Back home in Spain.

We have now been back home here in Spain for some days, now trying to adjust to the change in time, jet-lag. Boy what a job that has been. Our journey from California was as uneventful as most flights are. Breaking it up in Bristol, staying with Tom and Jenny helped. Like everyone else on this adventure they have been so friendly and always made us feel at home.

Looking back at the journey now it all seems so incredible. It had been something Betty and I had always planned, in fact as far back as the fifties when we had thought of cycling across America. Having now done it we realise what a monstrous task that would have been, but also what a great adventure. Family, jobs and other commitments took over until the idea raised its head again last year. Perhaps what had happened to Betty the previous year had also made us realise that you can not leave things to late to get things done.

It had taken a lot of courage and trust to buy such as expensive item without ever seeing the bike first or knowing the company who was providing it. I need never have worried for both the supplier of the trike, Marvin of Eurowing and the engineer ( trike builder) Wayne and Heidi Cornutt of Atlanta Eurowing have been superb. Our stay with the Cornutts at the beginning of the trip was a perfect start for our adventure and the help all gave us guaranteed a good beginning.

Once we left Atlanta we were on our own with this vast continent ahead of us and we were soon to find out how big it really was. We had intended staying on the east coast and sampling one of the well know bike rides, Blue Ridge Park Way, but having used up three days we decided to miss that part and perhaps return again next year on our way back. We also would like to ride with Wayne and Heidi next year who we hope by that time will have their own machines on the road, get to it folks!

Our impression of this trip across America.

We could have made it across much faster than what we did, in a direct line to California, but our intensions had always been to see as much as we could of the various national parks, mountains and good biking roads. America has a lot of wide and straight roads, believe me! If you are to reach the other side and still see some of the sights you have to use the Interstate Highways at some time. What surprised us was, that not all of them where nice and smooth, as we had first imagined them to be. They just love concrete roads or repairing cracked roads with tar which continually jarred the suspension of the trike. One of the reason was also that this trike had low profile tyres and a more sporty suspension that ours back in Spain. This has meant a vast improvement on the handling but it had sacrificed some of the comfort of the machine. I overcame this to some extent by lowing the tyre pressures. It may sound as though all the roads were like this, it isn’t so, the vast majority were excellent and really enjoyable. If you rode off the I Roads( interstate) and onto just highways then they were usually superb all the time.
I think both of us had been a little apprehensive in the beginning about the lorries we would meet and the quantity of traffic, particularly on the interstate roads. We need not have worried. The driving skills of most drivers was excellent particularly the heavy goods lorries, all gave you a clear berth when passing and none tail-gated us. Quite incredible!

No time during the whole trip did we ever think “Oh god another day travelling” Every day we looked forward to what ever the ride would bring, we had our testing moments; particularly the incredible side winds across Wyoming; those vast and wide open spaces, but even these became an essential part of our adventure. After all, if it had all been smooth none of it would have been so memorable. Coming across the plains of Wyoming towards South Dakota and seeing the hills rising up in the distance, what a sight! We’d taken a number of side roads, just to break the monotony of long straight roads up, but The Black Hills has real biking terrain, and the stay with Randy and Jan Mickel became one of the high lights of our trip. We just couldn’t have landed so lucky and what a beautiful area South Dakota is with Mount Rushmore and Crazy House. Don’t forget Randy and Jan we expect you in Spain sometime!
A diversion to visit The Devils Tower made a good break in the journey and was well worth it. What an incredible sight as it thrust its way up out of the surrounding plains. Betty even getting enthusiastic about returning to climb, you can’t keep a good girl down!

Once we had reached the start of the mountains of Yellowstone Park we really knew we had arrived, the ride over Bear Tooth Pass was an excellent approach to the park, well worth the increased mileage we had to do to reach it. Yellowstone should be on every ones agenda when doing a trip across America. The Grand Tetons where a bit of disappointment as we had thought they would have been much bigger, but they are still beautiful. Perhaps you need to actually get amongst them to really appreciate their grandeur. Our trip across and down through Wyoming, towards Colorado, was far better this time, no wind or at least less wind. One thing you have to remember is that when they say road works ahead they really mean it. 20 miles of ripped up road, both lanes, and you have to either use the 4x4 surface or go back, not the best way to travel on a trike I can tell you. Again the vastness of the open spaces, you have to experience it to believe it. Colorado; again one of the mountain areas we had looked forward to and it didn’t disappoint us either. This was one of those areas we could have quite easily have spent the whole trip exploring, never mind possibly next time!! Twice up to 12,000 plus feet with great days of riding the trike on real motor biking roads. As we went further and further south we had expected it to become a lot warmer, everyone had told us the temperatures were at least 15 degrees (F) lower than it should have been. It did become warmer but nothing like what we had expected it to be. We never became uncomfortable in our riding gear. Next stop Utah.

