HO HO HO - HAPPY TRAILS IN THE NEW YEAR

Merry Christmas - Happy Holidays- and lets get crazy for the New Year!!??? Well I guess the two feet of snow we had not too long ago has pretty much garaged the hogs till our trip down South - sigh!!!! Santa was very good to me - Nelly is now in the process of having HEATED HAND GRIPS installed Yahoo - now my fingers will laugh at the cold - haha!!! I am not sure how the rest of my "I want to be in Florida" body will react to the cold weather but at least it's a start in the right direction!!! We have traded our riding days for all the holiday glitter - lots and lots of yummy food, fun cocktail hours, great friends and family, and the warmth of a fireplace - Christmas time is quite magical. I hope and pray you all have a healthy, happy New Year filled with love and laughter - Keeping warm Flame and restless Big Dog

Holiday Ride

Hi all - so are you all gifted up and ready for the big Day????? Yesterday we spent the day in Boston with our kids. The shopping was fun and as evening approached the City came alive with Christmas lights. Cocktail time found us in the North End enjoying some Christmas Cheer and watching the Patriots KICK BUTT!!!! I know, I know, their season is not going great but I guess there is still the slightest chance and anyway yelling and cheering is ALWAYS FUN haha!!! We then proceeded to a wonderful Italian restaurant and a mouth watering CANNOLI ahhhh what could ever top that you might wonder ----- WELL HOW ABOUT A 60 DEGREE DAY TODAY AND A WONDERFUL RIDE!!!! Now how cool is that. I know the rest of the week is going down hill but it sure was sweet to get back in the saddle again. I don't know how many more days of riding are left but each one is such a treat. Hope you are enjoying the wonders of the season and embracing the love that surrounds you. Holiday Flame and the Big Dog

Gobble till you Wabble

Hope all had a wonderful Thanksgiving - We had the kids and some friends over and it was a wonderful time to give thanks and build some great holiday memories. We had hoped the weather today would cooperate so we could get the beasts back on the road, bundle up, and go for a cup of coffee. But NOOOOOOO, the roads had been salted and sanded because of some ice last night and the temperature never got higher than 43 deg. I know Big Dog was waivering but I somehow convinced him to RAKE THE YARD!!???? That turkey must have been REALLY delicious yum, yum!! haha!! The bikes look very sad and cold in the garage - it seems like years ago we went on our trip - sigh!!!! I will probably spend my days now getting into some Christmas shopping and holiday cheer so I guess Nellie's new powerful ride will have to wait until we arrive in Florida ---- withdrawals are very sad indeed!!!! Is it too late for an indian summer????? Leaves all around Flame and shifting gears Big Dog

Way to go Nellie

Well Nellie, my new improved, absolutely awsome, fire breathing 1200 sportster is safely parked in the barn and looking mighty spiffy. It sure did take a while but, as they say, well worth the effort. I have been trying to put some miles on her just to break in the beast a bit before our trip to Florida - WOW I feel like we are now just a streak of Red zooming down the road - If only I had this incredible machine when we were crusing cross country - we could have made it in 2 weeks haha!! The weather has been preventing us from riding more than a couple of hours a day - brrr...45 deg is more of a heat blowing-on- you kind of a day but how can you pass up a nice ride past empty beaches and into a warm dunks - warm coffee, fresh air, and a powerful rumble under your seat....life is good!!! As they say in the wild wild west.... saddle up, a moving target to hard to hit haha. Take care and enjoy the ride Flash Flame and get out of my exhaust Big Dog

LIFE ON THE HARD

So in case some of you are wondering how one adjusts to being home after a wonderful adventure well I can tell you IT ISN"T EASY!!!! Ahh being home is wonderful, seeing the kids....priceless, but doing WINDOWS PAALEESE!!! haha. We had some oil changes to deal with and also decided to upgrade "Nellie". Yes my little 883 sportster is soon going to become a "fire breathing - too hot to handle" 1200!!!! They say you can never have enough power under your butt - I say bring it on!!! Just remember - keep it upright and enjoy the journey - Sleeping late Flame and Changing oil Big Dog

Home sweet home

Tag we're here. This morning was quite foggy in the mountains but luckily the sun burned through and we were on our way Zoom Zoom. As the miles ticked away and we got closer to familiar territory I could hardly contain my excitment - life is a journey and the best part is usually coming home with a lifetime of memories. Thanks for all of your prayers and comments and emails....what a wonderful age we live in!!! I already did some quick food shopping and plan to eat home tonight - that might not sound so exciting to most of you but after being out for 40 days home cooking of any kind sounds delish!!! Our bags are unpacked - boy were those jeans road weary - our bikes are in the garage waiting to be cleaned tomorrow - and our maps are put away, at least for a bit!!! It's been great sharing all of this with you - love ya all - On the couch Flame and in my easy chair Big Dog Total miles for the trip 7,892 - 248 miles today and 40 days of pure adventure - Priceless

Back to the future

Hey Hey - well if we still lived in Middletown NY we would be home now ha!! After all this time it was quite heartwarming to start to see some familiar land. Fall is always beautiful in the mountains but it seemed expecially breathtaking as we traveled through the hills of Pennsylvania and into New York. Possibly it is because we have been thrust into fall within the last couple of days and we are actually in peak season right now or just maybe it is because we are so enjoying the reds, corals, and yellow leaves without RAKING EVEN ONCE - yea, yea, that must be it ha!!! Well I have to tell you when we left this morning the temps were in the 40's and it took about 150 miles before I started to thaw out....brrr I think it is worse than skiing!!! Ah but by lunch time we both were able to shed at least one layer - bring out that suntan lotion!!! By 3:30 and after 360 miles we were in our hotel in Middletown trying to spiff ourselves up (the bug look is not good!) and off we went to the airport to see if any of our "flying" friends were still there. Believe it or not a couple of them were and it was so great trying to catch up. The airport has certainly grown....aside from gliders, they now have ultra lights, hang gliders, and baloon rides - pretty cool indeed. After that we took a trip through our old neighborhood. Aside from the trees being bigger and the houses looking somewhat closer it was pretty neet indeed. Middletown as a whole has really grown up and it was hard to believe all the new developments and stores where farms use to be. But one thing that remained the same was across from the kids elementry school the cow farm still was there - yes the place still smelled the same!!! It is now cocktail time and one more familiar ride and we will be home and back to life on the "hard". What an incredible adventure - will let you know when we touch down. Looking forward to life on Brigantine Flame and I'm even excited to get home Big Dog.

