THURSDAY!  Hey everybody!  We're in California!  Well, northern California, so it's not like "real" California, but it's still legally run by the Governator.  We're in Sacramento - the western end of the Pony Express!  Just think, only two weeks ago we were in St. Joseph, Missouri - the eastern end of the Pony Express.  Riders in the 1800's would cover that distance in just three days - but they had horses and we only had a modern 1,500cc fuel injected motorcycle.  It's an unfair comparison!

Folks, we've riden a lot of days in a lot of situations, but today was without a doubt the toughest ride we've ever had.  It was long (about 550 miles), but the weather was f'ing UNBELIEVABLE!  There were places in the Nevada desert where we were fighting 70 MPH cross winds (it's gross but it really does blow the snot right out of your nose - yes, you had to have that vision!).  We rode through driving rain for hours and even a hail storm!  If you want the same effect at home just have someone throw ice cubes at your face at 60mph!  But the best was saved for last.

California!  We crossed into the land of fruits & nuts from Reno and immediately came to a complete stop.  Thanks to some useless CalTrans state workers fingering their asses we got to stand in driving rain for an hour on the interstate.  The REALLY good news however, is that the delay made us miss our "weather window"  so crossing the Sierras we were riding while it snowed! (NOT KIDDING!).  Anyway, eleven hours after we left the Utah/Nevada border we're in the capital of Californiacate!  Our plan is to let the Ibuprofen take effect, actually use our motel bed for sleeping and then show these state workers why we have arrest records in 17 states...

      
                     What you can't see is the wind!                                               Who knew these clouds would drop hail!

      
We had one of these once - damn near dislocated our hips!            Thank you CalTrans!  Our highway taxes at work!