Made good time to Barstow. Beat Harman there by 1-1/2 hours. Had some lunch, picked upsome supplies and had hoped to see the new Rt 66 museum, but they are only open on the wekends. After killing several hours, I biked another 20 miles to Newberry Spring to get a total of 60 miles. Find that in this heat the trick is to get as many miles in by mid-day and then quit, or have lunch and hang around for several hours until it syarts to cool down before trying for a few more miles. Even so it is still over 100 degrees at 5:45PM.

Newberry Springs is the home ofthe Bagdad Cafe, of movie fame by the same name. I stopped in for a beer and met some of the locals.

Already warm at 6:30 AM. Called my N.C. son (Kenyon) to send my mail to Kingman, General Delivery, Priority. Hopefully it will be there by the time I reach Kingman.

Halfway to Ludlow was a barricade across the road saying that the road was closed 9 miles ahead, and suggesting that you use the Interstate. Nearby Cal-Trans workers couldn't tell me why so I took the chance that I could bike around. When I got to the end of the 9 miles the road made a left turn over the freeway. The overpass bridge had a 12 foot gap missing which had been damaged in an earthquake. There was a lot of equipment around but no crew. Since, obviously I oould not jump the gap {Evil Kenivel I am not}, I slid down the embankment and hpped on the freeway into Ludlow, at 34 miles. Last Wednesday,s Frequent Feeder Ride, led by Ross Pepper, was only a warm up ride for today's ride.

After a rest and rehydrating I continued on to AMBOY, another 30 miles away. Harmon stopped and waited for me evey 10 miles so that I could cool off in some shade of the RV and refil my waterbottles. Othewise I don't think I would have made it. A total of 60 miles today.

Had the worst roads today, cracked and broken which made for rough riding of only 7-8 miles an hour at times. My bike has a whole new set of rattles and I thought my teeth would fall out. Howver I had a good tailwind so when I had a good stetch of road I could fly. The temperature was well over 100, with gust which I am sure came from someone opening an oven door. I don't know why my tires did not melt right off their rims.

I last left you in Amboy where we hung out waiting for it to cool off, in the only shade we could find at Roy's Motel & Cafe which had recently changed. The Motel was not open and the Cafe was open but run by a surly character and the new owner was not very friendly. We ended up parked in the desert that night.

It was hot at day break. I got an early start to try and get a break on the heat. Immediately began the 15 mile climb to Cadiz Summit (1275 ft) from Amboy at 639 ft. Harmon reached the top just as I did. The scenery consists of lots of rocks and cactus. From here to Essex the road banks are covered with desert stones & rocks spelling out names and messages of earlier travelers that has passed this way. Most of this section across the Mojave Desert is known as the Old National Trails Highway, a predecessor to Route 66. From here it was a gradual climb N.E. following the moderate railroad grade to Goffs (2600 ft.) after a total at this point of 50 miles. Today's route had more wildflowers in bloom as we began to climb than we had in the lower elevations. Nevertheless I was still able find something to put in my trademark handlebar vase.

A break at Goffs for lunch in the shade of a boarded up business. Then came a much earned fast 14 mile decent to US 95 at 1730 ft. From there I cut over to I-40 and dropped down to Needles on the Colorado River at 488 ft where it was 118 degrees.

We splurged, and treated ourselves to a motel to celebrate crossing 200 miles of the Mojave Desert in three very hot days. (All over 100 degrees.) Slept in and then spent the day tracking down remnants of Route 66 in the form of old business', motels, and cafes. Visited an interesting Rt. 66 museum run by the former owner of the Oatman Hotel before she moved down to Needles. Caught up on laundry, paperwork and mail. Restocked supplies and emptied & filled up the RV fluids, and swam in the pool.

The angels have been with me. Most of the time I have had a tailwind which has gotten stronger in the afternoon when my energy starts to lag and the heat is at it's highest. The roads have been mostly good with ample shoulders when needed.

As soon as you and Hal were safely off on Sunday morning, with Harmon following, I returned to the Palisades Park at the foot of Santa Monica Blvd. and got some shots of the plaque that commemorates Will Rogers and his affinity for Route 66. Then I went to West Los Angeles , just beyond the border of the city of Santa Monica, and got a shot of the Route 66 sign (we don't have them in Santa Monica) above Centinella. I'm sure you saw it as you passed. I hope Needles & surrounding areas aren't frying you with heat! See you (and happy trails!),
Maureen