Face Licking Good To Be Home

  Today I slept in late. Didn't meant to just relaxed from my half day off. Got on the road by 9:30 and proceeded to go the wrong way. These towns that are situated east and west always throw me off. It doesn't help when 35 E has two directions. I only had to go a mile or two before I realized my mistake. It takes forever to get out of Dallas but once I got on 20 I realized that 20 is really my extended drive way. My house is only a few blocks from 55 and only a few miles from 20. It made me feel good anyway. The weather was good today cool and overcast leaving Dallas and as it cleared it warmed up. Not bad. The air here in the South is filled with the smell and feel of the Gulf. The air is warm not cold like the Pacific air. Sure it gets muggy and feels like a suana but it also warms you and feels comforting.
  This was my last 400+ day. I've racked up almost 7K miles on this trip. I have accomplished what I set out to on this trip. I am settled with who I am and the situation God has placed me in. I am more comfortable with what may lie ahead.
  Todays music choice " Man of Constant Sorrow" from Oh Brother Where Art Tho as I left the gas station in Monroe. My last stop or "Lie To Me" by Johnny Lang as I was crossing the Mississippi Bridge at Vicksburg. I really like Man Of Constant Sorrow. Great song and great movie.
  I made it to town just in time to make a meeting. The topic, freedom to and from. I think I have lived examples of both. Freedom from my former life of fear and lies and freedom to do what I have just done. Some told me I was crazy to ride a motorcycle across the country others envied the adventure. For me it has been a journey without fear of what could happen. Afterall I got stranded in the middle of nowhere and was aided by good smaritians. No one robbed me or killed me. I meet only people welcoming me and open to helping me if they could. I think its called grace. I also learned that there are good people everywhere. It helps if you are not stupid and are honest with them. Once I got home my dog Max jumped on me and gave me plenty of face licking love. Ruby my cat kept meowing at me, telling me what had happened while I was gone. Max is now curled up with me and I know we are both happy to be together.
  For all who have followed this blog,Thanks for giving me an excuse to journal my life and look for the next On The Road With Rusty, Revenge of the O-ring.
                                                                               Rusty

Bob's By The Pool

  Today was to be a short ride and hanging with my buddy but this plan got derailed and Gloria stepped up to fill in. Don's Mom was not doing well and he thought it best I stay elsewhere. Totally understandable. My delimma Ride like the wind and get home real late, ride to Sherevport and stay in a hotel again or call on my friend Gloria to put up a weary traveller. Yup Gloria won out. It was a good call. I talked her into shisk-a-bobs and she talked into a dip in the pool. God its good to be in the South.
  I out ran the rain and should miss it tomorrow. Tomorrow is the last 400+ day on my journey. It gets easier because I'll get closer to home with each mile. I'll blog one last time when I get home and post a pic of my faithful puppy and trusted cat. If I can get them to stand still.
  My friend Steve asked me how many miles I've logged in and the answer is 7k by the time I get home. It seems unbelievable that it's been that much distance in one month. A nice relaxing night and I'll hit the road tomorrow.
  The song for the day is Stevie Wonder's "Past Time Paradise" as I was passing through Witchita Falls. I don't have any Glen Campbell. Will see what tomorrow's shuffle brings.

Heat Wind Manure, Must Be Texas

  I meet some bikers from Kansas last night and they were gassing up when I loaded this morning. Nice folks making a big square on a ride. I headed down 82 to 287. Thet road on 82 out of New Mexico was abandonded. Then I got passed by two riders. I saw them coming up on me and when they passed I saw their patches on their vests  Bandidos. Contrary to popular belief real biker gangs will not mess with you unless you mess with them. I had no intention of "messing" with them. As I continued south there were more and more bikes. I found out at a gas station the Red River Memorial Run  was this weekend. All kinds of bikers were on the road including a contingent of Bandidos. As I got toward the end of New Mexico the heat began to rise and the mountains began to dwindle. The wind picked as well. Once the oil derricks appeared and the smell of manure hit I knew I was in Texas.
  It got so hot today my phone went to a yield heat alert. I found this happens if it gets to much direct sunlight. Even opening the top of the case didn't cool it. It cooled down in a convience store while I paid for gas and got a water. I took my time. I moved it to my vest pocket in my jacket to keep it out of the sun. Tunes went on just fine. That brings me to my tunes choice of the day. "Radar Love" on the open road of New Mexico or "Pass The Hatchet" by Roger and the Gypsies off the Desperado soundtrack as I pass the oil derricks in Texas.
  There are a group of riders from Longview at the hotel tonight. They went to the Red River ride. Nice enough guys but not very inviting. They are wrapped up in their own journey so no hard feelings. I am glad I took this trip on my own, it would have been selfish of me to take someone else on such a personal journey. God and I have settled a lot of issues on this trip. It's no use trying to understand why Kathy had to die. That's God's job and beyond my ability to comprehend. Either you trust God has a plan or such things make no sense. I've seen enough of God's will in my life to believe and so I do. The big question is what's in store for me. Part of my nightly prayer is to be granted the wisdom to recognize my part in God's plan and the courage and ability to carry it out. Kathy believed God got me sober so I could care for her. I'm not sure she was wrong. I remembered the song lyric again today. " to know yourself is to let your be loved". I'll keep that one on my mind for a while.
  My journey is almost done. Tomorrow back to Don's where it started and then home to the girls, Todd and Sarah, Max, Ruby and family. I promised to go cook dinner for Kate soon.

