The Loooonnnng Trip

Whew! It was about 6,000 miles and covered 15 states. Another 350 miles and it would have been coast to coast, but California was not in the itinerary.

Vicki and I left June 27th at 5:00 in the morning and ended it July 21st at 12:30 pm. There was so much sandwiched between those dates that it seems like several vacations. Each locale was so varied. The first day was spent in the mountains of Arizona, the VLA (Very Large Array) in New Mexico, Lincoln County made infamous by Billy the Kid and others who participated in the Lincoln County War , and finally Roswell of alien spacecraft fame. And that was just day one (571 miles).

While crossing Texas we got soaked in Wichita Falls and spent the night in a little town just down the road. That was the second day, and it was good (404 miles).

Finally escaping the huge state of Texas we crossed over to Arkansas at Texarkana, crossed the Mississippi River and spent the night in Greenville, Mississippi, home of rust colored tap water, and a cute little waitress from New Orleans who thought we had unusual accents (being from Arizona and all). (454 miles)

And on the fourth day we met J on the Natchez Trace just north of Tupelo, Mississippi. By this time I was in a state of confusion because the states were beginning to look alike. Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and finally Tennessee are all green, full of rolling hills, streams, farms, little towns with cows, and roadkill.

We got into Nashville (362 miles) on a Saturday just as J's wife Sheila was leaving (town). It was great getting a few days to just sit and relax. 1800 miles riding double was the longest I had ever done ..... but it was only the beginning.

J and I rushed around getting our bikes ready to trailer to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I needed a new rear tire (it was showing the cords) and J needed both (his cords were also showing but he hadn't worn through the steel belt yet, a real plus). After changing his tires the repairman said, "Oh, by the way, don't use your rear break, you don't have one." They didn't happen to have any disk pads so we had to find a shop that did since we were leaving that night. For all the details about that portion of the trip visit J's blog. (782 miles back only)

Nine of us stayed in a three story beach house we rented in Southern Shores, North Carolina. (Ric, Vicki, Alana, J, Peggy, Jackie, Sheila, Wally and Brad) It was a great week and again I defer to J's blog for pictures of most of what we did. He was kind enough to not show how well I handle being on the ocean.

After a day of rest in Nashville it was time to start wearing out that new rear tire. Our next stop was a visit to Vicki's brother, Dick, and his wife, Jan, in Omaha, Nebraska. We consulted the map and found that it was a trip too far (745 miles) so we broke it into 2 days staying the first night in a little town 50 miles shy of Kansas City. The next day we only had to put in 200 miles so that we had more time to visit in Omaha. It was great to see them, their new grandchild and in laws. The parents were all working and, consequently, unavailable, as it should be. Jan fixed an amazing dinner and Dick got up early in the morning to prepare breakfast. It was like dieing and going to heaven, assuming we still eat there. Thanks again!

We opted to do the marathon thing again (565 miles) and get to the Black Hills of South Dakota to stay in a retro place called the Rocket Motel in Custer, SD. All went well until we got to Highway 385. The dark clouds ahead looked ominous and for good reason, it was going to be a bad one! As we were suiting up in our rain gear a guy at the station said, "Gee, I hope you don't run into hail." As it turned out, not only did we run into hail, it ran into us. The rain came down so hard that for about a minute or two I nearly lost sight of the lines on the road while only moving at 30 mph. And it was daytime! And, oh, the hail and wind. A helmet is a very good thing judging by the sound of the hail smashing into it. We did get to feel the actual sting and later gaze at the resultant bruises. Luckily, because it was more a matter of laziness and not expert planning, we only experienced the pain in our hands and legs because we put the rain suits over our padded jackets and hadn't gone to the trouble of taking them off. I spoke to another rider at the Rocket who had experienced the same storm without a helmet (he and his wife are Harley riders). Hey look, I'm not implying anything! Fortunately they crowded into an outhouse at a rest stop before getting smacked in the head, but his gas cover sustained a dent ... but that was all.

The next day was absolutely great. The weather was cool while we were in the Black Hills and only slightly warmer at the Devil's Tower in Wyoming. We hopped off at Mt. Rushmore, waved at the crews setting up for Bike Week in Sturgis, cruised through Spearfish Canyon, dodged deer in Custer National Park, gazed upon Crazy Horse, tried to figure out the attraction of Deadwood, and slept in the most comfortable beds in South Dakota at the Rocket.

