31 DEC 05
Here it is, the end of another fine year!
I haven't been on a Motorcycle ride worth writing about since September, but I have a good excuse.
Hubby and I opened Computech a Computer Sales and Service Store in Payson. Pete is
the silent partner, it's really my thing. I am the manager, technician, purchaser, consultant, etc .....plenty of work to be done and I am enjoying
it immensely. So far it has been quite successful, which leaves precious little time for riding. I ride to work a couple of days per week. Occasionally I ride to jobs in
nearby towns if the customer already knows I ride but mostly I have to take the car, a Chevrolet HHR that was purchased for the business. I plan is to ride to the unofficial WIMA rally in Georgia this summer but it is too early to know if i'll be able to make it. My friend
Patti is going to try to make it as well.
10 SEPTEMBER – ST Rally in SLO, CA
When Patti and I left this morning from Lee Vining Patti suggested Nevada’s Highway 6…a fantastic road, and then we stumbled onto
the 266. I hadn’t been there in years and I forgot how much better it is than taking the 95 from Tonopah.
At Kingman Patti headed down the 93 to Phoenix. I went to Ash Fork for a quick visit with my Dad and got home around 8:30 PM
I had a great time at the rally and the ride to and from with Patti was the best. I look forward to traveling with Patti again,
maybe next year to Georgia…
09 SEPTEMBER – ST Rally in SLO, CA
We decided to ride thru Yosemite and stay the night in Lee Vining. Yosemite was beautiful as always but there were no waterfalls like I saw in April, bummer. The road was good and the traffic was light, I had a nice time. Hopefully we can go thru Zion, Utah tomorrow and ride down highway 87 toward home. I have been leading for most of the trip but today Patti led for awhile which may be my preference. Patti is a marvelous riding partner and no matter who leads, I am have a fantastic time.
08 SEPTEMBER – ST Rally in SLO, CA
Today was the light day, we got up late (Patti was going to ride with another group but got up late too) and rode the “Pozo Loop”
a road mentioned by Tom and Janice, some fine riding there…
Next we rode down Highway 1 to Solvang for a Danish style lunch and got back to the rally site early to do laundry and prepare
for the trip home. At the rally dinner tonight we met Gunnar Reed and the infamous George Catt. George's late son Derek startd
STOC in 1993. The rally dinner was a lot of fun, they sure are a lively bunch.
The trip home? So far we have no idea which way we will go, maybe thru Yosemite.
07 SEPTEMBER – ST Rally in SLO, CA
Patti and I headed out in the morning to get some riding in. We were just poking around and we ended up in Hollister via the 25 before heading back to the Rally via the 101. Somehow we managed to ride 470 miles, whew! It was supposed to be a light day ;-)
06 SEPTEMBER – ST Rally in SLO, CA
Patti and I rode up the coast to Hearst Castle, took the tour then had lunch at the Whale Watcher restaurant somewhere along the coast. I was a bit disappointed that we did not ride Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd, I have heard that it offers some awesome twisties. Back at the rally site and Patti introduced me to some other ST riders that she met at last year’s rally such as Dave and Lydia from Oregon, Tom and Janice from Minden, Nevada, Steve Beckley from Ft. Collins CO, Corey for Sherman Oaks, Mark B from AZ, and too many others to list. All in all a fine group of people, John and Becci Parker put on the event and did a fine job too.
05 SEPTEMBER – ST Rally in SLO, CA
Peg-draggin-Patti and I had a relatively early start and rode Up by Palomar again. It was too early for the squids at Palomar
but there were a couple of hard core sport bike riders trickling in so we decided to move on. Palomar Mountain claims 2 reported
accidents that require medical attention every weekend when the weather is good…
We had breakfast in Temecula then headed out o ride Angeles Crest one of the best roads in southern California…too bad it was
closed until October. With the change of plans we headed toward Ojai and Highway33, what a great road! We saw very little traffic
once we got to the twisties and had an awesome time. Patti didn’t drag pegs as much but DANG that girl can ride…
On Highway 166 we met up with other STers headed to the rally.
