’m so shocked at this point, I’m literally speechless. Not only was this woman a total *****, but this beautiful state that I just rode through is also a nanny state… what a crying shame.<br /><br />Rather than putting her hand around my crotch area to pump the gas, she does let me do the pumping, but I still had to hand the pump back to her after I was done. Still speechless, I drive off thinking about this law and how funny it is and how I now realize why each Oregon gas station I pumped gas at was a little quirky. Now, would it be more fun to watch non-Oregonians get busted pumping gas in Oregon, or watching Oregonians trying to figure out how to pump their own gas in the 48 babysitter-free states? <br /><br />At this point I’m ahead of schedule by 4 days, which means I have 5 days to get to Portland before my flight leaves…more on that later…Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-54756092873691000002008-08-28T23:17:00.003-04:002008-09-10T21:59:05.651-04:00(Day 23) The last dash…Saturday, July 26, 2008<br />Day 23<br />Crater Lake National Park to Port Orford, OR<br /><br />My sleeping bag is rated for 35 degrees Fahrenheit, so it must have been 33 or 34 degrees, as I was a bit cold when I woke up at 6am. I have the whole getting packed and back on the road thing down to a science.<br /><br />1. Release air from mattress<br />2. Put wrist watch on<br />3. Get out of bivy<br />4. Put sandals on<br />5. Disassemble tarp<br />6. Roll up mattress<br />7. Roll up sleeping bag<br />8. Disassemble/roll up bivy<br />9. Compress tarp, sleeping bag and bivy in stuff sack<br />10. Secure all non-wearable items in bags and tighten the load down<br />11. Socks, knee pads, pants, boots, armor suit, jacket, helmet, gloves, backpack.<br />12. Put sandals under netting<br />13. Gas on, key on, choke out, kill switch to run, 2 twists of throttle, start button<br />14. Idle for a bit, choke off, reset GPS trip computer<br />15. Load route for the day on the GPS<br />16. Go to nearest gas station for gas, water and granola.<br />17. Have fun.<br /><br />Coming off the 7000’ rim of Crater Lake:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339423580_QUQuS-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339423580_QUQuS-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…I would gradually lose 5000’ of elevation all the way down to Lost Creek Lake. During this descent, the temperature rose to about 65 degrees in hardly any time at all. Not warm enough to take the jacket off, just perfect as a matter of fact.<br /><br />On the way down, my GPS signal would have a hard time finding satellites underneath the tall and thick forests:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339424011_Dzyui-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339424011_Dzyui-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Even though I was on asphalt, the ride was still very spectacular and totally what I was expecting Oregon to be like. I motored down highway 62 to Shady Cove to get gas and provisions. The gas attendant was standing at the pump like she was waiting for me. Ugh, I don’t want full service, but it was my only option. She stands in between me and the pump so I have to hand her my card, she swipes it, asks me what grade of fuel I wanted and hands me the pump. I feel like I was being babysat. I get my 2 or 3 gallons and hand the pump back to her and she walks off after handing me the receipt… huh? No tip? Cool! I’m gone! (Still building this gas station story up aren’t I?)<br /><br />Anyway, the TAT wasn’t far way:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339424542_vP3jN-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339424542_vP3jN-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The plan now was to rat-a-TAT-TAT all the way to the coast. On my GPS, I had these 4 parameters currently on display: Time and speed (since my odometer and watch were both concealed somewhat) and ETA (estimated time of arrival) and elevation. The ETA was always way too pessimistic and I’m not sure why I left that metric on display. Had I put the DTD (distance to destination) on instead, I would have known what I was in store for. But, from what I saw on the map compared to the map scale, it wouldn’t be too long before I was on the coast and sipping margaritas, or so I thought.<br /><br />Anyway, this TAT trail is getting good:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339426206_Wpxgp-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339426206_Wpxgp-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Coming around another corner, I run up on this:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339425765_Enj2Z-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339425765_Enj2Z-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />YO!!! Where is the ambulance?! Police?! Fire Truck?! I hop off the bike and check to see if anyone was in there. Nothing. Hmmm, what the heck is going on? Then, I saw some purple tape that read “evacuation route” running in and out of the car. There were also signs of the Jaws of Life being used and there were no fresh skid marks on the road. I deemed it safe, but still couldn’t figure out why they hadn’t towed this car out of the woods by now.<br /><br />Anyhoo, back on the trail:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339427217_ptqJW-O.jpg"></a><br /><br />Be careful trying to break the speed of sound around these corners, you never know what lies ahead:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339428475_T2kiM-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339428475_T2kiM-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Hmm, can I see the ocean from here?<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339426577_Rq2mC-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339426577_Rq2mC-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Naw, of course not, I’m just crossing I-5, my last interstate crossing:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339429086_RcFPA-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339429086_RcFPA-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Dang it, I had just gotten around 3 or 4 trees before getting to this point:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339430291_DTDYf-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339430291_DTDYf-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Guess we’ll have to get around them again! The logging in the area really takes away from some of the sight seeing and opens it up all at the same time…is that the ocean out there? Nope:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339430642_5zNRC-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339430642_5zNRC-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Wesk Fork, cool:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339432039_6yKJB-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339432039_6yKJB-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />After I-5, the trails went every which way, up, down, north, south, east and west. My mental compass was all out of whack:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339434691_ExNRw-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339434691_ExNRw-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Coast?... nope:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339434998_j6BRG-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339434998_j6BRG-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Sure is pretty up here though:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339436540_j2dUJ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339436540_j2dUJ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Ehh, must took a wrong turn somewhere; the brush is passable, but just too thick to make good progress:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339437472_LFMQ6-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339437472_LFMQ6-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Shortly before the following picture, there was a “Road Closed” sign, looks good to me:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339437810_bQfeo-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339437810_bQfeo-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Oh, I see, a few rocks in the road, this must be why they closed it. That’s nothing the Orangutan and I can’t handle:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339438181_jkB9K-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339438181_jkB9K-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Well now, maybe this is:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339438500_vaKDQ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339438500_vaKDQ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Notice in the picture above (if you can) how my route (in purple) is just a straight line between each of my turn points (not following the road)…this is what I had to deal with all the way across the country.<br /><br />The reroute was easy, but a little lengthy. Oh well, by this point I was starting to wonder if I was going to make the coast by dark. Each time I’d start to drop in elevation, I thought, “This is it, here it comes!”. And then the elevation would go back up to 4000’ feet. Typical thinking for an east coaster I guess.<br /><br />Anyway, I guess I was too busy zooming in and out of my GPS unit figuring out which roads I would need to take to remain on the trail. Therefore I didn’t get many pictures until I knew I was really close to the coast.<br /><br />One last road block:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339439256_ymZQL-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339439256_ymZQL-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I should have just rode over the bump and past the road closed sign, but I was already over 250 miles on the day and was really itching to get on the beach, so I rerouted. This reroute put me on pavement, but still offered some great views. I bet you could see the ocean from here if not for the cloud cover. But still a cool view:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339439776_EeLVe-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339439776_EeLVe-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Getting closer on Elk River Road. I thought I had seen just about every cloud there was until I saw these:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339440215_Vp6sm-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339440215_Vp6sm-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The only word that came to mind was, “mystical”. A left onto the famous highway 101 and I’m in Port Orford… finally. This view wasn’t as grand as Crater Lake, but still higher than my expectations:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339441208_3xEmF-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339441208_3xEmF-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />From the driveway of my home in North Carolina to the Pacific Coast, all on a dirt bike. I made it on July 26th, 2008 at 4:46 pm:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339443409_kuEwy-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339443409_kuEwy-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The lady who snapped this picture had a much longer left leg than the right one (just kidding, of course):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339443980_mUjK6-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339443980_mUjK6-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339444801_zUPR2-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339444801_zUPR2-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339443780_9jjUp-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339443780_9jjUp-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339445865_McZkS-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339445865_McZkS-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Total mileage: 4733<br />Daily mileage: 288<br />Wildlife observed: [Sorry, slacked off on the wildlife reports]<br />Favorite Sight: The “mystical” clouds laying motionless over the Port Orford bay area<br />Favorite Scent: The pine trees again<br />Favorite Sound: Waves crashing on the beach<br />Favorite Taste: Fish and chip dip<br />Favorite Feel: Riding in the sand… the first time I’ve done this and something you’d get arrested for on the east coast.<br />Ailments: Nothing! Just a little tired, but it was a relaxing feeling as well.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-43789368506968668942008-08-27T23:36:00.003-04:002008-09-10T21:58:51.232-04:00(Day 22) Let me give this dirt trail mapping a shot…Friday, July 25th, 2008<br />Day 22<br />Lakeview, OR to Crater Lake National Park<br /><br />Hmmm, according to the GPS data, I was only moving at 7:05am this morning. I must have been slacking off knowing I was finally out of the desert and into civilization. First stop was to fuel up. The Chevron seemed to be about the only gas station in town and it seemed to be open with people walking in and out of the store. The pump took my card, reset the numbers to zero, but would not pump the gas. Dang it, so I cancel the transaction and try the next pump… same story. The next pump? Same story. I motion towards the attendant in the garage area that the pumps aren’t working. He jumps up, runs to the back of the garage and apparently flips a switch… now we’re in business. (I know, dumb story, but I’m just setting you up for later).<br /><br />It was good being back into the woods and mountains; shade was plentiful, water was never too far away and if you’re out in the middle of nowhere, at least you have mountains to keep you thinking about what was on the other side, whereas in the desert, if you’re in the middle of nowhere, you know it all too well.<br /><br />Anyway, the trail makes a big loop around the north side of Crater Lake before heading out west to the coast. The area in between me and Crater is really nothing but logging roads. The GPS map of the logging roads looks like a broken car windshield. With my GPS routes not following the roads exactly, there would be many, many instances where I would have to stop and fiddle with the GPS to figure out which road I would need to take. So, I decide to create my own route directly to Crater Lake, avoiding as many highways as possible. The route that Garmin maps out for me looks very promising. Coming out of Lakeview, it overlapped part of the TAT and leads me directly into this semi-locked gate:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339398635_HHmcV-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339398635_HHmcV-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I could have opened it, but I believe it would have taken a couple pliers and it looked like it would fall apart. Not trying to mess with all that, the reroute was easy and it wasn’t too long before I was off the TAT and on my own route.<br /><br />Ah, yes… now this is the Oregon I’ve been expecting:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339399143_JvAjt-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339399143_JvAjt-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The logging roads were fun, fun, fun. Twisty, fast, cool temperatures and fantastic scents coming from the surrounding evergreens and pines:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339399805_KqoC5-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339399805_KqoC5-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />There are probably 1.2 million ways to get across Oregon with all of these logging roads:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339400419_BL6n9-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339400419_BL6n9-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />One of those ways (which is marked on the GPS) lead me to the top of a mountain where a guy was cutting firewood (I think there are logging areas marked specifically for the public). It’s not surprising that this guy was cutting wood at this point because this is where the road ended. I talked with the guy and he mentioned that he thought a road “used” to go through this area too. He suggested I try the other side of the mountain. No problemo! Err, wait, maybe a slight problem:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339400870_tSPHV-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339400870_tSPHV-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I was just blazing my own trail through the wide array of ground cover and eventually hit a hidden brook where I would get stuck. Notice the bike is standing on its own, that’s how deep and narrow the brook was. I eventually muscle it out and continue making progress to the top of the mountain and find a nice two track trail. I was having a ball:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339401086_DQzLJ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339401086_DQzLJ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Hey, it’s Nevada’s state flower again, how lovely:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339401587_nkaPY-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339401587_nkaPY-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />My own route was working out well:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339401867_ekuCU-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339401867_ekuCU-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…until I was forced upon the asphalt due to a totally incorrect road mapping on the GPS:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339402103_DFsSJ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339402103_DFsSJ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I try to get back on my route, even ignoring a “No Trespassing” sign:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339402327_KbyS9-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339402327_KbyS9-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This would lead me to a public recreation road. Later, about 5 miles into the trail, I would learn that it wasn’t intended for motorized use…whoopsie. There were many, many gates like the one below, locked on the left, open on the right:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339403846_VdAAu-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339403846_VdAAu-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Eventually, this trail would run over a paved road, so I figured I better take that rather than have some hippies tell me that I couldn’t ride my dirt bike on the bike path. Around this time, I feel my gear shifter starting to feel a little soft. Luckily it was only a loose screw. My first roadside repair after 4000 miles:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339404594_dFVvF-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339404594_dFVvF-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />One more attempt at getting back on some dirt roads…locked, doh!:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339405360_8uX4t-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339405360_8uX4t-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I could have easily rode around, but this seemed to be private land, so I boogied on out of there and back onto the hard stuff:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339405882_L47HM-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339405882_L47HM-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339406126_BdDGx-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339406126_BdDGx-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />On the outskirts of Crater Lake:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339406611_BeY8k-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339406611_BeY8k-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />My GPS said there were two choices to reach the top of Crater Lake, a straight road and… a curvy road. Hmmm, tough choice, think I’ll pick the curvy road!<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339407768_w7N9G-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339407768_w7N9G-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Unfortunately it turned into a foot trail 7 miles before the peak:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339408788_2D9jH-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339408788_2D9jH-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This truly would have been a riot had I attempted to climb Crater Lake by hiking trail, but I guess I’m too old for all of that nonsense. However, one day I do plan on coming back and climbing this trail, I have no doubt that it would be awesome.<br /><br />All of those trees that I so heroically bypassed on the way up the trail, I would have to un-heroically bypass on the way down:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339410047_g8JfW-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339410047_g8JfW-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Even getting a little stuck once:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339410488_zusPZ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339410488_zusPZ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The sign says, “Snow Play Area”:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339411381_9xpXm-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339411381_9xpXm-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Soon afterwards I was getting close to the top of Crater Lake. It’s a shame that we have to fight traffic, get caught up in the rush of things and see so many tourists ambling about this uniquely beautiful area. I actually had one guy tailgate me around the rim road, Geez man! Enjoy the scenery why don’t ya!<br /><br />But anyway, Crater Lake was truly awesome and well worth the hassle:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339416392_wN3ve-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339416392_wN3ve-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339413461_FrHRi-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339413461_FrHRi-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And, the area around the lake is just simply beautiful as well:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339412144_ED2hT-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339412144_ED2hT-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This is a place I could come back to many times over; I can’t imagine what went through the minds of the people who actually discovered this place. This was one of those rare instances where my high expectations were exceeded.<br /><br />So anyway, I decide to take advantage of the campsites in the park (I’ve already paid my fees, may as well get my money’s worth out of it) and camp out for the night. Just as the sun went behind the mountains, the mosquitoes came out in full force. Out of all the places I stayed, the bugs were the worst here. I built a fire in an effort to fight back:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339418796_ZpYBh-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339418796_ZpYBh-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />… but to no avail. So, I wiggled into my bivy sack before it got dark, tried to learn the French that was being spoken at the next campsite and eventually fell asleep. Stats:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339417771_MRndv-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/339417771_MRndv-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Tomorrow I have ambitions of hitting the coast…<br /><br />Total mileage: 4445<br />Daily mileage: 185<br />Wildlife observed: [forgot to write this information down for the day]<br />Favorite Sight: Is there any doubt? Crater Lake.<br />Favorite Scent: The evergreens and pines would put out all kind of combinations of scents. Riding through on a motorcycle is really the only way you can experience this.<br />Favorite Sound: Not realizing I was standing in a brook until I cut the engine off.<br />Favorite Taste: Unfortunately, instant oatmeal.<br />Favorite Feel: Riding around the rim of Crater Lake knowing that there is a wall of water on the other side waiting to burst out.<br />Ailments: ‘Skeeter bites.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-8818600652315518432008-08-26T23:32:00.002-04:002008-09-10T21:58:35.396-04:00(Day 21) More sagebrush or new state?Thursday, July 24th, 2008<br />Day 21<br />McDermitt, NV to Lakeview, OR<br /><br />Up and rolling at 6:25am, the trail would lead me down the NV/OR border. OR to the right and NV to the left:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338209784_vPr3E-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338209784_vPr3E-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I thought these hills were interesting:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338210157_Hor99-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338210157_Hor99-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The trail would venture off into Oregon for a bit running by Disaster Peak:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338210265_Q9Qti-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338210265_Q9Qti-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338210447_WXgKa-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338210447_WXgKa-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Dropping back down into Nevada, the trail would become hard to follow again… imagine that. The road would eventually just disappear and I would start sagebrush surfing… again. My path was similar to a Plinko chip on “The Price Is Right” with the pegs being the sagebrush, the chip being me and the Plinko board being the purple line on my GPS screen. I struck the “top prize” on the “first drop” when I found this gate:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338210637_4osp2-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338210637_4osp2-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />What’s that green stuff? Grass!? No way, I must be hallucinating:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338210806_NKPFu-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338210806_NKPFu-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338211036_7Rjbz-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338211036_7Rjbz-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This desert, big it is:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338211633_XRtpx-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338211633_XRtpx-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Finally, signs of life. This is Denio, NV:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338211770_xKyfB-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338211770_xKyfB-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Denio Junction (apparently a different “town”) was south of Denio and where I would stop for gas. The gas station/bar/restaurant/convenience store was the only building around. I paid for my gas at the bar. I’ve watched westerns and thought the saloons depicted in them were a thing of the past. And although many places try to recreate the atmosphere, they just fail miserably. But not anymore; if you want to see a modern day saloon, go to Denio Junction, NV (I also hear the nightlife is… well… interesting).<br /><br />Amazingly though, I didn’t get any pictures... doh. Oh well, back on the trail… a little sandy here:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338212207_UPmj4-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338212207_UPmj4-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Gradually, oh so gradually, things were starting to turn green:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338212589_tAupr-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338212589_tAupr-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Soon after the above picture, I presented myself with 2 options. Cut over to Hwy 140 and slab it to Lakeview, OR with plenty of gas or trek through the rest of Nevada and possibly find gas in Fort Bidwell, CA. I don’t remember all the thoughts that were running through my head, but the good outweighed the bad by taking the blacktop to Lakeview, so that’s what I did:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338212718_w7Lt2-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338212718_w7Lt2-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Just like all of my previous detours, I was glad that I took them. In this particular instance, I got to meet a very nice couple (towing a KLX 250) traveling east from Medford, OR to Denver at this rest stop:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338214002_VEKNp-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338214002_VEKNp-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The wife “hated this part of the trip” because there was “nothing” out here. I concurred. The husband was more interested in what the (still visible from the highway) trails were like; he said he had “always wondered where they went” and “somebody needed to explore them”. I guess he missed the part where I said I had just gotten off those trails, but that would have been hard to explain with me currently sitting at a highway rest stop. I thought about finding my way back to the trail at this point, but figured I had already seen enough of Nevada’s state flower and got back to slabbin’ it.