Day 11 (Tuesday, August 9) - Gallup, NM to Weatherford, OK - 626 miles

Even though I rode 626 miles, all on I-40 today, it was still a great ride (hey, I was on my motorcycle and in the wind all day and I wasn't WORKING!!) (Sorry about that to all those who are still working, answering to all the whims of a boss and are not retired yet!! If you are retired, then you know what I mean!!).

OK, now on with the day. Started off this morning in Gallup, NM at 50 degrees and ended up across Texas at 105 degrees.

Even here in Weatherford, Oklahoma, this evening at 7:46 pm it was still 98 degrees!! A hot day on the slab for sure, but still not as hot as coming across Kansas last week!! It is all relative!! Really, it was a nice ride. Topped out over 7,000 feet when I crossed the continental divide west of Albuquerque, NM. Stopped for gas and water about every 100 miles for a couple of reasons (I was drinking a lot of water and it is a ways between gas stations here out west!). Met a lot of folks at each stop. This was my first time in Texas and to be honest, I was not impressed. I am sure it was the area I went through, but I was happy to get though it. It was very hot, winds worse than I have ever encountered in South Dakota or Kansas, the biggest cattle feed lots I have ever seen (didn't think they could get more cattle in a lot than Kansas, but Texas sure does it!!) and DRY as a bone and everything was brown!! That is what I saw and experienced of Texas!! (Hope I don't offend any Texans reading this, but hey, that was my perception of reality today!!).

Everywhere I stopped today, it seemed that I was either on or saw something about US Route 66.

Gas station somewhere in New Mexico

US Route 66 basically does follow I40 all the way across New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. As a matter of fact, I am staying in a motel tonight on US Route 66 again just like last night.

Life is Good!!

 I think I have the plans in the making for my next big motorcycle trip and that is to ride Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles. The motel here tonight even gave me a book on the Oklahoma Route 66 Association Trip Guide. Even though I had no Route 66 plans on this trip, I coincidentally have encountered it over and over again. I think that tells me something!!

Did stop at Tripp's Harley Davidson shop in Amarillo, TX. That was the bright spot about Texas for me today. The folks in there were very friendly and would talk to you. One of the salesman wanted to know where I was from and about my trip. I could tell he was sincere. Met another rider going from Alabama to San Diego solo on a Road King. We exchanged a few tips since we were going in opposite directions. Met another guy there that was having service done on his bike. I asked him if he was a local and he said yes, I just live down the road about 60 miles. Funny, 60 miles away is "local" in Texas!!

I first stopped in Elk City, OK to find a room for the night but the entire town was booked up. I asked one motel clerk what was going on in the town and she said "Oh, this is an OIL town and all the workers have every motel booked up". She then told me to go to the next town that isn't an "OIL town" and I should have no trouble getting a room and she was right!

Went to local restaurant next door to the motel to eat tonight. I had a Route 66 sandwich and it was delicious (especially with a Fat Tire beer that I had left over from Gallup, NM last night!!).

As I noted, the street in front of the motel is Route 66. It is as picturesque as you can get of Route 66. Even the neon signs. I walked down to the ice cream place and looked at it. It was crowded, but I resisted getting any ice cream, as I knew i would regret it later. I did check at a local store to get more Fat Tire beer for tomorrow night, but it is not sold in Oklahoma, like it is not sold in Virginia.

So I bought a four pack of some local Oklahoma beer called Native Amber. Hey, maybe it is good and I will start something like the liking I have for Fat Tire! The story on Fat Tire started on a motorcycle trip I made with friends Dave and Keith. We were in Lone Pine, California. Keith and I went into a "real" saloon (at least it had the swinging half front doors) and they had a beer named Fat Tire on draft. We tried it and liked it and had it all the was to the Mississippi river on that trip. It is now sold in North Carolina but not in Virginia. I always "stock up" on Fat Tire when I go to North Carolina to visit my daughter that lives there!