Will I be the first scooterist to ride Route 66 from start to end? Not exactly, no.

I was recently asked this and I’ve wondered it myself. I knew that two fellows attempted it 7 or 8 years ago. One failed and the other, I thought, didn’t finish.

After a bit of research, I was kind of right.

First off, I’m not the one who coined the term “Scoot 66.” I did, however, think it up on my own, only to find out later that I wasn’t the first to think it up. I’m not sure who the first was, but Mike Frankovich used it in 1999 and 2000 when he and some friends did Route 66 on vintage scooters.

The trip that I had heard about was their 2000 trip. This was their second trip, but I hadn’t heard of (or remembered) their first one in 1999.

The 2000 trip started in May and lasted 10 days. Mike on a Vespa T5, Pete on a Vespa Rally and Don on what’s possibly a Rally or Sprint or something (hard to tell from the small pictures). There also seemed to be a truck following them. They rode Route 66 with very little incident until they reached Needles, California. The temperature hit 115. Mike’s T5 seized on the interstate. Scary situation.

At that point, Pete took US95 north to Vegas, while Mike and Don loaded their scooters on the truck, finishing Route 66 on four wheels instead of two.

So technically (and very sadly) no one made it. Of course, that doesn’t take away from their fun and memories, which is the whole point of even attempting this. It’s not really to finish it, though it would be nice. It’s to try it.

Anyway, the trip that I was thinking of was their 2000 trip. I somehow forgot their 1999 trip.

The 1999 trip only involved two scooterists. Mike Frankovich and Joe Kokesh. Mike documents his 1999 trip a lot better than is 2000 trip (which is mostly pictures).

75 miles out of Chicago (meaning 75 miles from the start of the trip), Mike’s clutch went. He threw his scooter (Vespa P200) onto Joe’s truck (driven by a friend named Mustang Mike) and rode to St. Louis. Joe, however, rode the whole way. The clutch had to be rebuilt again in Missouri, but no truck was involved. Joe fixed it in 45 minutes along the side of the road.

The trip continued without any problems until Amboy, California where Mike’s sparkplug worked itself loose and he holed his piston. Joe rode to find a truck, but no luck there. Mike’s father saved the day by driving from LA to Amboy and loading both scooters on a truck and taking it to Victorville, a distance of about 115 miles.

Mike finished the Route, leaving from Victorville on his Vespa Rally. Joe finished on his Vespa P series.

So, did either of them really finish it? Well yeah. Both loaded their scooters on a truck for 115 miles, sure. But they rode the whole thing, basically.

Also, let me clarify something here. Riding Route 66 on a modern Vespa GTS with fuel injection is no big deal when compared to riding Route 66 on vintage 2 stroke Vespas. I have little doubt that my GTS can make it. I trust it as much as I’d trust a new car. But riding vintage Vespas 2,500 miles in 10 days, that’s just ballsy. Mike, Joe, Don and Pete were true explorers and true scooterists. I’m just some guy who is riding a brand new modern scooter.

There is a huge difference.

So since I don’t have the option of a truck, if I finish Route 66, I will (to the best of my knowledge) be the first guy on a scooter to ride 66 from the very start to the very finish. But that doesn’t begin to hold a candle to attempting it on vintage two-strokes. Not even close.

I will, however, be attempting it alone. No support, no partners, etc. And since I’m on a modern scooter, I won’t be worrying about altitude, cables breaking, seizure and all the other idiosyncrasies a vintage scoot has. That will definitely make the ride more relaxing and easier.

What I’m doing is kind of a big thing. But it’s nothing compared to the Scoot 66s of 1999 and 2000. Take a visit to their webpage about it.

That’s Ruby II. She’s the scooter I’ll be riding across the country. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me back up and explain the whole scooter thing.

The Evolution of Scooters.

In the Spring of 2005, I got my first scooter. It was a 1975 Bajaj Chetak, a clone of a Vespa Sprint. I rode it for about a day and decided that I needed something a bit bigger. It was then that I bought a Black 2005 Stella, a clone of a Vespa PX. Great scooter. I modified it with a new head, new crank, new carb and it ran like a top.

