This will be a work in progress. Over the course of 2 weeks, I took 1500+ pics which I whittled down to a mere 800+ photos. Too many to post but if anyone is interested in perusing them all, link is here.
In in the summer of 2009, I embarked on an adventure that took an unexpected turn along my personal road. As I have healed and found new strength, I decided I wanted to embark on a new journey... and so, the Great Southwest Adventure was born. My traveling companions, Scott and Sue Wade and Sally Tyler all the way from the UK, had been with me on that fateful day and now join me again to share a new journey, new memories, and new (s)miles. This trip had many meanings for me on so many different levels and I am so grateful to still be here... life has given me a second chance and I don't want to waste it. Hope you enjoy the visuals of our adventure!!
I met Scott and Sue in Hollister to head for Bakersfield and then Vegas to meet up with Sally who would be flying in on Tuesday to pick up her rental bike. It was a bit of an emotional start for me… a wee bit of trepidation creeped up in my mind… would my body hold up? I didn’t feel scared of anything bad happening… just hoping and praying that the trip would end in success for all of us.
We geared up and headed out Hwy. 25, zipping along right up until we ran into road work and a 20-minute delay… so we did what normal bikers do while waiting… a Chinese fire drill running around the bikes (the other drivers must’ve thought we were nuts but it definitely set the tone of lots of laughter for the rest of the trip!)… and Scott doing what Scott does best… laying down on the job. A few people see these photos and get “creeped out” but you have to understand that Scott has laid down all over the world… even the Great Wall of China… it’s just what he does… and it makes me giggle every time…
We were guided along the stretch of roadwork and then let loose upon the roadways… it was Monday morning so the roadway was pretty much ours for the taking… the sun shone, the sky beckoned, and my spirits rose as we traversed roads that are like old friends, familiar curves and beautiful vistas…
25 to 198 and into Coalinga for lunch then 33 and in to Bakersfield for the evening… we had leftover pizza from lunch and got a salad to go with it at the iHop next door to the Best Western… a meal fit for a king… well, maybe not a king but it worked for us… and a little something to wash it all down…
The next morning dawned cool but sunny and we set off for Vegas over 178… again, the roads were pretty much ours and we didn’t let the chance go to waste…
Walker Pass
Through Ridgecrest and into Trona where we had a bit of a snafu… there was no gas… none… zip… nada… zilch… in the entire town of Trona… so we had to backtrack to Ridgecrest to gas up… not the most exciting drive back and forth but a necessary evil…
Panamint Valley
We arrived in our steal of a deal hotel that Sue found through TravelZoo.com… $20/night!!
It wasn’t the highest class place and the décor could’ve used some work but for $20, beggars can’t be choosers! Sally had already arrived and was checked in… we dragged all our stuff up to the rooms and shared some big hugs… now the group was assembled… the real meat of the trip about to begin…
We had been checking the weather and things were not looking so blue skies… when I looked out the window that morning, I saw this… definitely get the rain gear at the ready!
We met Sally at the BMW dealer where she was picking up her rental GS1200… in red of course… the Red Brigade was now ready to ride… we were quite the eclectic group with a Beemer, Sue’s Guzzi, Scott’s Honda, and Clyfford…
In in the summer of 2009, I embarked on an adventure that took an unexpected turn along my personal road. As I have healed and found new strength, I decided I wanted to embark on a new journey... and so, the Great Southwest Adventure was born. My traveling companions, Scott and Sue Wade and Sally Tyler all the way from the UK, had been with me on that fateful day and now join me again to share a new journey, new memories, and new (s)miles. This trip had many meanings for me on so many different levels and I am so grateful to still be here... life has given me a second chance and I don't want to waste it. Hope you enjoy the visuals of our adventure!!
I met Scott and Sue in Hollister to head for Bakersfield and then Vegas to meet up with Sally who would be flying in on Tuesday to pick up her rental bike. It was a bit of an emotional start for me… a wee bit of trepidation creeped up in my mind… would my body hold up? I didn’t feel scared of anything bad happening… just hoping and praying that the trip would end in success for all of us.
We geared up and headed out Hwy. 25, zipping along right up until we ran into road work and a 20-minute delay… so we did what normal bikers do while waiting… a Chinese fire drill running around the bikes (the other drivers must’ve thought we were nuts but it definitely set the tone of lots of laughter for the rest of the trip!)… and Scott doing what Scott does best… laying down on the job. A few people see these photos and get “creeped out” but you have to understand that Scott has laid down all over the world… even the Great Wall of China… it’s just what he does… and it makes me giggle every time…
We were guided along the stretch of roadwork and then let loose upon the roadways… it was Monday morning so the roadway was pretty much ours for the taking… the sun shone, the sky beckoned, and my spirits rose as we traversed roads that are like old friends, familiar curves and beautiful vistas…
25 to 198 and into Coalinga for lunch then 33 and in to Bakersfield for the evening… we had leftover pizza from lunch and got a salad to go with it at the iHop next door to the Best Western… a meal fit for a king… well, maybe not a king but it worked for us… and a little something to wash it all down…
The next morning dawned cool but sunny and we set off for Vegas over 178… again, the roads were pretty much ours and we didn’t let the chance go to waste…
Walker Pass
Through Ridgecrest and into Trona where we had a bit of a snafu… there was no gas… none… zip… nada… zilch… in the entire town of Trona… so we had to backtrack to Ridgecrest to gas up… not the most exciting drive back and forth but a necessary evil…
Panamint Valley
We arrived in our steal of a deal hotel that Sue found through TravelZoo.com… $20/night!!
It wasn’t the highest class place and the décor could’ve used some work but for $20, beggars can’t be choosers! Sally had already arrived and was checked in… we dragged all our stuff up to the rooms and shared some big hugs… now the group was assembled… the real meat of the trip about to begin…
We had been checking the weather and things were not looking so blue skies… when I looked out the window that morning, I saw this… definitely get the rain gear at the ready!
We met Sally at the BMW dealer where she was picking up her rental GS1200… in red of course… the Red Brigade was now ready to ride… we were quite the eclectic group with a Beemer, Sue’s Guzzi, Scott’s Honda, and Clyfford…