04 SEPTEMBER – ST Rally in SLO, CA
We left just before dawn this morning to cross the desert before it got too hot. Patti, who lives in Phoenix and is used to the
heat, was very accommodating about the heat issue and was ready to go early. We arrived in Julian at 11:00 just as planned and met
up with Bob a dear friend from San Diego…and an ST rider so he can’t be all bad. <wink>
We couldn’t get our room yet but I left my bags with the hotel clerk and we set out for some riding. This is the first time I have
seen this area since the fire, things are so different now. It is still a beautiful area, it’s just different. With Bob in the
lead we rode Sunrise Highway and Japatul Valley Rd then had lunch in Alpine. After lunch Bob went his own way and Patti and I rode
Highway 79, Mesa Grande Rd, Highway 76 and S7 up to the Palomar area, had a short rest then rode S6, back up to S7 then back to
Julian. Patty led coming up the S6 and it was all I could do to keep up. She accidentally scrapped pegs a couple of times so I
started calling her Peg-draggin-Patti…She didn’t do it on purpose but I gotta tease her for a bit.
We had a nice dinner in Julian and turned in a little early. We did about 490 miles today because the straight route is not the
best route and that’s what motorcycling is all about!
03 SEPTEMBER – ST Rally in SLO, CA
Patti and I started out today for an ST rally in San Luis Obispo, CA. We intended to leave tomorrow but the forcast for the
places like Blythe and Brawley are well over 100 degrees…That’s a good reason to get going early. It may seem like Blythe and
Brawly are not on the way to San Luis Obispo but they are…if ya do it right.
We are planning a detour thru Julian, CA on our way
to the rally, tomorrow we will do a little riding in the area after we get to Julian and drop off our bags.
Before we headed out on our trip to SLO, my sister Laura, her son Luke and Liz (another Paysonite) decided to go to breakfast at the Long Valley
Café in Clint’s well. I rode the Valkyrie, Patti on her ST, Liz rode her Rebel, Laura rode a Vulcan and Luke was on a borrowed
ZRX1200. We saw a touch of rain on the way to breakfast but it was a fun ride.
Liz re-entered the riding scene recently and has
already outgrown her Rebel, she is currently looking for a more suitable ride.
The group returned to Payson, then Patti and I began our trip. We rode to Prescott for the night by way of Jerome. When we
started out the Monsoon rain was really coming down hard but it eased up by the time we reached Camp Verde and the rest was great.
AUG 18 - Advanced PC Troubleshooting Seminar - Ft. Collins, Colorado
I started out a bit late today from Steamboat Springs but rode home anyway, about 730 miles. I rode the 141 south of Grand Junction, one of Colorado's forgotten treasures...and, of course, I rode thru the Navajo Nation which is always awe inspiring.
AUG 17 - Advanced PC Troubleshooting Seminar - Ft. Collins, Colorado
The seminar was very educational and the instructor, Don Massey was outstanding. He is well versed and interesting, a rare combination.
I left immediately after the seminar and rode to Steamboat Springs.
AUG 15 - Advanced PC Troubleshooting Seminar - Ft. Collins, Colorado
I got an early start today and was at Colorado's 92 by 6:30 am. WOW what a great road! There were a few deer and suicidal bunnies but no other animals or traffic. Not all is good though...It never got over 45 degrees!
After a brief ride on the 70, I rode the 134, 40 and 34 to Rocky Mountain National Park. The park ranger was a realist...he said "I KNOW you have a pass" with a big smile. It turns out my pass, with Pete's and my name on it was never validated. He punched it for December (I think it is only good thru October) and I was on my way.
