What a day! My alarm went off at 6:30 AM in Flagstaff Monday morning and the phone noted 45 degrees outside. By the time I actually crawled out of bed about an hour and a half later, it was 65 degrees, and upon my leaving, 68. Little did I know we’d be climbing another couple score degrees throughout the day. Yes score, as in 20, and yes couple, as in more than one.

Descending from Flagstaff and out of the pine forest on I40 was a nice transition from a little chilly to perfectly warm. Right around the town of Seligman I stopped for gas and noticed signs for Route 66 and couldn’t resist. Though it wasn’t a very long time before I had to head south, 66 was great. Not crowded, still got to drive relatively fast and it brought me through some tiny towns with all sorts of cool old route 66 themed everythings everywhere. Very cool little ride and it makes me want to do the entirety of 66 sometime.

Once I turned south from I40 to Arizona 95, things started to really heat up. In fact I’m pretty sure Lake Havasu City is the hottest friggin city on the planet. Where leaving Tucson was a blow dryer this was industrial strength face melting furnace. Every so often there was a pocket of super hotness that lasted only a few hundred feet, who knows how hot it actually was in those spots.

After stopping once more in Parker for a cool drink and some snacks I was ready to get to California. I eventually did enter Cali but the road I decided to take (62 so I can ride through Joshua Tree) was as barren a desert as you can possibly imagine. Literally nothing for miles except for dirty brown shrubs all wishing they weren’t there. And it was still hot. So hot.

Of all the shitty feelings I could have been feeling riding in this inferno, the worst was when my fuel light came on and I was still about 30 miles outside of 29 Palms. The last place I gassed up was Lake Havasu and I hadn’t thought to check on what was ahead of me, probably for the same reason I didn’t stop to take pictures, I just wanted to ride out of the misery.

I had to have rode into the gas station in 29 palms with only a mile or two left. I was honestly waiting for it to die before I stopped and shut it off at the pump. 148 miles it rode on a single tank, something I didn’t even think was possible. Damn you desert, that was a close one.

Finally what I was waiting for, a quick ride through Joshua Tree, where it was less hot and there was much more to see.

 

 

Upon exiting JT on the southern side, my choices were I10 and sort of go around to Indio or go straight on box canyon road to Mecca. The latter seemed the more direct route and how can anyone pass up a road called “box canyon road?” Plus I came all this way I wasn’t about to start making it easy on myself.

Well box canyon road made the drive through hot barren nowhere totally worth it. It was outstanding. Canyons on either side, winding roads through these canyons and a sunset in the background.

 

Then fields of crops all of a sudden! Where the heck did these things come from? Lush green crops, bell peppers or something I think. A delicious smelling place (or maybe just a smelling place in general after having not smelled anything for so long) and a little humid/cooler as a result of all the crops. The town of Mecca and the Eastern Coachella Valley in general is apparently a huge rural farm community. Amazing anything grows here at all! They must have some pretty great irrigation systems.

A quick gas stop, some much needed cold water and a half a quart of oil in the engine, the sun was now almost gone. Beautiful behind the mountains. While the sun was setting, the day wasn’t over. I was still around 110 miles from my destination in Alpine, CA. Onward! At least it’ll get cooler outside right? Nope. Even after the sun was completely gone it was somehow still blisteringly hot. What is wrong with this place?

My route took me down 86 and onto a road called the Borrego Salton Sea Way, a rough road that in hindsight was not a good choice for a nighttime ride. Note to self, stay on larger roads when its pitch black outside.

In any event, a slow winding climb into the mountains and eventually around the town of Julian, it went from desert hot to mountain cold in less than a mile. It took me forever to get through these roads, just me and the stars most of the time. Awesome roads no doubt and I know they offer great views, but slightly challenging in the silent night. At one point they just gave up on offering “25 mph” or “30 mph” curve signs and just put up a blanket “sharp turns next 12 miles” sign. Cool thanks.

Finally Interstate 8! So close, signs for Alpine all over. After just passing the Viejas Casino, the bike started misfiring and coming to a slow. Each gear I dropped got me a little further along on the highway but eventually there was no more. I wound up rolling to a complete stop on the exit ramp for Alpine. Yay my first breakdown!

Conveniently only a mile or so away from the Barletta’s place, Mike came down in his truck and pulled me up the rest of the way with some tie downs. Slight nerve racking and not the easiest of maneuvers, but we managed to get it all the way home without dropping the bike or mangling the pete. Certainly a micro adventure in it’s own right.

From 45 degrees to upwards of 113, desert sun, mountains high and valleys low, a breakdown and tow, it was a day. A beer and some pie later and I was down for the count.

Yesterday was a day of accomplishment. After swapping the spark plugs I got in Mississippi while having my oil changed, the bike fired right back up. I couldn’t swap them while on the side of the road because I brought along a 5/8s plug socket when I actually needed an 18mm. Whoops. I was supposed to change them at 4000 miles but it was running fine so I decided to push it. Another lesson learned, just change the damn spark plugs when you’re supposed to.

Finally a hike in the mountains for some amazing sunset views and a delicious dinner at the Alpine Beer Company Pub with the Barletta family.

I look forward to another 2 days or so under the San Diego Sun.

Here’s the desert route: