DAY 1

Day 1
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66





Continued.....

Traveling along Route 66 in Amarillo was a pretty cool adventure.

There were a lot of cool hotels from the good ol days. These hotels have seen their times come and gone. But I would love to see them in their glory days.





Old gas stations were pretty cool too.









Downtown was a welcome relief. It brought me back to the modern day era again. I always love riding through the tall buildings of a city.



















































Just before leaving Amarillo "The Big Texan" is an icon of Route 66. It started along the original route and in order to get patrons to stop and eat, they offered a contest. If you could eat the 72 oz steak you could get it for free. After about 20 years of success, the store burned and when they wanted to rebuild, I 40 by passed most of route 66 in Amarillo. It was great timing to relocate. What a great decision because The Big Texan is a very very busy place today. A true success of Route 66 after the Interstate era.

My family met me again before I started to head East. It was about 10am still to early to eat. Too bad too. I wish I had. With on last tearful farewell, I started to ride east.

The wind started to blow from the North. Normally that is a welcome relief. But this time, it make the temperatures boil.

I am fine with riding in the heat. But not the head winds. I am used to riding through the winds of the panhandle. But with panniers and all that weight, the wind made it unbearable.
Trees and shade are a rare thing in the panhandle. I found this nice little oasis. I think the mosquito's things so too!

Shade comes in overpass bridge forms too.





As I kept pedaling, the heat got worse and worse. There is no shade in the Panhandle when you leave Amarillo. My head began to boil and it was time to find a shade tree to sleep the afternoon away. I found a Nice field with some cottonwood trees. I loved it. It was about a half mile off the road and getting there took a lot of effort. What I didn't see before was that the trees were used by cattle too. Lots of COWS!! They weren't there when I got there, but it wasn't long before. I didn't care. I needed to cool off.

After about 2 hours, I noticed that I was going through the water too fast and needed to make a decision. finish off the water and wait 4 more hours, or make a run for it. I checked the Garmin for the nearest gas station. 4 miles. I think I can make four miles. So I made a run for it.

After about 2 miles, my heart rate was skyrocketing. My garmin was screaming at me to slow down. I looked down and I was only going 6 miles an hour. My head started to pound and feel swimmy. I know what that means!! I poured water on my head and tried to cool off. 3 miles down and one 1 to go. I had to stop every 100 yards. I couldn't hardly pedal without my heart rate meter going off. I saw an advertisement saying there was a hotel 1 mile away. IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE? This is a God send!!! I couldn't pedal but only a few hundred feet. I barely could keep the bike balanced. I have never been scared before, but with only a quarter mile left, I thought I would not make it.

Finally, I ride into the parking lot and lean my bike on the wall.

I walk into the lobby and there is no air conditioning. I am about to die here. I finally get the lady to check me in and I get the key. I ask her where the ice was, and she said it didn't work but if i came by the office, she would get me some. I told her I would come by after a cold shower. She said no problem.

I get into the hotel, turn on the air and then got into the shower. NO COLD WATER??? WHAT??? The water was hot. finally after a few minutes, the water started to cool off. This is strange. I cooled off enough to get the swimmy head away. I got the ice and called Sheila. She said she was coming to pick me up and that I was done. Well, I dont argue with my wife. She is a nurse! After about 2 hours she met me in Conway Tx with the rest of my family. It took that long to cool off. When she picked me up, I was relieved. I got my appetite back.

END OF TOUR!! What a shame. But I am glad I am alive!

See you on the couch!!!

Day 1
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66


I got up this morning at 5am ready for my great bike trip. We loaded up and went to I Hop for a nice breakfast.


We drove back west to unload at Cadillac Ranch (a Stanley Marsh art project-- it is 10 Cadillac nose down in the ground as a death to the fin tails of the past).

I loaded a cooler on the back of the bike but it messed up the balance of the bike. I wish I brought it though. After a few tearful moments with my family, it was time to go. They followed me up the access road to the highway. Once they went around me, I felt lonely. But after some pedaling, I started to feel a little better. I couldnt get my Garmin to work right but found out that it was doing just fine. It started to navigate just fine.

There were really cool route 66 stuff in Amarillo.




This mural was on a bar along the route. It was pretty cool because it had all the owners painted on it.








This other mural was painted on the side of a grocery store closer to downtown. I think it was painted in the 90's but it definatly had a rustic look that I would imagine Route 66 would have.



Stanley Marsh has a ton of art projects in the Amarillo Area. This a one of many signs placed all over Amarillo. They are street signs with weird stuff on it. This one has a bird.


To be Continued........

Night before

I spent the evening enjoying dinner with my family. Tomorrow I ride!

