Location: Kingman, AZ

A couple of days ago I posted my travel plans for the week.  Unlike the last extended journey I attempted, there have been no technical failures, but let's just say the plan has been a little, ummm...loose.  More about that later.  But first I have to share this with you guys.

 Baker, California, best known as the home of the worlds tallest thermometer...

...there is also a little place known as Alien Fresh Jerky.

Inside was an interesting gentleman who agreed to an interview after phoning the owner of the store.  When we started the interview I thought he was going to be a true believer.  Unfortunately,  the interview was interrupted by customer and when the interview resumed he was more guarded.  It would have been more fun if he had given a true believer, but at least he talked.  And, to their credit, Alien Fresh Jerky does have the largest selection of flavors of beef jerky I have ever seen.  They also have really cool fake Area 51 access badges, just the kind of thing our young 'un would like so I bought one and hung it around my neck.  This proved to be quite the conversation starter later on in the day.

I was told the rule of the house was no filming or picture taking inside the store.  Once my interviewee warmed up to me a bit though I was permitted one picture inside of the resident alien.

 Aliens are not as powerful as you might think though because below you can see they tried to make off with the Road Show Beemer, but yours truly was able to overpower them.  I mean c'mon they are only three feet tall!

After that little detour, I was determined to press on me that goal with that for the diversion.  That is until I saw the exit for Mojave E state preserve.  Being a lover of the desert in foal extra time on my hands I couldn't pass that up.  The great shot of our 15 from the Nipton Road Overpass

 Apparently they use local materials in the road mixture, because as you say Nipton road is positively red.

Nipton is an official historic town which sits 2 miles inside the California border.  Although there were signs everywhere announcing and breakfast, general store, and the world's greatest burgers, the place appear deserted.  I even poked my head inside the local restaurant there which hardly the door was open but there was nobody there.  A general store also appeared abandoned, once I found the door however was quite charming inside.  While perusing the rather impressive selection of books I was surprised by a voice from behind.  The voice the one to the resident caretaker Fred.

After chatting up a bit with Fred, which with Fred you really have no choice, he told me he was going to get the mule and give me a tour.  He promptly disappeared leaving me to ponder how I was gonna gone mule.  As you can see, this is the electric version of a mule.

 By the time we had many are rounds, and I had my history lesson people would start to arrive in the restaurant was open.  My plans suddenly changed.

The Nipton hotel has quite rich and colorful history.  And because it is a designated historical site everything has to be restored to the way it was originally.

According to Fred, silent screen actress Clara Bow another film stars of an era frequent the establishment.

Just outside the front door is an extraordinary rock and cactus garden of some local fame.

As you can see the railroad tracks only a few feet away from the hotel and store and these are busy tracks.  This was a working railroad town for many, many years and the trains still switch here.  It is not uncommon for the train engineers to dismount their engines and come into the general store for ice cream.  Apparently it used to be the custom to make unscheduled stops to pick up some "to-go" barbecue.

Funny that, train engineers have always seemed somehow so disembodied and part of different world that for them to get out of their machines at the side of the tracks, so to speak, seemed somehow unnatural.

 I am not taking a position one way or the other on this sentiment.  Hey, I didn't write it, it just went rolling by.  The main reason for posting it, of course, is to tweeze a few peoples buttons.  he he.

 

This deep in the desert nighttime is extraordinary.  Spend some quiet dark time out here and it become evident why the legends and stories abound.

Until next time...

BMWeerman...out.

 

 

 

Since being assaulted in my classroom a week ago I have had a lot of free time...fun, but dangerous

The Ghetto Garage has been humming with activity getting ready for a trip to Colorado. Since the "wife cam" is on the injured list I cam (sic) up with this:





The mirror mounted web-cam

This morning I went out at dawn and did an "all the metal on the road all the time" ride and just let the laptop in my tank bag run. The results were unsatisfying but interesting. The good news is...camera stays mounted at redline and all lean angles. The bad news is...cheap web cams are cheap web cams. This might work with a higher quality one. (Which is my next experiment)

Anyway for your viewing pleasure or displeasure, as the case may be, here are the first experimental results.

Experimental Video

Dr. Beemerstein...out (Insert evil laughing)

OK, so this is really two posts in one, but what the heck.

On Thursday I will be leaving Bako for a weeks trip to Colorado.  My 2 main objectives are to meet up with the riders involved in The Ride for Columbine http://www.c2cride.org/

and do a road report for Friction Zone magazine.  Hopefully I can gather some interesting material for Road Show as well.

Hopefully I will have enough energy to ride down to Durango and come back on I-40, which would really make two good stories.  I tried selling the second idea to Road Runner magazine, but they wanted me to submit a "Readers Report"  which translates into write for free.  And as my friend, editor, and writing coach Kate Edwards says, "never, ever write for free, it is too much damn work."  Amen sister.

Anyway, now that I am done bitching...some of you may remember my ill fated ride to New Mexico where I blew an oil seal and crashed.  To prevent that particular fate I have spent the last few days offering up gifts to the gods of motorcycle maintenance.

Here I am demonstrating the proper method of pressing in fork seals.  Dang I look serious.

Ahhh, that's better...actually pounding on something feels sooooo good!

 

 Black Beauty looks so sad without her front legs....

 

Looks like things are going to get interesting.

This is a  satellite photo of The Squeeze just outside of Green River, Utah

(note: Image is rotated so that NE appears at the top)

And this is the view from the ground. (Photo courtesy of Jeff T.)

 

I will get back to you with more previews when I finish my research tomorrow.

-------------------------------------------------

On the other topic,  Patti and I took our first steps towards getting passports for the motorcycle Rally in Creel, Mexico today.  It finally seems real.  I have been practicing my Spanish, but that is not going so well.  Oh well, maybe by October it will be passable.

That's it for now.

BMWeerman...out

 

 

 

Location: Boalsburg, PA

This month, Road Show will be focusing motorcycle communities.   Blogging has become a popular way to bring people of common interest together.  MBI (Motorcycle Bloggers International) is an organization that collects the best motorcycle blogs from around the world and presents them in one forum.   On this episode, Steve Williams joins us from Pennsylvania.  Williams is this year's winner of the MBI Readers' Choice Award.  Membership in the MBI is by application only and the to come out on top of this exclusive pack is quite the honor.

Williams spoke to us from his office, at Penn State University, and shared his thoughts on rediscovering his community, year round riding, and the joys of solitude.

Visit Williams' blog at:

http://vespalx150.blogspot....

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Welcome to the weekly comix by Rupert Piston.  Piston is the creator of

www.cartoonthunder.com

and has become an official sponsor of Road Show.  Look for a new comic every week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a post, not too long ago, I was complaining about my bad teacher evaluation but raving about my job and my kids.

As of today I have to amend that statement.  I will save you the long, long story.

Just for those of you who don't know I teach in a school where, when I call on the radio, guys with guns come into my classroom and kids often leave in handcuffs.

OK, that out of the way, yesterday was a particularly bad day and after being hit in the head at point blank range in the head...I waited until lunch, then walked into the principles office and quit.

Then thinking better of the situation I called the CTA and we had a meeting this morning where I was basically able to plead temporary insanity and the Doc has put me on medical leave for 2 months.

I'm OK with that....the thing is I have gotten so used to this abusive environment that when I told the story to the doc, I was shocked that he was shocked that no one was charged with assault.  I looked it up.

The law says, particularly if you are on probation, that  what that kid did was felony assault.

The Doc thinks I should press charges...what do you all think?