Across America

Wait a minute, weren't you planning on going a bit further? Well, yes, but lets take it in the order it happened. The day started off well enough. More trains and clackety sounds, but we both awoke reasonably rested and in good spirits. Off we went to find a bit of breakfast. Good, old, trusty GPS recommended a place called House of Breakfast. What could have been better? I guess it could have been, it doesn't exist anymore. After a little mucking around we found a Mexican place that serves breakfast. It turned out to be quite good. Rancho Huevos. And, they have a WiFi. I got yesterday's report done and photos posted. Actually, their signal did not work, but they are adjacent to a motel who's signal did work. We headed up the road to Blythe. It was getting hot. Topping 100. Found a very nice place in Blythe to have a glass of iced tea, and then pushed east on I-10 for Quartzsite over the Arizona state line. Had lunch there, world's most mediocre hamburger, but the place has a nostalgic charm to it. Next stop was to be Phoenix. Not many places between us and there. Thhere are usually those signs along the highway that have the next few cities and mileages. There are so few cities west of Phoenix that these signs were touting "Rest Area" as the nearer destinations. Burning up the road, the temps exceeding 110, we doing 80. Suddenly lost top end power and engine was making a loud huffing sound. Losing speed, trying to decide what to do and see an off-ramp with a TA Truck Center. Pulled in and up to a pump, it was the only shade to be found. Investigating, it became clear that the rear cylinder blew a head gasket. Long story what happened next, if you are bored sometime I will be happy to relate in excruciating detail. Suffice it to say that we got a tow, trailer and all, to a North Phoenix Harley dealer and arrived there 5 minutes after closing. I will be down there in the early AM to sign my wallet away for them to begin a repair. So, we are in Phoenix for tonight and perhaps a night or two to come. I will keep you posted. Fortunately, I did factor in some down days in the schedule. I did not expect to begin using them so soon.
Got a photo of Riverside County for my Touring ABC's	Indio Civic Center, an I for the ABC's	There's beautiful desert out here.
Lots and lots of road	Note the thermometer running well over 100 degrees	I have been to Chiriaco Summit before coming from the other direction.
There's not much here. A coffee house, gas station, and a George Patton Museum with a bunch of WWII army tanks.	In Blythe, there is a very nice, nostalgic coffee shop	In this stretch of I-10 there is so little that the rest stops are major destinations
Quartzsite, Arizona	A town so small that the chamber of commerce is in a trailer and is only open some days	We stopped in for a bite. Pretty mediocre.
After breakdown, truck set up specifically for motorcycles. The whole rig rotates off the back to ground level and then back into the bed with the bike.	She brought along a trailer for our trailer.	I want to advertise her small business. Arizona Motorcycle Towing 623-251-4401 www.azmctowing.com
Indio, California to Phoenix, Arizona