Month: July 2019

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Wednesday 10th July

By on Thursday, July 11, 2019

After our unplanned part day off yesterday, we decided to have a easy day today. Albuquerque is a big city the biggest in New Mexico. Today we would just cycle from the campsite one end to a RV site the other side. 13 miles mostly down hill apart from a small incline right at the end.

We emailed the RV site in advance to make sure that they have showers and space for a tent. We’ve had problems before, darn they replied that they had problems with gofers so we couldn’t stay no other explanation. Oh well cheap motel and hope that it is clean.

Late start even though the sun rudely woke me ridiculously early, hard to shut curtains on a white tent. We didn’t have to be out of our campsite until noon.

Leaving our tent up and bikes safety in the campsite we wondered around the area on the hunt for breakfast and settled on the Waffle House that we had breakfast in yesterday.

Back to site and pack, we start to cycle at just gone 11am and gosh it’s hot. So glad we’re not going far.

Stopping to look around antique shops and the old town, chatting to people interested in our journey we check in to the motel at 3 pm. It’s cheaper than last nights campsite and bonus it’s clean. If I’m being fussy it’s run down and stinks of cigarettes but beggars can’t be choosers it will do.

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Tuesday 9th July

By on Wednesday, July 10, 2019

After yesterday and thinking we didn’t want to pedal any more. We slept on it and decided that we are made of tougher stuff. Anyway one bad day doesn’t out way all the good. We knew it would not be easy.

So up at 4:30 am. Packed away and on the road for first light. We had 7 miles to do to the nearest supply’s for what would be another 50 miles to do after that with no shops or gas station in between.

7 miles climbing, climbing, climbing, not steep just slow going and yes we had that wind against us. We make it to the gas station only to find that it had very little supplies. We could be in trouble here. A breakfast bar and a drink of water for now. What about the rest of the day! We look around for inspiration there must be something to keep us going for 50 miles of a tough route.

We pay for our breakfast bar and water and go outside to mull over our options. A pickup truck pulled in for gas and we had one of those fuck it moments. Mike asked if he was going to Albuquerque by any chance. This is a town 100 miles from where we were but it is a big city and it was straight down the interstate. Yes he was and we could have a lift if we were quick and didn’t mind sitting in the back.

No time to think about it he was going, we looked at each other, Mike asked if it was legal, he shrugged and said don’t get caught. Just lay down and keep your head down.

We didn’t have time to load the bikes probably just frown them on either side of us, we lay in the middle of them in the pick up bed. And off he drove, he didn’t bother to ask our names and we don’t know he’s but 50 minutes later he stopped told us we were here dumped us and our still loaded bikes on the side of the road and drove off.

So here we are in Albuquerque stunned that we did that, it all happened to quick to think about it. Laying in the bed of a pickup truck of a stranger in a foreign country. Traveling on a interstate 100 miles a hour. Mmm not sure on that. But we are safe and as it was in a direct line we have saved ourselves at least 5 days because our cycle route would of took us further north and over 200 miles more.

It’s early we have all day. Can’t check into a motel until 3 so we do a online search for a campsite with a pool and call it a rest day. As luck has it he unwittingly dropped us off less than a mile from a KOA.

On the way we go to a Waffle House for breakfast. That nutra grain bar really wasn’t enough. Check in to the campsite at 10 am and spent the morning swimming/ relaxing and doing washing. In the afternoon we went to the cinema to see the new spider man film and had dinner at Taco Bell. We really can’t complain about today.

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Monday 8th July

By on Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Today is the first day that I’m having serious doubts. What the heck am I doing. We got up our normal time of 5:30am. It was already day light and warm. Yep the time zone change, tomorrow if we go anywhere we will have to get up at 4 am. I say if we go anywhere because today was hard and I struggled and even after my shower and food I still feel totally warn out.

Cycling from Tucumcari to Santa Rosa about 60 miles just over. We knew that there was nothing in between so was carrying snacks and 6 litres of water each, heavy as.

So off we go into the heat. Great a head wind and it’s a furious one at that. When I say hills we are now in the start of mountains. All day slowly making our way up. Not a mountain with switchbacks, so I can’t be a hero and show a nice smiley selfie on the summit. Just a long climb against the 20 mile a hour wind.

