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.

Livin' the dream....

It looks like this is the week that it all starts to come together. Saturday Vicki and I suited up for a drive in the rain to go out for breakfast at the "Hog Pen". No kidding, I guess that appeals to Harley riders. There were only two couples that braved the weather for an early morning buffet. It was great, we had the place to ourselves so we sat on the deck watching the rain. In Arizona that is a treat!

In the afternoon I went for another ride and again on Sunday morning a quick trip to Morristown and Sunday night another ride. This is almost like heaven.


Monday morning I watched the sun come up from the top of North Mountain. Yeh, time to hike again too. Between riding, hiking and being able to sit outside and visit, it is almost like real life again!

Finally Moved In

It has been a long time coming but the construction is far enough along that we have qualified for a certificate of occupancy. Brad got Cox hooked up and finally I have my computer on line again.

There are still a few loose ends but at least I can start getting a life back.

What should Bush do? Nothing

I just love the wringing of hands about the "violence" in the Middle East. Somebody, please, stop the killing. Put pressure on Israel to not over do it (but never expect anything of the terrorist ... after all, everyone knows they follow no rules). It's all Bush's fault! Why doesn't he do something? He is. He's letting Israel give the terrorists what they so richly deserve. And it's working.

Mission Complete

Over 5,000 miles total and 1,779 one way from Nashville to Phoenix. That means I put in about 1,500 miles while in Nashville. It doesn't seem possible but the odometer says so.

The learning curve was steep. I got rained on in every state on the trip; Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia. Curves, poor visibility, wet roads, wind, crazy drivers (I watched a truck crash into two cars that had spun out), bugs so thick the windscreen looked like a kaleidoscope (Texas) and even a pissed off bee in my helmet made it so (yes, it stung me).

By the time the trip ended my confidence level was high. A friend asked, "Would you do it again?" "Absolutely!", but there are things to do differently. I made it each way in two days, far too much time spent speeding down the highway. It is more interesting and fun to take back roads and sightsee. The slower paced trip from Nashville to Deal's Gap was much more enjoyable. Meeting the locals and viewing the scenery comes naturally on a bike because of the frequent refueling stops and riding in the open. You feel like you are actually there as opposed to watching it on the car's windshield big screen. All in all, a most excellent adventure.