AUGUST 30, 2010 - DAY 26 - GALLUP, NM TO KINGMAN, AZ
The morning starts off looking ominous with the dark grey clouds moving across Gallup from the west, the way we are heading. The weather is also a bit cooler than what we have been used to as we go to breakfast.
As we head into Arizona we stop in the Petrified Forest National Park and travel through the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest. The scenery is beautiful and it is amazing to see what looks like chunks of logs filled with what is now stone. But the winds are still strong and pushing against us.
As we arrive in Holbrook, AZ we stop at Joe & Aggie's Cafe for lunch and meet Chris, who describes himself as the "token white boy of the family". He is not only a good and attentive waiter but a character that we enjoy as well. In town there are several businesses with dinosaur statue themes, and then the infamous Wigwam Motel, known for it's Route 66 business as well as from the movie "Cars".
Just as we head out of town my odometer turns over to 40,974 miles. This may seem insignificant to most but it's very important to me. I took over the bike in June of 2007 and it had exactly 974 miles on it. So this means that I have put 40,000 of my own miles on the road. We have just gotten onto the interstate so instead of stopping for a photo I simply take photos of the odometer reading.
Our next stop is Winslow, Arizona. Yep, just like the song we pull up and stand on the corner. There's a flatbed Ford parked there too. But while I am taking photos of everything Angel is thrilled because there is a man with his two year old daughter who takes a liking to her, and she gets her fill of "baby time", holding the little girl for almost a half hour before we finally move on.
But I think what surprises us the most for the day is our trip through Flagstaff. Who knew there was such mountainous beauty in Arizona? Not me, that's for sure. Green grasses, sunflowers, pine trees and mountains. I could live in Arizona with this kind of scenery. There are even ski resorts. An oasis in the middle of the desert and it is beautiful.
I have taken so many pictures that as we pull into Williams my camera dies. And when we get to Seligman I have a voice mail from Twister, the IWMC member whom we are staying with tonight. She and her husband meet us at the Grand Canyon Cavern & Inn and escort us to Kingman and their home for the night. Rhonda and Rick have a great home, friendly pets, and treat us to delicious dinner before we each succumb to hot showers and comfortable beds.
Today's stats: 380 miles and 11 hours
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