Off work three weeks
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Monday, 12 July 2010
Sunday, 11 July 2010
Home again Sunday, 11th July 2010
Arrived home yesterday from Heathrow by train. Just a postscript to the holiday, I went to Accident and Emergency after dropping off my bags at home to get them to check my foot which I hurt on June 22nd in Greasewood, Arizona.
They x-rayed it and found a clean break of the fibula. I had been riding from 23rd June to 9th July with a broken ankle.
People have commented along the lines muppet, loonie, hard core all of which is difficult to argue with.
This is being typed in at home with my foot in a temporary plaster and an appointment to go to the Fracture Clinic at the hospital tomorrow.
Ooops
They x-rayed it and found a clean break of the fibula. I had been riding from 23rd June to 9th July with a broken ankle.
People have commented along the lines muppet, loonie, hard core all of which is difficult to argue with.
This is being typed in at home with my foot in a temporary plaster and an appointment to go to the Fracture Clinic at the hospital tomorrow.
Ooops
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Tidy up
Last few posts will be tidied up - existing notes are just to help me add the right stuff in theh right place
Outer Banks NC to Easton MD 7th July (Day 25)
Great sunrise
pelicans porpoises
over Chesapeake Bay bridge/tunnel system
3 states NC, VA, MD
pelicans porpoises
over Chesapeake Bay bridge/tunnel system
3 states NC, VA, MD
Sandia NC to Outer Banks NC July 6th (Day 24)
Wright Brothers Memorial Kitty Hawk NC
Nice motel great pool beach behind motel
Great bar and grill opposite
Ate Wahoo - nice fish
Nice motel great pool beach behind motel
Great bar and grill opposite
Ate Wahoo - nice fish
Pigeon Forge to Sandia NC 5th July (Day 23)
Blue Ridge Parkway
Interstate 40
N Carolina back roads
Prosperous place
Chinese buffet
Lads at speakeasy pool hall
NASCAR car and Godfather car
Interstate 40
N Carolina back roads
Prosperous place
Chinese buffet
Lads at speakeasy pool hall
NASCAR car and Godfather car
Nashville TN to Pigeon Forge 4th July (Day 22)
Tried do get to Tail of the Dragon road but park chokablok as Independence day holiday
LEMME OUT
LEMME OUT
Tupelo MS to Nashville TN, 3rd July (Day 21)
Tupelo Mississippi is the birthplace of Elvis Presley.. Personally I am not a huge fan though I quite like some of the earlier stuff. Nonetheless his home was a place you couldn't go to Tupelo and not check out.
Pretty humble really
There is a remembrance park around the house now which had been quite tastefully done with comments from people who had known Elvis when he was still at school and before who broke into the big time.
From Tupelo we headed out for Nashville travelling on the Natchez Trace Parkway which was a revelation to me. All I had seen of America tended to be dominated by big chain commercial activities, motels, gas stations and food outlets. The exceptions had been the national parks and I now discovered the same was true of things called parkways which I had never previously heard of. The parkway looked like this - speed limited and very pretty.
Basically they seem to be parks following a historic travel route where no commercialisation is allowed. You even have to divert off the road for gas or food.
We followed the Natchez Trace Parkway most of the way to Nashville. The old Natchez Trace whose route the parkway celebrates is very well explained via this link Old Natchez Trace and was originally an animal migration route which evolved as a native american route then used by early european settlers. As Wikipedia puts it,"The trail itself has a long and rich history, filled with brave explorers, dastardly outlaws and daring settlers."
We pulled off the parkway and quickly found a "Ma & Pa" style cafe for lunch
then back on the parkway and on to Nashville where we were staying that night.
Shower, shave etc and then out for a look around and a bite to eat.
We had been told that Baileys Sports Bar was a good place to eat and we went there and had tables upstairs outdoors on a terrace which had been made behind the facade of the old building.
It was a great place for people watching on the main street and the terraces and roof tops opposite.
Cool dog
Then we walked on through Nashville to pick a bar with music. Not hard to do in Nashville.
AN Other bar for beer and bands
music from
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Tom Petty
Steve Earle
Lynrd Skynyrd
etc
Pretty humble really
There is a remembrance park around the house now which had been quite tastefully done with comments from people who had known Elvis when he was still at school and before who broke into the big time.
From Tupelo we headed out for Nashville travelling on the Natchez Trace Parkway which was a revelation to me. All I had seen of America tended to be dominated by big chain commercial activities, motels, gas stations and food outlets. The exceptions had been the national parks and I now discovered the same was true of things called parkways which I had never previously heard of. The parkway looked like this - speed limited and very pretty.
Basically they seem to be parks following a historic travel route where no commercialisation is allowed. You even have to divert off the road for gas or food.
We followed the Natchez Trace Parkway most of the way to Nashville. The old Natchez Trace whose route the parkway celebrates is very well explained via this link Old Natchez Trace and was originally an animal migration route which evolved as a native american route then used by early european settlers. As Wikipedia puts it,"The trail itself has a long and rich history, filled with brave explorers, dastardly outlaws and daring settlers."