It was around that time that I bought a 1970 VW Bus. It wasn’t a scooter, but it was great. It could even haul a scooter if you took out the sink!

Next, I did a really weird thing. I decided that I wanted a white Stella. So instead of painting my black one, I bought a white one and moved the souped up engine to the new white Stella and the stock engine to the old black Stella. And while I certainly wasn’t through with the work on the white Stella, I put it on hold so that I could trade the black Stella for a 1959 Vespa Allstate.

The Allstate had a Stella engine in it (this all gets complicated), which was great. I threw a pipe on it, got a bigger carb and new air filter. It could do 60mph. The body, however, was in desperate need of restoration.

But before that, I wanted to work on some cosmetic things with the white Stella. I removed the batter, gave it a glovebox cowl and some Star Wars decals, making it look like a Storm Trooper. I loved this scooter. With the engine, it could do 70mph. That is, until one fine spring day when I installed a bigger carb and revved it out on a straight stretch. I hit 75mph and seized the engine while on a weekend trip..

While that was in the shop, my father and I restored the ‘59 Allstate. We gave it a beautiful baby blue paint job and replaced everything rubber in it.

I got the white Stella back from the shop, nearly good as new. But I just couldn’t trust it (or rather, myself) anymore. I then got serious about Scoot 66. I need something bullet proof. Something that wouldn’t seize on me and something that would basically last forever.

It was then that I bought the 2006 Bajaj Chetak. The newer Chetaks are 4 strokes and will run forever. Great scooter. I did some cosmetic mods to it and basically fell in love with it. However, it would only do about 55mph. If I were going to take this across the country, I would need to go faster. It would be the perfect around the town scooter, but for highways, I would need something better.

But my goodness, at this point, I had four scooters. Nevertheless, that’s when I bought Ruby II.

Who is Ruby II?
Ruby II is a 2007 Vespa GTS250. She’s a fuel injected, water cooled four stroke. Powered by a 21 horsepower 250cc engine, she’ll carry 80mph all day without batting an eyelash. All this with 65 - 70mpg.

It was a little weird getting used to Ruby II. All of the other scooters are air cooled with standard transmissions. Vespa GTSs are automatics. They have radiators. It’s basically a car on two wheels. Twist the throttle and off you go! Older Vespas (and every other scooter I’ve owned) have the rear break on the floor. On the new Vespas, the rear break is on the handlebars. i’m still not used to that.

And while I sometimes still feel myself trying to shift gears, this is the beauty that will carry me across 22 states, through four time zones, from sea to sea (well almost).

Why scooters?
I’m not really sure, but maybe it’s in my blood. My grandfather used to ride a Montgomery Wards Riverside Nassau. It was made by Mitsubishi (called a Silver Pigeon C-80). He would ride all year long. In the winter, he would pile on the layers, throw on a snowmobile suit and ride, even through the snow, to the post office, where he worked. That is a hardcore scooterist.

While my grandfather rode out of both fun and necessity, I ride mostly for fun. Yeah, I thought about motorcycles for a bit. They’re great. Maybe someday I’ll have one. But for now, I’ve fallen in love with scooters. From their style to their simplicity. Specifically, Vespa and its clones (Bajaj, LML/Stella) have me hooked.

Like my grandfather, I do ride year round. Yeah, it’s a lot less in the winter, but it’s still there. Usually, it’s a quick ride to the store. But when the temps climb over 40 on a warm January day, I start getting the uncontrollable urge to head out on longer rides. It’s a compulsion that only scooterists and motorcyclists would understand. The closest thing I can compare it to is a surfer who is stuck in summer school when the waves kick up. I wouldn’t call in an addiction, not quite.

It’s only been a few short years since I got my first scooter. But since then, I’ve bought a total of seven scooters. And while I’m trying to sell most of them off, I’d be crazy to think that there won’t be more.

