Road Trip - Part One: Just getting there!

WARNING:  This is a long post, with a lot of pictures.


Remember a few posts back about the best laid plans...

Well, I overslept on Monday and was an hour and a half late to work.  Why?  Well, I had to talk to a manager of the hotel I am staying at, and she arrived at 9am.  So I got up to take care of a situation.  When I checked in, I was told I could make a payment every two weeks... seems they actually require a weekly payment, and I was a day late.  Situation has since, been resolved.

Now working from 4pm to 4am, there is some flexibility.  That is, I am not relieving anyone, I am an "extra" person coming on-shift.  So a quick call to say, "Sorry, I overslept.  I'm on my way" and everything was OK.  Unfortunately, this meant I would have to stay late in order to work my 12 hours.  However, I got a reprieve as it was so busy Monday night, that several nurses did not get a lunch break, myself included.  So I was able to get out 30 minutes earlier, taking a "no lunch" exception!

After a short nap, I got up and made my final preparations for my ride on Tuesday.  Showered, loaded up the bike, and ready to go!  Just a quick trip to top off the fuel and on the road!

Loaded and ready!

Yes... I packed light for this trip... it's only four days!  There is my camel-pack and rain gear in my saddle bags though.  Water, good.  Rain gear, prepared.  Weather, hot!  It was hovering around 100 degrees as I neared the end of this ride.

Now this is where the story takes a twist...

Right after I took this picture around 8:45am, I got on, powered up, hit the starter switch, and "click."  Tried it again, "click."  Looked down, no power.  Backed the bike out of the parking space, dropped into neutral, tried to push start... nothing.  Battery was dead!

As a card carrying member of HOG (Harley Owners Group), one of the benefits is nationwide, 24-hour, roadside assistance.  So I decided to cut out the middle man, and called the local HD dealership vs. the 1-800 number.  Figuring why call someone far far away, only to have them dispatch the call to the only place for 300 miles that would respond...

About 2 hours later, my bike was being loaded up in a trailer, and off to Bobby's Territorial HD to rectify this situation.

Pushed up onto trailer for a tow to HD Dealer

Now while I was living in Phoenix, there was one night that I didn't lock the ignition/accessory switch.  Went to start the bike to run an errand the next morning, and the same thing. "Click."  I looked down and realized that someone had turned the switch to ignition, which brings on the headlight, and overnight my battery was drained.  Had to replace the battery.  This was in July of this year.  Since then, when I stop, I religiously power off, and lock down the bike.  Forks, ignition, and attach a front brake disk lock.  There was no way I inadvertently left the ignition on and drained the battery!

A "shout out" to Jesse at Buddy Stubb's HD in PHX!  Very helpful and informative regarding the purchase and warranty information on the battery I got from them in July.  Even in the extreme heat, the battery should last a minimum of two years!

Bike being backed out after service, and now ready to go!

My actual ride started at 11:30am and my planned route was basically North along AZ 95 to Parker, AZ.  Then a few zig-zags to get onto US 95 just West of Needles, CA.  Then for the most part a Northerly course to Las Vegas.
 
My first stop was in Quartzsite, AZ, about 84 miles and 90 minutes North of Yuma.  (http://mapq.st/UAxH8B)

 

Coming up to my first planned stop

This was a quick stop for a water/seat break and a load/bike check.  Then back on the road to Parker!

I stopped in Parker for a longer break.  This leg was just over 34 miles, yet took about 45 minutes to get there due to traffic.  (http://mapq.st/Uo1kHq)

Semi's and limited passing opportunities were the main culprits.  Bikes and big-rigs are like oil and water... they don't mix!  So I would hang back from a trucker, to avoid the turbulence, and someone would pass me, which then caused me to hang back a bit more, etc, etc.

I decided to fuel up, eat, drink more water, and add some ice to my camel-pack.  I didn't take any pictures while in Parker.  In retrospect, there were a few things that I saw that I wish I had, so I could share them. Yet as it was the middle of the afternoon, already getting hot, and I still had a ways to go to get to where I needed to be, pictures were not on my priority list.  So back on the road after about 30 minutes...

