August 13th, 2007 (am)

On my way out today I swung by Imperial Beach (IB), California.  It was just 4 miles from the motel and is the most South-western town in the continetal US.  It’s also the location for “John from Cincinatti” – a quirky HBO series that I’ve been watching when available in my motels.

It was a nice place… I was hoping to spend the day on the beach, but it’t time to make my eastern journey home.

August 13th, 2007

Headed into TJ (Tijuana) today… gotta tell ya, I wasn’t really impressed.  I’m not sure what my expectations were – but I guess they were different from what I encountered. 

I think if I was with Jen – watching her get a kick out of all the things going on and all the crap souvenirs for sale – then I would have enjoyed myself more (I’m certain that we would have walked away with a painting of Jesus (Hay-soos) on velvet).  I would have also enjoyed it if I were 18 years old with some buddies of mine buying cheap beers.  However, I’m 43 and I was all by myself –  what I saw was a poor city with children and cripples begging in the street, homeless people sleeping under tress, raw sewage slithering down the aqueduct, drugs prostitution, etc… 

Sorry to be such a “flat-liner” but i’ve seen all that before…

 Here are some nicer images

August 11th, 2007

…On this road anyway.

I didn’t see a lot of bikes on Thurday and Friday (I guess people work around these parts) but on Saturday they came out in droves (there’s another word I don’t recall using for a while… droves. Hum?).  Anyway, the roads are packed with sport and sport touring bikes – about 6 or 7 to every cruiser (sorry Harleynana… maybe there were harley’s out there… they were just so far behind everyone else — just kidding… 3 of them passed me in a moment of ultimate shame…)

The sport riders buzz around these roads at incredible speeds.  It’s their way of getting an adrenaline rush – they ride the roads like a skier living in Aspen would ride the slopes… controlled chaos.

August 11th, 2007

I’ve been riding around in circles (or big loops, anyway) for the last three days completing the rides for Moto-Maps So. Cal.  It’s strange heading out in the morning – riding all day – and ending up in the same place that I started.  I’m so use to heading in a (somewhat) linear direction. 

I’m nearly done with the rides and I am having a blast!  The roads out here are fantastic and very challenging.  I’ve pushed my skills to the limit and still come up short…at least I’m staying upright.

Here are some photos and a couple videos (the videos are pretty poor – I have to get the camera out of the really bright sun)

August 8th, 2007

For the last couple days I’ve been riding the mountains and canyons of Southern California.  The roads are just great out here – and although the terrian may look a bit similar to Neveda and Utah – the feel is much different.  The biggest difference is temperature.  It’s cooler out here and the breeze is refreshing – not tormenting.  It’s still a dry landscape but you can tell that plants and trees grow more natually here.  The weather has been perfect. 

Here are a few pictures:

August 6th, 2007

…. So… I’m just getting into my motel after a dreadfull day on the road.  I get my room key, grab half the bags off my bike and start unloading my stuff into my room.  I use the door key, open the door and place a bag against its side so that I don’t have to keep unlocking the door as I make more trips unloading the bike.  I walk down the small entryway inside my room and notice that there’s a woman sitting on my bed – her back resting against the headboard and her feet tucked up on the fully made-up bed!

I’m still in “Vegas mode”… so I’m thinking: “YES!  Jen finally came through for me! she does listen…  SWEEEET”.  Then my brain kicked in and I realized that something may be amiss.  I look at this unstartled, attractive woman and say: “Hello”.  She says: “Hi”.   — I say: “is this room 106?”  She says: “Yes.” — I say: “Are you okay?” and she says: “Yes.”…. at this point i’m thinking…”damn, I’ve got the rap going – I could still make this work” – when some guy comes rushing down the hallway of the motel with a camera in his hand, jeans ripped down one full side of his leg and two COPS behind him…. Oooops, there appears to be some mistake….

 As it turns out, the girl and the guy with the ripped jeans, were boyfriend and girlfriend who appearently had some sort of short-lived domestic quarrel.  By the time the cops got there things seemed to have worked themselves out — but now, everyone was wondering who I was – and what MY role was in the whole mess.  A few well-answered questions fixed the situation.  I got a new room key from the apologetic inn keeper and had an uneventfull evening… better luck next time, I guess.

August 6th, 2007

… Jen flew out last night on the red-eye to Boston. 

As it turns out, I seem to have a gambling problem… the problem is that I have to play until I lose all my money.  I only play the slots (but I’m studying up on the “real” stuff) and I developed a “system” that ensures that I walk away with more money than I started with.  It worked out okay when Jen was there to say: “Keith, cash out NOW” – but when she left… well… let’s just say that I “modified” the system and only had enough money left in my pocket to tip the bell hop.  I was smart enough to not go back to the atm and work the “system” all over again.  Maybe Jennings can teach me something – $400 on a nickle slot – nice going.

I had a terrible ride from Vegas to Santa Carita, CA — 330 miles of desert (I didn’t know we had that much sand and gravel in this country).  I crossed through the Mojave on my way (you just KNOW that names like “Devil’s Playground” aren’t going to be fun places).  Since I got an early start, the tempertures weren’t too bad – but the winds were unbelievable!  I had to consciously keep my lips closed tightly or the wind would catch a corner and make me look like a claymation character.  It was a horrible ride.

August 4th, 2007

…traded in the motorcyles for a helicoper.  This is the ONLY way to see the Grand Canyon!!

I’ll let the photos and videos speak for themselves

August 3rd, 2007

 I MADE IT – AND LIFE IS GOOD!!

Met Jen at the MGM Grand at around 3pm and… well… you know “what happens in vegas, stays in vegas”

August 3rd, 2007

Heading out of Lone Pine, CA today on my way to Las Vegas – Death Valley is in my route…

Death Valley was absolute torture – Jen better be worth this!  Being on a motorcycle creates a unigue and painful experience.  Something that just cannot be experienced any other way.  On the upper plateau it’s hot (about 100 degress or so) then you begin a 5000 foot descent into the valley.  On the way down you hit levels of increasing heat – blasts of hot air radiating off the rock walls – until you reach sea level and below.  You can feel the temperature rise and you actually have to will yourself to focus on the road.  Put several hairdryers on high-heat and blow them on you for a few hours – that’s about the same effect.  I’m glad it’s over…. the rewards were high