Motochicks' Iron Butt Run- 24 hours to ride 1000 miles on our motorcycles

Midnight- Ten-X campground near Tusayan, AZ

The campground is silent now that our neighbors generator has shut off. I've been silently tapping away, editing and publishing a post. I have the tablet dimmed all the way so I can occasionally daze up at the stars as I write. Tomorrow morning we start our Iron Butt Run to my grandmother's home in Nebraska. The Iron Butt is challenge for motorcyclists to ride 1000 miles within 24 hours. I'm learning a lot about my limits on this trip, physical and mental.

The juniper and ponderosa pines form a black turtle shaped frame around the stars as I tilt my head back, trying to find the flow of words for you. The ride from the canyon rim was eventful. The clerk at the Texaco in Tusayan was unspeakably rude to Margie.  We picked up some beer at the Trading Post, and Margie found me a souvenir squirrel to tack to my bike, a personal reminder of traveling safely on two wheels. I made peace with some of my life decisions when we spooked two elk foraging along the road. The young bull spun on his haunches and headed into the forest, the brown cow following suit.

Gary, our witness at Grand Canyon 

It was so warm today... I can't believe how quickly it got cold. The desert continues to surprise and delight me as I learn about its nuances. I want to stay up and write about the sounds of the forest, and the cold that has very quickly settled into my fingers. I better spend some time looking at the back of my eyelids,  Margie mentioned starting at sunrise.  Which I'm sure will be stunning.

930am- Pipe Creek Vista on East Rim Dr, AZ

Yeah, that didn't happen.  The air was cool and crisp when we poked our noses out of our sleeping bags. We bundled up and slept in for a few hours. And as quickly as the cold slipped in last night, the temperature gauge climbed as we packed quickly and carefully. We pulled into Pipe Creek Vista and got our documentation for the Iron Butt witnessed by Gary from Tennessee :)

Margie turned on the SPOT so we'll have an exact GPS location (SPOT is a device that emails your loved ones with locations. But it can also notify emergency personnel if needed, even post to Google maps and Facebook). Time to get moving :)

hippy motochick working girl

10 am- Roadside Artists Market on Hwy 64 

Okay, so TWO stops before we need fuel... I know! So far we aren't making the best time. But I may not return to the Grand Canyon for a long time. The first stop is Desert View Watchtower on the South Rim. We didn't even made it out of the park, haha. The view was just too staggering to pass by. The golds and reds of the canyon face dance under the sun, teasing my imagination, making me daydream about cowboys and indians.

watching the waves roll in

 When I first dreamed of riding my motorcycle across the country, my destination was to be the Pacific Coastal Highway. I'd never been west of Colorado, and the PCH seemed like an exotic, fun, new adventure. The PCH, also known as Route 1, runs north along the California coast from Los Angeles. The highway offers stunning views of the ocean and mountains. Just stunning. We got some video on the GoPro, but you can't see the water... The water... oh the water. The way the waves crashed on the rocks made me wish I had an afternoon or fifty to sit on the Pacific Coast and watch the waves roll in. I heard a long time ago that you should "live in California once... but leave before it makes you soft." If I didn't have such deep rooting in Georgia,  I might live here for a while. Just to watch the waves roll in..

Jake and I at lunch

 Luckily, Margie and I had a friend move to the PCH area a few years ago. Jake graciously took timeout of his day to lead us around to the good lunch spot and up the highway. The road wasn't all beach front, some of it went through farmland that makes up a large part of California... we traveled pasta strawberry farm that smaller like HEAVEN.

