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.

Hurricane Amanda

 Three thousand three hundred and twenty-nine miles from the East Coast in Georgia to the West Coast in California :)

 After we parked in San Diego I slept for a two hours and then we were up and being productive. I was staying with a Sergeant Major, I didn't want him to think I was a pussy ;) Hey I was raised by veterans- these are my people. Of all the different types of people in the world, I am most comfortable around service members. I understand their language.

 We took my bike down to Eason at House of Motorcycles in San Diego. My mechanic in El Paso told me I would need a new tire soon. Also I lost a bolt in my kickstand somewhere along the highway. I really needed that replaced so I didn't have to hunt down a rock to keep my bike and heavy bags from falling over when we stopped for fuel. And San Diego was the logical place to get it because we were gonna hang out with Margie's bad ass cousin all day. Those guys really took care of me. I explained that I was only in town for the day. They don't service Ducatis so they couldn't fix my leak, which is fine since I really would like Vic or Daniel from NPRDucati to fix it back home. But they set me up with a tire and bolt for a reasonable price. Nolan (the mechanic who serviced my bike) even noticed that I was missing a clip on my chain and fixed it for me. I was really happy with my experience there, if you need work while you're passing through San Diego, I highly recommend them.

 After dropping it off we went to lunch at Cafe Elysa. I ordered the eggs benedict and they were delicious. I understand that all their ingredients are locally sourced. Eggs, bacon and sausage, watermelon and strawberries,  everything was grown or produced in California. The cafe was a block from the Pacific Ocean so we walked to their and I got to put my toes in the Pacific Ocean for the first time in my life. I felt accomplished. I have always told myself that I could accomplish anything I set my mind too, and I'm really starting to believe it :)

 We returned to Calvin's home where we loaded up the surfboards. And headed back out for the beach for my introduction to surfing!!!! Now, in case you are reading this and you don't know me well, I have a crippling fear of being in water when I cannot see the bottom. When I'm swimming in deep water, I start to hyperventilate, my muscles stop responding to commands from my brain...it's not a pleasant experience. But, I figured if I could ride 800 miles in a day on a motorcycle, cross the country on bike, and all that entails, there were worse ways to go than having a creature swim up from the depths and eat me. And somehow I was able to master my fear, at least for a little while. Not that I'm fearless, by any means. But I'm certainly different, changed.

 Plus it helped that Calvin truly is a badass. He has a Purple Heart and a slew of other awards from his service. I wanted to do a whole paragraph on just his life, because he's had a fascinating, albeit tragic career, but he asked me not to. I've found members of the service are often hesitant to allow others to brag on them. I want to tell the world some of their stories because I feel like the majority of the population doesn't know what's it's like to be in the military. I certainly didn't (even though my parents and several other people in my life served), we just don't talk about it. I knew this trip would change my perspective of my country. The landmarks and wonders of the world have been everything and more than I expected. But I wasn't prepared to learn so much about the military.  The lifestyle, the sacrifices,  the rewards. I am soooo glad we are raising money for The Wounded Warrior Project, because it makes it easy to bring the military into my conversations with people. I have learned so much. I get to talk to people about the military who aren't exposed to military in everyday life.

 If you want to learn a little about Sgt Maj, you can read here, but know that he is so much more than even that bio could describe. I was truly honored to spend time with him, learn from him, and  I knew the Loch Ness and Great Whites would sense Calvin's powerful presence and stay away. (I felt safe with him.)

 The first Pacific Hurricane of the season was sitting off the coast of Southern California. The National Weather Service named her Hurricane Amanda. I shit you not. She did not come to land, and she didn't push up crazy waves to surf on. The National Hurricane Center said "Amanda is now the strongest May hurricane on record in the eastern Pacific basin during the satellite era." She reached a category 5 in strength with winds up to 155 miles per hour. I should stop by a track and see if I can get up to that speed just for kicks and giggles. Wellington would top out, but maybe I could convince Margie to let me borrow her Duc Hyper 1100.

