July 2019 – Page 2 – Jewells On Tour

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Saturday 20th July

By admin on Saturday, July 20, 2019

Yesterday we arrived at the home of Julie, a lady we had never met but who’s parents very kindly offered us her granny annex to stay. We felt odd letting ourselves in but she was away hiking with her family and wouldn’t be home till later.

We had a lovely comfortable night so peaceful and with out the normal worries about wild life you have when camping. In the morning not to early we went around to introduce ourselves and thank her for our stay. Julie was as lovely as her parents. It wasn’t a problem at all the annex is currently unused she’s in the middle of setting it up as a air b&b it’s perfect.

We stayed another night so as we can have today off exploring flagstaff it’s only 2 miles from the old town full of shops and bars. Flagstaff is a lovely mountain town close to Grand Canyon worth a visit if you’re ever this way. And I can recommend a air b&b!

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Friday 19th July

By admin on Saturday, July 20, 2019

After sleeping about 20hours we made it on the road. 6am breakfast, Mike asked me if I needed another day of rest bless him. He’s not the most patient of people so just hanging around yesterday whilst I slept must of drove him made. I reassured him I was fine and ready to go.

The 1st problem of the day. We wheeled our bikes out of the room into the motel car park and my back wheel was flat. Before we could go anywhere we had to change the inner tube.

Repair done we head to the nearest convenience store to stock up on water and high energy snacks only .5 miles away and got puncture number 2 of the day. Mikes front tire now. It’s going to be one of those days. I go into the store leaving mike to do the repair, that’s all our spare inner tubes used now, we’ve kept them and patched them for emergencies.

Right let’s get going only 20 miles planned today. Heading for a RV park next to the best preserved meteorite impact site. It’s supposed to have spectacular night skies and the visitor centre has a expedition on celebrating the 50th anniversary of the moon landing this weekend.

Like I said it’s going to be one of those days, we had to pass road works. Always hard work. We made it to the visitor centre and pulled over. Mike asked how was I feeling, fine why? He had a problem with his bike and as it was still early and flagstaff is only 40 miles away would I be ok to push on, he needed to find a bike shop.

So that’s what we did, we made it to a bike shop. They fixed the bottom bracket bearing what ever that meant. We brought more replacement inner tubes better safe than sorry.

We are now in flagstaff staying at Richard and Linda’s daughters house. Julie was out when we arrived but she text us how to get in, it’s a lovely place we’ve made ourselves at home and look forward to meeting her.

We are in the granny annex a self contained flat all to ourselves cool.

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Thursday 18th July

By admin on Friday, July 19, 2019

Went to the motel lobby to eat a continental breakfast 6 am this morning, and whilst spooning my cornflakes into my gob I just got that feeling I didn’t want to do anything other than go back to bed. I really couldn’t face getting back on my bike.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me. We’ve both been struggling with the heat and yesterday even though we hadn’t cycled far it was against the wind. So today the thought of doing it all again just seemed to much.

I looked at mike and told him how I felt, did he mind if I just booked us in for another night and just relax. No problem. That was that, I checked us in for a second night. I finished breakfast and went back to bed. I slept until 11am. Read some of my book, slept some more. Went out for a late lunch. And then read/ slept the rest of the day.

Hopefully tomorrow I will be ready to get back on my bike. We are only going 20 miles to the next campsite anyway. Its by a meteor crater and then the next day we should be in flagstaff where we did have the kind offer of some where to stay. I hope my unplanned day off hasn’t jeopardise that chance.

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Wednesday 17th July

By admin on Thursday, July 18, 2019

We didn’t want to leave the comfort of our tepee reluctantly we headed of into the head wind destination Winslow. So all day I’ve had the eagles song stuck in my head. You can drive your self crazy.

40 miles to do and they weren’t easy and the sound of my wheels were driving me crazy. Gotta love ear worms.

