DAY #5...341 MILES...(1555)

WE WERE UP AND ON THE ROAD THIS MORNING AT 6:00 A.M. MDT. IT WAS A BRISK MORNING, BUT NO WIND AND NO RAIN. HEADING NORTHEAST, IT WAS ABOUT 6 HOURS OF RIDING BEFORE WE ARRIVED HOME.
BETWEEN BOISE CITY, OKLAHOMA AND ELKHART, KANSAS I TURNED OVER 60,000 MILES ON THE KLR. I USUALLY TAKE A PICTURE OF THE EXACT MILES, BUT THERE WAS VERY LITTLE SHOULDER AND THE DITCH WAS FULL OF WATER. I CHOSE TO TAKE THE SAFE ROUTE AND TAKE THE PICTURE UP THE ROAD WHERE IT WAS SAFER.

 

THIS BIKE HAS BEEN AN AMAZING RIDE, HAVING BEEN THE FIRST BIKE I'VE EVER OWNED THAT I'VE RIDDEN THIS MANY MILES. IT HAS TAKEN ME FROM ONE END OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE OTHER, NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST, AND HAS ALWAYS BROUGHT ME HOME WITH NO MAJOR MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. THERE WAS THAT ONE TIME THAT I BROUGHT IT HOME ON A TRAILER FROM OKLAHOMA, BUT  NOT BECAUSE OF ANY FAULT OF THE BIKE. THERE WAS THIS MOUNTAIN IN ARKANSAS THAT DECIDED TO HURT ME, BUT WE WON'T GO INTO DETAILS ABOUT THAT INCIDENT.

YEP.....IT'S BEEN TO ALL THESE LOCATIONS AND MANY MORE. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT 60,000 MILES.

OH.......BY THE WAY. OUR MOTEL IN JEMEZ SPRINGS WASN'T ACTUALLY THE PICTURE I POSTED SEVERAL DAYS AGO. WE STAYED AT THE LA CUEVA LODGE, 9 MILES NORTH OF JEMEZ SPRINGS. IF YOU'RE EVER IN THE AREA AND NEED A ROOM, I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS MOTEL. THERE'S A RESTAURANT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT, AND A GENERAL STORE JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW.........SEE YOU ALL IN MOONSHINE, ILLINOIS ON OCTOBER 19TH.

MOTOR MIKE

DAY #4...329 MILES...(1214)

WE WERE AWAKE EARLIER THAN NORMAL THIS MORNING, AS WE HAD TO RIDE TO JEMEZ SPRINGS AND GET READY FOR THE BIKES SHOWING UP. IT WAS SLIGHTLY FOGGY AS IT HAS BEEN EVERY MORNING, BUT THE SUN BURNED THROUGH SHORTLY AFTER, AND IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY, AFTER THE HEAVY RAIN WE HAD FRIDAY EVENING. WE STOPPED BY THE SODA DAM ON THE WAY TO THE TOWN OF JEMEZ SPRINGS. WATER FROM UNDERGROUND HOT SPRINGS HAS FLOWED HERE FOR CENTURIES, BUILDING UP MINERAL DEPOSITS THAT HAVE FORMED A UNIQUE AND SPECTACULAR NATURAL DAM THAT BLOCKS THE JEMEZ RIVER. IT HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED SPOTS IN THE AREA.

THE THUMPER CAFE WAS AT A GREAT LOCATION CALLED LOS OJOS RESTAURANT, AND THE FOOD WAS GREAT TOO.

WE HAD ABOUT 35 MEMBERS ATTENDING, AND EVERYONE HAD A GREAT TIME. EVEN THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOWED UP AND SAID HE LOVED THESE TYPES OF BIKES. WE TOLD HIM THAT HE SHOULD GET ONE, AND HE SAID THAT HIS WIFE WOULDN'T LET HIM. HE ADDED THE FACT THAT EVEN THOUGH HE WAS THE POLICE CHIEF, HIS WIFE WAS THE SHERIFF IN THE FAMILY.

THE TWO JIM TWINS (JUNGLE JIM AND SCOOTER JIM) AND MYSELF LEFT ABOUT 2:00 P.M. AND HEADED TOWARDS HOME, STOPPING IN CLAYTON, NM FOR THE NIGHT. WE HAD PLANNED ON GOING HOME THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS, BUT THE TORRENTIAL RAINS THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING EVERY DAY HAVE CAUSED MUD SLIDES ON THE MOUNTAIN ROADS, AND WE WERE AFRAID WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH. 

I WILL BE HOME SUNDAY AFTERNOON IF EVERYTHING GOES AS PLANNED, SO WATCH FOR THE FINAL ROAD REPORT SUNDAY NIGHT.....

UNTIL THEN....

MOTOR MIKE

DAY #3...217 MILES...(885)

WHAT AN AWESOME DAY ON TWO WHEELS. WE MADE A 200+ MILE LOOP AROUND THE AREA TODAY, AND THE SCENERY WAS BEAUTIFUL.

DONE SOME ROCK CLIMBING AND DIDN'T REALIZE HOW HIGH I WAS UNTIL I TURNED AROUND AND LOOKED DOWN. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT TOOK LONGER TO COME DOWN THAN IT DID TO CLIMB UP. CAN YOU FIND ME IN THE PICTURE?

DECIDED AS LONG AS I WAS UP THERE, I MIGHT AS WELL TAKE A PICTURE BEFORE CRAWLING DOWN.

HAD SOME ICE CREAM AT PAPA JOES, AND IT WAS GREAT. SCOOTER JIM SAID THE BURGER WAS ONE OF THE BEST HE'S HAD.

