Bill and I had negotiated a slightly later departure time this morning as we are only going to drive 500ish km, and also we will be crossing into the Mountain time zone our day will end one hour earlier. We are about 1300 clicks from Tucson, wheich we could do in 2 hard days, or 3 easy days. We are on holidays so we are going to take it easy!

We ended up doing about 585 kms today, the riding first thing in the morning was spectacular, spec-fugging-tacular actually! About 2 hours into the ride we turned off of Highway 54, our companion for the last 4 days, it was sad to see it go, but it was a bona fide shortcut if we went South and then hooked up with Hwy 60. Also eliminated about 60 miles of Interstate which we will go to great lengths to avoid.

At the turn off we stopped for our new tradition, B&B's. Bill gets a Burrito, I get a Banana. This morning, no Bananas, Bill also breaks the rules and has a hotdog. I can smell it from 10' away, smells terrible. I have a yogurt with granola. He puts up with my yogurt breath, my sister would not have!

My throttle hand is starting to fall asleep again even though the throttle rocker got discarded. I do have a throttle lock, but it is in the bar end and it is difficult to set as you have to hold the throttle at a steady speed with your thumb and first two fingers, and then rotate the last inch of the bar with your ring and pinky fingers.

My biggest concern is having the lock on and having to close the throttle quickly as once the lock is engaged it hold the throttle very firmly. I will need to be selective as to when I use it. I find that I can do it with one hand, and the ability to remove my hand from the throttle, flex my hand and wiggle my fingers is a godsend. I have had that lock since I got the bike, but didn't use it because I was stubborn!

My fears are tested when while riding at a rapid pace, with the lock engaged, a semi trailer pulled a U-turn into our lane about 500' in front of us, he was blocking both our lanes for several seconds and prompted a slowdown from me. As I found out, when your life is in peril you can twist the throttle all the way to closed and it simultaneously disengages the lock.

We were in 4 states today, starting in Kansas, running the Oklahome panhandle, exactly 36 miles at that point, then crossing the corner of Texas and ending up in New Mexico. On one of the secondary highways we came up behind about 10 cars all bunched up. I think that was one of the times so few I can count on hand on this trip that I couldn't go as fast as I wanted to, frustrating. Luckily they ALL turned off to go to Amarillo and we carried on.

We were about an hour outside of Roswell, NM on a two lane divided highway when we came up on a car that was swerving all over the road, from almost putting it into the ditch to about half way into the left lane, drunk maybe, texting probably, having a stroke? I pulled up to about 50' behind and beside him, let a vehicle in front pass then when he had peaked in his leftward motion and started drifting right I pinned The Rocket and passed him in about 2 seconds. Bill did the same, minimizing our exposure to the risk.

We watched him in the mirrors for some time in case he went into the ditch, we'd have gone back to help, but eventually he was far behind us and no longer our concern.

We pulled into Roswell, NM, town of many Alien urban legends, also close to Area 51 which is not a myth. There are many little green men around weaved into the local popular culture and advertising. We drive until we see a quaint mo'tel with a Steakhouse on the one side and a gas station on the other. TriFecta achieved! Only upon checkin we find out the Steakhouse is closed! There should be a law that if you go out of business you have to remove your sign!

Bike unpacked, AC on high to cool the room I head off in search of Tasty Adult Beverages for a Dust Buster session. At the gas station that is part of the TriFecta I find the beer coolers are roped off and when I enquire I am told that a Roswell Ordinance doesn't allow the sale of beer on a Sunday within city limits. Something to do with Family Values apparently.

There is a work around, and that is a Truck Stop about 3 miles up the road, which is about 1000' outside of Roswell City limits, a coincident? I think not! It is doing booming business, there are at least 20 people in line ahead of me.

Because of the short day and the time zone change it is only 1330, seems awfully early to be done for the day and to be drinking beer, but we make do. This mo'tel also has a small laundromat so everything gets washed, which is nice!

We cross the street to an AppleBees for dinner and when we are headed back to the mo'tel at about 2000 we notice it is rather dark. We are quite far south, but it is also a sign the seasons are a changing! My annual motorcycle trip is something I look forward to all year long, but when it is over, Summer is effectively over too. Sad!

Day Eleven!

Liberal, KS to Roswell, NM

585 kms