 Sadly, I didn't get to see the Big Sur area during daylight. Such is the nature of traveling on a motorcycle I guess. And honestly, it was a rough day emotionally. The views and the company were beyond spectacular,  but the PCH is the furthest from my home that I could get, and stay on this continent. And I've started feeling my home pulling on my heart. I miss my dogs. I can't wait to bury my face in Cyrus' neck. I'm sure he STANKS  after being on my folks' farm for the last few weeks, and Dobby, the little asswipe, I am so excited to see that pup. Dammit :)

all my loving

 We slept in yesterday (this is the best thing about not having a set route or timetable). I knew we were planning on staying two nights on Brett's couch because we wanted to spend some time with him. (Also I needed him to make sure Wellington's oil leak wasn't going to cripple our trip - he entered my life as my moto-mechanic at NPRDucati and became my friend). So Margie and I stayed up late catching up with Brett, even after traveling 800 miles :) I think we may try to qualify for Iron Butt on the way home.

 So we moved leisurely to his favorite shop Ace Moto. Where we washed the bikes, shared our story, and talked about The Wounded Warrior Project. Looks like Welly's oil leak is going to survive the trek back across the country (crosses fingers). And the guys from Ace took us to Tony's BBQ for lunch (Thank you Ace and Chop!) where I had this magical dish called a hash burrito. I don't know or care what kind of meat it is because it was effing delicious. A little burnt and crunchy. Yum! (Turns out it is the fat and trimmings from their delicious brisket chopped and cooked again... which explains why it was so amazing.)

 While we were at Ace's I met Keith,  a local El Pasian(?) who possesses a wealth of knowledge about fun riding in the area (mostly in the mountains to the north in NM).  We left Brett to help with some bikes at Ace's and set out to follow Keith around to a few of El Paso's motorcycle shops. It sucks that the US ships so many of our men and women out to that desert (I was told Fort Bliss was the largest training facility our country has). It was midafternoon, and Margie and I were following Keith down the interstate....along this stark, beautiful, desert mountain terrain. I kept looking at the mountains, thinking that there had to be a fun road to ride up there.... a dirt road or SOMETHING. Suddenly, Keith made a left turn and we were riding into the hills. From what I could tell, we rode the ONE curvy road in that desert to Santa Teresa Motorsports. It had long fast sweepers and lots of scenery to look at. I bet the view from up there is phenomenal at night... all the dancing lights of El Paso, Fort Bliss, and Juarez.

 I'm really looking forward to my next trip out west (yeah, I'm dreaming already.... :) because of all the awesome people I've met along the way. Like Diego at Santa Teresa Motorsports who seems like a riot. And Tiffany at Freeway Powersports- who gave me her personal cell number in case we ran into trouble as we crossed New Mexico and Arizona.

 Unfortunately,  El Paso doesn't seem like the greatest place to live. Brett told me about the hail and hellish dust storms. The lack of curvy roads made me ache for Georgia.  But the people who live there are really cool. And the food... they can effing cook. The three of us (Brett, Margie, and I) even found some decent jazz music at The Black Orchid (though we were slightly under dressed in our tshirts). It was fun hanging out with Brett's Army buddies and gave me a lot of food for thought heading into Memorial Day.

 Margie was able to convince Brett to miss Five Finger Death Punch and join us for the next leg of our trip. I don't know how she did it- the woman's got skills. Especially considering he spends a lot of time "camping" in the desert for the Army already. And we headed out for Truth or Consequences, NM. Yes, a town exists called Truth or Consequences. It's in New Mexico. We found a campground on the Rio Grande River and set up camp.

Brett's bad ass ride for the 
day- a Royal Enfield, you can find them 
in El Paso at Ace Moto

  Camping in the desert is not for sissies. But the rewards are more than enough to make up for the weather. The weather during the day was glorious.  The sunset lit up the mountains,  giving them a golden-red glow. It was picturesque. And I have seen more wildflowers in the desert than back home. Purples, oranges,  yellows... There's all sorts of cacti blooming too. At night, the wind picked up something fierce and it rained. It was cold, very cold. Very. I think I got probably three hours of sleep.

