Day Five – Off the Bikes, Tulsa, Oklahoma (28 June)

Every adventure needs the occasional pause. After four consecutive days in the saddle, today was our first lay day. No alarms. No bike loading. No bag drop. No briefing. Just a chance to slow the pace, recharge the batteries and enjoy Tulsa without a helmet on.

2,098 kms (1,303 miles) so far

It was strange waking up knowing there was nowhere we had to be by 8:00. My body clock clearly hadn't received the memo though and I was awake early anyway. Wendy was too, so we took our time getting organised before wandering downstairs for breakfast.

The atmosphere was completely different from the previous few mornings. Nobody was checking the weather radar, discussing fuel stops or wondering how many miles lay ahead. Instead, people drifted in at their own pace with coffee in hand, chatting about the first four days and comparing photos from the trip so far.

It's funny how quickly a group of strangers becomes a group of friends. Just a few days ago we'd all been introducing ourselves in Chicago. Now breakfast felt more like sitting down with people we'd known for years.

Once breakfast was over, a few of us decided to spend the day exploring Tulsa on foot. First stop was the Route 66 Expo Centre.

For anyone with even the slightest interest in Route 66, it's a fascinating place. There were beautifully restored classic American cars, vintage petrol pumps, old diner signs, memorabilia from the Mother Road and stories of how Route 66 shaped America for decades. Everywhere you looked there was another piece of history that made you smile.

As always, the cameras were working overtime.

It's one thing reading about Route 66 before you come. It's something completely different standing amongst the history while actually travelling it. Every stop seems to make the journey feel a little more authentic.

From there we made our way to The Gathering Place, Tulsa's enormous riverside park.

I'd heard people describe it as one of the best public parks in America and, having now wandered around it, I can understand why. It's beautifully designed with lakes, gardens, wooden boardwalks, sculptures and huge open spaces. Families were everywhere enjoying the sunshine while children disappeared into what can only be described as the world's biggest adventure playground.

It felt a million miles away from the heat, noise and vibration of riding motorcycles all day.

After a leisurely wander around the park we decided to walk back into downtown Tulsa along the Arkansas River.

The walk itself was as enjoyable as the destination. The river was calm, there was just enough breeze to keep the temperature comfortable and, for the first time in days, we weren't concentrating on road surfaces, junctions or traffic. We could simply look around and appreciate where we were.

Sometimes slowing down lets you notice things you'd otherwise ride straight past.

Back in the city we freshened up at the hotel before heading out for dinner at a local Irish bar.

Now, finding an Irish bar in Oklahoma wasn't exactly what we'd expected when planning a Route 66 adventure, but it turned out to be a cracking choice. Good food, cold drinks, plenty of laughter and the sort of relaxed atmosphere that rounded off the day perfectly. We reflected on everything we'd already seen, swapped stories about the little moments that hadn't made the photographs and inevitably started talking about what lay ahead.

The conversation soon drifted back to the road. Half the journey was still in front of us and there was a growing excitement about Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and eventually California.

After dinner we took a leisurely stroll back to the hotel.

One slight disappointment... the hotel didn't have a bar. After a day like that, a quiet nightcap would have gone down very nicely. Instead, it was straight upstairs.

Probably no bad thing.

Tomorrow we'd be back on the bikes, heading west once again. The rest day had done exactly what it needed to do. Bodies rested, washing caught up, cameras emptied, batteries recharged and, most importantly, the excitement was building all over again.

The Mother Road was calling.