Finally back from my solo ride out west....

[Artmageddon]

Well, a day late getting back, but I made it west, veered south and spent a few days in New Orleans and headed back. Ended up riding 3985 miles. should have taken another 15 mile cruise and made it an even 4000. Almost all highway, and my chicken strips show it. I didn't take a lot of pics, just didn't really feel like it. Had fun, my ass and shoulders still hurt. The wind in Texas beats the shit out of you, especially since the speed limit is 80.

Went To Albuquerque, and then headed southeast through Texas to New Orleans.

Hit a flood and some heavy, heavy rain in Louisiana and Mississippi, only made it 100 miles when I needed to go 400 Sunday, hence the lateness. I had 800 to do on Monday, would have made it if wasn't so goddamn foggy that morning in MS and that evening in KY.

I've been sleeping or busy since I got back yesterday, had to ride straight to work yesterday from about 50 miles south of of Cincy.

I'll post details and pics tomorrow when I get a few minutes.

Here's my route though, and a pic of the water I was riding through in LA.

Was actually picking up and moving the bike. This was off the highway, the highway only had an inch or so of water.

Route(just some random spots to mark the route, google maps couldn't handle all of my stops):

Flood(notice the dude in the white car that just gave up and pulled onto the median).

More to come later. Sleepy time.

[jporter12]

Wow! That's quite a ride! Sounds like you had a good time, and I'm looking for the updates tomorrow!

[Disclaimer]

Hoooooooly Schnikies.

That's a long, wet trip.

[oldschoolsdime92]

damn what a ride! I cant wait to do one of those!

Edited September 10, 2009 by oldschoolsdime92

[kreator]

Good Job man! Glad you made it

[Artmageddon]

Hoooooooly Schnikies.

That's a long, wet trip.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure a storm followed me around the country. I think I got wet almost every day. It freaking rained on me in New Mexico. It rains 3 days a year there. WTF?

[jporter12]

I had a cloud following me today (it seemed) but I was only on about 15 miles each way...

I didn't think it EVER rained out in NM? Learning lot's hanging out on OR!

[chevysoldier]

Glad to see you made it in one piece. Hope you recover soon and looking forward to the pics.

[kawi kid]

wow looks like a blast except for the rain part.

[|SnOmAn|]

Yeah, I had a cloud follow me once before. Man did that bad boy smell.... People behind me weren't too happy. Lol!!

Hey, welcome back man. That trip looks awesome but not sure I could ever make it.

[jporter12]

wow looks like a blast except for the rain part.

And the whole coming back home, and going to work thing...

[cmoosego]

that is one hell of a trip bro.... I hope to have enough money and time to do that sometime... now I have a goal to beat.. 4000 miles seems good... I know I can do 600 in a day... so I think it's in the realm of possibility....

[600ZZ4eb]

welcome back bro. Glad the trip was good even though you got rained on.

[vroddave]

Glad to see that your back in one piece. sore is good for ya. have a good day at work. lookin forward to seeing the pics you did take.

[Fonzie]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure a storm followed me around the country. I think I got wet almost every day. It freaking rained on me in New Mexico. It rains 3 days a year there. WTF?

Sounds like you had your very own personal rain cloud Charlie Brown

Glad you had a good trip & made it home safe Arty!

[max power]

Glad you had fun. Welcome back.

[Artmageddon]

Alright, had a few minutes to get the pics together finally. Like I said, I didn't really didn't take a lot of pics. I was into hardcore technical photography for so long, it is hard for me to get interested in taking snapshots.

But here are a few and some ride descriptions.

Day 1:

Indianapolis- Friday, Rush Hour, Pouring rain. Fun.

Illinois- I never realized it was so goddamn empty. It was border, Effingham in the middle, and Troy near Missouri. Everyone must live in the northern part.

St Louis- Cool town. would like to go back. Architecture is pretty cool, and they are trying hard to be a larger city and arts center.

Day 2:

Missouri- Got a late start, stayed in Joplin near OK border. The only thing I remember about MO was they have mile markers every two-tenths of a mile. This really drags out the ride, because they are in your face and makes ever mile feel like five.

Day 3:

Oklahoma. Toll booths anyone? Never got off the highway once and went through 9 different tolls.

Oklahoma City smelled like fresh laundry.

Texas- stayed in Shamrock across from one of the buildings they used in the Pixar movie Cars.

Day 4:

Rest of Texas. meh.

New Mexico, this is where the trip started getting good. New Mexico is a pretty scenic state. As I was getting closer to Albuquerque, I watched a giant rain cloud just get larger and larger for about 50 miles. I finally got under itand it dumped on me for a few minutes, and dried up. Just enough to soak me in one one the dryest states in the country. Made it to Albuquerque and crashed.

