Today was the perfect weather we could have ever asked for. It was foggy and cool as riders left Gallup, and New Mexico, in the background. Northern Arizona is cool and scenic, and Flagstaff boasts of being in the largest Ponderosa Pine forest in the nation, so you can imagine the beauty we were engulfed by.

As usual, there were riders wrenching and adjusting at the end of the day. Dieter has yet to find anyone capable of repairing his broken fork so the BSA will be off the road for at least another day. Last I saw the German couple, Katrin was keeping her husband company under a tall pine as he worked to get her JAP in tip top condition for Friday’s route, which will include steep inclines, rough surfaces, and what was considered the most dangerous section of Route 66 when the famous route was still contiguous from Chicago to California.

The day started out with heavy fog just outside Gallup. Beautiful. The ride across the Navajo Reservation was interesting. Several low spots had wash outs where the flash floods loaded the road with red mucky mud. Staffers put out a warning sign for riders then scurried on ahead to check for other road concerns. Besides some rutted, bumpy pavement, the majority of the surfaces were great. Flagstaff is sunny and gorgeous. Riders are just starting to roll in so i'm heading out to catch them and give 'em all a hug!! Great day for a ride... no rain!

As we travel the route of our archaic peregrination we are being followed and photographed by famed photographer, Michael Lichter, as he rides along on the back of a Panhead H-D. Sitting backwards. Carl Olsen is the pilot of this two man team and the pair get quite the looks. Imagine for yourself the sight, Mike and all his camera gear strapped in to an odd looking sort of highchair with padded braces designed to keep Mike safe as he struggles to get those amazing images he's so famous for.

Michael has been kind enough to share some of those captured moments with us. Go to www.lichterphoto.com to see more of Michael's amazing work.

“Red sky at morning, sailors take warning”….ever heard that old saw? Well, that was rattling around my brain this morning in Albuquerque as I shot the glowing sunrise from the parking lot of the Motorcycle Cannonball hotel. Actually, “holy crap” is what I said out loud. It was a beautiful sight.

The day started out wonderful and slowly melted into a soggy mess that had riders soaked to the bone, cold, and worried about their physical being as well as their motorcycle’s longevity. There were plastic wrapped magnetos and garbage bag garbed riders. By day’s end, everyone was congratulating each other for a good day’s ride. All came home safe.