17 hours
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66

Heading for Amarillo. Tomorrow I start my ride!!

Making my list and checking it twice

1 Day and 11 hours
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66

Panniers just broke!!!
Ok, I was packing my panniers again. I need to get good at it so I lifted it up off the racks and the rain fly broke.

TRAGEDY!!!


I checked it out and I think I can make it work. But this really sucks. I guess you get what you pay for. It makes me worry about the rest of it. Will it break too?

As far as my nerves? I am much better today. I am getting excited now. Tomorrow we will travel from Dimmitt to Amarillo where we will spend a last dinner together with my wife and family. We will stay in a hotel and I will take off early Saturday morning. It is great to have the support of my wife and family. And it helps to get encouragement from friends on bike journal.

See you on the road!!

waiting another day to leave

2 Days and 18 hours
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66

I have to take a day off and rest. I am not quite ready to leave for Amarillo tomorrow as originally planned. I think I will delay my departure one day. This will allow me to do some much needed stuff and at the same time take a day off to rest. I think I will feel better with that.

I thank the airlines for the restrictions on the 3 oz bottle limit because I can now use those small bottles being manufactured to pack lighter. Shampoo and what not, can pack smaller. Tonight I will start uploading my maps to my Garmin and double check my inventory. I wonder what can be shed this time.

See you on the road!!

Do I really want to do this??

2 Days and 12 hours
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66

It is getting very near and I feel pretty scared. I am also tired from all the work I have been doing. I will finally get a couple of days off. I watched the weather and of course the first few days I am riding will be over 100 degrees. Isnt this too early to be this hot? I guess sleeping in a tent will be a little uncomfortable the first few nights. I have second thoughts about doing this. This is pretty typical from what I have read. I guess I am nervous about the unexpected.

I will push through it. I can always quit and rent a car back home if I dont like it.

SEE YOU ON THE ROAD!!

Less than a week to go!!!

6 Days
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66

I cant believe that I will start my tour in less than a week. I packed and repacked my bike today. Me and my dad found a way to strap on a cooler. I don't know if i will use it or not, but I am sure that an ice cold beverage would be nice at some point on the road. ;)

I am in Austin with my son and his friend Ivan for the All State Contest. We will be be here until Tuesday. From then it is a matter of last minute stuff like loading maps on the Garmin. I am getting very nervous and exciting at the same time.

SEE YOU ON THE ROAD!!!!

Inventory

11 Days
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66


Boy it is getting close! After doing chores and getting ready for a lot of family coming in for my Son's graduation, I got a chance to do some serious packing. I took take inventory and lay out my panniers.

Here is what I have right now.

Front Right Pannier
Medical Bag (thanks Sheila) Helps to have a nurse for a wife!
3 Bungee Chords
3 Safety blinking lights (white and red)
1 pliers
1 utility knife
1 roll duct tape
5 tire tubes
4 CO2 Cartridges
1 Chain lube
1 Electrical Tape
1 Bike Tool
1 rubber cement
1 screw driver
1 crescent wrench

Front Left Pannier
14 gu
1 Rain Pancho
1 Flash Light
1 Stove
50 fuel cubes
1 deet (repellent)
1 twine
1 camera charger
1 ipod charger
1 lan line
1 garmin charger
1 ipod 1/8 by 1/8 chord
1 1/8 by rca chord
1 ipod to pc chord
1 cam by rca jack
1 cam by pc chord
2 garmin by pc chord

Back Right Pannier
1 pillow
1 computer
2 tee shirts
2 pairs of socks
1 short
3 jerseys
1 under jersey

Back Left Pannier
1 tarp
1 sunscreen
2 water bottles
1 camp cup (coffee)
1 pan
1 sponge
dish soap
2 bike shorts
1 wind jacket
1 headband
Room for food


back rack
Tent
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping pad
crop (for dogs)
Saddle bag (on hand bike repair)
pump


I still haven't packed toiletries


But I still have a lot of room.

I took a short ride today and it road pretty well. I need to take a long ride to see how it does.

SEE YOU ON THE ROAD!!

Less than two weeks!

13Days
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66

I cant believe that it is less than two weeks before I take off. I got my new tires. Arnt they all shiny and reflective? what ever it takes to make other drivers to see me better, right? It also makes me feel better to have two walls of rubber under me. These tires are the Vittoria Randonneur Pros. Everybody swears by them. We will see how they hold up!!




I also have been thinking about how to divide up the panniers to make everything a little more accessible. I guess I will be doing this next week at night. I have had such a rough couple of weeks. When I get home, I don't feel like doing anything. I guess I better do something next week.

Weather and schedule has not allowed me to do any riding lately. I need to get out and get my butt used to being in the saddle. Anyway.


