| Location: | Tucson |
| Mileage: | 6,300 |
The final ride in to Tucson was a 470 mile day. It’s the end of the North American section and we have to get there to our first planned bike service of the ride. It’s our last opportunity to make sure that the bikes have a good going over. Latino mechanics just are not quite the same. 20 miles before we reached the dealer and in the midst of the most torrential rain storm we have encountered to date, we had our first bike failure. Aaron’s F800GS pulled over to the side of the road. It was a failure of the rear wheel bearing. The only good is that at least it has happened in a place where it can be sorted quickly and easily and under warranty. It will be interesting to see how well these bikes cope with a big trip compared with the big GS bikes.
Last night we briefed everyone going forward. The general feel of the group is that the holiday is over and the serious business begins. Some cannot wait to have a change of scene. It’s true that the North America section is for the most part, an easy ride. The roads are fabulous, the scenery is spectacular, food and drink are familiar, as is the language, and the weather has been as good as it gets. We cannot have notched up more than 8 hours of wet riding. But this section is important as it does give the group a chance to bond before the tougher stuff. They all know now that they need to look out for each other in the months ahead.