East of Pittsburgh

Well I guess we are REALLY within striking distance now Yahoo!!! What a trip on Rt 22 through Ohio. This is a secondary road that goes through some "great USofA towns" farms, fields, and great twisties with golden leaves blowing around your tracks - isn't Fall in the East spectacular!! We rode past a field of cows and one little nappy calf started to run along side of us - how cute was that!!! Going through Pittsburgh we experienced a bit of rush hour traffic at 2pm - why doesn't anyone work till 5 anymore????? Ahh but on the evening news we heard that Sarah Palin was giving a speech in Pittsburgh.....is she following us or what????? Maybe she is on a Harley - if so.... high five Sarah!!!ha. So tomorrow we decided to stay in Middletown NY - kind of like a ride down memory lane - how cool!!! So now that many of you have a long weekend ahead - enjoy !!!! Going back in time Flame and Can't take the city out of Big Dog

In the right time zone

Howdy all - well another productive day in the saddle. We got up as the sun was rising and put all of our layers on - a nippy 39 deg. - and headed into the sun once again. We took rt 50 till Rt 275 around Cincinnati and then off on Rt 3 & 22 into Wilmington Ohio. Rt 50 through Indiana was aglow with a good amount of fall colors coming through. Some of the roads through the mountains were just wonderful...lots of twisties and leaves twirling around - just breathtaking ahhh this is why we ride!!! It seemed as if there were a lot more construction sites along this route than when we traveled West on it - it sure did seem like it took a long time to travel even for us seasoned old riders - ouch my aching back, neck, hands, etc. etc. haha Then when we were just miles from the hotel the road seemed to stop dead......when in doubt do a Thompson U-turn and check the map. The Big Dog found a route that within 15 minutes we were right where we wanted to be - what a GUY!!! Anyway come to find out Sarah Palin is speaking in this town - go figure.....maybe since I didn't see the whole debate thing I could ask her a few questions haha!!! On the positive side - if all goes well we are thinking that by Sunday night we could be home - 7,065 miles traveled, approximately 809 miles left, and have been on the road for 37 days today - pretty cool huh???? Getting sore Flame and hanging tough Big Dog

Making Tracks

Hey y'all - it's amazing how good you can feel when you wake up and the sun is shinning!!! Last night the Holiday Inn where we were staying had FREE DRINKS and horsd'oeuvres from 5:30 to 7:30 - I think it would be prudent in the future to pay for them haha. Ahh but seeing the sun and the promise of the temerature getting out of the 40's was all the inspiration I needed. We jumped (ok maybe slithered) onto the bikes and zoomed off into the sun. We passed over the Mississippi and back into the land of the EAST by 2pm. We stopped had a quick bite and then got off the super slabs and onto Rt 50 into Illinois. Ahh now it was time to relax a bit and start to enjoy the beautiful country. As the corn fields were past their prime and the fall season was starting to approach, I started to realize just how long we have been living this incredible adventure. We are staying in Salem Illinois again and will probably retrace our steps back home from here. We went 362 miles today and the barn is starting to smell real nice. My hair is starting to fade Flame and My beard keeps me warm Big Dog

weather or not??

Well here we are in Joplin (as in Janis?) MO a soggy 340 mile day - ahh it sure is nice to take all that gear off!!! I actually had 5 layers (which included 2 very heavy sweaters) on top and 4 layers on bottom which helped anchor me to the bike in all that wind yahoo is this fun or what haha. So Bob the weather guru just informed me that it was clearning up outside - and the weather channel is again telling us that we will have a sunny day tomorrow - don't ya just love it!!! We took a toll road today Rt 44 which isn't as easy as it sounds. Trying to have a machine accept a dollar bill that has been soaked in your foul weather jacket is not going to happen soooo now that we are fugitives I guess we are going to have to change our appearances - all we have to do is ditch the jeans and leather and no one will recognize us - yea that's it, a whole new wardrobe - ain't traveling fun. I'm thinking red outfit Flame and bring on the plaid pants Big Dog haha

Day 33 - Elks City OK

So now that we were totally rested and ready to go where was the sun the weatherman predicted!!!! I guess today was a day to test ALL of the skills that we learned over the last month or so....we had fog, rain, lots and lots of crosswinds, sun, and even a truck fire on the other side of the road!!! Not sure what happened but it was toast and the plumes of smoke were unbelievable. We just ducked our heads under the smoke and held our breath till we were passed it. phew good thing I rode fast because I was never the winner in "who can hold your breath for the longest!" haha!! This storm seems to be a slow mover - kind of sounds like the one we were in while sailing South. But there were no Holiday Inns and football games so how bad can it get???? We aren't mildew yet and the forcast looks good for a passage to Joplin MO tomorrow. Ahh its all an adventure - today we went over 6,0000 miles on the trip so far, 1,818 miles to go, and we just passed into central time so we are only technically an hour west of all of you YEA!!! Getting ready for some cocktails Flame and off to the ice machine Big Dog

Are you ready for some football??

Hey wait a minute - were'nt we suppose to be on the road with those yellow dotted lines???? Oh yes I forgot about that wonderful... Plan B - when they predict severe weather for exactly where we were going - I mean the possibility of hail, strong winds, and even a tornado watch, I say it is time to kick you feet up, dry the bikes, and watch some football!! By staying a day we figure that we will now be following this nasty front instead of running ahead of it. So now it is football overload in beautiful downtown Tucumcari not bad at all. But wait, I think that the Patriots are coming on next - gulp - this could the first game of the season that I will watch....am I strong enough for this???? I think that I might actually be better prepared for bad weather and strong winds. Maybe it is time to break out that Vodka!!! hiding my eyes Flame and who cares Big Dog

How long have we been gone???