There were a tremendous amount of motorcycles in the park today and a whole bunch of old cars, there was an old car convention in Estes Park. Most of the old cars could only putter along at about 20 mph and they were holding up traffic for miles...but I was going the opposite direction. I felt sorry for all the people that where impeded but fortunately I was not one of them. Some of those old cars where awesome, I probably would not have thought so if I were stuck behind them. Today's mileage, about 410.
AUG 14 - Advanced PC Troubleshooting Seminar - Ft. Collins, Colorado
I am headed to a seminar on PC troubleshooting in Ft. Collins Colorado. I started out a little late today but made it to my destination of Montrose, CO in good time. I ride was mostly uneventful. I rode thru the Navajo Nation which always a pleasure and it was as beautiful as ever. Also, I rode one of my all-time favorites, Colorado's 550. Some roads are just made for motorcyclists. I definitely have to give a thumbs down to the Best Western in Montrose because of their poor WiFi reception and the inconsiderate attitude of the staff. Today's mileage...about 510.
Tomorrow I plan to ride Colorado's 92, a road I have been wanting to ride for a very long time. Great twisties, a motorcyclists dream come true.
AUG 9 - A Bike For Janis (?)
I don't do it very often but I rode a total of 1141 miles today. I have ridden over 1000 miles in a day on many occasions over the last 30 years of riding but I have never set out to do so like the Iron Butt riders do, for me it has always been decided en route.
I started out at 4:00 am with the intention of riding to Roswell, NM. The temperature was perfect everywhere except around Roswell where it was a bit hot, up to 97 degrees. I seemed to skirt every rain storm on the way. At Roswell I decided that I had not had enough so I continued on to Springerville, AZ.
It drizzled most of the way form Datil to Springerville but rain has never kept me from riding... At Springerville I opted to continue home. I like riding in the evening and it is only 130 miles further so I kept going. Plus, I have to get ready for my trip to Fort Collins, Colorado. I leave on Sunday for a 2 day seminar on Advanced PC troubleshooting. Of course I will spend some extra time riding those great Colorado roads. I arrived home at 8:00 pm, 1141 miles in 16 hours, what a day!
I was able to escape the rain in New Mexico until I got near Datil, even then it was just drizzle.
AUG 8 - A Bike For Janis (?)
I tried to start early today, 4:00 am. I was packing the bike when the phone rang in my motel room. I assumed it was Pete but it was not. The motel clerk saw me preparing the bike and called to ask if I had rented the ST in Nashville, if it was an automatic and to tell me where I should go in the local area. She then proceeded to tell me that she used to ride but has a bad hip so she cannot ride anymore. I didn't get a chance to speak but she kept me on the phone for what seemed like forever! She was just being friendly but I was eager to get going, I had never been to Alabama of Mississippi on a bike.
Finally on the road I was able to look around a bit, especially in Arkansas. I spent most of the day exploring back roads and forgotten places (thank you...whoever invented GPS) that were well off the beaten path. I rode along the Arkansas river for a bit although I didn't see much of the river itself.
One of the more popular roads I took was the incredibly gorgeous 7 byway in Arkansas. I rained most of the way on the 7 but I was able to get a couple of good pictures during a let up. Nice twisties...
I rode nearly 600 miles today and ended up in McAlester, Oklahoma, drenched from the rain. What an awesome day! Well, not the rain part...
The Arkansas 7 byway...
and a short reprieve from the rain.
AUG 7 - A Bike For Janis (?)
I bid on an 03 Honda ST1300 on e-bay with the intention of reselling the bike. Before the bidding even ended it was determined that Janis would like to have this motorcycle and sell her Vulcan to our sister Laura. I won the bid and today I flew to Nashville to pick up the ST and ride it home. At the airport I met Sam J* the seller of the ST, am rides a Yamaha FZ1. Sam had pre-wired the bike for a Garmin 2620 and a Valentine so I was set to go right away.
The first order of business was to ride part of Natchez Trace. What a beautiful road. For 100 miles there was almost no traffic and because of the recent rains the the countryside was a lush green. I saw a couple of deer and a turkey but no other wildlife. I spent the night at Booneville, Mississippi.
