Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Dodging thunderstorms.
Hurt!
Before I twist my ankle in Lincoln NM.
Fighting the sun burn.
In Mt Zion National Park.

This is Darren Flood. He grew up in Kenya and knows some of the same people my son-in-law knows.
I found this old house in the desert.
Looking North. Even though it was very hot, the ride was very peaceful.
Looking East.
Looking south from the same spot.
Looking west in Nevada.
Within one minute a gas tanker stopped and gave me some gas. Praise the Lord!
I ran out of gas 5 miles short of the next gas station.
I saw only 7 cars during this 120 miles.
This was so much fun. I came around a corner and found a heard of cows in the road.
Riding across the desert.
Hello Everyone!

I am still alive and having a magnificent time. Let me get caught up on my adventure. The last blog was from Page AZ. It was so hot I got up early and got on the road at sunrise. It was so wonderful riding into the sunrise and singing at the top of my lungs. The road was empty and my singing was only heard by myself and God.

I made my way past the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and on to the Four Corners. The Four Corners is the only place in the country were four states touch. When I finally made it, believe it or not it was closed. I am not kidding. They are building a new monument and there was a big fence all the way around it. I didn't get to stand on the spot but I did walk all around it.

The day continued to get hotter and hotter. My face was so burnt I stopped at a garage sale and bought a large dish towel. I would soak the towel in water and tie it around my face. I rode to Albuquerque looking like an Arab. I spent Friday night at a campground nursing my burnt face.

Saturday morning I decided to find a motorcycle shop and buy a full face helmet. I found a shop and bought one that was on sale. After buying the new helmet my face could finally begin to heal.

On Saturday I rode to Lincoln County. This is the place where the Lincoln County War took place. The town of Lincoln is where Billy the Kid shot his way out of jail. There are 5 museums in town. I met three school teachers in town and spent a lot of time talking history. I stopped at a historical house called the Dollan House and had coffee. The owners were so nice. I asked if I could camp in their side yard and they said I could. Later that evening I was walking down the street looking at a map and I stepped into a hole and twisted my ankle. It hurt so bad I fell to the ground holding my ankle and a little grandma lady saw me and asked if I was ok. She was a retired vet and went home and got me a vet bandage and wrapped my foot. I spent the night with a throbing pain in my ankle. I got up early on Sunday and rode to Rozwell NM. This town is famous for alien space ships crashing in 1947. Everywhere you look you see alien this and alien that. Even the McDonalds has a spaceship theme.

With my foot hurting I rode 500 miles to Abilene Texas to my friends Jimmy and Annette's home. The last 20 miles of the trip I had to dodge thunderstroms, rain and lighting. I was so tired I went to bed and didn't wake up for 11 hours. Today I went to the world famous Harolds Bar-B-Q Pit and had some great food. I plan on resting one more day and then hitting the road east on Thursday.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

It is Thursday evening and I am in page AZ. The second day on my trip took me from Burns OR to Austin NV. The most exciting thing that happened was I ran out of gas just short of the NV border. I was only on the side of the road for less than a minute when a fuel truck stopped and gave me some gas. Praise the Lord. In Austin I met a guy from Colorado who grew up in Kenya. He is friends with one of the groomsmen that was at Heidi and Chris's wedding. (my daughter and son-in-law) Small world. We shared a campsite and got to pray together.

On the third day of my trip I drove by area 51 and had lunch at the Groom Lake dinner. They had all kinds of extraterrestrial stuff for sale. I don't know how I was able to resist buying a glow in the dark spaceman but I somehow I found the will power. I stay at a campground in Calente NV and the Lady that ran the place was Dutch. Her father came to America after WW2. I told her about my wife and father-in-law being Dutch and it was like old home week.

Today I stopped at The Mountain Meadow Massacre site. For that matter I have stopped at every history marker I have come across. I went to Mt Zion National Park and it was magnificent. My face and hands are burnt. The temp was well over 100 today. Hannah and Tyler got me a camel back canteen and I have to say it is a life safer. I fill it up two or three times a day and I can drink from it while I ride. I am camping in Page AZ tonight and I want to leave early and go see the Grand Cannon in the morning. I have taken lots of pictures but I don't know how to post them. When I get to my friends in Texas maybe they can help me.

It is really great not having a radio or tv to entertain me. I have spent lots of time singing praise songs on my bike and I have done lots of praying. It has been a great time with my Lord. Well I am going to bed as I am really beat.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Monday June 21st, 2010

I am on my way! I left this morning at about 8AM and drove east on Highway 14. I hit sunny weather at about Hood River and it was joy to see. I crossed over into Oregon at Bigs Junction and took the highway to Condon, Fossel, John Day and here I am in Burns. Rode about 330 miles with no trouble at all. Praise the Lord! I will try and add some pictures but we will see. Sorry no can do. Blessings to all.

In Him
Mike
PS The ride along the John Day River was magnificent. I highly recomend it to all.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Thursday June 17th, 2010

Getting ready for the big trip. My bike has been at the shop for the past week. I want to make sure it is in tip top shape.