<br /><br />Next up were some donkeys on the road. Notice the donkey warning sign on the right and donkeys on the left:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338213435_XiJhy-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338213435_XiJhy-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338213609_7DRr6-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338213609_7DRr6-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />On a highway where most people run 80-90 mph, you would think they’d know how to get out of the way. But, I ran across one group that just simply did not move, even as I zig-zagged my way through. Its funny how different animals reacted to the bike coming at them, but once you learned their pattern, they were all easy to avoid (except for white-tail deer). And for the record, the donkeys were the worst and the antelope were probably the best at getting out of the way.<br /><br />Oregon, the official welcome:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338221963_qPsa7-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338221963_qPsa7-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />But we’re still in the desert and I take a few side roads just to make sure I’m not missing anything…nope, not missing anything:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338222171_EN4wz-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338222171_EN4wz-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />On the road again:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338222888_hbPyp-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338222888_hbPyp-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Then I finally get to see something a little different. There was parking for hang gliders behind me in this picture:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338223490_vJjrv-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338223490_vJjrv-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I’ve never hang glided before, but this seemed to be the perfect place to do it with the wind, sharp cliffs and wide open plains beneath:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338223933_5mrnp-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338223933_5mrnp-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I would have liked to just coast down that hill as well, but being on pavement, you never know when Joe Trucker or Ronnie Ricer will come up behind you at 90 mph, so I just put the Orangutan in motard mode and hammered down the hill. What eventually happens when you continue to go downhill? You’ll run into some water:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338225121_ME6eN-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338225121_ME6eN-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Next was the final surprise of the detour and the gas station/restaurant/bar/grill/grocery store/pharmacy/saddlery/taxidermy/post office/story-telling store that serves Adel, OR:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338225507_iQtdo-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338225507_iQtdo-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338225655_ghVk6-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338225655_ghVk6-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The taxidermy work you see above is only 1/8th of what they had. I really regret not getting a picture of a mount that they had of a bobcat attacking an antelope, it was very cool. I got the special which happened to be a BLT. And this was the best BLT I ever did have (mom, yours are great too, but they had all the “bad” stuff on this one which made it extra tasty and not as healthy as yours):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338225823_yKCP7-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338225823_yKCP7-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338226191_n6764-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338226191_n6764-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Here’s my best transition shot from desert to cascades:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338226499_jkLuz-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338226499_jkLuz-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Terrain transition shots were hard to get because they didn’t last long:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338226808_uJxMG-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338226808_uJxMG-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The pine trees were great to see as I had been looking for them for quite some time. I eventually roll into Lakeview, do some motel shopping, get some oil and groceries, eat at a small ice cream shop, change my oil, lube the chain, download/upload and get to bed before sunset. Another day in the record books:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338227258_Cq23P-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/338227258_Cq23P-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Tomorrow’s plan is to get off the trail again and visit Crater Lake and possibly camp out somewhere nearby…<br /><br /><br /><br />Total mileage: 4260<br />Daily mileage: 190<br />Wildlife observed: Nothing new except the donkeys<br />Favorite Sight: The hang gliding area (inspiration for my next adventure?)<br />Favorite Scent: I’m not good with the sniffer I don’t guess (or maybe there’s just nothing to smell out in the desert)<br />Favorite Sound: I’ll continue to say that my favorite sound was my thumper thumping. When you’re out there that long by yourself, it’s good to know your bike is running well.<br />Favorite Taste: BLT at the Adel Store<br />Favorite Feel: Catching a breeze in the rare shade at the rest stop on 140.<br />Ailments: About to barf if I see another sagebrush “flower”. Otherwise, my body seems to be adjusting to and holding up well to the road.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-69082317103044238202008-08-24T19:26:00.002-04:002008-09-10T21:58:13.514-04:00(Day 20) Karma bites…Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008<br />Day 20<br />Battle Mountain, NV to McDermitt, NV<br /><br />Up at 5:20am, I take my time getting all my stuff packed properly and getting all of my gear on since the continental breakfast starts at 6am. At 6am on the dot, I try to get into the lobby… door is locked. Great, so I go back to the room and get my key.<br /><br />I come back about 10 minutes later to turn my key in and to get my “free” breakfast on. I see a lady try to open the lobby door while I was making my way in the same direction. Still locked. I decided to keep walking towards the door and slip the key in. About 10 feet from the door (dressed in full gear, helmet, boots, armor, gloves, helmet cam) she says in quick succession to me and before I even make 2 more steps:<br />“There’s no one in there..Unless you’re the front desk person..Are you the front desk person?”<br />And then my assholery comes out, “…do I look like the front desk person?”<br /><br />Immediately, I felt the karma go into motion… and I was almost 100% sure it would come back to bite me later in the day…<br /><br />So, I slip the key under the door and run off to get gas, water and granola. I made sure I got every last drop of fuel that I could since the next stop would be 180 miles down the trail.<br /><br />Then back to motel one last time to see if the sleepy headed manager has opened the door yet. Finally, the guy wakes up and opens the door. Cereal, apple, cinnamon bun, OJ and a couple pecan swirls. As I was eating the lady I acted like an asshole to comes back for coffee refill…sigh. Her husband says “Quite an adventure you have there on that little bike”… “Yup”.<br /><br />So anyway, I’m back on the trail, ready to see what karma had in store for me. The first thing she had for me was the slowly disappearing roads again. Once I lost track of the road, I could see the I-80 tunnel about 2-3 miles into the distance. There was just that bloody sagebrush between. No problem, I’ve done this before. So, I just ride straight to it, over all the sagebrush, blazing my own trail directly to the I-80 tunnel:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337545382_hTGLZ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337545382_hTGLZ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />After passing through the tunnel, I would ride gravel roads for most of the way and would have to open a lot of gates:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337545716_xm9FT-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337545716_xm9FT-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I passed a small community not too far out of Battle Mountain and was following the GPS marked road just fine until it would lead right thru a barbed wire fence…no gate (and, yes, there is a “road” in this picture):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337546019_fhmgV-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337546019_fhmgV-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I follow the fence northward because that’s eventually the direction that’d I’d be going. That turned out to be the right choice. I found a gate to get me on the other side and then followed the fence back down to where I was initially blocked. There was a deep little dry creek bed that I crossed on the way up the fence, but nothing I couldn’t handle. Of course, I had to cross this same creek bed on the way back down the fence to reach the “road” again. Only this time, the creek bed was full of tumble weed. No sweat, I thought. So, I take it slow in first gear and feel the front wheel drop about 2 to 3 feet into the tumbleweed. I feel the back end come up and the front wheel going nowhere. The result was a very, very slow endo. Luckily the bike falls beside me and not on me.<br /><br />The creek bed was very deep right here and getting out was not going to be easy. I had to use my Tuggers to get the bike lined up for an exit route. The first attempt fails, but after a little more gas and a little less regard for not tearing up the creek bed, the second attempt is successful. Out of a cloud of dust, I’m moving again, and eventually find some two-track after running thru more sagebrush:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337546148_o5qxS-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337546148_o5qxS-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I saw a few of these signs in the area:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337546331_XNTmZ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337546331_XNTmZ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And get tired of opening fences:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337546566_b7V4D-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337546566_b7V4D-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Then, I notice what a perfect Nevada day it was; a nearly full moon to the west, the sun to the east, and mountain ranges are in view for 360 degrees as I was in a valley. There was not a single solitary cloud in the sky. The colors were amazing, but still very simple:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337546708_pDpq3-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337546708_pDpq3-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Soon afterwards, there was a fairly deep creek crossing as you approach this abandoned(?) house:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337547505_UP9Af-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337547505_UP9Af-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Here is what’s between Battle Mountain and McDermitt:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337548164_X84ZQ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337548164_X84ZQ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />NOTHING! Well, there is Coyote Mountain. This isn’t really part of the trail, but is a recommended side trip according to the roll charts. If you’re low on gas though, better skip it. But if you do have gas, go all the way to the top and tell me what you think is under this 4’ x 6’ pile of rocks:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337549759_xP4tD-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337549759_xP4tD-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I have my suspicions, but for now, I’ll just use it to set my camera on so I can snap a picture of He-Man!<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337549927_TugMr-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337549927_TugMr-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The view on top of Coyote Mountain was great and I truly felt like I was in total control of all the land below me while I was up there (by the power of Gray Skull).<br /><br />Anyway, karma has more in store for me…<br /><br />The gates are becoming a hassle and the roads start to deteriorate. I come across a truck with horse/cattle wagon parked along side the road where I need to open another gate. This gate (N41 46.260 W117 26.682) doesn’t look like any of the previous gate because it doesn’t have the sticks of wood attached vertically down the length of it and it looked fairly new. Just past the gate in the barely visible trail, there was a big pile of dirt, strategically placed in the middle of the trail. It would be easy to ride over, but the rancher is just over the hill. Not wanting to press my luck, I check Garmin and find a reroute that takes me to the next via point but on a different road that wasn’t too far out of the way.<br /><br />The detour of mine is marked on the GPS, but, in reality, it slowly deteriorates from nice gravel two-track to rocky two-track to cow trail in the span of about 3 miles. Elevation changes were a factor here but nothing too bad. Eventually the cow track leads me to a rocky ravine that leads uphill. The cow trail is narrow and full of big rocks. I wreck. And, then I wreck again and, fall hard on my back. The bike is upside down and losing fuel so I immediately jump up and get the bike upright. Marching onward I wreck again, same story. At this point, I’m off the Garmin “road”, totally exhausted from picking the bike up, and the future of this cow trail is not looking good.<br /><br />Then I think about something I should have thought about during the planning phase. What if I knock myself out? It would have taken a K-9 unit to find me since I was off the trail and not even on a marked road, or even a cow trail for that matter. And I’d most likely be dead by the time the dogs or vultures found me. So, the moral of this story is to turn on the tracking feature on your Satellite Beacon if you’re going alone. I sent an OK message at this point, just in case the worst does happen and I’m not able to send out a help message.<br /><br />Worn out from picking the bike up and losing faith in the TAT maps AND the GPS “roads”, I bail out. Now, my best guides were my eyes and I planned to take the path of least resistance from here on out…I just hope I had enough fuel to get me to where I was going.<br /><br />On the way back out, there is a tree that I had to go back under (approx. N41 47.979 W117 28.500). To the left and right were too steep. The only option is to run under this tree as I did originally. The lower limbs of the tree were about 4 feet high, dead and dry. In a little rush to get out, I feel one of those limbs poke my neck pretty hard. A little more speed or a sharper limb, and this could have been the end of my journey (picture taken after the fact):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337552680_GuBbp-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337552680_GuBbp-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Luckily it just scratched me up pretty good and I made it thru otherwise unscathed. Coming back out of my detour wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Once I returned to a decent road, it led me to an awesome mountain pass that I would have never seen had I been on the TAT. The coolest thing about this pass was the wind nailing me once I reached the crest, right as the view opened up:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337551636_G9BZh-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337551636_G9BZh-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />After soaking in this scene for a bit, I was able to coast down the switchbacks for nearly 3 miles before I had to start the engine. Eventually, I get onto 95 North and head into McDermitt. I had already lowered my expectations for McDermitt, but ended being disappointed once again. I randomly pick 1 of the 2 “motels” in town and start to do my end of the day routine.<br /><br />While I’m downloading my GPS data and stuff, I see the town cop (emphasis on “the”) pull up to my door. He sticks around for a bit, so I figure he wanted to tell me to dry my clothes somewhere else besides the makeshift clothesline that I had made. But no, he just wants to talk about my trip…for 2 hours. He was a very cool guy and had some great stories to share. Eventually, I get back to the room where I’d finish up my computer business, prep for the next day and hit the sack. Stats:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337552160_EE49x-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337552160_EE49x-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Tomorrow’s goal is Lakeview, OR… but that’s still a long, long ways away…<br /><br />Total mileage: 4070<br />Daily mileage: 174<br />Wildlife observed: Chipmunks, birds, antelope<br />Favorite Sight: Coming off some mountain pass south of McDermitt<br />Favorite Scent: Nothing<br />Favorite Sound: Nothing<br />Favorite Taste: Vanilla ice cream cone<br />Favorite Feel: Getting traction out of the ravine<br />Ailments: Monkey butt, I think it’s b/c I wore 48 hour old cotton underwearAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-64025538072541384992008-08-21T23:52:00.002-04:002008-09-10T21:57:57.713-04:00(Day 19) NevadaTuesday, July 22nd, 2008<br />Day 19<br />Baker, NV to Battle Mountain, NV<br /><br />I just gained an hour, but it doesn’t really matter. I generally wake up at the break of dawn, start packing up and start to imagine what in the world this day is going to be like?<br /><br />The last thing I did before departing was to hook up my GPS. I felt something tell me not to plug it into the bike with the key and GPS unit both on, but I ignored. Fuse, blown. Did I pack extra fuses? No. Doh! How can anybody forget fuses? Sigh. My GPS internal battery was probably around 10% (long story, but apparently a bug in the firmware is preventing my unit from charging completely). I wouldn’t be able to make it to Eureka without my GPS dying on me. 7:10am, a muffin and OJ at the Electrolux and off to Ely I go. NF466 was a dirt road that lead me in that general direction, so let’s start making my own TAT!:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337034401_HBd2c-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337034401_HBd2c-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This lasted 13.5 miles taking me up 2000 feet before dropping me back down to 50, booo (it did cut out about 20 miles of 50):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337030651_fbqaB-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337030651_fbqaB-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It was funny seeing the signs that read, “Hwy 50, The Loneliest Road in America”. I bet whoever coined this term has never ridden any of the TAT. I passed at least 5 cars on 50, about the same number of cars I’ve passed in between all TAT towns to this point. Too many people!<br /><br />Anyway, I reach Ely around 9am, get gas, Gatorade, granola, Mobil 1 15w50 and that hard to find fuse at Radio Shack. Back in business, and back on the TAT:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337035126_SMkVK-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337035126_SMkVK-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />At some point before Eureka, the trail just simply disappears. With my routes looking more like a 3-year old’s self portrait rather than following a trail or something, getting lost was easy to do. At some points I rode directly over the sagebrush in the general direction that I needed to go. Sometimes I’d find a cow trail to follow:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337036673_kPp57-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337036673_kPp57-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Hmm, looks like an antelope leg, at least something has been here before:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337036285_uyh42-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337036285_uyh42-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />After tip toeing through the sagebrush for a bit at around 5 or 6 mph, I see a cloud of dust ahead and figure that a road is near by. Upon closer inspection, it turns out to be wild horses, cool!<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337037321_kXATh-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337037321_kXATh-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This is something I was hoping to see on the trail; a little closer to the action would have been nice, but I’ll take what I can get. It’s amazing how fast they can rip across the sagebrush. Even with my $8000 dirt bike, I would never be able to keep up, leading me to believe that the Cowboys and Indians are still faster than what I was currently working with.<br /><br />At any rate, I get back on some 2 track and can see “The Loneliest Highway in America” out in the distance, no more worries:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337038130_keU9D-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337038130_keU9D-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Meet you at high noon… Eureka:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337040331_4JcDp-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337040331_4JcDp-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Running 50 must have put me ahead of schedule so I decided to top off on fuel and water and start my next scheduled day to Battle Mountain. I reach a gate not 5 miles out of Eureka that says something about “Do not enter, Hazardous something-another”. Rather than poke around to find another dirt route, I just hit some more of 50 and gain a little more time to reach Battle Mountain at a decent hour:<br /><br />Here’s where I exit 50 to make my way back to TAT:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337040898_8cSFq-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337040898_8cSFq-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Back on the trail:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337041540_riMeS-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337041540_riMeS-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I didn’t get many pictures past this point, I guess I just dozed off and was just knocking off the miles, smelling the sagebrush, thinking about all sorts of things and just enjoying the freedom. It’s a shame too because it would have been cool to have gotten a picture of the Cortez Gold? Mining operation. But I felt like I didn’t belong in those areas, so I just kept on trucking. Other than the miners, there wasn’t jack-squat anywhere. And, oh yeah, for future TATers, the deep sand traps are no joke. They will slow you down faster than you could ever brake. I highly recommend a steering stabilizer and sane speeds.<br /><br />Mother nature called me so I started to look for somewhere halfway cool to stop so I could at least get a steady picture of something. That’s when I found this:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337042766_Mtnkr-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337042766_Mtnkr-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Why, it’s almost like it supposed to be a bathroom. As I start doing my thing, I hear something that sounds like thunder? Wind? No, a white chevy blazer coming up behind me! Nice, I haven’t seen a single solitary car for the last 50 miles and one just happens to pop up when I’m watering the sagebrush. And, they wave at me, what is a man supposed to do here? I just nod.<br /><br />Back on the road, I start to develop a dislike for sagebrush. At first, it was neat, then it smelled good, then I was glad I could ride over it without puncturing my tire, then I was glad to see it change in size. Now, I just don’t like it, it’s everywhere and I want to see something different… About that time I see a cloud of dust ahead, oh cool, someone is driving this wa--- BAM!!! Coming around the corner was a white jeep wrangler doing at least 50mph. I saw him first and I was already halfway into the tall sagebrush when he saw me. Had he not seen me, which was entirely possible given his speed, I would have been just fine. But he did see me and jerked his wheel to the right, thus throwing his rear into a drift headed right for me. Luckily his tires found traction and he tracked back to his side of the road. He didn’t have time for brakes, so I felt a slight shockwave hit me as be blew by. My fate now was to be engulfed in a huge cloud of dust, I just cut the engine off, close my eyes and accept it.<br /><br />About 30 to 40 seconds later, I can open my eyes and realize that my pants are still dry, so it must not have been that bad, but it was a close call, here is the picture and you can see how much room he left me on my side of the road (the dust marks running horizontally with the picture prove he was in a slide as he passed my bike):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337043906_H5qUe-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337043906_H5qUe-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I continue on down the trail and see a few shiny Busch Light cans and his tracks all over the road, nice. Anyway, back to the regularly scheduled program… is this the Battle Mountain?<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337044539_PPKm2-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337044539_PPKm2-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It was the most distinctive mountain near town, so that would be my guess. One thing about this part of the trip was that I really had my expectations too high going into each town. From the months and months of planning, you become quite familiar with the town names. Then, when you’re running down the desert, all hot and thirsty, you start to imagine these town as being oasis full of water fountains, green trees, flowers and beautiful people. Only to be thoroughly disappointed when you get there:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337045854_j5VDw-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337045854_j5VDw-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Big Chief motel was what I determined to be the best bang for your buck, so that’s where I stayed. I would eat at a Mexican joint on the other side of town, change oil, lube the chain (did this everyday), download pictures, upload pictures, download GPS tracks, write down a few things and finally hit the sack:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337046239_S4wsh-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/337046239_S4wsh-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Tomorrow is supposed to be the longest day between fuel stops. As long as I stay on the trail, I should have plenty of gas to make it…but staying on the trail hasn’t been so easy for me, now has it?<br /><br />Total mileage: 3896<br />Daily mileage: 265<br />Wildlife observed: Wild horses, antelope, chipmunks, birds of all sorts, crazy jeep guy<br />Favorite Sight: Radio Shack guy opening up just for me and had the right fuse<br />Favorite Scent: Sagebrush in the morning, not so much in the afternoon<br />Favorite Sound:<br />Random guy at Eureka gas station (not on a motorcycle): “Hey, man! I did it too!”<br />Me: “Did what?”<br />“Ride the trails man!”<br />“What trails?”<br />“I rode my dirt bike all the way from Elko to Eureka!”