We pulled off the parkway and quickly found a "Ma & Pa" style cafe for lunch
then back on the parkway and on to Nashville where we were staying that night.
Shower, shave etc and then out for a look around and a bite to eat.
We had been told that Baileys Sports Bar was a good place to eat and we went there and had tables upstairs outdoors on a terrace which had been made behind the facade of the old building.
It was a great place for people watching on the main street and the terraces and roof tops opposite.
Cool dog
Then we walked on through Nashville to pick a bar with music. Not hard to do in Nashville.
AN Other bar for beer and bands
music from
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Tom Petty
Steve Earle
Lynrd Skynyrd
etc
Sunday, 4 July 2010
Hot Springs AR to Tupelo MS, 2nd July (Day 20)
Onwards and eastwards! Off from Arkansas to Mississippi today crossing the Arkansas River then the Mississippi River itself and heading for Tupelo which is the birthplace of Elvis.
The part of Arkansas we passed through on the way to West Helena to enter Mississippi seemed pretty prosperous. You see some things when you travel which seem unusual because you dont see stuff like it at home. As we were driving through Arkansas we came across a man lopping branches off a tree. Nothing unusual there except the tree was 60' tall, the man was on the ground and he was lopping a branch about 50' up. He was using a remote control pendant on an umbilical cord to control a telescopic arm like the one that usually get used for cranes but with a buzz saw attached! Great piece of kit as long as you aren't too worried where the lopped branches land!
We stopped for breakfast at a place called Pine Bluff where this happened...
No that isn't what was happening! Dr Paul and Nurse Lloyd ... Er , Barnie the Bear...
Actually Barnie had managed to shove an ear plug so far down his ear that he couldn't get it out, Paul is trying to fish it out with a pair of tweasers and Lloyd is holding a flashlight to help him see.. No really!
After a successful operation the patient recovered and we pressed on on what felt a very hot day.
In the end, we were feeling tired and just wanted to get to Tupelo so we pushed on down the interstate to speed things up.
That night we ate at a place called Vanelli's which had a live band on which was good. Unfortunately we had to walk there (we were told it was ust over there, about half a mile) and it being America there was no pavement so we had to walk over grass and jay walk to cross main carriageways, the journey did my ankle no good whatsoever but the place was fine and friendly and we managed to get some ice for my ankle and get a lift back.
Somebody - had also decorated Paul's bike
Suspect Paul will be plotting revenge!
ps not guilty - but I did laugh!
The part of Arkansas we passed through on the way to West Helena to enter Mississippi seemed pretty prosperous. You see some things when you travel which seem unusual because you dont see stuff like it at home. As we were driving through Arkansas we came across a man lopping branches off a tree. Nothing unusual there except the tree was 60' tall, the man was on the ground and he was lopping a branch about 50' up. He was using a remote control pendant on an umbilical cord to control a telescopic arm like the one that usually get used for cranes but with a buzz saw attached! Great piece of kit as long as you aren't too worried where the lopped branches land!
We stopped for breakfast at a place called Pine Bluff where this happened...
No that isn't what was happening! Dr Paul and Nurse Lloyd ... Er , Barnie the Bear...
Actually Barnie had managed to shove an ear plug so far down his ear that he couldn't get it out, Paul is trying to fish it out with a pair of tweasers and Lloyd is holding a flashlight to help him see.. No really!
After a successful operation the patient recovered and we pressed on on what felt a very hot day.
In the end, we were feeling tired and just wanted to get to Tupelo so we pushed on down the interstate to speed things up.
That night we ate at a place called Vanelli's which had a live band on which was good. Unfortunately we had to walk there (we were told it was ust over there, about half a mile) and it being America there was no pavement so we had to walk over grass and jay walk to cross main carriageways, the journey did my ankle no good whatsoever but the place was fine and friendly and we managed to get some ice for my ankle and get a lift back.
Somebody - had also decorated Paul's bike
Suspect Paul will be plotting revenge!
ps not guilty - but I did laugh!
Saturday, 3 July 2010
Sulphur OK to Hot Springs AR 1st July (Day 19)
Left Sulphur and took the back roads through Oklahoma to Arkansas
stopping to refuel at a small place outside Daisy. The girl working at the gas station was so excited she had to call her hus band to tell him there were 11 bikes from England and Ireland and they were BMWs - she hadn't realised BMW made bikes too!
following the 43 and the 271 to Winding Stair National Recreational Area and Winding Stair Mountain on the state border with Arkansas.
The road, the Talimena Scenic Drive passes through the Ouachita National Forest and the Arkansas State Queen Wilhelmina Park where we stopped for refreshment. In Paul's case a blue ice cream!
They had a miniature railway which te biggest kids had to have a go on
They also had a slightly larger engine on dispay...
Destination for today was a bit to far so we ended staying at Hot Springs Arkansas, home town of Bill Clinton. After the war, Hot Springs was booming with illegal gambling casinos but a clamp down on illegal gambling by the state authorities coupled with antibiotics replacing doctors recommendations to visit the spa baths meant that the place has slowed down a lot.