Sam
Tennessee - Switzerland
30 JULY - What happens when you ride in the rain? You get wet.
Patti came by today to plan our trip to WESTOC and for a little local riding. We decided to ride to Young, which means DiRT BiKeS.
I started out on the Honda XR 600 and Patti was on my sister Laura’s Kawasaki KLR 250.
Patti has a KLR 650 so I think the 250 was like a mini-bike to her. We headed out Houston Mesa Rd to the 198 (Pyeatt Draw) and by the time we rode a mile on the 198 it was obvious that I could not keep up with Patti. Patti is a highly skilled off-roader and although I have ridden a few hundred off-road miles, my skills are still that of a beginner so I thought we should switch bikes, Patti did not. We had a friendly argument about who should ride what. I thought she should ride the XR because she if a far better rider, she thought I should ride the XR because I need the practice…both reasonable arguments. In the end Patti rode the XR most of the way to Young and I rode it back.
We continued out Pyeatt Draw to the control road then out to Highway 260 and up to Chamberlain Trail, also known as Colcord Rd. Every few miles Patti had to stop and wait for me to catch up but she never seemed upset or complained about my pokiness. We crossed Haigler Creek, which was brimming and continued on to Young.
At Young we stopped for lunch and while there the Monsoons arrived and brought the customary torrential rain that follows….which brought an all-to-common black out. We decided to wait out the storm and head back. Finally the rain turned to drizzle so we got on the bikes and headed home. We didn’t encounter much rain while we rode up the 512 (Desert to Pines Scenic Rd.) but we did pass an area that had a bit of snow on the ground…brrrrr.
After we got back on the highway it started to rain again and rained the entire way home. On arrival we were drenched, cold and relieved…
Not all bad eh? ;-)
17 JULY - a bike for Dad
FINALLY HOME - We started out really early from Trinidad, CO and I had an easy 570-mile ride home. Far too much of this day was on the Interstate but sometimes it just has to be that way. I would have enjoyed it more if I were riding on back roads but I am glad to be home.
It turns out that Laura, who was watching our house while we were gone, has been riding all over town on the Rebel and even took an excursion down to Rye and back. She said she had a great time but the Rebel is uncomfortable on the highway and it is generally just too small for her...she is right. Laura is a good rider and needs a bike that can meet her needs. Me thinks she's got her eye on a custom.
16 JULY - a bike for Dad
Today was a trouble day. It's hot, humid, and I am unmotivated. We did about 470 miles today, not too bad, considering...
The kickstand on the CB broke and if fell over partially in the trailer. We stopped near Arlington, CO to readjust the the bike. It was hot, humid and frustrating trying to decide what to do. For some reason I did not think the turn the bike around, put it on the center stand and tie it down with the rear wheel against the railing. I have a lot to learn about trailering a bike! Not thinking straight we threw out some ideas, none of which seemed plausible then we encountered Cathryn, the local mail carrier and an all around helpful and efficient woman. She offered us a cinder block that we were able to put under the crash bars to hold the bike in place while we tied it down. After that debacle we ended up in Trinidad Colorado and nearly all today's travels were on back roads.
Some photos taken at the end of the trip
15 JULY - a bike for Dad
We intended to do 600 but we only did 419 miles today because of the hot, humid weather….I just can’t handle the heat anymore.…we are spending the night in Salinas, KS
14 JULY - a bike for Dad
We still had about 180 miles to go to reach Cambridge and planned to pick up to bike by 8:00 AM so we headed out early, got the bike and started home on back roads. We stopped for breakfast in Andover and took pictures at Lynn Center then headed out for more back road exploration …The Best Way to Travel!
13 JULY - a bike for Dad
Pete and I traveled together today mostly on back roads up to Lincoln then, reluctantly; we got on Interstate 80 to Newton, IA the Interstate traffic was horrendous today and limited the miles to 530. Still, no too bad overall and we back on schedule after Monday's late departure.
