Third Travel letter, the 15th of December 1994
Houston TEXAS

I was aware that the next day would bring snow, so I had to be out by then. It was a beauty-full day as I rode through the rockies taking a route almost strictly south east from Denver, in the afternoon I had arrived to a little town called Lake City and from here a dirt-road went over "Engineers Pass". It said it was a 4 wheel-drive road only but the start looked pretty easy to me, and I figured that I could make it over the pass before it would get dark (or up to where it would stop and back again). It was a pretty easy drive only a little ice in the shadow but nothing serious, after 15 miles there was a sign at the roadside which said "from here 4 wheel drive only", and while I was thinking "this still looks easy" the rear wheel skidded away and left me and the bike on the ground just like the "Woman with the Eggs" in a famous H.C.Andersen fairy-tail. Nothing happened so I carried on, The road was quite steep now. Finally it was snow and ice all around me and I decided to turn around, which was near to impossible at that point, a bike is obviously not made for going backwards, but by using the clutch and the engine as brakes I got my self back to a turning point, being one experience wiser. I were planning to spend the night in Lake city but they were expecting 1 foot of snow, so I pushed on to get out of the high altitudes and found a nice motel after a few hours of driving. In the morning it was snowing, but because of the lower altitude it melted as soon as it hit the ground, so I was quite happy that I got this far the day before.

I was going to Santa Fe to meet some Danish friends of mine, who I have tried to meet for years, and it really happened this time, this would have been difficult to arrange without using E-mail. It was nice talking in code again (Danish) and try some Danish breakfast-brew (gl. Dansk), and hear that nothing had happened at home.

I liked New Mexico a lot I enjoyed riding the small roads along the "Continental Divide". the colorful mountains are especially beauty-full in the afternoon while the sun is getting low, I was so busy driving around, looking for what might be around the next the corner that I completely forgot to take any pictures. The same was actually the case in Utah and Colorado, there is not much that can beat cruising in these mountains.
I think I understand a little bit now why there have been made so many "Western" movies out here. The makers have experienced the same feeling and tried to capture some of it with their camera.

Still in New Mexico I went out to see the "National Atomic Museum" which is all about the creation of the first atomic bombs. It is truly amazing what we humans can create if we believe in it, so many man years used to produce two devices with sizes comparable to my bike, although a lot more dangerous. The atomic-bomb is probably the single most important thing made in this century.

I more or less just drove through Texas on my way to the next goal New Orleans. I usually drive for 300 miles a day so Texas takes a few days. In Houston I went out to see NASA, truly impressive, just like LEGO-LAND (well I mean there were a lot of LEGO for the kids to play with, and some of the possible futures were made in LEGO). But it is kind of strange to see some of the things you have seen on television in real life - Maybe man has been on the moon after all and that it isn't just something made up for television !!

In New Orleans I moved into a hostel called "India House", let me quote from "Lets Go USA 1994": "If you've come to New Orleans for its bawdy reputation, this Bohemian haunt is party central". And this is true !!! New Orleans is all about partying, and India House and the people there is trying as hard as they can. I only planned to stay there for a few days until I would receive some spare tires to take with me down to Central America. But I had all sorts of problems with a particular mail-order firm (Competition Accessories), when I finally had enough of them, I had caught a cold which extended may stay for another week. But I had a good time 3 to 4 weeks and I might very well have stayed anyway, although it is easier with an excuse, it was very close that I would have stayed for Christmas. New Orleans is place where you can get stuck quite easily.

Party is what it is all about. when I arrived in N'awlins I wasn't really aware of that. I went for a walk in the French Quarter and I found myself in a street full of bars much like the local "Jomfru Ane Gade" back home in Aalborg just longer, and they all played Jazz/Cajun/Zydeco, it was like "Tønder Festival" all the year. I looked around to see the name of this street because I wanted to write back home about it and then I saw that the name was Bourbon Street. I spend the first 2 nights at Bourbon Street and felt a little like when I was in Las Vegas, this was just too much, but I had to wait for my tire.

I found out quite quickly that there is really a lot nice things going on in N'awlins and the further away from Bourbon Street and the French quarter the better. I got my first Zydeco lessons in a Bowling Hall (on Tulane/Carrollton) and a few times we went to the "Maple Leaf" to hear Rocking Dopsie the local house band on Fridays, both bands belongs to the top of the Zydeco bands, and I think we were the only "tourists" there. I would go again tomorrow. Actually I would not describe may stay as a 4 week party, but as an extended Zydeco course.

I finally left N'awlins on Monday with the rest of my cold in the back and headed for Houston where I am right now, I had to give my cold 2 more days but now I am recovering and have been in contact with all the consulates on the way south and I have got visa's for Honduras and Panama the rest of the countries down to Peru don't require visa. I don't know if I will go down to South America, I will first decide on that when I arrive in Panama which might be weeks or months away, another option which I consider is to drive all the way up to Alaska next summer, maybe I should extend my sabbatical leave and do both, my bank should know the answer to that question.

I don't know where I will be for Christmas, I will try to find my way down to the pacific coast south of Acapulco and Oaxaca, to a place called Puerto Escondido, but I might stop before If I would find a nice place.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and are looking forward to seeing you all again in the future.