We’ve been waiting for this last big trip for quite a few months now, and we are finally on our way. We had planned on leaving last September but decided it would be too hot and humid and we had also been given the opportunity to live in New York City for 2 months. So we postponed the trip to the end of April. And now, here we are, on the road, happy to be back on the bike but we also have sore butts from a few long days on the bike.
We spent several weeks preparing for this trip, looking up different routes, planning around the donkey giving birth, making sure it wasn’t snowing, and setting up the tent in the living room along with all of our gear to make sure we were set for the trip.
After a few Amazon purchases, a faux pack, a trip down to Chico to service the bike, and a couple arguments that had to do with procrastinating about saving the route planning until the night before we were to leave, we were ready to hit the road.
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We left on Good Friday, a couple hours later than we had wanted to but, RJ had to wrap up a few things with work before we could take off. After we were positive we had everything packed and stored and stowed and tucked in just the right place, we were off on the first leg of our journey to visit my Grandpa, Grandma, and Aunt Maria in Western Kansas.
We gassed up and hit the 70. The first 50 miles were backed up with traffic and road construction. After that was smooth sailin’. We enjoyed the beautiful mountains and green trees everywhere.
We drove around gorgeous Lake Tahoe and into Nevada.
After stopping in Carson City for a bite to eat, we were off again.
We pulled in to the KOA in Ely, NV around 9PM. We set up the tent, but not without an incident. It was dark and I needed both hands to lay the tent out so I held the flashlight with my teeth. BUT, I forgot that on our last trip to Alaska, our bear mace started leaking in the back case and got on the flashlight! I had intended to throw the flashlight out and buy a new one before our next trip but I completely forgot. Well, my mouth and lips were on fire! No amount of water was going to take away the burning. Nothing more I could do but go ahead and set up tent and crawl into bed. Luckily, I had cleaned the flashlight pretty well after the mace had leaked on to it so the burning didn’t last too long. But I threw the flashlight away right then and there and decided I could manage setting up the tent in the dark.
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Saturday, April 20
The morning was crisp and bright. A great day for driving.
We drove straight for what seemed like hours, stopping for a top ramen and gas around noon. I somehow forgot all my years of grueling training on how to make a ramen and water boiled out all over the table and I couldn’t get the flame to turn off. After sopping up the mess, we ate our noodles but with half the broth.
RJ had an emergency with work so we sat inside the gas station for several hours at one of the booths while RJ dealt with the issue.
Then, back on the bike and more driving. Stopped for a quick bite of supper in the evening and continued on.
We got to our camp site in Steamboat Springs, Colorado around 10:30. We set up camp and I burrowed down in my sleeping bag because it was so cold: 36*.
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Easter Sunday, April 21
We packed up and headed for Kansas. It was COLD heading out of Steamboat. Even with my heated jacket on high, I was still shivering. We drove through 2-3 feet of snow (well, the road was dry but it looked like they weren’t going to see spring any time soon) and even a few snow flurries.
After dropping 8,000 feet or so, it started warming up and the sun was shining.
We stopped for lunch and took out our jacket liners.
As we got closer to the Kansas border, we started seeing more and more feedlots. RJ was having a conniption over the smell and was pretty sure his lungs were going to be ruined from breathing in poop dust but I assured him that he would be just fine.
We pulled in to Grandpa’s around 8pm. They had waited to eat supper with us. I think that’s the latest they have ever eaten in their life. Supper is usually at 5:30, right on the dot around here. And of course, there was enough food to feed a small army.
After lots of laughs and catching up, we carried our gear inside and crawled into bed. We were tired from 3 long, hard days on the bike.
~em