We went out for a slightly over budget but very tasty meal at The Porterhouse Steak and Seafood restaurant
Need to make up about half a days riding, I think but should be OK.
stopping to refuel at a small place outside Daisy. The girl working at the gas station was so excited she had to call her hus band to tell him there were 11 bikes from England and Ireland and they were BMWs - she hadn't realised BMW made bikes too!
following the 43 and the 271 to Winding Stair National Recreational Area and Winding Stair Mountain on the state border with Arkansas.
The road, the Talimena Scenic Drive passes through the Ouachita National Forest and the Arkansas State Queen Wilhelmina Park where we stopped for refreshment. In Paul's case a blue ice cream!
They had a miniature railway which te biggest kids had to have a go on
They also had a slightly larger engine on dispay...
Destination for today was a bit to far so we ended staying at Hot Springs Arkansas, home town of Bill Clinton. After the war, Hot Springs was booming with illegal gambling casinos but a clamp down on illegal gambling by the state authorities coupled with antibiotics replacing doctors recommendations to visit the spa baths meant that the place has slowed down a lot.
We went out for a slightly over budget but very tasty meal at The Porterhouse Steak and Seafood restaurant
Need to make up about half a days riding, I think but should be OK.
Amarillo TX to Sulphur OK, 30th June (Day 18)
Today we set off to meet the others who were travelling up from Lubbock. Northern Texas and Southern Oklahoma are flat ad not very exciting. It was just lots of farmland. We stopped for a bite to eat at the only cafe in Hollis and it was good mum and pop food mashed potatoes, green beans and pork. A welcome change from burgers and rabbit food.
Most of the way the road looked like this
Some of it looked like this.
We arrived in Sulphur just before the rest of the group. They had had a hard few days catching the tail end of Hurricane Alex and covering two hundred odd more miles than us. I did beer run to Wal-Marts then started blogging I missed the agreed meal time (7:30) because I was catching up on the blog and when I went out half an hour later there were 7 or 8 lads admiring the bikes so I stayed out there chatting with them for an hour or so then did some more photo sorting.
Some of the guys went to Little Niagara a few miles down the road where the local springs are but I decided to give it a miss. My ankle is still giving some pain so I try to minimise extra excursions
After that it was time for an early night.
Most of the way the road looked like this
Some of it looked like this.
We arrived in Sulphur just before the rest of the group. They had had a hard few days catching the tail end of Hurricane Alex and covering two hundred odd more miles than us. I did beer run to Wal-Marts then started blogging I missed the agreed meal time (7:30) because I was catching up on the blog and when I went out half an hour later there were 7 or 8 lads admiring the bikes so I stayed out there chatting with them for an hour or so then did some more photo sorting.
Some of the guys went to Little Niagara a few miles down the road where the local springs are but I decided to give it a miss. My ankle is still giving some pain so I try to minimise extra excursions
After that it was time for an early night.
Friday, 2 July 2010
Albuquerque, NM to Amarillo, TX 29th June (Day 17)
This morning first thing I needed to get a new back tyre so it was off to Sandia BMW, the local dealer who were able to sort me out with a new Tourance tyre off the shelf. Before leaving the hotel
I was witness to the following spectacle as Martin and Lloyd saw us off the premises.
Sandia did the job in good time but I wanted to get a couple of items from Radio Shack and REI. Ally and Sandy agreed to come along so we arranged with the others that we would miss out on the visit to Roswell and go direct on the Interstate to Lubbock where we were to stay the night. That was the plan.
Of
course the interstate was motorway boring
but we did tick some want to see boxes.
We ran parallel to the first train of the day which Ally clocked at 1.3 miles long!!!
The second train we saw was a container train but unlike any I have seen before in Europe the containers were stacked two high.
We smelt before we saw some stockyards south of the road - intense
We got as far as Amarillo about 4:30pm and realised from there we were about to go a hundred or two miles south for no real benefit as we would come back round north and east the next day en route to Sulphur OK. We booked into a motel and stayed over, poping out in the evening to a bar which was very quiet but friendly.
On to Sulphur to meet the others next day.
I was witness to the following spectacle as Martin and Lloyd saw us off the premises.
Sandia did the job in good time but I wanted to get a couple of items from Radio Shack and REI. Ally and Sandy agreed to come along so we arranged with the others that we would miss out on the visit to Roswell and go direct on the Interstate to Lubbock where we were to stay the night. That was the plan.
Of
course the interstate was motorway boring
but we did tick some want to see boxes.
We ran parallel to the first train of the day which Ally clocked at 1.3 miles long!!!
The second train we saw was a container train but unlike any I have seen before in Europe the containers were stacked two high.
We smelt before we saw some stockyards south of the road - intense
We got as far as Amarillo about 4:30pm and realised from there we were about to go a hundred or two miles south for no real benefit as we would come back round north and east the next day en route to Sulphur OK. We booked into a motel and stayed over, poping out in the evening to a bar which was very quiet but friendly.
On to Sulphur to meet the others next day.
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