I’m looking forward to a ride to Tulsa next week. It will get me away from here for a week or so, and make the time until my departure go much faster. I’ll spend some time on Route 66 too, since there’s a good portion of it remaining east of Oklahoma City. I’ve ridden Route 66 before, back in the mid-’90s, and I can’t wait to ride it again. I’ll be passing through some old haunts — Shamrock, Clinton, the DQ in Vega — nowhere places that have the ring of the old-time towns of the ’50s. There’s something about the atmosphere of these towns that to this day attracts me. If you don’t understand, I can never explain.

The reason I’m going to Tulsa is to visit an acquaintance from an internet movie forum. On the way home I’ll be stopping in Phoenix to see another net acquaintance. I’ve not yet met her, but I’m looking forward to doing so. Later, in mid-July, some of us from the same forum are making a trek to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio to ride the roller coasters. That should be a lot of fun.

The weather in Oklahoma hasn’t been the greatest so far this spring. I’m hoping it will clear up for my trek. If not, well, I have a good rain suit, but I’m not tornado-proof. That would be an adventure for sure.

For now though, it’s tough trying to kill time until mid-June and my departure from here. I’ve been doing some work on the bike, replacing tired old shocks, oiling cables, changing circuit breakers, fuses and electrical relays. The bike is eleven years old and has 110,000 miles (177,000 kilometers) on her. She’s getting tired, and by doing a little preventive maintenance I’m hoping to avoid problems on the road as best I can.