12 JULY - a bike for Dad
Colorado has some of the best roads I have ever enjoyed! And I enjoyed them again today. Pete drove the Interstates but I had the luxury of taking some of those fabulous Colorado roads like Highways 550 and 50 the traffic wasn’t too bad and the day ended in Colby, Kansas. Today’s distance was about 720 miles and I was able to stay off the Interstate for most of the trip.
11 JULY - a bike for Dad
My father has been yearning to ride again for a while and I offered to help him out. He is very limited in bike choises a because he has only a thumb and pinky on his left hand due to an accident about 40 years ago. Even though his hand is very strong, he has a bit of arthritis so I suggested that he get a Hondamatic. He agreed and I located a Honda CB750A in Cambridge, Illinois.
Hubby Pete and I headed out today to pick up the CB, Pete pulling a trailer behind his Denali and me on the ST (of course). We will not be taking the same route but we have the same nightly destination.
We had a late start because Pete’s windshield was cracked by a rock and it was pretty bad so he had to get it fixed before heading out. We spent our first night in Gallup, New Mexico, which is only about 290 miles from home.
10 JULY
Laura, my sister, has ridden bikes in the past...the distant past <grin> way back when she was a teenager. She remembered what she learned back then and did a tremendous job of riding the Rebel around today.
07 JULY
Pete and I went down to Sierra Vista to purchase a Honda Rebel, something that my sisters Laura and Shasteen will use to learn to ride, then I'll sell it. On the way to Sierra Vista Pete's windshield caught a stone and now it has a nasty little crack. I hope it doesn't get much worse, otherwise we would have to postpone our trip to Illinois by a few days and get it fixed.
Back to the bike... I was told that the bike was an '03 or '04 and that the owner had only ridden the bike less than 50 miles. I asked if there was anything wrong with the bike, the answer was "no". Well, things are not always as they seem...
When we arrived, the bike was on a charger because the battery had just been replaced...no problem. But, the bike is an '02 and had over 8,000 miles on it. Still no problem but when buying a bike the buyer does not want to know how many miles the seller rode it, they want to know how many miles are on it all together...
The Rebel started up fine on the charger but would not seem to hold a charge, not even enough to turn it over. I should have put two and two together when I was told that there was "extra electrolyte"...still no problem really, I figured it out later. We loaded the bike on the trailer, stopped at the DMV, had lunch with Bob and Betty (Bob was the seller), got gas and headed home.
I met Betty thru Motor Maids and she is a great lady. At 70+ years she is still riding tall on her Voyager. **Lord may I still be riding when I am Betty's age..and may I be in as good of shape!**
Well, we made it to Sierra Vista on one tank of gas so we thought we would make it back, no so. On highway 87 there are no gas stations between Ft. McDowell Rd and the town of Payson which is about 60 miles, Pete estimated that we had enough gas. We ran out of gas north of Rye and just 10 miles from home. Soooo, we unloaded the bike, which I had to bump start, I strapped a 2 gallon gas can to the pillion and I headed up to Payson for gas. When used to riding the highways on big bikes like the ST or Valkyrie, a Rebel is hell, particularly a Rebel that needs a little TLC because it has been sitting for a while. We got gas, got home and I immediately gave the Rebel a once over to see what needed to be done. I cleaned the carbs, checked the battery and yep, the seller never added the electrolyte, OOOOPS! It doesn't seem to have any damage after that little fiasco and after my sisters learn to ride I'll probably sell it.
20 JUNE
My sister Shasteen has decided that she wants to ride as well...I am ecstatic, that will make all four of us riders. Shasteen is the oldest, Janis learned to ride last year, Laura learned to ride as a teenager but wants to re-learn, and me, I have been riding for over 30 years and I am obsessed!