We stopped in abandoned towns for our snacks. And rested anywhere we could find shade. Not much of that about

Nothing for it we will have to keep going. Both of us are running out of energy and water, it’s really slow going we can only manage 4-6 miles per hour and our starting to get knee pain pushing so hard against the wind. We look around for respite or inspiration, it’s dead out here small town America is more like ghost town America.

8 miles from the campsite we are stood on the side of the road seriously worried that we will never make it when a pick up truck pulled up not far away from us. Ok let’s be brave and ask for a lift. Dave what a star gave us a lift to the door of the campsite brill.

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Sunday 7th July

By on Sunday, July 7, 2019

Another early morning in the rain. It didn’t rain for to long so we were treated to another sunrise.

As we cycled on yet another empty road. There really isn’t anything in between towns now and the towns are getting further apart.

we cycled 35 miles before we found anywhere for breakfast it was a truck stop and automobile museum in Gruhlkey. What a treat a proper breakfast, we’ve been struggling for days now to find food other than in petrol stations. Scrambled eggs and toast. And the museum was worth a visit.

The next point of interest was crossing into a new state bye bye Texas and hello New Mexico. And a new time zone. Clocks back 1hour.

We are now being treated to some stunning scenery a good contrast to Texas.

It’s getting a bit hilly lovely to look at, but I think I’m going to be suffering for the foreseeable future. It’s just like the scenery in the old spaghetti westerns I used to watch as a kid. Funny that as most of them were filmed in Spain.

Apparently this area is also a hot spot for ufo spotting I will keep a look out. I’ve already had supernatural experiences on this trip so it would be cool to add an alien encounter to the list. After all I must be insane to be doing this anyway.

San Jon for a liquid top up in a travel centre ( motorway services)! . Whilst there a guy took some photos it felt like a professional photo shoot, not that we are any good at modelling. He took our details and said he’d send us the photos later. Hopefully he does.

Time to move on. We still have 20 miles to go and nothing in between. Getting tired we still have 8 miles to go when mike gets he’s second puncture of the trip. We’re in bright sunshine,no shelter anywhere so make the decision to pump it up and keep going. We had to re inflate it twice to get to our night stop, but we made it. And now mike can do the puncture repair in the comfort of our motel.

Unfortunately this one is out of our price range. We opted for the budget inn down the road.

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Saturday 6th July

By on Sunday, July 7, 2019

The weather turned really bad in the night. Massive storm, we were on heigh alert in case we had to abandon the tent. We were to far away from shelter so everything in the tent was packed away and we sat there waiting for it to pass. All night storms at 7 am in the morning we decided to get going it’s still raining hard and the tent is saturated it will have to dry out tonight, but at least the lighting has stopped and the wind dropped.

60 miles to Adrian nothing in between. The rain stopped at midday and we had a slight tail wind so not to bad a day all in all.

Adrian is mid point on Route 66

A small town the cafe is Disney’s cars flo’s V8 cafe. In real life it’s mid point cafe and used to be owned by Fran Hauser and is famous for their ugly pies. We had to try one.

The RV site is just opposite and is run by a really nice guy who has concerns about the weather tonight and has said any problems just knock on his door or sleep in the laundry room. So let’s hope we get some sleep tonight.

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Friday 5th July

By on Sunday, July 7, 2019

Day off today. Spent the day catching up on washing, buying bits and bobs in the local Walmart and bike shop. Should of been a easy day.

So last night we treated ourselves to a meal at the big Texan steak house. The RV campsite were staying at has a free limo service there and back. I have the bank card for the account that we’re using, so give my wallet to mike for the evening and off we go.

They have a 72 oz challenge if you eat it all plus all sides it’s free. No chance of either of us even trying.

So a good night out, mike has my wallet. We get up and get ready to go to the nearest bike shop just over 7 miles away. I ask mike for my wallet and he said that he’d put it in my handle bar bag. Perfect that’s where I keep it. I trust him no need to check. Now before every ride I always check I’ve got my wallet and phone, I’ve got Apple Pay on said phone encase there’s a problem with the card. Not today we’re in a safe campsite so I leave my phone on charge in the tent.

