Ian gets deflated

Trip Start Sep 10, 2008
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Trip End Oct 05, 2008


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Flag of United States  , New Mexico,
Monday, September 22, 2008

 on the road from Amarillo to Santa Fe, we started out in the flat praire lands to Tucumcari where we stopped for the first of many indian trading posts.  Tucumcari  is a very traditional  route 66 town and it served the best coffee so far in Kix of route 66 diner.  A little way out of town in the desert we all pulled over to have a break and look at a very old run down town settlement when Ian got a flat tire, not just any flat tyre though it was the back tyre and it went through tube....what this means is that it would have to go to a shop to be fixed and we were about $500 worth of towing distance away from the nearest town.  Luckily Mark speaks Spanish and as luck would have it along came a big ute and trailer that was heading in the right direction, so we packed Ian and his bike off with Miguel who spoke english and three others who did not and prayed that he was not sold for body parts!  more from Ian later about his experience. We went on to Las Vegas, New Mexico through the middle of many big lighting storms up the mountian road to a cattle raising plateu and on to Santa Fe.

Ian here now.
thanks for the comments.Well, what a trip this has been. Just fantastic- the trip of a lifetime. Am looking forward to riding in Aust in the future. the bike has gone well, except for the flaty. As soon as I was stranded by the others, I wondered if I would ever see them or my family and friends again. Heading off at 130km in the back of a truck towing a trailer,  with mexicans.But in usual style I kept the driver talking for 2 hours, in case he got ideas of uses for my wallet or body parts. Luckily he was a really genuine guy and we had a great trip. a few miles down the road, we ran over a snake. I asked to go back for a photo and they did. Found it was  diamond back rattlesnake, but unfortunately it had broken its back. Another car then ran over it, and almost extinguished its life. We (not me- the mexicans) then pushed it off the road with a stick. He was pretty grumpy by then and struck out several times at them. An amazing experience. They threw him in the back of the truck (beside my jacket!!) and left him to die- which took a while.
Anyway, tomorrow we head for the Grand Canyon.which should be great- about the only scary thing is riding along the freeway at 130km getting overtaking by the big rigs beside us doing about 150km!
looking forward to matthew, cam and cq coming at the end of the week. Will add more before then.
cheers ian
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Comments

batts1
batts1 on Sep 22, 2008 at 06:57AM

batts
hi spike.

well well. Your blog just proves that the have heard your reputation all over the world. Even mexican truck drivers knew there would be no point trying to steal your wallett because theres never anthing in it!!

Marilyn and I are making good progress getting your pool in. Will be done by the time you get back...

muffyman
muffyman on Sep 26, 2008 at 07:42AM

Hi Ian from Ian Evans
Hi Ian awesome is all I can say great to see how the other half live, sounds like you where lucky with the Mexican's that they didn't end up eating you for breakfast with beans, great to hear that you are able to crank those machines up on the freeways and have all that fresh air blowing through your hair, I could just imagine you Ian asking if you could go back and see the snake, I could just imagine if the snake hist at you and lurched forward I bet you would have needed a change of underwear, cant wait to talk to you about the trip and the strip bars you went to? oh I better shut up Marilyn will have my guts for garters Talk to you soon Cheers Ian

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