9 - 18 JUNE
A non-motorcycling trip to Ireland, Wales and Britain
A great choice in police bikes - an ST in Oxford, England
26 JUNE
It is always a pleasure to hit the road with talented riders, that's what I did today.
After a ride down to Usery Pass with my nephew Lee as passenger
to rendezvous with Janis, we returned to Payson to meet (for the first time) Patti and a group of ST riders, Sport-Touring that is...We enjoyed breakfast at The Knotty Pine, then Patti, Janis, Lee and I rode out Houston Mesa to Whispering Pines. Patti, a skillful rider, was on her Honda ST 1100 (she rides a KLR 650 too), Janis', riding her Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad, has vastly improved in riding skill. She was a good rider before, now she's even better. Lee, on his cousins Kawasaki KLR 250, is just learning to ride and is proficient already. After a short trip to Whispering Pines and back, Lee had to return to Phoenix with his folks so Patti, Janis and I decided to ride out to Clint's Well for lunch.
It was one of those days..even though traffic was a bit heavy, we seemed to encounter all of the best bits without any vehicles in front of us. It was a short but marvelous ride with nice weather and first-class riders. I look forward to riding with Patti again and hopefully some of the other terrific people I met today.
Photo by Jon Ransom
21 MAY
I rode down the 87 to Bush Highway to meet up with Alice Sexton. Alice is riding to West Virginia on a Moto Guzzi Breva 750 and had spent last night at the home of her friend and fellow racer Rebeka Faulkner. Alice is headed to the Annual Moto Guzzi Rally in Wierton WV, read Alice's Trip Blog here.
Alice and Rebeka told me about the Femmoto women's track day in Las Vegas. I am not much of a racer and I certainly couldn't keep up with the likes of Rebeka and Alice but I plan to participate in the novice class and I'm sure I will learn a few things.
After breakfast and a quick stop at my place to send in her blog, Alice and I headed east on Highway 260...There were Beemers everywhere! It turned out that there was a BMW rally near Heber. I rode to Eager, AZ with Alice then she headed out the 60 to New Mexico and I headed back home to Payson. It was a pleasure riding with Alice again. We met for the first time last year in Amsterdam and rode together only briefly from Den Haag to the WIMA international rally in Borculo. Alice is an excellent rider!
22 APR - RENO TRIP
When I was checking out of the motel in Tonopah this morning I was asked again if I was headed to Laughlin...The River Run is this weekend. It's hard to believe but I really didn't know.
I headed down the 95 and bikes were everywhere, especially on trailers! I can nearly see trailering a bike behind a motor home or something along those lines but I don't understand why a lone individual would trailer a bike. It just seems like they are missing the point of motorcycling altogether.
At Boulder City I figured that I had about 90 miles (including reserve) before I needed gas. I wanted to get across the Dam ASAP. No problem I thought, there are gas stations between Hoover Dam and Kingman and Kingman is only about 75 miles anyway. Well...there are no gas stations between Hoover Dam and Kingman (maybe I was thinking of Laughlin and Kingman) and I was wrong in my estimation. I ran out of gas less than one mile from Kingman on the opposite side of a hill. A highway patrolman stopped to offer assistance and I told him I was glad to see him. "No one has been glad to see me all day." he said. "It depends on the situation, I can think of reasons why I would not be glad to see you today." I replied, with a big smile. He laughed in agreement.
I pushed my bike to the top of the hill (not all in one go!) and coasted down to the gas station. The officer stayed behind with lights flashing because I was on the shoulder and it ended before the bottom of the hill. <mental note> The ST is huge when you have to push it. I'll bet I never run out of gas on THIS bike again!
21 APR - RENO TRIP
I left Reno right after my meeting, it was about 4:15. I rode to Tonopah for the night. On the way to Tonopah I went thru Virginia City, what a cute little town! When I stopped for gas I was asked by two different people if I was headed to Laughlin. I thought that was odd. Why should I be headed to Laughlin?