 I didn't stand up on the surfboard. I barely got to where I could balance without flipping my board over. I caught two waves for a few seconds and immediately fell over. But I stayed in the water and tried until my muscles started betraying me by cramping up. Surfing is one of those things that people make look easy. It was an effing workout. Calvin caught a few waves, the three of us smoked cigars on the beach. I walked a little and found a cool rock to take home to my mother, Margie and Calvin caught up more, as families do when they spend years apart :) 

Lastly,  I did get to try In and Out Burger. So many people told me to try it that I caved on my commitment to only eat at mom/pop restaurants. We added some jalapeños Calvin had for extra kick. It woulda been awesome without them, but y'all know I like spice ;)

Next update will be about our ride up the Pacific Coastal Highway!

~Amanda Terranova

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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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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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Have love will travel

So I the trip has finally begun :) Tonight Margie and I are in Darien, GA. We rode down with a group of friends from NPRDucati for their Annual Shrimp Run. I have to admit, I am exhausted. Leaving my family and friends (and my dogs) this morning was a challenging way to start the day (so I'm sentimental, sue me). I finally got to NPRDucati at 10am, and after giving my bike one last check my favorite mechanic gave me the go ahead to move out and we were on our way :) 

 Last night was the kickoff party, and I want to thank a few people. First, thank you to everyone who came out to see me off and support The Wounded Warrior Project. Secondly, my father. He contributed significant time and resources to make the party a success. The delicious, fall off the bones ribs, were organized by him. My mother and my sister also contributed a significant amount of time and energy as well. So many of my friends and family attended (I made some new friends too!) and together we raised about a thousand dollars for The Wounded Warrior Project! To read more about the fundraiser click here. Shout out to Jordan, Joseph, Josh, Joyce, (so many J's!), Mike, Mitchell, Rick, Stacey and all the other veterans that joined us for the party. You are the reason I am doing this, to try and repay my debt to you, in some small way.

Odometer starting trip :)

 To jump back to the ride, my ass doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would. Luckily for me, my bike is built for longer distance, touring style riding. I like to prop my feet up on the frame, so I'm really folded up (think the opposite of the guys you see riding around stretched out like they are riding a Lazy boy on two wheels). I guess growing up on horseback really did shape the way I interact with the world, it certainly has affected the way I developed my seat on a motorcycle. 

 Okay, back to the days travels. It was cold this morning! I didn't pack the warmest clothes, other than the plug-in Gerbing jacket, because I know we will be staying close to the southern border of the US where the weather is warm. Honestly, I was in a rotten mood when I left home. I was a little too tired from staying up late, not hungover, just really tired. Finally, at our second fuel stop I grabbed a handful of almonds, and that infinitely improved my mood. I started dancing and riding to the beat in my head, and the music was grand ;)

 I began thinking about this plan of ours, the idea of not having an exact plan or route, just aiming get for the west coast :) This is what I daydreamed about for the rest of the trek to the GA coast. Who knows what kind of interesting characters I will encounter! Especially Monday when I get to New Orleans ;) and the places I can visit! I could keep going, but it's already 1am, and I want to check out the backs of my eyelids soon.

 I got to learn how to dodge objects falling off motorcycles today... it was a, erm, ...good thing to practice...? It's the only good thing I can say about that part of the trip. The guy leading the pack had trouble with his saddlebags... trouble meaning they kept falling off and turning into flying, flipping, large moving obstacles in the road. Trouble meaning fast braking and hoping the guy behind me doesn't run over me as I brake. But we arrived without further incident, I hope his saddlebags aren't ruined.

 Since I started riding three years ago, I've preferred riding solo. I suspect this is because I use my bike as a daily commuter. I just felt that it was more dangerous to ride in a group, with all the crazies doing wheelies and such. (Which can be quite impressive, I just prefer you not do it right behind me). BUT today, I started to see the merits of group riding, especially if I can ride with a group like my traveling partners from this afternoon. Our riding styles matched well, and other than my one friend throwing his saddlebags at me, the ride was downright pleasant! Perhaps it is because my riding abilities have improved, I am better able to let go and relax a little more. 

 Well, I'm going to go collapse in bed. Talk to you tomorrow!
~Amanda Terranova

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