First, thank you all for riding along with us on this journey. We appreciate your engagement. If you are looking for a recap of the events and locations we will encourage you to go back and read Leg 1 through 11 as this Chapter, Leg 12, will be different.

First, thank you all for riding along with us on this journey. We appreciate your engagement. If you are looking for a recap of the events and locations we will encourage you to go back and read Leg 1 through 11 as this Chapter, Leg 12, will be different.

As John and I learned from a recent TED Talk (Lori Gottlieb), stories are how we make sense of our lives. It has been an honor to tell you our story these past few months. We had previously ridden a short section of Historic Route 66 five years ago outside of Barstow and we never gave consideration to travel it’s entirety until we changed our story. The adventure we chose of bikes in a fifth wheel, and hikes on trails comes with the loss of the familiar. Nothing looks like it did... which is good... since we wanted freedom and change.

The decision to travel this road was easy, completing it became more difficult. This road is a metaphor for life. At either end it is fresh, exciting, and hopeful, but the span between can get rough, both the physical (tarmac) and the mental.

C -“Should we continue?”

C -“We don’t have to do this.”

C -“Is it worth it?”

We are catching up to a delayed schedule and finally reached the destination of Springfield, Missouri and Springfield, Illinois. Route 66 continues with interesting stops, giants, and friends along the way.

As my eyes catch their very first glimpse of lightning bugs across this field of dreams, I asked: “Is this heaven?” “It’s Missouri” she said, watching the flickering lights bounce off the grass. “Wait, maybe this is heaven.” (Sorry Iowa)

This is our reward for riding America’s Main Street in the hot and humid June of the Midwest. These magical insects were a first for us and have entertained us nearly every evening since.

Searching for signs along Route 66.

We make it to the Midpoint of Route 66. Tucumcari, Amarillo and everything in between. Our favorite: Tucumcari and The Blue Hole!

We make the most of our time while in New Mexico. The ride to Santa Fe got us to Madrid, location of the Wild Hogs movie.

Riding the Old Road on Route 66 we found the rough roads to be fun and challenging. We also found the end of the road… a barbed wire fence covered over in a mound of dirt. So, only one way and that is around. Thanks for reading.

Gallop, New Mexico. Our time in Gallop was a challenging one. Despite the wind and truck damage, we made the most of it. Visit Gallop if you enjoy murals, history, and Route 66 nostalgia. We were able to include a motorcycle ride to Mesa Verde National Park.

The travel on Route 66 continues from Gallop to Grants… thanks for following along as we continue to “find our way” on the Mother Road and surrounding areas of the Southwest.

It is impossible to find just a few photos to share after going to the Grand Canyon National Park. Every photo taken is one a person wants to share. Every view and the changing light continues to awe as we hiked the canyon.

Leg 4: Williams to Winslow on Route 66 was a windy day! But we did it! We rode through wind and heat to “Stand on The Corner” of Winslow, Arizona.

Travel along Route 66 would not be complete without a stop in Oatman, Arizona. The ride on “The Sidewinder” in one you will not soon forget.

Three nights boondocking at Amboy Crater was not enough. Next time through we will plan longer. The quiet, peaceful evenings of dry camping in the desert is a special way to spend your time.

Riding Route 66 on motorcycles can be straight and easy at times… and then there is trying to navigate the old road and struggle with the GPS… and the heat. Coming in to summer heat in the Needles area was challenging at times. Yet, riding “The Mother Road” such a joy when you find the right path and the fun nuggets and facts along the way.

The journey begins at the Santa Monica pier to get our first stamp in the Route 66 book. We met a couple from England and a few others, our paths would cross again. We started in Victorville, rode through traffic to Santa Monica, got told by the California Highway Patrolman to hurry up… “We split lanes” in California. And off he went, never to be seen by us again!

We landed in Victorville, California as our first stop to unload the motorcycles and see the area. First stop Joshua Tree National Park. The motorcycle ride through the National Park was a good choice as it has been something we have wanted to see for some time. This is a special area and is well worth the extra miles to get there. Our second plan was starting the Route 66 journey, riding all of “The Mother Road” from Santa Monica to Chicago. Stay tuned for the next post as we plan “Leg 1” of riding Route 66! Thanks for reading!

Welcome to Season 2 of The Grand Shamrock Tour! Follow along as we load the motorcycles, prepare our plans for travel, visit friends and family, and simply enjoy our view of this great country that we live in. Heading to Oregon and then South to California to start the Route 66 from Santa Monica to Chicago. A daunting task as we do plan to ride the BMW motorcycles and cover as much of the original road as possible.

Time with family was important before leaving Oregon and heading south. Disc golf, dog parks, pizza, and time with family proved to be an awesome week.

Our time in Medford proved to be so worth while. We spent time with family and friends and made the final plans for our travels. The BMW motorcycles have been serviced and rare now ready to roll! A final stop before we head south: Eugene, Oregon.