<br />“…Cool!”<br /><br />Favorite Taste: Granola bars are about all I tasted.<br />Favorite Feel: Orangutan getting grip in the deep, deep dust<br />Ailments: Lower back from sleeping on picnic tableAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-24281676248883178862008-08-20T23:17:00.002-04:002008-09-10T21:57:43.143-04:00(Day 18) Another eclectic ride…Monday, July 21st, 2008<br />Day 18<br />Richfield, UT to Great Basin NP, NV<br /><br />At 7am on the dot, I started laying down tracks again and was looking forward to seeing a new state, Nevada. The trail would lead me directly into Fishlake National Forest and take me 4000 feet higher to almost 9000 feet in 23 miles:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336934306_JdRfw-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336934306_JdRfw-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336935410_f8pPW-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336935410_f8pPW-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336936209_6RHFR-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336936209_6RHFR-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And then, in only 14 miles, drops me back down 4000 feet. Here was one of the few areas that wasn’t straight downhill:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336938883_JTMNY-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336938883_JTMNY-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />After about 5 or 6 miles of uninterrupted descent, I had to use a lot of front brake as I locked the rear up trying not to run through this fence, which was also on a decline:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336939386_SXHUQ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336939386_SXHUQ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />My reward for making it all the way down was another fence to open/close:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336939867_4h9Tx-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336939867_4h9Tx-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Then it was time to boogie down Corn Creek Rd.:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336940141_ZtWSr-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336940141_ZtWSr-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Exiting Kanosh, UT, I got behind some government vehicles. I made eye contact with the driver in his rear view mirror and figured I’d move over like I wanted to pass. This guy never changed his speed or position on the road:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336941183_nymJW-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336941183_nymJW-M.jpg" /></a><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336943394_g22H5-O.jpg-M.jpg"></a><br /><br />Fire damage was obvious around here, but I couldn’t figure out how it spread from one bush to another as the brush seemed rather spaced out. Once I started moving again, I see the government vehicles parked to the side, right in the middle of all of the fire damage, hmmm. Not too far away I encounter some old mines:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336942580_7kHZa-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336942580_7kHZa-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I’m not that adventurous. I think I’ll keep on riding:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336942267_iZfpB-O.jpg"></a><br /><br />I-15, let me see… is that on my itinerary… mmmm, no:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336943190_52qyJ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336943190_52qyJ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Shortly after the following picture was taken, 2 guys in a truck passed me (which rarely happened anywhere along the trail all the way across the country) coming the other way. The driver gave me the “rock on” sign:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336943394_g22H5-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336943394_g22H5-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Up until this point, the overcast weather and government feel had me down, but the simple “rock on” hand sign and smiles lifted my spirit a bit. Shortly afterward, the sky started to clear up as well. I’m going to have to go back and rank my pictures, but this is certainly a finalist:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336943686_eQNw4-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336943686_eQNw4-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />After I-15, the scenery changes… must be getting ready for a new state. Geographically, Nevada was basically a series of North-South mountain ranges with large, flat basins in between. The trail along some of these basins lasted for…ev…er:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336945160_mxZiU-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336945160_mxZiU-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />What does this sign tell you?<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336947163_Av2Ei-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336947163_Av2Ei-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It means, you ain’t nowheres! You better hope you have enough gas and water or you’re going to die! [Insert Guns ‘n Roses “Welcome to the Jungle” jingle here] No, I’m just kidding, this was far from a jungle, but that was the song I had in my head at this point.<br /><br />Shortly afterwards, I start to climb a soft, slow rolling hill at a fairly swift pace. As I reach the crest, the Orangutan locked her front and rears up and gravel was flying every which way leaving a nice skid mark out here in the middle of nowhere. I jumped off and yelled, “What was that for!?” She looked at me and pointed to the horizon and said, “Crystal Peak”:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336951214_okXFd-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336951214_okXFd-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Hopefully you know I’m just joking about that and no I wasn’t hallucinating, just going back and forth with myself in my head. Anyway, the view was grand. There was a salt lake (I guess?) to the north and if you look directly to the west on the horizon, you can see Crystal Mountain. It’s hard not to mistake it for a cloud as it appears solid white, standing in stark contrast to the rest of the mountain range. For those scoring at home, that’s just under 40 miles away. Let’s boogie down and get a closer look:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336955133_2Kyt5-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336955133_2Kyt5-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Getting closer?<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336957363_yvChV-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336957363_yvChV-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I almost had to pee twice on my way to the base of the mountain, but I finally made it:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355859966_G8Eiz-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355859966_G8Eiz-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />More long and straights:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355875024_Pi8pm-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355875024_Pi8pm-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355876422_RWk93-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355876422_RWk93-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And finally, Nevada:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355878814_qUPSb-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355878814_qUPSb-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Might as well get Utah in there too:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355879032_BExK3-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355879032_BExK3-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />At 2:25pm, I reach Baker, NV, which is nothing more than 2 gas pumps and 2 bar/restaurants. At the restaurant I chose, I see the coolest Harley ever:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355879471_PK6oc-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355879471_PK6oc-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I think this guy’s name was Steve. He was from California traveling to Cody, WY to meet his wife. Can you say, packing light?<br /><br />Great Basin National Park was about 10 miles up the mountain, so that’s where I headed to set up camp. Nice little information area here:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355880819_ieTE3-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355880819_ieTE3-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Campsite:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355881129_FmzZy-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355881129_FmzZy-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…by a creek:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355882672_uqKae-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355882672_uqKae-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It was about a 20-30 degree temperature difference on top of the mountain, a welcome relief from the dry and sunny lower elevations.<br /><br />Stats:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355881411_Wiupd-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/355881411_Wiupd-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Tomorrow’s plan is a little bit up in the air. The trail runs south and back into Utah for a bit before swinging back around to Eureka. It looks like a mess on my GPS screen, so we’ll re-evaluate the situation in the morning. For now, I plan on sleeping on the picnic table and viewing the stars until I either fall asleep or the sun comes up.<br /><br />Total mileage: 3631<br />Daily mileage: 178<br />Wildlife observed: Ran over a snake…<br />Favorite Sight: Crystal Peak<br />Favorite Scent: Nada<br />Favorite Sound: Didn’t hear much else beside the KTM today<br />Favorite Taste: Some random IPA at the restaurant for dinner.<br />Favorite Feel: Squishing that snake (just glad it didn’t loop back around)<br />Ailments: NoneAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-27856410311726483462008-08-19T20:39:00.004-04:002008-09-10T21:57:29.122-04:00(Day 17) Railroad crossings, canyons, tunnels and a lot of blood…Sunday, July 20th, 2008<br />Day 17<br />Green River, UT to Richfield, UT<br /><br />Up and moving at 7:38am, I was glad to get out of Green River, UT and to start moving to the next town. The first hurdle of the day was right outside of town:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336907788_YEqXC-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336907788_YEqXC-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />My GPS route (still a little screwy) ran right over the tracks at this point. I had already seen reports of this little speed bump in previous TAT reports, so I wasn’t surprised, but still unprepared. By looking at the tracks, you could tell the railway was fairly active. So, however I decided to get my bike over would have to be swift. The laws of physics would probably allow me to simply hit this track head on in 2nd or 3rd gear and I’d make it over just fine. But, for some reason, this didn’t seem like a good idea. After a few minutes of taking my time to plan this out, I figured it out pretty easily. The <a href="http://www.thetugger.com/index.htm">Tugger</a> straps I installed before the trip would pay for themselves and then some. Facing parallel with the tracks, I picked one end of the bike up and the tire would slide right over. After repeating this four times I was on the other side and ready to rock and roll again. I was pretty proud of myself for coming up with an efficient plan and not wearing myself out like I usually do. And, oh yeah, not getting hit by a train.<br /><br />Anyway, I get my westbound trajectory on and start one of many I-70 crossings, this time, we’ll go under:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336909293_tpJut-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336909293_tpJut-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Not long afterwards, I would make a wrong turn (due primarily to my screw GPS routes) and come up on this… err, road?<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336909648_Brr42-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336909648_Brr42-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I kept climbing this thing and eventually came to a 3-sided cliff. It’s hard to see the front side of the drop-off, but you can see where it drops off on the sides:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336910050_iqsTm-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336910050_iqsTm-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I drove too far up this thing and didn’t leave myself much room to turn around. The rocks were loose and made it sound like I was walking on broken glass. But again, I just took my time and got her turned in a more favorable direction.<br /><br />All of that happened right before entering my first canyon ride:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336910496_eke2c-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336910496_eke2c-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I really can’t describe it better than the pictures:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336910880_mZhW8-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336910880_mZhW8-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336911213_9yHtF-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336911213_9yHtF-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It was fun, no doubt. Then, after exiting the canyon, I got a great view of the landscape. It’s nothing spectacular; it’s just something I’ve never imagined before. Tall grass, plateaus and mountains in the background, I liked this view very much, just wish I had a better camera and a clearer day:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336913843_NYoKp-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336913843_NYoKp-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This looked like Mt. Rushmore, Planet of the Apes style:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336921497_sLmLR-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336921497_sLmLR-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Like I said before, I would zig-zag back and forth along I-70 for the majority of the day, here is where the trail runs alongside the interstate:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336922706_wRaMh-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336922706_wRaMh-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And here are the tunnels that run right through the mountain:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336923279_8PZRy-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336923279_8PZRy-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I highly recommend revving it up a bit in here, it’s not the same as revving up in a concrete tunnel:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336923982_nXYw2-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336923982_nXYw2-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Then a lot of this:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336926080_zFSwa-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336926080_zFSwa-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…before I roll into Salina, UT for lunch. These bikes were different:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336927115_NvYVr-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336927115_NvYVr-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />But, if there was a bike that was the exact opposite of what I like, this is it.<br /><br />The gas station attendant directs me to Mom’s Café for lunch. Wearing full dirt bike gear into a small café at 12:30pm on a Sunday afternoon in small town Utah is pretty ballsy. But I guess I don’t mind people staring at me so long as I can get some good local food. I put my order in for the special, a Malibu Chicken Sandwich, and hit the john… while washing my hands in this particularly small mens/womens bathroom, my nose starts to bleed profusely. Dang it. I do a pretty good job of cleaning all the blood up from the sink and my face, but it takes about 5 or 6 minutes before I can stop it and walk back out. Luckily, no one was waiting on me and I eat my lunch staring at the ceiling to keep the read sea at bay. If I didn’t look weird to begin with, I’m pretty sure I was looking weird now. The Chicken Sandwich was great though.<br /><br />Richfield wasn’t far away and this is my only picture between the two towns:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336927440_33iKj-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336927440_33iKj-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I roll into Richfield and find a room at the Appletree Inn. The town looked really nice (at least, compared to where I’ve stayed the past two nights), but I guess being Sunday, it was like a ghost town. I ate at the only place I could find that was open, the Little Wonder Café. I change my oil, upload pictures, download GPS tracks, prep for tomorrow and hit the sack:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336927872_7tjjv-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/336927872_7tjjv-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Up next, Nevada and Great Basin National Park.<br /><br />Total mileage: 3453<br />Daily mileage: 165<br />Wildlife observed: Snake, jack-rabbits, magpies, chipmunks<br />Favorite Sight: The contrast between red and white dirt<br />Favorite Scent: Sagebrush<br />Favorite Sound: Revving up in tunnel<br />Favorite Taste: Most definitely the Malibu Chicken Sandwich from Mom’s café.<br />Favorite Feel: Learning to stay on top of the bike in the loose stuff. Still breaking the habits of street biking.<br />Ailments: A cut seems to be infected on my hand, oh well. Overall just plain tuckered out.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-12037510959602080962008-08-18T23:07:00.003-04:002008-09-10T21:57:00.829-04:00(Day 16) Let the West begin…Saturday, July 19th, 2008<br />Day 16<br />Monticello, UT to Green River, UT<br /><br />The two roads that “everything” was located on in Monticello were under construction. With little to no wind, this left the town in a persistent cloud of dust. Out of my entire trip, my air filter probably picked up the most dirt here.<br /><br />But, besides the temporary air pollution, this is also the town where I felt the biggest “small town atmosphere”. I ate a huge burger at MD Ranch Cookhouse at the recommendation of the motel clerk…who also ended up being my waitress at the restaurant. Brochures and booklets of the upcoming San Juan County Fair were everywhere, and judging by the size of the booklet, it appeared to be a big deal. I think I may have caught the bug a little bit as I wanted to stick around be one of the strawberry jam judges. Then, back at the motel, another desk clerk told me I should ride down to <a href="http://www.bullhollow.com/">Bull Hollow</a> raceway, “they’ll let you race, they won’t mind”… I thought to myself, “Are you kidding me?”. This type of thing is unheard of on the east coast. I’m not sure how I resisted the urge not to at least ride the 5 miles to check the place out.<br /><br />Anyway, nothing exciting happened last night and I woke up early enough this morning to grab breakfast two doors down at 7am…opening time:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334890798_Agehz-O.jpg"></a><br /><br />“That’s a lot of breakfast for 6.95” (I’m just getting out of Colorado remember)<br />“And people tell me I’m expensive around here… they don’t know what it’s like in the real world!”<br /><br />Hmmm, the real world… is that where I’m at? I’d think about this as I saddled up and moved out at 7:56am.<br /><br />Apparently the mountains haven’t totally disappeared, they’re just more spread out now…much more spread out:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334891041_aieg6-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334891041_aieg6-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Getting closer:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334893245_eG9BT-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334893245_eG9BT-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Here’s a good place to break:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334894918_KTWEo-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334894918_KTWEo-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Just as I was getting sad about leaving the Rockies, and to my complete surprise (I knew Moab was the next town, and we all know what Moab looks like), I get one more major mountain:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334895522_sRkpQ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334895522_sRkpQ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This would lead me to another state funded OHV trail system. This also means the trails go every which way, some abandoned and some not mapped out on the GPS. I work my way through, even blazing my own shortcuts and busting out on this nice little single track:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334896266_XjaUA-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334896266_XjaUA-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Not too long afterwards, I get one of my favorite pictures of the trip:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334896586_Htw5x-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334896586_Htw5x-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Expectations are everything for me. Most of the time I’m too optimistic, which generally leaves me disappointed in the end. So, when I expected to see a lot of desert and rocks on my way to Moab today, this Mountain range was quite a delight. Only 21 miles from Moab, and I’m 10,500 feet high in the middle of a birch/aspen/pine tree forest, cool:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334897860_P9UKK-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334897860_P9UKK-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Eventually I’d get a good glimpse of the terrain change that I’d been expecting:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334898968_6Z3ri-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334898968_6Z3ri-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I finally reach Moab and suddenly realize how silly it was to stay in Monticello the night before. A few simple shortcuts would have only added an hour to my trip yesterday. Oh well, I thought Moab was cool and will be coming back to explore and patronize in the future. Unfortunately, I did not get any pictures, sorry!<br /><br />I got some water, gas and granola and moved westward, err, northward. This is looking back over Arches National Park:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334900773_wGTgv-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334900773_wGTgv-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Actually, this is northward looking up 191 (the trail loops around the mountain):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334901386_Awt7C-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334901386_Awt7C-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />191 would have taken me where I was going, but you know how we do… I’ll take Gemini Bridges Rd instead:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334901670_b4ko9-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334901670_b4ko9-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The thing about a lot of Gemini Bridges Rd is that most of it is all rock. Therefore, there were no tracks to follow. I would be hunting this road down the entire length of it. Here is one instance where I really got disoriented:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334902096_oBmV5-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334902096_oBmV5-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I haven’t heard many complaints from other TATers about this particular road. It was fun when I knew where the road was. But when I didn’t, I blazed my own trail. How I didn’t puncture a tube on the itty-bitty cacti is truly amazing as this lasted for hours.<br /><br />Every once in awhile on the trail, I was actually happy to see asphalt, here is one instance:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334902475_6fCGL-O.jpg"></a><br /><br />These I can follow:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334903000_osEtr-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334903000_osEtr-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And blow right through:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334904277_K7cM3-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334904277_K7cM3-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I-70:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334906100_RtHva-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334906100_RtHva-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This abandoned road runs parallel with I-70. You can call it a paved road, but it is certainly not without challenges:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334906325_5RLda-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334906325_5RLda-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Green River, UT wasn’t far away and the Super 8 where Garmin had sent my CD was the first building I reached. I felt bad for not getting a room since they kept my package, but 80 bucks was a little too fancy for me. The best deal I found in town was the Robber’s Roost for 35 bucks. The people who run this place are very nice:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334907850_m8Aqk-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334907850_m8Aqk-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />First things first though, let’s get my GPS routes fixed once and for all. I put the CD in…nothing, try to open the tray… nothing. I whip out my multi-tool and remove the whole cd-rom drive to find that it has dents all over it, thus preventing the CDs from ejecting or spinning. Imagine that, HOW COULD THAT HAVE HAPPENED? GOLLY GEE.<br /><br />My plan now is to find a computer with a CD-ROM drive and copy the whole disc to my USB thumb drive. The internet café had such a computer, but my sob story wouldn’t get them to open the cabinet containing the physical computer, “Internet Only”. I finally find a guy who was just opening motel and he let me do this for free on his own laptop, another nice guy.<br /><br />Back at the motel, and to make a long story short, I try again only to find out that it would not overwrite the 2009 maps on my device. I give up. I will run with what I’ve got.<br /><br />By the way, Green River, UT is simply an interstate rest stop. Motels are the leading industry here. And, when the sun goes down, you need to be in your room or the bugs will rack your nerves. It’s a weird town to say the least:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334906850_rXpUB-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334906850_rXpUB-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Tomorrow’s destination: Richfield, UT… that is, if my routes don’t get me totally lost…<br /><br />Total mileage: 3288<br />Daily mileage: 182<br />Wildlife observed: Deer, lizards, chipmunks<br />Favorite Sight: Geyser Pass Rd<br />Favorite Scent: No good smells today<br />Favorite Sound: Green River SP attendant: “Hey, Rowdy Roddy Piper! I just got his skirt in the mail today from eBay” LOL.<br />Favorite Taste: All of breakfast in Monticello<br />Favorite Feel: I call it “dancing with the bike”, but I was in good rhythm today, me and the Orangutan were teaming up quite well.<br />Ailments: NoneAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-43645419369924736012008-08-17T11:49:00.003-04:002008-09-10T21:56:41.961-04:00(Day 15) Rocky Mountain High...Friday, July 18, 2008<br />Day 15<br />N38 20.108 W106 46.334 to Monticello, UT<br /><br />There’s a fine line between too much and too little air in my mattress and last night I apparently had too much. The persistent sound of water rushing by must have knocked me out before I got comfortable in my sack, so I’d start this morning off with a sore lower back.<br /><br />I also would face 35 degree temperatures. This was by far the coldest part of the trip and the coldest I’ve ever been in mid-July. With hands numb and back sore, I manage to fix oatmeal, get everything packed up and be sitting on the bike ready to go at 6:18am. At 6:21am, I’m finally rolling (I learned that the clutch on my Orangutan likes to warm up a bit before operating properly).