2021 Road trip, San Diego to Places on the left side of the US. May 26-June 18th...
Looking for Something...
Can't find what you are looking for, email us and if we don't have it, I'm sure we can point you in the right direction.
Part 1, May 26-31
John and Howard's Epic Post Covid Bike Trip 2021!
John & Howard's - "The Plan - 2021"
Where are we....
- Preamble link
- Photo Dump (pictures)
- Week one map
-
May 26: Wednesday, arriving in San Diego.
- Early morning airport arrival, tsa and all things travel, not so bad. Howard has checked in and is off for a book and snacks for the trip. I sit typing with a mask and glasses, not a good combination. A beautiful day in Hilo, we had snow a few nights before. Not looking forward to 95f in mojave and all places between. I hope my bags make it, baggage peeps were very confused on how it all works.
- May 27, Thursday,
- 5 hours of travel,
- 172/172miles,
- day 1 of 22
Woke up early and looked out the window at the constant freeway traffic. Early was not bad, breakfast at the hotel, and some coffee were great. Uber was a bit tricky to get, even after checking, they made me contact a code, but the code on the phone didn't work. Argh, finally got thru and then somehow my phone sent ubber to the wrong pickup place. Cancelling cost 8 bucks. Finally got the correct uber, and within five minutes we were off to pick up our bikes.
Pasha/One Road Towing was really very quick for the pickup. Bikes actually started, and we loaded up our gear, and setoff to get gas down the street. The gas station didn't take credit cards, so had to pay in cash, strange... Then a lady walked by using the hand sanitizer at the pumps to take a bath. Times are not good for many people in this part of San Diego so it seems. Back on the road, we keep off down the freeway and head to wallymart. Taking turns shopping to keep an eye on the bikes, we load up on provisions; saimin, water, beef jerky, hot cereal, and hope for places to eat along the way.
Heading out, Google maps has a feature that lets you skip freeways, this as we/you will find is mostly good. So off we go and we take some amazing roads that twisted and turned, and with the many changing geological features, we headed to Palm Springs. Leaving San Diego, in a nice cool 70s. Welll... Palm Springs, as we reached the valley floor, looked like highes of 120. At this point, I found my phone roasting in the sun and not charging, but I need the map for the roads we need to follow. Did I mention hot.... We find a sams club for fuel (didn't we just get fuel, oh, that was 150 miles ago. We also found out sams club is like costcos, membership is required. Luckily in asking a nice lady in the car next to us, she lets us use her sams club card and Howard filled both out bikes (I love riding with this guy). We also pumped gas in the shade, so that was "cool"... Back on the road, it is hot, bikes are not liking the heat combined with the many red lights. The temp gauge on my bike starts to get near the red zone but eventually falls back in the normal area as we leave the red lights in the dust behind us. I wonder if this is hot, how much hotter can it get.
We are still off the freeways, and that is nice. Smaller side roads, slower and many stop signs, but we get to Joshua tree park. Howard is smart and has already reserved a campsite at Indian creek in the park. We find it and it is amazing beautiful stone formations. As it is still early, we head back to town to eat and hydrate. Howard has a food skill I have yet to aqcuire, and seems to find amazing places to eat on our journey. He has found a great rib joint, and we return to camp full and happy with cooler air to enjoy.
Reflecting on the day and planning for tomorrow, suddenly we find it is going on at 10 pm, and we hope to beat the heat by getting up at 5 am and trying to get to Needles before the heat really kicks in. Today was hot, tomorrow will be hotter. Past that and thru vegas is the goal. Wish us luck for tomorrow!
- May 28, Friday,
- Memorial Day weekend.
- 258/430 Miles,
- 6 hours of drive time. Day 2.
Nice drive from Joshua Tree park, Indian Cove campground to Stewart point campground in Lake Meade. Up at 5 and on the road by 6 really helped as it got pretty warm (understatement). Getting gas at 21 ferns chevron, a wonderful lady from Cape code (originally) who worked at the gas station gives us printed directions for a road we were uncomfortable with road-wise but had considered. Turned out to be a perfect road. Tons of Jasper trees and little 4 wheeled traffic. Getting close to Los-wages, we entered society with traffic going 80+ and the temp at over 100. A few miles later, I'm white-knuckled, Howeard seems unpertrered by it all, we get gas and continued on. Stopping for lunch at a Wendy's, no joy only drive thru but we do meet another fellow on a brand new GS. He stops to chat as we work out a few details in the parking lot.
