opaque visions and occasional ramblings of a moto-head
Cortez to Hanksville
Miles: 290
Song of the Day: 1,000,000 – NIN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybez4dSe0zU
“grace is just a measure of the fall” – Jeffrey Foucault, Northbound 35
Video of going up the Moki Dugway:
Another day of amazing scenery. A lot of things were closed on Sunday morning in Cortez, CO. The first three coffee shops I wanted to go to, including a cool one in an Airstream, were closed. Eventually I finally found one to get a cup of coffee before heading out.
Durango to Cortez
Miles: 190
Song of the Day: Wheels – Foo Fighters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEUcFYZeiU4
“…to arrive in the Rocky Mountains by plane would be to see them in one kind of context, as pretty scenery. But to arrive after days of hard travel across the prairies would be to see them in another way, as a goal, a promised land.” – Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Wow…..what a ride. I think this was my first time ‘IN’ the rockies and it was pretty spectacular. It was a ‘short’ day in mileage but it was big on scenery and roads. As with my usual routine I headed for downtown Durango for some coffee and internet. Durango is a really nice little place. It kinda reminded me of Truckee, but a little bigger and more well kept. They were getting ready for some parade later that morning and there were all sorts of folks around riding Indian motorcycles. Not sure what was up with that, but I intended to be gone before things got busy. Read More
Santa Fe to Durango
Miles: 275
Song of the Day: The News About William – Calexico
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Us9W15H8cM
“love is not a victory march
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah”
– Jeff Buckley/Leonard Cohen
Headed into Santa Fe just after dawn to take a few pictures and get some coffee. Hardly anyone was out yet and it was nice riding through the streets of the old part of town with little congestion. By the time I left the coffee shop, around 8:00, the place was bustling. Santa Fe is a popular place.
Amarillo to Santa Fe
Miles: 290
Song of the Day: Drown – Son Volt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpcB2xsXRv4
Well, the turkey did finally show up as well as a herd or flock or whatever you call a group of them. The group wandered through just as I was finishing packing up. The lone bird came through shortly thereafter, just as I was about to start up the bike and pull out. I told him/her that h/she was good enough, smart enough and dog gonnit, people are sure to like them.
Weleetka to Amarillo
Miles: 370
Song of the Day: Gypsy Heart – Rival Sons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dffwa4CHAcQ
“Like the man said, rode hard and put away wet
Throw away the bad news, and put it to rest
If learning is living, and the truth is a state of mind
You’ll find it’s better at the end of the line” – Jay Farrar (Son Volt)
Headed out around 7:30 on Wed, 6/8. Sad to leave but good to be back on the road. First stop only a few miles down old Hwy 62 was Okemah – the hometown of Woody and Arlo Guthry. Fueled up, took a few pictures and headed on down 62 all the way to Oklahoma City. It is a pretty good road and moves along just fine as an alternative to I 40. Stopped just outside the city in a small town to get a quick bite to eat…I am preferring to ride an hour or two on this trip before eating much..it’s working well. I ordered an omelet off the menu – one of those that has a bunch of different meats and has a funny name like ‘The Works!’. A
lot of places have them. I don’t remember exactly what this one was called but it looked innocent enough. When it landed on the bar in front of me I think I said ‘what the hell?’, then looked up and the two servers were grinning at me. One said ‘Ya think you can eat all that hon?’ (all women over 30 call me ‘hon’ down here; I kinda like it). ‘No’, I replied. It was enough to feed a medium sized family. Wish I could have donated some of it to charity – if I had known it was that big I probably would have gotten something else. Read More