Flanman's Motorcycle Journeys

2nd Ride with EV Cruisers - Breakfast in Globe and Winkelman

2008-08-10T16:42:00.000-07:00

Today was our second ride together as a group. We met at Lowe's on Higley and I-60 at 7:30. We had 7 people show up for this ride. We headed out at 7:45 on I-60 through Superior and into Globe. The morning temps were in the mid 80's and the drive up was nice. We at breakfast at the Cookhouse on the West side of Globe. The food is always good there. We ended up meeting two other folks that missed us at the meetup in the morning. They ate with us and rode with us for the rest of the day.
After breakfast we headed out through Globe and to Winkleman on 77. We could feel the temps start to warm up now. We stopped in Winkleman at a minmart for water and a potty break. We now took 177 back toward superior driving through several small mining towns. When we got back into Superior we stop at Las Hermosa for a quick rest and a very cold beer. After the rest we headed back into the valley on I-60 and got back home around 1:00 pm.
A very nice not too long ride with the heat. Everyone on the ride was in good spirits and
another successful ride for the East Valley Cruisers.

New Group and first ride to Harold's in Cave Creek

2008-08-03T15:37:00.000-07:00

Well... first of all the EVRG is no longer around. After several personal problems (not me) between members and organizers the group was shut down. I then decided to put together my own group of people that want to RIDE. Not a singles group and no FF just folks wanting to enjoy the outdoors and ride. I started the group (East Valley Cruisers) on Monday and by Friday had 65 members. We had our first ride yesterday. It was a short ride to Harold's bar in Cave Creek. The ride out was a little warm at first as we left at 6:15 with temps around 105. We headed out through Fountain Hills and past McDowell Mountain park. We arrived at Harold's at just about 7:30 just as the sun was going down.
We had 16 bikes and about 24 people on the ride. Everyone stayed together real well with no problems. We had a nice dinner with good service. The owner came over and said hi and found out Adam and I were both big Steeler fans. We headed back around 9 pm just as the band was starting to play. A few folks stayed behind, but most of us left together. We came back a quicker way down Pima road and then the 101 back to Gilbert. Once we hit the freeway we all kind of went our separate ways.
Overall it was a short ride, but a nice ride to get together the new group for the first time.

July 20 - Mt. Lemmon trip 300 miles

2008-07-22T09:47:00.000-07:00

Today the EVRG did a trip to Mt. Lemmon in Tucson to get away from the heat. We are in the heart of our monsoon season so there was lot's of cloud cover. We headed out at 8 am through Queen Creek and Florence. We then headed to Oracle Junction and then to the West part of Tucson. Just before Tucson we stopped at a Uno Chicago for a quick drink and snack for those that were hungry. We then headed through the outskirts of Tucson making one quick stop for gas before heading up Mt. Lemmon. The drive up was very nice with lots of turns and not a lot of traffic. We travelled to above 8000 feet and even drove trough some low flying clouds which was really cool. We got a few drops of rain on the drive up, but not much and were able to stay dry.
We ate lunch at the top of Mt. Lemmon at the Rusty Gate restaurant. The food was good, but the menu was limited. After lunch and a good rest we hopped back on the bikes and headed back down the mountain. We stopped once for some nice pictures at a scenic site. We then drove the rest of the way down the mountain and back into Tucson. We came back the same way on the Western outskirts of town, and just as we exited Tucson made another stop for gas. We notices the monsoons were now gathering around the mountain and heading straight at us.
We headed back to Oracle Junction and decided to stop at Lupe's Mexican restaurant for a quick drink. Just as we got off the bikes we saw how close the storm was to us and decided to press on to Florence to keep ahead of the storm. We headed back out and stopped at the River Bottom saloon in Florence for a nice cold beverage and a much needed rest. After that we headed home and started to break up our separate ways in Queen Creek. I got home just about 6 pm.
Overall it was a nice ride and with the cloud cover the temps were a little more tolerable, but once we got back in the valley the humidly was quite high. We were very lucky and saw very little rain and had a nice safe ride.

