Post 173: Memphis, Tennessee

I accidentally found the midway point of Route 66: Los Angeles 1139 Miles, Chicago 1139 Miles. It wasn't signposted, ... it was just a simple sign opposite a diner at Adrian in Texas. I'd been travelling East along 'I40', .... I turned off and there it was. I stopped for lunch, took a few pictures and then continued East, .... for four more days.
I've passed through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and I'm now in Tennessee. Four days of travelling, almost 2,000 miles including detours, .... and I can't think of anything to say. After almost six months of travelling, this has been the most baron four days of the journey, .... I've seen nothing of interest, .. I've done nothing of interest. I'm sorry, .... but that's just the way that it is. This evening, Sunday 12th October, I've arrived in Memphis, ..... surely something will happen here.
I've been squeezed East by the weather. Behind me is the leading edge of 'Norbert', a category 3 hurricane that's currently crossing Mexico and to the North is a line of snow that's moving towards the East Coast. Above me are clear skies, bright sunshine, ... but the cross-winds are amazingly strong. This makes the riding difficult, I'm constantly correcting the bike as the wind howls across this flat and featureless landscape, .. it's impossible to hide form it. I'm starting to have my first major concerns about the bike. In 2,000 miles, I've burned almost 2 litres of oil, ... in the previous 23,000 miles, .. it had burned almost none. The exhaust is definitely smoking when the bike is revved, .. hot or cold, ... the smoke is always present. I've still got full power throughout the range, but I'm short-shifting and cruising at around 65mph, .. just to be careful. I also need to change the rear tyre, probably the front too. The straight roads over the past few thousand miles have taken their toll on the centre-lines. I can't complain, ... I haven't liked the tyre combination since they were first fitted in Volgograd, .. 15,000 road miles ago, .... they've served their purpose. There's a Triumph Dealership here in Memphis, I'll call in tomorrow, .. I hope it's good news.
www.justgiving.com/geoffgthomas