Jumping Frogs, Part 5 (Albuquerque to home)

Contrary to popular opinion, you can ride a motorcycle from Albuquerque to Blaine, WA in two days, if you are tough enough (which I apparently still am, whew). Left Friday morning about 8 o'clock in the a.m. Had time for one more picture with Jaxon and Skyla, on the motorcycle, packed and ready to go. They were terrified but got over it pretty quickly once I lifted them up.

North. Well, mostly east. Farmington, here I come.

That's odd. I don't remember there being a river here. It was desert earlier this week. Hmmm. Better pull over and look at the map. Hmmm. Oh. Following 550 and it goes to Durango, not Farmington. Apparently there was a turn which should have had a big sign saying "Farmington". It probably did. Oh well, far enough north that it's now quicker to go to Durango and then cut across to Cortez than to go back.

Back up through Moab. Looks the same going in the other direction, still a nice ride. Then north to Salt Lake City. "Blasted heath" is a nice description of the landscape through which I am traveling. Absolutely barren. Except for this thing for penning your cattle prior to loading them. What the heck? Really? Where do these cows come from? Truck them in just so you can put them in the pen and load them back onto the truck? What on earth would they eat if they lived here? Did I previously use the word "desolate"?

Well, Salt Lake City was crowded. Lots of traffic. Then it was just a long Interstate ride home. Almost 4,000 miles in five days of riding plus a two day break around Albuquerque. The Road King held up nicely, didn't even need an oil cooler (which I was a little worried about). I suspect that the Fat Boy (bless its really old heart) would not have made it. I spent a fair number of miles riding along on the Road King at about 75 miles per hour before suddenly realizing that I was still in fourth gear. Not used to the sound this one makes, plus I don't have a tach (yet). Rode into Bellingham about 4 o'clock, almost got a speeding ticket (saw the car pull off the shoulder at the Samish Way on-ramp and I was going about 70 still, but I needed gas so pulled off at Lakeway to fill up at Fred Meyer. Plausible deniability is the key. I really did need gas). Home by 5ish.

PS Turns out that high 70s is cold when you have been riding in the desert for five days.

PPS I'd add more detail but it wasn't very interesting from before SLC to Blaine.

PPPS I finished out the trip by taking twelve movies from my motorcycle. Sure wish the camera had a way to lock it into Easy Picture mode instead of a little easily turned dial to change to movie mode when reaching into the windshield bag.

Pictures to follow once they are edited and posted on Photobucket.