Tues., 5/20/08 - Kimmie, Lynne, Natalie, & Michelle

We walked out to load the bikes and breathed in the hot, dry Arizona air. We could tell that today was going to be a special day!

I had bought a Butler cup for my bike so I could have a cool drink on our trip west. The trouble was I had to wait for a red light before I could get a drink. While in Mississippi, my brother had rigged a tube for me that went from the Butler's straw and was long enough that I could just grab the end of it and get a drink anytime I wanted while riding. This invention has been great throughout the trip. I've used it everyday, all day, and today I was going to depend on it even more. Thanks, Bill!

After filling up the tanks we jumped on a deserted I-40. This traffic was less than a Sunday morning on Orlando's I-4. Gosh, I love NO traffic! We didn't go far until we saw the sign for Route 66! Today was the day for driving a section of the old famous route. We left the interstate at Exit 139 and after a few photos at a sign marking it a historic site we began our moseying west along this old roadway. We took our time and were accompanied by a train or two as we made our way west. The town of Seligman was more commercialized. It had restaurants and souvenir shops for those traveling through. Route 66 was beautiful. Sometimes going along on land so flat and at other times threading up through passes in the rock.

At Peach Springs we stopped for lunch at the Diamond Creek Restaurant. Peach Springs is the tribal headquarters for the Hualapai Indians. At the Diamond Creek Restuarant we had the opportunity to try "fry bread." Fry bread is a simple dough that is fried and can be eaten as a bread with stews or soups, eaten as a taco covering, or with honey, powdered sugar, or cinnamon sugar as a dessert. When we first entered the restaurant I had wondererd why there was honey on every table. Fry bread is found throughout their menu. Ted and I tried an order as a dessert. Our waitress gave us a fry bread lesson and it was delicious! I'm so glad we had a chance to try this out. This was a great place to stop!

Our destination today was Bullhead City, Arizona which sits along the Colorado River and borders Nevada. Ted's niece, Kim, and her daughters, Lynne, Michelle, and Natalie live here. We were looking forward to a good visit. As we came through Kingman, AZ it was already early afternoon and the wind had begun to pick up. It was around 95 degrees. A friend of mine, Jean, from the Windshifters Women's Motorcycle Club, had sent some neck coolers for Ted and I to use if it got too hot. Thank goodness for this thoughtful act. It was hot today! But it was about to get hotter! We crested the ridge of the mountain and started down toward the Colorado River bottom. As we desended onto the valley floor the temperature contined to rise. When we entered Bullhead City it was 110 degrees! (Once in town my bike thermometer registered 118 degrees, but I don't want to count that as we were sitting at a traffic light.) Ted and I found our hotel and jumped off the bikes into the cool of air conditioning. The bikes performed well in this tremendous heat. This is the hottest we've ever ridden in!

After a shower and a nap, Kim and Natalie picked us up from our hotel. We met Lynne and we all had a great supper at Joe's Crab Shack across the river in Nevada. We ran over to say hello to Michelle who had to work and couldn't join us for supper. We had a great visit and it was so good to have a chance to see and visit with this lovely family. We just don't get a chance to see them often enough. Before long Ted & I had to come back to our hotel and say our good nights.

Another great day. Today was a day of firsts: Route 66, fry bread, highest temp! And it was a day to see loved ones again. Thanks Kimmie, Lynne, Natalie, and Michelle! Until next time.

U-turns - 2
Miles - 171
Highest temperature - 110 degrees (Bullhead City, AZ)
Cattle grates - 3 (OMG!)