 Strangely, I woke refreshed. It might be the exhilarating adventure or something like it. But no matter how little I sleep I always have more than enough energy for the next leg... oh, and coffee, lots of black, delicious, coffee. If you find yourself in Truth or Consequences look up Happy Belly Deli for really good healthy food options. I hope you do find yourself there at least once :)

 In the morning we said goodbye to our Private First Class and hit Hwy 152 into Gila National Forest. Where we finally found some curves, they almost reminded me of the Tail Of the Dragon on the North Carolina/Tennessee border. I'm not an advanced rider by any means (I finally feel like a solid intermediate three years after I got my license and probably 15 to 20 thousand miles or so on two wheels.), and I'm still learning how to straighten out a curve and ride turns with a decreasing radius. I could've ridden those roads for days, but we have a mission to see the Pacific Coast and get home to our families, friends, pups, and beds.

Arizona. .. or New Mexico, I can't remember

If you must cross Arizona on a bike, I recommend making the leg at night. Yeah, we missed some awesome scenery, but the part we rode in the afternoon was miserably hot. It heat sedated me and made me groggy after my sleepless night on the ferocious Rio Grande. The terror of watching a dust storm, crossing the sand, gaining speed, heading for my line was exhausting (it never before occurred to me that I could run out of throttle when I needed it). At night the weather cooled a little, and lights danced on the horizon again, reminding me of the ride into El Paso.

Sunset just outside of Phoenix

 I'd planned to stop for the night in Yuma, AZ. But when we pulled in to fuel up around 10pm the gas station attendant told us that the temperature reached 107°F during the day and it was still 101°F. Our air cooled bikes don't work well at high temperatures,  so after a very short powwow (me:"fuck that" Margie:"lets ride") and a long break, we pushed off.

  Cleveland National Forest, the park, reservation, and mountainous area just east of San Diego has elevations that reach 4000+ feet. The constant blast of cold air was a bit of a shock after the heat of the desert.  It was probably close to three in the morning by that point, so the cold helped keep me awake. I suspect the park would've topped my list of favorite rides so far if I had chosen to stop and change into my warm clothes. But I'd gotten to a point where I just wanted to get to the coast. I'm more than a little stubborn, driven, ambitious,  headstrong, whatever.

 Oh, there was one eerie event in those mountains. So the leg through Cleveland was dangerous. There were high winds trying to blow us of the mountains, lots of risky turns and bridges. Luckily, the cold air kept us sharp. All of a sudden, I had a thought- Slow down a little and watch for animals that inhabit the wilderness. Not 60 seconds later, just out of the next curve, a creature lumbered across my line. If I hadn't slowed on the other side of the mountain, if would've been right in the middle of my road. I didn't get a good look at it in the darkness, but it was a dark gray/brown, I would guess between 35 to 50 pounds, and lumbered like a racoon as it ran. I felt like mother nature was really taking care of us, ensuring our safe arrival to the coast. I will return to that place, (maybe for a pack in camping trip?) it has a special magic.

 I was just ready to be here :) The sun was coming up when we parked the bikes, I'm going to sleep for a few hours and play in the Pacific Ocean "tomorrow."

~Amanda Terranova

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HERE

hells belles

 Margie and I rode about 800 miles yesterday. Through my favorite part of the new land so far  (well, new to me ;) . Mateo, our new friend in Victoria, highly recommended we stop in Goliad on our way out of town. Goliad was a fort back when the Texians were fighting the Mexicans for independence and the location of an old spanish mission, dating back to the 1700's. After the Alamo fell, the leader and about 300 troops retreated to Victoria.  However, surrendered to Mexican forces who had overtaken them in Goliad,  about 20 miles or so west of Victoria. It is believed that the terms of the negotiation included the men were to be treated of prisoners of war, however, on the 27th of March 1836, they were ordered executed. This is where the battle cry "Remember Goliad! Remember the Alamo!" came from. The mission is also very cool, and the staff was very friendly. I wonder if they have camping, might be a fun place to stop in the future.

The ride to San Antonio was cool and overcast. That part of the state, the land is mostly used fracking (from what I was told Victoria population is booming because of it) but it looks like farmland to me. Big trucks with cattle catchers driving around, hauling tractors and what not. It reminded me of Sidney, Iowa where I have family. Some hills, fun and easy to ride.