Canyon Lands, Arches and Monument Valley, names to really get the imagination going and they didn’t disappoint. All were fantastic but perhaps Canyon Lands were the best, due simply because you can get closer in to them. Monument valley should have been even better but the cost of the trip into the actual valley was far too expensive, but we got our pictures anyway, from a distance.
Zion; what a name to conjure up steep canyons and rock walls. We had always wanted to visit this park as it is a well known rock climbing venue. Of all the parks it surprised us the most, its simply incredible and so well preserved, we will be back!
The occasional twisting roads helped to break up the long straight ones towards Grand Canyon, one of the wonders of the world, and it is. We so nearly missed it out, when that terrible storm hit us, but we did see it and so glad we did. You can’t really picture it in your minds eye as a tourist area, but its well done and it must be fantastic to actually get amongst the actual canyon itself, that is if you can arrange the advanced booking. (14 months inadvance). Near tragedy when we discovered the brake pipe fractured at Pages. It was all saved by the superb service of Pages Honda who did a superb job of getting us back on the road in record time. Thanks you save the day

Bryce Canyon. We had been told this was a must and although very beautiful, and was worth visiting, it wasn’t quite a large or as spectacular as we had thought, no doubt due to having visited it after the Grand Canyon. The trip across Death Valley was as incredible as before, we had driven it in reverse about 10 years before when going climbing Red Rock Canyon, Las Vagas.
The incredible straight roads crossing the valley and the great mountain ones leading towards the Sierra Nevada’s, great! Mount Whitney really made me long for my climbing gear. The ride through Tuolumne and down into Yosemite was superb but oh the disappointment of not being able to camp there for the night, everywhere fully booked, never mind we will be back there next year to climb. With great expectations we arrived at Doreen and Bills place. What a welcome after so many years it was like home from home. After a few days rest and hours of talking over old days, Don arrived to take us on a three day motor biking tour to Reno and beyond. What a ride! Three days of twisting zig zaging and curving bends. I had been told that the USA just didn’t have the same motor biking roads that we or Europe have, don’t believe it, they have and more. Once we had reached the east coast it could all have been over regarding the riding but Don actually made the it ‘icing on the cake’. Three days of the most wonderful riding amongst Nevada’s and California’s best mountain terrain. We had one other days ride left over, the ride over Ebbets Pass, before we had to leave our trike with Don until our return next year.

The welcome we received during the whole of this trip has made this journey across America something special. We have made so many friends with many of them welcoming us into their homes. Even before we began our journey, back in Spain, we a great deal of help by having maps sent to us by Don Hubbard and Roscoe A. Dellinger. These maps helped to get some idea of where our journey should take us. Goldwing Owners Club also helped with their tour planning department.
Of course getting the whole thing started we needed to have a trike which would be reliable for over 8000 miles. Thank you Marvin of Eurowing and Wayne of Eurowing of Atlanta. Our stay in Rapid City gave us that extra feeling of friendship thanks to Randy and Jan. The time and effort that Don gave to us and the exciting rides we had together, we have become good friends Thanks Don and Debbie we will see you again next year for sure (you have my trike in your garage so I have to come back). Doreen and Bill made us so welcome it was like arriving home when in fact we where 8000 miles away. We look forward to seeing you in Spain next Spring.
Would we do it again? For sure we would; a holiday of a lifetime.
Thank you all for following our adventure . We do it again next year.

El Dorado hill and beyond. ( Ebbets Pass).

We have now been in El Dorado Hills for a few days taking in the sights of the area, visiting gold mines and old cowboy towns. We visited the old city of Sutter Creek (population 800). As we walk through one of the small museums there on the walls were the history of the miners who first opened the city, from Cornwall, Pendeen and St Just: what a surprise! There were maps of West Penwith on the walls showing all the different mines in the area.