What’s next on the scooter front?
Selling. So far, I’ve sold the Allstate and the ‘75 Bajaj. the ‘06 Bajaj and Whitey are also for sale. As is the Bus. I’d like to get down to one scooter. And when that happens, I’ll probably pick up a mid-60’s Vespa. I just can’t stay away from them.

-

Oh, and who was Ruby I? Well, here you go. It’s story time.

Motels are expensive. That’s why I camp. On my little excursion, I plan on staying in only five motels (out of 45 nights). Three of them are just random cheap motels - no campgrounds around. But the other two are amazing.

First, in Tucumcari, New Mexico, a town famous for its old motels and neon, there’s the Blue Swallow Motel.

I stayed there two years ago and can’t wait to stay there again. Here’s what I wrote oh so long ago…

Tucumcari tonight! Tucumcari used to boast 2000 motel rooms. I’m not sure how many there are now, but that doesn’t matter because we found the best freaking motel with the best freaking room and the best freaking owners EVER.

Welcome to the Blue Swallow Motel. A beautifully restored motel from the 40’s now run by Bill and Terri. Red bearded Bill, clad in bib overalls greeted us, checked us in and showed us a “suite.” And sweet it was. It has a stove.. a PINK stove!, two bedrooms, a 1940’s style bathroom and so much nostalgia you’ll go crazy. Bill offered us so much assistance and help and fun that I can’t even begin to describe it. Actually, it’s a lot like staying in a B&B. He took care of us.

Every evening he also takes pictures of in front of the sign of everyone who stays at the motel. He prints them out at night and then gives you a 5×7 of them the next day. For free. What a guy!

Boo went for a run to Tucumcari Mountain while Nikki and I got our picture taken in front of the sign. She and I were on the computer, reading some comments left by you guys (thanks!) when we looked our the window to our right to see Bill walking towards us. He held up his camera with a big smile as if to say “It’s time!” He was excited. You can really tell he loves this place. They bought it in February, I think. New owners totally in love with each other and their motel. I could live here.

May this year they’ll adopt me and Ruby.

The second motel is a few days after Tucumcari. At one time it was a small chain of motels, but since then, only three remain. Two are on Route 66. I’ll be staying in the one in Holbrook, Arizona.

It’s the Wigwam Motel!

I stayed in it in 2004 and 2006 and will stay again in 2008. Every two years! I wish I would have written more about it in 2004. The owner of the Wigman (he’s the original founder’s son) and I had a wonderful conversation about the government. He’s one of those republican/libertarian/anarchist/militia type who are always a blast to chew the fat with.

But no, for some reason, I’ve never really written much about the place. In both ‘04 and ‘06 I hardly mention that I stayed there at all. Weird, huh?

But Holbrook was the place where I got a free plate of fries from Denny’s.

We drive the 20 sleepy miles to Holbrook to our castle for the night, The Wigwam Motel! I love this place. Hungry, we hit Denny’s where our waiter, Jep, took a liking to a certain journal keeper (blogger?) and I didn’t get charged for my fries or my Sprite. Oh yeah! I still got it!

Go me. Maybe Jep will still be there! Oh I hope!

Anyway, those are the two motels I was just itchin’ to tell you about. Are you happy that I did?

Sure you are.

Yeah, so while routing and mapping my merry way across the big ass state of Montana and into North Dakota, I figure I’d stay for the night in a quaint little town of Aberdeen, SD. There’s a cheap campground on the north side of town called Wylie Park. $13 for a tent space.

Well, later that day, I was receiving a box of books and found a fun book that I ordered called Roadside Attractions. I paged through it a bit (seriously, I’m getting to my point, just hang in there) and saw a picture of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tinman, Lion and the Wicked Witch of the West.

Fun, thought I. So I read the caption. “The Land of Oz in Aberdeen, South Dakota…” I paused and pondered. “Aberdeen?… that sounds familiar.. I think I just mapped my way to it this morning…” I checked and it’s true.

Not only does The Land of Oz exist in Aberdeen, it’s situated in Wylie freakin’ Park!

It’s not just The Land of Oz, it’s a whole Storybook Land! Am I excited? I DON’T KNOW!!

