16 ends...

[Brian A]

I just got home from a ride to Saint Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada (Me, Mulley, Lincoln and Darrin) and I check BR to see your trip.

Awesome stuff Buzz.  Very nice.

[Buzz]

Day 0:

When doing a coast to coast ride, you must start at the coast. It seems well with in reason, but harder in practice. I set off from the Birmingham metro, and head to Tybee Island Ga. While this is not a NY to LA cannonball, I'd decided to add my own degree of difficulty. I want to take a picture of my feet in the Atlantic Ocean facing north. then repeat the picture in the Pacific Ocean. I want to do that in 48 hours.

The ride to SavannahGa. was uneventful. Except the fact I forgot my exit. I got a text telling me so. A couple of miles of dirt road rectified the issue.

As I pull into Savannah, I see a sign that says "I16 ENDS". I found that poetic. I room in the city. $50 a night. I am no princess, so it does me fine. 442 miles. (wrong turn).

DAY 1:

I wake early. I do not feel as well as I should. I plan to cover 1500 miles today. The ride though Savannah to Tybee Island is very nice. Savannah is one of the few ocean towns that still has an original character.

Feet in the Ocean.  07/23/17 05:30 central time. It begins.

I walk to the bike, and meander back to the interstate. I feel horrible. My joints all hurt, and my back is killing me.

Atlanta. I see the Porsche building. It's the Avenger's headquarters. Shhh, don't tell anyone.

Birmingham. I meet Chitza for lunch. After telling her about my pain, she gives me strength to continue my attempt.

Little Rock. My back is killing me.

Somewhere I stretch out on a concrete table. It helps.

Oklahoma City. More pain.

I think I pull into a Motel in Hinton Ok. I think, because the pain is keeping rational thought from flowing. 

23:51 central time. 1162 miles.

[Buzz]

Day 2:

I feel better. What ever got a hold of my body had relented. Two cups of motel coffee, and I am ready to go.

Oklahoma, windmills.

Texas, Nothing to see here. Everyone wears the uniform though. Hat, boots, ect.

New Mexico. Now there is some scenery. Mesas. Is this the desert? ( No it isn't, as I will learn.)

Albuquerque. Breaks hard tire squeal, sit in traffic.

Arizona, even better views. It is raining. Raining hard. I thought this was desert. Near Winslow, I see the edge of the southern Rocky Mountains. It's dark, wet, and cold. I decide to cross in daylight.

I find big rocks to park the bike between. I throw a tarp over it.

769 miles 00:30

[Buzz]

Day 3:

I leave my rock before dawn. I ride up to Flagstaff Az for coffee. It is raining a little. I stop looking at my phone for time. Time changes every few feet in Arizona.

A few words about Flagstaff. If you take into consideration what is on either side of the mountain, this may be the most beautiful place on earth. It is an oasis on the edge of nothing. Pure alpine wetlands. It helps that there is a rainbow.

After Flagstaff, I feel normal. What ever afflicted me before, seems to have passed.

I drop into the Moab desert. I had broken my helmet visor the previous day. I taped it on to cope with the rain, but have to leave it up for the rest of the dry trip.

The Moab is desert. It is not the hell of a desert that will come. It does rain here. After the rains, everything turns green. Flowers bloom, and it is quite lovely. Ahead I see another mountain range.

then.............. hell...... The Mojave........California.

What can I say about the Mojave? You have got to be kidding me. Hot and dry to the point that  when sweat leaves your body, it doesn't cool. I urinated. When I looked down afterward, the ground was dry. There are more mountains.

The first town I come to is Needles Ca. It looks like a place to die. I feel bad for the people who are forced to live here. There were inhabited trailers that appeared to be broken in half. I push on.

I stop in 29 palms for a fuel transfer. I had heard Marine friends speak of this place with no fondness. It is hell. I would hate to be forced to be here any longer that possible.

I begin to wonder when I will get though this desert. It already feels like days. More mountains.

I come to Boran Ca. I pass 20 mule team road. Holy crap. Is this the same planet?

My GPS appears to be adding time. This seems to happen every time I look down.

Edwards Air Force Base, the place where Yeager broke the sound barrier.

The Air and Space port, It looks like a place for rich people to store their jets.

Bakersfield, still a hell hole.

I stop for a refuel. I check my time. I did not make my goal. I decide to take canyon roads the rest of the way. I want to see the roads that all these motomags test bikes on.

The canyons are better. The roads are poorly paved, and the extra fuel tank doesn't help the bike. It's still hot, and dry. At least I am having some fun. I see some awesome dirt trails. I'd love to be on a dual sport for just a bit.

Ventura Ca...........

The last mountain. All of a sudden it felt like somebody cut on an air conditioner. It is still desert landscape, but 70 degrees. The rich people don't seem to accept they are in the desert. There are scrub plants, then green lawns. Trees have been planted that do not fit the landscape. Most are blown bent in the katabatic winds. They seem to say "Sorry I exist, it wasn't my idea."

I hop on US 101 to Ventura Beach. Several legal ,and necessary, U turns. I see the ocean.

I park, put on my sandals, and walk down. When me feet are wet, the clock stopped.

Coast to coast

2507 miles 60 hours to the minute.

I eat some crap fast food, and find my sandals are missing from the bike. They were too sandy to repack. I stuffed them in the seat. There is some homeless guy with new Jesus Christ land cruisers.

I get a hotel room off the beach. I plan to rest. Then I want to explore. Then...........

Shuffle...............

4 hours have passed. Well I'll pee, and get ready...........

Shuffle...............

4 hours have passed. Well I'll.................

Shuffle..............

2 hours.............

Shuffle.............

2 hours later I am up. Shuff..... No!

I get in the shower, gear up................

The return. To be continued.

[Buzz]

After the coma in Ventura, I finally gear up to leave. I head south toward L.A. The ride tough the valley is pleasant, but a bit crowded. I finally know why people came to California, and stayed. The trip out is near unthinkable.

I see farm land mixed with trailer parks. Signs say starting at $100k. Really, it's not that nice here.

The farm lands turn to suburbs. I see the city limit sign. I jump on some interstate. Traffic stops. A man in a suit riding a 'busa passes me. He jumps between two lanes, and is gone. I quickly remember that lane splitting is legal here. I hope between the lanes.

I will make a few observations about continuous lane splitting. Drivers in Ca are just as bad as anywhere else. The big surprise is no one tries to kill you. Everywhere else quite a few drivers would feel it is their civic duty to pin you death with their neighbor. No one here seems to mind. You must be on you A-game. The cell phone toting, lipstick applying, hair brushing, news reading drivers might not kill you on purpose. They are still quite likely kill you out of negligence. The only time I feel scared is between two 18 wheelers. It was a bit claustrophobic. I don't suggest it.

The worst of the traffic was though the wildfires. The wildfires here are quite fragrantly nice (Sage, juniper, ect). It's nice. Well, it's nice for me.

L.A. falls behind me. I don't look back.