After a hot ride we arrived at bike shop, Mike has had problems with his seat so we got the tech guy to change the nut/ bolt thing that stops the post from dropping. Pick up new gloves each and some chain oil and go to pay. Bum I open my bag and in it is mikes wallet not mine. He has a card for another account that we haven’t used I guess we will just have to pay from that account. Card declined sh1t we can put goods back but they have already fixed Mikes bike we owe $5. Nothing for it we had to cycle 7 miles back to camp. They kept Mikes driving licence. PersonallyI think they could of let us off $5 after we explained our situation but no. I’m a slow cyclist so after we got back to camp and Mike found my wallet out of he’s shorts pocket I sent him back by himself. Not that I’m blaming him much!

While he did a nice hot 14 mile ride I relaxed in a air conditioned room and read a book.

The rest of the day after he got back was Walmart, swimming, hot tub and a lovely family in the evening feed us.

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Thursday 4th July

By on Thursday, July 4, 2019

America is celebrating Independence Day. Independent from us the British time to tell everyone that we’re from Australia, they get our accents mixed up anyway.

We left our campsite by the cross nice and early a good photo opportunity in the sunrise.

The 1st stop today is slug bug ranch. Created in 2002 five wrecked vw beetles buried hood down into the ground by the crutchfield family to attract customers to their gas station when a huge corporate travel plaza was built close by. Unfortunately it didn’t work and they closed down a year later. It’s now left to deteriorate. A sad site.

So destination Amarillo for tonight. There is literally nothing in between 30 miles of following a frontage road on interstate 40.

In someone’s front yard they also had two revolver b b q’s that they made for sale.

Funny enough this wasn’t far away from it.

We made it nice and early 12:30pm so a nice afternoon to relax. We are in the busiest site yet cramped on to a small tent site but I guess it’s a four day weekend here starting today hopefully we will see fireworks etc tonight.

Texas energy drinks. We needed these today, well maybe not just thought we would try them.

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Wednesday 3rd July

By on Wednesday, July 3, 2019

We actually got our asses out of bed nice and early.

It’s nice cycling in first light a lovely time of day. A long ride to do today as we have decided to be in Amarillo tomorrow for the Fourth of July celebrations.

Not much in between stops again. A old cottage style gas station in McLean.

Long empty roads.

We 55 miles into Groom where there is a big cross that we’ve been told that if we go to the visitors centre there and ask nicely we will be able to camp there. So currently in a Dairy Queen a mile away. Food and internet to pass some time as we don’t want to put a tent up under the cross whilst people are still visiting it.

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Tuesday 3rd July

By on Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Day off. We are both tired so when the alarm went off in the morning we turned it off and turned over and went back to sleep. That’s the trouble with comfortable beds and aircon.

At 10:45 am I woke up and realised that check out was 11:am. Gave mike a shove to wake him. We both didn’t feel like hurrying and cycling out into the midday heat. Lazy I know but instead I went to reception and paid for another night.

We explored the town which didn’t take long and spent the rest of the day sleeping and watching back to back criminal minds.

Shamrocks magnolia gas station restored.

Texas’s tallest water tower. located in Shamrock.

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Monday 1st July

By on Tuesday, July 2, 2019

New day, New month, New state. A little bit of a lay in today not planning to do big miles there’s a campsite just 26 miles away. A leisurely morning and breakfast at Denny’s meant we didn’t start cycling until 10 what’s the hurry.

Passed Eric home of The 1st Magnolia garage in Oklahoma, it’s just a ruin now but so is the whole town.

And lots of old abandoned cars.

Next town Texola. So close to the Texas border that indeed it was once in Texas. It’s population now is reported to be 35, but it still has a open cafe and petrol station.

We cross the state border into Texas and head to shamrock where our campsite is for the night. A RV site unfortunately there are no wash room facilities so again we ended up in a motel. Apparently Elvis Presley stayed here and ate in theU-drop inn. A beautiful Art Deco cafe opened in 1936.

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