I mean, should I be? I’ll be traveling 263 miles that day and 237 the next. Will I even have time to explore such a place? It seems like it’s open till 8pm, so hopefully I’ll get there with a few hours to kill wandering around Surrealville.

Are you as excited as I am? ARE YOU?!!

Here’s the map for that day…
View Map

Yep, ALL on US12! Should I be excited?! I DON’T KNOW!!!!!!!11one11

I’m not really sure if anyone is following my little previews of what will be my travels. But if you are, you’re in for a one-two punch of a look-see.

After a short stint in Salt Lake City (yeah, I know, I vowed to never set foot in that town again, but hey, I’m unpredictable), I’ll take a wee lil ride through Ogden to a spot that I’ve always wanted to visit for as long as I can remember.

Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I love trains. I just do. No idea why, but from before I could speak, I loved them. When I was in elementary school, I thought the Trans-Continental Railroad was the coolest thing ever. You know, where one group of railroaders started at the west coast and another group started on the east, meeting in the middle. When they met up, they had a ceremony and drove a golden spike into the ties.

Where that happened is now the Golden Spike National Historic Site near Logan, Utah. Here’s a bit of info on it.

At first, I didn’t plan on going there. Honestly, I sort of forgot about it. I didn’t even know where it was. That changed, however, when Sarah (Smartz) suggested (insisted) that I visit something called the Spiral Jetty, I stumbled upon the Golden Spike Site.

I still wasn’t convinced to visit either. Actually, the name “Golden Spike National Historic Site” didn’t even ring a bell with me until a few days of looking into the Jetty.

So what’s the Spiral Jetty? The Spiral Jetty was created by a fellow named Robert Smithson in 1970. It is an earthwork sculpture build in the Great Salt Lake during a drought. Several years after it was created, the drought subsided and the Spiral Jetty was submerged. That is, until 1999 when a new drought kicked in and the Jetty was revealed once more.

And so I shall visit it. Why? Well, why not? Smartz is unhealthily in love with this Jetty. She has created a MySpace page for it and wrote a rather lengthy paper on it. She claims that she has never visited it… physically. Whatever that means. Anyway, I will be there.

It wasn’t till after a bit of research on Mr. Jetty that I decided to make the stop at the Golden Spike site. I even added an extra day to my trip to do both! I feel sort of bad for getting there before Smartz. She’s the one obsessed with the thing. But hey, it’ll be neat to see.

The more I plan the “return trip” of Scoot 66, the more I’m looking forward to getting out there. With the first leg of the trip, Route 66, I’ve seen most of it once or twice before. But with nearly everything I’m seeing on the return trip, it’ll be my first time. Woo!

Here’s a shot of it from google maps!

View Map

Maybe, just maybe, I spoke too soon about being elated about the return trip. Maybe. Ned mentioned this yesterday - it’s pretty sobering.

Why? Well, after I leave that lovely Austin, NV town, it’s 148 miles to the next gas station. No big deal, right? Sort of. The range on a Vespa GTS is about 120 miles per tank. That’s usually fine. Here it is not.

I guess I’m going to have to invest in a gas can. I’ll buy one in California and should be ok. With a full tank and a gallon can of gas, I can get around 175 miles.

At 148 miles, I can fuel up in Ely. That should be able to take me the remaining 151 miles to Delta, UT, where I’ll be staying the next night. They have a gas station there. Just one. I’ll have to cross my fingers.

This is a little nerve-wracking. One whole day of wondering if I’ll run out of gas.

I’m betting there will be more days like this through Montana and North Dakota.

This is the route for that day.
View Map

I’m still mapping and routing. As of yesterday, I’m just entering Nevada on US Route 50. It’s been dubbed “The Loneliest Road” because you’re usually the only car (or in my case, scooter) on it.

While mapping, I don’t usually do a lot of research on the places I’ll be trip-trapping through. I save that for after I have my route planned (which seems backwards, now that I think of it, but it keeps me from getting *too* distracted).

