2026 route 66

 Once again, it looks like the technology is working against me and some previous posts may not have gotten to everyone.  As a reminder, you can go to https://www.blogger.com/blog/posts/394621888647308236?hl=en to view all the posts. Today was a relatively short day in riding -- 48 miles and was even shorter because it was a bike and hike day.  Hiking entailed walking through sand (about a mile), walking around missing road sections, climbing fences, going through barbed wire gates (this is a lot easier and safer than it sounds because the gates are designed to be taken down so you can pass through.  The gate is barbed wire across and it terminates on a pole. One side of the wall has ring at the top that can be lifted and the top of the pole at the end of the gate can be removed.  The bottom of the wall has ring that you can lift the bottom of the pole out of.  All you have to do then is to swing the gate out of the way.  You always put the gate back w...

 Day 9 had a number of different lives.  The first life was on some nice back roads.  Of course on this trip that means that they weren't paved, but as I said, they were nice.  Then we had many miles (over 40) on the Interstate (I40), which for the most part had a very nice shoulder.  As anyone who has bicycled on highways like that knows that there are many pieces of metal from tires that have come apart.  These pieces of wire are murder on bicycle tires.  When we were exiting the highway for a water stop, we found out that Barb had a flat.  The good news is that we weren't on the interstate changing it.  The bad news is that it was very windy above the interstate.  We decided (maybe not the right word) to spend the next 2 or so hours there fixing the tire.  The wire was the cause of the first flat, the pinch flats were the cause of the rest.  We lost count but think the number was 4 or 5.  To contribute to the pain, her ...

 We took a day off from riding and took a train to the Grand Canyon.  The Grand Canyon is amazing, awe inspiring.  Every time I have been there, it is always the same feeling, and that pictures just don't cut it. It was a good day to take off since it was cold, and wet at times.  How cold was it?  It was sleeting.  We crossed 7000 feet of elevation yesterday, and the elevation of the GC is up there.  I am glad to say that the precipitation was mostly while we were on the train and the first few minutes there.  It was still a good day for hot chocolate and coffee, and frequent stops in a lodge, visitor center or gift shop. The train ride was in a scenic car (i.e., glass up the sides and the roof). The car we were in was from circa 1948.  Our group had the entire 'room'.  The train company provided a shoot-out prior to the ride, a couple of traveling guitar players, and other entertainment.   I included  a picture of our 'ro...

 Yesterday the wifi was awful and the cell service nonexistent.  And I was unsubscribed :( After dinner in Kingman (April 23), we had a guest speaker.   When Barb and I walked around town we saw a stature of Jim Hinkley.   He was a significant person in keeping the history of Route 66 alive and has written a number of books on it.   He was our guest speaker and he looked just like his statue.   (I don’t know how old the statue is.) He gave a nice talk which mentioned many of the books/movies that have taken place along the highway, as well as a good deal of the history.   https://jimhinckleysamerica.com/   Today was another day with mostly tailwinds, which made up for the climbing.   We started in Kingman and went to Grand Canyon Caves (and toured the cave).   At one point, the bicycle computer said that the next turn was in 56 miles.   There were more route 66 signs and establishments, and it was clear which towns had inte...