So as usual, Larry is awake first and gets up, then turns on the light and says "Bill, we slept in this morning - its 6:00 AM" I chuckled as I hardly call that "sleeping in" but, it was nice to get a few extra minutes. We both felt like we slept really well which isn't always a given out on the road in a different room every night.
We started packing the bikes and it was already 79 degrees with a heavy overcast. The radar didn't show anything local, though there was a large storm sweeping southeast out of the Oklahoma panhandle which we were concerned we might get caught in later in the day. We went for the hotel breakfast and it was rather disappointing. absolutely NO fruit available, and they had only decaf coffee... Looks like we'll be looking for doughnuts and coffee again :-)
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| Day 6 Track Austin TX to Chickasha OK |
As we mount up to leave, it is trying hard to sprinkle but nothing for us to worry about. We hit the road at 7:07 AM and find pretty heavy traffic as we try to head out of Austin. Nothing horrendous, but tedious for sure. It stays heavy for longer that I would have expected considering we are headed OUT of town. Eventually it thins and we're running free and just about that time the skies finally open up with some light steady rain. Not quite heavy enough to force a gear change, but enough to cook the temps back into the mid 70's. It didn't last long though, maybe 20 minutes or so and then we were in the clear and close to our first waypoint of the day - the LBJ National Historical Park in Johnson City TX which we make at 8:00 AM.
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| LBJ National Historic Park in Johnson City TX |
Our next stop will be for fuel. I have been using gasbuddy to figure out the best places along our routes to find the best prices for gas. I figure we're saving at least .10 per gallon sometimes .20 or more. I just one week I've already used 64 gallons so it does add up. We are heading directly north now on US-291 and will be for much of the day. It's a mostly two lane highway, but with LOTS of passing lanes and although this lower section runs through Texas Hill Country, the traffic is light and its easy to pass whenever necessary. We make great time and pull into Lampasas TX where we find gas for $3.37. On the way into town we spotted a donut shop so guess where we went next. we spend about a half hour on coffee and donuts and chat up some locals in the store and then we're back on the road again by 9:46 AM.
This US-291 is long, straight and a rather long stretch is under construction - mostly break down lane renovation, but also re-paving the main road as well. There is one section where they are paving and its down to a one-lane road with a pilot vehicle to follow for a couple of miles. We manage to get up to the end of that line just as the pilot car is leaving - great timing - and since Larry is leading today he gets the credit. Once we get out from behind the pilot car, we have some trucks to pass but soon we are running free again and even in the construction zone the speed limit is still 65 MPH. Gotta love Texas! We found a diner in Mineral Wells that turned out to be a good find. Nice change from fast food chains. They had a meatloaf dinner with mashed potato and gravy and carrots, bread, dessert and a drink for just $5.99! The service was great and our food came quickly so we were back on the road in just a half an hour. Before long we get up to Jacksboro TX where we peel off US-291 and head north east on TX-59.
TX-59 is a bit twistier than 291 and we were rolling right along further up the road when suddenly Larry radios me "Did you see that gal trying to change her tire". He's following me and I certainly didn't see anyone, but he said I think we should turn around and offer assistance. For me - Damsel in distress - heck yeah let's help, so we did a 180 and about 1/4 back sure enough in what looked to be an unused rest are there's a gal, maybe in her early 20's, wearing flip flops and have very nicely painted nails - both fingers and toes matching - trying her best to break the lug nuts free on her left rear tire. We roll up and offer our help and she gladly accepts. I take the lug wrench and break the first nut free and it was tight! All the rest were too so its a good thing we came along as I doubt she would have been able to break them free on her own. Larry then works on removing the lug nuts while I am jacking the car up and we had that tire changed in under 10 minutes. We wisher he well, she shook our hands and thanks us and that was our good deed for the day. Shortly after this we get to Bowie TX where we now pick up US-81 and head directly north again. Just after the first small town, Ringgold, we approach and cross the state border into Oklahoma. But back at the border, we're trying to get a photo and unlike most other states that have a sign close to the road, here they have a nice looking stone monument type sign that simply says "Oklahoma", but it is very far back from the side of the road. See if you can spot in in the following photo
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| Oklahoma Border |
We're now just 80 or so miles from our planned overnight stop in Chickasha, OK. We will make one more stop - another planned one for fuel in Comanche - because we get gas for $3.38 a gal vs the $3.58 or more it will be in Chickasha. While we are fueling up a local runs up to Larry wanting to know what he has in the thermos on the back seat to which Larry replies "water". The guy then asks if he can put whiskey in instead to which Larry replies - what makes you sure I don't already. He also asked about his riding suit - seemed to me like the guy should just go get a motorcycle.
So we get into Chickasha, and we didn't make a reservation ahead of time. We picked an "Americas Best Value" motel based primarily on its proximity to the Western Sizzler right next door. We go to check in and the manager is "on an errand" for 15 minutes so we wait. Eventually he shows up and we get checked in, make a quick unload of the bikes and change into street clothes. But during the day I have thought up a lan to recover my ride from my lost flag. I figure that the local Staples should be able to scan in Larry's flag and then photoshop in my number and print it back out so that I will have a replacement flag. Turns out the Staples is almost within walking distance of the motel so we jump back on the bikes and head over there. Sure enough there's someone in the printing section who is able to do exactly what I proposed - all while we are waiting and it ends up costing me just $4.00! So it appears that I am back in the game.
We go back to the hotel and immediately walk over to the Western Sizzler for dinner. Only when we get back to the hotel do we discover that our internet wifi is poor at best, and even at that it is up and down at least every 10 minutes. I try for some time to write this blog, but the wifi keeps freezing and I end up losing paragraphs at a time so I finally give up. I end up writing most of this and adding the pictured on Thursday night. Oh yeah, we 're ready to go to bed and Larry realizes that we don't have regular pillows on the bed. Instead there are large throw pillows - I guess so they can save on washing pillow cases... Larry uses a bath towel to cover his. I "roughed it" and went without. Little do we know what is to come...
