Monster Ride home!

[machete]

a few more. Pikes Peak area

 

[machete]

After my buddy got home, we proceeded to a couple different dive bars they wanted to show me and we drank at all of them.

Then we went to the show. it was hilarious. and John got so drunk, he could barely stand. and he got kicked out. well, they told us he was kicked out, so we should take him and go. this was about midnight.

the next day (Day 4) I made my way south, on I25 to New Mexico, then cut southeast on Hwy 64/87 towards Texas. I would thankfully bypass Oklahoma.

Arrived into Texas' panhandle and it was crazy windy.

Stopped off in Amarillo and checked out the "car henge"

some guy burried a bunch of cadillacs into his corn field and then opened it to the public.

 

[machete]

It was actually pretty cool.

The ride from New Mexico to Amarillo was boring and straight roads most of the way. With the heavy winds, it became tiring, and it got hotter the further south I went.

bleh

some more of car henge

 

[machete]

A self portrait at this place.

From here I headed south some more, and was just in the mood to either make it to Tyler, or I'd find a spot to stop and sleep and make it in super early in the morning.

I stopped in Childress, Tx. for some food about 5pm. Had the best flipping chopped brisket sandwich ever....so much so, that I ordered a second one much to the delight of the owner of this restaurant. seen in photos.

 

[machete]

The lady asked where I was going. I said Dallas, at which point she warned me about Decatur, Tx. and that it was a really well known speed trap. To watch out, cause it was on the internets and all.

thanks for the heads up.

I didn't take many more photos on the road this day. I rode through south till it got dark, fueled up and switched to the clear visor, and then through Decatur, and into Fort Worth, then onto Dallas, and eventually, IH-20 to Tyler.

I got in about 0030 in the morning, and arrived to my grams asking if I wanted to eat something. I said, naw, I'm good, but she insisted. So she set about making me some fresh chorizo and eggs, and fresh cooked flour tortillas.

Who's the spoiled grandson?! I AM!!!

and then the man himself and my grams together.

 

[machete]

The next 4 days would be a good time. We decided to stay here and I would visit with my grandfather. My sister had now sprung the surprise on us, that she was getting married! really!? yep. I kinda had a feeling something big was happening cause my moms was dropping hints, so I shipped my suit out just to be sure. She wanted gramps to walk her down the aisle and give her hand in marriage, and it seemed like the most appropriate time with all the family there.

They planned a nice, simple yet elegant wedding in 3 weeks. We helped as we could, shuttling people, arranging the wedding location, etc. Family came in from everywhere.

My gramps and I just chilled while all the ladies ran around like chickens with their heads cut off.

My aunt on my bike. My niece on my bike as well.
and final photo my grandmother hemming my grandfathers suit pants by hand. When my grandfather saw my suit that I had shipped out there for the wedding, he said he needed a pimpin' suit too, so made them take him to a nice store, and got himself a very nice suit. Pimp!

 

[machete]

Forgot a few photos from the sun setting while riding through Texas. Lots of deer out in this area as well. and the hunters were out in full force. Mostly seen in the small towns as they drove by in their huge trucks, all dressed in the latest camouflage material money could buy.

photos: my niece being a goofball,
and my gramps who got tired of waiting for everyone to get ready, so he went and got ready and said he'd be sitting waiting for the rest of the ladies to finish. I think he was very excited for my sis.

 

[machete]

Wedding day arrived, that's Chris, my sisters husband helping my grandfather and his dad.

The location was really nice, it was in the Azalea's. A historic district in Tyler, Tx. where the homes are amazing and very old. For anyone who is a fan of old architecture and unique homes as I am, it is very pleasing to drive around in.

I'll have it known now that my brother and my buddy Sergio are the two fruits who put together the flowers on that wedding arch. It came out thupper!! we gave them shit for it. But they did a good job.

 

[machete]

Wedding time, and it was like herding cats to get the flower girls to do things the way we wanted them too. isn't that how it always works. It was fine, nobody was stressing them. I won't bore ya'll with too many photos of this, but they had a really nice ceremony and everyone enjoyed it. I told my mom, 1 out of 3 isn't bad odds for marriage. At least you got your daughter married.