The first small town we went through was Joseph city. We were stopped at a crossroad looking up the Main Street for a refreshment stop. When a guy on a bike pulled up next to us, and asked if we were ok. I replied that we were looking for somewhere to get a drink. He invited us back to his, we followed him to his house where he and his wife supplied us with drinks and well needed shaded rest.

Richard and Linda were so kind, they showed us around their beautiful English cottage style garden. What a surprise for in the middle of the desert it struck me funny that they had a hosepipe running and yet back in England where it rains all the time we have hosepipe bans.

I loved chatting to them in a garden that reminded me of home, I’m not loving the desert but can see it’s beautiful and what a great experience I’m having. I love meeting people that I would never normally meet. Both Mike and I our naturally shy so this is great for us.

It turns out that they have a daughter who lives in flagstaff and is willing to put us up. Hopefully we can make that happen we should be there Friday if all goes to plan. we had to leave and on doing so Richard insisted on giving Mike a amount of money we were blown away so kind.

On to Jack rabbit treading post another famous Route 66 land mark it has a giant fibreglass rabbit outside. We looked around at the normal Route 66 merchandise and other cool stuff, but we can’t buy and carry everything we like. We took two cold drinks from the fridge and went to pay. The lovely lady there asked if that was all we wanted, yes please we just need to cool off. No problem on the house it’s hot out there! Wow. Thank you.

We now have to finish the rest of the miles on the interstate. Problem road works, we can’t go into the lane it’s to dangerous nothing for it we have to get off and push our bikes past.

Any one fancy a walk in the desert although I was treated by a coyote trotting happily next to me for a while maybe he thought I was lunch, but he didn’t look threateningly just skinny and hot.

Finally we made it to the corner yep that corner. Gift shop done, photo done, now where’s my motel zzz.

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Tuesday 16th July

By admin on Thursday, July 18, 2019

Today we were faced with a decision, did we cycle 50 miles on the interstate or did we cycle a extra 30 miles ontop to do the national park which was a lovely route through the petrified forest. It was a hard decision to make but in this desert heat a 80 mile ride was out of the question. It’s a shame but we had to opt for the interstate.

We were still treated to views across the painted desert Called that referring to the different colours of sand you can see in the flat top hills. The interstate wasn’t to busy the truck drivers gave us plenty of room.

It was still a hard tiring long hot day but worth it. We had booked ahead a stay in the wigwam motel. A must for any one traveling Route 66. Ok it’s basic and looking a little run down. I had the best nights sleep in the handmade bed, all the furniture in the room was also handmade by the owner. We stayed in a 28ft concrete tepee surprisingly big inside with a small clean shower room, tv and air conditioned. I loved it. I heard somewhere that Oprah Winfrey was going to stay there and backed out because it was too basic her loss.

On arrival we were chatting to a guy waiting to check in. He is traveling across America staying in 50 different independent motels and writing a book about the experience the book will be out later in the year. Sleeping around in America by Andrew Beattie. He is also a journalist writing for travel magazines.

Time to check in there’s no laundry here so Paul the owner let me use his own machine what a star.

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Monday 15th July

By admin on Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Lessons learned. Never underestimate the environment.

Yesterday we studied the map, found a hotel 50 miles away and booked it. There wasn’t anything nearer, but we were happy with that as it looked down hill all day. Also as we cross the state border leaving New Mexico and entering Arizona. We have to put our clocks back. No point getting to the hotel before check in.

So we had a leisurely morning, and breakfast enjoying not to be leaving in the dark a welcome change. Almost straightaway we realised we made a mistake. Arizona is the hottest place in America and even though we have dropped over 1000ft today it wasn’t a nice down hill that we expected. It’s a bit lumpy.

At least we have plenty of services on Route today. We are back following the interstate 40. Most of them are Indian jewellery trading posts.

