Awesome trip. I hope to do the same one day. Maybe on the way back you can take some of the side roads to enjoy the scenery.

Be careful in Vegas. It tends to attract some rather crazy people that won't care for you on a scooter.

Maybe post some pictures of your trip?

 

I am very interested in this observation. I have a couple of tourers and a FLSTC, all old. I'm indifferent about whether I have radio or not, so when it comes to a new bike I'm always thinking Heritage or Road King. Keep posting and try to stay dry. Should be easy now that you're in the Southwest.

 

Today's paper predicts thundershowers/rain Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. It rarely rains in Vegas, but when it does things go bad fast. It is either a heavy rain or worse a slight drizzle. We get so little rain that the streets quickly become slippery, from oil that doesn't get washed away as it does in other areas.

 

Thought I'd try to give this a bump so we could see how the trip is going.

 

When I left Grants, NM everything was uneventful until I got past Hoover Dam. Some idiot semi driver going down a steep hill with a sharp turn on the bottom going way over the 45 speed limit turned the rig over and blocked three of the 4 lanes. I was at the Hoover Dam Hotel area when all west bound traffic was stopped. I pulled into the hotel parking lot and rested a bit looking at the line of stopped vehicles until you could not see around a curve. It looked like two miles to me. Had a bottle of water and left the lot. A nice driver let me onto the road just as I left the lot. The temp was 100. We would move a couple of feet at a time. Had the heat management system on but only sit still long enough to it to activate a couple of times. An hour latter with the engine hot and rattling I got past the bottle neck. I went past Henderson and thought that I was home free. Nope on the 415 going to I-15 a 6 car pile up held up traffic for 20-30 minutes. Got to I-15 north to get off at Craig but a two car pile up held up traffic for about 15 minutes. Made it to my son's house very hot and tired. I had went 700 miles that friday and was wearing a leather armoured jacket instead of my fabric one(birthday present from my wife what could I do?)

Had a nice meal and went to bed. Elvis had put in an appearance. However very dirty from the cold rains in Missouri two days before.

Had a nice visit with my son and daughter in law during the day then a buffet and casino in the evening.

Headed out Monday am and got to Ft. Smith, Ark. with ease and one issue. Going east through Amarillo, Tx in congested traffic a semi just ahead of me blew a tire on the right rear dual. All the debris missed me.

Headed north the next day on I-49 north. In Joplin, Missouri there was heavy road construction and traffic kicked up some big stone which took out my front right turn signal. Two inches more to the right and it would have been my already in bad shape knee.

Besides more heavy construction in Kansas City, Mo. Then on I-44 going a short jog east construction reduced the 4 lanes to two. Just ahead a semi and two cars tried to merge into the same space. The semi won and one car flew upside down and landed in the ditch. The other car was on the road but sideways and the semi was partially sideways with about 6 feet of pavement open in the left lane. I took it. Folks were parking and running to the wreck. On parked on the other side and ran across the median. Fools. It looked like who ever was in the crushed car on its roof was no longer in need of help.

I was pulling into my driveway at 8 pm 13 hours after leaving Ft. Smith. Elvis was very dirty. The ride from Kingman Az. to almost to Albuquerque, NM was a cold rain. The elevation in northern NM is about 6,000 feet and it can get cold.

For the trip I averaged 700 miles per day and 12 to 13 hours seat time. I will repeat that all the touring bikes that I have had from a Kawasaki Nomad, Ultra Classic, Road King and Road Glides that Heritage seat and over all ride was the most comfortable.

I was tired though. Age is finally catching up. I do this ride every year although it was always a week earlier so that we could go down to Laughlin River Run. I did start out the week before on my 17 Street Rod but the fuel pump gave out in Hannibal, Mo. and my wife came down in my recovery van and rescued me.

In the past I did not need recovery time after the ride but it took me two days this year.

Washed and detailed the bike today. Will go on a short ride tomorrow and do the 5 K. That is when Elvis will get syn oil. No reason why but I change to syn at 5K. A new lens and two filament bulb at the dealer today was under $10 and installed before I pulled the bike into the garage and hooked up to life support (aka tender).

That ride had more construction and more accident delays than any tour in my 61+ years of riding. Flying rocks, exploding truck tires and four accident scenes and a damaged bike.

But I would not have missed it for anything. Can't wait to next year.

Sorry no pictures. I suck at using a camera.

Side note: Both ways gas through Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri was at $1.999 with one fill up in Oklahoma City at $1.899. A Chevron station on US 95 halfway between Kingman and Henderson was $3.799. People were pulling in!

 

Wow! Congratulations, admirations, and every other good thing I can think of to say. That is the most traffic bad luck I've ever heard of in one ride or maybe 100 rides.
Glad you made it and glad you're okay; and thanks for the review.