<br /><br />All of my “cold weather” gear was barely enough as I faced the 50mph wind chill head on. Being in a valley and at “only” 8000 feet in elevation, warm sunrays were hard to come by:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334422157_Nd5Sc-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334422157_Nd5Sc-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />But, just as what has happened everyday for the last 10 bazillion years, the sun rises in the east and points my silhouette westward, reaffirming that my path was in line with my goal:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334422804_LHxDk-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334422804_LHxDk-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I should have just stopped to get this picture, but running alongside a canyon river with a low sun is just cool:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334424483_v9Vzr-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334424483_v9Vzr-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I will never get tired of seeing lakes in the mountains:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334428677_sNCjF-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334428677_sNCjF-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Or, brooks along the mountainside (I’m pointing the camera almost vertical here):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334430165_3zc7j-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334430165_3zc7j-M.jpg" /></a><br />I think I’m getting ahead of myself here though. I roll into Lake City at 8:08am. I get a little upset with myself for not trying to make it here yesterday since the ride was easy and there were campsites every 10-20 miles along the road. I was feeling pretty good, so now the plan was to make it to Monticello, UT to keep up with my schedule.<br /><br />But, first I’d do the gas station routine and also grab some breakfast. Lake City is a caricature town. I wasn’t impressed. Besides being overly expensive, I also felt like I was in a cartoon. The contrast between my type of vacation and the type of vacation that everyone else in town was enjoying was just simply black and white. Almost to the point to where I was getting the cold shoulder from the clean and rich. But, breakfast was good and I’m back on the trail towards Cinnamon Pass at 8:29am:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334430772_XNuTf-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334430772_XNuTf-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I must have passed about 10-20 Jeeps, FJs, Land Cruisers and Land Rovers on the way up Cinnamon. I guess that you can soak in a lot of scenery and get a lot of pictures at the pace they were traveling, but the Orangutan was built for speed, so I let her have her way and enjoyed every minute of it:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334431884_cnCEA-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334431884_cnCEA-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Yes, the snow was ice cold:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334432425_qCUsg-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334432425_qCUsg-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Cinnamon pass was nice. I was the only one up there when I arrived, so I put my camera on the ground to get a self portrait. I managed to get this, but not before I had to stop a Jeep, coming the other way, from running over my camera. It took quite a bit of body language to inform him of my situation, but luckily he stopped a few yards from disaster and I was able to strike a pose again before the shot was taken:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334392705_MqdPe-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334392705_MqdPe-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334439824_UnQhG-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334439824_UnQhG-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Again, I could have taken a picture every 100 yards, but you just have to pick and choose for yourself:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334447496_82SCn-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334447496_82SCn-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />On the way to California Pass:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334451090_2Fygq-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334451090_2Fygq-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />California Pass:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334452260_shCAh-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334452260_shCAh-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />As far as vistas are concerned, California Pass was my favorite. It was here that I would take a picture and laugh at it in the viewfinder because the image is simply an injustice to what it is really like:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334459638_ELGB6-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334459638_ELGB6-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Find the Land Rovers:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334455301_FH59t-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334455301_FH59t-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I didn’t take a whole lot of pictures after this. I figured that just stopping every once in awhile and let the scenery burn into my mind would be better than looking at the pictures later on. Like I said, pictures are simply an injustice.<br /><br />Anyway, I make my way down in elevation and run some very fun paved roads before hitting the longest and deepest river crossing of the trip. It was shallow for the first 80% of it, so I picked up some speed and hit the deeper part, which got me wet from visor to toe…and it was COLD:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334467270_KshUg-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334467270_KshUg-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I made a wrong turn along one mountainside where the trail just disappeared. I looked to my left, downhill and spot two guys with some serious tools. We both looked at each other as if to say, “What the **** are you doing here?” Find the geologists:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334469017_W8KsH-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334469017_W8KsH-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Shortly thereafter, Ophir pass. This pass was different in that it was manly just one big rock quarry. Nothing too technical, there were just a lot of rocks. Find the ram:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334470193_Rkxkb-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334470193_Rkxkb-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Here’s a little help:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334472657_WScsV-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334472657_WScsV-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Some time after this, I reach the Willow Divide OHV trail system. There were a ton of puddles and I was starting to get into a rhythm of letting the suspension soak them up, standing up on the pegs and just letting the bike teeter-totter from front the back while I kept some good speed up:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334477704_wY4W2-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334477704_wY4W2-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />What I forgot was that I had 50 pounds of luggage on the rear. At these speeds, something had to give. The weak point ended up being the plastic clip on my Wolfman rear bag. This was an easy fix as they had provided spare clips in the bag. I was very pleased with all of the Wolfman products that I had purchased.<br /><br />After conquering Willow Divide, the next dirt trail would be Cottonwood Rd. I might be wrong on the name because I ended up not taking it. I could see on my radar that this road would lead me to rain. So, I ended up making a southernly bypass to avoid the mud:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334478913_zqm3R-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334478913_zqm3R-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Here is the view north after taking the shot of the GPS picture above:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334479213_uAQGV-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334479213_uAQGV-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />There was definitely rain up there and I’m glad I avoided getting wet, but still disappointed about missing some of the trail.<br /><br />As I make my detour, I start to realize that I was finished with the Rockies, this was also kind of depressing:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334482373_VXUoh-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334482373_VXUoh-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />But, Utah was a big unknown for me, so the prospects of discovering something new kept my spirits high. Here is how Utah welcomes me:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334483652_Hyauy-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334483652_Hyauy-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Looking south down the CO/UT border:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334483332_PwDGb-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334483332_PwDGb-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Bye, bye, Colorado:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334483891_jEBYX-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334483891_jEBYX-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Simply following my route, I eventually reach Monticello, UT and find a room at the Monticello Inn. Day 15 is complete:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334484872_Ch8ot-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334484872_Ch8ot-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Day 16’s plan is to make Green River, UT and to get my Garmin software that should already be there.<br /><br />Total mileage: 3106<br />Daily mileage: 246<br />Wildlife observed: Mule deer, ram, groundhogs, chipmunks<br />Favorite Sight: California Gulch Pass<br />Favorite Scent: I smelled Evergreens somewhere, it was great<br />Favorite Sound: That KTM still thumping along<br />Favorite Taste: Pancakes<br />Favorite Feel: A bed<br />Ailments: Lower back… may also have something to do with how I packed everything in my rear bag… the contours change everyday.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-66310331001204991172008-08-15T22:47:00.004-04:002008-09-10T21:56:27.930-04:00(Day 14) Elevation and emotions synchronize…Thursday, July 17th, 2008<br />Day 14<br />Salida, CO to N38 20.108 W106 46.334<br /><br />Up until this point, I was in a good rhythm, staying on top of things, keeping all of my gear organized and staying on schedule. Not so much today…<br /><br />The alarm on my watch went off at 7am and I came to with a stiff neck and swollen head. Normally I would leave myself with only 2 or 3 things to do in the morning before I hit the road. Today, I had about 15-20 things to do as I had gear lying everywhere, stinky clothes and unfamiliar surroundings.<br /><br />Luckily, I had the whole room to myself (remember, I’m in a hostel w/ bunk beds, everyone sleeps in the same room). Maybe this is because I was overloading someone’s sense of sound and/or smell last night? Entirely possible, but I wouldn’t have known… Also remember that I have minimal clothes and toiletries to work with and to get to the bathroom you have to walk thru the living room and kitchen. I did this with minimal clothes because I was still in a mental state to where I just didn’t care about too much.<br /><br />Luckily for everyone else, I was the first one up, got a long shower in and felt slightly better. The gas station I patronized yesterday had 32oz Gatorades for .99 cents. I had a little less than 2 bottles remaining and drank it all right there on the spot. Gatorade was just what the doctor ordered as I immediately start to feel better and get motivated for the big day that lay ahead.<br /><br />For the record, I managed to get all my crap together and loaded on the bike by 8am. Back to the gas station for the typical gas, granola and water, but also some more of that special potion they call Gatorade Lemon-Lime. Back on the trail and feeling about 90%:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334357795_s5TNw-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334357795_s5TNw-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />A steady flow of water from the camelback, cool temperatures and scenery like this:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334359358_n5pc2-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334359358_n5pc2-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…really made my slow start a distant memory.<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334362012_n3Wyv-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334362012_n3Wyv-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The scenes were getting better and better:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334363319_Rq8Cr-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334363319_Rq8Cr-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I pass directly through a bunch of campsites along the way. Most of the campers seemed to be ATV riders (only saw 2 motorcycles all the way across the Rockies) and were just starting to get prepared for the day. Their looks were priceless as I apparently didn’t fit the mold. Had they been under my tutelage, they’d be packed and rolling by now, but I guess that’s just the difference between us and them.<br /><br />I was really awestruck by the terrain and it was only getting better as I moved along. I wasn’t paying much attention to signs, so I had no idea where I was at; I was just following the purple line on my GPS and drooling at the landscape.<br /><br />The GPS routes led me to what seemed like a major highway, but it was all dirt. This road was full of ATVs and school buses. Yes, school buses. I guess they were carrying the hiking tourists to the passes and peaks. Anyway, I guess the school buses started to make me feel like a kid again, as it was an absolute blast to blow by them and the ATVs on the way up, fast and fun.<br /><br />But, the school buses eventually reached a point where they could go no further and this is where things started to get tricky. At this point, the GPS was basically blank with a purple line running through it. These trails were not mapped out, so I had to basically pick a direction and run with it. Eventually I saw a sign showing the way for Hancock pass. I remember reading about this on the other TAT reports, so now I feel comfortable with my direction again, but the terrain changed considerably. Here is the easy section looking up:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334365205_8LgN9-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334365205_8LgN9-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…and looking down:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334365712_9Mk9v-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334365712_9Mk9v-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />One of my goals was to get pictures of “the good stuff”. And “the good stuff” began after the pictures above were taken. But even on my farkled-out $8000 dirt bike, stopping to take pictures would most likely mean taking a tumble.<br /><br />The rocks were football-sized and loose. The trail was ATV wide (at most), relentlessly steep and at one point, passed over snow. I selected 2nd gear, kept my RPM’s in the power band and just let the suspension do the rest. This lasted for 2.2 miles and 14 minutes straight. The Orangutan ate up Hancock pass like that was it’s job. Me on the other hand, I was whipped just by hanging on and keeping her on the trail. I took the first break I could here:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334367976_PAZqv-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334367976_PAZqv-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Looking back 180 degrees from that point:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334369393_6PEHP-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334369393_6PEHP-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Four tenths of a mile later and I’m on the continental divide. If there is a picture that I would have to call my trophy, this is it:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334373359_KMTbE-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334373359_KMTbE-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I was rewarded with this view of the remaining trail:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334374928_Ht7dj-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334374928_Ht7dj-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And it was just as awesome as it looks. It would lead me to Tomichi pass:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334390110_kF3Nf-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334390110_kF3Nf-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />4 wheel drive? How about 1 wheel drive? Will that suffice? Yes, I believe it will:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334391536_eJpSg-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334391536_eJpSg-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />So, that would be all of the passes I would do today. Now, elevation would drop back down to 8000 feet (still 2000 feet higher than anything on the east coast, but still kind of short for Colorado). And, as the title of this post suggests, so will my emotions. But, not before I run into a little traffic jam:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334394285_gP323-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334394285_gP323-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And run into a lot of orange at Sargent’s General Store where I had lunch:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334395905_gzGDn-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334395905_gzGDn-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The guys above were running single track. A couple of them were jealous of my trip, and I was also jealous of theirs.<br /><br />So, back to trail which took me off Hwy 50 (before you reach Gunnison) and into some ranch land. This was my first experience with opening gates:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334400335_XxD9m-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334400335_XxD9m-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I didn’t realize it to be a gate at first, but after reaching some other dead ends; I was back here for a second time and figured out how to make it through:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334401053_5L6j6-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334401053_5L6j6-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Some of the roads/trails that I had mapped out were there, but apparently not used anymore because there just happened to be a fence intersecting it now. No gate:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334398509_BkwND-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334398509_BkwND-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />To make a long story short, I reach 5 or 7 more impassable fences or locked gates. Each time I reached a road block, I would reroute, which would lead me a mile or two deeper into the ranch land and into the next dead end. Eventually, I’m running down a trail that popped up when re-routing and I’m less than half a mile the way the crow flies from the next highway. The only problem is that this highway is at the bottom of a canyon, and I’m on the top (pictures are terrible, but you’ll have to trust me on this one):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334404261_d9H58-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334404261_d9H58-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />So now I’m 20 miles deep into ranchland, only a stones throw from where I need to be, and I have run out of progressive options. At this point, I’m really frustrated at the notion that I’ll have to re-open and close all the gates that I just passed thru, all the way back to Hwy 50. Stats for the debacle are 35 miles, 19mph moving average and 1 hour and 51 minutes wasted; so demoralizing.<br /><br />Rain clouds were also in the area. I had prior knowledge from the TAT group I met in Salida that all of the Lake City rooms were booked. When I reached hwy 50, I aimed west for Gunnison to find a room. The radar refreshed and told me what I could already see, there was rain in Gunnison. So, I turned south on 114 which would lead me back to the trail.<br /><br />114 was actually a cool canyon carving paved road. It would have been a ton of fun had I not been exhausted from Hancock, Tomichi and the impossible maze of the ranch land. At about 3pm, as I was cutting through 114, I spot a few campsites along the river that looked really cool. I eventually come back to them to scope them out. It turns out that they were free to use. The scenery was great, so I just called it a day and bowed out:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334407804_ve9m3-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334407804_ve9m3-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Today was the first day that I didn’t make my destination. I was also down to 1.5 liters of water. It was a roller coaster ride all day long, both mentally and physically. I suspect it probably had something to do with starting the day off in bad shape.<br /><br />Even though this campsite had the best scenery of any campsite I stayed at the entire trip, I can point to this as the low point of my trip, even though just a few hours ago, I had reached the high point of my trip atop Hancock pass.<br /><br />Tomorrow I would travel to Lake City and reevaluate my condition before tackling Cinnamon and Ophir passes.<br /><br />Total mileage: 2860<br />Daily mileage: 154<br />Wildlife observed: Groundhogs/marmots, chipmunks<br />Favorite Sight: Hancock pass vistas<br />Favorite Scent: Fresh air atop the mountain passes<br />Favorite Sound: KTM guy at gas station: “Are you somebody famous we should know about?”<br />Favorite Taste: Gatorade by far<br />Favorite Feel: Reaching Hancock pass, no doubt.<br />Ailments: Mentally drained and tired.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-53190528918554570942008-08-14T22:20:00.002-04:002008-09-10T21:56:00.789-04:00(Day 13) These Rocky Mountains are a cakewalk…Wednesday, July 16th, 2008<br />Day 13<br />Trinidad State Park, CO to Salida, CO<br /><br />At 7:35am, I was on the bike and making my way back to the trail. Rather than riding all the way back through Trinidad to pick up the trail where I had left it, I made a 20 mile short cut through Reilly Canyon and intersected the TAT here:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334332548_AQ5SG-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334332548_AQ5SG-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Locked. Bummer. But, by having taking this shortcut, I saved myself 9 miles of backtracking, and backtracking was never fun. I believe this is the Reilly Canyon area:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334332900_HyYsH-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334332900_HyYsH-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />After a 13 mile re-route through Aguilar, I was back on the trail. More moo…<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334333312_W4VVg-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334333312_W4VVg-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Indian tribes called what we know as the Spanish Peaks, “Wahatoya”, meaning “Breasts of the Earth”:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334334242_BBLaH-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334334242_BBLaH-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />A TAT report wouldn’t be complete without a picture of this old church:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334335494_Yysfo-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334335494_Yysfo-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />One thing about Colorado is that all the roads are in excellent shape. Good for those who like to boogie down:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351374656_W2y9g-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351374656_W2y9g-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />That’s a cabin back there. No driveway, no crops, no barns or shed. I dunno:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351376192_wSaTL-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351376192_wSaTL-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />There were some distinctive birds in the area, one of which you can see in the picture above. They were solid black and solid white, the first and only time I’ve seen these types.<br /><br />Almost 2 miles above the ocean:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351376857_4sFF7-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351376857_4sFF7-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…where I got into my first section of birch trees:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351376706_QNHbH-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351376706_QNHbH-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Here is where I thought I was in Jellystone National Park and thought for sure I’d eventually see Yogi and Boo Boo around the next corner:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351377436_ygxfz-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351377436_ygxfz-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Another locked gate, but I could see National Forest trail markers on the other side…weird:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351378696_5MtBd-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351378696_5MtBd-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />More scenery:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351381843_ohB8s-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351381843_ohB8s-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351383856_CYbrN-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351383856_CYbrN-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I could have spent months taking pictures around here. Every 100 yards you’d see another angle of the mountain range and want to take another picture… a new mountain back there, birch trees here, rock slides there, a waterfall in the distance, so forth and so on. Finally, I just stopped here, sat on a rock ledge, ate some granola bars and soaked it all in for myself:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351384482_bXpga-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351384482_bXpga-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Hrmph? A leak?<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351384841_uzE2M-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351384841_uzE2M-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Doh, must have busted an oil bottle in my pack. What a mess, but no need to tear into it now:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351385041_itXFr-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351385041_itXFr-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Eventually I made it into Salida. The chain hotels were going for 90 bucks and the private motels…80 bucks… Next stop was Hayduke’s shop to get the skinny on where to stay. He wasn’t too hard to find:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351385535_pjHVm-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351385535_pjHVm-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And just as I had hoped, he told me about a hostel a couple blocks down that had beds for 23 bucks. I had never heard of these before, and it sounded sort of peculiar to me at first, but I figure saving 57 bucks and being located downtown would set me up nicely for touring the area. But, before I headed out, Hayduke got my priorities in order:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351386290_3HRJR-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351386290_3HRJR-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The Hostel didn’t open until 5pm, so I looked for a gas station to re-supply and organize. On the way, I spot the 3 guys that I had been following the tracks of for the second time (the first was at Valcom in Trinidad):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351385758_QWUTK-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351385758_QWUTK-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I never got their names or handles, so if any of you guys are reading this, post up and let me know how the rest of your trip went! The guy on the right had a little spill on a gravel switchback and got some top-notch medical care from the guys on the left.