This is all very strange - according to Mr. GPS we are in New Mexico....you remember that place - the one where we had to stop every hour or so for water so we wouldn't dry up and become buzzard food - well this morning it was 48 deg. with 35mph crosswinds (a beam reach is only beneficial when you are sailing!!) and some pretty black nasty looking clouds just behind our tailpipes...I say crank those babies up and lets get going QUICK!!!! It is amazing how much spunk little Nellie has when she's running from storms haha!! We had all sorts of great plans for our journey back East but we are now thinking that maybe that will be another time another blog!!! Right now with snow predicted for the higher elevations - I'm not sure how HIGH I am but I don't want to be THAT HIGH!!! - we figure the quickest and easiest way would be to retrace our tracks. SOOOO now we are in Tucumcari NM again. Advantages of going to the same place.... you know where you are staying.....you know where the ONLY restaurant in the town is.....you know how to spell it on your blog!!!! So right now it is blowing like crazy here and thunderstorms are predicted for this evening - ahhh life on the road!!! Any port in a storm Flame and Bring it on Big Dog

riding into the sun....NOT

This morning as we got ready to ride East into the sun....hey where did it go????.....there were the "Band of Gypsy's" in the driveway (next to their mini van ha!) hugging , kissing, giving us good wishes in several languages and, I am sure, thinking of all the wonderful memories we now have from this outrageous vacation together. Damn.. I sure hate it when my sun glasses fog up.... sigh!!! As the miles ticked by and the scenery filled your senses we got into our zone and off we went zoom, zoom. The weather gave us fits of rain on and off during the day but we toughed it out and here we are, hopefully ahead of the rain, in Grants New Mexico. So while the Band of Gypsy's are waiting for their 5 o'clock cocktail we will have been enjoying ours for an hour already Yahoo loosing hours CAN work in your favor!! With 315 miles down and only 2,322 to go how much longer can it take us haha. Cutting up the road Flame and Outta my way Big Dog

another day in Paradise

Well today we decided to actually make a plan and leave early in the morning - is this like a working vacation haha!!! Picture this..... 10am and all 6 of us are looking like some pretty spiffy biker dudes - all dressed in black (is there any other color???) our boots showing just the right amount of wear, assorted tatoos showing, just in case the locals think we are pushovers, all bugs, both dead and alive, removed from the hogs and ready for a, don't get in my way, ride to Flagstaff through some of the most beautiful forests on some, don't take your eyes off the yellow line, twisty roads. What a trip!!!! Ahh but now the guys are returning their rides and instead of having a very cool roaring saddle under their butts they will be coming home in a MINI VAN... YIKES....I guess it is time we left!!!!! Very sad, very exciting, and so many, many, wonderful memories...... kicking up some dust Flame and hear me roar big dog

mile high club??

Did I get your attention haha. Could there be 2 different mile high clubs????? ALL I KNOW is that the Gang of 6 that has recently been terriorizing the Sedona area rode straight up the mountain and when I say straight I mean straight. These roads must have been blazed in the day of the mule!!! Ahh but teetering on the very top is a town of Jerome which JUST HAPPENS to have a bar named Mile High - all pretty cool if you ask me. The lunch we had there was wonderful....and there just happened to be MORE SHOPPING in our future - lots of neat shops!!!!! Now possibly I shouldn't have spent my whole wad in Sedona but since I did I got lots of business cards and can go shopping on line when I get home - ahh gotta love this new technology. Now after all this eating and twisty riding we decided to go home and continue our fun with some games and vodka - this life in the desert is sure outragious yahoo??? Tomorrow we will have our last ride with the Gang - they are returning their bikes tomorrow night and Friday we are heading East. Gulp are we ready the the cool East???? Do you know how hot it is here????? WOW I'm getting use to sweating with the oldies haha Well keep safe and smiling - the gang loves ya all and we will try to keep legal?!!! haha Very hot Flame and I'm shedding my coat Big Dog

passage piece

Hey all - yes I know i have been among the missing in the last few days - it's like being home but not!!! The weather is great - I think if you sneeze here a clouds forms and it rains somewhere down the road a bit. Unbelievab le - how dry can a place be - it's like being in a sauna hot, hot, hot!!!! So since we have been here we have taken a few trips around the area. Most of them include a twisty climb up a mountain - a wonderful lunch - and then down the mountain on the other side - not too hard to handle. Oh yes, did I forget the most incredible red, and I mean RED, mountains - I think that I might have a new shade for my hair haha!!! Today - I believe it is Tuesday, we had some more bodily fluids flushed through our hogs....boy do they just love it, and we decided to part ways..... The boys went riding (no surprise there) and the girls, OK I did clean up a bit and AL helped put some style in my Harley clothes, went shopping. High Five, great success, and all of that stuff, I found the perfecgt passage piece.....small enough to fit in my t-bag and yet stunning!!!! Got to love jewelry!!!! So now that I am all ready for painting the town.....I guess it is off to dinner. Love you guys....be cool and enjoy the stock market being up today. Styling Flame and Leader of the pack Big Dog. WOW AL just came in her hair way crazy.....I think this harley thing is catchy You never leave unchanged....!!!!!!

all together now

Well we all met up just out of Sedona about noon time - aren't cell phones wonderful. UE, AL, & S&S, are picking up their bikes tomorrow morning and then the "gang" will be all set to tear up this beautiful country!!! The house is wonderful and after we all went shopping for the NECESSITIES it was "early" cocktail time.....most of them are still on the East Coast time so it was OK right???? After dinner we will probably come back here and play some games..... Don't worry the neighbors are pretty far away!!!!! It looks like its going to be a great week here - perfect weather is predicted and it is about 80 deg here now.....not too shabby. So guys enjoy your weekend and we'll keep in touch

