DAY 23 MON 4/26/10 68 MILES

This Restaurant was also in the movie Vacation when Clark Griswold was trying to get to Wally World with his family and he stops in to see if he can eat the famous meal... I think he did it but then threw up but not sure its been a long time since I've seen that crazy movie!

THIS IS AN AWESOME LITTLE HOTEL WE FOUND OFF I40.THE OWNERS ARE LETTING US STAY IN THEIR LOT FOR FREE AND WE FOUND SOME ELECTRICITY THAT WE ARE GONNA BORROW FOR THE NIGHT AS WELL WHICH IS WHY WE ARE UPDATING THE BLOG SO PROMPTLY.

THIS IS US AT THE END OF THE DAY OFF THE LAST EXIT OF THE DAY

SO WE WENT TO THE PLACE THAT MK[A FRIEND OF THE MANDEVILLE SIDE OF THE FAMILY]TOLD US ABOUT.ITS CALLED THE BIG TEXAN AND ITS RIGHT OFF OF THE I40 IN AMERILLO,TX.IF YOU CAN EAT THEIR 72OZ OR[4 1/2 LBS] STEAK INCLUDING THE WHOLE MEAL WITH SIDES AND ALL WITHIN 1 HOUR IT IS FREE OF CHARGE.THE MEAL IS CURRENTLY $72.MK NOT ONLY ATE THE WHOLE MEAL BUT HE HAD 2 PIECES OF CHEESECAKE FOR DESSERT AS WELL.MY UNCLE ED WAS THERE WITH HIM AND SEEN HIM DO IT.FYI HE IS NOT WHAT YOU WOULD CALL A BIG GUY EITHER.



THIS PICTURE IN THE CHAIR CRACKS US UP.IT MESSES WITH YOUR PERSEPTION OR SOMETHING

AFTER WAKING UP AND TAKING OUR SHOWERS I WENT OUTSIDE TO START BRINGING OUR STUFF TO HE CAR AND DISCOVERED THAT IT IS COLD AND WINDY.NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT TODAY BUT ONCE I GET OUT THERE I'LL BE FINE.HOPEFULLY.

STATS FOR THE DAY

-1:50PM TO 5:00PM-38 MILES

-:50 MIN LUNCH

-5:50PM TO 8:00PM-30 MILES

-TOTAL HOURS RIDING-6 H 20 MIN

-TOTAL MILES-68

-AVERAGE MPH 10.9

-AMARILLO,TX TO MCLEAN,TX

DAY 22 SUN 4/25/10 12 MILES

Joe called it resting but I was actually quite ill... maybe something I ate, not sure. It still felt great to be in a hotel for two days!!! Even though it was the dirtiest hotel I have ever seen, there were only two light bulbs working it needed 3 more to make the room current. The carpet was super stained and the room smelled bad. At least they had laundry on site so we could catch up with all of our dirty laundry! We also cooked in the room with the grill which was funny... it set the fire alarm off at first once we disconnected that it was fine. I try to cook as often as possible so we can save money, its hard though if its super cold or windy. Mostly wind makes me not want to cook because its hard to grill with wind and dirt to ruin your food!!! It all is adventure though and love it even when its cold, windy or just sucks!


THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT.ITS VERY ENCOURAGING KNOWING EVERYONE IS TUNED IN AND ROOTING US ON.I REALLY LIKE THE COMMENTS KEEP THEM COMING. WE ARE JUST RESTIN IT UP TO THE FULLEST

I RODE 12 MILES BETWEEN 4:45 AND 5:30PM.I HAV E BEEN DOING THE MATH ON MY STATISTICS.

WEEK 1 - 258 MILES 36.8 AVERAGE MILES PER DAY

WEEK 2 - 404 MILES 57.7

WEEK 3 - 463 MILES 66.1

OVERALL STATS SO FAR

21 DAYS

1125 MILES

53.5 AVERAGE MILES PER DAY

DAY 21 SAT 4/24/10 49 MILES

OH YEAH MADE IT TO THE 40

I SAW THIS PACK OF HORSES ON SOMEONES PROPERTY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRAIN TRACK.I GOT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS BECAUSE THEY WERE RUNNING PARALLEL WITH R60 AND I COULD GET OUT OF THE WIND BUT I HAD TO RIDE ON DIRT.IT WAS STILL WORTH IT.AS SOON AS THEY SEEN ME RIDING BY THEY ALL CAME RUNNING OVER REAL FRIENDLY LIKE SO I TOOK SOME PICTURES.THOSE 2 DONKEYS WERE BUDS.THEY WOULDN'T LEAVE EACH OTHERS SIDE.THAT HORSE IN THE PIC WAS THE BEST LOOKING ONE THERE.