<br /><br />I find a gas station and start investigate my oil spill a little further:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351385918_CG9Yp-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351385918_CG9Yp-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />One of the oil containers had pinched itself and was leaking, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be; I only got oil on a spare tube and gear shifter. A local phone<br />company guy had some crazy tape that he patched it up with:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351386102_DTU2H-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351386102_DTU2H-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This worked well. Everyone in Salida was really cool. The vibe here was much more active and friendly than that of Trinidad. Hindsight is 20/20, but it was obvious that I should have spent my rest day here instead… oh well.<br /><br />Anyway, it was around 5pm, so I head back to the hostel and get a bed for 23 bucks:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351386683_tU2KB-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351386683_tU2KB-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The girl running this place was really cool. I think she just opened it up making this her 3rd concurrent job. As I was unloading my bike, I met Bronco638 who had just finished up 4 days on the trail. I was hoping I’d have a riding partner for the mountain passes tomorrow, but unfortunately Salida was his final destination this go around.<br /><br />So, the rest of the night was a blur. I unpack, shower and purchase another quick dry shirt (lost one in Alma, AR) and dry bag (for the clean clothes). I go to a bar called Benson’s and eat this:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351387059_oEWD4-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/351387059_oEWD4-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I try a couple pale ales, hit another bar/pale ale and then head off to Amica’s Pizza/Brewery where I order another pale ale. The older guy sitting next to me was telling me all kind of cool stories. So, I go ahead and order a beer sampler too. Every sampler I’ve ever had has been served in shot glasses. These guys serve their sampler in what seemed like pint glasses and there were 6 or 8 of them (can’t remember, go figure). Soon after I sample the first, the guy with the cool stories leaves. So, now it’s just me and about 40 more ounces of beer. All of the cute waitresses made comments about my task and how strong some of the samples were, so there was no bailing out. I get the job done, pay my tab, get out the door without running into anyone and walk back to the hostel. Lights out.<br /><br /><br />Total mileage: 2706<br />Daily mileage: 255<br />Wildlife observed: Mule deer (they pranced on all 4 legs, unlike the white-tail deer around home who actually run instead of skip, it was actually kind of weird seeing this), ground hogs.<br />Favorite Sight: Birch tree forest at 10k feet<br />Favorite Scent: Probably that first pale ale<br />Favorite Sound: Hayduke: “There’s a hostel down the street for like 20 bucks”<br />Favorite Taste: Probably the Amica’s India Pale Ale…I think.<br />Favorite Feel: Just the general kindness of everyone I met in Salida.<br />Ailments: Nothing at all at this point… maybe tomorrow morning will be different.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-91801686191680007992008-08-12T20:08:00.003-04:002008-09-10T21:55:41.197-04:00(Day 12) And on the 12th day, Nick rested…Tuesday, July 15th, 2008<br />Day 12<br />Trinidad, CO to Trinidad State Park, CO<br /><br />I don’t know why I eat the hottest chicken wings on the menu. They make me feel like doo doo. And, the beer sampler at the brewing company last night didn’t exactly have me beating the sun up this morning either.<br /><br />I finally get up around 9 or 10am and walked to a café about 3 blocks down the street and got some really good breakfast. Back at the motel, I was prepared to buy another night at this fine establishment (ignore my sarcasm though, the owners were really nice even though this was the cheapest place in town, a common theme across the country):<br /><br />“I think I’d like to stay another night”<br />“OK, [walking towards cash register]… my girlfriend was telling me you were thinking about camping out at the park…”<br />“Actually, yes… I was…”<br />“It’s really nice [handing me paperwork], I’ve stayed there a few times myself”<br />“OK, well… I think that’s what I’ll do then…”<br />“… oh… OK [takes paperwork back]”<br /><br />Check-out is at 11pm and I have about 45 minutes to get all of my junk organized. I put all the gear that I haven’t used or don’t plan to use in a big pile for shipment back home:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334277432_PD7qB-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334277432_PD7qB-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />-Air filter oil/cleaner<br />-Extra spare tubes<br />-Platypus bottle<br />-Nalgene bottle<br />-backup camera<br />-earphones<br />-extra computer wires<br />-extra batteries<br />-a mouse<br />-some extra bottles<br />-stack of receipts<br /><br />I get everything loaded and ready to go to the post office minutes before checkout time. The Orangutan is looking HAWT with the new stickers and fresh shower:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334277968_sqsk3-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334277968_sqsk3-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I found the post office, a perfectly sized box, paid the lady 13 bucks and bam! I just lost 10 pounds and gained a lot of luggage space… that was easy.<br /><br />I took my time at the grocery store, all I purchased was water and granola bars. I stopped by every automotive parts store in town and none of them had good oil. They said Wal-Mart was my best bet and the ONLY way to get there was the interstate. The were very adamant about that. Psshh.<br /><br />I go ahead and make my way to Trinidad State Park and spend about 30 minutes picking out a campsite. It turned out to be only 10 bucks cheaper than the downtown motel. I think I paid 20 or 25 dollars and ended up with a handful of paperwork. At least I got to pick out the best spot:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334278450_Eb9JN-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334278450_Eb9JN-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I set up camp and went back out to find Wal-Mart. And, amazingly, I never hit the interstate. Go figure. Anyway, I find some plush Mobil 1 15w50 and, from the looks of the local patrons, confirm my suspicion that Trinidad is a quirky town. (I suppose walking around in dirt bike boots and armor didn’t help my own case, but oh well). I stop by the Mexican restaurant on the way back and have myself a nice afternoon lunch.<br /><br />Still with loads of time to kill, I decide to call Garmin again, if for nothing else, just to harass them. After taking the first 10 seconds to fully describe my exact problem, the Garmin guy finally concludes the same 15 minutes later and tells me how smart I was to update my maps 2 days before my departure date. But I guess he felt he could get his own frustrations out now because he would later apologize by saying that he could burn a CD and ship it to me overnight. My GPS routes really got screwy around the west side of Utah, so I had him ship it to Green River, UT.<br /><br />The sun was about to retire for the day, so I figure now would be a good time to get some sunset pictures. I walk the nature trails around the park and lo and behold, what do I see?<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334323412_zMaHh-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334323412_zMaHh-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…The Rockies. They were right over my shoulder the whole time. This certainly whetted my appetite for tomorrow’s ride to Salida.<br /><br />Good night:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334331830_sWNH4-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/334331830_sWNH4-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Total mileage: 2451<br />Daily mileage: 30<br />Wildlife observed: Nothing of note<br />Favorite Sight: The Rockies in the distance<br />Favorite Scent: Margarita<br />Favorite Sound: Local radio station<br />Favorite Taste: Margarita<br />Favorite Feel: Walking the nature trail with absolutely no timeframe to worry about.<br />Ailments: NoneAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-61543957991827190742008-08-11T22:21:00.004-04:002008-09-10T21:55:27.255-04:00(Day 11) No man’s land...Monday, July 14, 2008<br />Day 11<br />Liberal, KS to Trinidad, CO<br /><br />One benefit of riding solo is that you get to pick your own schedule. Today, I beat the sun up:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332295894_A3TZD-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332295894_A3TZD-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This was so cool that I'll share another one with you:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332296044_anHtk-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332296044_anHtk-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I put my camera away and just soaked this in for about 15 minutes.<br /><br />For what seemed like 30 radial miles, there was just me, the land and the sun. There was nothing around to obstruct this 360 degree display of pure dawn. The sun promised to warm the chill out of the morning and gave me inspiration to race it westward. Life has never been so simple.<br /><br />Well… except for those dastardly birds:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332296256_8xZeg-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332296256_8xZeg-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I was making some extreme westward momentum. For example, on one particular stretch of the OK/KS border, I gained -0.002 degrees of southward longitude and 0.500 degrees of westward latitude without making any turns… now that’s what I’m talking about… especially through No Man’s Land:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332296792_Lb4um-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332296792_Lb4um-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The few trees that were out here grew with the wind. I’ve never seen anything like it (there’s little to no wind in this picture):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332296854_hY66V-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332296854_hY66V-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Pictures can never tell the whole story. But, try to imagine riding alone on these roads and having seen hardly any sign of life for the past 60 miles (it looks the same all the way around):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332297111_up3co-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332297111_up3co-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It was actually quite laughable, but luckily, I was dealt a good bike and had enough fuel to reach Boise City, OK where I met DurtRider and his son. I hadn’t seen a dual sport the entire trip, so I pulled over and noticed the ADV sticker and knew it was just another one of YFFs:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332298136_cZ9jj-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332298136_cZ9jj-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I thought for sure DurtRider would be riding west on the same trail I was, why else would these bikes be in Boise City, OK?<br /><br />So, I rolled into the café where they were ordering breakfast and introduced myself. I find out that they were headed east from Colorado back to their house… bummer. We told some lies about our trips, checked over each others bikes like dogs sniffing rear ends, and then parted ways. It was nice meeting you and your son, DurtRider. You’re an awesome dad for taking your son on a trip like that.<br /><br />I got some gas and marched towards state number 3 on the day, New Mexico:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332298518_djTGF-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332298518_djTGF-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Ahh, some shrubbery and elevation changes:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332299043_iA2Xe-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332299043_iA2Xe-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I tried my best to get some antelope pictures, but they would dart off well before I reached them:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332299266_h8A8T-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332299266_h8A8T-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Not so with the cattle, they run AFTER you reach them:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332299978_ZK8bf-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332299978_ZK8bf-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Finally, some new scenery:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332300295_a2yiY-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332300295_a2yiY-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And, what’s this? Some real off-road riding? Sweet:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332301278_QWqgU-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332301278_QWqgU-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The Orangutan was happy:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332302615_TgV5G-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332302615_TgV5G-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It didn’t last long at all but at least the shrubs are getting bigger and the sky is beautiful:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332302833_PkxNJ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332302833_PkxNJ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And, by the way, so am I:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332304834_2F4uV-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332304834_2F4uV-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The lady who took this picture of me in Branson, CO was chasing 3 other TATers. They were from Missouri and we would eventually meet in Trinidad and Salida, CO but took different paths into Utah where I think their trip ended.<br /><br />I was expecting to see The Rockies right after entering Colorado, but all I got was this:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332305811_dbRUV-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332305811_dbRUV-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I think that John Denver is full of ****.<br /><br />Anyway, I didn’t get many pictures after this point; I was already over 250 miles on the day and was ready for a rest. I rolled into Trinidad, CO around 4pm and immediately look for Valcom Motorsports. I still had some tread left on my Kenda K270s, but I had already lined up some new rubber here in Colorado. Both fork seals were leaking pretty bad, so I had Valcom replace them as well:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332306176_6ohoE-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332306176_6ohoE-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Mmm, Dunlop 952 up front:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332306592_JPpBg-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332306592_JPpBg-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />D606 in the rear:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332306503_oqeBV-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332306503_oqeBV-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Gotta love that. PJ at Valcom kept the shop open past business hours and gave me great deals on the tires, fork seals, motor oil and seal savers. Valcom rocks, if only dealerships on the east coast were as cool…<br /><br />I got a spacious room at the Downtown motel:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332306321_kN3DK-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332306321_kN3DK-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And called it a day:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332306087_FZLqw-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/332306087_FZLqw-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I had already scheduled tomorrow to be a rest day, so I walked over to the Trinidad Brewing Company, got some dinner, beer and wings (wings were a bad idea).<br /><br />Trinidad seemed a little quirky and I didn’t really fit in, so I called it a night and would figure out what I would do the next day after some sleep tonight…<br /><br /><br />Total mileage: 2421<br />Daily mileage: 283<br />Wildlife observed: Long-eared rabbits, short-eared rabbits, 10 million birds, antelope<br />Favorite Sight: Spanish Peaks<br />Favorite Scent: Nose wasn’t working today<br />Favorite Sound: My thumper thumping<br />Favorite Taste: Water<br />Favorite Feel: New rubber = Awesome grip<br />Ailments: Jammed thumbAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-64717258029138715352008-08-09T19:10:00.003-04:002008-09-10T21:55:13.318-04:00(Day 10) Vultures: “Will work for food”…Sunday, July 13th, 2008<br />Day 10<br />Alva, OK to Liberal, KS<br /><br />Up and rolling at 7:47am, the trail would lead me 26 miles in a northeasterly path to the Kansas state line before getting some good westward momentum. First picture of the day:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331041256_vigK8-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331041256_vigK8-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It felt a little ridiculous to be riding due east and into the rising sun, erasing about 10 miles of western progress made yesterday. But, as I would find out many times during the entire trip, this sort of thing would usually have a small reward. This time it was a small pack of coyotes nesting in a ditch on the side of the road. I stopped to take a picture, but they ran off before I could get my feet down. Having my feet down next to a nest of coyotes suddenly seemed like a bad idea… clutch, 1st, gas, gone.<br /><br />My first glimpse of Kansas to the right, Oklahoma to the left:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331043387_w7Dfo-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331043387_w7Dfo-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />My 2nd welcome sign at the 5th state… and I didn’t even officially enter Dorothy’s land, just drove by for now:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331043652_GNLfg-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331043652_GNLfg-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Don’t let the elevation changes fool you, it’s just a short teaser and New Mexico is still over 200 miles away:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331045061_28tSh-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331045061_28tSh-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />May as well take some time to try to get some good pictures:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331045433_BYDBz-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331045433_BYDBz-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Notice the tall grass that runs along both sides of the road. Apparently this is a good place for birds to hang out…and scatter in every direction moments before a motorcycle arrives:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331044201_MdPpn-O.jpg"></a><br /><br />This had been occurring the whole day. Slowing down to avoid these small birds would put me to sleep, so my plan was to keep a 45-50 mph pace and just plow through any flocks of birds that would be at the wrong place at the wrong time.<br /><br />What I didn’t think about were the big birds. The vultures (or buzzards, whatever you want to call them). You know, the bald-headed birds with 5-6 foot wingspans that are too lazy to prey on living animals, but rather feast on the dead? Well, this time I believe they were getting a little hungry and therefore more active. Their target? Me!<br /><br />Most of the small birds would dart off in front of me well before I got to them. These vultures decided to fly directly in front of me only fractions of second before I reached their roost. I would guess there were 10 of them in total and the one closest to me was flying about neck-high and an impact was imminent. Rather than plowing through this massive bird, I must have veered right as I ducked my head. Since there were so many of them, I kept my head down longer than I probably should have. When I looked up, I was already in the ditch… heading for a barbed wire fence:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331047548_Bm2qu-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331047548_Bm2qu-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I decided to fall to the left into the ditch rather than driving thru the fence. I suspect I was down to about 25-30mph when the bike hit the fence which shot me and the bike back onto the road. You can see where the bike ended up in the picture above. I remember going head first into the ground as my feet came over the top and slid on my rear as I came to a stop. The following picture is where the bike hit the fence at the 3rd fence post from the foreground. You can see the two water bottles that were in the side pockets of my backpack on the road:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331048304_VbVyB-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331048304_VbVyB-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I felt my helmet do its job and absorb ALL of the initial impact with the ground. By rolling through impact, I think I avoided serious injury. The only thing that hurt was my right hand, maybe from being on the handlebar during impact with the fence post.<br /><br />As I was gathering my senses and doing inventory, I noticed a few of the remaining vultures on the fence post in the distance, wings spread out completely:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331047938_Fh6UU-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331047938_Fh6UU-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Being alone in “No Man’s Land” and seeing these vultures made things seem a little creepy, kind of like I had actually ventured into a land where no man was welcome. How my bike escaped in one piece without a scratch, flat tire, or bent handlebars is beyond me. I was extremely fortunate myself.<br /><br />Anyway, a rancher stopped to see if I was OK as I was getting everything back together. He was aware of vultures roosting around that particular fence post.<br /><br />Facts from GPS:<br />Last recorded speed before accident = 49mph<br />Coordinates of final resting place of bike = N36 55.692 W98 57.952<br /><br />Back to riding… here is Cowboy Cemetery:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331050126_U6iJa-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331050126_U6iJa-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />A rancher and his son waved me down and asked me, “What are ‘you guys’ up to?”. Here he is laughing about my wreck:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331053919_AQzZP-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331053919_AQzZP-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I knew “you guys” meant all of the crusty dual-sporters that run through here, but it seemed I was the first rider he had talked with, so I filled him in on the trail and he seemed cool with it, just amazed that’d we actually want to ride through this area. I told them I was headed for Boise City, OK and they told me, “there’s NOTHING out there”. I looked around and asked myself, “What exactly IS out HERE?”<br /><br />I moved on and looked for somewhere to take a break; maybe a tree, brush, gate or some other landmark to stop near. But, there was truly nothing around, so I stopped here:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331057415_stsko-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331057415_stsko-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />A Suburban full of old folks dressed in typical church clothes actually drove by. They stopped and asked if I was OK. “Yep”. They seemed surprised by my response and slowly drove off.<br /><br />Although I saw many and ran over one, here is my only snake picture. It’s a drive-by picture as I fear snakes more than Mr. T fears airplanes:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331058297_KypMs-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331058297_KypMs-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Find and identify the animal in this picture… I have no idea what these things were:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331059412_eenhE-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331059412_eenhE-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />But they made some interesting noises:<br /><br /><object height="318" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.smugmug.com/ria/ShizVidz-2008080703.swf"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="flashVars" value="s=ZT0xJmk9MzMxMTE0MTEwJms9Z1RibmYmYT00NzAwMTY1X3M3WnJLJnU9TmljaGVsb2Jmb3J1bQ=="><embed src="http://www.smugmug.com/ria/ShizVidz-2008080703.swf" flashvars="s=ZT0xJmk9MzMxMTE0MTEwJms9Z1RibmYmYT00NzAwMTY1X3M3WnJLJnU9TmljaGVsb2Jmb3J1bQ==" width="425" height="318" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br /><br />Did you hear something else in that clip? At the time I didn’t notice it. Had I noticed, I would have guessed it was coming from a rattlesnake and the clip would have been much shorter as I would have bolted much earlier. There wasn’t much to really see out here, but when you stop and cut the engine off, you realize there is a very active wildlife culture.<br /><br />I reach Liberal, KS shortly after 2pm and stumble upon the yellow brick road. I’ve been in Kansas for all of 5 minutes and I’m already at Dorothy’s house:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331064192_Fddsw-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331064192_Fddsw-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I saw many ATV’s on this trip, but very, very few dirt bikes. These two guys pulled up beside me as I was refueling:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331066104_jkexJ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331066104_jkexJ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I forgot their names, but they had just come back from Colorado riding these bikes:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331065947_X3sZ5-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331065947_X3sZ5-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />How do you like that custom skid plate on a bike bought from Pep Boy’s? This was the shorter guys’ bike, he did all the talking, and he loved that thing.<br /><br />Still early in the day, I drove around Liberal for awhile just to soak in the atmosphere. I stopped by an auto parts store and picked up some new Mechanix gloves (I rode all day without gloves) and some more oil. I finally find a cheap motel called “The Kansan”.<br /><br />“I was wondering what your rate was for a single, non-smoking room?”<br />“39.95”<br />“OK, let me check a few other motels…”<br />“35”<br />“How about 30?”<br />“OK, room #8”<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331067452_fgGTw-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331067452_fgGTw-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />A nice Mexican meal:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331067687_wwpBN-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331067687_wwpBN-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And, I’m done:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331065725_WCoxn-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/331065725_WCoxn-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Big day tomorrow, 4 states and finally some new scenery…<br /><br />Total mileage: 2138<br />Daily mileage: 200<br />Wildlife observed: Snakes, coyotes, vultures and antelope.