See you on the road!!!!!!

Getting nervous

18Days
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66

I have completed all of my major yearly obligations for work and now I need to really start planning this trip. 18 days??? WOW. Not long now. I feel like I am already on the road. I still have inventory and some end of year award things, but mostly I am done.

I am getting nervous about going. Is this real? Will I do it? Will I really stay there? All these things are getting more and more real as time gets near. I am getting anxious. Nervous jitters. Dont pack too much, everyone says. I fear not bringing enough. I have been looking at others who went before me to see what they packed and what they had to send home. I guess whatever I dont use, I can send home. I am really trying to figure out what I need. I have some issues with how to upload to the daily journal. I guess I can type it up in a text to sheila and then send pictures to facebook. I dont know. This bothers me. So, anyway!


See you on the ROAD!!!!

First ride

28 Days
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66

I took a ride on my newly loaded bike. I have read over and and over that a loaded down bike is hard to control. I really didn't have any trouble. I didn't even balance it out and it was still pretty easy to ride. I don't know how it will be after riding all day.

Just another positive step towards my trip!



See you on the road!!!!!!

First bike loading attempt

29 Days
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66

As Sheila sings the "Sandford and Son" theme, I finally get the last of the preliminary packing list inside the panniers.

I weighed the stuff and it ended up 24 lbs. I will have to take a ride on the bike soon to see how it handles. I still have a few things to add to the list. I havent loaded any food or coffee and stuff but I think everything will fit pretty well.


See you on the road!!!!

Another trip to Academy

34 Days
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66

Last night I went to Academy after a great dinner of Japanese Steakhouse. I love the volcano!

Anyway, I bought more fuel and my sleeping mat. I will have to try it out one day to see how comfortable it is.

See you on the road!

posting from phone

I wanted to see if I could post from my phone. I guess this technology will do pretty well. The trouble is posting pictures. I guess this will have to do until I figure it out.


See you on the road!

Got a new phone

35 Days
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66

I got a new phone. This phone will allow me to post from the road. This will be very handy.

Mapping the Mother Road

53 Days
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66


Mapping The Mother Road


For the last week or so, I have been trying to map the mother road. This is sort of a difficult thing to do. So many of the original roads have been bypassed or "covered up" It is no longer possible to drive the historic route uninterrupted. And, as it has since 1926, Route 66 is still evolving and therefore subject to the same changes of any roadway. Changes are due to repairs, redirections, so adjustments have to be made on the fly. The only thing that is certain, is the cities in which the route passed through. I will try to follow the route as closed to the original route, but in some cases, trying to follow the route will take me farther off the route. On my trip, I will visit the towns and the known landmarks along the way. I will keep my eyes out for all the old relics of the past and ride on as much of the original Portland cement roadway I can find.

LIST OF TOWNS Along Route 66 I plan on going through.


Texas

Amarillo
Conway
Lark (not really a town)
Groom
Boydston (not really a town)
Jericho (ghost town)
Rockledge (not really a town)
Alanreed
McLean
Lela
Shamrock
Texola

Oklahoma

Erick
Hext
Sayre
Elk City
Canute
Foss
Clinton
Weatherford
Hydro
Bidgeport
Geary
Calumet
El Reno
Yukon
Bethany
Warr Acres
Oklahoma City
Arcadia
Luther
Wellston
Warwick
Chandler
Davenport
Stroud
Depew
Britow
Kellyville
Sapulpa
Tulsa
Catoosa
Verdigris
Claremore
Sequoyah
Foyil
Bushyhead
Chelsea
White Oak
Vinita
Afton
Narcissa
Miami
Commerce
Quapaw


Kansas

Baxter Spring
Riverton
Galena


Missouri

Joplin
Webb City
Carterville
Maxville
Carthage
Avilla
Plew
Rescue
Phelps
Albatross
Heatonville
Paris Springs
Halltown
Springfield
Marshfield
Conway
Phillipsburg
Lebanon
Hazelgreen
Laquey
Buckhorn
Waynesville
St. Roberts
Devels Elbow
Hooker
Clementine
Powellville
Arlington
Doolittle
Rolla
St. James
Fanning
Cuba
Bourbon
St. Cloud
St. Clair
Pacific
Allenton
Eureka
Times Beach
St. Louis

Illinois

E. St. Louis


The route I want to take will go through all these towns. It seems like a lot of towns when you type them out. I am sure they all are all cool in their own right. I read a cyclist's blog that took him from Dallas to a place near Dimmitt. I remember the pictures that he posted. I was excited when he posted pictures of Dimmitt. So, I intend to post pictures of every town I pass through.

I hope you follow me and post your comments.


See you on the road!!!

