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Bobby

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	Day 10, Phoenix, AZ to Brawley, CA Travel > 2019 40 to Phoenix As I said in my last blog, due to the reduced agenda at the GWRRA head quarters, we decided to leave Phoenix early. I wanted to break up the 400 mile ride to Chula Vista into two easy days. We ended up in Brawley, CA.
	Day 9, Springerville AZ to Phoenix Travel > 2019 40 to Phoenix I really love the Rode Inn plus they have gravy and biscuits for breakfast. We could hear the ceiling squeaking as folks walked around above us and someone was snoring pretty loudly in the adjacent room, but the place has charm. Laurie even liked it. They have a very nice lobby and dinning area. Be sure to check out the 360 photo of the lobby below. The front desk said they really decorate the place for Christmas.
	Day 8, Moriarty NM to Springerville AZ Travel > 2019 40 to Phoenix I had a few stops planned for today but we decided to take a more direct path to Springerville so Laurie could give her neck a break. The temperature dropped to 18 ° overnight in Moriarty so we opted for a late departure like a lot of folks. After clearing the snow from Silvia we departed and the day surprised us. It was wonderful with no winds, blue skies and moderate temperatures.
	Day 7, Amarillo TX to Moriarty NM Travel > 2019 40 to Phoenix Yesterday was rough. We had severe side winds and by the time we got to Amarillo we were both exhausted. I think we were both dreading today. I decided we would get a late start today because our planned miles were pretty low and I wanted to let the temperature rise a little before we had to deal with the wind. I still had to wipe frost off the seats.
	Day 6, El Reno OK to Amarillo TX Travel > 2019 40 to Phoenix This is an original Route 66 bridge with the original Route 66 roadbed before and after the bridge,
	Day 5, Conway AR to El Reno OK Travel > 2019 40 to Phoenix Today we visited Sequoyah's Cabin. Sequoyah created the Cherokee alphabet which is still used today and is accessible on computers and even Apple's iPhones. This was a fascinating park.
	Day 4, Leeds AL to Conway AR Travel > 2019 40 to Phoenix People are really curious about the two of us in our helmets and jackets. This morning we stopped for a biscuit at Hardees and this older gentleman keep sneaking looks at me. I never said anything. We got our food and sat down near him and his wife. Then he had to speak up. At this time of year every one opens the conversation the same way. "It's pretty cold out there ain't it?"
	Day 3, Conyers GA to Leeds AL Travel > 2019 40 to Phoenix Today was a low mileage day so we planned to leave late. I think we were the last to leave the motel. We took a detour to Cheaha State Park and the highest point in Alabama. See photos and short description below. The evening ended at Irondale Cafe which is always a good meal. They are normally not open for dinner but open for the 40 to Phoenix crew.
	Day 2, Wilmington NC to Conyers GA Travel > 2019 40 to Phoenix This morning the weather radar on my iPad showed the clouds had moved through during the night and were off the coast so we expected a rain free day. It was not to be. We did not get drenched but we had off and on drizzle for several hours. Also today did not offer much in the way of photos.
	Day 1, Home to Wilmington NC Travel > 2019 40 to Phoenix We had most of our preparations done by this past weekend so we were taking it easy. On Sunday afternoon, we took the bike and car down to the local gas station, fueled them both and grabbed a Subway sandwich. As we were eating our sandwiches back at home, Laurie happened to mention that the three top lights on the trailer were a little brighter than the lower two. That got my attention. The lower two are on all the time and the upper three only light up when the brakes are applied.
	Chihuly Art Exhibit at Biltmore House Travel > Local We wanted to go to the national Gold Wing rally, Wing Ding 40, in Knoxville, TN during the last week in August but the extended forecast called for rain and high humidity. Thursday and Friday of August 23, 24 was going to be beautiful for late summer in the Carolinas. Low 80's in the day, 50's at night, low humidity and no rain. I got a couple of PTO days approved at work, we loaded up Silvia the Gold Wing and headed for the mountains.
	My Harbor Freight Motorcycle Trailer and Modifications General > Motorcycle The 2017 40 to Phoenix ride was the first multi day trip I had ever taken on a motorcycle. I was unsure about how to pack clothes for such a trip but I think I did ok. Every cubic inch of storage was used and I strapped a bag on the luggage carrier. This worked fine but there was a precise location for everything and if I did not pack everything in its location every morning then I had "extra" stuff that did not fit.
	Video Summary of my 40 to Phoenix Ride 2018 Travel > 2018 40 to Phoenix This year I completed my 2nd 40 to Phoenix ride. I was miserable for half the trip with a cold but it was still better than being at work. Even though we started this trip a couple of weeks later than last year the weather was colder for most of the trip. Also the winds across the plains states were worse than last year
	Day 15 Gunnison Co to the Denver Airport Travel > 2018 40 to Phoenix We had a motel reservation near the Denver airport because we planned for Laurie to fly home from there. Those plans seemed doubtful at one point during the day. The weather forecast called for snow and rain in Denver in the morning and a 50% chance of rain for an hour or so during our ride to Denver. The forecast for the previous day was similar and we had a great day so we were not too concerned. We should have been concerned.
	Day 14 Cortez to Gunnison CO Travel > 2018 40 to Phoenix We traveled from Cortez to Gunnison via CO 145 with a stop in Telluride for lunch. This was a beautiful ride with lots of snow on the mountain peaks. Our heated gear made for a very comfortable ride.