<br />Favorite Sight: My bike in one piece<br />Favorite Scent: Nothing in particular<br />Favorite Sound: KTM still thumping strong<br />Favorite Taste: Chips and Salsa<br />Favorite Feel: My helmet absorbing ground impact<br />Ailments: My hand is a little jammed at the lower thumb jointAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-71381420896247136572008-08-07T20:55:00.006-04:002008-09-10T21:54:54.729-04:00(Day 9) Mud day…Saturday, July 12th, 2008<br />Day 9<br />Osage Hills SP, OK to Alva, OK<br /><br />I was up, packed and rolling just before 8am this morning. A good night’s rest had me re-energized and ready to get back on the trail. The plan was to take 60 west and 99 north to pick up the TAT near the Kansas state line.<br /><br />I hadn’t checked the weather radio the night before, but I was able to forecast on my own this morning before I ever left the State Park:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330369045_RHhVz-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330369045_RHhVz-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The circular shaped clouds had me on alert and reminded me that I was smack dab in the middle of tornado alley. I always wanted to be a storm chaser; hopefully I’d see some action today. The dark clouds are to the west.<br /><br />Once I had my bike fixated towards the west on 60, my XM weather radar finally produced some data for me. What I saw on the screen looked exactly like what I saw in front of me:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330369525_snJVZ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330369525_snJVZ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The radar showed a large rain producing system north of 60 that extended for many miles westward…directly over the TAT trail. Once I reached 99, this is what the GPS was telling me:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330370350_x7YtP-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330370350_x7YtP-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I had two options. North to the TAT:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330370088_AbofX-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330370088_AbofX-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…or, south where all the babies ride:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330370197_Q5eYJ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330370197_Q5eYJ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />My GPS tracks show that it took me 3 miles riding north on 99 to realize what I a mess I was getting myself into. I put my pacifier in, turned around and went south to bypass all of the rain:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330370503_4LPa7-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330370503_4LPa7-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />South 99 turned into West 60. I drained my veins here:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330370748_33nA6-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330370748_33nA6-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />… ate a granola bar, sipped on some water and pondered over my options.<br /><br />It was great hanging out here. You could see cars coming from miles away. They’d look at you funny as they drove by at about 90 mph. I looked at them funny too, because I couldn’t figure out where the heck they were going as there wasn’t much around.<br /><br />It was soon apparent I only had one option at this point, west on 60, wait for the storm to pass, then cut north and pick up the trail again. Ponca City was the point at which I had reached the tail of the storm. From here I could travel north on 77 to Newkirk, OK to pick up “the good stuff”:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330371543_K2mLp-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330371543_K2mLp-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Are you thinking to yourself: “Hey, Nick. You may not get rained on, but isn’t this trail full of dirt? And, didn’t rain just come thru your trail not 10 minutes ago? Wouldn’t that make things a bit muddy?” If you are thinking that, then you are thinking better than I was. Here is where I finally get off the pavement, pick up the trail and continue my westward momentum:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330371773_iqvPX-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330371773_iqvPX-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Ahhh, the sky is clearing and I’m off the pavement, good times… Well, not really. The road looked OK, but once I started riding, I realized looks can be very deceiving. I’m not sure how to describe this terrain, but the best I could do was 30 mph according to the GPS. The back wheel was probably spinning at about 40mph and the front wheel was probably spinning at about 25mph at this point (looking back to the east):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330372296_bVwE6-O.jpg"></a><br /><br />I can handle this, let’s grunt it out:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330372443_GDF4F-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330372443_GDF4F-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The track that progressively gets worse is mine, nearly lost it here:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330372605_xfvj6-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330372605_xfvj6-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And…as expected, lost it here:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330373481_4tVuN-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330373481_4tVuN-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Ok, seven miles every 50 minutes isn’t going to cut it. So now my mission is to get back on the hard stuff. I had to march forward and it only got worse. Excuse me for not taking pictures, but things were a little muddy!<br /><br />I hit one particularly rutty section of road and wrecked again. Only this time, I didn’t get my leg out from underneath the bike in time. I remember not being hurt at all, but the ground smelled really stale and sh!tty. The mud was thick and the bike was lying on top of my left leg, right below the knee. I had seen previously on the radar that another small rain cell was coming and after the bike choked out and died, I heard thunder in the distance.<br /><br />I went ahead and relaxed all my muscles for a bit, which means I’m now laying totally in the mud like a pig in slop. I calculated what I had to do with all of my free extremities to have a chance of getting the bike off of me as I prepared to execute my plan. Right hand on left handgrip, left hand on right handgrip, right foot over stuck left leg as close to my center of gravity as possible. 1, 2, 3… push! pull! I had to use just about every ounce of energy I had (plus a small grunt) to get the bike up and off of me, but I was successful. My gloves were caked with mud. I took them off and threw them down. This was the only time I littered the entire trip. I hope my gloves dried and were picked up by those behind me on the trail. If not, I apologize for littering our trail, I’ll have to go back one day and make sure they were properly disposed of…well, maybe not.<br /><br />Once I was back on top of the bike, I realized that I had twisted my forks within the triple clamp. This made things a little awkward as the handlebars were pointed to the left and I was going straight. I kept my speed down in case any weird physics took over.<br /><br />Anyway, here is the final result:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330373729_reVPM-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330373729_reVPM-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I make it back to the hard stuff (route 177 I believe) and head back south to pick up the next pavement road that headed westward, route 11 in Blackwell, OK. 11 would take me all the way to Alva, OK where I could make a total mess out of someone’s motel room while I cleaned half of Oklahoma off of me. On the way I find a car wash in Blackwell, OK and get all the chocolate frosting off the bike.<br /><br />A couple rednecks in Blackwell were hollering something at me, couldn’t understand what they were saying, but it looked like they were enjoying seeing a guy on a dirt bike caked in mud from top to bottom. Wish I had a video of that scene.<br /><br />Oh well, I found a BBQ place in what seemed like the middle of nowhere around 2pm and grab some lunch. I’m surprised they served me being all muddy, but they did and even gave me some free peach cobbler. Good stuff:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330374396_mg8BK-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330374396_mg8BK-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Alva wasn’t too far away. The unlucky motel winner was Holiday Motel. They were surprisingly very nice to me and offered many extra towels; both for the mud and for me to change oil. Good people:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330374752_9s5Ta-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330374752_9s5Ta-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Liberal, KS tomorrow. Let’s get some dirt riding in this time!<br /><br />Total mileage: 1938<br />Daily mileage: 176<br />Wildlife observed: Jack Rabbits, Turtles<br />Favorite Sight: Pavement<br />Favorite Scent: Freshly plowed dirt<br />Favorite Sound: Harley rider at BBQ place: “Why dirt roads?”<br />Favorite Taste: Free Peach Cobbler<br />Favorite Feel: Clean handlebar grips<br />Ailments: Nothing, just hurt my feelings a little by not riding much of the trail.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-75800303980295292382008-08-06T23:15:00.004-04:002008-09-10T21:54:29.975-04:00(Day 8) New State = New terrain…Friday, July 11th, 2008<br />Day 8<br />Alma, AR to Bartlesville, OK<br /><br />“Free” Continental breakfast was waiting for me this morning. I sat between 2 women carrying on a conversation, 1 on the far left side of the lobby and 1 on the far right side of the lobby. I’m not sure what they were talking about, but if you drew a line from one lady to the other, it would have run right over my plate. I’m not so sure this motel thing is better than camping out.<br /><br />Anyway, I stuff my face with stale bagels, fruit loops, orange juice, 2 or 3 hard boiled eggs, pack my bike and get back on the trail around 8:30am. I still have some of the Ozarks National Forest left to enjoy:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330320506_sgNnM-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330320506_sgNnM-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Throughout most of Arkansas, the water looked a little cloudy to me:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330321382_hoNkQ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330321382_hoNkQ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…but the road worker I talked with yesterday said it looked clear to him…? I made sure this section was NOT clear after I was through with it:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330321662_U6mCu-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330321662_U6mCu-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />There isn’t a whole lot to write about today, I was just riding:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330347318_XSMxj-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330347318_XSMxj-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Leaving Arkansas behind me:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330347622_mBsmq-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330347622_mBsmq-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Here is the very last bit of Arkansas on the OK/AR state line:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330347851_PCEg2-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330347851_PCEg2-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And here is how Oklahoma welcomes me:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330348009_C2jQ5-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330348009_C2jQ5-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />… with no welcome sign to be found. But notice how the road gets a little muddy entering Oklahoma…a sign of things to come?<br /><br />Nahh, Oklahoma is just fine:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330348743_cqpEn-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330348743_cqpEn-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330348893_32N37-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330348893_32N37-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />See, they’re even grading the roads here:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330349670_ZzDFW-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330349670_ZzDFW-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I even found God’s mountain:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330349814_c7eYt-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330349814_c7eYt-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />(wait… which one isn’t?)<br /><br />Here comes the long and straight roads I’ve been looking at on the maps and yes, they’re definitely long and straight:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330350112_msQfs-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330350112_msQfs-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Who says I didn’t stop and smell the roses? (or whatever plant this is):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330350232_U5hU7-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330350232_U5hU7-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Finding places to “irrigate the land” was becoming easier; this looked like a good spot:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330350600_cdZx8-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330350600_cdZx8-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />All bridges should be built this way:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330350776_EEevK-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330350776_EEevK-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Then there would be less of this:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330351315_MjKco-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330351315_MjKco-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330322938_B2aKK-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330322938_B2aKK-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It’s hard to see but flooding had taken out the far end of the bridge above. There was a path leading into this river, but the boulders in the foreground were obviously intentionally placed to prevent “most” people from advancing.<br /><br />The next available bridge was about 5-10 miles away, so trying to get through this may not have been such a bad idea and I’m pretty sure the Orangutan was capable of completing the task. But, fortunately, the better side of me decided to take the long way around, however I’m sure it would have been fun to try.<br /><br />I like the way they build telephone poles here. I’m no engineer, but I would venture to say these poles would last longer than the traditional “T” poles that I’m used to seeing:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330323919_jWtCw-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330323919_jWtCw-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Signs of life here on I-44, but their route seems too easy and non-interesting:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330324658_MUesz-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330324658_MUesz-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I kind of like my route better here around Loveless Corner:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330324815_VEcsP-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330324815_VEcsP-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Not only are the telephone poles different, so are the water towers:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330325036_iMPff-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330325036_iMPff-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And, you can’t stop on the interstate and take artsy-fartsy pictures:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330325298_9gjda-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330325298_9gjda-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Sorry for the tilt here, it was hard to get a good picture while riding, but look far off into the horizon, you can see the gap in the trees where the road leads, straight as an arrow:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330325394_2n823-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330325394_2n823-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Then I come into a not so ritzy part of town and another road closure:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330326097_c4sWP-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330326097_c4sWP-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />“Road Closed” signs mean nothing to me… well, maybe they they do now:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330326325_yAXSb-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330326325_yAXSb-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />So, I turn around and try another route. This is looking back:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330326724_Q4WBQ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330326724_Q4WBQ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…and this is looking forward:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330326536_6BMyK-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330326536_6BMyK-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It was a very, very slow descent into deeper mud and thicker brush. There was actually a paved road underneath all of this mess, but it was slick and smelled uninviting. I was running low on water at this point as well, so I turn around and take the highway to the nearest town:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330327359_V9rJb-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330327359_V9rJb-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Nowata, OK. Hopefully they had some wata… Amazingly they did and this is where I sat to refill my camelback and load my pockets with more granola bars:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330327064_tZJfZ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330327064_tZJfZ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I don’t know why I struggled with which side to sit on, I don’t really have an opinion on either school, but I liked the concept.<br /><br />Hey, an oil well? I thought we imported all of our oil:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330327549_8dFYV-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330327549_8dFYV-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I saw a lot of these. But, they didn’t look like they were yielding much, I guess we have a long ways to go to meet up with our own demand.<br /><br />Anyways, the sun was getting lower and it was time to find some camping. Osage Hills State Park looked like the closest option. Bartlesville, OK was in my path, so I drove through and couldn’t believe the amount of constant wind blowing through that town. A guy at a stoplight called it “relentless”. I call it annoying and I’m not sure why anyone would decide to move there unless they had plans to build a wind farm. But, apparently people do move there as it was a pretty nice town. I guess I was so intrigued with the wind that I forgot to take any pictures…sorry.<br /><br />So, next stop is Osage Hills State Park, they’re serious about cars traveling in the wrong direction:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330327852_PUTgY-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330327852_PUTgY-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />For 10 bucks I get a primitive site and a hot shower:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330329258_uu8VK-O.jpg"></a><br /><br />I forgot to pick up dinner in Bartlesville (10-15 miles of eastward pavement riding to go back) but I had some granola bars that would hold me over if need be. I was kind of hoping one of the other campers would offer some food. About the time I started thinking of this, a nice guy, his wife and grand-daughter walked by and offered hot dogs. Deal! I feel bad for forgetting their names, but, again, extremely nice people:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330329383_A2uq4-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330329383_A2uq4-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This guy has done some long distance riding before, so my story wasn’t so outrageous here. I was telling him the towns I was going to and he would try to offer “good riding roads” in between. I told him I already had some backroads mapped out on my GPS… “Oh, these are good backroads I’m talking about”. So, I walk him back to my campsite and show him on the GPS how I define backroad. Now he was a little more aware of my intentions and goals :)<br /><br />Anyways, it was a long day and there was a breeze coming through the park during the night. Something I hadn’t in my first 4 camping nights, it was very comfortable.<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330328161_qnXsw-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330328161_qnXsw-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Tomorrow’s plan was to simply make it to Alva, OK.<br /><br />Total mileage: 1762<br />Daily mileage: 263<br />Wildlife observed: Just a bunch of birds<br />Favorite Sight: The small trees that filled Osage Hills SP. The tree-line seemed like it was only 10 feet tall.<br />Favorite Scent: Had a lot of bad scents today, nothing positive.<br />Favorite Sound: “Would you like to come over for some hot dogs?”<br />Favorite Taste: The hot dogs (mustard, ketchup and relish)<br />Favorite Feel: The wind holding me up at stoplights in Bartlesville<br />Ailments: Nothing really, still holding up well, I think my body has adjusted to life on the road.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-12099292537431818712008-08-04T21:43:00.004-04:002008-09-10T21:54:13.074-04:00(Day 7) The Ozarks, a full dosage…Thursday, July 10th, 2008<br />Day 7<br />Russellville, AR to Alma, AR<br /><br />I was a little slow on the go again this morning. GPS data shows that I was moving at 8:24am, about an hour and a half after I’d like to get moving. Maybe it was because of this little fella:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329505426_aM3Ao-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329505426_aM3Ao-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Pretty cool, huh? Yeah… not really; this guy was fearless. Most squirrels that I have dealt with will run away before you can even make a move towards them. Not this guy; the fact that I’m 100 times bigger than he was made no difference. He was clearly interested in my oatmeal:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329505691_3SBYo-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329505691_3SBYo-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I’ve never seen a squirrel at this range. I could have reached out and grabbed him easily; at one point I thought he may even try to jump on me. What a jerk. He settled for a ball of oatmeal packages, took them up the tree and proceeded to shred them into 2000 pieces. Did I say I liked everyone I met in Arkansas? I’m sorry, I forgot this little nutsack. I guess the people in Arkansas are so nice that the squirrels have taken advantage of it. I will look for this guy the next time I’m in the Ozarks and may even purchase a nice .22 just for him.<br /><br />Anyway, I saw these guys around the park several times yesterday, but didn’t know that they were riding:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329506906_3gYF4-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329506906_3gYF4-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…until the next morning. They were doing 600 miles a day moving towards Colorado. The guy I spoke with loved that trailer. I doubt I had enough luggage to fill up half of it…different strokes for different folks I guess.<br /><br />Bam, scored a new bungee net at the local motorcycle shop:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329507066_ykDav-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329507066_ykDav-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I thought the story of my trip would maybe earn me a discount or some good advice…nope. I barely got a response. Kind of like this:<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3g1KcOw7zas&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3g1KcOw7zas&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Anyways, moving onward and looking westward:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329507197_K2ExA-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329507197_K2ExA-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Obvious rain clouds, but luckily I had about 15-20 miles to travel due north to pick up the trail where the sun was shining:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329507374_pWzP7-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329507374_pWzP7-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />If you like fast gravel/dirt roads, the Ozarks are chock full of them. Seemed to be the best area I came across for dual sporting on the east coast:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329508750_3kznS-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329508750_3kznS-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />With multiple choices of terrain:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329510988_fGLoi-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329510988_fGLoi-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329511657_H9KjH-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329511657_H9KjH-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I was happy here:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329511389_zHvaX-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329511389_zHvaX-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Then comes the big story of the day. I’m trying to make this as brief as possible because I do not have any pictures (I do have video of the entire debacle, but I don’t have the software to edit it yet). Remember my GPS routes being off? They tell me at what point I need to make a turn, but they don’t really say which road/trail that I need to take. Imagine a road that splits into 3 and then eventually comes back together. That’s what happened here:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/345289258_SErj2-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/345289258_SErj2-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />All three roads would have taken me to my next via point, so I chose the shortest. (Note to self, the shortest road will probably be the most difficult). You can see above where I had to turn around when the contour lines start to get really close together. To make a long story short, I fail to climb the mountain, drop the bike 3 times, almost make it to the top (where it would have been easy riding), turn around and come back. My second fall had trapped my leg between the ground and my bike. For a split second, I thought that this was where I was going to spend the night. But, luckily, I had enough movement to get the bike up enough to remove my leg and get out.<br /><br />At this point, I wasn’t sure which way the real TAT trail went and I thought I had picked the right trail. I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t heard about this section in the previous ride reports. My pride took a beating. It took a few more miles for me to convince myself that I had made a “shortcut” and that it was no big deal. But being so close to the top of that mountain and not making it still hurt. Not only will I bring a .22 for that jerk of a squirrel next time, I’m also going to bring a lighter load and conquer Pilot Knob.