Pampa, Kiwi Mike

Last nights stay in Taos was awesome, great motel and great late night Jacuzzi after we blogged. We aren't doing well on our budget accommodations as everyone seems to be wanting to bend us over a bit too much.


Sunshine is always a good start to the day especially around here as it can be nasty. We toodle off down the road heading East out of Taos which is very curvy and sort of mountainous. I think we averaged 40-45 mph for the 1st 1-1/2 hours. Hazards were lurking when you least expect it. Rounding 1 corner I came across 2 huge Elk standing in the middle of the roadway, jam hard on with the brakes and then they decide to run off into the wild. Greg was somewhat way back and when I told him about it he asked were they male or female, say what??? Well did they have antlers, cute ass or??? Hang on mate, they were 2 big ass Elk that were going to hurt me if I hit em, that's all I know about Elk and all I need to know about em!!! Remember I'm a sheep man, good times. Another 2 miles down the road I was entering into a tight left hander and suddenly I encounter a big rig on half of my side of the road as he was swinging wide to take the corner, shit a brick mate I'm here. I'm really glad the '45 reacts fast. Dang I love this bike.

At about 70 mls out of Taos we were out of the mountains and into the gentle rolling hills which then changed to mostly flat land. Quite a varied landscape today, greenery, mountains to flat dry brown grass. Welcome to Texas.

Gas stops are always interesting as people start chatting about our bikes. 1 young guy was in construction and we asked what was up with all the Earthen homes before Taos that we saw the day before, ah those were built by the rich hippies he replied. Don't tell me, the die hard hippy ones live a few miles before them in the ramshackle derelict looking dumps we saw, yep, that's them.

Rolling down the highway over the rolling hills and flat lands our bikes find it easy work and just lap it up. It might be boring to some but it's time to hang the feet down off the footboards, ride for miles on end with no hands on the handlebars, even took pics with my Blackberry of no hands on the handlebars and of the speedo and even had time to text em. Gota pass the time somehow. This bike rides by itself. Greg doesn't have a speedo but we usually sit on 60 mph. The bikes will certainly do a lot more but 60 is nice.

You know without any doubt when you are in Texas as it seems like a whole different country from the rest of the U.S. The people are different and in a good way. We just can't get out of gas stops here as people driving by just have to pop in and chat from their pick up, shake our hands. 1 nice gentleman even paid for our gas and said it's a great thing we are doing, thanks mate.

In Texas we can pump gas 1st and pay later inside, just like America used to be.

We had a late lunch stop as I told Greg if he can hold out till Dalhart (2.30 arrival time) I know of a great barbeque joint called Hodies.

We ordered our Hickory smoked ribs and fixins and we ate like Kings (more like pigged out) and boy were we stuffed when we were done. Man every bite was oh sooo good that we just couldn't help but eat more.

We figured if we rolled in at 2.30 it would be nice n quiet which it was for just a little bit, then slowly people streamed in to eat, then a couple of town cops show up and sit at a big table, next thing the big boss Sheriff along with some other "mens club" town folk stroll in and sit down at the same table and good times roll on. They just had to chat to us about our bikes. They named Greg's ride turn instructions that were on a sheet wrapped around his sleeve "a redneck GPS". We all got a huge laugh out of it. Good times.

As we were mounting our steeds, the big boss Sheriff comes out and says to us, u boys watched Obama's speech today, he blew off the economy whatever and went to NC to endorse the gays. I replied, I bet that didn't go over too well in these parts eh mate.

A lady at a nearby table had been sitting down for a few minutes and suddenly just popped out, OK, I just can't stand it any longer, what year are your bikes. Our lunch stop took way longer than we anticipated but as usual its a way cool social event thing we have come to expect.

Whats interesting about TX places on the map is the towns show up as little dots meaning little towns and what we have become accustomed to in other states but here in TX, a little dot ends up being a 15-18,000 population town.

We experienced some cross winds since we are on the plains of TX, not too bad but it can be a bit challenging at times.

Some farming is taking place with big equipment rolling down the highway. This stuff is huge and doesn't move too fast. Roads have huge shoulders but the equipment still takes up most of the lane. One has to know ahead of time to slow down and be patient to overtake it.

We were happily cruising down the road and out pops from the bush a big wild turkey who decides to land right in my path, oh shit, he starts flapping his wings and I'm on the brakes and we just manage to miss each other. Shit a brick, all sorts of hazards out here.

Bob Lewis and Clyde Douglas had been corresponding with us saying they were coming to meet up with us in Pampa. Bob sees us and he starts waving to us next to his bike parked front and center at the motel. Bob has a 1950's Chief and Clyde has a late model Harley. These 2 guys rode 750 miles from near Corpus Christi to greet and ride with us through rain and some nasty road construction along the way. Wow that is super nice guys.

Pampa had a lot of sold out motels or that's what some of the owners would say to me when I inquired. Most were of Indian origin and I could see the expression on their faces when they 1st saw me with all my gear on. When I asked about a room they said "no full", it seems they really didn't want us 2 bikers there. Too bad, their loss.

We came across a motorcycle shop in town called Fineline Motorcycles which we cruised into to ask if he know of some other motels in town to stay at. He was impressed with the bikes and got all pumped up when he found out it was Kiwi. We did a photo op with him and his wife, 2 super nice people.

Also in Pampa is a cool military museum with an old time Coast Guard helicopter parked out in front. Photo op time. To Lt Kevin and Wayne, we just found your next generation helicopter upgrade, LOL.

We are still stuffed from lunch at Hodies bbq, no dinner for us tonight.

335 mile day today, not too shabby at all. Greg and I have our system down and just know how to whack off em miles. At least it's warming up.

Joke for today told to us by a Harley rider in Pampa when I was discussing with him about the Coast Guard bike. He assured me the Coast Guard had Harleys. Hmmm, I replied I didn't find any record of that. Oh yeh he said, they were Sportsters and were used as boat anchors. Good one mate. Then I had to tell him my Harley joke, did you know that 95% of the Harleys ever made were still on the road. The other 5% made it home.