AZ 09 – Day Twelve

Warm temps this morning were deceptive as within an hour it began to cool and the skies threatened rain.  Riding in and out of a few small showers I didn’t waste time putting on rain gear and simply plowed through.  My gamble paid off and within two more hours the weather had again warmed and the skies dried up, eventually showing some blue.

Traffic picked up as I went through St. Paul, MN, but I was still making good time.  As I crest a hill overlooking Duluth, MN, the temperature suddenly dropped ten degrees.  I’d later find out the temperature difference was due to Lake Superior’s effect on the local climate.

My objective today was to get fitted for a one-piece Roadcrafter riding suit at Aerostich, a local manufacturer.  Three and a half hours later I exited the store a good bit poorer but quite content.  This leg of the trip was finally a success!

Leaving town on a route suggested by locals (US 53) I was hoping the temperatures would rise as I left the lake for otherwise I’d be in trouble.  It was 48 degrees as I rode next to the lake heading south toward Wisconsin.  If it didn’t warm quickly, or worse, if the temperatures got much lower, I’d be forced to find a room for the night and wait until things warmed tomorrow.  But as if on que, twenty miles away from the lake the temperature started to rise and I was again warm.

Another hundred miles down the road I stopped in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, and found a room for the night.  I’m 1,100 miles from home and have decided to attempt another Iron Butt Saddle Sore 1,000 tomorrow.  I’m writing this note from the restaurant as I nibble on my plate of Elk steak.  (The waitress swears it’s really elk).   I’m afraid photographs for this and the prior posts will have to wait for another night as there’s no time to waste.  I won’t be able to get too early of a start as I’m now down one high beam bulb and BOTH driving light bulbs so I don’t want to run on back roads before dawn in order to keep a better eye out for deer.  I saw three recently hit deer along the interstate today and a back road like US 53 is bound to attract at least as many.

I won’t push myself tomorrow and will get a room along the road if I don’t feel up to the full 1,100 miles.  I promise!

AZ 09 – Day Eleven

Shortly after the first Gulf War an enterprising researcher studying the effects of sleep deprivation on soldiers released a study that concluded a person doesn’t need to “make up” for missed sleep.  That’s to say, even after going without sleep for forty-eight hours a soldier functioned fine if he only got eight hours of sleep.

Too bad that researcher didn’t study fat, balding, middle-aged road warriors.  If he had he’d have discovered that a fat, balding, middle-aged road warrior who stays up for two days with less than an hour of sleep can NOT function normally after getting only seven hours of sleep.  At least that’s what I discovered today.

Rising at 2 a.m. I showered and packed the bike, hitting the road before the sun crest the horizon.  I went to sleep the night before at 7 a.m., though “passed out” is more descriptive.  Planning to make Duluth by late afternoon I wanted an early start so that I could put a couple hundred miles behind me before the sun up but my first gas stop an hour down the road was a sign of things to come.

Nearly an hour later I again took to the road and it was then that I started feeling tired, a feeling that would dog me all day long.  Through the morning I kept in touch with a buddy in York, NE, who offered to buy me lunch.  Not being one to turn down a free meal I was happy to see the stop fit my schedule perfectly.

I am seldom able to meet up with friends on the road due to the fact I never have more than 24 hours notice of where and when I expect to be somewhere and this stop was no different.  Around six o’clock the night before I saw that York was on my route and that the timing would work for either a late breakfast or early lunch, depending on fast I could travel.  Lots of road construction slowed my pace and I made York just after 11 a.m. for lunch.  Thanks again, John!

Less than forty miles down the road I was falling asleep again and I was soon in a repeat of the morning before when I nearly fell asleep at the controls outside Aspen.  I swore I’d learn a lesson from that morning so I took the next exit and found a convenience store and took a break.  However, another half hour down the road I again felt tired and needed a rest.  This cycle continued until I finally decided to give up on making Duluth and simply ride as far as I could until 5 p.m. and then find a room.

With the help of my GPS I made Duluth at 5 and found a room at a MicroTel.  Though the database is at least four years out of date my Garmin GPS has worked great on this trip.  I consult it daily, almost hourly, for the next gas station or hotel information ahead.  And while it doesn’t have all such services listed it does give me a good idea where I can find gas or a room.

My plan for tonight is to get a lot of sleep and then head to Duluth in the morning with no pace in mind.  After dropping by the Aerostich shop I’ll turn South and figure out whether I should head straight home or take a stop in the Smokies.

Photography Notes:  No real pics today but I have a few to add later.  Like the pictures of the last two days I first need to sort out the image resolution issues before I waste road time posting pictures.

AZ 09 – Day Ten

It started the night before.

Finding a cheap motel on the outskirts of Bryce Canyon after touring both Bryce and Zion wasn’t enough.  For some reason, as I stood in the gas station parking lot just east of Bryce, I wanted to see the sun rise upon Colorado in the morning.  A quick check of the GPS showed me it was doable and so I just did it.

On my way to Colorado I considered my destination.  In choosing my route through Colorado last week I intentionally left a few roads and destinations for a future trip later one year that would be dedicated solely to the Rockies.  However, knocking off one destination, Woody Creek, wouldn’t be a problem.

Woody Creek was home for over twenty years to the noted author and Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson until his recent death.  It’s a small town and I’ve always wanted to see it so why not, right?

Somewhere between Utah and Colorado I realized that if I made it to Woody Creek by sun up that I would complete a second Iron Butt “Saddle Sore” ride for this trip (1,000 miles in under 24 hours).  So I celebrated with a shot of water as I pulled into Woody Creek before sunrise.

Thinking that not good enough I set out to explore the area and drifted up the road to Aspen where a man CANNOT find a simple breakfast joint.  None exist!  I rode up to where Independence Pass is still closed and then wandered back through Aspen, wondering what I was going to do.  I decided to get a motel in Denver, a couple of hundred miles away, but on the way back to the interstate I nearly fell asleep three times.  Not a good idea in any vehicle.

I grabbed a cheap McDonalds Breakfast and made sure I was awake before hitting the road.  It was obvious I couldn’t make it to Denver for a proper room and shower so I availed myself of the next best thing; the Iron Butt Motel.  The IB Motel is the largest chain of accomodations and I’m surprised you haven’t heard of it.  Every rest stop in the nation has at least one picnic table suitable for a quick (or long) nap.  Unfortunately, the only free table, er, “bed” at this rest stop was a four foot square expanded metal table.  I used my paper map as pillow to keep the damn expanded metal grid from beating into my skull and I propped my feet on an attached bench as the table was only large eough to support my torso.

After a forty-five minute nap during my hour stop I was refreshed enough to press forward.  No need for a motel room and I could sure save the cash!  I crossed back over Vail pass and through Eisenhower tunnel to the east side of the Rockies and retraced part of my steps last week.  This time I didn’t turn back down Boulder Cayon and, instead, continued north to Rocky Mountain National Park.  Unfortunately, the main road through the park isn’t scheduled to open until this Friday, but that’s not guaranteed.  So, instead of waiting around the area I’m heading to Duluth, MN, in the morning for a shopping trip.

Photography Note:  I’ve been taking pictures like a mad man but had no time to get on the ‘net last night.  I need to get to bed asap and don’t have the time to fool with the recent image problems I’ve been having so I’ll add these as soon as possible.  Please check back as I think some came out quite well!