THIS IS A GRAIN FACTORY.THIS WAS
ABOUT ALL I SAW FOR A WHILE

SAME WIND THAT WAS ON MY SIDE YESTERDAY WAS AGAINST ME ALL DAY.I STARTED OFF FROM HEREFORD,TX ON R60 AT 12:30PM AND RODE 28 MILES BY 3:15PM.THE WIND WAS COMING PRIMARILY FROM THE NORTH REAL FAST ALL DAY.SO THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY THE WIND WAS HITTING ME HARD FROM THE LEFT.THAN I HAD TO TURN LEFT AND GO NORTH ON R60 TO HOOK UP WITH I40.IT TOOK ME FROM 4:10PM TO 7:20PM TO GO 21 MILES TOTALING 49 MILES FOR THE DAY AND ENDE UP IN AMARILLO,TX.THATS AN AVERAGE OF 7MPH.THE FIRST 16 MILES WERE NORTH AND THATS WHEN I GOT ON THE I40 AND STARTED HEADING EAST AGAIN.THE FIRST HOUR AFTER I TOOK A LEFT ON R60 GOING NORTH IT TOOK ME 1 HOUR TO GO 4 MILES.BRUTAL.SO NOW WE ARE STAYING AT A MOTEL OFF I40.WE GOT 2 NIGHTS BECAUSE ITS MY WEEKLY REST DAY TOMORROW SO I PLAN ON DOING 11 MILES OR SO TO MAKE UP FOR THE 49 MILE DAY TODAY AND TO FULFILL MY GOAL OF NO ZERO DAYS.EAST EAST EASTEASTEASTEASTEASYEASTEASTEASTEASTEASYEASTEASTEASYEASTEASTEASTEASTEAST

DAY 20 FRI 4/23/10 103 MILES

WHEN WE WOKE UP IT WAS REALLY WINDY SO I TOOK MY TIME GETTING GOING.WE HUNG OUT WATCHED SOME TV.WE WERE COOKING WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN WE HEARD A COMOTION AT THE FRONT OF KARENS CAR.THATS WHEN WE SAW THAT BIRD IN THE PICTURE.IT IS A ROAD RUNNER LIKE IN THE CARTOONS.IT WAS TRYING TO GRAB A BUG OFF OF THE HOOD OF HER CAR.IT GOT THE BUG AND THEN WENT INTO THE FIELD.I TOOK SOME PHOTOS AND FOOTAGE OF HIM AND TRIED TO GET HIM TO FLY BECAUSE IM NOT SURE IF THEY DO OR NOT.HE DID'NT ACT SCARED HE JUST KEPT HIS DISTANCE BUT WOULD NOT FLY.I LEFT ELIDA,NM AT 1:15PM AND RODE 30 MILES BY 2:45PM.WE HAD LUNCH AND I GOT GOING PRETTY QUICKLY BECAUSE THE WIND WAS ON MY SIDE IN A BIG WAY.SO AT 3:05PM IT CARRIED ME ANOTHER 20 MILES TO THE TEXAS BORDER IN AN HOUR.THATS WHEN WE STOPPED TO TAKE THE PICTURES AT THE TEXAS STATUE AND SIGN.AFTER A 20 MINUTE BREAK I RODE/GOT CARRIED BY THE WIND ANOTHER 53 MILES BY 7:45PM TO HEREFORD,TX TOTALING 103 MILES FOR THE DAY.WE BROKE THE OLD RECORD OF 86 MILES IN A DAY WITH 103.BY WE I MEAN ME AND THE WIND.IF THAT WIND WAS AGAINST ME IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A WAY DIFFERENT STORY.WE WENT FROM ROUTE 70E TO 60E AND THROUGH OUR SECOND TIME ZONE AS WELL.WE STAYED IN HEREFORD,TX AND HAD DINNER AT QUIRKS FEED ALOT ON ROUTE 60.IT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD.