Overnight Ride to Alpine, AZ 532 Miles

2008-06-30T08:52:00.000-07:00

The EVMR group I ride with planned an overnight trip this last weekend to escape the heat. The original plan was to get to and ride the Highway 191 (Coronado's Trail) with over 60 miles of curves and hails. However, a summer fire that started a few day earlier closed the highway. So we made alternate plans.
Saturday:
We met at the Home Depot at 7 am. We headed out around 7:20 with 18 folks and 14 bikes. We headed into Globe first for breakfast. We then drove through Safford and grabbed a quick beverage and gassed up. We then drove just south of Clifton, AZ on 191/78 into New Mexico. We drove about 70 miles through NM on some curvy hilly roads that were beautiful. We stopped at a little Cafe along the way for a nice lunch. We then headed to our cabin (TalWiWi resort) back in AZ and arrived around 4:30.
It was a little cooler, but not a cool as we had hoped in the afternoon. We had dinner at their restaurant and a few cold beer by our rooms and at the bar. Everyone headed to bed after a long day of riding around 9 pm.
Sunday:
Two couple left early around 5:45 yech. The rest of us had breakfast around 7:30 and hit the road around 9 am. We drove about 30 miles on 191 to see Hannigan Meadows and some very wonderful scenery of rolling roads and pine trees. We came to the spot where the road was closed and headed back towards Alpine. From there we went to Eagar where we stopped for gas and a stretch of the legs. We started to notice some dark clouds gathering over Show Low where we were heading. Just after leaving Eagar the clouds were looking really bad so we stopped to put on our rain gear. We Just before Pine Top-Lakeside we ran into some rain for about 15 minutes. We continued through the storm and stopped in Show Low (Branding Iron Saloon) for lunch.
As we were finishing lunch we noticed the storm had caught up to us and it started raining again. We all got back into our rain gear and gassed up after lunch. Once we headed out of Show Low we were under a steady stream of rain until just before Salt River Canyon. Then it got really bad. We got golf ball size hail along with heaving rain heading into the canyon. There were already rock slides starting on the side of some of the mountains. When it got really heavy we pulled over to see what everyone wanted to do. We decided to drive through it as carefully as possible, as it looked like we were in the middle of the storm, and it was not going to blow over us.
We headed into the canyon at a very slow speed as most of the traffic had slowed quite a bit. Just before we reached the bottom the hail finally subsided, but we still were getting a light rain.
A few of us stopped for a potty break and then headed on out of the canyon and into Globe. As we headed out of the canyon the rain ended and we had a chance to dry off before getting to Globe.
Once in Globe we all gassed up and compared how soaked we were. There was talk of stopping for a beer, but the storm we just drove through was blowing our way. We decided to head back to town without stopping. As we left Globe we again encountered some rain for about 10 miles, but not nearly as bad as we had in the canyon, an no hail. Once we were about 30 miles out of town we were out of the storm and could start to feel the desert heat. It was nice to feel the 100 degree air blow drying my clothes. I drove straight home and arrived around 4:30 on Sunday afternoon
Overall I had a great time on the trip. The weather on the way back was a little crappy, but if it had no been for the storms we would have been in 100 degree weather from the Salt River Canyon all the way home. Now I have to find so decent rain gear as the stuff I had was horrible.
I would like to someday take Adam on this trip with me so he could enjoy the scenery too.

Night Ride to Scottsdale bars

2008-06-15T17:02:00.000-07:00

With the heat setting in you either have to ride at night or get out of the valley early in the morning. I decided yesterday to check out a few Scottsdale biker friendly bars I have been wanting to check out. The first was the Dirty Dogg Saloon located on Scottsdale and Shea. This was really cool where the girls in the bar get on the bar in skimpy outfits and use a hula hoop or swing from the rafters in the ceiling. Very cool.
The second bar was the Billet Bar about 6 miles South on Scottsdale road. This is a bar built for bikers with biker parking in the front, and a long bar outside facing Scottsdale road to see all the people and bikes. Another very cool place and they had some cute waitresses too. They also had a nice area in the back with pool tables and booths and a full bar.
The night was pretty casual, and I will be visiting these bars again in the near future.

