Back home

9-20-2009 odometer 84697 total trip 9,622.

Wow I didn't think it was that far around the USA. As a bird flies it's about half that I think. Anyway, after I left Toas I headed down to Santa Fe BMW to get a new rear tire for Bemmer. I took the "high road" through the mountains and experienced near freezing weather in the early morning. So I bundled up drove through some pretty mountains and ugly towns and was out of Santa Fe by noon. Thanks to the Guys at Santa Fe BMW for dropping what they were doing and getting Bemmer up and rolling so quickly.

I made it to Flagstaff AZ that night and found a KOA camp ground right about dark that wanted to charge me over $40.00 for a camp sight. I had bypassed KOA's that were about $30.00 and was still holding out. Most camp grounds are about $15.00 for a tent sight. So I rolled down the street and foung a room for $50.00, a much better deal. I'm glad I got the room due to it being a very damp night. I met a young couple riding 2 BMW GS 650s back to CA from a trip to Colorado, we chatted about adventures over our "free breakfast" then I left heading west down I 40.

It was only a couple hundred miles to Laughlin NV so I took part of the day to go see the Grand Canyon Caverns out along the longest remaining stretch of rout 66 that is left. The caverns were unremarkable due to them being "dry" but it was interesting to note that it was stocked with food and water for 2000 people for a week as a fall out shelter. Unfortunately it was all over 40 years old and the government agency that put it there forget any lighting,(no flashlights, not ever a match). I hope the electricity doesn't go out in our next nuclear war!

I made it to Lauphlin by dinner, played some Poker, (paid for dinner and the room) yea, and slept well as the Colorado river moved by the window of my room.

My last day on the road was a grind. It was over 115 degrees for most of the CA desert and a head wind. My muffler that was damaged when I dropped Bemmer in Melindas gravel driveway.It decided to explode and become straight pipes for my final 300 miles. Good thing I had the custom earplugs mad in Sturgus. I tried to rap the exhaust with some repair tape I found at a auto parts store in Barstow CA, but it didn't last very long. It was to big of a hole by the time i tried. So I blasted my way home at about 85 DB's and made it safely home before dark.

Side note: This trip for me was about stepping away from the life I have created and looking at it from the outside. I found that I have a beautiful life and family. I feel that I have realized for my self that "the destinations" are not as important as "the journey" and I hope to enjoy more of every moment from now on.

Thanks to all who have followed this journey with me.

Lars