From where I stopped in Parker, it was less than two miles to the Colorado River crossing, that officially brought me into California.  Unfortunately, there was construction over the bridge and I could not stop until I got into Earp, CA.  No real photo opportunities, so I rode on to Needles, CA.  (http://mapq.st/OKxD6s)

It took another 90 minutes to travel these 67 miles!  Between the same problems as before, California has much lower speed limits than Arizona, so the problem was compounded!  The ride was still fun!  Lots of curves and dips, speed changes, traffic... this would be a good training ride for someone just starting out riding. In Needles, I stopped for awhile again.  Water was no longer enough, as I noticed white rings forming on my riding gloves where my knuckles are.  It was now officially hot!  The big LED display that flashed the time/temp at a business was reminding everyone that it was 107 degrees, and I was sweating!  Although while riding, the wind helps cool not only the bike, but the body as well.  Stopped in Needles, I could feel the oppressiveness of it.  So it was a "park in the shade/go inside an air conditioned building/buy some Gatorade/get a snack" break!

Then on to my final planned stopping point... Searchlight, NV. (http://mapq.st/PJ5XeV)

A 54 mile leg, accomplished in under an hour!  Thank you Nevada for instantaneously increasing the speed limit by 20mph!

Getting closer!

In full disclosure, this is a staged picture.  It was taken on my return trip.  As I was going to Las Vegas, the only indication that I got, that perhaps I was in Nevada, was that the road surface changed from asphalt to concrete - and less than a mile later was a Nevada exit!  It wasn't until my ride back home, that I was looking for the highway surface change, that I noticed the Welcome to California sign.  I looked across the road and it was an "Oh!  There it is!" moment...  The Nevada sign is actually quite small, and off to the side of the road by about 20 feet.  If one is paying attention to the riding/driving... this sign definitely goes unnoticed!


My stop in Searchlight, was primarily to just take a break.  Get off the bike, walk around, take care of nature, etc.  While there I decided to top off the tank to give me some room with distance and time.  I could have easily made it to my destination in Las Vegas without fueling, yet I just wanted to insure I had a margin just in case traffic was horrible, a detour was needed, or I ended up taking a side trip.  I had yet reached my decision point regarding the loop around Henderson to see Lake Mead or beeline it to the Hotel.  Now, I have stated before, I am the kind of rider that will park in shade regardless...

Shade!!!

This was not an "official" parking space!  Yet it was perfect for me!  Not blocking anyone/anything... if the garbage truck came to empty the dumpsters behind the gate behind my bike, no problem... not interfering in anyway... except for someone else as like minded as me.  Then again, as you can see, plenty of shade to be shared... behind my bike, to the left of the bike... even my own bike provides some shade to someone else that might pull up next to me!  My primary concern was the saddle!  Don't really want to sit down on a black leather seat that has been baking in the sun...    ;)

So on to Las Vegas!  The final push!  Almost there!  Just go North on US 95!

The ride from Searchlight to Las Vegas is an easy ride for the most part.  It got complicated where/when my "decision point" came.  As US 95 comes to a junction with US 93 and I-515, I needed to decide...

Turn right and take the scenic route, or turn left and beeline it to the hotel!

I went left.  I chose not to take the loop up to Lake Mead and around back to Henderson.  It was getting late, it was hot, I was hot and had been riding for 5+ hours at this point!  All I wanted was a shower and a nap!  I did take a slight detour though...

I took the I-515 to I-215, then took the McCarran Airport exit off of I-215 up to Tropicana Ave.  Why?  Well... this little detour will afford one the opportunity and experience of riding/driving on a roadway that actually travels underneath one of the busiest airports in the Country!  Yes, there is a tunnel that actually crosses underneath the active runways of McCarran Airport!  Couldn't stop to take a picture though, as I was on a highway/freeway spur...

This is the route.  (http://mapq.st/PwaykL)

And finally... over 5+ hours later... I arrive!  I finally, just got there!  Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and wishes! 

Thank you God!  Finally there!

This was a training ride for me.  One of the longest I have done so far!  And the return trip, was even longer, as I took an alternative route.  Every ride is different.  A new experience.  An ability to practice skills, experience challenges, and hone some of the finer points...  like the sudden road hazard after sunset... it was instinctual... without thought... a swerve to avoid, an equal swerve to correct course.  I didn't really get excited about it until I started to think about it!  Suddenly, it turned from an automatic response to a, "Holy Moses!  That was close!"



So, come back in the next few days for:

Road Trip - Part Two: Vegas!

And, Road Trip - Part Three: The Ride Home!


Keep the rubber side down, and the shiny side up!