Los Angeles to Oklahoma City

and beyond

and back

Photo taken Sept.12 2007 -- Ready to Ride!

 

September 11th, 2007 -- Thumper is gassed up, tools and spares and oil and such in the saddlebags,  Ready to roll out in the morning.  The best laid plans of mice and men are apt to go astray; but basically I'm going to stick to the following, trying to keep the speeds between 60-65 for economy and to ease the vibrations.  Times are figured on 60 mph average with 5 minutes for a Fuel Stop and 45 minutes for a Fuel & Food Stop.  Clicking on each image will take to to a web page that I'll try to update each evening of the ride with pictures of that stop.

September 12th,  Four legs, 572 miles.  September 13th, four legs, 518 miles.  September 14th, 248 miles.

My normal time for leaving the house to go to work is 6:45am.  So at 6:45 I do my final packing and depart Gardena at 7am.  East on the 105, north on the 605, east on the 210, north on the 15 to Barstow,onto the I-40 to the first gas stop, arrivine about 9:08 am.

The last cheap gasoline before hitting the Mojave is the Arco on the east side of Barstow.  An easy 128 miles from home, shouldn't even hit reserve.

If I am on reserve before 135 miles I'll stop at the J-Street 76 in Needles and grab a half a gallon, otherwise push a remarkable 163.7 miles to the Pilot Travel Center, Arizona exit #9; stop at or about  12:57pm for fuel and food.

153.6 miles later it is 4:16 and we arrive at the center of Williams, where we have the choice of four gas stations. 

Last run of the day is just 124.7 miles, which has me rolling into Holbrook at 6:28pm -- cheap gas at the CircleK, check into the Motel, walk next door for dinner.  (May be an hour later if I dogleg to the Meteor Crater.)

7am rise, checkout, have breakfast ar Denny's on the road by 8am for the 151.2 mile run to Milan and the Pedro Stopping Center (Mobil), arrving at 9:31am.

From Milan it is only 118.8 miles to Moriarty and Lisa's Truck Center.  Suspossed to be a restaurant there for a fuel & food stop, 11:36am - 12:21pm.

Could go 8 miles further into Tucumcari, but if we cut short at 124.7 miles we find a Stuckey's Pecan Shoppe!  Get Texaco gasoline, just as in the '50's, and spend an extra 15 minutes shopping -- 2:26-2:46pm.

Cross into Texas and Central Time, 123 miles to exit 71 in Amarillo, double back to the Denny's for dinner, 5:30pm - who cares.  Loop back eastward to end the day at the Motel 6.

Early rise, leave the Motel 5:00am, putt east a couple of miles to the Travel Center of America for fuel and breakfast.  Roll out onto I-40 East about 6:00am.

144 miles to Elk City OK and a Loves Travel Stop for fuel -- 8:24-8:29am.  The aerial photo of Elk City is low-rez, the Love's site claims it is off exit 41.

 

From Elk City it's only 104 miles to the Motel 6 in Oklahoma City, where I'm booked for two nights.  Have a 66 station and an IHoP handy.  Drop off bags & screen at 10:13am and putt to....

North side of freeway, the Biltmore Hotel and GEEIA Reunion.  Hotel has WiFi, but if they charge for it I have Freedomlink available just a block north at the McDonalds. 

From about 10:30 Friday, Sept.14th, 2007 through about Noon Sunday, I should be spending most of my time at the REUNION   meeting with other G.E.E.I.A. troopers.  Leaving on Sunday for a run to Jonesboro and hanging out with #1 daughter for a few days, and then a BB1500  back to L.A. in time for our 21st Wedding Anniversary.

*** NOTE ***  Everything beyond the GEEIA Reunion is tenative, depending on how I am feeling after the 1340 miles in three days.   I may be limping back home on 2-lane roads.