We left Custer slowly because of the deer all along and on the road at 5:15 in the morning. Our destination was Moab, Utah to spend the night. During cooler times of the year bicyclists crowd Arches National Park but in July it is less frequented although just as beautiful. (717 miles)







After that very long day in saddle it was time for some Mexican food at a local restaurant, a Corona for me and a Heineken for Vicki, followed by a good night's sleep.

We arose before light knowing that it would not be cooler in Phoenix the more we dallied. As it was our ETA was 2:00, certainly not an exciting prospect. So we flew believing it possible to go fast enough that we could arrive before the hour hand. Inside Arizona the majestic rock formations outside Tuba City left us in awe. Just 200 miles from Phoenix we realized the time had changed again. The Nomad was winning the race. We arrived at home at 12:30, in reality erasing 30 minutes from the ETA. (468 miles)

It was a trip we will never forget.

Top of the Rim

I decided on another practice run, this time through Payson to the top of the Mogollon Rim, to check out the Nomad. It was an overcast day with a 30% chance of rain and an expected high of only 95 degrees in Phoenix. I left at about 6:00 and got into Payson around 7:30, refueled and bought my morning cup of coffee.

Since it was a Monday the traffic was very light and the camping areas were about half full. Before getting into Payson I had to put on a long sleeved shirt under my jacket. Payson is over 5,000 feet in elevation and the ranger station on the top of the rim was 7,500 feet so the shirt stayed on. It was a beautiful trip out the Rim Road (General Crook Trail) to Woods Canyon Lake and the Nomad performed flawlessly. There are a little over 2 weeks left for the real thing. Can't wait!

Practice Run

I got the Nomad out of the shop yesterday and decided to give it a check ride. Oh not a little run around the block, a real check ride. It's a good thing too.

Vicki and I rode the circuit through Sedona, Jerome, Prescott, and Wickenburg which is about 250 miles. It covers elevations from 1300 feet to over 6,000, desert and mountain terrains, long freeway straight-aways, and tight curvy mountain roads. The brakes that I just had replaced need some work. The back ones were screaming like a baby, but not always.

For some reason, probably GLOBAL WARMING (or proximity to the vortex in Sedona), it was a cold day in hell around here. We had to wear log sleeved shirts under our jackets on the ride and didn't remove them until about noon. While we were getting ready to leave Vicki complained about being too warm but once we got moving she was searching for her gloves. I was even colder than I expected but the uncontrollable shaking of my body helped a lot.

Sedona was Sedona, beautiful. The highway coming in was torn up but the speed limit is low anyway so it was not an inconvenience. Thankfully it was Thursday. We stopped for gas but headed to Prescott by way of Jerome. The narrow twist streets in that town are certainly not SUV friendly. I had never taken the Nomad on the dragonesque road between Jerome and Prescott with or without a passenger so I was apprehensive. But Vicki did well and seldom screamed.

The weather was perfect but the air was not clear. The cold front that blew in kicked up a bunch of dust. It was still a little windy in places. The trip down through Peeples Valley and Yarnell Hill was fun with a passenger. We got back back by 12:30 and had a great time.

Flat Tire at the Black Canyon Trailhead

Well it had to happen. The thing everyone who rides in the desert doesn't want to deal with is being alone with a flat tire in the summer. But a little planning and some good luck made it no big deal.

The first thing to always do before leaving is to tell someone else where you are going, and be sure to pack a few essentials. I had done that, Vicki knew my route, I had my cell phone and some water. Beside those bare minimum precautions I had also put Slime in my tubes, carried a patch kit, tire irons, and those CO2 cartridges to pump up the tire.

Where the luck came in is first of all I noticed that the KLR was feeling squirrelly and stopped right away, before the tube or tire was damaged. Second, the puncture, while it let the tire go flat was partially plugged by the Slime so that the CO2 was able to reinflate it long enough to get about 10 miles between each refill without having to patch the tube.

The tube will probably have to be replaced but what could have been a real pain turned into a minor annoyance.