19 APR - RENO TRIP
I got another early start and headed up the coast on Highway 1. I rode the Avenue of the Giants, another awe inspiring ride! I was a bit disappointed when the road ended and I had to get back on the highway. The beauty of this region is like none other. I rode north on Highway 101 to highway 36 and rode that all the way across the state. As I crossed Lassen NP, the weather turned sour and by the time I got to Reno it was hailing. I arrived in Reno one day earlier than I had planned.
18 APR - RENO TRIP
Although I got an early start, I wish it had been even earlier. Yosemite was awe inspiring. There was very little traffic except for the first car I encountered in the park. An elderly man in white car was going about 20 mph, the park limit is generally 35. He wouldn't use the turn-outs even though they are clearly marked, so after he passed three turn-outs I decided that I would have to cross over the double yellows to pass him. This is something that I rarely do but sometimes there is just no other choice!
I had a great ride across California and ended up on the coast at Fort Bragg. Highway 128 is another awesome road not to be missed.
17 APR - RENO TRIP
I rode over 750 miles today, it was not intentional. I started out in Kingman a couple hours before sun-up because I wanted to be in Death Valley early. After riding thru Death Valley I had planned to take the 151 from Lake Isabella, CA to Delano but ended up on Mountain Road 99 instead. When I got to the top, the pass was closed so I had to go back. I still missed the 151 (I was supposed to turn at Wofford Heights) so I went back to Lake Isabella and took the 178. The 178 is a great road, as long as traffic is light...it wasn't. I arrived in Oakhurst (just south of Yosemite) for the night and had dinner at The Velvet Rose, they had the doors open and and there was such a nice breeze coming thru that I didn't want to go back to my room. It is times like this when I REALLY miss Pete and yearn to spend this beautiful time together.
16 APR - RENO TRIP
As always when I am in this area, Ashfork, AZ, I stop to visit my father. While in Ashfork I met Mary Ann and Donna with her daughter Jessica riding their trikes.
After lunch I continued to Kingman where I planned to stop for the night. At the Best Western I met Peggy "cubbear" Moore who rides around the country behind her husband on a Harley Sportster. They have traveled over 150,000 miles since 1998. Their website is: lifeonaharley.
Also in Kingman I was approached by a man who asked me where I was headed. "I'm going to Reno", I replied "but I intend to make a few stops on the way like Death Valley, Yosemite, and the California coast."
"That's not on the way to Reno." He said.
"Sure it is, even Wisconsin is on the way to Reno " I replied with a big smile.
He started to tell me where these places are in relation to Reno...I didn't try to explain, he wouldn't get it anyway.
11 APR
I leave this Sunday for a ride around Northern California then to a business meeting in Reno on the 21st. I have no idea where I will go in CA, the weather will dictate all...Most of the passes around Yosemite are closed so I will probably go thru Death Valley then head toward the coast.
My sister Laura called this morning and asked me to go to Ireland, Wales and England in June. In the past I had said I would never go on a tour when traveling abroad but then I said I'd never cut my hair either... If I go, and I probably will, I won't be able to do the north-east trip that I had been planning for this fall. I'll ride the north-east in Sept of '07 instead.
07 APR
I rode the ST down to Phoenix today to get two recalls taken care of. I tried nearly two months ago to have them taken care of in Flagstaff but that was a disaster. Luckily, I had no problems here and a part that needs to be installed is on order but I shouldn't have any trouble with it in the meantime. I have over 27,000 miles on the ST now and this bike is such a pleasure to ride and so reliable that I just wouldn't want anything else for touring.
While I was at the shop I saw a used Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad, the very bike that my sister Janis has been dreaming of since she learned to ride last year. I was a good price, had lots of extras and custom paint. I called her to tell her about and she asked me to ride to Tucson to get her and take her to Phoenix...no problem, after they finished my bike I did just that. So now she has a Vulcan, and plans to ride to Georgia with me next summer for the AMA Women in Motorcycling Conference.