DAY 19 THUR 4/22/10 65 MILES

WE STAYED THE NIGHT IN ROSWELL,NM UNDER THAT CANOPY OF A CLOSED DOWN GAS STATION/TRUCK STOP IN THE PICTURE.IT WAS A STORMY NIGHT SO AN OLDER LOCAL GENTLEMAN WHO WAS AT THE DINER IN THE SAME LOT TOLD US HE DID'NT THINK ANYONE WOULD MIND IF WE PARKED UNDER THE CANOPY.SO WE DID AND EVERYTHING WORKED OUT.WHEN WE WOKE UP WE HAD BREAKFAST AT THE DINER AND EVERYBODY WAS REALLY NICE.WE MET SOME TRUCK DRIVING CHARACTORS AND HAD SOME COMICAL CONVERSATIONS.THAT DAY IT WAS STORMY,WINDY,AND RAINING ALL DAY LONG.IT WAS RAINING FOR MORE THAN HALF THE DAY BUT NOT HEAVILY SO I WAS ABLE TO KEEP RIDING.I ONLY WORE THE RAIN COAT TO BREAK THE COLD WIND.MY GLOVES CAME IN HANDY TO.I CALL IT FREEZING HOT BECAUSE I AM SWEATING UNDER NEATH THEM CLOTHES BUT THE COLD WIND IS BLOWING ON ME SO IM FREEZING ON THE OUTSIDE.ITS MY FAVORITE.I LEFT ROSWELL,NM AT 1:15PM AND WENT 35 MILES BY 3:20PM.TOOK A BREAK WITH KAREN ATE LUNCH AND RESTED.AT 4:40PM I LEFT AND RODE 30 MILES TO ELIDA,NM BY 6:45PM TOTALING 65 MILES FOR THE DAY.WE ASKED THE ONLY RV PLACE IN TOWN HOW MUCH FOR THE NIGHT AND THEY SAID 24$ FOR FULL HOOK UPS.SO WE PARKED FOR FREE WITH PERMISSION AT A HIGHSCHOOL AND HAD ELECTRICITY.APPARANTLY THEY HAVE 4 DAY SCHOOL WEEKS IN ELIDA,NM BECAUSE THY HAVE TO WORK ON THERE FARMS ON FRI,SAT AND RELIGION FOR SUNDAY.EVERYONE THERE WAS REALLY NICE.WE HAD TO COOK IN THE RAIN THAT NIGHT TO.IT WAS AWESOME.

DAY 18 WED 4/21/10 75 MILES

WHEN WE WOKE UP WE TOOK SHOWERS AT THE CASINO/TRUCK STOP FOR 5$ A PIECE.THAT WAS REFRESHING.I RESTED ALOT THAT MORNING.I REALLY DID NOT WANT TO GET GOING FOR SOME REASON.BUT THEN I FINALLY SET OFF.I STARTED AT 1:25PM AND DID 35 MILES BY 3:20PM.TOOK LUNCH AND RESTED WITH KAREN.STARTED RIDING AGAIN AT 4:11PM AND GOT IN ANOTHER 40 MILES BY 6:30PM TOTALING 75 MILES FOR THE DAY.I RODE FROM MESCALERO APACHE RESERVATION IN NM TO ROSWELL,NM.THERE WERE ALOT OF HEAD WINDS.THE TERRAIN WAS ALOT OF ROLLING HLLLS.UP AND DOWN UP AND DOWN.IN THE MIDDLE OF MY DAY WHILE I WAS STILL ON THE RESERVATION AS I WAS RIDING DOWN ROUTE 70 SOMEONES PET DOG[AN AKITA]CAME RUNNING THROUGH HIS YARD AT ME LIKE ALOT OF DOGS DO.BUT THEN HE CONTINUED TO RUN AFTER ME DOWN ROUTE 70 FAST AND LOOKING LIKE HE WANTED A HUNK OF ME.SO I GAVE HIM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND YELLED AT HIM HOPING HE WOULD STOP LIKE ALOT OF OTHER DOGS HAD.BUT HE KEPT COMING SO I GRABBED MY MACE[WHICH IS CONVENIENTLY PLACED ON MY FRAME IN AN EASILY REACHABLE SPOT]AND WARNED HIM AGAIN.HE KEPT COMING SO I PROCEEDED TO SPRAY HIS FACE WITH MACE FROM ABOUT 10 FEET.HE RAN AND BARKD FOR ABOUT 4 OR 5 MORE STEPS THEN STOPPED AND STARTED PAWING HIS NOSE,SNORTING AND FREAKING OUT.AFTERWARD I WAS MORE WORRIED ABOUT THE DOGS OWNER COMING TO BUST MY BALLS.ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE MACE IS ORANGE AND THE DOG WAS ALL WHITE.AT LEAST NOW I KNOWTHE MACE WORKS.