Cool weather - Three different rides

2008-05-26T20:23:00.000-07:00

We had a big storm blow in early this week. We got rain Thursday, Friday, and early Saturday. Temps dropped into the 70's during the day. This weekend, which was a three day weekend due to Memorial day was probably the last cool weather we might see for a while. So.. what did I do? I went on three separate rides Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

- Saturday - 200 Miles
The EVMR group I ride with planned a ride to Chistopher Creek for lunch today. We planned to meet at 9:30 and head up. Problem was with all the recent rain and cold weather is was snowing in Payson. So... we changed our plans. We decided to head away from the rain towards Tucson. We did the Florence, Oracle Junction, Winkleman, Superior Route. I took Adam along on this ride. We first stopped at the Galloping Goose bar in Coolidge for a quick beverage. We then headed towards Tucson. We stopped a Lupes Mexican restaurant at the junction of 77 & 79. The food was very good, but service was very slow. We then headed out on 77 to past several small mining towns and then headed NW on 177 to Superior. During one stop for photos, Mark our fearless leader and his wife fell over on their bike. Luckily they had come to a stop on a soft spot on the side of the road. Other than a little pride nothing else was hurt. Once we hit Superior we
we stopped at the Mexican restaurant at the edge of town for a quick beverage an then headed home. All in all a nice ride in cool temps. Once we exited the Phoenix area the clouds cleared up and we had a beautiful ride.
-Sunday- 190 Miles
With the great cooler weather I wanted to take advantage and go for another ride Sunday morning. Late Saturday I sent an email to all EVMR folks to see if anyone was interested in going to breakfast in Globe on Sunday. I ended up getting two other riders (both named Bill) to go along. Bill W. also brought along his 11 year old daughter. Adam sat this one out as he had church today. We headed out on 60 towards Superior. We stopped at the edge of town at the Buckboard cafe for a quick potty break and then back on the road. We got the the Cookout cafe in Globe at around 9:30 am and had a really nice breakfast. The original plan was to have breakfast and head back the same way. However, with the great weather I suggested we go past Roosevelt Lake and Jake's Corner and come home down 87 from Payson. Both Bill's agreed it was a good idea and we were off after breakfast. The temps were in the 70's and felt great. We stopped in Tonto Basin for gas and potty break. We then stopped at Jake's Corner bar for a quick refreshment and rest. We then headed home. The other Bill wanted to take one more rest on the way home so we stopped at the Saguaro Lake Marina for a quick rest. We headed on home and I got back around 1:30 in the afternoon. Another great ride with perfect weather.
-Monday- 50 miles
I decided to take Adam on a ride today. We went to the top of South Mountain where he has never been. We headed out around 9:00 am. Traffic was light as this was a holiday today. We got to the top, and Adam loved the view. We stayed there for about 20 minutes while he looked over the valley and watched the planes coming and going at Sky Harbor Airport. We then took a route to the back (South) side of the mountain. There we found a group of folks that were parachuting off the side of the mountain. They had these customized shoots that were already open, that they waited until they caught the wind, and then ran off the side of the mountain. It was really cool to watch. After waiting about 20 minutes for one guy to go we headed back down the mountain. Adam really loved the twists and turns on the mountain. We stopped for lunch at a pizza place owned buy a guy I used to work for about 20 years ago. He was in and we got a chance to catch up while having lunch. After lunch we headed home as it was starting to warm up. Overall not a long ride, but very scenic and Adam enjoyed his first time on South Mountain.