It’s been good to have a rest from riding every day but yesterday the urges overtook us again and we were off on the trike doing a 350 mile tour of the mountains behind us. There had been a lot of snow put down on the mountains so we were hoping that the passes would be clear. This was the same trip that Doreen and Bill took us some time back. The first part of the ride took us over the mountains by ‘The Mormon Trail’ ( now a side road) to Silver Lake where we had a picnic lunch. The mountain looked lovely with their recent covering of snow. The roads had been completely cleared of snow so we had no difficulty getting to the lake. It had been a fabulous ride with the sun shining and clear blue skies with the mountains showing up clearly. The ride over ‘Ebbets Pass’ continued to add to this great ride. It became even more exciting as the roads had been gravelled when the snow came down. It must have been very difficult for the solo riders following us as we skidded around (controlled may I add) the tight steep bends, great fun.
This was to be our last big ride before we take the trike over to Don, at Clear Lake, for him to garage it for the time we would be away in Spain. We are now getting all our things together to pack the suitcases ready for the journey home.

Fortuna to Clear Lake
We woke up to a drizzly and cloudy dawn but our spirits were high and looking forward to another days riding. If it turned out like yesterday we wouldn’t be disappointed. After a quick continental breakfast at the Super 8 motel and packing the gear away we were soon on the road to see The Avenue of the Giants, what a name! The drizzle soon cleared away but left a fine mist around the trees which added to the mystery of the place. If we had thought the trees were large yesterday to-day they were twice as large. Being in their presence seemed to make you want to whisper, they were simply quite astonishing and it went on for miles. This forest of red woods we were informed is the largest area of standing red woods in the USA. As we came out of the forest Don, with a slight twinkling in his eye, informed us we would be taking a back road onto the coast of California.
As usual the road we took was miles of switch backs, bends , zig zags, right angle turns and up and downs, never a piece of straight road for miles.
Every time we arrived at these sections Don would put us in front and just say “ follow your noses down the road” allowing us to discover the road ahead. The day had gradually improved and we started to have patches of sunshine breaking through, but as we descended towards the coast the mists returned. When we arrived at the actual coast it was so misty that we had difficulty seeing the sea, and we were on the actual edge of the cliffs above it. Thankfully as we continued down the coast the mist cleared and we were able to appreciate the magnificent views . Just like in the movies in places this road follows the very edge of the cliffs with the sea bounding the cliffs below. As we zoomed around the bends with the ocean pounding the cliffs below you we were only short of some James Bond music in the back ground. For lunch we stopped at one of Dons favourite burger stops which he had told us was one of the best in the area, and it was. After lunch we continued down for a further few miles and then cut across country heading for Clear Lake and Dons home. The good riding really started again. This was his home territory and as he lead into Clear Lake we had a hard time keeping up with him has we twisted and turned though the mountains. We had started off in magnificent forests, descending to the coast of the Pacific, which we had traversed, now we where zooming through the hills of California and its wine country finally ending up at the largest natural lake in the county, what a day. The sun had been beating down since we had left the coast and we were now in our lighter riding gear as we approached Don’s home, and what a home it is, right on the very edge of the lake with its own boat docking area, how lucky could we have got.
We spend the evening having a Chinese meal and a pleasant evening just chatting about bikes, climbing and the future. We just could never have wished for a better guide and companion to have taken us on this three day journey of discovery. To discover the roads we have ridden would have been impossible without his help. When we had reached California we had thought the best bit of riding would be over, in fact the best bit had yet to come. Thanks Don and Debbie for all your help and friendship I only hope that some day we can give you the same hospitality in Spain

Reno to Fortuna. 2nd October.

