It was hard to leave Margaret's after being welcomed back so warmly by her family and treated to a fabulous dinner at her parent's gracious home in Santa Fe. They were having a dinner party with family friends and let me attend even though I looked like the dickens after being on the road for 8 hours. Margaret, being sly, knew not to tell me anything about this, knowing I would keep on going rather than stop and have to present myself looking like something the cat dragged in. But I went and had a great time and tried not to gobble the delicious food.
I tried to dispel all "biker myths" and prove that motorcycling women can clean up well and carry on in polite society. I think I did well since they did invite me back.
They all tried their best to get me to stay another day but the clock is ticking and I need to get home. The weather forecast did not look good for Santa Fe either so I needed to get going.
I got a good start, but the winds kicked up early. It was cold until I got to Santa Rosa where it was in the 80s and I realized I had 3 shirts on, my leather jacket and the liner in my riding pants. I was roasting. I pulled over at the Santa Rosa Car Museum I had spied on my way up and start shucking clothes in the parking lot. Then I realized 2 shirts down, I had my pink lacy tee on underneath and had to leave it. Dang. Plus, no place to put the riding pants liner. Changed my leather to mesh riding jacket and the pile on the back of the bike got taller. Now I really look like the Beverly Hillbillies going down the road leaning into the wind.
Still hadn't remembered to open the vents in my helmet so my head is still cooking, visor fogging. Finally got a clue on that. The wind was brutal all day. I didn't make it to Lubbock. Part of motorcycling is knowing when to stop. So I'm posting tonight from Littlefield, Tx, the home of Waylon Jennings. A pretty welcome sight for my eyes. I couldn't go another mile. A plus was the pool, with no kids in sight....YEA!
The Santa Rosa Route 66 Car Museum is pretty cool. I have many too many pics to post of the great cars they have on display. So many fabulous Mustangs (my favorite). I'm only posting a very few of my pictures. When I get home I will post them to photobucket or somewhere and post a link where you can see them all.
I knew I was back in Texas when the first two things I saw were.......a dead possum in the road and a Blue Bell Ice Cream Truck!!! YEA!!!!! And, of course, a guy hauling hogs.
I got a toot toot from a choo choo today and a big wave at the Texas border too. It's interesting that the very border between Texas and New Mexico at Parmer is 4 railroad tracks all put together.
Let me hear you all cheering for me to make it all the way home tomorrow. 480 miles. Lord willing, and the wind don't blow.
Song for today, Texas, Our Texas, William J. Marsh