Oh a word about driving in Texas. People will PULL OFF THE ROAD to let you pass. Granted, the shoulder is wide enough that they don't have to go in the dirt, but still. I've even had semi's coming the opposite direction drive onto the shoulder to help me avoid the wind blast that attacks you when driving around a big semi truck. It is amazing. And the speed limit- the speed limit is somewhere about 65 to 80 in between towns. Margie and I made good time in Texas ;)

LEGO scientist at the fort in Goliad

 Now, Nick, (who works at Transportation Revolution,  the Ducati dealership in New Orleans) is my new favorite person. While I had my map spread out on the floor, he suggested that we ride through Alpine and Marfa on Hwy 90, and stop to look around. I am SOOOO glad he did, because we were planning on crossing West Texas on Interstate 10. From what I understand,  I 10 is a gas desert. Several people told me the ride through West Texas was awful. "Its was the armpit of the world" and "you don't know how far you've gone because the mile you're driving looks exactly like every mile for the last hundred. And every mile for the next hundred looks exactly the same."

 On this trip I've realized on this trip highways are a better ride because those roads were originally paved when people took drives for pleasure. Likewise, the interstates were paved for convenience and practicality.
   


 Back to the ride, Hwy 90 from San Antonio to Marfa has been my favorite stretch of road thus far. Admittedly, part of this has to be that the terrain is so completely different than Georgia. The desert scrub and wildlife give me so much to look at that I am usually surprised when it's time to stop for fuel ("What? Already?"). Honestly, I thought by this point I would have dug out my ear buds out of boredom,  but today is day 7 and I'm still rocking the earplugs. The roads are windy and lonely. They are cut through and careen around desert mountains. The colors are mostly reds and browns. The foliage is green but it's a different shade, it's more dull. The rocky desert terrain builds into mountains dispersed through flat scrub land. Just outside of Del Rio, we crested a hill coming around a curve to the most pristine lake I have ever seen.  Amistad Reservoir and Recreation Area out in the middle of the desert is turquoise. It was mostly deserted (ha:), I saw one lonely sailboat on the entire expanse of the lake. So many places to see.... and to return to one day :)

Tax dollars at work

 As the day wore on and the miles passed under our tires, the sun started setting on the horizon. We literally chased the glorious sunset through the desert. And pulled into a Alpine TX diner for dinner. We've been eating mostly protein bars during the day and stuffing down a huge meal at night at a mom and pop restaurant. This is usually an easy way to guarantee a good meal. This one, for example, had an amazing jalapeño burger.

Just as I was about to pack my dogs up and move to Alpine, on the road between Alpine and Marfa, I got a reminder that Texas isn't idealistic. It was just dark, there was a truck parked on the side of the road. And just before we blew past I watched a man in a green shirt yank a woman in a white tank around by her arm.  Her head jerked sideways and her hair flew. I wouldn't say it ruined Texas for me....  but it did challenge my brain and broke my heart a little.

We've been meeting a lot of really cool people
on the road :)

 Hwy 90 turned north and straightened out as we drew closer to El Paso. The memory of the couple fighting at the truck faded as I watched lights dance beyond the horizon. We'd been warned to keep an eye out for the deer, elk, and jackrabbits. But we didn't have any trouble with any crossing our path. The country is flat and very dark. It was so flat that I could see the glow from headlights of approaching cars over the curvature of the earth. It took me a while to figure this out because they looked , like a fog of light, and when they finally broke the horizon, they looked like a tiny little candle. Minutes passed and we were moving fast. After a while, the "flame" grew, and I started to wonder what the f*ck is that? More miles past (to give you an idea of the expanse of this sky), and the flame finally broke into a recognizable two lights.  The stars were out and to the north of us there was a breathtaking storm, the lightning blew up the clouds, making me think of Zeus riding a cloud and throwing the bolts around :)

  I really REALLY enjoyed riding through the desert at night. The city lights as we approached El Paso danced in the distance. Yes we decided to push through and ride to El Paso! As I said earlier, it was about 800 miles. And I could've kept going, but we were happy to see our friendly face in the city.