Up by 6 am to a very cold dawn with the prospect of good riding ahead. As the dawn lit up the mountain behind Reno we headed out to meet Don and Tim at Red Rock, at a junction on the main interstate going north. Boy were we cold even with all our motor biking gear on. The local traffic had just started to build up for the morning rush hour as we departed Reno, finally arriving at Red Rock and the meeting. An hour down the road and a stop for a ham and eggs breakfast, American style. Tim departed also from us here to make a different run back to his house in Reno, we continued on towards route 39. Just keep that number in mind. This ride gradually built up into one of the best rides that Betty and I have ever done. We had been told that the USA just didn’t have roads that could compete with the ones back home. Don’t believe it! 140 mile of bends we were told from one of the road signs. At first it all seemed a bit tame but we were soon into sweeping right and left handers, zig zags and switchbacks, enough to last us a life time, we where having a ball. Don had simply pointed us down the road and said “ get on with it” and we did. The variety of countryside and mountains we past through greatly added to this wonderful experience. How can you thank someone who so willingly has spent his time giving us such a ride. As we zoomed along we could see Don sweeping through the bends behind us us never up our bums but at a safe distance to make sure we took the right road. Thanks Don. We came down from the mountains to suddenly pass through a magnificent forest of large Red Woods, it was simply gob smacking, so much so it stopped us in our tracks. We must have spent a good half hour just looking up at them, and we are promised even more to-morrow. Suddenly we where out into the open country and our destination Fortuna. Here we are spending the night in a motel (with a good wifi). We have just had a meal of American fish and chips! To-morrow we head off down the coast of California, Hwy 101, real film stuff, cann’t wait.

Sacramento to Reno. 1st October.

This morning was the first day of our tour with Don. It started to rain but within an hour or so we had run out of it as we motored along route 49. This road comes all the way up from Yosemite and ends up nearly in Reno, our destination. Once into the mountain we left most of the traffic behind. A really interesting road which passes through many cowboy style towns, beautiful forests and valleys. We were heading to Reno to visit Leslie (my niece) and her husband. The journey ended at Don’s friend (Tim) from where we had to try and locate Lesley’s house. For the first time we used the GPS and it worked a treat, smack on the nail!

It was so good to see Lesley after nearly 15 years. They are building their house overlooking Reno, what a palace! After going out for a superb Mexican dinner we later slept, for the first time, in an American motor home, quite gob smacking. They are so large with every type of convenience. Don has promised to show us one of the most famous biking roads in California and Nevada so we are really looking forward to that.

Independence to Yosemite and beyond.
Another gorgeous day for our ride over the mountains towards Yosemite. The views across from Impendence towards Mount Whitney had been astonishing all yesterday as we approached the town. I just knew the views at dawn would be astonishing and I was up early to get a picture of it; it was worth it. After a continental breakfast, which was included in the cost of the accommodation we made our way up the trail head road which leads up to Mount Whitney. Only a short ride but the views up into the actual cwms were superb. You just wanted to get out there and climb. It was another straight and wide road to Mono Lake but with views of the Sierra Nevada on our left all the way made the ride interesting. From Mono Lake we took the mountain road of Tioga Pass which leads into Tuolumne and down into the actual valley of Yosemite. On reaching Tuolumne we where at the base of the recent snow line and chilly again after having two days of warm weather below. I’d always remembered Tuolumne as being larger than we actually found it. Although the domes were magnificent they all seemed smaller than I recall. We saw a couple of climbers on one dome which soon brought the scale into perspective though. A gorgeous ride through the big red woods down into the actual valley was really enjoyable, but the amount of cars and bike on the road should have forewarned us that we were heading for a problem in the valley itself. As usual the entrance into Yosemite was spectacular ,there can’t be a valley with such a wonderful entrance. The ride below El Cap was just as incredible as it always is, but oh the amount of tourist in the park, it was packed! All the camp sites were completely full!
What a disappointment after looking forward to staying here for a day or two. There were spaces outside the park but once we visited them they were much too cold for us to spend another freezing night. Although late we decided to phone Doreen and Bill (my sister and her husband near Sacramento). It was dark by the time we got even half way there so arriving in Sacramento in the dark was an absolute nightmare. We finally manage to find the address after loads of telephone calls and missed turnings
We hope to return to Yosemite if we can arrange an overnight stay after which we will start a tour of the mountain roads around the Sierra Nevada and Reno.

Zion to Death Valley and beyond.

Another cold night but at least we had some sleep. Woke up to another cloudless day and no wind. After breakfasting on Cornflakes , orange juice. We were off to try and make mileage up towards Reno or Yosemite?
We had set our mind to the fact that this was going to be just a mileage day. It turned out to be the opposite. The vastness of the deserts and the exciting ride into Death Valley made the ride really interesting. I’d forgotten how big Death Valley was and the ride out over the mountain down towards the High Sierras was just what we needed to keep us going. We are now in a really nice motel at the foot of the mountains ready for the long ride again to-morrow.