Bring on the Highlight Reel

It seems we have a lot to discuss. Since we last checked in with you we have been wined and dined in Flagstaff, pushed through the massive crater that is Hoover dam, enjoyed the legendary hospitality of Rosanne and the staff of the Boulder Dam Hotel, went 15 rounds with the one and only Pops Hall, and finished it all up with a glorious steak dinner and warm smiles at the Pendletons. Lets discuss.

After far too long we traded the barren wastelands that made up the Indian reservations of northern Arizona for the beautiful hippie oasis that is Flagstaff. With our long hair, beards, and bikes it seemed we had been in preparing to arrive at this place as each and every local we met shared our love for a lifestyle slightly less mainstream. The preferred method of transportation was clearly by bike, the average hair length for both men and women seemed somewhere around the shoulder, and while the entire area around our hotel seemed bustling with business, no one appeared to be actually working, per se.

We first met up with Pittsburgh Willy (Randy Walters) and Johnny Beans (John Bratcher), along with their lovely wives Cyndee and Kim. We exchanged greetings and a few stories briefly before separating for the afternoon, and a few hours later said hello to Jessica Hall, Zach’s sister and our generous sponsor of hotel fees and drinks in Flagstaff. The three of us immediately made for the bar and Anthony sat back and enjoyed observing a few hours of conversation that had a rhythm and style uniquely Hall. After some catching up the three of us left the hotel whistle stop for a restaurant up the street where the three of us are confident that we enjoyed the worst burrito ever rolled, despite the fact that we got three different burritos. We suppose something must be sacrificed for the sake of the Flagstaff atmosphere, and that something is burrito quality control. A fair trade if we’ve ever made one.

The remainder of the evening moved around a couple locations but for the most part remained in the bar of the Monte Vista hotel. All of our drinks were sponsored by a combination of Hall, Walters, and Bratcher generosity. The jack and cokes flowed like wine as we traded goofy stories and sadly, the night was over before we knew it. Time flies while you’re havin fun, and in due turn the following morning’s hangover seemed to last forever.

When we finally parted ways with our wonderful Arizona hosts we were in Kingman, AZ. This was a solid 90 miles ride from Boulder City, NV. We made surprisingly good time with the exception of the final 10 miles, which crossed over Hoover Dam. It is a rarely noticed fact that Hoover dam is actually in what appears to be the remnants of the most massive meteor strike in the Earth’s history. Since having crossed over its limits, Team Loco has become an expert in this particular quality seeing as we were forced to ride both down, and up some of the steepest hills of the trip so far. The winding roads both leading to and coming from the massive concrete structure were some of the most fun, and most miserable we’ve enjoyed yet, so chalk up another victory for our weathered backsides as this one was well earned.

We spent the following two days in the warm embrace of the owners and staff of the Boulder Dam Hotel. The hospitality we received there was unlike any other hotel experience thus far. We had the privilege to become quite close with the staff. Rose, one of the owners in particular went up, down, inside and out of her way to make our stay as accommodating as possible. She even gave up an afternoon to cart us to and from a movie theater in Las Vegas to see Harry Potter, just so we wouldn’t have to bite the minimal Bus or cab fee ourselves. We’d like to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all of your efforts and generosity. We wish the Boulder Dam hotel and yourselves the absolute best in business and otherwise for years to come.

Now this next little installment requires no introduction as it involves the antics of a man well known to most of our readers. That man is John Hall, the one brave soul who made it his business to create a memory in the heart of the one town which could stand up to the soul of Team Loco. And create a memory he did. El Jeffe himself met up with us at 4:30 on Wednesday afternoon in the hotel lobby of New York, New York, where he had already purchased two luxury suites to house what he knew would become the remains of two members of team loco, pushed to the limits of their partying potential.

It would be a fair statement to say that four to five years of the most rigorous of party training in college were spent solely in preparation for this moment. John Hall made it his business to ensure that the three of them hit every single drinking establishment in the New York New York area, and also made it his business to ensure that, in the style of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the patrons of that establishment were never the same after we left. The consensus come morning was that we “Partied like rock stars.” for PARTY is we did. We’re happy to verify that the legendary ability of John Hall to have a roaring good time are 100% true, and we are forever in his debt for creating the clearest contender for the number one most enjoyable experience we’ve had on this entire trip. We know we’ve already said it, but thank you very much, and congrats on a job well done.

After parting was with big John we traded company for Mr. Pietromonaco and Anthony’s uncle Warren Davis, who have taken it upon themselves to be our support crew for the remainder of the trip. Mr. P has taken time out of his busy schedule to fly in from his house in Pittsburgh, and Warren has actually driven his very large truck all the way down from his home in Yakima, Washington. We’ve encountered generosity in many forms on this trip so far, but before now it has not taken one which is so appreciated as their decision to follow (for what at the time of this writing is the last one hundred and ninety five miles of the trip). Seriously guys, we are continually inspired by the good will of others and you two set the standard in a circle filled with the most amazing acts of kindness ever witnessed in our lives. To say we appreciate it doesn’t do it justice, but we do so more than you can know. Thank you for everything.

The three of us enjoyed a relaxing afternoon at the house of Brent and Sabra Pendleton, two long time friends of the Pietromonaco family and for good reason. The comforts we enjoyed within their walls included a fresh dose of laundry, much needed naps, access to their pool, their cars, their food, and last but certainly not least a huge, delicious steak dinner before giving us an enthusiastic send off on the Las Vegas strip. We are blessed with the best friends imaginable and look forward to our next visit. As soon as we get back into town a stop at the Pendleton home has become a necessary component of any trip to Las Vegas as their warm disposition and love of a good barbeque are easily the laid back karmatic counterpart of the craziness found on Las Vegas Blvd. Thanks for everything guys, we’ll see you soon.

Well, we think that about sums it up for now. We’re writing you this entry from a hotel room in Baker, a small town about 80 miles from where we started yesterday evening and are elated to report that puts us under 200 miles from the Santa Monica Pier, where we’ll be finishing the trip in just a few days. This trip has had its ups and downs but the good have far outweighed the bad and we can’t wait to see it through to its end. Also, we now have access to a new camera and will be uploading pictures and video in the very near future, so if nothing else we promise an entertaining video which may or may not be reminiscent of the infamous rocky 3 beach scene when we finally reach this trip’s conclusion. Guess you’ll just have to stay tuned to find out.

Peace out folks.