Prescott by Way of Crown King

The old Senator Highway from Crown King to Prescott is a real piece of work. Mmmm, highway is a bit of a stretch. It is mostly a one lane extremely twisty dirt road just asking for a head-on.

When I asked a Crown King local where to find the road to Prescott he pointed back to I-17. "No, I mean the dirt road."
"Sure ya want to do that?"
"I've got a dirt bike with me."
"It's 38 miles and not wide enough for two cars to pass. People drive it way too fast."
"Yeh, that's the one."
"About a half mile up the road there's a sign."

Luckily I didn't come face to face with anyone going too fast and doubly lucky those I did meet were only on quads. A full size vehicle would have been very tight. It is passable but I sure wouldn't take the crew cab. A jeep or small SUV would do ok, but nothing larger.

It was fun . Left at 6:00, reached Crown King via back roads except the I-17 stretch between Black Canyon City and the Bumble Bee turn-off. Lunch in Prescott, and then the back way through Yarnell. Great curvy roads and cool air ..... until Congress (at the bottom of Yarnell hill). Then the blast funace all the way back to Phoenix.

Nice ride, 238 miles, 4.63 gallons, the KLR performed flawlessly.

The Canyon One Last Time (before summer)

On the road at 3:00 am and on the Kiabab Trail at 7:20. Another absolutely flawless day surrounded by the most mindwarping view on earth.

There were a lot more people on top and hiking than last time. An entire 6th grade class from a school in Flagstaff made the trip past Indian Gardens to the overlook and back. They had to work out by running a mile-and-a-half every day for several weeks before the trip. It seemed to have paid off. Some were dragging a bit but all made the hike, parents and teachers too. Wow!

It is always a treat to visit with those intrepid seniors (I'm getting there) who complain about the aches and pains with a smile. I got to encouraged some of the 6th graders on the hike and watch them speed by me. They were very polite and knowledgeable about the effects of elevation and lack of red blood cells, offering blood if I should need it. Very funny!

What an incomparable place.

The Tonto Natural Bridge

What does one do with a day off? Go for a ride, of course! I felt like it should be somewhere I had never been, actually wanted to go and within a half-day round trip. That really narrowed things down. The natural bridge about 3 miles off of Highway 87 and ten miles north of Payson filled the bill.

The temperature has finally caught up to "normal" and we are pushing 90 in Phoenix. One hundred thirty miles one way and in the cool pines sounded perfect.

I left at 8:30, had an excellent ride, a short half-mile hike and a bit warmer ride back home by 2:00. It will be one of those solutions for what to do when a riding buddy (or son) shows up on my doorstep with that "Where can we go that is out of the desert, cool, has beautiful scenery, and won't take all day?" look.

Hearts to Heros Rally

Cyclerides sponsored a ride to show support to our troops stationed around the world. The turnout was amazing. We met at Christ Church of the Valley for a satellite link up with some local soldiers stationed in Baghdad and was simulcast on the Armed Services Network. It was a lot of fun listening to some of the soldiers talking about riding. One asked some of us if we would take a ride by Lake Pleasant so that he could see the pictures. Another told how whenever he called his dad he had him fire up his bike so that he could hear it over the phone. Most of these men and women had volunteered to go back and were on their second tour. Truly impressive!

We started from CCV after the broadcast, did a lap on the track at Phoenix International Raceway, cruised past Luke AFB and ended up at the new quad area next the football stadium in Glendale. All along the way people gave us thumbs up and some got out of their cars and waved while taking pictures. Some were waving American flags and no one seemed put out. The police had blocked portions of the 101 and even I-10 so that we could have it to ourselves as well as all of the connecting streets. Amazing!

Barry, who runs cyclerides.com, said that we don't want to call it "the annual" ride because we all hope that those who are in harms way are only there as long a they need to be. His father served in Vietnam and this whole idea was because of the terrible treatment our troops got on their return. He doesn't ever want to see that happen again.

I spoke with a member of the Patriot Guards while at the rally. That organization was formed because some of those same misguided 60's throwbacks are still out there. They show up at the funerals of soldiers to heckle. The Patriot Guard stands between them and the family and runs their engines if necessary to drown out the heckling. There are so called Americans out there who hate America and would never lift a finger to defend it. I can't think of an appropriate expletive.

