Route 66 Day 2 by Bryan Patterson June 9, 2015
- We rise early and leave Yermo to find Route 66. Across highway 15 and
into Daggart a very small town/village which Al described as quite big!
Yea right for this area for sure. Then Route 66, there it was right
ahead of us and looking good. Well paved and stretching way out into
the distance. This was it, and on we rode.
First stop was a gas station for the washroom. I chatted to the long
gas man – Sione, from Tonga an island in the Pacific. He’s been in the
US since ’79. He was amazed at what we were trying to achieve but
thought that it was brilliant. He asked me how old I was and guessed
that I was 49!! I love this guy, and gave him a huge hug. He did get my
age but did know that it was much higher! He’s looking forward to the
Rugby World Cup this coming summer and thinks that Tonga might win it.
Not sure about that Sione!
So we left him still amazed at what we were doing. Route 66 was still there and so on we went.
At the time we didn’t realize that we were in the Mojave desert region,
although looking around that was easy to see! Really nothing either
side but the usual scrub, sand and rocks, with always in the distance
the mountains. We were all very relieved to have the van stop every
8-10 miles so that we could drink lots of water.
Off course one couldn’t expect that Route 66 would continue to be easy
and sure enough there was the sign “Rough road ahead” Yep it really
turned into a very uneasy and rough road where you had to literally
find the good parts to bike on making it a challenge and a longer
journey, Oh and very tough on the butt!!
Past Bagdad café, remember the movie, one lone crazy hitchhiker saying
that he was walking Route 66! Quite a few dogs, most of which
were fenced in, but we did encounter others that we either had to cycle
very fast or scare away by shouting at. Would not have like to have
been bitten by any of them.
It was now getting very hot, actually 108 degrees, which we only found
out later! The was taking it’s toll and we were all getting very
dehydrated and definitely slower, but on we biked.
I rode with Giselle at the back and I have to say that she did great,
cycled well and no complaints, until she fell that is! She got a little
too close to Al’s back wheel, touched it and that was ‘Woman down!”.
Fortunately all she scrapped was her shin, luck girl!
We cycled on, and wondered about all the black rocks that literally
went for miles. Why black? We thought maybe volcanic outcrops, but were
not sure. Please if anyone knows we’d love to be enlightened, thanks.
Without really knowing the heat was really getting to us. Sidd was the
first to feel the effects of it. He just couldn’t go on and fell
slightly, and sat on the road. That was it for Sidd. I called for the
van and only got James voicemail. I tried again but had hit the wrong
number and unbeknown to me got a very good friend of mine Iago Cornes.
All I said to him was that Sid was down and that he had to come back
with the van. “Who’s Sid?” He said, ”One of our kids” I said and then
“just get the van here” and hung up!!
Luckily I called again and got James who knew nothing of our
conversation but did bring the van back. Sid rode back in the van, and
that was it for him for the day. Iago texted me to ask what was going
on, and could he help. Yes if he could get to Route 66! Down the
Route we found a pit stop, where it seemed everyone and their dog was
resting and eating. It was very close to the highway and apparently the
only one for miles.
We stopped here for food and water, and looking around we certainly
looked a beat up bunch, very weary, sun fried, and very tired. Mark, Al
and Jeremy had ridden well and were the best riders but even they were
looking the worse for wear. We met two Harley riders with New York on
their backs. We asked then which part of New York only to find that
tnhey were from Belfast, N. Ireland!
This decision time. We literally were all exhausted, tired and beat up
with the sun. Our camp site was 25 miles away, so the decision was that
we pack the van and drive there. A really good decision in the heat of
the Mohave desert with the temps at 109 degrees! We drove to Needles
and set up tent, had dinner and that was it. A very tough day.
