Day 1 LA to Delano (Bakersfield)

The bike sorting out took longer than expected and some things were not as planned. However the first group set off at1230 to do the start of Route 66 and Hollywood, i'm in that group. The others were doing an easy straight run up the highway to our next hotel.
All went well though heavy traffic at Santa Monica meant time was lost, so lunch was had on the end of the pier. Photos taken at the R66 sign and then set of for Beverly Hills.

More queues on the boulevards, more time lost. Fought our way to Hollywood then up the hill to the sign. The obligatory photo shots then on to I5 and Delano for our overnight. The heat built up and just before I5 we stopped for drinks and cooling down. Temp of 79F and we're melting in our gear.

Not only that it is now 1830 and we have only done 45 miles ! 125 still to go. With the sun slowly sinking in the west we had an amazing ride over the hills on I5, very busy with big rigs haulin loads up a 16% gradient in the crawl lane. We flew by, then down the north side, other rigs burning brakes and rubber trying to slow down, the smells mixing with the dry grass pollen blowing around, very atmospheric. The road surface pretty poor in places where steel rims have gouged rail-lines into the surface.

Looking for a cooling breeze we were disaappointed, it just got hotter, 82 and its 2030. The sun is now set and the gloom gathering. We are at the foot of the hill and I5 stretches away in a straight line as far as you can see. How wide is this plain? Don't know but after 45 mins of riding it is still there in front of us stretching to the horizon. We pulled over for a breather, still 50 miles to go. 2200 we pulled in to the car park, tired hungry and very thirsty but what a great ride.

A quick shower and then food at a Dennys , and lots of water and juice.
Tomorrow its the Sequoia national park.