Lost Highway

Six hours into the 922 mile journey to Elk City, and we've just crossed into Arkansas. We were fortunate to avoid any real traffic in both Nashville and Memphis. Driving through Memphis on I40 at night is a surreal experience. You don't even see downtown until you're practically through it. Our next landmark is Little Rock, two hours away. At this rate we'll reach James and Karen's house by 10am tomorrow. Or would that be later today?

The moon has shrunk down to a sliver of a thumbnail, so the night is pitch black beyond the shoulder of the road. Its an ominous reminder of how important it will be to make it to the hotel on time each night of the trip.

All packed up and nowhere to go...

The bikes have been ready since Saturday, so tonight I had one thing on my agenda: get packed. It's hard to believe I was able to fit so much into my Zega cases and topcase.

Two sets of riding gear, jeans, two T-shirts, casual socks, five pair of riding socks, six pair of skivies, glove liners, spare gloves, assorted tools and spare parts, no-fog cloth, small towel, sunglasses, flashlight, matches, six powerbars, peanuts, two liters of water, electrolytes, personal kit, spare goggles, tape, notebook and pen, bungee cords, enduro jacket, Tylenol, digital camera and video camera. And I still have room to spare!

Being ready this early for a trip feels strange. Our usual trip prep involves rushing frantically at the last moment trying to fix something on the bike, or searching for some obscure piece of riding gear that's hiding in plain sight. This time the bike is in perfect shape and my gear is all accounted for and packed, and I still have 20 hours left until we hit the road.

Tomorrow we're loading the bikes and packing up the trailer for the long haul out to Elk City. Now if I can just relax enough to get some sleep between now and Friday...

72 Hours and Counting

Ten months ago today my father and I were just starting out on our first week of riding the Trans-America Trail, from Selmer, TN to Talequah, OK. Six days later, after crossing the Oklahoma border, it was time to turn around and head home. All I wanted to do was keep on riding west.

72 hours from now we'll be leaving for Elk City, OK, driving through the night, to spend another week on the trail, this time joined by my uncle Rick. We'll be riding through western Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, and hopefully making it to Moab, Utah before again turning back east towards home.

For those of you who don't know (which is probably most), the Trans-America Trail is a masterfully-crafted route from Jellico, TN to the coast of Oregon that is almost entirely off-pavement. It consists of dirt roads, gravel roads, jeep roads, forest service and power line roads, as well as dried up creek beds, and even abandoned rail grades and farm levies. It's creator, Sam Correro, spent years mapping out the course, specifically trying to avoid as much pavement as possible, and at the same time guiding you through some of the most amazing parts of the country that you would never otherwise see.

Our first trip was a learning experience. What to pack. What not to pack. How to set up the bike. What kind of gear to wear. This time we're better prepared, but it's still going to be quite a challenge. Looking at the maps it's obvious that the terrain is going to become more challenging, and that the days are going to be longer. In a note on the second day's map, Sam says to only spend 20 minutes at lunch – otherwise you might be riding to the hotel in the dark.

So 72 hours left to prep, and then about another 36 hours to get to Elk City, meet up with Rick and visit with family before starting out early on the 19th. I can't wait…