Waking up in New Mexico it was tough to get excited. Today would be mostly highway with no real off highway plans. Only excitement could be the road to the canyon but that looked straight on the map. Excited that the grand canyon lay ahead but frustrated that the I-40 wasn’t really anything to get excited about. We had attempted to ride some of old route 66 but was informed that it no longer exists. Really it’s just the towns off I-40 and not really a separate road at all. Unfortunate I guess.
We traveled the I-40 with no real excitement expect the traffic jam in alberuguque. Really traffic was at a full stop and we were trying to stale under overpasses without much luck. Thankfully I was able to call Justin and nick with the chatterbox and break up the traffic jam monotony . Glad to have the chance to chat with them on the bike.
Next up we stopped at the continental divide. Where water that falls on either side runs to that side ocean. Funny how New Mexico is the divide but a few pictures later were where happy to be off the bike.
A side note: At this time in the trip and I’m not sure why my knees started to burn something fierce. I’ve had knee problems off and on last year and was pretty much told it was a muscle issue and had seemed to clear up. Sadly that is not the case and sore knees are pretty miserable on the bike. At the continental divide I all but threw Rachel off the bike so I could get up and walk around. Straightening my legs more on the bike seemed to help but a burning my knees still remains. I surely missed the twisted roads of NC where you couldn’t stay in on position to be ready for turns.
As we continued west and higher in elevation we started to realize why people freeze to death in the desert. At first it was just chilly 68 degrees and we continued west. Then upon finding the exit for the Grand Canyon the cold started to take hold and stopped at the first gas station we could find. At this time we learned the real meaning of the “ELK” signs but still think jakalups makes more sense. I’ll try to get a imagine from the internet.
We pulled all our cold riding gear out again and suited up. Rachel dragging her feet again and a fun conversation about snakes, elks and wildlife in the area and we headed north. The gas station worked warned us of elks on the roadway especially in the dips in the rode so we proceeded with caution. Rachel swears she saw an elk raise its head on the side of the road but I have my doubts.
Finally upon seeing the temperature drop to around 42 degrees we passed the grand canyon airport. The night was clear and the stars and moon amazing but it was cold. Even at 7pm at night it was cold. Nothing like the blistering heat the traffic jam had been during that day.
We decided it made more sense to look for the hotel at the canyon seeing how anything else would bring us would add about 100 miles to the trip. (canyon is 50 miles north of I-40, and the towns are about the same distance). We settled into the pricey best western at Grand Canyon.
Stopping for the night at the best western unfortunately I wasn’t offered the ability to park the bike under the awning and the giving a map of the hotel compound and new I’d rather have the bike in eye sight from the hotel room. Best western here is huge. The gift shop and foundations and such help to justify the price. Really though knowing they had a hottub for guests was enough to convince Rachel and I we had made the correct choice.
The hot tub felt amazing and we retired to bed with the bike in sight from the window. Sadly sleep wasn’t as restful as I had hopped but we survived just the same.
550 miles in the books and mostly highway makes a long, long day. Although my knees were hurting all the time now knowing the trip was coming to an end was sad just the same. It was this night we decided vegas was a doable idea.
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