5/18 Showlow/Payson Loop 350 Miles

2008-05-20T17:28:00.000-07:00

I went on another ride with the EVMR this last Sunday. The group was little smaller than normal (4 bikes) as several of the folks in the EVMR were doing an overnight ride to Lake Havasue City. We wanted to get out of the heat and head up to the cool country. We decided on a 340 mile through Show Low and Payson. We started out at 9:00 am and headed to Show Low. We took I60 through Globe and Salt River Canyon. Once we got out of Globe you cold feel the temperature drop a bit which was nice. The drive through the Salt River Canyon was real pretty with great views. We stopped at a good Mexican restaurant at the edge of Show Low around 12:30 for lunch.
After lunch we headed West on 260 through Heber and Overgard. This was the nicest part of the trip with nice temps and beautiful mountain scenery. We stopped at the Red Onion in Overgard for a quick beverage to cool off. We then headed into Payson were we made a quick stop for gas and a final rest before the haul home. We did hit some traffic for about 3 miles outside of Payson on the Beeline highway where they had the rock slide a few months ago. Once we got out of that traffic it was smooth riding back into the heat and the valley. We finished off by stopping at Spirits in East Mesa for a quick refreshment and then back home.
Over a nice ride and we made good time without having to rush at all.

Father/Son overnight away from the heat - 440 miles

2008-04-20T18:52:00.000-07:00

I decided to take Adam on an overnight trip on the bike this weekend. It has been getting in the 90's here in the valley and we wanted a chance to get out of the heat. I decided to to a loop to Flagstaff and back off of the main highways.
We left Friday morning around 9:30 am and headed to Payson. Being a work day we had very little traffic and a nice drive to Payson. We could feel the temps cooling a bit so we stopped and put on our jackets. We the headed through Pine and Strawberry, two small little towns. We stopped in Mormon Lake for a nice lunch at the restaurant/saloon. The scenery in this area is absolutely beautiful and the temperate was in the low 70's and just perfect.
After lunch we drive around Mormon Lake and headed about another 30 miles to Flagstaff. We arrived just before 3 pm. We checked into our motel and hung out for about an hour to relax. Since we arrives in good time we decided to see a movie (Forbidden Kingdom). After the movie we had a nice relaxing dinner and Buffalo Wild Wings. Next we headed to the hotel for a little tv and then to bed.
We planned on heading out Saturday morning around 9 am. The forecast for Flagstaff was in the low 30's and I figured leaving any earlier would be too cold. To our surprise by 8 am it was in the low 50's and very comfortable. So... we headed out to Sedona via. The second day of travel was even nice than the first. We drove through wonderful forest with miles of winding, hilly roads. We arrived in Sedona around 9 am and walked through several of the shops. After about an hour we decided to head to Jerome. I knew Adam would love the drive on the steep hilly roads of Jerome.
In Jerome we visited the Spirit Room where I had a beer and Adam had a Sarsaparilla. We walked around some of the historical sites and shops for another hour or so. We decided to head to Prescott for lunch. The drive from Jerome to Prescott is one of the best in AZ. I love this ride and so did Adam. We arrived in Prescott around 12:30 and parked by the town square (Whiskey Row). We decided to have lunch at the Palace Saloon with all it's rich history and feel. After lunch we walked around the shops for a bit, and checked out a Fire Service show on one side of the town square. Adam enjoyed seeing all the firemen, trucks, and exhibits.
We left for Wickenburg around 2 pm. The drive from Prescott to Wickenburg is also beautiful as you now drive through several valleys filled with ranches, livestock, and horses. Again the scenery was wonderful. Adam said he was missing the rest of the family, so we decided just to gas up in Wickenburg and drive through to home in Gilbert. We arrived home around 4:00.
This was a very enjoyable trip for both of us, and hopefully trips like this are the things Adam will remember most about his childhood, as I know I will cherish the memories.

