From Tucson yesterday, did 500 miles making a loop to avoid Phoenix, taking I-10 to Palm Springs then the 29 Palms Hwy to Yucca Valley, spending the night in Victorville — a place that sucks bigtime with regard to any semblance of layout for traveler convenience. Really thought I might do 600 miles today and make Chico, but heading west on Hwy. 58 toward Bakersfield, I suddenly encountered a Spring storm with horrific winds and SNOW! Simultaneous with this unwelcome development, I began to lose power and the motor started missing. I switched to reserve fuel and the engine caught again. Even tho I had been bucking a ferocious headwind, I was flabberghasted that I was running out of gas after only 100 miles. Conditions were major bad, i.e. a virtual whiteout with blowing snow and hardly any visibility. Of course, my visor fogged up too. Thank God I made it the 17 miles to Tehacahapi where I pulled off and sought refuge in a cafe. Two hours later, weather was even worse so I called it a day at 11 AM and took a room at a motel adjacent to the restaurant. As I type this, it is blizzard conditions outside. Just getting the bike from the cafe 100 yards to the motel was an adventure with nearly an inch of hail/snow in the parking lot.
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