Day 5:

Cruised through Albuquerque for a while, love this town. I love old signs, and Central Ave(Route 66) still looks like the 50's. Awesome, should have stayed and explored here a bit more. Decided to stop going west here, and head south through Texas and go see a friend in Houston. Best decision of the trip. The ride from Albuquerque to El Paso was amazing. Giant

sweeping highways through the desert and mountains, 75 MPH speed limits and no cops anywhere. I25 follows the Rio Grande for a while, and I reccomend this drive to anyone that is out that way.

Day 6:

West Texas, El Paso to Ozona. Most suprising part of the ride. West Tex is a combination of New Mexico and Northern Arizona. Beautiful. 80 MPH speed limits, very strange blowing by a Texas State trooper doing 80 and not get pulled over.

El Paso my as well be Mexico. You can walk across the Rio Grande on a foot bridge. I could see Mexico from my room, and I10 follows the border for a while. Pretty cool. If Would have had a pasport, I would crossed over for a while.

Ozona starts Big Hill Country. Reminded me of southern WV.

Day 7:

Ozona to Houston. This drive was fairly boring once I got to San Antonio. After taht it was just hot desert until I got to Houston. Saw the temp, 102 degrees. Got right outside of Houston and hit a big storm. Stopped at and underpass to wait it out, saw funnel clouds. There was another guy there from Houston on a Harley, said I was lucky I stopped when I did. Got pretty bad for a minute.

The wind all across Texas is crazy. Doing 80 in 40 MPH winds beats the shit out of you.

Got hang witha good friend in Houston, first real human interaction in a week.

Day 8 & 9:

Gotta love all the bridges through Louisiana. One of them was at least 16 miles long,I check on the tripmeter. A few go real high in the air too.

New Orleans. I love this town. Hadn't been there since about 2001. While there are still parts pretty torn up from Katrina, overall it's actually built up more than I remember. Cruising through the French Quarter and Magazine street was awesome. Didn't party much, $10 beers on Bourbon St. gets old fast. There was a gay festival there, saw more man-flesh than I needed to. They pretty stuck to one block, so it wasn't an issue. Stayed two nights beacuse I was tired and when I was getting ready to leave after one, it was pouring. Tired of rain. Wish I would have left after the first day now.

New Orleans is not the party town everyone thinks it is. Bourbon St is tamer than comfest when it's not Mardi Gras. I would have had much more fun with my wife. It is more a city for couples.

Day 10:

Sunday, now had two days to go 900 miles for work on Tues. No problem.

Slidell, LA. Floods, pics inthe first post. More torrential downpours in Mississippi. Crazy. Only made it 100.

Day 11.

800 miles to go, I can do it, test of endurance. Would have made it if I could have seen through the fog in the morning in MS, and even worse in KY in the evening. Made it 650. Too tired, and couldn't even see as far as my headlight extended. Decided to pull over instead of wreck on winding KY highways.

Day 12:

Half day late for work, nothing like riding 150 miles exhausted, in the fog, and don't even get to go home. .

Well, even with the bad weather, I had fun. A few of the weather days made for quite the adventure. I won't do this again until I have a big touring bike, and probably not alone. I got a little lonely, and missed my wife and dog. 3-4 max for solo trips for now on. My ass and shoulders are still sore.

[phop5]

way to go Art!! you hit some mighty fine spots. I really could live in St. Lou; and were from OKC, in fact my brother is moving back next month. glad everything went well, welcome home.

[Artmageddon]

way to go Art!! you hit some mighty fine spots. I really could live in St. Lou; and were from OKC, in fact my brother is moving back next month. glad everything went well, welcome home.

Thanks Pat! St Louis is really nice. I want to go back there, didn't seem motorcycle friendly though. No parking and I saw very few riders there. Still, we should ride there sometime, not til spring though.

[steppenwolf]

Enjoyed the ride report and pictures....my opinion is on my trips..ya never know how much fun ya had till ya got back..if it all went smooth as silk be kinda boring..but the assless chaps in New Orleans bet ya glad ya got out of there:-) Nice report..

Ya gotta love rain...by now:-) It happens.

Thanks.

[jagr]

I missed you dude. I need a hug.

Glad you're back.

[Artmageddon]

I missed you dude. I need a hug.

Glad you're back.

Awww. I'll see you Sunday, cuddly bear.

[Strictly Street]

A shame the weather was so crappy. Sounds like a pretty good ride if the weather would have been nicer to you. The rain in New Mexico would have sucked, only rains three days a year until you get there.

Floods and fog. what a ride.