Time to hit the road!
Around 500 miles on the motorcycle today. Definitely was feeling it around the 400ish mark, going to take a few days to ride into shape.
But the big deal is THE HEAT. It is going to be a big factor for my trip, forecasts are running 10 to 15 degrees above normal.
That makes a slightly unpleasant 85 degree ride into a very unpleasant 95 degree ride or a dangerous 100+ degree ride.
So today’s main goal was: Get past Redding before it hit 105(!)
I got up at 4:30, snuggled all the girls (wife and 2 cats) and headed out.
Since the goal was to make time, I headed for the mind numbing horror of the interstates – 680 to 505 to I5. I5 was the typical soul destroying drudge, but success – it had just hit 88 degrees (around 10 AM) when I turned off on Hwy 299.
299 takes you immediately up into the mountains and things cooled off, generally staying in the mid to upper 80s. Since I was past the risk of Redding, I stopped for lunch and then headed on into Lakeview, Oregon.
Motorcycle seems to be doing fine, but I have managed to slice open my pinky toe bashing it on my SPD pedals after pulling the bicycle off the motorcycle and perching it in my hotel room. Hopefully it will heal up before I start the bicycling.
Due to the heat, it’ll probably be another early early day tomorrow, and probably longer layovers than I originally planned. It pretty much cuts the day in half – no bicycling in the morning and then riding to the next city.
500 more miles to the first climb!
PS, while I was picking up Pop Tarts for the morning, I ran into someone doing the American Trail Race(!) – he was around mile 4,650, making my adventure look a bit shabby! Dylan was currently in the lead and full of energy.
Dennis Rides - Motorcycles & Bicycles 
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