02 APR
She baited me, but what are sisters for? I wasn't planning to ride today, I had things to do! My sister Janis called and said she had to deliver something to Safford and would I like to meet her for lunch. Who can pass up an opportunity like this? A beautiful day, lunch with my sister and a return ride on the 191, one of Arizona's most beautifully contradistinctive roads.
I had a peaceful, uneventful and enjoyable ride to Safford. Roosevelt Lake was azure gorgeous and nearly full. At Safford I had a nice lunch with my sister and headed on to ride the varied 191. My GPS routed me from Safford to Old Highway 70, not a good idea. Old highway 70 is no longer maintained and runs out in 5 miles or so...back on the right track, the traffic was light and friendly thru the slow going towns of Clifton and Morenci. After Morenci I didn't see another human or automobile until Hannagan Meadow, about 75 exquisitely disparate miles. It was lightly snowing at Hannagan Meadow, so lightly that it melted well before the hitting the ground. If it wasn't so blasted cold I might have enjoyed it more. I was wearing summer gloves and a Firstgear Meshtex summer jacket. Brrrrrr... ;-)
The rest of the ride home (along the Rim on Highway 260) included cold, rain and more cold...somtimes it just happens that way. I look forward to riding the diverse 191 again soon.
27 MAR 05
Due to a back injury, today is the first time I have been able to ride in over three weeks. I took the Kawasaki ZRX 1200 out because it is so light. I only rode about ten miles and I sure felt it, so I cut it short. But, I think I am doing GREAT! I had spent two days at our local med. center and received an epidural injection, I think it will be successful but I also think I may need a second one...We'll see. I just hope that this injury will not keep me from a planned ride to No. California next month. I have a meeting in Reno, NV on the 21st of April and I am hoping to take a couple of extra days to explore the mountains and national parks in that area.
31 JAN 05
I went out on a short ride today on my Honda ST 1300 to practice what I learned in the Riding class I took on Saturday. When I started out, the temperature was 37 degrees but the sun was shinning brightly which makes a BIG difference. During my ride, I decided that I put too much work into riding. It is not so demanding. I had a fantastic ride today thru Superior and the skills I have learned will definitely improve my riding.
29 JAN 05
Today was quite a learning experience...
I attended a Lee Parks' Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic on my ST 1300.
The class started at 8:15 in the morning and T.E.A.M Arizona is in Gilbert, about 90 miles from my home so I had to start out by 6:30. The temperature was 27 degrees but I never encountered any slick roads so the ride was quite pleasant. I don't mind the cold but slick roads worry me. When it's cold I just think of the scene in "Grumpy Old Men" when Ann Margaret's character is playing "We're Having a Heat Wave, a Tropical Heat Wave" in the back ground and it's freezing cold outside.
The class emphasis was on cornering and I learned that I didn't know enough about it! The first part was a lesson in suspension, the details got to be a bit boring but the information was interesting. We soon moved on to the technique and we learned about throttle control, throttle/brake transitions, corner entry, line selection, body position and corner exit. Unfortunately the rain kept my group from practicing a couple of skills but what we did practice was well worth it.
The ride home was a bit of a challenge. Even though it was several degrees warmer than this mornings ride, I encountered slick, wet roads on the way home, especially in the Sunflower area. By the time I got home it was after dark and I thought that I had FRoZeN!
20 JAN 05
I have finally decided on this year's long ride (*update* I hope to make this ride in 2008 instead). Since I have never been to Eastern Canada or northeastern USA I have decided to make a trip around the great lakes and visit Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. I plan to go in August or September. Probably September since the change of seasons is so beautiful there.
Since October I have only been able to ride about 1500 miles...AAARGH! We had some rain damage at our property and for a couple of weeks I have only been able to take the dirt bikes out. Then I had a situation with the front forks on the ST and had to wait for parts. I hate not being able to ride...