From Oklahoma City to Tucumcari New Mexico

Wednesday morning, I wake up to a beautiful sunny day ready to push on and finally get out of Oklahoma. I turned on the TV to check on the weather and to my surprise a huge storm is coming my way and there is possibility of tornadoes and hail. I decided to go on and deal with the storm later when I get on its path. It was a risky decision as there is no cover in the great planes of the panhandle of Texas.

Because Oklahoma and Texas are flat, I got on I-40 to get as soon as possible to Amarillo, TX

It was a good call. It was so boring. Nothing to see!

The crosswinds were killing me. Later ,I learned the speed of the winds were between 35 and 40 miles per hour. I was holding on with nails and teeth to the motorcycle but I had to move on before the worst of the storm catch up with me.

At about 40 miles from OKC, It started to rain. I made a quick stop to put on my rain gear. I hoped on to the famous Route 66 to avoid the trucks and to travel on the rain at slower speed. I quickly realized, after 10 miles of riding on the poring rain, that it was not worth the risk and the problem so I stopped at one of the countless museums along the Route 66 and by the same token, waited for the rain to stop.

When I finished with the museum, the rain was over! I left RT 66 and hoped onto I-40 again. The heavy crosswind was going to be a constant until the end of the road in Tucumcari, New Mexico.

I had lunch at a restaurant a long RT66. A nice 8 oz Ranch Steak for $13 clams, Onion Rings, Salad and unlimited sweet tea. You can't beat that.

A few miles down the road, the police stopped the traffic on I-40 as there were wild fires ahead of us. It seems that I was catching all the calamities hitting our country this year. After 45 minutes waiting for the firemen to put out the fire, the police let us through.

I continued the day getting my kicks on Route 66. In and out I went of 66 through abandoned towns and old gas stations. There were people doing 66 only but I thought that was going to be a drag and I didn't want to spend my time doing the entire thing. Instead, I braved the brutal crosswinds and the tractor trailers that will push me forward then suck me in towards the truck and then it will make me shake and rattle as it passed by me. There were moments where I felt my helmet was coming off my head. The wind was just incredible. I stopped to take a picture and the wind was pushing me forward.

The wind got stronger and colder as I started climbing the high deserts of New Mexico. It was almost 7:00 PM and I was getting tired. I finally got to my final destination, a Motel 6 along the road. God, what an awful place. The rugs smelled like feet and the dispensing machines had condoms, tampons.... you get the drift 

Taking I-40 most of the way was a good idea. By the end of the day and after a slow start, I had crossed another time zone, Mountain Time, made it on time to New Mexico and traveled 310 miles.

My beautiful morning in Oklahoma turned into this. I was on the look out for tornadoes along I-40

Lighting and rain was heavy. I was at a gas station debating whether to continue or wait until it stops. I decided to go along 66 just in case I needed cover from the hail forecast earlier

Finally out of Oklahoma! For the next 4 hrs the crosswinds on the plains of Texas would punish me without merci

Getting my kicks on 66 with my Frogg Toggs

This is my official photo in Oklahoma. For some reason or bad luck I did not see a proper sign like the others

And for $13 clams I got that 8Oz meat. Not bad but still Talihina reigns supreme

Another diner/gas station along RT 66. I loved the architecture

In a small town along RT 66. This town was almost abandoned. It had 66 inhabitants.

Inside the museum in Oklahoma. While touring the museum the rain had subsided and I was able to continue my trip on the dry.

This truck is in the museum. It was the typical truck used by migrants to scape the dust bowl

I can't remember when  gallons of gas were measured in cents.

I was waiting with three other motorcycle in front of the line. A Harley and Honda Gold Wing and my C. The cops later stopped by to check out my C and ignored the other two. Ha!

Brush fire up ahead. The police eventually stopped the traffic until the firemen controlled the fire

I was complaining about Alabama, but Texas is the worst. The crosswinds in the plains were 35-45 miles per hour.

For miles and miles on I-40 this was the view left and right. Exciting, right?

This is a stretch of RT 66, it goes along I-40 most of the time but you will never know where it ends forcing you to take I-40 again.

At this point I was adjusting my clock and moving it back an hour. Check out in the background my noble steed C and the great welcoming sign to New Mexico. I was at 4,000 feet high

The official photo. The wind was knocking down my tripod and camera so I had to be quick.

 
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