Coast to Coast

[09UltraSteve]

Ok Time for another installment of Coast to Coast..... lol

Day 9 07/13/09

It's hard for me to believe that I have been away from home for 9 days already. I really feel this is the first day of the trip. For the last few years I lived in VA but worked in Houston, TX and comutted back and forth all the time, and I lived in Houston for 11 years prior to moving to VA. Plus today is the first day of the trip that I have really been solo also.

Enough of all that lets get on with what Happend today, Thats what you guys want to know, right....
Well I was up around 7:30 and got ready but still had to load up the bike. Left my friends house around 8:30 or 9:00 I think, didn't really pay attention to the clock I was hot and sweaty already and knew it was only going to get worse.

Ready to leave.

Headed up to Tomball to say "see ya later" to my Dad and grabbed a quick bite foor breakfast. Headed up 249 at 10:30 then turned left on 105 to HWY 6 North

Alittle shot of 105

HWY 6 takes you thru College Station home to Texas A&M then thru Hearn and Calvert. Calvert has a bunch of old shops and the Yellow Rider as I call him. He has been there for a long time and never gotten anywhere. Actually he did move across the street a few years ago.
If you want some Texas stuff go in this store

Yellow Rider

Shot of main street Calvert

When coming down from Dallas the other day I told you about the corn dead in the fields well here it is. This is on I-35 south of Fort Worth

It looks like they are just plowing it into the ground.

Oh did I mention that is has been increadably hot today... I can't wait to get into some cooler weather. After getting thru Fort Worth I headed North on 287 and stayed on this all the way into Amarillo. I saw a sign at a truck stop near Wichita Falls that said it was 112 degrees. I thought about turning around to get a picture of it but I did need gas and I really didn't want to prolong todays ride by even 15 min. yes it was that hot. here are some shots along 287.
Just Northwest of Fort Worth

coming up on Wichita Falls I saw two trucks hauling tires, yes those are tires. Each truck had 3 big and 3 little tires.

It started getting alittle greener as I past Wichita Falls, but it didn't get any cooler.

Not too bad of a self picture going 75 down the highway.

I stopped to get a this picture and noticed the train coming so I waited and got some of the train too. Most of the trains I saw today were really long and they had 2 engines in the front and two more in the back.

This is the direction I was riding with the sun right in my face.

And the end of the train.

The sun set about 30 min. before I got into Amarillo and it was a really comfortable riding tempature.

I rode 577 miles in right at 11 hours and I think I mentioned it was really HOT didn't I. I told the clerk when I checked into the motel that I just needed a room with a good airconditioner.

Well thats it for today kids.

walleye, I am looking at anywhere from 15 to 21 days. That is not inclueding the 5 days I was in Texas not really going anywhere.

 

[09UltraSteve]

UltraSteve

I got home last night about 2200. Tired, wet, with a grin from ear to ear. Hope yours is going as well. Keep it up and lets us know what's happening.

Jake

Glad to see you made it home safe.

Steve

 

[NEWHD74FAN]

09UltraSteve, thanks for the great pictures and story lines...! Ride safe and very nice to let us share in your experience.

 

[RetiredJake]

09UltraSteve - Glad to see you got a hydro vest, mine saved my rear end crossing Oklahoma. Hope yours works as well.

 

[09UltraSteve]

no internet last night and having issues with the McDonalds so I am sitting on the curb at KFC and there wifi keeps dropping off. I will update yesterdays interesting ride later today. I did make it to Salida, CO last night. I got stuck in Pueblo for 3 hours due to an oil leak.

 

[Fuzzman]

Give us an update when you can, ride safe. Fuzz

 

[09UltraSteve]

Day 10 70/14/09 Updated on 07/15/09

The day started off really good. The weather was great for riding and not a cloud in sight. I got started alittle later than I had wanted but I needed a few things at Walgreens and I stopped for breakfast. Once on the road and headed north on 87/287 I was putting miles behind me.

Amarillo is in my rearview mirror

Some of the mostly flat lands between Amarillo and Dumas

There is a long bridge for the train in this pic.

At Dumas, TX 87 splits off of 287 so I made the left turn to continue on 87 North.
I met two retired Oklahoma State Troopers that were also headed into Colorodo so we decided to ride together for a while. They were on GoldWings..... It was kinda cool John was on a red bike Don was on a white and me on a blue

This is the way to grow corn, but it does take alot of water.

Before getting into Dalhart I stopped and watched this crop duster for a bit.

Dalhart has 3 of these big grain elevators

Mew Mexico state line

First sign of some hills

Passed this group of bikers

Hills getting closer and closer

These clouds in the distance do not look very good.

Here are the red, white and me on the blue

In Raton, NM it did try and rain a little but not enough to get out the rain suit, it was nice to be cool tho. Actually when I passed the welcome to Colorado sign it was raining so I waited till the welcome center to stop for some pictures

Some from the rest stop. You can see the storm I rode thruogh

First sight of the mountains on I-25 North headed to Pueblo

Just North of Colorado City I crested a hill and pulled over for some pictures

When I stopped I smelled oil burning. Looked around on the bike and noticed oil on the timing cover. It was coming from where the oil filter adapter goes when you install an oil cooler.

I located Outpost Harley that was not too far off my route. they were able to get me right on in and replace the gasket. They did a great job but I still lost 3 hours, so my plan to make it past Gunnison was not going to happen. I decided to go as far as Salida and stay the night there. I was really wanting cooler weather, it was 100 in Pueblo. I stopped as the Royal Gourge and walked across the bridge, if I had known you could drive across it I would have done that.

Long way down

Hwy 50 follows the Arkansas River and is a really fun ride. You forget you are going up all the time.

I was getting dark as I rode into Salida so I decided to get a motel room for the night.

Part one of day 11 will follow shortly

 

[ccvfd21]

So how is your trip going other than the oil problem? Wish i could have tagged along. Be safe

 

[09UltraSteve]

Day 11 07/15/09 part 1

Like I said spent the night in a motel least night instead of camping. Here is the view from the parking lot.

Bike packed up again ready to roll.

Town sign

I headed west on Hwy 50 to go over Monarch pass and on the Gunnison and beyond but how things change.

I saw this really detailed horse sculpture

The ride up to the pass was really nice and twisty.

Made it to the pass safe and sound, it was a little chilly and had to put on a light jacket. Some riders were in full leathers.

I decided on taking the gondola ride to the top of the mountain up another 1000 feet. The mountain top is at 12,000 feet and the view was breath taking.
Going up???

Still snow on the ground

Not a bad picture for a point and shoot.

The ride down was a blast. It was a 6 deg. decent for 9 miles of twist and turns. I had both the gondola operators warn me that its a dangerous ride down the west side and that they loose about 1 biker a week. I found that if you do the posted speedlimit and pay attention to what your doing it was a thrill.

At the bottom shiney side up.

A few pictures of the ride into Gunnison.

I decided to go ahead and camp where I planed to last night. I also am going to change my route a little in the morning. Instead of taking hwy 50 all the way I am going too turn North on 92 which will meet up with 50 in Delta. This will add some time but I have been told it is a really neat road.

So far this trip has been so great and I still have so many places to see. I also think I will go all the way to Hwy 1 in Califoria instead on 101.

Hope I am not putting too many pictures in this thread. its just a drop in the bucket of what I have taken.

Steve

 

[buck484]

With all the trips happening and all the wonderfull pictures and descriptions, I am getting a strong itch for a long ride. Thanks for allowing me to ride along and I'm looking forward to your next post.