Bypassing vegas to the south, destination unknown we find food and enjoy the AC. Entering the park, no campsites, but we get a hint about putting our toes in at Lake Meade. Super hot, even my mask plate up it is hot. We get to Lake mead and Park people inform us it is hot and will get hotter. 105 in the shade. We continue on the ranger’s recommendation to Stewart point, and trumble down some gravel unpaved roads to the near shoreline, about 500+ feet. Parking our bikes at our vista campground for the night, we quickly shed out of our riding clothes in favor of our local wear, swim shorts, slippas and a towel, oh and more drinking water. I feel like I'm leaking like a sieve, the amount of water I'm downing. Water is perfect, cool, and refreshing. We hang with our toes in the mud and enjoy the cool air. We finished setting up camp and work on campgrounds for Memorial day weekend this weekend. Howard, the good luck charm was able to secure a site at the north entrance to the grand canyon for the 31st. Looks like we have a couple of days to burn, so heading to Ceder canyon campground. The site had me hooked at the pine trees and cool waterfalls looked amazing. One web page said closed, other said open. Looks like we are headed that way tomorrow. 173 miles, about four and a half-hour drive. Stay tuned for tomorrow!
Animals: Wild horses, gophers, a roadrunner (bird), a large rabbit with giant ears, blackbirds and a seabird at the lake.
- May 29, Friday,
- 249/679, 7 hours driving
- and day 3 of 22
Early to rise, was great, but a short night as half of las wages showed up at midnight with lighthouse grade headlights. Very bright and loud... So up until I could find my headphones, and by 1 am, they had rolled on to bother some other happy campers. A nice night actually, bluff over the water with a million-dollar view of the lake. Early 5 am, and Howard is quick to break camp. Breakfast, coffee, talk story, and brush teeth, we are ready to roll. Today’s trip was to Zion. And apparently so was it for a lot of other people. Nearing the park entrance, a long line forms, and our bikes start to overheat with the none existant or minimal movement forward. We pull over and find shade for the bikes. There are people everywhere, I think everyone from the million man march was here, walking, waiting in line for busses that were to full. And long lines of people parking for miles. We have a pau-wow, (sorta of a Hawaiian meeting) and decide correctly so, "lets have lunch". Lunch is great we meet Ledo, the french server who comments on our bikes and we talk story about different bikes. He provides some great advice, as well as if we get past the entrance, there are to many people in the park. We finish a really good lunch hammer some more water and hit the road, back downhill We had some great advise to check out Kolob reservoir, a great ride that looks better then zion. Beautiful and recommended for sure. Once down, we turn back west and head to our final destination of Ceder Canyon campground. I like the back roads, but often we need to hit the freeway for long periods of time. So from a gentle 55mph, we enter the plaid speed zone, as noted in space balls. 80Mph roads and everyone goes 10 over, so 20 miles of 85-90mph on bikes was sorta fun. But it is really fast, for a while, then when you slow to 65, it’s like the turtle lane. We enter The town of Ceder and get gas, more water and juice. Beer is talked about, but nah, its nice. Driving up the cool canyon road, we find the last camping spot, in the campground that just opened a few days before. Our host Ron, is seriously a very funny guy, he used to open for Robin Williams and others at the Comedy factory. Super nice guy, and full of great info. We ask a few times about Brice, and he takes us to a nice young couple from Arizona who just tried to go to the park. Gent said a two miles line just to get into the park. Howard and I look at each other and realize that ain’t happening. But not all is lost, we quickly decide two nights at this campground and we will hit the road less laden then we have been leaving tents and gear back at the campsite tomorrow. My tent the night before blew a rod and I might need to look for another tent tomorrow. Some surgery with chewing gum, a paper clip and duct tape (actually just a pair of pliers) has it sorta fixed, but I'm not to confident, as that was only two nights of tent usage, I still have many more to go... But alas, it will work, it always works so I hear. I am now full of warm food, I took a shower (camp stove heater water) and feel clean, feed and feet are infront of a roaring fire in a comfortable chair. Nice.... Lets see what tomorrow brings, stay safe, wear a mask (they don't here) and be happy!
- May 30, Sunday,
- Day 4 of 22
- 123/802 miles driven/total with 4.5 hours of driving.
