Expedition Recovery

10/26/16 Aguascalientes, Mex to Guadalajara, Mex 250.8 kilometers ridden. I was able to sleep in for a bit before getting up to shower. The morning routine of packing is getting smoother but no less time consuming. Chofelia was still asleep when I got up and I felt bad for having to wake her to ask about the hot water heater. She was so sweet and gave me earrings for Cat and tried to give me a shirt as well as food. I felt so awkward saying no to all but the earrings for Cat and a bag of apples for the road. She unlocked the parking gate so that I could get my bike out and we talked while I loaded it for departure. We hugged many times and I could tell she very much wanted me to stay and teach for a few more practices. I headed back to the department store with the open WiFi and talked to Cat for a bit and planned my day with Vale from Guadalajara. I rode during the mid day and made good time. The sites along the road were pretty and I stopped to take pictures again,...

10/25/16 San Luis Potasí, Mex to Aguascalientes , Mex 196.2 kilometers ridden. Sleep was fairly fleeting as the cats wreaked havoc on my bag of beef jerky while I tried not to take note. The larger disturbance was the light from down the hallway. I had turned off all of them near me and the only one left was down by Leon's room so I didn't want to leave him blind if he needed to get up in the night. It just meant that I spent most of the night tossing and turning from one thing or another. I still couldn't be more grateful for the place to stay and all of the hospitality I had been shown. Leon and I walked to Pina's place but he was out for breakfast around the corner so we went and joined him for scrambled eggs with bacon in them, beans with cheese, and some sort of cheesy tortilla casserole like dish. It was all very tasty and well worth the stop. Pina had to leave for work but gave Leon the key to his place where my bike was stored. He also ...

10/24/16 Las Los Lunas hotel to San Luis Potasí, SL Mex 338.7 kilometers ridden. I had full blown dreams last night. Not the short spurting ones about things from my past I have been experiencing, but full on long dreams with recent relevant content. Lisa Deadwards was in it and have only known her for a few months and only a few days in person. I got up at close to 9 am and worked out for a bit just to start getting back in the swing of it. Really minor workout but it made me realize how much my back was one big knot I needed to workout and stretch. I went to shower and found that while the light and wall sockets in my room were working, the water was not. I went down to ask but was told it wouldn't be on anytime soon. I returned to my room to finish a last few tasks before packing and loading the bike. It appeared to have been untouched there in the lobby and so I loaded it up and prepared to leave. As I reached into my pocket for my keys I came up w...

10/23/16 Nuevo Laredo, Mex to Las Los Lunas hotel and bar near La Leona, Mex 460.5 kilometers ridden. Was a slow start to the day for me but not terrible. The same couple that had been going at it so loudly last night decided to start their morning the same way. Breakfast was much better than most continental affairs and I ate scrambled eggs and fresh fruit with a glass of orange juice that I ate in the room.  I got a shower and realized just how bad my hair has become without conditioner, I think I would have pulled half my hair out if I had been in a hurry. Before leaving  I got to Skype with Cat for a bit this morning while I packed and we talked about her game against Rage City Orange Crush the night before. With my bags packed I got the bike loaded and answered some questions from a local who wanted to know about the bike and then about my trip. I gave him some details as I set my GPS for Monterrey and rode out. I spent most of the morning lo...

10/22/16 Laredo, TX to Nuevo Laredo, NL Mexico 9.6 miles ridden. My anxiety kicked into high gear last night as I started to think about crossing the boarder.  It meant that I slept terribly and woke up a bit behind the power curve. I started out with four packets of oatmeal and a cup of tea from the continental breakfast. Knowing I was leaving the country finally I went ahead and purchased my travel insurance and called Bank of America to put the travel advisory on my card.  It took me almost an hour, three phone trees, and three people to sort out mistakes on the system that was threatening to strand me without a card for several days. It finally got worked out but delayed me so much I had to ask for late checkout. As I went to leave a guy from Romania was there and wanted to talk to me about the bike, my trip, and Mexico.  He was a really nice guy and wanted to help as much as he could. Was really cool to start to get that traveler's vibe. He had...

10/18/16 Irving, TX to Houston, TX  249.9 miles ridden.  Slow start to the morning but as I gained momentum I just kept working and got the bike loaded and out on the road a bit before noon. That included time to eat breakfast and to install the atlas throttle lock that had come in on Saturday morning.  I rode to a sheet metal shop in Dallas that was recommended when I called around. No one answered the phone but I ran over anyway. Nice guys but no time for several days to get to building me a dash plate for the GPS so I left and headed for a smoothie shop to get a healthy liquid lunch. A final stop for gas and a drink before heading out and starting towards Houston.  I made mostly good time, though the throttle lock failed to work fully and will need some tuning. Stopped for some food and fuel at a road side place with an Arbies in it. Had a few sliders and a Rockstar spritzer before making the final run into Houston.  Once into town I ...

10/11/16 San Diego, CA to Mesa, AZ 417.6 Miles ridden. While up late last night doing laundry I chose to go ahead and take the opportunity to go to MRDA champs in Texas. I got up and told Lauren thank you for having let me stay and apologized for being gone so much during the visit. She said it was fine but I felt bad about how little I had actually done with her during my week stay. I ate the last two muffins Boo had given me and packed all my gear up. I got the bike loaded and got on the road about 11 am or so. I set the GPS for Mota Skates in Fountain Hills, AZ and set an extra stop for the post office along the way so I could mail home a flat rate box of stuff. It took a bunch of time but at least it got done. I pretty much rode straight through with a stop about ever 110 miles or so for fuel and a rest. Got in to Fountain Hills, Arizona at almost 7 pm and, as expected, the shop was closed up and empty. I went for gyros just up the road and then sought out the cheapest ...