Baloney, Baloney, Salome (March 10: Day 7--Salome, AZ)

The big event today was crossing our first state line..we left California and entered Arizona.  Leaving one state and entering another sparks an event that is near and dear to my heart;a celebratory visit to Margaritaville!  Oh yea....we toasted ourselves with Margaritas in the pink neon bathed parking lot of the renowned Sheffler Inn. What an event to celebrate, only outshone by the wonderful ride where it transpired.

After leaving Blythe, and biding 'adieu' to it's colorful residents, we rode across the Colorado River, (really) and entered Rt 10 for some sweet riding.  It was turning onto Rt 60, though, that really got this girl's attention--woohoo, what a ride!  Beautiful weather, a silvery smooth road surface, a gentle negative grade (that's downward slope, folks) and a blazing tailwind got me so in the zone, that I blew by my SAG stop and on to the little town of Hope before I even realized it.  Speeds of 24, 25, 26......28 with no effort beyond a steady cadence.  Good stuff!

If you blink, and I did, you will miss Hope.  Circling back, I parked my bike and settled in at the Victory Cafe for lunch. 

Let me tell you, Blythe does not hold the license for colorful characters.  Sitting at the table next to me was Norm, and his 'lady friend' (uh-huh...).  He informed me, and the rest of the riders as they came in, that if we left Hope, we were beyond hope....... After a GREAT lunch, we left Hope, and we did, indeed, find ourselves 'beyond Hope".

Baloney,Baloney, Salome

A short ride brought us to the metropolis of Salome, where we started this post.....

The motel (that's being generous, but it beats camping) was a early 19-something vintage.  Softly bathed in pink neon lights, it did take one back in time.....I had to wonder how far back into time I had to go to find the owner of the toenails that were left in a drawer.


The proprietor was a sweet old lady that was thrilled to finally have some business, and she proudly showed everyone her baby, which she kept swathed from the cold in her coat. He also rides shotgun on her shoulder

As I said, it beats camping.....  And after all,  we did have Margarita's.

Baloney,Baloney, Salome

64 miles