working at the car wash

Hey you guys - well here we are in beautiful downtown Flagstaff working on becoming presentable for our vacation in a vacation???? I'm confused - can we do that????? haha. We behaved ourselves last night and after dinner did a couple of washes and today we went to the local Harley shop to get some bug remover - boy do they grow them big out here!!!! While we were there we met a couple touring the US on their Trike - they had been gone since May and were trailing a Pop-up camper - now I'm all for the touring part but give me Holiday Inn to rest my bones!!!! The bug remover worked OK on the windshield but when we looked at the rest of the bike it was NASTY!!!! So off to one of those "do it yourself" carwashes. Not bad - within 15 minutes or so they were looking pretty spiffy again. We kind of cruised the downtown area showing off our newish very clean bikes and found a great restaurant - outdoor seating and great duck panini's. Ahh..... all is done now so let the parties begin!!!! Since we will be renting a house for the next week I am not sure when I will be able to get to a hot spot to send emails and blogs so hang on.......don't worry, be happy, and keep the rubber side down.....love ya and keep those emails and comments coming...Squeaky clean Flame and Shining Big Dog

closing time in Kanab

So now that we are a wee bit fearful of either riding OR walking down the peaceful streets of Kanab - we are brushing our teeth after every drink just to throw the locals off haha - luck would have it that a VERY COOL couple rode in on their brand new sparkling harleys..... now you know how many miles we have traveled so I am glad that they didn't park next to us!!! After dinner we decided to sit on the balcony and tell hog stories and get to know each other. We were having a blast and then BAM the porch light went out!!! Now I am really getting tired of people turning the lights out on me......I even think we were using our indoor voices. We are just going to have to meet up with these guys again. We all left in the morning, after sharing a few laughs and taking a few pictures, to each continue on our journeys. We took rt 89 to Flagstaff and for over 200 miles we watched in amazement how the land changed from Plains to Painted Hills to Coral Mts and then to Plains again and then a beautiful ride up into the forests of Flagstaff. We gained another hour so we are now back to 3 hours earlier than you. I don't even know where I am but I think I must be at least 2 hours late!!! I think it is going to be laundry and maintenance time for the next day this way we will be all ready to play with the Wild Guys yahoo I can't believe how fast the time is going. We will try to clean up as best as we can - this desert dirt is brutal!!! Oh just in case you are wondering we are 2,568 miles from home and according to Mr. GPS we have 42 hours of driving time to get there - piece of cake??? Starting to smell the barn Flame and I'm not ready to go home yet Big Dog

Ole Granddad of them all

Now that we have been in Utah for 3 days we are pretty darn close to being local. In fact this place is not as boring as one might imagine.....just because we are surrounded by a gazillion miles of rocks and forests there is seemingly some bad blood between the local prospects and the intruders or as they say in Wild Hogs "possers"!!! A couple of young guys renting one of the rooms here went out last night in search of some fun. I guess Utah isn't allowed to have any so they found a local bar right over the border in Arizona (about 10 miles away). One of the guys wanted to leave so he borrowed his friends truck and was followed by one of "Kanab's" finest and arrested and thrown in jail, conveniently placed across the street. Not sure if he ever got out but I do think that there are a few songs about that .....so beware of the towns that all the bars are in the next State!!!! Hell the maid was telling us that she was picked up for walking while intoxicated......Better keep a close eye on the Big Dog haha. Ahh but the weather here is perfect, yet again, and off we went to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I read a quote that summed it up perfectly "dimensions are lost on the senses, and all you wind up with is a troubling sense of enormity" Talking about sheer dimensions - we were over 8,000 ft high - it was a mile straight down to the bottom and about 10 miles across - talk about WOW!!!! The visibility was well over 80 miles and all you could see was raw nature at its best!!! We ate lunch at the lodge and then sat out on the sun deck just looking out over this magnificent natural wonder...sure hope I will be able to remember this when I'm sitting in that old ladies rocking chair!!!!! Well for now it's cocktail time HIDDEN IN THE ROOM and off to dinner.....watchful flame and straight walking Big Dog

top of the world

Ok so how do you know you are on the top of the world???? a) its down right freezing - UE better stay at lower altitudes - haha b) you can see over 120 miles c) there's no place left but down!!! It was a bit nippy here this morning (61 deg) when we left base camp but by the time we got to the top of Bryce Canyon's summit 9,100 some odd feet it was close to winter garb brrrr! I heard that last week it actually snowed in the highest elevations. This place is yet another natural wonder that leaves you speechless. Nearby forests and meadows stand in striking contrast to the intricately eroded rocks. The color of red clay mixed with vibrant pines and wild flowers have you stopping at every pull off. I sure hope that when we process the pictures they do it justice. This little town of Kanab is centrally located between 3 national parks... Zion, Bryce Canyon, and the Grand Canyon. Tomorrow we will be going to the North rim of the Grand Canyon. This is like nature in overload!!! Oh yes the upside of freezing....I have emptied some of the overstuffed saddlebags and my T-bag luggage.....I see room emerging - never too late to buy something expensive ahhhhh!!! The ever shopping flame and ain't got no room Big Dog!!

a la carte

Yes I know it's been a couple of days but you know what they say "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" hahaha - and there was this little thing that kind of annoyed me .....they charged you for everything!!!! Now we have been in some pretty remote areas and the internet was always free but not in Tinsel Town. So here is a quick synopsis of our last couple of days. Before we left Barstow CA we found a real neat pub "Molly's Pub" where most of the people complained that the drinks were too strong.....when we cried "bring em on" we became good as locals and our second drinks were twice as big as our first. Soo maybe we should start looking at some real estate hahaha. The next morning we took off through the desert over the mountains and back into the desert - as we passed into Nevada right on the border were a few casinos....25 miles closer to Vegas were the billboards and then like Hudini the roads got wider and the traffic appeared from seemingly no where - boy is the gambler a strange critter or what!!! We made reservations in the Monte Carlo and am amazed how much construction is going on. Doesn't anyone know how bad the economy is???? We had lunch in the casino's pub and talked about how much Vegas had changed since we were first there in 1975....hell how much have we changed gulp....is it for the better or what???? The minimum bets on the tables are a lot higher, my hair is a lot shorter and suddenly turned RED, Big Dogs is a lot longer but a whole lot less of it, we're walking a whole lot slower and lets not forget the road dust under our fingernails...yikes what's going on???? Since we planned to spend 2 days in Vegas and we were already married - sorry Elvis chapel!! we decided to spend a relaxing day at the pool. Not too shabby - we tried to read our books but the people watching was so much better. There were the old, the young, the beautiful, the not so beautiful. And while we were at it Big Dog was surveying the belly button rings ....the jury is out on the results haha. Now we are up to Monday the 22nd....we left Vegas and headed to Utah through the Zion Nat'l Park which was so breathtaking and unbelievable. There was a tunnel on one of the roads that was a mile and a half long. It was so dark inside you had to remove your sunglasses....oh yes they forgot to tell you that you couldn't pull over and it was a no stop zone.....they yelled as you went pass to pull them down on your nose....isn't life on the road grand!!! On the way there we actually went right through a mountain range. How the hell do they blast through, clean it up and make it straight, pave it, add some Jersey barriers and a few signs and call it a scenic pass WOW gotta love America. We are now staying in Kanab Ut in one of the last 2 or 3 rooms available phew that was a close one....I guess the weak dollar has brought a whole bunch of euro "visitors" taking in our beautiful Country..and I do mean beautiful....what a thrill !!!! Well happy, happy trails, the Flame and the Big Dog

