Hairy Bikers got their kicks, and a slaughtered sheep, on Route 66
The Hairy Bikers have been bringing their unique brand of north-east travel cookery charm to our screens for a quarter of a century now. Their latest tour sees them take their motorbikes across one of the most iconic roads in the world – Route 66.
And nothing could have prepared Si King and Dave Myers for the variety that exists on the path stretching across the USA – especially the weather.
“The weather was a huge nightmare for us,” said Dave.“I think we both assumed it would be pretty moderate.
But we went from -9C outside Chicago to plus-50C in the Mojave Desert.
“Now, I’ve cooked duck eggs at 50C, so you can imagine what it’s like on a bike.
“That was pretty, pretty gruelling – the inside of your legs burn!
“But then again, riding through the cornfields of Illinois, with the hugest skies you’d imagine, on a motorbike with your best friend. is just magic. And the bad times go away.”
The variable weather was a problem, but it led to some magical moments, according to Si.
“We ended up in a diner.We were pre-hypothermic because we had 40-knot crosswinds with freezing rain.
“It was dangerous. It wasn’t the place to be on a motorcycle. Dave had better gear than I did – I was soaked. These
lovely, lovely ladies came up asking,‘Are you crazy?’
“Well no, we just got caught! They gave us coffee, fed us and wrapped us up.
“And this old guy came out to the car park and said,‘Boys, listen, come home with me! I’ve just rang my wife and she’s more than happy for you to come and stay the night’.
“That was so, so lovely.That was the spirit of that route, really.”
The pair’s friendship is almost like being brothers – and that status was cemented via an encounter with a Native American tribe.
“We were with the Navajo people, and went to their houses and got adopted by the Navajo nation,” said Dave.
“They killed a sheep and barbecued it for us.
This was in the middle of Monument Park. So basically it was right in the heart of Navajo territory.
“We got on really well with the family. I think the mum was amazed that we just tucked in and cooked with her.
“In the end she said,‘This is your family. You are now part of the Salt Tribe of the Navajo nation and I am your new mother.’
“And she was called Dorothy. So we’re both brothers, we’re sons of Dorothy. “That was a very magical moment. “You know what, I think she meant it!”