Check out the Watch TV 5 video link at cyclerides http://www.cyclerides.com/

Enough to make you puke

This political correctness is beyond belief. Imus made an insulting comment about some college basketball players. So apologize to them. What the hell is all of this hand-wringing?

Has it gotten to the point that nitwits like Al Sharpton and the Reverend Jackson are now providing moral guidance to us all? Besides being too funny for words, what a crock of shit. Anybody who buys into this stuff deserves what they get.

I have never listened to Imus and judging from what I've heard would find him on the opposite side of the political divide. But is being rude or a bore now criminal? Apparently, the wrong ox was gored and someone has to pay. So long Imus. If we must spend time fretting about stuff like this it should at least be incidents in which people were actually harmed. The fiasco at Duke comes to mind. Where does the apology line start for the damage done there? And who should be in it?

The Grand Canyon

The weather should be perfect. They say a high of 52 on top and usually the bottom is about the same as Phoenix, 76. Supposedly there is a 20% chance for rain. We'll see.

Everything is packed and the car is gassed. Up at 3:30, on the road by 4:00 and on the South Kiabab Trail by 7:00. I love these trips!

As many times as I have hiked the Canyon it never ceases to awe me. I never get the feeling that I master it, instead it puts me in my place, clears my mind and lets me know that one day I won't be able to meet it's challenge. But until that day .....

Like baseball in the speech by the character James Earl Jones played in The Field of Dreams it has been the one thing that has been constant. In my life everything else has been measured by hiking the Canyon. "Success requires gutting it out like climbing out of the Canyon." "Don't look at the top, it will only depress you, look back to see how far you've come." "You think the pain will never end, but it does and you will want to do it again." "Don't sit down, it will make it harder to get moving again." This one place has taught me more about life than anything or anybody.

Castle Hot Springs

Years ago (early 70's) some of my dirt riding buddies and I took a road behind Lake Pleasant to a wreck of place called Castle Hot Springs. It was a resort built in a remote canyon for those who used the springs for therapy. There was not much left.

What I saw today shocked me. The buildings had been rebuilt, the lawns replanted and fences repaired. There could not have been a more stark contrast, not just with what I remembered but with the desert in all directions.The road up to the resort (some riders I met said it was now a private residence) was primative and inhabited by what can only be described as survivalist camps (though they may not have been). There were more "Keep Out" and "No Trespassing" signs per mile than I have ever seen. There was even one with a picture of an M16 on it that read "If You Can Read This .... You're in Range". I didn't see any mailboxes, street signs or even a kid pickin a banjo.

The road was easily passable with a two-wheel drive truck but there were a lot of blind turns and it was quite narrow for autos, especially in places where there was no where to go but down.The dirt road ended back at the Carefree Highway and the whole trip was just a little over 100 miles round trip from Phoenix. Another great ride!

Out With the Guys

Bob gave me a call the other day asking if I wanted to take a ride Sunday morning. The conversation went like this:

"Well yeah! So where are we going?"
"Let's meet at the Chevron station at 43rd Avenue and Union Hills at 9:00."
"But where are we going?"
"I don't know, we'll figure that out when we get there.

Bob had his ST1100, me the Nomad, Jim (Jimbo?) another Nomad, and Mike and his ST1300. The conversation continued at the station:

"Where're we going?
"I'm hungry, let's get something to eat."
"Ok, how about that Country Kitchen in Wickenburg?"
"Sounds good."

After breakfast (about noon):

"Let's go up Yarnell hill and over to Prescott."
"OK."

Sitting at a gas station in Peeples Valley (just past Yarnell about 1:30).

"Hey how long we going to sit here jawing? I told Vicki I would be back by 3:00."
"Well I don't think you'll make it."
"Maybe if you go back the way we came ... if you really fly..."
"See you guys, got to go!!"

I pulled in the driveway at 2:58. Vicki asked if I went over the speed limit. No way!

Why in the world did I say I'd be back at 3:00 and let her plan a barbeque?

By the way, you have got to see the movie Wild Hogs. Very funny! Cycle Rides put on a ride to see it opening day and over 600 riders showed up.