While plotting my trek across the Nevada high desert via Route 50, I came across a webpage for Austin, NV, an old town I’ll be spending the night in.

That page has a bit on driving US 50 through their charming state. Keep in mind that the “proper” way to drive Route 50 is east to west (like Route 66). Both articles on that page describe the route in such a direction. I’ll be driving it “backwards.”

Route 50, however, sounds wonderful. Of course they’re going to make it sound like the bee’s knees since that’s their job, but still, I’m psyched.

After a bit more searching, I found that Route 50 had been rerouted and that I could ride an older alignment of it. I’m a sucker for older alignments (yawn), so that just made my day.

You can read about the older alignment (with pics) here. Again, it goes east to west, I’ll be riding backwards.

I wasn’t really looking forward to the trip back, but now I am. We’ll see what I discover after SLC.

This is the map for that day… (you’ll have to zoom out a bit to see it all)

View Map

I guess “mapping” isn’t the right word, but I’m not sure what is. Anyway, I’ve started “mapping” out my trip again. I just finished up Day Five: St. Louis, MO to Lebanon, MO. It’s 170 miles and a ton of fun stuff to see.

I’ve passed this way before, in a car, and you can read about it here.

You can also see pictures of it here and here.

So what I wanted to show you was what I’m doing. The directions for following Route 66 are not easy to follow. The actual “Route 66″ does not exist anymore. It’s been decommissioned. What used to be 66 is now scattered over literally hundreds (maybe even a thousand) different roads. To follow it, you need very specific directions.

I am using three different sources and combining them into one long turn-by-turn set of directions.

Would you like to see Day Five? Sure you would.

Day Five (From KOA)

-West on Chain of Rocks RD, cross 3
-Visit Bridge, turn around.
-Return 3.5 miles
-LEFT on Old Alton RD SHORT
-LEFT to enter I-270 EAST
-cross bridge, exit
-EXIT RIGHT 203 SOUTH
-203 S for 3.5 miles
-RIGHT onto Madison 3.5 miles
-RIGHT onto Broadway 1 mile
-RIGHT onto Great River RD .25mi
-LEFT to McKinley Bridge, cross

St. Louis
-McKinley Bridge to Salisbury (6 blocks)
-LEFT on Florissant
-Curve LEFT (13th for 2 blocks)
-Curve RIGHT - Tucker
-Under I-64,
-RIGHT Chouteau Ave/100
-Follow 100 onto Manchester (10mi)
-Under I-270 3mi to Panera
-Stay on 100 through Gray Summit (13mi)

To 66 S.P. (skip if short on time)
-Under I44
-LEFT on 66/Osage ST, I-44 on left
-RIGHT on OSullivan (cross tracks)
-LEFT onto Main/Eureka Allenton RD
-RIGHT on Central (Main ends)
-Cross W to Augustine RD
-LEFT on Augustine, curve right
-LEFT on Williams
-RIGHT on Frontage, avoid I-44
-Curve LEFT to S.P.

From Gray Summit
-STRAIGHT on 100
-Under I44
-STRAIGHT on AT (5mi)
-Cross US50 CAREFUL!
-STRAIGHT on Frontage (5mi)
-UNDER I44
-RIGHT on Frontage/Commercial AVE thru St. Clair
-RIGHT on 30, CROSS I-44
-LEFT on Frontage (WW) (8mi to Stanton)
-LEFT to cross I-44
-RIGHT on Frontage (5mi to Sullivan)(Caverns?)

-Springfield RD Thru Sullivan
-Right on Elmont (1block)
-LEFT on Frontage (6mi to Bourbon)
-After Bourbon, Frontage (13mi to Cuba)

-Exit on Washington/ZZ (tracks on left)
-STRAIGHT on ZZ in Fanning
-STRAIGHT as KK joins
-KK to St. James (10mi)
-RIGHT on Jefferson (4bl)
-Under I-44
-LEFT on Frontage (9mi to Rolla)

ROLLA
-Left on US63/Bishop
-Under I44 (Panera)
-RIGHT on King’s Hwy
-LEFT before I44 on Frontage/Martin Sp.
(4mi to Dolittle)

