fjrchik
Just a girl in the world, having rode 3 FJRs
Well here it was. The trip I had been waiting for much longer than most of you. 
After putting several grand into the bike over the winter, my FJR is ready to tour the country. After knocking out my new longest day going to and from SFO, I knew I could go farther with my very comfortable Russell seat. But how far was the question. I didn't want to kill myself on the first day so I added about another hundred miles to my SFO mark and pegged Santa Rosa, NM as my first stop on Saturday, July 19th. This would set me up for an easy Sunday too in case I was tired. :huh:
Yeah, I couldn't have been more wrong!! I left FTW at 6 am, stopped for gas once in Vernon, TX and was in Amarillo by 11:15 am. Nice! I tried to get some Subway at a truck stop but they had no seating. And McDonald's wasn't gonna let you eat Subway in there part of the place either. So screw them! I topped off and headed out. Next was Tucumcari and my first time in New Mexico! It was very pretty, very green which I wasn't expecting. I thought it would look more like Reno but it wasn't even close. 75 mph in New Mexico had me in Santa Rosa by 2 pm! Damn, forgot about the time change too! I could've knocked out another tank of gas before calling it a day. I felt like a huge tard checking into my room that early. But the Best Western in Santa Rosa is nationally ranked for cleanliness so I called it a day. Went and got Subway and then took a nap. Went back out later on and hit the hot spots in this Route 66 town.
Santa Rosa State Park
The Blue Hole, 80 ft deep!!
The next morning I was on the road by 9 am and headed for Taos. This was the most exciting day I had planned and I was really amped to see some mountains!
Although it started out a little flat here on Hwy 84 (I almost ran over a snake on this road!):
The scenery got prettier after I passed Las Vegas and got onto 518.
Things got twisty as I went through the mountains and mesas on 518 and I wasn't able to shoot anymore pics because I hadn't figured out yet that I could loop my camera cord on the zipper of my jacket. Um, yeah. So I missed some good stuff on this day. As I arrived in Taos at about 12:40, traffic stopped as a bunch of firetrucks were hogging the road and backing up into what I assumed was the fire station. But it turns out that they were backing onto a side street so they could lead a parade that was about to begin. I made it through just in time and felt like I was on parade myself. We were moving so slowly that I couldn't take my hand off the clutch to get any pics but the whole town was lined up on the main street to watch. And it was about 95 degrees! I was getting pretty toasted. I finally got out of there and onto 64, which was wide freakin open.
I'm flying along and all of a sudden there's a parking lot and a bridge. ok. why? what's with the parking lot full of bikes and cars and people? Once I got onto the bridge I found out. :blink:
The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge:
To the north:
To the south:
I later heard at NAFO, that the lack of signage for this little wonder was because it's Indian land. I guess they are against metal signs. I continued on 64 and then it hooked up with 84 and took me into CO. The scenery was beginning to change.
I was heading into the San Juan Mountains and nearing my destination of Pagosa Springs, CO. I thoroughly enjoyed riding by myself and seeing new places from the seat of my bike. I was excited to hit the hot springs across from my hotel. This resort has 20 natural pools and a river for tubing too.
I got settled into my room, had some food in the bar and was about to go change when I turned around in my chair and noticed the dark menacing clouds outside. I got the bike cover on just in time but loungin the pools wasn't going to happen. So I went back to the bar and enjoyed alcohol for the first time in about 2 weeks and watched the ESPY's. Justin Timberlake was very very funny!!
[SIZE=8pt](more to come)[/SIZE]
After putting several grand into the bike over the winter, my FJR is ready to tour the country. After knocking out my new longest day going to and from SFO, I knew I could go farther with my very comfortable Russell seat. But how far was the question. I didn't want to kill myself on the first day so I added about another hundred miles to my SFO mark and pegged Santa Rosa, NM as my first stop on Saturday, July 19th. This would set me up for an easy Sunday too in case I was tired. :huh: Yeah, I couldn't have been more wrong!!
I left FTW at 6 am, stopped for gas once in Vernon, TX and was in Amarillo by 11:15 am. Nice! I tried to get some Subway at a truck stop but they had no seating. And McDonald's wasn't gonna let you eat Subway in there part of the place either. So screw them! I topped off and headed out. Next was Tucumcari and my first time in New Mexico! It was very pretty, very green which I wasn't expecting. I thought it would look more like Reno but it wasn't even close. 75 mph in New Mexico had me in Santa Rosa by 2 pm! Damn, forgot about the time change too! I could've knocked out another tank of gas before calling it a day. I felt like a huge tard checking into my room that early. But the Best Western in Santa Rosa is nationally ranked for cleanliness so I called it a day. Went and got Subway and then took a nap. Went back out later on and hit the hot spots in this Route 66 town.Santa Rosa State Park
The Blue Hole, 80 ft deep!!
The next morning I was on the road by 9 am and headed for Taos. This was the most exciting day I had planned and I was really amped to see some mountains!
Although it started out a little flat here on Hwy 84 (I almost ran over a snake on this road!):
The scenery got prettier after I passed Las Vegas and got onto 518.
Things got twisty as I went through the mountains and mesas on 518 and I wasn't able to shoot anymore pics because I hadn't figured out yet that I could loop my camera cord on the zipper of my jacket. Um, yeah. So I missed some good stuff on this day. As I arrived in Taos at about 12:40, traffic stopped as a bunch of firetrucks were hogging the road and backing up into what I assumed was the fire station. But it turns out that they were backing onto a side street so they could lead a parade that was about to begin. I made it through just in time and felt like I was on parade myself. We were moving so slowly that I couldn't take my hand off the clutch to get any pics but the whole town was lined up on the main street to watch. And it was about 95 degrees! I was getting pretty toasted. I finally got out of there and onto 64, which was wide freakin open.
I'm flying along and all of a sudden there's a parking lot and a bridge. ok. why? what's with the parking lot full of bikes and cars and people? Once I got onto the bridge I found out. :blink:
The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge:
To the north:
To the south:
I later heard at NAFO, that the lack of signage for this little wonder was because it's Indian land. I guess they are against metal signs.
I continued on 64 and then it hooked up with 84 and took me into CO. The scenery was beginning to change.
I was heading into the San Juan Mountains and nearing my destination of Pagosa Springs, CO. I thoroughly enjoyed riding by myself and seeing new places from the seat of my bike. I was excited to hit the hot springs across from my hotel. This resort has 20 natural pools and a river for tubing too.
I got settled into my room, had some food in the bar and was about to go change when I turned around in my chair and noticed the dark menacing clouds outside. I got the bike cover on just in time but loungin the pools wasn't going to happen. So I went back to the bar and enjoyed alcohol for the first time in about 2 weeks and watched the ESPY's. Justin Timberlake was very very funny!!
[SIZE=8pt](more to come)[/SIZE]
