We passed the state line at 2:30pm Pacific Standard Time today and we thumped the air - what an achievement. This dream is coming true. 13 states, 3 time zones, 2 woman, 2 motorcycles, 14 days.......
Hang on though let's go back to the morning as we haven't got there yet but we are in the final state.
After the mandatory tire check and side stand stability check we left Williams and headed out on the Route66 / I-40 West.
By 9am we had reached a town on the US historic route called Seligman and we pulled up and parked next to the RoadRunner a well known and notable place as when you get to the entrance Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe are there to welcome you. Inside is American and Route 66 memorabilia. At the back is a coffee stand where we ordered some coffee and then passing James Dean we went and sat outside with Betty Boo and people watched!
The day had started with a glorious cloud free sky and temperatures already in the 70s. The juke box was playing all sorts of tunes whilst we sat and watched three tourist coach loads arrive - All Europeans !
Well as you can imagine with all the gear on and with bus loads of tourists we had to hop skip and a jump out of there and pronto!
Our next stop along the way was an old US Historic tourist garage pull in where an old car took pride of place out front. I took the opportunity to take some photos for my lifetime trip.
We headed out across the Arizona desert and the temperature rose and rose and rose. The terrain again changed from green forest trees to desert landscape and then rock formation. We rode on and through Kingman where the flat land with cows changed again and became a steep incline with 15 mph signs, twistys and no rail just a sheer drop. I have to admit that there were quite a few " oh shit" moments on the Oatland Highway. Not only was this stretch of the Route 66 exhilarating it was also 102 degrees.
Brunch in Oatman, AZ is a tourist location again with saloons, memorabilia shops, flea market type places and mules. The mules are wild, and they wander around the town entertaining the tourists and the locals alike. They do what they want, when they want say many of the signage. They can just stand in the middle of the road and traffic (including motorcycles) just have to wait, they can wander up on the wooden shop level and even attempt to enter restaurants.
After finishing off the lunch special of Bison Burger at the best restaurant in town with $1 notes signed and stuck to the walls and ceiling throughout it was time to leave Oatland, leave Arizona and head to the state line of California and on to Needles, CA. We had to wait though. Another cowboy was being shot in a staged western on the high street and even the mules seemed entertained. Once the cowboy had been shot and got back to his feet it was time for us to mount our bikes and head on out of town. Not before I was stopped by a mule who promptly walked out between Kris and I. Once out of town and through a few more twistys with the sun beating down on us we passed the state line and by 3pm the temperature was an unbearable 108 degrees F - yes you read that correctly - 108 degrees F in my motorcycle gear and my helmet.
I was bloody melting. We checked into our motel and very quickly had to get out of the padded gear and guzzle down a very cold can of coke.
Total Miles = 210
Total Trip Mileage = 2958
Steps today = not many
FJ ODO = 6181