Two Side Trips
-South Frontage RD (3mi to Arlington)
-North Frontage RD (cross under I40) (2mi to Johns)

ENTER I-44!!!
EXIT 172 - JEROME

-LEFT on Frontage (3mi)
-UNDER I-44
-RIGHT on Z (3mi)
-LEFT for Devil’s Elbow (3mi)
-LEFT to rejoin Z (2mi to St. Robert)
-STRAIGHT on BL 44 (after St. Robert)
Waynesburg
-MO17 out of town (7mi)
-RIGHT on P (1mi)
-LEFT on AA (1.5mi)
-RIGHT on AB (7mi)
-STRAIGHT on Heartwood/Frontage (5mi to Hazelgreen)
-STRAIGHT on Frontage/Glacierpoint (6mi)
-RIGHT on F - Cross I44
-LEFT on Frontage (5mi to Lebanon)

LEBANON (To State Park)
-RIGHT on BL44/Rt 66 (2bl)
-RIGHT on Jefferson/64 (8mi to SP)

I have to print this out and then cut it up, making 4″ x 2.5″ cards to tape to my scooter’s headset (handlebars). I can have three up at once and change them out when I stop, which will be pretty often.

I’m not sure if this is mapping, but it sure is time consuming. It took me five hours to figure out Day Five. Granted, Day Five is one of the longest days on 66. I’m not totally sure I’ll have time for everything. I’ll be hopefully stopping on the western side of Lebanon, MO, at a small state park, but if I can’t make that, I’ll stop in Rolla.

I was actually printing out maps for each day. I’ve used nearly 300 sheets of paper for the first 10 days. At this rate, the whole trip will be about 1000 sheets. I seriously don’t want to carry two whole reams of paper with me. I’m not really sure what to do.

Yes, a GPS is out of the question.

Anyway, maybe someone out there finds this stuff interesting.

After hanging out with Cole and Josh (from Berkeley) a bit a few days ago - they were in for Christmas - I’ve decided to pay them a bit of a visit in the spring.

I’ve changed the routing through California to shoot up CA Route 1 (it’s beautiful!) and spend two nights in Berkeley.

It adds only one day and a couple hundred miles to my trip, so no huge big deal. Everything else is unchanged.

Here’s the update:

DAY		       START			     END				MILES	

Route 66			
Day One		     Home			   Harrison Lake, OH		   250    R
Day Two		     Harrison Lake, OH	       Joliet, IL			     200
Day Three	     Joliet, IL		            Springfield, IL			165
Day Four	      Springfield, IL		   St. Louis, MO	 	       90
Day Five	      St. Louis, MO		  Lebanon, MO			  170
Day Six		       Lebanon, MO		 Springfield, MO		   60     L
Day Seven            Springfield, MO	        Tulsa, OK			    200     R
Day Eight	      Tulsa, OK		           Oklahoma City, OK		  130     R
Day Nine	      Oklahoma City, OK	       Elk City, OK			  100
Day Ten		      Elk City, OK		   Amarillo, TX			     155
Day Eleven	     Amarillo, TX		  Tucumcari, NM			 125
Day Twelve	    Tucumcari, NM	      Santa Rosa, NM		       80   L R
Day Thirteen	     Santa Rosa, NM	      Santa Fe, NM		      120
Day Fourteen	    Santa Fe, NM	      Albuquerque, NM		     100    R
Day Fifteen           DAY OFF FOR MAINTENANCE (side trip to Moriarty & Madrid)    R
Day Sixteen	      Albuquerque, NM	      Gallup, NM			 160
Day Seventeen	   Gallup, NM		         Holbrook, AZ			  110    R
Day Eighteen        Holbrook, AZ		 Flagstaff, AZ		       100       L
Day Nineteen        DAY OFF IN FLAGSTAFF
Day Twenty	     Flagstaff, AZ		Kingman, AZ			165
Day Twentyone	     Kingman, AZ	       Needles, CA			 75
Day Twentytwo	   Needles, CA		       Barstow, CA		       175    XG
Day Twentythree      Barstow, CA	  Los Angeles, CA		     120    R