sun in our faces

A wonderful night sleep and then we started heading EAST into the sun through LA. Well it is amazing how many people want to live in this one little area when there is a whole desert empty - ha go figure. Anyway we are back in Barstow Ca.....you remember this is where we had the great lunch and decided to go on to the coast. Well were baaaack. And it is just as hot and beige as I remember. Well we figure since we still have about a week before we meets the "other hogs and hogetts" we decided to try our luck in Vegas!!! So tomorrow bright and early before the sun bakes our brains too much we will be off into the land of neon lights and replace the sound of pipes with, hopefully, the sound of money!!!! We are planning on a 2 night stay. Its been a very long time since we were here last. Hope the dice are hot!!!! Black jack Flame and Craps Big Dog

The mighty Pacific

GREAT SUCCESS, WAY BOOK, WAY EVERYTHING, CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE HERE, and all that jazz. Well this morning we got up and forged through LA traffic - my gosh at 10 in the morning you wouldn't believe how many cars were on the freeway. Ahh but we cruised across the tangle of highways and got spit out on the Santa Monica Boulevard. Within a short time the Mighty Pacific was in our sights. A beautiful sunny day - a whole lot cooler than in the desert - we had our jackets flapping in the wind and all sorts of California songs twirlling around our helmets. We proceeded to the Pacific Coast Highway - it is everything you picture it to be....flanked by beautiful mountain villas on one side (just waiting for a mud slide into the ocean) and all sorts of condos, restaurants, and beaches on the other. In Malibu (doesn't that just sound like you could jump on a surf board and ride the waves) we ate at Duke's restaurant - right on the water - watched a couple of dolphins playing - I swear it was like we were in a movie. And then we proceeded to the end of the highway and then the process of going back towards all that traffic. Well that will be tomorrow....tonight we are at Thousand Oaks Ca and are reliving a wonderful trip up the coast. From here on in it will be Eastward Bound - California Flame and surfing Big Dog

3 drink ride

Ok picture this "riding along on our harley- obiles" the California desert before us- I mean 160 miles of skulls and tumbleweeds and then a town appears...thank goodness I sure was hot, hungry, and in need of fuel. It was a quaint kind of town and we actually stopped at a wonderful restaurant and pondered the rest of the day. Once we were in air conditioning - it must have been 105 deg. out - I decided lets forge West!!! Well we looked at maps and decided on about 70 more miles to San bernardino - no sweat - just jump on the super slab and within an hour or so there you are right in time for early cocktail hour. Hell we're on the pacific time zone so we have lots of fudge room. Anyway we left and within 10 minutes WAM we were in the middle of California - Los Angeles type traffic....you know 5 lanes of trucks, suv's, and 5 million or so people who needed to be on this stretch of road with you and all of them traveling at warp speed. WOW - where did they all come from???? I mean it was like they just appeared and wanted your space. So after what appeared to be 2 days of traveling we finally got off and found a great hotel in Rancho Cucamonga Ca. As the crow flies it is only about 50 miles from the coast....unfortunately you have to go through LA to get there. What to do....what to do???? Now after 3 drinks I finally decided to yes touch the coast and then get the hell out of dodge. So tomorrow it is on to Santa Monica and then up the coast on the Pacific Coast Highway which is breathtaking. What a trip. We love you guys, ya'll take care and keep smiling ....driving in the fast lane Flame and the big dog

tag - we're here

Yes these sorry butts have successfully crossed the country and are now in Needles Ca. After leaving Flagstaff we went through the beautiful National Forests and then right back to flat plains and Indian reservations. This land is unelievable!!! We were riding along and only about 7 miles out of Kingman AZ - for those of you who remember....Clark Gable and Carol Lombard got married here....when the lightening Gods struck I mean there must of been 12 strikes of lightening at one time....I though I was on the boat!!! Mayday and all of that crap...oops I forgot I was on land so we stopped and quickly put on our foul weather gear (a slight bit too late) and forged on to Kingman and some lunch. Yes it was one of those decisions, stay at McDonalds for the day or continue on.....yep we ate and went. A few more sprinkles and then WAM the desert heat hit. I mean like a hundred degrees - this is more than our New England deodorant can handle heat!!!! Anyway we went through the most challenging stretch of mountain road - it was like you could almost see the skulls and scalps hanging on broken arrows along the way ...I wish you could see the raw magnificence of this place. Then we went through Oatman AZ This is a true Old West mining town with wooden plank sidwalks and burrows walking around. How cool and totally unbelievable. After that it was over the colorado river and on the California. Tag we are here and lots of time for playing in the "wish we all could be california girls" state. Note....some interesting road names.....Blind Smith County Tx. 2 guns road Az . twin arrow road Az. devil dog Az. tombstone Rd Az - what a country - what a trip.....very hot flame....and sweaty Big Dog

