Day 2, June 4, 2015
I covered 450 miles today. The early morning miles – about 200 through western Missouri and eastern Kansas – were sunshine, some early fog and farmland. The afternoon miles were really hard – crosswinds that threw me all over the place and hammered my head senseless for three hours. I passed a wind farm that went for miles to the horizon and just kept going. There had to be over a thousand wind propellers turning.
I travelled backroads mostly today. Just 40 miles of interstate. Some of the things I saw today:
Dead armadillos – the little fellows are all over the place. They make a prettier corpse than their cousins the opossums but they are just as dead.
Pecan groves – Kansas State University is growing large groves of pecans in what appears to be flooded bottoms. There were white egrets all over the place. Reminded me of the ocean.
I rode through a little village that had a sign posted by a bar that read “Coors Lite Welcomes You” and then not 100 feet later another sign “God Loves You”. Make of it what you will.
I rode through Sharon, Kansas the home of Martina McBride. I can see why she left.
I had lunch at “Big G’s” in tiny Caney, Kansas. Big G was wearing a camo shirt that almost covered his ample belly and topped it off with a well-worn camo hat. His wife fried my potatoes. She had calves that makes Lance Armstrong’s legs look like weenie legs. While I was eating at one of the tables outside a toothless cowboy came up to me and struck up a conversation. People always want to know where I’m going. When I told him I was riding to western Kansas he shook his head and said “I’m sorry. That place is just a damn desert like New Mexico.” I told him I was going to ride all over New Mexico. He said he worked there for two years recently and didn’t see more than 10 rattlesnakes the entire time. Big G gave him his order and toothless cowboy said goodbye. As he drove away he stuck his head out the window and yelled “Watch out for rattlesnakes!” I’m sleeping in a hotel tonight.
I stopped twice to look at maps today to make sure I was going the way I intended. I stopped another time when one of my alert messages came on. The “check oil” light came on late in the afternoon. I called BMW Roadside assistance. The nice BMW man told me they don’t help you fix anything they just pick up their nonworking crap and haul it to a dealer. Marvelous. I then called my local dealer in Louisville and talked to the head of the service department. He is why there should never be legalized marijuana sales in Kentucky. I explained my problem to him and he said “Wow man. I haven’t seen that on the new bikes. Just a couple have been brought in that just died and don’t run anymore and, what do you know, we’ve been totally, liked slammed here today man and, like my technician is gone for the day and so I’m sorry and hey man, why don’t you get it checked out and let me know what “they” tell you.” So, I did what Matt House’s grandson should have done in the first place – I checked the bike – oil level was fine, no leaks, all seals solid. I let the bike sit for thirty minutes , started it and it ran fine. I’m taking it to the Santa Fe BMW dealer while I’m out here to get it checked. I figure they smoke a classier brand of dope in Santa Fe so they should really give it a going over.
I have seen more dead deer than I can count. Kansas is covered up with deer. I’m not riding early or late because of those little guys.
Being a preacher I’ve been keeping a tally of the kinds of churches. The Baptists and the Christian Churches (both independents and Disciples of Christ) pretty much have it to themselves. There are Catholic churches and the occasional Lutheran but that’s about it. When I get to New Mexico I’ll be faced with the dilemma of whether to add the New Age Crystal people into my church talley.
Tomorrow I will ride out of Western Kansas and into north eastern New Mexico. It will take me about 7 hours to get to Eagle Nest, NM. I am going to spend the night there at the Laguna Vista Lodge so I can visit what True West Magazine calls the best bar in the west. After that I will make my way to Santa Fe and then we’ll see.
Finally I will note that it is hot as Satan’s Hell out here. I rode for hours in temps of mid-90’s. I wear full body armor and crash pants and coat along with a full face helmet and gauntlet gloves. I really don’t get hot but I stay thirsty. I would not be able to make it without my Camel Bak.
That will do it for tonight.
Be safe everyone and watch out for rattlesnakes.
Brian