Mike Tenzinger

Hi Mike Tenzinger, I celebrated my 65th birthday on June 1, 1996 on Route 66. I am the oldest crew member and newly retired.

June 2: Bloomington

After driving into work as a night worker for the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times there I was driving our "RIG" along LSD and did things I will not do in my own vehicle. What a challenge. Chicago will always be a very interesting city to all that see it.

June 3: Litchfield

Set up the rest stop at Pig-out Restaurant with the help of my daughter and Rebecca. Got to ride in from the Cozy Drive-In and felt strong even though it was bumpy at points. This is incredible. I'm 65 years old and riding and driving on Route 66.

June 8: Chandler

Have run into trouble with flats. One in the front and today in the back. Rode one mile to the Rock Cafe in Stroud, Oklahoma on the flat. Believe it or not I talked Dawn, the owner of the cafe to give me a ride into the Lincoln Motel. Dawn is the President of the Route 66 Association in the county where Stroud is situated. What an incredible story she had to tell. I almost had a ride in a pick-up truck from one of the other waitresses but she had an appointment for a tatoo that she could no t change. Nonetheless, I completed back to back centuries which is something I have not done in many years.

June 9: Weatherford

Another day of partial riding. It was very hilly and I had fun climbing hills. I arrived very tired and hot. The sun is very intense. Several of us ate at the Sonic drive-in and sat all over the sidewalk. The group I am riding with is fantastic and really awesome company; vetran PAC Tour riders and someone who has qualified for PBP.

June 11: Amarillo

Have you missed me? Look under Marie's entries, she's been entering for me under her name. Rode all day and it was wonderful, my third over 100 mile ride this trip. Had a great time riding with Misha and we played cat and mouse all day and charged up hills. Rode through downtown Armarillo, Texas and it was really hot after 2 p.m. I regretted giving the Camelback to Marie figuring that for 20 miles my two water bottles would be enough. Went to the BIG TEXAN for dinner and saw an Opry show. The food was very good and Gerry tried to eat the 72 oz. steak dinner and nearly made it.

June 12: Tucumcari

Worked in the van all day. Because of the rain storm last night had to work at the first rest stop and finish preparing lunch. We made tortillas so there was alot of diceing to do. I enjoy being the cook's assistant. Another border crossing today we made it to New Mexico. Even though I did not ride today, I rode Marie's bicycle over the border. It was easy because we had set up the lunch stop a few hundred feet from the border. Nick G. brought several Ultra Cycling Magazines yesterday and I have been reading the stories every chance I get. I love this periodical. Tomorrow I plan to ride all day, it is likely to be tough -- we climb over 5000 feet right up the wall after lunch. I better taken extra calicum supplements.

June 13: Las Vegas

Cannot believe the tough ride today. first of all, let me retell you about my downhill as told by one of my riding companions, Sylvia. Copper colored rock shale with the blue sky in the foreground, the grayish pavement with the yellow line down the middle and me flying down with my blue and white jersey. It was breathtaking. She asked me if I would climb back up the mountain and do it again so she could take a picture. As much as I would have enjoyed coming down again, I had to say NO. The tough part was the climb up to lunch. I got so tired and hot that i accepted a ride in the back of a pick up about a half mile from the top.

June 14: Albuquerque

What a rainy day we had. The locals were so happy to see it and thanked us for bringing it along. Many of the riders rode all morning in the rain. am so surprised. I had a more enjoyable evening with my daughter and Susan at dinner.I throughly enjoyed listening to Susan tell us all about her cycling career. She is an amazing woman and her husband, Lon, is just incredible. I marvel at him. I will say one thing about revisiting Route 66 now that we are so far west from Chicago, that in 1950 when I drove with my mother, dad and sister nothing much has changed. So the more I see the less it has changed and that really applies to New Mexico and probably Arizona too.

June 15: Grants

After such a rainy day we were blessed with a beautiful day and tailwind. I decided to not climb the 9 mile hill and took a short nap in the van on the way to the top. Then Susan and Marie joined me for a ride. Marie only rode about 30 miles but Susan and I rode about 60 miles. What an exhilariting experience!!! It was great to be push the envelope and ride with Susan. What an honor. I will admit it was a challenge and I was tired when I reached the motel but it felt good. Tomorrow we cross the border into Arizona and I cannot believe that we have been riding and crusing down Old Route 66 for two weeks and there is only one week to go. This is such a special experience.

June 16: Chambers

Nothing much to say. I worked in the support vehicle with Gerry and fixed flats. Riding on the Interstate has been tough on my tires and inner tubes. Enjoyed the ride to the Continental Divide in New Mexico and say a few of the Harley Davidson guys that will be meeting up with in a few days. Those bikes are gorgeous.

June 23: Santa Monica

Here is one thing that I really recall when I drove out to California with my mom, dad and sister in the 1950's. I remember the switchbacks going into and out of Oatman, Arizona. I recalled driving back to Chicago, Illinois with my dad (the women opted to fly back) and coming into Oatman in the pitch dark. Lucky for me I got behind a local who knew the road and I decided to follow closely behind him. Then my dad yelled, " Mikey, slow down were are going to go off the road and down the cliff." My reply was, "Dad it is a local and I have to follow his tailights, he knows what he is doing." My dad won and I had to slow down. Today I was a passenger in the the company vehicle with Gerry behind the wheel. The whole experience brought back a whole lot of memories.


Backpedal to Mike's first posts