 

[stan23]

Keep 'em coming!

Tell Machetette, she's looking beautiful! Congrats on the marriage.

 

[machete]

some more photos. reception. My friend Sergio on the left, rode his motorcycle up from Baton Rouge where he works.

When I went to high school in Mexico, I met him and his brother and we've all been friends ever since.

My return trip home would rest on our bullshitting and his saying that he'd be in Mexico the following week for his bday.

 

[machete]

During the reception one of my nieces looked like she was starting to peter out and sat quietly by herself. It was then that we realized why she was so calm and quietly sitting there.

She had a HUGE piece of cake and was slowly eating it.

We just waited for the sugar to take effect, and her mom saw this and just bowed her head and shook it, then laughed.

 

[machete]

trouble uploading photos. will try later.
thanks for looking

 

[racerXgirl]

awwwww, what?!

 

[J-BONE]

^^What she said! Great snaps man! And who knew how good he looked in a suit

 

[eviltwin]

Awsome pics dude! The section of Hwy50 in CO from Blue Mesa Rsvr over Monarch Pass is pretty sweet ridin for sure! Glad you had fun and made it back safely.

BTW, drinking in Manatou is always a reciepe for trouble.

 

[machete]

Awsome pics dude! The section of Hwy50 in CO from Blue Mesa Rsvr over Monarch Pass is pretty sweet ridin for sure! Glad you had fun and made it back safely.

BTW, drinking in Manatou is always a reciepe for trouble.

thanks man. Yeah, that was one of my favorite sections of road. fast sweepers

tell me about it. we started with flabongo before we even went out from Manitou Springs.

stupid barf is giving me hassles in uploading photos. still more to come

 

[machete]

Once on the road, you have a lot of time to think about things. I decided to cancel my AFM race and stick around with my gramps longer. So Sunday my friend Sergio rode back to Baton Rouge, and my grandfather and I just chilled, talked and hung out in the driveway. The neighborhood was very peaceful. Monday was more of the same, and I really am glad that I did it.

As with most things, Tuesday rolled around and it was time to go (Day 5 of riding).

for some reason can't upload some photos from Sunday. So I'll come back to it.

I rode out of Tyler early, about 8am to go to Austin, Tx. and visit friends on my way back.

Sergio had told me that he was going to Mexico the following week for his bday, and I decided why not go home the long way, through Mexico.

So I called home, and had my passport overnighted to Austin.

Saw these huge 18-wheelers hauling these long cement barriers. Had to stop at the exit area, cause there wasn't a way to get by.

Finally got the first batch of rain at this time, as it can rain pretty hard in Texas.

arrived to some Lone Star Beer.

and a lot of rain

 

[machete]

some photos as I'm going through my files. took these with my phone.

Breakfast leaving Tonopah, Nv. Held me all day.

A share the road sign that I saw all over Texas. I can only hope that it is in hopes of educating the public about motorcyclists and that in a few years they can propose the lane sharing law in Texas again. There were also billboards everywhere, that said "Look twice, there are motorcycles everywhere" Pretty cool, I thought.

Suomy PBR, on arrival to Manitou Springs.

Flabongo. that shit is funny.

and the 24 oz PBR cans that caused so much trouble.

 

[machete]

a few more photos

first one: clicking over 60,000 miles on my monster when I arrived in Austin, Tx.

Second photo was in Tyler, Tx. I was taking a pic of my grandma with my phone and out of the corner of my eye, saw my gramps reach over to snag some fries off my tray... and caught the photo. dirty old man!

Last photo, is outside Ducati Austin. Who, treated me awesome. I called ahead, and asked if I could borrow a rear stand, and a 22mm socket. They complied. My tire was already a bit squared off when I left SF, and when I got to Austin it was done. Bought another one at the local cycle gear (called ahead and made sure they had it) and my friend Chris took me to get it, and I removed the rear tire in front of the dealer, and they took care of it all pretty quickly. They also were amazed that I was doing this trip on that bike.

which became the recurring theme and comment from everyone. "You're doing this trip and that many miles on THAT bike?!" yep!