Nashville

Friday 5th June
Back on the road.
We headed on to Nashville taking one more ride along the tail of the dragon, it was a lot harder with full luggage and the bright sun flickering through the tvrees but still great fun.

http://youtu.be/Can_z33tmW4

By the time we had cleared the mountains the temp reached 86F and became very humid. It was a good ride to Nashville but the roads have started to straighten out. Once checked in to a motel we headed off to Honky Tonk Central for some music, beer and food. It was a great atmosphere and very busy but not quite what we expected but then again nothing ever is out here in the USA. It was more Rock than Country and Western.

Saturday 6th June
Hot start to the day and just kept getting hotter 88f and very humid. Herds of Harley's were roaming around everywhere, many of their riders looking very comfortable in their t shirts and shorts and no helmets, madness. By about 2 o'clock both of us were feeling tired so we decided to call it a day and went in search of a cheap hotel with an outdoor pool. We got lucky and checked in and went for dip in the pool to cool down. While in the pool we kept hearing a loud bussing noise from one end which turned out to be a swarm of big fat ugly bugs called cicadas. The swim was followed by a trip to the supermarket for some salad. Yes my jeans are getting way to tight.

Sunday 7th June
Even hotter today but coped with the heat a bit better today, as we crossed in to Missouri the temp hit 92F, it was a good ride though a bit windy. Found a place with an outdoor pool again to cool off before going in search of food. More salad.

Monday 8th June
Very humid when we left this morning we stopped off at the old Missouri State Penitentiary for a tour, the tour guide was the last Governor of the place before it closed and had some very interesting stories to tell. A very gruesome place, even had a dungeon with windowless cells where prisoners were left to rot. The gas chamber was gruesome to as we sat there to have our pictures taken on the very same seats that people were gassed on.

After the tour the temp was rising and we were glad to get on the bike and get going.
Heading for Kansas City and a Cycle Gear shop to try and find out if they stock or get BMW parts quickly rather than having to go to BMW dealers. They can get filters, pads chain and sprockets but hold no stock. And can take up to 5 business days. So not a lot of use. As we headed in to town and stopping at junctions you could hear the Cicadas buzzing away you could even hear them while riding at slow speed through tree lined streets a very annoying noise. And they make one hell of a mess when they splat on your visor and very painful if they hit anywhere else.
We struck lucky with the motel again, third free upgrade in a row and this guy even offered the use of his washer / dryer for free as long as we gave him a good review on Tripadvisor.

Tuesday 8th June
Hot Hot Hot to day.
First puncture as well. Stopped for petrol and spotted that tell tale sign that we all dread. The shinny dot glaring at you from the middle of your tyre. Out came the leatherman multi tool pliers and pulled the offending article out, thankfully it was not followed by a sudden rush of escaping air, but after spitting on it there were bubbles but only just. After searching around in 100f for a decent shaded area to remove the wheel and fix it I decided to chance it stopping regularly to check the pressure. We made it 180 miles to Lucas to have a look at another eccentric Americans house with loads of concrete statues. He even had a mausoleum in his back garden where he buried his wife. As it was against the law she was first buried in the town cemetery, so he got his friends to dig her up then re buried her in concrete in his mausoleum, he even made his own coffin out of concrete with a glass top so you can see him laying there, but the glass had cracked a few years ago and he is rotting away. When we started the tour we really didn't expect to go looking around in a mausoleum. We have pulled up in a small town called Hill City as we are just absolutely cream crackered from the heat and strong head / cross winds (for all you Americans and Canadians that's rhyming slang for knackered). 320 miles and I still have air in the tyre, going to try and have an early night and get up early if it's still up hit the road if it's flat fix it before it's to hot.

Wednesday 9th June
Up and on the road by 7:15 this morning in an attempt to beat the heat. It was already 70F and climbing. The plan worked as by the time it was getting hot we were in Colorado and gaining altitude the temp never went above 80f all day. It was a long ride to Pike Peak and a little disappointing. It was $24 just to ride to the top, I got pulled over for speeding, I only doing 40 mph and was told it was 20mph all the way even though I had just passed a sign that said 30mph. Got off with a warning. By the time we got to the top the clouds had arrived it was freezing cold and the view was blocked by the clouds. We were both struggling to breathe at 14000 ft so we took a pic and headed straight back down. On the way down we got stuck behind a Rangers car who immediately turned his Christmas tree lights on and I had no choice than to follow him down at 20 mph. I think they are getting a bit antsy as they have the Pikes Peak hill climb at the end of the month. And the icing on the cakes was I had not put the memory card back in my go pro so didn't get any video going up or down.

From Pikes Peak we rode to the garden of the Gods but were to tired to enjoy it.