Bumper Sticker Ideas

Before the next election we need to see some bumper stickers (or tee shirts) that clarify the issues. A few that seemed on target to me were:

CUT AND RUN
not just a slogan a
POLITICAL PARTY


or maybe,

WINNUS INTERRUPTUS
time to pull out
VOTE DEMOCRAT







or,

SUPPORT THE TROOPS
ELECT A DEMOCRAT
where
SURRENDER IS ALWAYS AN (the) OPTION

There, now I feel better.

Free Choice

It is just so American to have a choice. Should I ride the Nomad today or maybe the KLR? No I haven't run the truck this week. This is great!

Today it was the Nomad and yesterday the KLR. The day before it rained so time for the truck. Tomorrow will be beautiful so the KLR and Friday it's supposed to rain so back to the Ford. Weekends are all cycles though.

I was reading Peter Egan's books, Leanings 1 and 2 (condensations of his Cycle World articles) where he describes the motorcycle riding season in Wisconsin and the anticipation felt waiting out the winter. In Phoenix there is no season but riding season. Sometimes I wonder if it's just too easy. Maybe nasty cold would make me savor a warm spring day even more. Naw, don't think so.

Crown King - 50 Miles of Dirt Road

I had to take the KLR out for a test drive. It was good, really good! I started out nice and clean but it was dusty out in the desert and muddy in the Bradshaws. Riding off-road comes back all of a sudden. By the end of the ride I was skimming along the top of the sand and gravel at over sixty mph and feeling comfortable. The KLR seemed stiff at first but it was when I was poking along. A little velocity and she rides like the Nomad on asphalt.

The road was paved for a about a mile coming off of I-17 but it was still dirt all the way into Crown King. I wish I knew the ratio of paved road to dirt road in Arizona because it has to be a very small number.

Cleator was still barely inhabited but downtown Crown King was bustling. (Not to mention a slushy mess with melted snow) I watched one guy get some gas, before heading to the packed saloon, heck, it was only 10:30 in the morning. All the riders of those vehicles are not at the curio shop (curio shop??) but the bar next door. The view off the mountain is breathtaking as are the drop-offs should you miss a turn. The trip was 144 miles and used 2.7 gallons. That works out to over 53 mpg. The 6 gallon tank gives it a range of over 300 miles. I love this bike!

Fun With the Camera

The Phoenix police department called me in class the other day to see how it was going with my little doper neighbors. "They haven't been seen for three weeks", I told them. My class was listening in on the conversation and were in awe.

Apparently the officer approached the dad and told him what was going on and unless it was straightened out a search warrant would be issued for the premises. He painted over the gang tag on his building and put an end to the smoking, at least none of the kids has been seen since.

It looks like the Phoenix PD has some clout in the neighborhood, with the help of a person with a camera.


While I was working in my room on Friday the principal of our school stopped by and noticed that I had my cameras running on my work computer. She was amazed that I could watch the condos over the internet. The school has had a lot of problem with vandalism over the weekends so she wants to check into getting a camera or two so that she can monitor the campus from home. Can't wait to help out.

This is some fun!

Got It!

I found one for a reasonable amount (what I budgeted) in nice shape maintained by the dealership I bought it from. After driving it home 30 miles mostly by freeway, these are my impressions.

First of all, I'm too short. Just getting on it in full leathers (it was the coldest day so far in Phoenix, 28 degrees this morning and in the forties when I rode it) was a laugh. I had to have someone balance it so that I could get my leg over the seat. Once astride the vibrating monster I could see for miles and miles. Stopping at a light to make a left turn made me feel like Edith Ann in the rocker, legs just out there.

The foot controls are typical dirt bike minitures, compared to the Nomad. The brakes will stop you but feel like abs, no chance of skidding (an exaggeration). The steering is light and the grips feel thin and numbing.

At 50 to 55 mph 4th gear works but above that 5th is the ticket. It hits 70 mph at 5,000 rpm. I took it over 80 and it has no problem accelerating beyond that. 105 mph is where the red line would be but 85 seemed fast enough. There is plenty of power, no hesitation.

It will take some getting used to.

The next new toy?

One can never have too much of a good thing and in the case of motorcycles it is kind of like shoes. You don't wear your dress shoes down the Grand Canyon and hiking boots are not what is worn for a 10K. So it's time to look at a new bike, not one to replace the Nomad, one to complement it.

