1st September 2010



Breakfast

 I was surprised to find the clock displaying 09:25 when I woke. This must have been because we were staying in a room that had curtains without holes in them to let the daylight through. We both slept very well, so well that we decided to book another night. It was a bonus that the room was $30 cheaper for Wednesday night too.
Bill managed to scrape the skin off of his sore nose while washing so we had a bloody towel. He threatened to make a cardboard beak for his nose, to keep the sun off, but thankfully didn't go through with it.
We had no breakfast, only coffee from the hotel coffee bar. We sat in the lobby and looked at weather and maps in order to plan our onward journey. We decided that on Thursday we would head for Salt Lake City, to see a motor museum there and then decide whether we would continue onwards or stay. All this dependent on the weather, of course. I phoned Jane and we talked about a Yamaha Diversion that she was bidding on, on eBay (edit: now bought and in the garage).

We ambled to the post office to send some postcards and enquire as to whether there was a bank in Wendover. Unfortunately it costs 98c to send a postcard, so the 4 that I have already sent to Redbreast Road may not make it :( (edit: am very impressed with US postal service as all postcards arrived. What nice people). I bought 10 further 98c stamps so that I can send some more postcards later. I phoned Amy and Eric and gave them my love. We went to the local 'Family Dollar' supermarket to buy a drink and some shaving gel and then on to Ruben's pastries, where we bought 2 apple turnovers and 2 cinnamon cookies. We ate them there. Bill liked his turnover so much that he bought another for later (then ate it as soon as we returned to the room).

When we returned to the hotel room, we watched the Weather Channel, which seems to be the only channel worth watching in America, unless you pay extra. They appear to have more crap, and especially more advertisements, than we have on UK TV. After this, I relaxed by the pool. When I came back in, it was already 3:30pm. I watched the Weather Channel again, while updating diary.



Stuart Smuggles A Bag Of Beer Into The Casino



We met up with Phil Hawkins in the hotel bar and met a few of his acquaintances: Jimmy (Hyosung Motorcycles), Dale Schmidtchen (ATK Motorcycles), Alan Cathcart (motorcycle journalist and racer), Stuart Bratt (Englishman from Bridgnorth), Matt Capri, Roger and Jerry (all from South Bay Triumph in LA). Apart from Jimmy, who went back to his room, we all went for a meal at a dodgy looking Mexican restaurant. The food turned out to be excellent. As you can imagine, the general theme of conversation was bikes. Stuart, Roger and Jerry went to get some beers as the Mexicans only had Bud Lite.

Phil 'I Shoot From The Hip' Hawkins




Stuart grabs 40 winks during

another of Roger's Jokes

After the meal a few of the guys went back to get some kip. It must be hard work; all this record breaking. Me, Bill, Roger, Jerry and Phil went to the hotel bar and proceeded to drink the rest of the beers; sneaking them out from a hold-all under the table. When the beers ran out, I bought a round which cost me $25. Phil did an admirable job of keeping up but had to admit defeat eventually as he had to be on the salt at 06:15 so off he went to bed. Roger decided that we should finish the half bottle of rum he had in his room so off he toddled to get it. Looking back, it was probably quite cheeky drinking a bottle of Captain Morgan in the hotel bar but we didn't get any attention from security. Roger managed to persuade a couple of ladies to join us. One was called Abi and I can't remember the other one's name. Due to the copious amount of alcohol consumed, I ended up swapping my shirt for Abi's. I didn't look good in a strappy top but luckily no one had a camera to hand to record the evidence. We wisely swapped the tops back later but not before I had paraded through the casino on my way to the loo. The girls had to leave us as the husband of Abi's friend seemed to be having a paddy on the phone at her. 

Roger Russell

"Whaaa' da faack" Jerry

We all had a good load of laughs and the catchphrase "Wha' da faaaack?" (originating from Jerry and best by far in his Argentinian accent) surfaced countless times.  Details get a little hazy but we eventually made it to bed somewhen after 4am.