Talk to you soon!

Until tomorrow,
~Amanda Terranova

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There are no wrong turns

The end of the day has brought me to a decision.  Tomorrow I ride for El Paso. I really want to be there. I have a very close friend in El Paso, and I am excited to see him. But I am tired. Between the traveling on a bike, and the hours I need to invest to make the fundraiser a success, it takes a lot out of girl. We ride for a large part of the day, and then I stay up I to the wee hours of the morning working to make the fundraiser a success and I want to continue to write well for you, at least to the best of my ability.

Odometer reading for the day

I'm starting to pressure myself about my rate of travel. I feel like we should be able to go further in a day than we have been, and my brain likes the idea of the challenge of getting to El Paso in one day.

 The road from where we are now and El Paso is... well, challenging. First of all, its through the desert. The gas stations are few and far between (This is dangerous because while  motorcycles are great on gas mileage, they only hold a few gallons at a time.) so we can only go about 150 miles without refueling. And my ass can only go about 100 miles before I need to get up and walk around. Also, its near the US border with Mexico... it has a reputation as a dangerous area. This is America though,  not to discount the danger, but I'm a tall, strong, white chick riding a motorcycle and I have a bad ass traveling partner... Do I have time for an aside?

  Chose your traveling partner carefully. I can't tell you how amazing it is to have a strong, independent, and powerful female as a sidekick. I don't have to worry about her at all. She carries her own weight, and then some of mine. To John (her husband)- you are a lucky man :) I couldn't have gotten this far without her... well I could have (probably) but she has saved my ass, and made the trip much more enjoyable. Thank you Margie.

 So, El Paso tomorrow? Mateo, the man who has generously lent us his spare bedroom tonight (more on him later), told me something that helped me understand. After everyone else that has expressed concern, this really spoke to me. His father, a motorcycle traveler, told him -when driving across the southern United States and you leave Los Angeles...you drive through southern California... and then through Arizona and Tucson... across New Mexico on 70... into Texas... and finally,... when you arrive in El Paso... you are halfway to Houston.

There is also a meteor shower tomorrow night, and it is supposed to be epic. Talks of a meteor "storm." Can you imagine watching it from my hammock? How cool would that be? Also, I heard that there is a great town on the way to El Paso called Marfa that I need to check out. Maybe we could find somewhere to camp in Marfa or Alpine?  Who knows which we will do, camp or push through?

We had a photo shoot today with Margie's family, Shon. This former scout in the

 Army produced some awesome pictures of Margie and I with our bikes. He put us up last night in Killeen, and for that I am grateful.  The man runs a successful photography business, has a beautiful fiance and daughter and has opened his home to foster kids. I admire him, and am grateful for the time we spent with him. You should check out his other work on his website www.frame1or2.com. He is quite talented.

He also pointed us to Meno's Mexican Grill, where I ate Chicken Mole (which I chose because of my chemistry class). Its chicken drenched in a CHOCOLATE BARBQUE SAUCE. And served with tortillas, pico, guacamole, and rice & beans. I really enjoyed it. Really really enjoyed it. I want this in Athens. Does someone know where I can find it there?

  The chicken mole filled me up and put me into one of those oh-I-overate-and-now-its-snooze-time moods. I only got four hours of sleep last night, so I wasn't far from there anyways ;) I napped. We packed the bikes, and we were off.

Crash

The traffic in Austin SUCKED. An hour of ten miles an hour or not moving. We hit Austin right at rush hour too, so that didn't help. If you're making the drive, pay the toll to take 130, it's well worth it. We missed a turn on the way to Victoria,  but the resulting detour took us through some beautiful hill country of Texas. I think we got some gopro video, I'll try to get it uploaded tomorrow.

