It has been a long days ride. To make up for the slow few days traveling i have b-lined it from arcata to redding. Redding is pretty big in comparison to every place i have been through. The oregon coast is pretty sparse, and this certainly has a city feel to it.I am staying in a holiday inn tonight and will be calling the parents. No internet access unless you have a laptop, so i using the internet at a cafe down the street at 25c a minute.
The road to redding was the most winding and spiraling and close turning road i have been on... Second only to the road to hana, but it is a close call. I spent all day manhandling the bike through the corners. And the tire was getting eatenup by the sand.
I also have been keeping up on the bike maintenance, as the bike is currently in the shop down here at Lees Honda. Thanks to steve and the crew there i am getting a new back tire, chain and an oil change. Hopefully things will be solid once i leave. I beat the crap out of the chain in the sand in oregon more than once, and it was making a wonderful noise even at highway speeds, dispite my consitant attention to relubing.
Also, i am using the hotel here as a stay over, since by the time the bike will be out of the shop it will be 6pm, and i dont want to try and find a place to camp outside of a city in the dark. Bad idea.... That and i need to wash my clothes. I am starting to notice my own stink. I am sure everyone i meet will be appreciating the hygine check up.
Anyhow, moving on to salt lake city over the next few days. Gonna come back via plane to see sanfran and area. Not worth getting stuck in with the bike. And i want to ride across the continent first before it dies, and if it dies on me when i am in sanfran i would have been pretty unhappy.
Well, thats all for now. I'll post more from somewhere in salt lake. BTW. no pics yet again because my crappy camera is kodak. Dont buy one, they need proprietary software.
Best Regards
Richard W.
Professional Adventurer in the USA
