Twenty One Total. I’m at the last state since I’m headed back towards Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Technically the two wheels were in Texas already, even if for just 10 panicky minutes-when I realize they drive fast and furious there. This early morning finds me in Colorado, the last “new” state I will visit.
Yesterday I was in Santa Fe, NM with two of my favorite hosts-Meg and Richard.
You can look forward to a Santa Fe, NM travel blog, but for now I’m trucking along. I’m also really BUSY trying to plan for a Pro Peace Rally in Crawford, TX. This is a big complicated undertaking, harder to do alone while riding, talking to strangers about Peace and blogging. I am not sure if anyone but Daphne and Lil C will be there to meet me, but I’m REALLY okay with that. It’s just a technical finish line, as my whole life is dedicated to working for Peace. It was too hard to determine my ETA until two weeks ago, and an ETA is needed to invite hundreds of people to join you somewhere. 😉 Hopefully people will spread the word for me and I invite you to copy, paste and send forward the Crawford Blog post from Friday to Peace Organizations and friends.
Yesterday was a late start, only rode 270 miles, but I viewed some of the most amazing scenery yet. It was a bustling day, I stopped many times, met many incredible people and picked up a unique gift for Wendy, the roomie taking on all responsibility for my dog. There were quite a few U-turns made, answering to intuition, and this led to many cool meetings. Follow your bliss, fer sure! The wind was the gustiest I’ve ridden yet, up to 40mph gusts that had me on the highway shoulder for brief moments.
The heavy winds affected fuel economy pretty noticeably. I ran out of gas just 4 miles outside of my stopping point. I was traveling state route 10E to La Junta, CO, riding an hour into dark. Not a single car was behind me, and few passed, the whole 65 miles on I was on 10E. I could see the lights of town up ahead when Audre sputtered and shut down. Not only did I need gas, the moment required that I relieve myself as well, which was a tentative prospect. I was very sure that someone would only stop as soon as I met these needs out in the field. Alas, the moment was uninterrupted and moments later Debbie stopped for me.
I had to push Audre 2 blocks up to a house and ask to leave her there while we went to get a gas can. It turned out the man of the house had some gas, although it was for two stroke engines. I put just a splash in, a bit hesitant, and Debbie said she would follow me to the gas station. Four blocks away from the station, Audre sputtered out again. She sure isn’t a easy lady to push around! Debbie and I talked for a bit, it was nice to hear her story and I knew a bigger reason was behind the event timing. I haven’t actually completely run out of gas this whole trip, just came close, and Farmer John back in KS helped me out when I knew it was going to happen. Back then, the next gas station was 60 miles away-a big whopping 180 miles in between stations. It turns out that Debbie never stops to help people, as it can be dangerous to do, at night, as a female traveling alone. It also turns out that this day in time, she had been called forward as an angel to someone else, and Debbie was reveling in the day’s events. She was pretty amazed at the miles I’ve traveled and for my dedication to World Peace. Thank you for helping Debbie, and making sure I got to the motel safely. I wish you the best! Very appropriate to run out of gas on my last week, my last “new” state, and my last 1,000 miles.
I’m headed back to Salina, KS, a 330 mile ride down the country roads. The weather is chilly, with a promise of rain. Time to pull out the rain gear, finish the coffee and roll out! I want to leave you with a picture that moves my heart. This is Meg and Richard in 1969, touring Europe on his Vespa. Thirty eight years later, they own a motorcycle/scooter shop and are still very obviously in love.
