Two Years Living On Two Wheels...And Counting

[Judoka]

We had to pay our respects to The Granite Mountain Hotshots and stopped at a couple of memorials.
Truly a heart wrenching scene. I remember us celebrating that storm where I was working in Prescott at the time. The Monsoon had finally come to drench a very dry land. Little did we know that it would be the catalyst to change the direction of the fire and...end so tragically.

 

[Judoka]

The next day it would be time for me to head on West towards the Sumer LTVA near Bishop California. the route would take me through Sedona on up to Flagstaff where I would see some old friends and then head through Las Vegas on my way up Hwy 95. There is so much to see on this route! It is seriously some of the most picturesque landscape in the world! Sadly I was moving on too quickly to take many photos at this time.

 

[Judoka]

I did manage to stop in Williams AZ to have a craft beer at one of my favorite breweries. I shot a couple of pictures of Main Street and good old Route 66 . Wow had it grown in the several years since I had been there!

Saw a local celebrity on Rt 66.....Lightening McMater

 

[Judoka]

When was that?

This part of the story is all in August of 2022. I have some time available so I thought I would share a little of my story. What you are reading now is just how it all started. No GoPros, not off-road adventures and NO MONY! Most of that would change in time.

 

[Judoka]

I was thinking. Maybe I should share a little more detail about the injury and the first surgery. Maybe it will lend some perspective , because right about here in the journey..... The pain was becoming too much! I had pushed my hand through freezing cold while soaking wet; through a thousands of miles of riding by this point and it was starting to take a toll !

 

[Judoka]

If you like those scars, stick around to see how bad it looked after the second surgery!

 

[Judoka]

Backtracking to Flagstaff, I met up with a friend who would join me for a night of catching up and camping. This was our view at sunset!

 

[Judoka]

A long rest was very appreciated for my arm. It had ached all night and my fingers were pretty stiff, but is was bearable. That morning I packed up camp, said my goodbyes and headed westward again. Plenty of sunshine!

 

[Judoka]

While I was broke as can be and had to be super conservative financially, I took every advantage of any opportunity to see something cool or exciting. I may have been knocking down miles but I would always try to enjoy the moment. I knew that I would never get this time back again and I would not want to waste any of it!

 

[Judoka]

On this leg I chose not to try to ride in Las Vegas NV and just slabbed it around the city. I was still trying to make it to Bishop that night. Little did I know what a challenge that was going to be!
Riding in a city means engaging the clutch over and over again, depending upon traffic. I knew my best bet was to stick to the highways since my hand was so weak.

 

[Judoka]

Going over those Mountains from Nevada into California in the daytime is a beautifully rewarding adventure. At night it is a nightmare! Tight turns, mountain grades, road narrowing down to one lane between boulders, steep drop offs and...CATTLE IN THE ROAD!
What I thought would take me an hour or so took several! I did not reach Bishop until the early hours of the morning and I rolled in on reserve.

I found my way to Horton Creek Campground and after paying and registering in the dark I found a campsite and made camp. I had never been to Bishop before but I thought there might be mountains. The views I woke to the next morning were unexpected.

 

[Judoka]

Pictures do not do justice to scenery like this as we all know. I was just smitten with the beauty of Bishop!

 

[Judoka]

I returned to camp to finally slow down and think. Somehow I was going to have to get a long term camping permit and make this place work until September when long term camping would open up in Quartzsite. Today's ride into town did not really give much hope to try to find a job I could do one-handed. Sure was pretty though!

 

[Judoka]

More to come tomorrow!

 

[Judoka]

I am not familia with Blue Highways. Feel free to PM me if you would like to share that info.

That’d make a great signature for your avatar here…

BTW, there’s a great travel narrative book that could come out of this adventure…a new Blue Highways

Whoa! AbleGuy, I just researched Blue Highways. I am honored that you would consider my story worth mentioning in the same realm as William Least Heat-Moon! Absolute Legend