WE ARRIVED BACK AT THE MOTEL JUST BEFORE THE SKY STARTED LEAKING AGAIN. THEY HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH THAT AROUND HERE, AND THE PROBLEM IS THEY'VE HAD SO MUCH RAIN, FLOODING IS A REAL PROBLEM.
TO MENTION THE MOTEL.....(PICTURES WERE YESTERDAY). SOME MOTELS HAVE SKYLIGHTS......OUR MOTEL HAS INDOOR WATERFALLS, AS LONG AS THE SKY IS LEAKING. THAT WAS REALLY HANDY WHEN IT CAME TO TAKING SHOWERS. JUST REMEMBER.....THIS BLOG IS BASED VERY LOOSELY ON THE TRUTH...
WE DID LOSE ALL POWER TONIGHT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, WHICH MEANS I ALMOST WASN'T ABLE TO DO THIS BLOG. WE WERE SAVED BY THE POWER COMPANY.
INSTEAD OF WALKING TO THE RESTAURANT I ACTUALLY HAD WIFI OUTSIDE THE ROOM, SO I SAT OUTSIDE AT MY DESK WRITING THIS BLOG.

TOMORROW IS THE DAY OF OUR BIG EVENT. WE'RE GETTING THE BOAT READY TONIGHT, JUST IN CASE.

UNTIL TOMORROW NIGHT....

MOTOR MIKE

DAY #2...290 MILES...(668)

BEFORE LEAVING CLAYTON, NM THIS MORNING, WE STOPPED BY THE ECKLUND HOTEL, WHICH IS AN OLD (121 YEARS) HISTORIC HOTEL. THE BUILDING IS REMARKABLY IN GOOD SHAPE CONSIDERING IT'S AGE.

THE OLD BAR ON THE INSIDE WAS WON IN A POKER GAME, AND HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR OVER 100 YEARS.

IT'S GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO TAKE #000 ANYWHERE. HERE HE'S TRYING TO POLE DANCE IN FRONT OF THE HOTEL.

IT WAS A PICTURE PERFECT DAY FOR RIDING. DARK BLUE SKIES WITH PUFFY WHITE CLOUDS HIGHLIGHTED THE BEAUTIFUL SCENERY.

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AS THE DAY WENT ON, THE SKIES BECAME DARKER AND DARKER, AND WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 28 MILES FROM OUR DESTINATION, THE SKIES STARTED TO LEAK SLIGHTLY. THEN THEY STARTED LEAKING REALLY BAD, AND SOMEONE WAS THROWING ICE AT US. THANKFULLY IT DIDN'T LAST LONG, AND WE WERE AT OUR DESTINATION FOR THE NIGHT.
WE DECIDED TO GO CHEAP TONIGHT. IT LOOKS A LITTLE RUSTIC ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT AMAZINGLY........... IT'S WORSE INSIDE. BUT HEY........WE AT LEAST HAVE A BED TO SLEEP IN.

THERE ISN'T ANY PHONE SERVICE, AND I HAD TO WALK DOWN THE ROAD TO A RESTAURANT SO I COULD POST THIS UPDATE, BUT YOU'RE ALL WORTH IT, I GUESS!!

IF I SLEEP TONIGHT, AND HAVE ENOUGH ENERGY TO WALK DOWN THE ROAD ONCE AGAIN, I'LL POST AN UPDATE ON FRIDAY NIGHT. WE ARE STAYING HERE TOMORROW NIGHT TOO, AS WE JUST CAN'T BEAT THE PRICE ANYWHERE ELSE!!!!!

UNTIL THEN.........
MOTOR MIKE

DAY #1...378 MILES

WELL EVERYONE.....THE WEATHER COOPERATED THIS MORNING AND WE LEFT HOME AT 8:00 A.M. I KNOW IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE WE WERE UP THAT EARLY AND ON THE ROAD, BUT IT'S TRUE. IT WAS CLOUDY MOST OF THE MORNING AND THE TEMPS WERE PERFECT.
WE ARE IN CLAYTON, NEW MEXICO FOR THE NIGHT, AFTER RIDING THROUGH THE BLACK MESA STATE PARK. THIS STATE PARK IS ABOUT AS FAR WEST IN THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE THAT YOU CAN GO, BEFORE ENTERING NEW MEXICO, AND HAS SOME VERY UNIQUE ROCK FORMATIONS.

TOMORROW NIGHT WE SHOULD BE IN JEMEZ SPRINGS, NM IF THE WEATHER DOESN'T SLOW US DOWN. THEN THE ROADS WILL BE MORE SCENIC AND I'LL POST SOME PICTURES.

STAY TUNED FOR THURSDAY NIGHTS REPORT.

MOTOR MIKE

DAY BEFORE DEPARTURE...

OK EVERYONE, #000 AND MYSELF, ALONG WITH JUNGLE JIM ARE PLANNING ON LEAVING THUMPERVILLE ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, HEADED TOWARDS JEMEZ SPRINGS,  AS LONG AS THE WEATHER COOPERATES. IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT CONCERNING THE WEATHER, WE HAD 80 MPH WINDS HERE TONIGHT, ALONG WITH SOME VERY LARGE HAIL IN TOWN. OUR FEARLESS LEADER (#000) AND I ESCAPED ANY DAMAGE, BUT SOME PEOPLE IN TOWN WERE NOT SO LUCKY, WITH BROKEN WINDOWS ON CARS AND HOUSES.

RADAR DURING THE STORM

HAILSTONES THE SIZE OF BASEBALLS AND GOLF BALLS
PICTURE COURTESY OF BRANDON HILDEBRAND

WHAT THE STORM LOOKED LIKE FROM A DISTANCE

SO..........IF THE WEATHER HAS MOVED OUT OF THE AREA, WE PLAN ON LEAVING MID-MORNING, HEADED SOUTHEAST. 

STAY TUNED FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHTS RIDE REPORT....

MOTOR MIKE