If you have been paying attention, you’ll already know that the Red One is down for the count. Although the interior of the engine is fine and the interior of the transmission is fine, the break in the crankshaft means they are no longer connected to each other and the motor cannot even be started. I have ordered a new custom-made crankshaft, but that fix is months away. For me, and I think C.K. as well, this journey will “come alive” for me in Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. So I am pressing on to the Grand Canyon, more or less on schedule, but with fewer stops and fewer back roads. This update contains the rebooted tour itinerary.

• Yesterday, Thursday, July 18: My wife Laura and two of our grandchildren, Emily and Ryan, flew into Denver to join the tour with us for three days of “glamping” at Royal Gorge, about 10 miles northwest of Cañon City. They will be shadowing us all the way to the Grand Canyon, taking in sights as they see fit, and will continue to Sedona before heading down to Phoenix to fly home. My grandson, Ryan, is pictured above this morning “riding” the Red One behind our “tent” at the Royal Gorge Cabins.
   
• Friday-Saturday, July 19-20: Vacation at Royal Gorge. On Saturday, I am going to see if I can push the Red One out on the pedestrian bridge over the Royal Gorge for a photo. This bridge was not there when C.K. visited, but it is an incredible sight and I think will make for a nice memory.  Last year, the ranger said it would be OK to do this, but I need to try to reconnect with him today regarding specific logistics (namely, how do I get the bike there).
   
• Sunday, July 21: Leave Royal Gorge to Trinidad Colorado. It is only about 150 miles on major highways, but will include a “side trip” to a spot where C.K. snapped a photo that I thought would make a nice centennial photo.
   
• Monday, July 22: Trinidad Colorado to Santa Fe. This is a big day because we’ll be going over Raton Pass into New Mexico. C.K.’s description of that passage is quite evocative and I am planning on a special way to commemorate it. I will provide more details and photos afterwards, when we get to Santa Fe.
   
• Tuesday, July 23: La Bajada Hill. We are going to tote the Red One out to the top of La Bajada Hill for a few photos. Although I have discovered that the old road down the hill is not passable for a number of reasons, I know we can get to the top of the escarpment and have a wonderful view... the same view C.K. took in 100 years ago before he headed down into the plains below. After the photo, we head back to Santa Fe.
   
• Wednesday, July 24: Santa Fe to Holbrook, AZ. This is a long day (about 400 miles), but it will mostly be on highways. Key stops along the way are Magdalena, New Mexico, where we will stop for lunch at the Magdalena Café (same place C.K. had breakfast), take a photo by the old church, and then continue west. Just before Holbrook, we will reach the Petrified Forest, entering it to see the sights and take a few photos.
   
• Thursday, July 25: Holbrook to Flagstaff AZ. This is a short day, about 100 miles, but will include a stop at Meteor Crater. We’ll probably arrive in Flagstaff around 1:00 pm and head up to the Lowell Observatory for a tour and some photos. After that, we will stop in to check in at the Weatherford Hotel, then park the truck and trailer for the night. That evening, Willie’s wife is flying into Flagstaff to join the party and plans to accompany him on the drive back to Ohio.
   
• Friday, July 26: The management at the Weatherford Hotel is going to allow me to push the Red One into their lobby in the morning for display all day. That night, from 6-9 pm, I am going to be hosting a reception at the Weatherford Hotel’s Exchange Pub with complimentary hors d'oeuvres and cash bar. I will be creating a Facebook event page for anyone interested in saying they are “Going." It should be a nice informal affair with plenty of time for personal interaction.
   
• Saturday, July 27: We will pull out of the Weatherford Hotel around 8:00 am heading up US-89 to AZ-64 into the Grand Canyon National Park. If the road down to Grandview Watchtower is good, we will go down that road about three miles to take some pictures at Lockett Lake, the lake that C.K. described in his book and had a photo kept in his personal archive (I included C.K.’s photo as Figure 182 on page 310 in the Fully Annotated Centennial Edition). The aim is to arrive at the Grand Canyon Railway Depot by 11:30 am.
  
  The Railway manager has graciously allowed me to set the Red One up for display in the breezeway of the Depot. The first of two trains of several hundred passengers arrives at 11:45 am. We’ll pack up around 4:00 pm as the last of the departing passengers pass through. In the lull between the incoming and departing trains, I will make a somewhat formal presentation to those more interested in the whole story. I will be creating a Facebook event page for anyone interested in “Going” which may be more local people interested in the historical significance of this trip.
  
  We’ll then check in at the El Tovar where we have the top two floors of canyon-facing rooms booked for my crew and family. My daughter Suzannah will be joining us with her three boys and their cousin. At 7:00 pm (I think), we have a dinner date with C.K. Shepherd’s son, Dr. Charles Drury Shaw, his wife Carolyn, me, and three other lucky winners of my crew lottery.
   
• Sunday, July 28: This is another “vacation day” where we will do what visitors to the South Rim do.
   
• Monday, July 29: We all check out and head our separate ways. Suzannah and her group will head for Phoenix to fly home. Laura, Emily, and Ryan will head south to Sedona for some rest and relaxation for a few days, to fly out of Phoenix on August 2nd. Dr. Shaw and his wife will be heading out as well, perhaps further west, or perhaps home to England. Willie is going to drop me at Flagstaff airport and I am going to fly home that day. Willie and his wife will then head east with all the gear, catching up with me back in Yellow Springs around August 1.

So that is the latest and I think it is viable under the circumstances.  Thanks again for all your encouragement, kind words, and condolences. I will try to update all with more email newsletters and Facebook posts as we go. Now that I am riding shotgun (vs. riding the Red One), it should be easier for me to get more informative updates out in a timely manner.

On Sunday, I will turn the tracker back on so you can follow us on the Route page on the web site.