 We arrived late at the bingo party :( I'm telling you, these guys and gals are serious about their bingo. I watched for a little while and I don't know if I could keep up! I still got to meet some really engaging people, and collect donations. I want to specifically thank VFW Post # 4146 for their donation. I didn't get to talk to many people today about The Wounded Warrior Project,  but it's mostly because I hung out with vets all day... and they already know all about WWP :) I also feel like I should check out the VFW Post when I return home, and see what they're up to.

After bingo wrapped up we headed to our new friend Mateo's residence where he poured us a beverage and showed us around his shop. This retired seaman  has some really cool stuff here. I wish the time wasn't going on 3am, because I would love to go through and share several of his that were really cool, but it is 3am, so I'm only gonna cover my favorite.  It is a 1985 Suzuki GSX R1100.  The bike that started it all known for its power, handling and relative lack of weight. This bike is the one that made crotch rockets popular. I was shocked (and a little overwhelmed) when Margie and Mateo explained this GSX R'S history. You know that feeling you get when you realize you were in the presence of something true great.

And it was fun expanding my motorcycle knowledge, hanging out with two really cool bikers. Joe- thank you for introducing us to Mateo.

Until tomorrow,
~Amanda Terranova

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everythings more texan in texas

~Amanda Terranova

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Facebook: FromTheRefuge
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Youtube: Amanda Terranova

Read more about why I chose The Wounded Warrior Project

bob's your uncle!

When Margie signed on for this trip, her one request was for us to spend two nights in New Orleans. Mostly because I'd never been to NOLA (but also- I suspect- because she loves this place). I have to admit, I was hesitant. I knew I wanted to get to the west coast as quickly as possible, so I could take my time on the Pacific Coastal Highway. I've never been west of Colorado/Wyoming, and I want to explore... did you know there is a RAIN FOREST in the state of Washington!

Live music on Frenchmen St

I digress, I am so effing glad we took our time here. New Orleans has a great energy vibe. Jazz, bluegrass, and all forms of music flood the streets at most hours of both day and night. Last night after I posted, we headed down to Frenchman Street. Our hotel concierge suggested it as a place to find good live music. Eric, the pedicab driver, suggested we order a Sazerac at The Spotted Cat and check out the music there. The music was great and we made new friends visiting from Australia. A Sazerac(generally accepted as the oldest known American Cocktail from Pre-Civil War, NOLA) typically consists of cognac or rye, absinthe, Peychaud's Bitters, and sugar. It will knock you on your ass. It was delicious, I'm just warning you, drink with caution and lots of water. 

Working on Bourbon 
St... yes, working... 
and drinking of course ;)

I understand that most Bourbon street bars are open til 4am, while some don't close. I remember hearing that NOLA smelled bad, but Bourbon Street is the only place that was rank that I visited. I didn't spend much time on Bourbon Street, I guess because it seemed like the kind of party I could find on any night in downtown Athens, but with more hookers. 

Speaking of hookers, late last night, well, this morning (near abouts 3am- headed back to the hotel). I was recruited by a pimp. Apparently, my tshirt, red jeans, and heels suggested I was looking for work (now that I think about it- it was most likely that I was lively at such a late hour).  He was made a good argument for the oldest profession of the world, but I couldn't be convinced.  He certainly didn't convince me he made sure "his people" got home safe, but he did try to introduce me to one of his employees... There’s a first time for everything.

Needless to say, we slept in this morning. From what I understand, not much happens in NOLA before lunch anyways ;) When we finally climbed out of bed and struck out on foot for the French Market area to get a Muffaletta. Its a sandwich with a medley of deli-meats on a roll of muffaletta, swiss and provelone, and this olive...CRACK. I don't know all the ingredients (olives, onions, capers, peppers, spices, garlic and I don't know what else). Just a good sandwich. Its a lot of food too, so take someone to share it with. We picked ours up from General Grocery, reported creator of the Muffaletta 60 years ago. Though I heard Napoleon House has the best muffalato sandwich in NOLA, the General Grocery Muffaletta was delicious! 