DAY 17 4/20/10 TUES 64 MILES

I RODE FROM WHITE SANDS,NM TO MESCALERO APACHE RESERVATION.I STARTED AT 12:10PM AND RODE 40 MILES BY 3:30PM.I HAD LUNCH WITH KAREN RESTED AND GOT BACK ON THE ROAD BY 4:20PM AND RODE ANOTHER 24 MILES BY 6:35PM.BEING ON THE RESERVATION WAS A LITTLE WILEY.THOSE INDIANS ARE ALOUD TO DO ANYTHING THEY WANT WHEN THERE ON THEIR RESERVATION.EVERYONE WAS REALLY RUDE SO WE COULD'NT WAIT TO GET OFF THAT MOUNTAIN.THE TERRAIN WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL UP IN THE MOUNTAINS.WE STAYED AT A CASINO/TRUCK STOP THAT NIGHT.IT WAS IGHT

DAY 16 MON 4/19/10 86 MILES

WHEN WE WOKE UP AT THE APACHE IT WAS WINDY AND OVERCAST.I WENT IN AND HAD A DELICIOUS BREAKFAST FOR A GOOD PRICE.THEN I GOT ALL DECKED OU IN MY RAIN CLOTHES AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE.OF COARSE IT DID'T RAIN SO I SLOWLY TOOK IT OFF AS THE DAY WENT ON.90% OF THE DAY WAS GRADUAL UP HILL THEN AT THE END OF THE DAY I GOT TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN AND GOT TO COAST DOWN ABOUT 5000 FEET.IT WAS ABOUT 10 MILES OF DOWNHILL.THE DOWNHILL AT THE END HELPED ME GET THAT 86 MILES WHICH IS THE FARTHEST IV GONE IN ONE DAY IN MY LIFE SON.I BROKE MY RECORD OF 80 MILES.I ALSO BROKE MY SPEED RECORD OF 37 MPH AND WAS GOING 44 MPH DOWN THAT HILL.AT THE END OF THE DAY WE ENDED UP IN WHITE SANDS,NM.STAYED AT THE BACK OF A CHEVRON IN HOLLOMAN,NM.

DAY 15 SUN 4/18/10 20 MILES

WE ARE USING TODAY AS A REST DAY SO WE TOOK ARE TIME GETTING GOING.WE WENT TO WALMART AND PICKED UP SOME SUPPLIES.WE WENT GROCERIE SHOPPING FOR THE SECOND TIME OF THE TRIP.WHEN WE STARTED WE HAD 20 GALLONS OF WATER THIS TIME WE BOUGHT 12 GALLONS.I ALSO PICKED UP SOME EXTRA TUBES.ONE OF THEM IS ONE OF THOSE FANCY PUNCTURE PROOF TUBES.IT HAS SOME KIND OF GOO INSIDE THAT INSTANTLY PLUGS UP THE HOLE.I DID 20 MILES FROM 4PM TO 5:30PM AND STARTED IN DEMING,NM TO AKELA,NM.WE STAYED AT A PLACE CALLED THE APACHE HIGHLANDS THAT NIGHT.IT WAS A TINY SMOKE SHOP/RESTAURANT.WE HAD DINNER THERE AND EVERYBODY WAS REAL NICE THEY SAID WE COULD STAY IN THERE LOT FOR THE NIGHT.