standing on the corner in Winslow AZ

24 miles and 12 days from meeting up with UE, AL, and S&S Yahooo let the tequilla flow!!! Today we decided to go to the Petrified Forest / painted desert National park. I know the pictures will not do it justice but AWSOME really comes to mind. I don't know how we won this land but it still isn't civilized!!! I noticed that Kemosabee Big Dog kept his locks tucked in his helmet just incase. The park ran for about 38 miles and at each turn of the road you had to stop in awe. After leaving there we eventually met up with Rt 66 again and went through Holbrook AZ - there was a an original diner Joe's and Adele - I mean neon sign and all - had to stop for lunch. sign the book, etc., believe it or not the last person to sign it was from Charlestown MA - go figure. Since Arizona does not subscribe to Daylight Savings time we gained another hour. So if you get these blogs later and later its because we're off the charts oops I mean maps haha - well I think that this is it for gaining time - it sure is going to hurt when we start losing it. After lunch we then proceeded to recreate the song "take it easy" (I think that's what its called) and rode through Winslow Az - It was pretty depressed but I'm still singing the song so I guess it worked. Soooo now that we have all this time I say GO WEST - so "Californina here I come" is in the mix.....this is even better than I could have imagined. I know, I know, the stock market is in the toilet but even that can't diminish this area of the world. We are now out of the desert and into the hills and forest of Flagstaff....it just keeps getting better. Hope all is well with you - I feel priviliged and blessed to be able to do this. Love you guys Happy flame and smiling Big Dog

Del Fregoes strike again!!

Now I know you all have seen "Wild Hogs" at least 5 times so when I say that we tore up Madrid you will know what I mean!!! Yes we actually rode through the FAMOUS 1/2 horse town and Maggie's Diner, I'm sure when they heard us ROAR in they quickly closed it ha!, looked pretty cool. From the looks of things this is sure a long long way from home.... We passed the Continental Divide today and the land is just amazing us. We are now in Gallup New Mexico about 10 miles from Arizona along Rt 40. Because it is Sunday, yep you guessed it, no liquor is sold. Do you think John Travolta had these problems????? It was a short day - about 200 miles but we are in a good position to do some pretty neat sight seeing tomorrow. So guys what do you think..... a new tattoo of an apple - hahaha - Take care - go out and have a drink for us - we love ya zoom zoom dusty flame and Big Bad Dog

hanging out

howdy - well after cocktails last night we decided that we probably should have some dinner - remember the "younger" days ahhhhh - cocktails WERE dnnner!! We went to Tomasitas a highly recommended restaurant. We got there after 8pm and the place was hoping and smelled very very good yum yum. We got a couple of seats at the bar and proceeded to have the best food and met the neatest people. One couple lived in Santa Fe - very cool - and after we closed the place down - don't you just love it when you are the last one in a place and you just can't let the evening end!!! In the old days they use to turn the lights on very high - this usually made you realize it was way past time to go - now they turn the lights down low and stop giving you drinks - a bit more civilized huh!!! We then proceeded to go to Willee's blues bar - great band, fun dancing, wonderful new friends. Today we spent the day eating our way through Santa Fee - Excellent but I think it is time for a steak and potatoe hold the salsa, beans, and chilli sauce please!!!! Tomorrow it is back to the winding road we have come to love.....have a wonderful day - hope those storms miss everyone - keep smiling we love you Flame and the Big Dog

Body fluids

Now, now, don't get all excited I figured if I put a boring subject like maintenance no one would read it ha!!! Well we slept late? maybe not for this time zone but it was real nice. We were suppose to meet about 14 "new friends" from Finland to sing happy birthday to one of them at 7:30 this morning but since we weren't up yet and it was raining I guess they managed without us. This is quite interesting - there is a guy in Finland who organizes a trip down Rt 66 pretty cool huh!! Anyway the weather cleared up and we went to visit the local Harley Shop - how unusual - anyway we decided we needed some new oil in the hogs so this afternoon we spent the day hanging around till it was done Not very exciting but hopefully tonight we will find some neat place for dinner. Not sure if we are staying one more day or not....Love you all - Flame and the Big Dog opps some neighbor just invited us for cocktails.!!!

MARGARITAVILLE

Ole' greetings from beautiful downtown Santa Fe - We left early this morning 8:30, being on mountain time surely helps, and traveled a 170 miles to Santa Fe By lunch time we were having Margaritas and Coronas sitting on a balcony watching a 9/11 memorial parade go by. It seems so unbelievable for us to be here - I guess we don't look exactly like the average tourist - we seem to meet an assortment of characters - there were the Thompsons from Rhode Island - we almost grabbed their table but realized that we were listed as Bob not Thompson. I think that by the time we left the restaurant we knew everyone who rode - all pretty cool!!! It was real nice to be able to walk around the city - it has a couple of malls and lots of art, jewely, and indian artifacts. There only seems to be one problem......if only I hadn't packed so much STUFF I might be able to buy some very neat clothes. There was a fabulous leather jacket and a couple of tops that seemed to be calling my name but where would I put them....how many layers can I wear before I roll off the bike????? I am looking for a wonderful passage piece though and there are many, many options so I am sure one will make it home with me: ) We hear there are a few places in town with live music - will have to check them out later. We will be here until probably Saturday - so yes it is time to slow down and smell the cactus. Soooo how do you know if you are in New Mexico??? you can travel more than 100 miles and not see a structure along the road - I mean not a house or barn or even a mailbox we are like in "Billy the Kid" territory Ride em cowboy yahoo and stuff like that haha- - Love hearing from everyone - if you can't get on the comments screen email me - this way I can save your address and we all can keep in touch. Sure do miss you......ya'll have a great day - enjoy and keep smiling - happy trails Flame and the Big Dog.