Margie and I sat in a mini park near the Grocery with a group of people who said they "weren't homeless, but home free!" We recorded Sara singing one of her original songs, and she was actually pretty good! I'll try to find a way to share her song, it was quite beautiful, and actually suits this trip of mine :) They were friendly and helpful and we hung out until an officer came by to tell us to clear the area.

Beignets at Cafe Du Monde

I checked out Cafe Du Monde (in the French Market) for these famous beignets that everyone was talking about. (The beignets did not disappoint!) I also did a little shopping at the vendors in the market. There is a lot of great art, some of it is local. I suggest you start at the far end of the market and stroll to the entrance, ending at Cafe Du Monde for beignets and chicory coffee. There were street vendors playing music, people singing. I picked up a children's book by a local author for one of my nieces/nephews. Some cajun seasoning for my folks... I found a mascot for my trip- a LEGO Wonder Woman. Now to find a way to adhere her to Welly.

  

Lego Wonder Woman!

We took a carriage ride with Robert and Cadillac from Mid-City Carriages and Tours around the French Quarter. Born and raised NOLA resident, Robert was a wealth of local knowledge. Restaurants he recommended: Gumbo Shop For really good, local food at a reasonable price) and Napoleon House (for Muffalettas). Fun things to do: take a class or shop at New Orleans School of Cooking. Visit Preservation Hall, a historical site which was instrumental in the development of Jazz

Cadillac, our trusty steed, 
already asleep, 30 seconds 
after parking the carriage

Stroll down Royal Street, a fun street to window shop. Hit Maskarade for fun, custom masks.

working while on the 
carriage tour

A little French Quarter and NOLA history:

France claimed Louisiana territory in 1682. After the Seven Years War, the territory was split, part was given to Spain, and the other to Napoleon. Napoleon turned around and sold the territory to us (ha-gettit? oh nevermind) for $15 million US because he was waging an expensive war. That's about 4 cents an acre. Sounds like a good deal to me :)

Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop

 In 1788 a fire burned 856 of the 1000 or so buildings that made up NOLA, a few years later another fire burned ~200 more buildings. Most of the French architecture burned and the city was rebuilt by the Spanish. You can see the Spanish's influence all over the French Quarter, with the tall windows and doors... One of the buildings with French architecture that survived the fire is Lafitte`s Blacksmith Shop on Bourbon Street. (It's now a bar.)

Jackson Square, the cathedral and
one of the twin Pontalba buildings

the Baroness' other building

Jackson Square, a park in the French Quarter is bordered by the Market, St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest continually operated cathedral in the States, and the twin Pontalba apartment buildings. The twin brick buildings were built by Micaela Almonester, Baroness de Pontalba.  She seems like a very shrewd businesswomen, supposedly, these were the first apartment  Margie made the comment that this is a town that has been heavily influenced by women. It certainly seems true. Marie Laveau, (the Voodoo Priestess), another famous NOLA native. She was known for her love potions, and her grave is one of the most visited in the nation.

Zach and his mother :)
 (another cool NOLA female-
she started their shop!)

 Before dinner we headed out to visit the guys out at Transportation Revolution. They are the Ducati (and Vespa/Triumph) dealers here in New Orleans. They have some really cool stuff. If you look in the picture to the right--> behind me there is a bike who's tank was decorated with a Sharpie. It made me want to go get markers and start coloring on my bike. But since I cannot produce anything nearly as cool as that thing, I will just keep collecting stickers :) 

 I got some great advice on roads to ride in the southwestern United States while I was there too! Im looking forward to coming back. Between my experience here in NOLA and Max's invitation, I may come back soon for my first track day. 

 Okay, I could keep writing about this place for hours more, but I need to get to bed. We push off early in the morning for Killian, Texas, so I need some sleep. 

Westbound!
~Amanda Terranova
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