<br /><br /><br />Anyways, I retreat for now and hit the big wide fast stuff. They spend a lot of time maintaining the roads:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329517117_yTsAj-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329517117_yTsAj-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I finally come up to the Ozark café and they had my favorite on special:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329518021_7vrFa-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329518021_7vrFa-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Looking out from the café, I could have gotten a good picture of these two kids without a care in the world:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329519154_GSHp4-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329519154_GSHp4-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />But, I forgot about the town drunk (the road maintenance crew up ahead told me about him, he was getting a nice 12 pack of Busch Light as I was leaving) driving off into my picture:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329519309_Z2JKD-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329519309_Z2JKD-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Oh well, here’s the road maintenance, we’re losing our trail, mile by mile:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329520178_XXW7M-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329520178_XXW7M-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Shortly afterwards, I meet Lloyd, Billie, Charlie, Lacy:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329520495_cUdHi-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329520495_cUdHi-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…extremely nice people from Missouri. I wish I had more time to talk, but I had to keep moving on. Once I exited the Ozark National Forest, things got a little more sketchy. Here is the famous Warloop Rd:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329520917_MgWbg-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329520917_MgWbg-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It does have a few drop-offs and rocky sections, but nothing the EXC was scared of. What was more frightening was the area around Warloop. Not somewhere I’d like to be changing a flat.<br /><br />The laptop took a beating today, look at lower left corner:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329521937_BnvbN-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329521937_BnvbN-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />But, it still worked. I found Alma and had a little mexican food:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330320089_MaxGh-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330320089_MaxGh-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I had 2 or 3 choices of hotel/motels in Alma. One looked like a trucker joint, the Days Inn looked like Saddam Hussien’s sons’ home (like it had been obliterated with .50 caliber machine gun fire):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329521275_a9jx5-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329521275_a9jx5-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Or the Comfort Inn:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329521479_LT9dk-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329521479_LT9dk-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I obviously chose the Comfort Inn. I changed all of my oil, washed some clothes and lived luxuriously…well, at least by Alma’s standards.<br /><br />Today’s stats:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330319970_Gf66M-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/330319970_Gf66M-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Tomorrow’s plan is to attack Oklahoma’s long and straight roads and find some cheap camping.<br /><br /><br />Total mileage: 1499<br />Daily mileage: 168<br />Wildlife observed: Turtles, deer, another dead armadillo<br />Favorite Sight: Ozark mountain tree filled range views<br />Favorite Scent: I don’t smell very well, nothing stuck out<br />Favorite Sound: “Today’s special is Fried Chicken…[something, something, something]”<br />Favorite Taste: The fried chicken, of course<br />Favorite Feel: Out running Charlie, catching a little wheelie.<br />Ailments: Bruised calf from boot still, hurt my pride a little bit, gas tank took big hit, burned hole in bag, banged up laptop.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-84335468234698118452008-08-03T19:07:00.005-04:002008-09-10T21:53:58.642-04:00(Day 6) Late start, wet afternoon…Wednesday, July 9th, 2008<br />Day 6<br />Beebe, AR to Russellville, AR<br /><br />The lady at Garmin had promised me the CD that I needed to fix my routes by noon today. I “slept in” to 8am, called the front desk when I was awake and learned that the CD had not arrived yet. So, I took my time getting breakfast at Waffle house, reorganizing my luggage, changing oil and adjusting some of my controls. One thing I wanted to do was move my handlebars forward to make standing up more comfortable. In the process, I found the 10mm socket that I couldn’t find before leaving:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329439224_6XkQA-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329439224_6XkQA-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />LMAO, I drove all the way to Arkansas and this socket never fell off. I had already replaced my socket set with another 10mm socket, so now I had two. By the way, moving my handlebars forward allowed me to stand for longer periods of time, I’m glad I took the time to do this.<br /><br />My cell phone indicates that I called Garmin at 9:49am to get a tracking number for the CD. A representative at Garmin says, “That CD is on backorder, it will be 2-3 weeks before it ships out”. I’m speechless.<br /><br />I start packing up immediately and looked at the radar. Rain was going to be unavoidable. A late start and a wet ride, wonderful. 1st picture of the day:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329439242_wv49V-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329439242_wv49V-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And then we get into the good stuff, but rain was definitely on the horizon:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329439429_edRzZ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329439429_edRzZ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This is where I run into Bernie and LeJean, they were just simply “riding around”:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329439460_YE6ck-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329439460_YE6ck-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />LeJean reminded me of Bill Clinton, maybe it’s an Arkansas thing? I asked them if it was going to rain (they were traveling away from the dark clouds, I was headed directly towards them), they both said very sarcastically and almost in unison, “Nahh, no way, it’s not going to rain…nope…lol”.<br /><br />At this point, I put my camera, phone and wallet in ziploc bags and rode off into the wet stuff. And just as expected, the rain came. Nice and steady; great for the crops, but not so great to ride in. Soon afterwards, I see a man moving from his tractor shed near the road, to his ranch house further back. I see an open carport, so I press my luck and drive into the man’s driveway. He waves me in and I park under the carport. Meet Gene:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329439663_xmcec-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329439663_xmcec-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Gene, his wife and his mother were the nicest people I met throughout the entire trip. I’m pretty sure I could have stayed overnight and would have had dinner and breakfast. And, if time hadn’t been an issue, I may have let this happen. But, I decided just to wait for the rain to settle down a bit and head on.<br /><br />I thought I would be able to take a few pictures through the ZipLoc bag, but they didn’t turn out too well:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329440098_Yf9io-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329440098_Yf9io-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The rain stopped for a bit and I stumbled upon some awesome cloud formations. But, unfortunately, my camera was unable to capture any of it. I’ll post it anyway, because it was one of my favorite sights:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329440859_XdU6f-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329440859_XdU6f-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I ate lunch here:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329441777_eFdMP-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329441777_eFdMP-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I was completely wet, and getting my “water proof” gloves off and on was a chore. I just took my time and enjoyed the rushing waters before the rain started to pick up and I moved on again:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329442506_buQfp-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329442506_buQfp-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Here was my first grand view of the Ozarks:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329444033_TWDy4-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329444033_TWDy4-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I looked for campsites all throughout the Ozark National Forest. I found a few places, but they were all unmarked. Not wanting to do any illegal camping, I searched my GPS for the nearest State Park which turned out to be on Lake Dardanelle, about 20 minutes south of the trail:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329446469_U5338-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329446469_U5338-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />(Remember the bungee webbing hanging off the back of the bike)<br /><br />As I was staking the tarp out, I got a little lazy and missed the stake with the rock I was using. However, my hand did not miss:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329446225_hez4u-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329446225_hez4u-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />That first aid kit that had been “getting in the way” of all of my more important stuff previously, was now a very welcome site. With the cut being directly in the crease of my hand, it took a few extra days to heal.<br /><br />One bad thing lead to another, about the time I took this picture of the park headquarters (Arkansas has some really nice State Park facilities):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329446985_bPpp8-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329446985_bPpp8-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />… I felt a minor disruption somewhere in my drivetrain. It went away immediately, so I thought nothing more of it. More on that later…<br /><br />I drove around Russellville for awhile and came across a Whatta-burger. I have heard great things about this place from a couple Texans, so I figure I’d give it a shot:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329447093_AheJZ-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329447093_AheJZ-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Let me tell ya, What A Burger!... no, it wasn’t anything groundbreaking, but still a pretty good burger. The milkshake was better.<br /><br />But, it all had hit the spot. I was enjoying the town, making small talk with all the laid-back country folk and soaking in the beautiful weather. Then I find this in the parking lot as I was rolling the bike backwards:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329447248_vXhv7-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329447248_vXhv7-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />In the brake caliper you’ll see what’s left of my bungee netting. Flippity-flopping, gee-digity, pooper-scooper. I got what I could out but decided to take it back to camp to get the rest out:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/329447770_sorN2-O.jpg"></a><br /><br />It turns out that park landscaping around my campsite was a great bike lift. I had to take the whole caliper off and remove the pads to get everything out. Minor inconvenience.<br /><br />I was in the bivy before sunset. Tomorrow’s plan is to find a new bungee net and to simply make it to Alma, AR before heading into Oklahoma.<br /><br />Total mileage: 1331<br />Daily mileage: 162<br />Wildlife observed: Deer, rabbits, birds<br />Favorite Sight: Ozark panoramic views<br />Favorite Scent: The ol’ sniffer just doesn’t work as well as it used to.<br />Favorite Sound: Older couple at Whatta-Burger: “Where are you traveling from?” “Charlotte, NC” “Oh my, where are you traveling to?” “I’m trying to make it to Oregon” “OH MY!”<br />Favorite Taste: Whatta-burger milkshake<br />Favorite Feel: Getting my wheel back on<br />Ailments: Small cut to hand, holding up well otherwise.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-10727459842400013292008-08-02T20:20:00.004-04:002008-09-10T21:53:24.700-04:00(Day 5) Slowly losing elevation...Tuesday, July 08, 2008<br />Day 5<br />Sardis, MS to Beebe, AR<br /><br />…and that could only mean one thing, big waters ahead. Actually, once I passed the Blue Ridge Mountains, I was expecting I would slowly ascend as I moved westward; this was a pleasant surprise to be close to sea level so far inland.<br /><br />After riding over 300 miles of backroads yesterday, I caught a few extra winks of sleep this morning and was rolling shortly after 9am:<br /><br />Eastward:<br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328335367_2nXc4-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328335367_2nXc4-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Westward:<br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328335114_GtzVe-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328335114_GtzVe-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Dirt:<br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328335741_CX7MV-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328335741_CX7MV-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />One of my original plans was to take a picture of each city sign that I saw. Here is Crenshaw, MS:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328339344_Rs9Hd-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328339344_Rs9Hd-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I was then going to make a video to the tune of Johnny Cash’s version of “I’ve been everywhere”. This probably would have added another couple days to my trip, they were everywhere. I scraped the idea. (I looked up the lyrics and there are a few places that are on the trail: Oklahoma, Tennessee, Richfield, Colorado and …Jellico! A few other places are very nearby: Tulsa, Little Rock and Crater Lake. Did I just plan another trip?)<br /><br />It’s about 200ft in elevation where I was traveling in the Mississippi River Basin. I could watch the altimeter for miles and it would not change. I started to wonder if big muddy would change directions on me. It seems entirely possibly.<br /><br />Capturing the vastness of the rice fields on camera is impossible, but here’s my best shot:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328340566_E4boA-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328340566_E4boA-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328343009_A9Bhu-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328343009_A9Bhu-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Find the crop duster:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328344499_qBTq4-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328344499_qBTq4-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />My first welcome sign and I only get half of it:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328345671_fstur-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328345671_fstur-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It’s big, it’s muddy:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328346069_LATL3-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328346069_LATL3-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Goodbye Mississippi:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328346749_s3V43-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328346749_s3V43-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Hello Helena, AR:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328347238_rQCdg-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328347238_rQCdg-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Al waved me over and asked me if I was riding the Transam Trail:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328347367_6Ykr3-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328347367_6Ykr3-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Yes, sir, I am. Al said he sees a lot of riders coming thru. Some standing, some driving too fast and sometimes he’ll see 2 or 3 groups a week.<br /><br />All I left behind here and on most parts of the trip was simply a puff of dust:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328347677_AHEqr-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328347677_AHEqr-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Shade was sparse; here was a big oak tree out in the middle of nowhere. It kind of reminded me of “The Shawshank Redemption” when Andy was describing to Ellis on where to go when he got out:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328348688_jF7Ro-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328348688_jF7Ro-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />So I ate lunch there at about 1pm local time. Still had a little ways to go before reaching Beebe, so I marched onward, bring on the levees:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328350483_RWYSm-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328350483_RWYSm-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Not all of the roads were traveled on very often, but still easily passable for the Orangutan:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328351095_mM6DU-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328351095_mM6DU-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I was wondering when I’d cross I-40, this is westbound traffic:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328351701_WSZj5-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328351701_WSZj5-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Here is my westbound path from that point:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328352261_35UA2-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328352261_35UA2-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Time for another granola bar; I sat at this church and watched a crop duster work a field to the south. I thought about the cemetery behind me and how creepy it would be to find [My Name] and [My birthdate], 1878 – [Today’s Date], 1908 on a gravestone. I knew it was back there, but it would have been a long and hot walk in boots to find it. I moved on after the crop duster show:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328353017_RKxFb-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328353017_RKxFb-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I roll into Beebe, AR, find the hotel that Garmin was sending the GPS CD to and I got a room. I wonder how and why this privacy lock was broken? No privacy for me:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328356732_Syf4b-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328356732_Syf4b-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Turkey and swiss sandwich at “The Grill”:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328357370_ExjdL-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328357370_ExjdL-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I actually met a crop duster pilot here and learned that his pilot license was very limited. It sounded like a cool job until someone else walked in and was talking about how someone had recently gone down in one of those planes.<br /><br />Laundry time again. One of my pet peeves is when “your” is used when “you’re” is the correct spelling. But, when “you’re” is used when “your” is the correct spelling, I just laugh:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328357989_ZyKZ7-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328357989_ZyKZ7-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Made good time in the straight flats today, and although possibly obtainable, the max speed is inaccurate once again:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328356330_QvfTN-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328356330_QvfTN-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />Total mileage: 1169<br />Daily mileage: 187<br />Wildlife observed: Remarkably few wild animals today, I did see a fat deer who didn’t “run like a deer”, maybe pregnant? Maybe old?<br />Favorite Sight: Rice Fields and crop dusters<br />Favorite Scent: Nothing in particular but the incense in hotel lobbies is obnoxious.<br />Favorite Sound: The KTM running strong and Al from some farm near big muddy: “They just dumb”<br />Favorite Taste: Eh, I guess the grilled turkey and swiss from The Grill in Beebe.<br />Favorite Feel: Letting the back wheel get loose accelerating out of the gravel turns<br />Ailments: Nothing in particular, it seems sleeping like a rock has helped a lot with any pains. Do have some strange bug bites left over from Tennessee though.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-75192367534540027002008-08-02T00:45:00.004-04:002008-09-10T21:52:57.908-04:00(Day 4) It’s Monday, let’s get to work…Monday, July 7, 2008<br />Day 4<br />Lawrenceburg, TN to Sardis, MS<br /><br />My GPS tracks show that I was rolling at 6:57am. I got a picture of Randy’s mobile recreation unit (probably at around 6:56am):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327750656_Hhpdm-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327750656_Hhpdm-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Breaker, breaker, one, nine…we have a crotch-rocket cowboy westbound on six four, keep your eyes peeled:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327751131_zPGkE-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327751131_zPGkE-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Much like yesterday, I was just trying to knock out as much of Tennessee as possible and my destination was uncertain. Scenes such as these were common:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327752154_uVAyj-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327752154_uVAyj-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327752836_8wwXX-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327752836_8wwXX-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I really tried to get a good shot of the last picture, but it just didn’t come out as well as I had hoped. In the distance the trees were larger where the fog began. It looked much cooler in person.<br /><br />Every once in awhile I’d stop on a bridge to take a picture of the creek or river I was crossing:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327753504_T97jy-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327753504_T97jy-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327753963_FoFj7-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327753963_FoFj7-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Eastward:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327754323_YU2ko-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327754323_YU2ko-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Westward:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327754725_nNXmL-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327754725_nNXmL-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I fell:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327697451_RYni8-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327697451_RYni8-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The bottom of the river in the previous picture is not rocky. It is just rock. One big, long rock. And what happens to a rock when it sits under flowing water? Yes, it becomes smooth. And if the conditions are right, which they apparently were, you’ll get some algae growing on the rock. That was the situation here. I was thoroughly warned about this section and I’m glad I was because it would be easy to try to cross this creek at 35-40 mph on this particular section of road. Somehow I was able to find enough footing to get the bike back up and roll it to the other side.<br /><br />Falling down here was the “breaking of the ice” for me. Before, I was just getting a feel for the TransAm Trail. Getting in rhythm with finding each turn, getting used to browsing the GPS, making sure I was on schedule and constantly thinking about fuel, tire pressure and any other mechanical thing that could go wrong. Shortly after I fell and got the bike upright, I began to “laugh out loud”. No longer was I uptight, but now I was just having fun.<br /><br />Shortly afterwards there was another creek crossing of the same variety. This one was narrower and I somehow made it across safely:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327757427_2FBFR-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327757427_2FBFR-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I liked stopping at cemeteries and browsing over the names. They seemed lonely, I’m sure they enjoyed the company:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327757925_qLz6J-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327757925_qLz6J-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Yes, this is part of the trail (if only I knew at this point how nice this trail is compared to what I was going to encounter out west):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327758454_kwVYv-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327758454_kwVYv-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />You can’t cross the Tennessee River without singing out loud Alabama’s “Oh Tennessee River and the mountain man, we get together anytime we can…”:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327759667_ejAxY-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327759667_ejAxY-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />“Oh Tennessee River and the mountain man, we play together in Mother Nature’s band”:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327760248_h7Jjm-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327760248_h7Jjm-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />On the other side of the bridge were some cool homes. I really liked this particular area:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327760900_Sd9wk-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327760900_Sd9wk-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I could see someone walking into this wall:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327762074_ExHHt-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327762074_ExHHt-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And then comes miles and miles of gravel roads. All of it looking similar to scenes such as these:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327763174_ritMY-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327763174_ritMY-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327763687_BS2u4-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327763687_BS2u4-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Then I came up to Selmer, TN, a scheduled stop on the TAT. It was only 12:30pm but I had already put about 150 miles down and wasn’t sure of the next available motel. I wasn’t planning on camping tonight as I needed to wash clothes and take a good shower. And, Selmer didn’t look too inviting of outsiders. So, I decided to eat lunch on my bike on the side of the road and march westward:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327928831_GjsBW-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327928831_GjsBW-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Let’s go muddin’!<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327929254_YW4ho-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327929254_YW4ho-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />(I didn’t find any mud)<br /><br />At this point the forest got thick and the habitats that I saw looked very shady. The TN/MS border is roughly around here with TN to the left and MS to the right. No welcome to Mississippi:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327929398_r4Sfk-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327929398_r4Sfk-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I’m sorry for not producing a better picture, but this wasn’t an area I wanted to spend any extra time.