Off road riding is the only way to get to some places, unfortunately to get there it usually takes a road. Either the bike is transported or driven. I prefer driven. So a dual sport is the only way to go. There are very few good tested ones in my price range ..... except for the KLR650. It has been around so long that Kawasaki is planning on updating it. So now is probably the time to get one. Not the new more stylish one, the one that has all the bugs worked out and the reputation for being bullet proof.

It is referred to as the poor man's Dakar. Besides the standard 6 gallon gas tank and 9 inches of suspension travel there are a lot of accessories to make it perfect for backcountry touring. On top of that it can be picked up new for about $5,000 or used in great shape for around $3,000. So I'm starting the search.

New Toys

There are just too many cool toys around now! My wife got me a Magellan Roadmate for the Nomad. What a great idea. It's fairly simple to use (and that's a good thing, very good). I had to put a cigarette lighter on the Vulcan but found room right next to my cupholder, you know next to the ash tray and cell phone cradle.

Using it is a blast. I don't know what criteria they decide on for the quickest routes calculated but turns are always the choice. I programmed in a very simple task, to go to my inlaw's house. It can be done with 4 turns, 3 90 degree lefts and 1 90 degree right using all major roads. Oh, that isn't imaginative enough. Would you believe 8 90 degree turns, 4 left and 4 right. They did save about a half mile but making all the extra turns burned up any advantage.

On the way back I ignored the suggested route and every time I did it recalculated a new one. Magellan could have really had some fun with a "back seat driver" mode. You know, since it talks to you anyway why not just for laughs have it make diparaging remarks about missing a turn or "not ever listening to me".

Phoenix is too simple a place to drive for one of these because all but one street runs North-South or East-West. She got it for the road trips that we plan to take as far away from an interstate as I can get.

The other cool toy I got (no one gave it to me, I got it) was security cameras. These things have 22 power optical zooms (and 2X digital which I turn off) and night vision without IR. What a hoot! I have a couple of neighborhood delinquents next door who think that smoking dope in the dark and tagging buildings at 3:00 AM is safe. I already have video of them smoking in their little clubhouse. These things light up the street like daylight. It will be great catching them tagging.

Too much fun, too little time!

Christmas Time

The last month has been so busy that I haven't had time to write. Not that there has been nothing new or worthy.

What can I say about the election? Have the majority of voters decided that it is time to lose in Iraq? Sure hope not, it would be a gross misunderstanding of success. Even if nothing changed for the next ten years the war has kept the terrorist tied down in the middle east, our losses have been low, progress is being made if not in Baghdad then the rest of Iraq, recruitment goals have been met and all without people who would make reluctant soldiers (draftees) being involved. Consider the alternative. Pictures on the news of some blast site in Baghdad that make some think we aren't "winning". How about a blast site in, say, downtown Manhattan. Sound familiar? Real life is not a 30 minute sit com.

Bike riding weather has been nearly perfect around here. Just a little chilly in the morning (mid 40's to 50's) to mid 70's during the day. Wish I had time to take advantage of it.

Here is a nice little video of a ride through Sedona and Flagstaff. Schnebly

Anniversary in Tombstone

It is strange that people born in Arizona never seem to make it to the well known places in their own state. I don't know how many Zonis I've spoken to who have never been to the Grand Canyon, but it's a lot. Well now I can say, "Sure, I've been to Tombstone." We even stayed in the Bordello and got a complimentary rubber inside what looks like a pack of matches. On the "pack" it reads, "Tombstone Bordello- Where the customer always comes first."


We took the Nomad and the weather was perfect, mid seventies. The sky was so clear that, as usual, the visibility was over 60 miles. Traffic was light and bikes were everywhere. There were even border patrol agents in plain view and what looked like "the mother ship" hanging in the sky. Very strange sight.

The town was much better than I thought it would be. There is enough to see and do that we plan to come back. The people were great, in fact, the families who own the Bordello also have a western theme place in England that they share time running with the other couple. As soon as I heard Rusty speak I knew he wasn't from around here. Pretty savy, huh?



We also did a little side trip to Bisbee and took a few pictures. The Copper Queen is a very nice hotel that has become a tourist attraction and was on "Ghost Hunters", a SciFi channel series, last month.