Total 3050

The Return Trip
Day Twentyfour     Los Angeles, CA	        San Luis Obispo, CA	   270
Day Twentyfiver	     San Luis Obispo, CA	Berkeley, CA	              261
Day Twentysix	     DAY OFF IN BERKELEY!                                                     L
Day Twentyseven   DAY OFF IN BERKELEY AGAIN!!
Day Twentyeight        Berkeley, CA                Donner Pass, CA	      253
Day Twentynine	     Donner Pass, CA	      Austin, NV			220    XG
Day Thirty      	   Austin, NV		          Delta, UT			  300    XG
Day Thirtyone	      Delta, UT		           Salt Lake City, UT		  109
Day Thirtytwo           DAY OFF FOR MAINTENANCE	                                        L
Day Thirtythree	    Salt Lake City, UT	       Logan, UT (Spiral Jetty)	   172
Day Thirtyfour	    Logan, UT		      Jackson, WY		         195
Day Thirtyfive      Jackson, WY               Bozeman, MT                     211
Day Thirtysix	    Bozeman, MT		      Forsyth, MT		      304    XG
Day Thirtyseven        Forsyth, MT	       Bowman, ND		   177    XG
Day Thirtyeight	   Bowman, ND		    Aberdeen, SD		  263
Day Thirtynine	   Aberdeen, SD		     Pipestone, MN		   237
Day Forty          Pipestone, MN             West Bend, IA		     177    L
Day Fortyone	   West Bend, IA	      Mt. Zion			        244
Day Fortytwo	  Mt. Zion, WI		       Kenosha, WI		       175
Day Fortythree         DAY OFF TO VISIT?
Day Fortyfour	  Kenosha, WI		     Plymouth, IN		      161
Day Fortyfive    Plymouth,IN		     Home!!				343

Total 4072
L = laundry days, lol
XG = Need extra gas can
R = make reservations

GRAND TOTAL  7122

My Scoot 66 trip is planned from May 4 to June 14 (give or take). I’m a bit worried that temperatures might be too cold.

Let’s take some example.

On the night of May 4, I should be at Harrison Lake State Park, Ohio. The average high is 67F. Not too bad. But the average low (which would be at night) is 45F. That’s a bit chilly (though I should be used to that by now).

Moving ahead a week, I should be in Tulsa, OK. 78F is the high, which is beautiful riding weather. 57F is the low. Not too bad, I guess.

How about Flagstaff, AZ. The high is 69F on May 21. The low is 35F. Moving the trip a month later, it bumps the low up to 43F. Still not all that hot.

Of course, two or three days later, in Needles, CA, I’m looking at average highs of 97F with the average low of 69F. Yep. The low in Needles is the same as the high in Flagstaff.

The return trip, however, is where things will get a bit frosty. By the time I get to Donner Pass, the average high will have climbed to 68F with the low being 35F.

I’ll roll into Bozeman, MT around June 5. Oddly, the low will be 42F. Not too bad, it’s clearly getting closer to summer. The high is 71F.

By the time I get back to Wheeling, the near-summer temps will be creeping up the thermometer. But some nippy mornings will great me along the way.

One of my fears is 40F and rain all day. That will suck.

Rain is another issue. May is rainy, especially on the east coast. I honestly don’t mind riding in the rain if it’s above 60F. Below that, it gets really old really fast.

Traveling in colder temperatures also means that I need to pack more riding clothes in order to keep warm. That takes up more space. Though, as I have it planned out now, I have a whole bag devoted to warmer riding clothes (the right saddlebag, if you were wondering). In that will live my windproof gloves, windproof jacket, rain gear and thermals.

This could get interesting. I’m going to need a warmer bag.

Oh, and the reason I’m not doing this in June-July is two-fold. First, it’s financial. I don’t think I can afford to be unemployed for an extra month. And two, I would like to be finished traveling by the start of summer. There are also a few other trips I’ll be taking in July.