Roadracers Have Rubber

   I arose this morning with the express plan of obtaining new rubber. The I-80 Powersports people don't open until 10 so I got to work on the problem early. Google is such a great thing. TNT Powersports in Laramie opens at 9. A quick call to confirm they had my tire and could get me in and out and I was on the road. Brian the owner is a former roadracer and got me in and out in a couple of hours. Not bad since I showed just before lunch. It gave us time to talk about the MOTOGP race at Austin. He was there too. We did some serious bench racing and soon I had new rubber and headed to Denver.
   As I crossed the Colorada border the heat began to rise. I'm getting closer to the south. The next stop for gas included removing my jacket liner for the first time since I left LA. The mountains in Colorado are green like Idaho but rockier and topped with snow. I made to Pueblo by 7. Not bad after having a two hour lunch stop to get a tire. The Best Wetern was at the end of hotel row. I should have picked up on that earlier. Who would of thought a NCAA track meet would be in Pueblo. It was and there were no rooms anywhere. Back on the road to the lovely town of Walsenburg. That makes the second 400+ day in a row. So here I am in nowhere Colorado. I will say this about the Best Western chain. They have gone to great lenghts to make sure they all have a great bed and flat screen TV.
  The music choice for today is either "Train Train" entering Laramie or "Kiss" by Tom Jones entering Denver.
  Tomorrow I head to Amarillo or beyond. It seems I am pushing a little every day. I think I am ready to get home for some puppy face licking.

Sunshine + Clear Road = Rawlins Wyoming

  Sunshine, a clear road and speed means miles. 447 to be exact. 9 hours in the saddle but its easier when you don't have to battle rain cold or twisties. In order to get to the other side of Colorado you have two options. 1. You can go through Wyoming which is straight and open road and cut down at Cheyenne, 2. You can cut down past Salt Lake City and go through to Grand Junction on 50 which is through the mountains. I've been that way a few years ago. The problem with both of these is they are both 750 miles and there is no place where you can stop in the middle. At least one of those days will be 400+ miles, a long day either way. I decided to go through Wyoming. Afterall I haven't seen Wyoming and if I was going to make a 400+ day best to do it on easy road.
  I hit the road convinced I would just take it easy and use another day. I cruised and made good time. I stopped at a little camp ground gas station and looked at my map. It was 50 miles to my planned stop and 120 to the next stop. It was 4 o'clock and the sun was up. I decided today was the day to push it. I arrived at 7. In time for dinner and a blog. I noticed at my last gas stop I need a rear tire. Not  a thing to panic over but if I have the time better sooner than later. So tomorrow I'll check out I-80 Powersports.
 Today's music choice was listening to "I will Always Love You" by my late friend Kelly Pates. This was the song Kathy and I had him play for us, so it became our song with him. Every time I hear it I have the image of dancing at the Feninns Pub. It is a good memory, a very happy memory.
  Todays talk with God yeilded a song lyric for me. " to know yourself is to let yourself be loved". Its from "Get Me" by Everything But The Girl. I think this is one my keys for getting past Kathy's death.

Sunshine Blue Skies Please Don't Go Away

  Today was sunshine blue skies and around 50ish. Great weather to ride. I ran under a big grey cloud to the hotel just missing any rain. It occured to me that some might not understand riding a motorcycle on such a journey as I have embarked upon. When you ride in a car you experience the surroundings as one would watching a movie. On a motorcycle you are part of the surroundings. If it rains it rains on you, you smell, feel and experience all around you. The scenery is not out there it's here. Riders often explain they feel a great freedom when riding. This is also true. There is also the experience of travelling light, afterall you have to carry what you need and no more.
  I left Oregon and made my way to Idaho today. The mountains were left to the edge of my view and the hills and plain were covered with agriculture. The mountains and then the hills are green not brown like California. It's beautiful. I saw two motorcycles on my ride yesterday probably an indicator that I was one of the few brassen enough to venture out. Today there were many more bands of us two wheeling folk. I plan on heading into Wyoming tomorrow. I've been through the Rockies in Colorado and so I'll see what Wyoming plains look like. I can also make better time on the interstate.
  Music choice for today. Luis Miguel " No Me Platiques Mas" riding out of the mountain pass onto the plains.

Rain Ice and Mr. Sandman

  I doned my rain attire as I left the Hartung manor with the drizzle of rain Seattle is known for. That continued with intermitent showers through Summit Pass and all day. I stopped in Summit Pass for gas and asked the attendant if there was more snow ahead. There was snow everywhere! He told me they were at the top and it was clear down the other side of the pass. So only rain, cold rain. I was glad I brought my winter gloves.
  Next stop was dry so I utilized an old trick, I put my gloves at the exhaust pipe and used the forced warm air to dry and heat them. I made my way down through Deadman's Pass. That was beautifully green and a view that covered miles. Then back amongst the mountain passes. The last one cleared to a fairly straight road and more rain. This time the altitude, cold rain and wind combined to form ice on my windshield. Great! Ice! It did not seem to be on the road so on I go.
  I made it to La Grande Oregon and the Best Western awaiting me. Booked, no vacancies. In this town of few stop lights No Vacancy. Lucky for me the Sandman Inn was next door. The thought of going another 45 miles as the sun went down and the temperature dropped was unappealling.
  The song for today was "Need Somebody" by The Subdudes as I was going through the pass in the rain. My talk with God today centered around safe passage. So far God has graced me with a safe journey and as the 12 steppers would say I don't believe God would bring me this far to drop me now. Have faith my loyal followers. Have faith.