Amazing Arizona Adventure: All Good Things Must Come To An End

It's taken me awhile to get around to writing my last post about our Arizona trip. I guess it's because I didn't want it to end, but it did, so I guess I'll have to get over it and write about the ride home.
Ann was supposed to wake us up around 6:30. I woke up and the sun was so bright I thought for sure that she forgot, it had to be at least 10. Then I looked at the clock, it wasn't even 6 yet. Wow, it's never that bright that early in Salinas, NEVER.
There's something about the sun shining so bright in the morning that makes it easier to get out of bed. Maybe it's because you can actually see that you're 'burning daylight', or maybe it's because you can tell it's going to be a beautiful day and you need to get out there, or maybe it's just because it's too damned bright to sleep anymore.
Whatever the case, I was ready to get up. What I wasn't ready for was the fact that we had to go home. This trip was not nearly as long as it needed to be, but I guess I should just be thankful that I was able to make it at all.
We got up and visited for quite awhile before we decided we better hit the road. So we finished loading up and said our goodbyes. Kickstand was nice enough to escort us to the road we would need to take to get out of town.
The ride home was uneventful in the good way, but we did have fun at all our little stops that we made. We knew it was a long ride home, but none of us were really in any kind of hurry.
Right after we got into California I started to feel really yucky from the heat, it's probably because I had to put that helmet back on. I knew that we would be stopping before too long so I was trying to just ride it out, but I finally told Dave that we needed to pull off soon. Willy must have read my mind because he took the very next exit.
I was okay, but I knew that if I didn't take care of myself I wouldn't be. We hung out in the shade for awhile and drank about a gallon of water, and I put the water vest on. That made a huge difference. After that I was fine.
Fast forward I don't know how many hours and we were in Paso Robles at about midnight and it was freezing. We pulled into a gas station and I put on the chaps and some more layers. Dave and Willy were laughing at me because I had a beanie on and then my hood pulled up over that and then my helmet over it. I looked like a big dork....did I care? NOOOOO. I just wanted to be warm.
The last two hours of the ride were cold, freaking cold really, but it was still just awesome. The night was clear and I just stared at all the stars and thought about the really great trip we had. Every little bit Dave would give me the thumbs up to see how I was doing and I would give him my thumbs up to let him know I was still there.
It was almost 3 AM when we rolled the bike into the garage. I was really surprised at how my body held up. That was the most extreme trip I have ever taken. Somewhere around 1600 miles in 4 days, extreme heat, extreme cold, and I did it. And yes, I am patting myself on the back a little bit. I didn't complain, I didn't even feel like complaining. I loved every minute of it! And when asked if I would do it again, my replied would be, "In a heartbeat!"
I was glad for a lot of reasons that I decided not to ride my own on this trip, but next time......I think I'll be ready!