June 12, 2015 -
Another early get-a-way. Myself, Giselle, Mark, and, yes, Sidd – Go
Sidd. A good surface and some great riding on some slightly hilly 66,
but again we were just delighted to be on the Mother Road. We were on
this part of the route for a long time, and really enjoying it. Not too
steep with some nice down hills. I have to say that all the kids are
doing a great job of riding. There are no complaints, and they are
getting stronger each day they ride. I have a lot of respect for them
all. One aspect of Route 66 is that you are not too far away from the
rail tracks, and we are seeing huge trains going in each direction
fully loaded. Having said that the one thing that gets to me is that
during the night they are always sounding their horns! I need my sleep,
they need to stop doing that!
So for our first stop the van was parked near the tracks and highway
40. Jeremy swapped with Sidd for the next part of the ride, but before
leaving he gave us directions as to where we were to turn next. If we
were not sure exactly where Route 66 was going or if it was there at
all, we’d park the van and decide the best way forward. Giselle decided
on the van as she was not feeling too well and had a head ache, so it
was myself Mark, Cristian and Jeremy. Our directions were to turn left
after the highway, so we rode and took the left after the highway onto
an unpaved rough road, as we turned onto this there was another left
turn. So we called the van to ask if we turned left to which they
replied “Yes” This rough uneven road was running parallel to highway 40
and having looked at the maps this looked correct. We rode for a good
number of miles, but them got the call “Where are you guys?” from the
van. Explaining where we were we were told that we had taken the wrong
left turn! It should have been the one before the highway – Thank you
Jeremy!
By this time both Cristian and Jeremy were way ahead of Mark and I.
Mark being the faster rider went after them, meanwhile the van was
driving to us along the unpaved road and I was cycling back to meet
them! After what seemed like a really long time the first rider back
was Cristian pushing his bike, with the dreaded puncture. Into the van
and onwards, to find Jeremy and Mark. It was again some ways before
they came into sight and to the van. Time had been lost and this was a
road that turned away to the South so not Route 66 and not a road to be
on. The terrain had once again changed and was becoming more desolate
and desert like with more scrub and very much less vegetation.
Everyone into the van and down the route to find 66 again, which we
picked up again, and myself , Mark and Jeremy rode on to Winona with
Route 66 running right through it.
Great little town which we stopped in the Main Street to have our
pics., taken “At the Corner” with a huge Route 66 painted onto the
road. Once the picture opportunity had been taken we were on our way,
but we were also getting hungry. James had a wonderful idea of stopping
and cooking a meal in the desert which, which we all agreed on. So we
stopped and Mark heated up what was left of last night’s dinner and
threw more ingredients and we all had a good nosh, which might be
described as a sort of rice soup, but excellent and much needed.
Refreshed and energized we rode on towards our next KOA in Holbrook,
but again, as per usual Route 66 petered out and there was highway 40
and the usual drive into the camp site.
Holbrook is a spread out little town with all the usual fast food
diners, motels, stores and gas stations. We had to find an inner tube
for Sidd’s bike, so James, Giselle, and myself took off to see if we
could find one. Literally leaving the camp site Giselle had another
nose bleed, so we took her back to the camp. James and I finally found
Walt’s hardwear store which just happened to have inner tubes for bikes
AND the right size for the bike! Amazing! James had an interesting
conversation with some of the staff at Walt’s, if you ever catch up
with James you should ask him what it was about! Arriving back at the
camp and once again the kids had done a great job with erecting the
tent, however no fly sheet on and it started to pour. I’ve never seen
us all move so fast to get the fly sheet over the tent and secured!
Food was the next priority and there was a little diner on the site so
we all eat there. Showers taken, a little basketball played (eat your
heart out Sidd and Jeremy) and then sleep.