Mountain time

So how do you know you are in Texas - Everybody has a horse in their yards, they advertise 96oz steaks, lots and lots of cowboy hats, little 4 year old kids have boots and VERY large belt buckles, and vegtables are not on the menus!!! No wonder why George Bush hated broccoli - he probably never ate it!!! Fast forward a couple of hundred miles and now we're in New Mexico - can you believe it!!!! We left Shamrock Texas this morning - we got up a wee bit earlier because the forcast looked like the storms would be in the afternoon - and got on the road by 8:30. What happened to staying up and sleeping late????? We took the Super Slab - it was a bit foggy and misty out but no real rain or thundershowers phew!!! This trip keeps on amazing me.....we basically rode through the panhandle of Texas - that's why we got through it so fast - and all of the land was farms and ranches and then about 10 miles shy of New Mexico the land changed drastically!!! I mean we were going up this incline and there were the gazzilion acre farms and then BAM it was desert with tumble weeds and all - how did it do that!!! We just couldn't believe it - Oh yes once we got to the Border the speed limit went to 75mph, we gained an hour and everything seemed more pleasant. We got to our destination Tucumcari NM around 1pm - we had a nice lunch in one of the only restaurants around here and decided to call it a day and do some walking around. There are quite a few neon structures left from Rt 66 and it is all kind of cool to see. Although this is not a dry town none of the places seem to have liquor licenses - very strange indeed!!! Ahh but they do have a pool and hot tub so these tired bones are going to feel much better soon. Love and miss you all - love all the comments and emails - keep them coming ....for now adios Flame and Big Dog

the eyes of texas are upon us

Howdy yall - Another productive day in the saddle - It was a whole lot cooler and cloudier today but hell we just grabbed some of the ole' winter stuff we brought and put er on - it's like the friggin wild wild west here - not to mention after 290 miles we land up in a DRY COUNTY!!!! This is why we are packing but hell we're gonna run out soon!!!!hahaha. We took Rt 66 through Oklahoma City (I think I sang that damn Oklahoma song throughout that WHOLE state - good thing no one could hear me!!) and then we totally lost the road - I mean everytime we tried to follow it and took a turn we wound up in somebodies driveway - not to worry though these driveways are about 2 miles long - does everyone own 500 acres or what!!!! SOOOO plan B the Super Slab - that's hog talk for highway. These highways are totally unbelievable - picture this - miles upon miles of rolling roads 4 lane divided highway with about 15 cars on it!!! I swear there were times there was no one in front or behind us....This is one big STATE!!! Hopefully tomorrow we can make it to Tucumcari New Mexico and then another short trip to Santa Fe New Mexico - where we just might spend a few days - give the ole butts a break. We are keeping an eye on the storms and we have plenty of time on our side. Hope y'all are weathering the storms out. Stay dry, be cool, and keep on smiling The Flame and Big Dog

Oklahoma here we are!!

Hey all - well we are now in Tulsa Oklahoma - wow is this the wildest trip across America ever!!! We are seeing some of the "bones" of the "Mother Road along the way and it is so very cool. It kind of reminds us of our youth - a B&W photo with very old cars in it!!!! Rt 66 is a rolling road with unbelievable vistas of farms, and wide open spaces. As we travel through we so often see some, probably old hippie, sitting on his porch waving to us.....it always makes us smile. Tulsa is quite a big city, if it weren't for Ike we probably would stay here for a day or so. I think the wiser thing would be to keep going west so we will not be in its path as it hits the US. We logged on another 260 miles and are now officially more than HALF WAY THERE or, as Bryan told us, we have done a quarter of the trip. Either way it has been so GREAT!!!! It is amazing but our butts are probably the only thing that hasn't hurt - go figure!!! Central casting sighting for the day.....a sweet old beagle laying square in the middle of a side road,, daring anyone to disturb him, raised his head as if to say "Oh another old hippie trying to recreate their youth" - cracked us up. Smooth riding and happy days love and miss you all Flame and Big Dog

Across the mighty Mississippi

Yahoo - We are now on the Historic Rt 66 YEAAAAAA!!! Today started out damp and cool but we dried off the bikes, put on our foul weather "outfit" and took off for St Louis. The weather actually cleared up by the end of the day so all was good!!! On our ride we passed over the Mississippi, saw the arch, and the Busch Stadium - not bad for a 2 minute ride by - my kind of city Ha!! We then connected with Rt 44 till it hooked up with Rt 66. At first it was crazy trying to follow the road - many U-turns - but then we got into the grove of it. It basically parallels Rt 44, at least in this area. Anyway there was this one stretch that was the original roadway - it looked and felt like a yellowing B&W photo - it was inspiring, humbling, and spiritual. I swear you could feel and almost see spirits of a bygone era WAY COOL!!!! We did about 275 miles and according to GPS we have ONLY 1,455 miles to go UNBELIEVABLE . We are in Lebanon Missouri - Bob just made a drink since Missouri is dry on Sunday. This is why we pack liquor!!! We are still quite excited and are loving the journey. Rt 66 ROCKS!! So Ed asked what a typical day on the road consisted of. Well we do set the alarm to get up at 7:30, sh-t, shower, and shave, have breakfast and hit the road around 9am. We stop around 11 for a break and some water etc, back on the road and stop for lunch and fuel around 1pm. It usually is a 15-20 minute stop and then a quick look at the map and off we go again. At 3 we stop for my coffee fix and possibly some more fuel and then a discussion of how much longer we can go. Inbetween we seem to be in awe at how great the trip is!!! I hear the Pats won without Brady - My heart isn't strong enough for this!!! Thanks for your comments, love reading them. Good luck with the storms out there and smooth pavement ahead. Love Flame and Big Dog - Oh yes a Central Casting sighting = Purple Bette = A 80 something WW!! navy Vet who we met over a cup of coffee somewhere in western Indiana - she was a hot ticket dressed completely in purple, driving a new purple convertible PT cruiser with a purple bow in her hair and told us of her 8 room purple carpeted house What a HOOT!!! The people are the journey.