I'm now seated at a Starbucks for free wifi, Howard is off to run an errand, with plans to meet back at camp later, or if we both finish, maybe dinner in the town of Ceder. We kept our camp for a second night, so have off-loaded tons of gear at camp and cruised Dixie National Forest. Much better than Zion, as we are giving up on the lines at Zion, but amazing. Our camp spot is at 8,000ft elevation, Cedar Canyon campground. The funniest fellow I have ever meet, used to open for John Candy, John Belushi, Robin Williams and was seriously the smoothest talking, funniest person I've met in some time. Good clean humor, Ron the campground manager. A retired nomad who cruises the country from place to place with his dog Mika, who is smarter than most people I know. He gets us set up, brings over firewood, but enough, that was yesterday’s post. Leaving camp, we head east and north to Cedar Breaks National Monument. A truly hidden gem. On the way up, we drive thru some falling snow, very cool (no pun intended) and beautiful! Slow mellow roads, nice drivers, and cool weather. We loop about the park, stopping for some great pics (click on week 1 photo dump), sorry no editing, I'll remove many bad pics later. Back to today, great weather, last night was cold, I froze as I've never frozen. Up at midnight, more clothes on, reposition the sleeping bag, and back to sleep. I'm snoring till 9 am. Howard and Ron are talking story, and tell me, Mika, the dog thinks there is a bear in my tent snoring... Removing the makapiapia from my eyes, I make hot cereal and two cups of coffee to offset the cold. We prep and ride off. I very much recommend the Cedar Breaks National Monument. Lunch was at Henries Drive-in at Panguitch, UT, they cheat as they have a briskit smoking by the road, and our bikes turned in and parked without us with the amazing smell. Great Beef Brisket, I mean really good, and not beacuase I'm hungry good.. We loop around on the 89 south back to Duck Creek Village and to camp, where we sit and chill for 15 minutes. Now off to town, my cheap Amazon tent isn't great, so had to replace it. I may sacrifice it to the tent gods.... Some camping food and now at this at Stary-bucks in Utah. Ten people working, I'm the only one in the place and they keep telling me someone will be with me. Must be my crazed looks or my grizzly adams smell.... Well, off to the Northside of Grand Canyon tomorrow. Howard has a camp site, and it should be the last day of Memorial day. Rock on, and I wish you all the best!
-
May 31
- Last day of the week!
- Day 5 of 22
- 192/994 miles today, about 4 hours of driving
Well.. is a deep subject... Up early and freezing conditions, had us out the door by 7am, but a nice morning. Up at 5:30, breakfast, pack... and on The road. We leave talking on our Cardio comms about options, is Zion feasible do we get to the turn off, and head straight for North entrance to the Grand Canyon, or, do we chance it? We agree, that when we get to the turn off, will will watch traffic for a bit. Morning ride is great, bundled to the teeth with multiple jackets life is good. We see Dear near the road, and beautiful country side. Pretty soon I point out, "wow, look like a morning mist thru the trees", apparently is was a truck tossing up a giant cloud of dust, silly me... But this gets a great laugh, as I thought it was like the blue ridge of morning mist. Shut down! We continue the ride and although we are headed east into the sun, it isnt so bad. Alas, we find the turn off, and wait and watch traffic deciding "Chance-um", so a nice right turn takes us to Zion! Just hte drive to zion is magical, but soon we arrive at check point Charlie, or Doug or something.We watch as a very unhappy camper van gets the signal to turn around. I look past a see six or so parks people and a giant road sign, "entrance closed". Oh shlitz, thats a bummer. Pretty soon the heated conversation finished and if the person in the camper van could have peeled rubber turning around he wouldhave. So, we are next, and being pretty mellow I'm figuring to ask where we turn around. The guy says "motorcycle, we have room, go on in"... HAHAHAHAA, we love it, and off we go stoked to be in the park. Zion open up and is amazing. I was last at the park in 2006 with my amazing wife Janet and three great kids, I breifly remember it being hot, a bus ride, some narrows hiking, playing in the stream iwth the kids and enjoying the park. The park is stunning, truly amazing geology to behold. We continue along, stopping for photos and enjoying the great scenory. We pass thru a few tunnels, and these bring back fun memories. Finally at the south entrance, we stop at the visitor center, and see the campsight area we stayed at in 2006, I can almost see the kids playing in the stream having fun. I rember buying a book by an astronomer Brian Green, and I still have the book at home, I'll have to read it again. A beautiful day, we continue back the way we came, and stop to enjoy the sights from the other direction. Leaving the park we both agree a worthy stop for the two of us. Getting gas, I seem to find every pump with a broken sign, but eventurally fill up. We continue to the NGC, north entrance of the grand canyon. And it is a great ride. Some rain, but not a bad ride. We stop with others and talk to other travelers taht share a set of binocs and we watch a cayote or wolf catch a rabbit for dinner. Kinda cool, nature takes place. Talking story we arive at camp and go for a nice walk with the idea of maybe dinner at the lodge. A nice long walk, we find out no reservations even for hotel guests, sold out for next few days. We go to plan B, and get a beer at the salon, very nice! I get a second beer and Howard gets some slives of pizza and pulled pork sandwiches for dinner. We arrive back at camp and are greated by multiple tents that have sprung from thin area and cars. It is now 7:28pm in NGC, and only 4:28 in Hawaii. Thinking of all of you and hope all are doing well. Sorry for the poor choices of letters in a row, but two beers acceeds my limit these days. I'll be happy if I can post this with out deleting everthing, stay tuned.... Tomorrow, we head to Mesa Verde, but we need to do some recone for weather and conditions. We think it could be a long ride, and hot. Stay with us to find out where we end up!
Pictures...
.
Cool things of notes...
- Its good to be alive...
- It can get really hot.
- It can get cold and snow in the summer.
Tips for travelers:
(or lessons learned)
- Pack lite, simple, low weight..
Animal Checklist
-
Read above...
Stay tuned for more fun!