At one stop we started talking to a lovely man who pulled in the same time as us on his motorcycle. The normal chat. Where did we start, how far are we going, where are we from etc. He’d said that he’d been to England to Goodwood to show his car. Mike recognised the car straight away Hemi under glass. I’m not familiar with drag racing but apparently he is famous, a big deal. Mike was over the moon. He was Bob Riggle. They chatted for ages, Mike got his autograph I wondered off looking at the Indian jewellery.

What with all our stops and chats to lots of people, fighting the heat and terrain we rolled into the hotel car park 10 hours after starting in the morning. Both of us hot and tired. but still loving life.

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Sunday 14th July

By admin on Monday, July 15, 2019

Forget about 1st light, we left in the early hours it was still dark. We packed away our tent by mikes mobile phone torch, normally we can see by moonlight but there didn’t seem to be any very Erie.

It’s funny when you cycle so early you spend your time trying to outrun the dogs or avoid the snakes that venture out onto the tarmac to warm up.

We started so early today because we had 65 miles to do with a 9 mile climb 40 miles in. There was no way I was going to attempt that in the midday sun.

Not much going on today we passed a town claiming to be the home of the mustang but it’s early Sunday morning nothing was open.

Made it into Gallup just gone midday. Gallup is a big city so we have opted for a motel a afternoon of veggin out tv and aircon. Can’t believe we are starting a new state tomorrow it’s going so fast.

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Saturday 13th July

By admin on Monday, July 15, 2019

You gotta love the morning light on the early starts, it’s beautiful riding early in the morning. Today we had the choice of riding 65 miles on the interstate nonstop as there was nothing in between and get to Gallup tonight. Or do a 100 mile detour down the ancient way that had camping midway.

The ancient way one, it’s not fun on the interstate just necessary sometimes. We were treated to gorgeous views and long sweeping descents although we had to climb back up again.

We crossed the continental divide a ridge of mountainous ground that runs north to south separating the eastward flowing streams from the westward flowing streams. Not far from crossing the divide lay our campsite and a cafe for our evening meal.

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Friday 12th July

By admin on Saturday, July 13, 2019

Only 26 miles to do today so we were really lazy and made the most of our most expensive hotel to date. Nice easy morning, sleeping in to 9am, breakfast opposite in the travel centre and then check out 10.45 am.

It’s a hot one but we only have to do 15 miles to the 1st refreshments stop. Air conditioned and cold drinks.

Passed this sign unfortunately the trading post was all boarded up. Another casualty of the interstate, all that was left in town was its post office.

On Route we had only been cycling for 45 minutes when a car coming in the opposite direction pulled over and the driver got out waving two bottles of cold water. He and his family are traveling Route 66 in the opposite direction, he was traveling with his wife and 2 grown up children both with different disability’s. Chatted for a while drinking our cold water when a camper van pulled up to join us.

It was run away bill. We’ve been seeing his stickers pretty much every where we have been. Bill has been traveling America solo in his camper for years. It was lovely to meet him.

We are now in a KOA in a Town called Grants a old mining town, it even has a mine open for visitors, nice to see some small towns are still surviving.

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Thursday 11th July

By admin on Friday, July 12, 2019

Pushed some miles out today after our easy couple of days.

We left before 1st light, neither of us slept very well last night so it felt good to get some fresh air.

We were treated to some stunning scenery and even though the day started with a long climb it was a fairly easy ride. As were finding out a lot there’s long sections of not a lot in between.

After 55 miles of winding through the countryside we arrived to where our map had a campsite marked to find a car park beside a casino. This is where we are supposed to be sleeping. No tent space, no showers and no toilet great.

We talked to a couple of security guards at the casino. They were great guys and said we could use the casinos toilet and restaurant if we decided to stay. Call me spoiled but I looked around and didn’t feel comfortable or safe staying there after the casino closed and security went home.

Seth and Chris said they didn’t blame me and pointed us in the direction of the nearest hotel 6 miles on. Decision made what’s 6 more miles. The hotel is more expensive than we should be paying but at lest it’s clean and comfortable and safe. 6 less miles to do tomorrow so we even get a lay in.

Month: July 2019