<br /><br />I had let my gas run low because all of the premium pumps that I found in Selmer were out of order. So I made a detour to this gas station near Kossuth, MS:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327929662_X2zdq-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327929662_X2zdq-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I would find that many of my detours led me to something I would never forget. This time a very, very pale and thin old lady (but still able to walk briskly) gave me the meanest look I have received to date. She was mad that I hadn’t moved my bike away from the pump before I went into the store to get water and snacks. Wish I had a picture, but I’m glad I didn’t because it would probably give me nightmares.<br /><br />The gravel roads were nice in Mississippi, just deeper in places and the rocks were bigger:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327930485_ZME84-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327930485_ZME84-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Holy Kudzu:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327930724_RQs9h-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327930724_RQs9h-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I didn’t get many more pictures after this because I was getting tired and smelled bad. I darted to the next motel I could find which turned out to be in Sardis, MS. Soft bed, clean towels, just what the doctor ordered:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327931301_t5BTX-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327931301_t5BTX-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Those tiled ceilings are good for drying clothes:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328332364_z4tNm-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328332364_z4tNm-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I was in bad shape here. Walking was hard because my feet were just raw, monkey butt was an issue and I was just plain tuckered out. I spent a good amount of time in the hotel room just drying out and I actually started to feel better sooner than I expected. So, I found the closest non-chain restaurant I could. It was a BBQ joint that was just some hole in the wall, err, bullethole in the window:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328333606_GnvTq-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328333606_GnvTq-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I dropped more meat on my plate than I was able to keep on the sandwich:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328332701_g3CnB-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/328332701_g3CnB-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />After dinner, I figured out what I did wrong with my GPS. I had updated to City Navigator 2009 2 days before I left. The only way to fix it was to re-map the entire TAT route by hand (which took me a week to do at home before the trip started) or revert back to City Navigator 2008. I called Garmin and they were going to overnight a CD to me at the Budget Inn in Beebe, AR. My next planned destination.<br /><br />I’m done, over and out:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327931081_Mtt9X-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327931081_Mtt9X-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Total mileage: 982<br />Daily mileage: 315<br />Wildlife observed: Everything I’ve seen before and some armadillos…dead ones. I would like to see one that is actually walking around.<br />Favorite Sight: Super 8<br />Favorite Scent: Not sure what the crop was, but it reminded me of pysillium husk.<br />Favorite Sound: Nothing in particular<br />Favorite Taste: Potato salad from BBQ place<br />Favorite Feel: Definitely the bed and not my air mattress.<br />Ailments: Bug bites, tweaked left ankle acting up again, fatigue, soggy feet from wet socksAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-89222338421341242152008-07-31T23:47:00.003-04:002008-09-10T21:52:25.547-04:00(Day 3) Rednecks in Tennessee? Nahhh…couldn’t be.Sunday, July 6th, 2008<br />Day 3<br />Sparta, TN to Lawrenceburg, TN<br /><br />I was the first one up at the campsite around 6:30am. Today’s plan was to knock out as much of Tennessee as possible. The first thing on my mind was the laptop, curious if it still worked:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341935019_2rLX2-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341935019_2rLX2-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…and it did, excellent. I managed to get everything packed up and ready to go around 7:45am:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341935482_AfoHH-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341935482_AfoHH-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Adios East Tennessee, let’s move further west:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341935560_sc4o5-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341935560_sc4o5-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Today was a very nice day for riding, partly cloudy and not too terribly hot. Scenes such as these were common:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341936447_og8us-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341936447_og8us-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341937334_resib-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341937334_resib-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />One of my favorite things to do was to just stop on the side of the road (maybe even relieve myself) and just listen:<br /><br /><object height="318" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.smugmug.com/ria/ShizVidz-2008050901.swf"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashVars" value="s=ZT0xJmk9MzQyMDc5ODA4Jms9QWVyUkgmYT00NzAwMTY1X3M3WnJLJnU9TmljaGVsb2Jmb3J1bQ=="><embed src="http://www.smugmug.com/ria/ShizVidz-2008050901.swf" flashvars="s=ZT0xJmk9MzQyMDc5ODA4Jms9QWVyUkgmYT00NzAwMTY1X3M3WnJLJnU9TmljaGVsb2Jmb3J1bQ==" width="425" height="318" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /><br />This was quite peaceful and a nice change from the drone and vibrations of riding.<br /><br />This, however, was totally unexpected:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341936716_XyWSw-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341936716_XyWSw-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />A lot of times the roads would lead directly thru someone’s farm where they owned land on both sides of the road and pretty much the road itself. The picture above is one of those instances. Taking pictures here was a little risky since it felt like I was already trespassing. I usually would just turn the bike off, shoot a picture and take off before any confrontations occurred.<br /><br />I-24, too much traffic and running in the wrong direction…not for me:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341936830_76NkW-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341936830_76NkW-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Bell Buckle, TN is nice little town:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341937468_QQrfs-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341937468_QQrfs-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It was only 10:50am, a little early for a lunch break, but this gas station seemed like a good place to stop:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341938244_PHWQg-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341938244_PHWQg-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I got a chicken salad sandwich and it was awesome.<br /><br />People at gas stations asking me for directions and pointing out all the things I was doing wrong was a common occurrence on the east coast. I guess the GPS made them think I could tell them where to go, which it did, but most everyone would ask me first and then go double check with someone inside.<br /><br />“Aren’t you hot in all of that?”<br />“Yes, I am. But, it’s not too bad when I’m moving.”<br />“Do you know how to get to Lynchburg, TN?”<br />“Let me punch into my GPS...”<br />[Sigh, sigh…sigh…hurry up…]<br />“Here we go, go south on [whatever road goes thru bell buckle], blah blah blah”<br />“Thanks” [walks into gas station]<br /><br />I-65:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341938781_PJiPN-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341938781_PJiPN-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I think I’ve seen in other ride reports where this road is flooded. Not today though, dry as a bone:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341938558_K7yuH-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341938558_K7yuH-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />ATV’s were popular all around Tennessee. Apparently it’s OK to drive them on the road (and in one instance, I saw a couple women on a 4-wheeler drinking some Busch Light, I tried to take their picture, but I missed, I think they wanted me to stop… no thanks.).<br /><br />Here was an 8 year old kid and his dad driving:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341939181_gQ5hd-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341939181_gQ5hd-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Another country store:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341939293_P9RGL-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341939293_P9RGL-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And some more gravel roads. This was what I saw mostly throughout Tennessee. Small farms and hills, big oaks and clouds:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341940432_BKzou-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341940432_BKzou-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Everyone likes a sephia picture. I particularly like them when the objects captured are obviously post 1880. I actually never intended to take a sephia picture, but the dial on my camera liked to grab my pants and spin when I was pulling the camera out:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341940664_ynYgR-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341940664_ynYgR-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I was already past Columbia, TN (the scheduled stop for day 2 on the TAT) and decided to get off the trail and head down to Lawrenceburg to see what the motel rates were. I also stopped by O’Reilly’s to recycle my oil and pick up some fresh Mobil 1 15w50:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341941370_HJcMc-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341941370_HJcMc-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I forgot what the motels were asking, but I decided to make a quick trip over to Davey Crockett State Park which turned out to be around 30 to 40 dollars cheaper for a campsite by the creek with water and electricity, good deal…or so I thought…<br /><br />Much like I used to pick the ugliest dog of the litter, or pay too much for an ugly car, I picked what I thought would be the best available campsite, but it was right beside the most unsightly of campers.<br /><br />There were about 60 campsites overall and there were about 10 campers on the far south end and about 10 campers on the far north end of the creek. And then there was 1 rough looking camping box with wheels on it, being pulled by a beat-up 1980’s Chevy truck right smack in the middle of the park. It looked like an elementary school classroom where one kid had farted. The site next to this Sanford and Son scene had prime access to the creek and being the closest site to the bath house, I figured it wouldn’t hurt for me to pull up beside this mobile junkyard and set up camp next door. What could go wrong?<br /><br />Meet Randy:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327691335_dkfMk-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327691335_dkfMk-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Randy is only 46 years old, he’s not too interested in what your life is about, but he drag races that truck you see in the background (heck, it’ll even “lay rubber down as long as you want it to”), has self-proclaimed “mental problems” that he takes medication for, has had open-heart surgery, had something fall on him and break his lower spine, spends hours cleaning paint off of old pennies for monetary use, bought his box on wheels for $165 (which actually has A/C, TV, plumbing and electrical hook-ups and glow in the dark stars on the ceiling (this was mentioned several times)). Randy calls the Amish in the area, “The Midnighters” (probably a “short” version of Mennonites, and he was telling me this like I knew what a “Midnighter” was). He’s not too happy that the “Midnighters” are able to bypass some of the local tax laws.<br /><br />Randy also probably told me a few other details of his life within 30 minutes of my arrival, but I forgot a lot of it. One detail I didn’t forget. Unfortunately, I will not go into details for my own personal safety, but shortly afterwards, the look of, “Oh dang, I shouldn’t have told him that” ran across his face. I now know it’s possible to get into a world of trouble just by simply opening your ears to someone.<br /><br />Here he is explaining how he came across the hundreds of coins he had in his pocket:<br /><br /><object height="318" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.smugmug.com/ria/ShizVidz-2008050901.swf"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashVars" value="s=ZT0xJmk9MzQyMTcyNTY1Jms9QUNIN1ImYT00NzAwMTY1X3M3WnJLJnU9TmljaGVsb2Jmb3J1bQ=="><embed src="http://www.smugmug.com/ria/ShizVidz-2008050901.swf" flashvars="s=ZT0xJmk9MzQyMTcyNTY1Jms9QUNIN1ImYT00NzAwMTY1X3M3WnJLJnU9TmljaGVsb2Jmb3J1bQ==" width="425" height="318" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /><br />At this point I had already laid everything out. So packing up would have probably made him suspicious. I usually download my pictures and GPS tracks after setting up camp, but I’m sure all of the electronics would have made him a little more uneasy. Luckily I had already sent out my SPOT message, but he was aware of the fact that I had some sort of satellite communication.<br /><br />Anyway I decided to dart off into town to get dinner (and to give my ears a break) at DQ:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341941821_Hi6Ya-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341941821_Hi6Ya-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Inside, a man and his grandchildren sat two tables down from me. The man’s voice carried all throughout the restaurant and would constantly order each of his grandchildren to, “EAT IT!”. I should have counted the number of times this was said, but I’m guessing it was over 30 times. I’m sure it ruined everyone’s meal. I started to think that I had picked the wrong town to spend the night in…<br /><br />I roll back into the park and see Randy walking away from my campsite…great. Not wanting to show him any more electronics (he had his eyes on me a lot); I really had nothing to do. The mosquitoes came out and I got into my bivy before sunset.<br /><br />Much like the night before, there was no breeze, high temperatures and it was terribly humid. Remaining completely still in the bivy was the only way I could remain in there. Getting out wasn’t really an option due to the mosquitoes.<br /><br />Needless to say, the plan tomorrow was to get up extra early and get out of town, I got to sleep by planning out each step I needed to take in the morning to get everything packed and ready to go.<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341941108_zPv35-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341941108_zPv35-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Total mileage: 667<br />Daily mileage: 199<br />Wildlife observed: 2 peacocks, vultures and your typical deer, wabbits and birds.<br />Favorite Sight: Peacocks<br />Favorite Scent: DQ Blizzard<br />Favorite Sound: The creek<br />Favorite Taste: DQ Blizzard<br />Favorite Feel: Warm shower<br />Ailments: Boot causing bruise on calf, wet clothes (all of them), and mosquito bitesAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342889986072832449.post-91704801382556287102008-07-30T11:50:00.003-04:002008-09-10T21:52:05.388-04:00(Day 2) East TennesseeSaturday, July 05, 2008<br />Day 2<br />Franklin, NC to Sparta, TN<br /><br />I’m alive. Apparently the bear didn’t come back to eat me during the night and after some instant oatmeal:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327595565_aPqqR-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327595565_aPqqR-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />…it was time to pack up and move out.<br /><br />A good night’s rest will do wonders. Last night I had no idea how I was going to solve the bag burning issue. This morning, it was obvious… leave the rear bag behind and only use one bag, problem solved. I accidentally packed an extra can of air filter cleaner and oil, so this made things easier. I could now actually use the bungee net I had bought as a last minute item. The dry pack that I was using to store clothes in should do just fine under the net and on top of the other bag:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327597220_y5A54-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327597220_y5A54-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Steve even shipped my extra bag and air filter oil back home for me. Let’s roll!<br /><br />Steve had his XR650 ready to rock and would ride with me to Tellico Plains, TN (with the possibility of a few other inmates). I had a northwesterly route laid out, but the forecast showed rain in that area. Steve knew of a more southerly route that would keep us drier according to the radar. He was right. At 7:45am we headed out to the meeting spot and met up with ADV inmate, NC HILLBILLY.<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327597772_rnbaf-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327597772_rnbaf-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Unfortunately, family matters had him heading eastward, so it was just me and Steve…westward we goes:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327600195_QkbYc-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327600195_QkbYc-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Unbeknownst to me, there’s another KTM dealership in North Carolina, awesome:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327602109_KKRJ9-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327602109_KKRJ9-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This is Smith Powersports in Hayesville, NC. They’re not listed under KTM’s website, so I’m not sure how we’re supposed to find them, but it’s great to see we have more Orange options.<br /><br />One thing that would be common on this trip is the lack of “Welcome to [whatever state I was entering]” signs. We were getting into the gravel road groove and Steve asked me why we were stopping. I said, “We’re in Tennessee man!”, “Oh yeah”:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327605548_eHPem-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327605548_eHPem-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />We didn’t go down this single track, but it’s now on my To Do: list along with Cowpens Nat. Battlefield. It seems like this trail runs down the border, I’m sure some of you on advrider are more familiar with this track.<br /><br />Somewhere along the way, Steve got in front of me. Not wanting to get my air filter too dirty, I decided to pull back for clean air. But, Steve would wait for me and take off again when I caught up, thus keeping the dust in my air filter… it was time to race for the lead position!!! Passing ol’ Steve wasn’t easy, he’s pretty quick on the gravel and I wasn’t too fond of my Kenda 270 front tire on this particular road. I’m sure Steve had the WTF look on under his helmet when I was getting beside him, but I think he let me move ahead to avoid a wreck, we were getting at it pretty hard. We made it to Tellico Plains, TN and said our goodbyes (LOL):<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327606881_np3sc-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327606881_np3sc-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />We talked a bit about both of our futures, ate some granola bars and split. Steve back to the comforts of home and me a few hundred more miles away from home. The first day was pretty normal because I had already made that trip before and wasn’t too far away from home. This morning I had a riding partner while venturing into the unknown. But now, it was just me into the great unknown. Definitely a different mood, the one I’ve been expecting to have, but now it was definitely real.<br /><br />Interstate 75? Pshh, never heard of that one, didn’t matter though… I didn’t need it :) And, don’t let the clouds fool you, they were all bark and no bite:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327609697_adEAb-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327609697_adEAb-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />A lot of pavement, but at least the sky is clearing up:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327611112_24syP-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327611112_24syP-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I liked this sign, but it would be much more effective without the answer:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327611455_85c5K-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327611455_85c5K-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And then, bam!, I’m on the TAT:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327612211_cxPLt-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327612211_cxPLt-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />First TAT gravel:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327613181_QjZqk-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327613181_QjZqk-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This is the first place that I recognized from other TAT reports. It looked very similar to what I had envisioned:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327616384_LZ8j3-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327616384_LZ8j3-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Pssh, I’m sure it’s nothing the EXC can’t handle:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327617208_Nqw8P-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327617208_Nqw8P-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Well maybe it is:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327618255_BiX2i-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327618255_BiX2i-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I’ve seen this one before too, I was thoroughly warned, but never got around to marking the location on my GPS, oh well, my first re-route, not too bad.<br /><br />Eventually, after many missed turns and a lot of pavement, I reach Rock Island State Park at around 4pm. There was a sign at the park office that read, “Welcome Campers. Our office is closed. We have NO VACANT sites for the 4th of July weekend.” DOH! Luckily there was someone there and she said that I might be able to find a spot. Luckily I did:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327619925_Ygy5d-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327619925_Ygy5d-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I nearly began tying my tarp to this tree:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327620788_zuaWu-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327620788_zuaWu-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />But my newly found sense of caution prevented disaster (I’m very allergic to poison ivy).<br /><br />Now that camp was set up, it was time of an oil change. Both engine and gear oil this time:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327621315_TGxxX-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327621315_TGxxX-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Having all night to complete the job, I only missed a few drops and caught the rest in these Gatorade bottles. I recycled them at an auto parts store the next day. No big deal finding resources out here on the east coast!<br /><br />I did, however, forget to pick up dinner. But that’s why I brought all of this:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327622245_bjyLB-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327622245_bjyLB-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />At this point, everything’s going great, getting the oil changed, finding campsites, “cooking” food and feeling well. I could get used to this. But then I take a big bite out of my Mexican Chicken, Rice and Beans and almost gag. Man, this stuff is gross! Doh, forgot to remove the oxygen absorber:<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327622922_Z6ZQo-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327622922_Z6ZQo-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I had a strange sense that a tide had turned on me, but wasn’t able to completely pick up on the feeling. Normally I would let this type of thing ruin my whole day, but this is where I learn to adjust my attitude and deal with the changing tide. I had another bag of food on me, made sure I removed the oxygen absorber and ate that instead. It was pretty good.<br /><br />This was also my first experience dealing with the crooked looks from others. Everyone there had some combination of RV, pop-up camper, coolers, chairs and too much food and drink (one particular site really had too much drink). The armor-wearing dirt bike guy eating out of a bag with a spork and sleeping in a bivy sack under a tarp didn’t quite fit in. The whole “it’s not nice to stare at people” theory didn’t apply to me. Some of the things I hear directly and indirectly:<br /><br />--Soccer mom: “Oh my God, the mothers (4 or 5 campsites down was a family reunion, barely within viewing distance) can’t believe you’re eating out of a bag! We have gourmet pizza if you would like to join us.” (Uh, well, that would have been nice to know before I started cooking) “Thanks, but I’ve already eaten”.<br /><br />--13 year old know-it-all: “You’re wearing a black shirt, that’s not too smart is it”<br /><br />--7 year old girl: “I don’t think that’s a tent”<br /><br />One guy directly across from my site watched my every move from the time I rolled into camp to the time I wiggled into my bivy sack. He had no shame and no guilt.<br /><br />Anyway, nighttime arrives, the family reunion shuts down and 1 campsite starts drinking. I listen to all the drunkenness (if you can’t beat it, might as well enjoy it) to about 1 am when they finally pass out. It started to rain and I remembered my laptop charging on the electrical post. Doh, I’m still wading against that negative tide. Luckily, I had it in the big Ziploc bag somewhat. So, halfway asleep (and in my underwear) I fumbled my way out of the bivy and out into the rain. Put the laptop back into my backpack and back under the tarp. All of this happens within a matter of seconds. I will test the laptop’s operability tomorrow, I’m too sleepy-headed to really get mad at myself at this point. Crawling back into my sack all wet didn’t really bother me either; I was just trying not to wake up too much so I could get back to sleep quicker, which I was able to do.<br /><br />Tomorrow’s plan is to knock out as much of Tennessee and it’s paved roads as possible and then find a campsite or motel around 3pm. I tried to contact Garmin and ask them about the routes being all goofy, but its Saturday, so I will have to wait 2 days before I can reach them. I will just have to stick to following the zig-zag pattern for the next few days.<br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341487820_8K83L-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/341487820_8K83L-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327619454_MsXiH-O.jpg"><img src="http://nichelob.smugmug.com/photos/327619454_MsXiH-M.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Total mileage: 468<br />Daily mileage: 216<br />Wildlife observed: 2 deer<br />Favorite Sight: Open campsite with water and electricity<br />Favorite Scent: Either the cow manure reminding me of hometown Appomattox or the fresh cut wood in the logging area<br />Favorite Sound: 13 year old kid: “Oh software development, yeah, if you land one of those jobs, you sit around and do nothing all day and get paid for it”<br />Favorite Taste: Granola bar at lunch hit the spot<br />Favorite Feel: Hot shower<br />Ailments: Monkey butt, bruised calf from boot, some blisters on throttle hand, still a little itchy on my back…Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01129779758432406219noreply@blogger.com0