going back in time

Ahoy - well we decided that there are 5 reasons to like rain - #5 you get to put on your foul weather gear - this counts as a new outfit, #4 you now have room in your saddle bag (that's where the foul weather gear goes) for all sorts of jewelry, #3 you stop more often to clear your glasses and get a cup of coffee, #2 instead of going to Cincinnati you stop at Wilmington, #1 you meet the coolest new friends at Damons bar and grill. Cheers to Scott, Betsy, Carlos, Bubbles, Eric, and Cricket - hopefully we will see you on the way back!!!! Well we had a wonderful long ride through Ohio, Indiana, and are now in Salem Illinois. It is on Rt 50 and I-57 in south central IL. Rt 50 was so beautiful that we actually rode 350 miles today - yes the butts are starting to whimper a bit. It meandered through farms, state forests, sunflower fields and women in pink curlers going to mail boxes HA!!! Tomorrow if the weather cooperates we could be on Rt 66. WOW = an interesting fact - Sir Paul McCartney and his lastest bimbo - oops I mean babe, did Rt 66 for his 66th Birthday. Bet ya he wasn't cool enough to do it on a Harley!!!! Oh yes by the way we are officially in another time zone!!! only 1,650 miles to go!! (as the crow flies) So till tomorrow, or the next time I can find wi-fi, happy trails, keep smiling, and enjoy the weekend. Flame and Big Dog

goodby Duncan Donuts

Howdy all - Well this morning we broke out our clean shirts, undies and did some hair washing - yes we are definitely styling now - one of the beauties of traveling is no one sees you in the same outfit day after day!!!! The weather was a bit cooler but nice and sunny. We basically took rt 22 West across into Ohio. Now this is one sweet road - well except for an unexpected tour of Pittsburgh City. Hell while we were trying to figure out where we were we took some pictures and tried to look like this is what we planned!!! Once we got back on track it was just a great road - farms, hills, mountains, a random lake, and, except when you went through the towns, the speed limit was 60 - very sweet indeed. Oh yes....then that damn wind picked up, the sun went away and old Gustov came raining down on us. Waaaa!!!! Ok so we pulled off to put on our foul weather gear and Big Dog - this is why I love him - gave me options...... spend the day in the corn field or plug onward - being I am a city girl at heart I figured the corn field was out!!! haha - we ran into rain throughout the day but managed to get to Wilmington Ohio about 50 miles shy of Cincinnati. Not too bad. We put about 250 miles on the hogs and if it rains tonight possibly it could wash them off - they are not looking too good right now. Its real pretty here but I think we have run out of Duncan Donuts - gulp where am I going to get my coffee??? Well it looks like Hanna might impact the Carolinas - batten down the hatches and be safe - love and miss you all Soggy flame and drippy big dog.Oh yes one of these days we will try to figure out how to get the pictures on it but right now there is a drink calling our names - thanks for your comments I love reading them -

long lost summer??

Hi all - well this was one hot time in the ole saddle kind of day!!! We are in Pittsburgh Pa and getting ready for cocktail hour phew - now exactly how far do we have left???? haha It was an interesting trip through small town Pa - we happen to pass the 3-mile island plant - you all remember that disaster... well it is now called the "electrical steam plant" very suspicious!!!! The animals in the farms along the way all seemed normal so I guess all is good now!! This blog thing is great but I forgot to transfer everyone's email to this computer....if you email me I will be able to answer you and save the address....learning curves stink!! So what's going on with these hurricanes---it looks like tomorrow we, with any kind of luck, will be beneath the rain - our next projected stop is Cincinnati Ohio. Till then Happy trails, keep smiling, and enjoy. We love you guys Very hot flame and sweaty big dog

when the rubber meets the road

After some great hugs with our buddies and a couple of packing problems - "It doesn't fit!!!" AARRRRRR we're off!!! What a glorious day for riding....day one was perfect. We are now in Scranton Pa - got a beautiful room and are ready to hit the "hot" spots??? Ok, so maybe they won't be so hot - but at least our boots and wooley socks are off, We hear the local bar calling us for cocktail hour and then onto the spa to clean the road dirt off - not bad at all. Once we got out of Ct. rt 84 was spectacular. The mo untains were just starting to show a little Fall coloring and the winds were warm and refreshing. It was a long day 320 miles so will close for now - happy trails - take care and have fun Flame and Big Dog

all systems go!

Hi all - well I think it is really all coming together. When we went to lunch I realized that I managed to fit everything into my one small bag UHHH OHHHH my fashion sense is going down the tubes. I just know I will regret not bringing my PARTY SHOES!!!!! Well if you see me with knee-high wooly socks, boots, and shorts on - please send me home quick!!! Love you all - keep in touch and hopefully tomorrow night we will be in Scranton Pa. ouch!!! let the journey begin Flame and Big Dog.

Crunch Time

T-minus 48 hours (or maybe 72) Don't you just love having a plan B??? Anyway we have the T-bags out (suitcases that fit on the back of your seat) clothes, maps, and all the vitamins etc., that help keep this harley chick going, scattered around - don't you just hate that part of traveling??? Next we will start the "Oh my gosh I can't fit it all in" routine. One would think that I would have this all down to a science but there always seems to be that cute little outfit that I know I will NEED!!!! For those of you who remember Alize' - when we finished packing her up for our trip South her waterline had sunk 6 inches. It was amazing when we sold her and they took her out for a sea trial, the waterline was right where it was suppose to be - UNBELIEVABLE!!! How can we NEED so much STUFF!!! Better question is why don't we travel in larger vehicles??!!! Will close for now - will let you all know exactly when we are leaving - till then happy trails?? Love Flame and Big Dog

In the beginning

Hello Hello....Well I know some of you might be wondering how two, seemingly normal biker dudes, decided to take a cross country trip. It all started on our trip to the Florida Keys for a winter get away last January. We stopped, as we usually do, at UE and AL's house in South Jersey for a couple of nights of fun and games. After solving the world's problems, we decided to talk about a riding vacation together. Sedona, AZ was the destination of choice. Now all that was needed was a house to rent and the location of the nearest Harley dealer from whom to rent bikes. After some research we realized that only "Bagger" bikes were available. Now there is where MY problem came in. I really love my Sportster and the "Bagger" bikes are all much heavier than mine. What to do??? What to do???? I've got it.....lets RIDE out there then I can have my own bike to ride - Brilliant!!!??? (I think?) Well now its crunch time. We just went to AAA to get over 20 maps, got some new boots and jeans, and am now wondering just how many days I can wear the same clothes. AHHH it is bringing back memories of sailing - at least I won't be crusted with salt when we get there - is road dust better??? - conclusion - be careful what you agree on after a few drinks with UE and AL.