First Trip

68 Days
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66

Trip to Academy




The first trip getting ready for my trip down 66 would be to Academy Sports and Outdoors. So, off we go 50 miles to the nearest Academy. The family didn't mind because we like to go on road trips.




Especially when Acapulco's Mexican Restaurant. is involved.




I have been looking online for all my supplies. I think it is very convenient to shop online, but I wanted to hold the products in my hand. I wanted to look, feel, touch, weigh. I don't think that online shopping can compare.

Some things that I looked at and tested.

Sleeping Pads:

I tested sleeping pads. I knelt down on them, tested the weight, aired some up. I think that any one of them will work fine. All of them roll up small. I did like the accordion style better. Any backpacker pads were fine.

Tents

I looked at tents. I tested the weight of all the tents. It boils down to one simple solution. Unless you want to sleep in a glorified sleeping bag, the weight was still too heavy. So, my Wal Mart tent will be just as good as the other ones.

Sleeping Bags

I checked out the sleeping bags and found that the back packing tents didn't pack away any smaller than the ones I already have.

Stoves

I FOUND ONE AND BOUGHT IT! I was looking at all the multi fuel stoves and seen some backpacker stoves and was amazed by how expensive they were. One I picked up and it was very light, but cost over 100 dollars. I could almost buy a kitchen stove for that. I found this Esbit Pocket Stove. I bought it and brought it home. It boiled a pint of water in less than 8 minutes and still had half of the fuel left. The odor was very very little. The fuel burned clean. The good news is that it is cheap and very very light! I am going with this little baby!


Food

There was plenty of choices of freeze dried food, if I wanted to bring some.



Note


The reason I am concerned with all of this stuff is because there may be times on this trip that will require me to stealth camp. Most cyclists do this when they cant stay in a hotel. One day I will have to blog about it. Hotels do get expensive. Personally I would prefer to stay in a hotel but if there is a safe place to stealth, I don't think I would mind. When I get into Oklahoma, the towns get closer together. I may be able to send a lot of this stuff home. But, if I do stay in a tent, I want my coffee and a hot dinner or breakfast.




See you on the Road!!

Decisions, Decisions

70 Days
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66



Decisions, Decisions

There is an awful lot of planing that goes into a multi day tour. Fortunately there have been many many people who have gone before me. They love to post about their adventures. I suppose that is why I am blogging my adventures too. I don't think anyone cares what I do and where I go, but it is fun to share with anyone that will read.

I haven't written in a few days because I have been sick and haven't done a great deal of planning. I have been planning on getting back to work rather than a long bike ride. I think this week, I would have been anywhere else than on a bike. Boredom does kick in, however. When I get bored, I get to thinking about my trip.

I sent my race bike into the shop to get it repaired from my recent "bike wreck". I was happy to get it back. I haven't rode her yet, but I intend to do so on Sunday, if I feel up to it. When I got it back I saw that there was no place for the panniers to fit. I posted on the Bike Journal forum www.bikejournal.com if anyone knew how to attach panniers onto a Specialized Allez Elite. I got several posts back. One post was to call this guy who owns a shop in Colorado. I did. He liked to talk a lot and had some great techniques that I already knew about how to climb up a mountain pass. In a nutshell, he said my bike was a race bike and was not meant to put panniers on it. I was disappointed, because I really wanted to take my nice bike on the trip. I like the way it rides and think that it is very comfortable. He suggested use a trailer which would OK except all my equipment cant go on just the trailer. Also, it is better quality so if it broke down, I could get it repaired with not too much trouble. Scratch that!!




This gives me two choices. One, use my old bike I bought from Walmart, which has served me well. Denali's are well worth their money. OUTSTANDING BIKE! But if it did break down, I don't know how easily it could be repaired. Two, buy a touring bike. Which would be great except that it would use up all my savings to buy the bike and leave nothing for equipment and for the ACTUAL tour! Maybe if I can find a cheaper used one for 300 or less.

So I am at odds again. At odds with the most basic thing for a bike trip. Which bike to bring?


I also have been thinking about what I need to buy for this trip.

Multi-Fuel™ Stove
Model No. 550B725
$89 bucks

3 man back packer's tent
Hooligan® 3 - 8’ x 7’ Tent
Model No. 2000001590Cayman ™ X 40 Rectangular
Model No. 8492-420
sleeping pad











Decisions, Decisions.

See you on the Road!!!

Not much today

74 Days
Until Departure
Bike Ride from Amarillo to the Mississippi River along Route 66
I havent really thought too much today about the trip except the simple fact that I need to buy more stuff. Lighter tent, lighter roll mat, and lighter sleeping bag.

I had a busy day today, so not much to post.

See you on the road!!