Out of the parking lot

They say things happen in threes. So after driving over 330 miles my first day out of the parking lot (literally!!), I am a believer. Duane's patience was probably tested, but he resigned himself to my (lack of) speed. However, my excuse is not just that I am a real beginner at this driving stuff, but as we drove down The Loneliest Highway from Delta, UT almost straight west to the Nevada border, we encountered extremely strong winds. Now remember, I'm new to the whole clutch, down shift, up shift, hand brake, foot brake, balance--you name it--thing. So I struggled to maintain my balance in the gusts of wind that were so strong that at one point the dirt and dust blowing across the road created a virtual fog that we couldn't see through. Yep, that was the first "happening," and unfortunately, it lasted all day!! Ok, so I survived. I didn't lay the bike down, but I was scareeeed to death!. My shoulders became sore from holding my arms stiffly. I was certainly physically exhausted, but I think my mental state was even more worn out by the end of the day! And the second happening? Well, a stupid bee ran into my neck and left his stinger in me! And as I was holding on for dear life in the winds, I couldn't even swat him away! All right, so all riders put up with a few bee stings. By this time you're wondering about number three. Those of you who know Duane well, know that he likes to push the limit on the gas capacity of his vehicles. I can't even count the number of times he's run out of gas! So of course it's his fault that I ran out of gas just 6 miles from our destination! Well, maybe we should've believed the signs that there were no services for over 100 miles...hmmm. So that's really why it's called The Loneliest Highway! I will pay more attention, especially considering I don't have a gas gauge! Luckily, Duane has a friend in Pioche, NV, where we stayed, and he rescued me with gas. So after a very long day, I survived my first ride. I guess the scenery was beautiful, but I could only keep my eyes on the road and traffic ahead!! We're staying here two nights, and then plan to go to Las Vegas to visit Tiffany and Chris. I'm real stressed about driving in that city, so I may convince Duane to let me park my bike, but we'll see. Have a couple of pictures for you to look at.