Hearts to Heroes Event - Sat. April 12

2008-04-13T14:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my son and Adam and I went to the Hearts to Heroes event and ride. It is put on by Barry who runs the cyclerides.com website. I was an excellent event and we are already looking forward to next year. This is Barry's way of honoring our U.S. Veterans in a very non-political way. The event started with several presentations inside his church. These presentations included honoring all the Veterans of wars past. We were able to hear from two current army soldiers just recently back from Iraq. We also heard a young lady sing both the national anthem, and a song she wrote in memory of her brother who died in Iraq. There was not a dry eye in church when she sang. There was also another man who had written a song titled Hears to Heroes after attending last year's event.
After the presentation we all headed out to our bikes that were lined up for a ride to Westgate plaza. There must have been 2000 bikes lined up there. You can view pictures from the event in my photo album at www.flanman.net/photoalbum/ Look for the Heats To Heroes 2008 folder. Once we were all at our bikes we had two Apache helicopters do a flyby just overhead which was really cool. After that we all got on the bikes and went on a 15 mile ride to Westgate plaza. The ride was escorted by the sheriff's department which was great as we traveled on the freeway.
The ride ended at Westgate where Barry showed us another video on a large video screen, and had one of the soldiers speak to us for about 15 minutes. Adam and I walked around for a bit and then headed home. I have to say this was one of the most patriotic and touching events I have ever attended and cannot wait until next year.

AZ Bike Week 2008

2008-04-06T19:02:00.001-07:00

Well this was a great week for riding in AZ. Bikeweek/Cyclefest was held this week in Scottsdale. I was there on three different days. My buddy Flynn and I rode out Wednesday night as it was kicking off. Molly Hatchett was in concert, and several of the vendors were still setting up.
Friday I went on the Mesa Firefighters Poker Run. I am posting a map of the run. It started at Superstition HD and ended at Cyclefest in Scottsdale. From what I heard they had 1300 bikes and it was a lot of fun. The run went through East Mesa, Fountain Hills, Scottsdale, Cave Creek, and back to Scottsdale. I did it alone, but still had fun and met some really cool people. A few buddies met me in the evening and we hung out, did a little shopping, had a few beers and listened to Kansas in concert. All in all a good day with some good riding.
Saturday I took my son Adam on a charity run for the East Valley Crises Center. It started in Ahwatukee and basically went down the freeway to Cyclefest. We probably only had around 100 or bikes, but it was still pretty cool seeing a large group going down the freeway together. We met Flynn in the early evening and again did some shopping and walking around. It looked like there were over 10,000 bikes in the parking lot when we arrived and it was an awsome site.

Tortilla Flat - Sat. March 22

2008-03-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

Today I rode with a new group. The East Valley Riders Group. I found their site/forum per a recommendation from another rider. I decided to try a short ride with them to see how I would get along. We met at the Sam's Club on Baseline and Gilbert at 4 pm. Due to a few delays we ended up leaving around 4:50. Initially everyone I met was very friendly and laid back with a mix of motorcycles including one sport bike.
We headed out via I-60 to Idaho Road which turns into I-88 which goes all the way to Canyon Lake and Tortilla Flat. The ride is very scenic with a good amount of slow twists and hills. The ride out is just under 40 miles and we got to Tortilla Flat around 5:45. Luckily they still were serving dinner until 6:00 pm so we just made it. There was a lot of talk and joking around and dinner, and it appeared as though these folks seemed to get along well.
Dinner took about an hour and we headed back just as it was getting dark. I let Sam, another new guy borrow my clear goggles to get past the canyon turns as all he had were his tinted glasses. Since I have a windshield now I had no problem driving without goggles. When we got back into town we headed to Will's house in East Mesa for a few beers to relax. I ended up heading home around 9:30. All in all it was a nice relaxing ride, and the the group seemed to be pretty cool. I look forward to riding with them again.

Lake Havasu City - March 14-16

2008-03-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

My buddy Flynn and I decided to go to the "Rodeo by the River" three day rally in Lake Havasu. The ride from Gilbert was around 220 miles each way. We left on Friday with temps in the low 80's and a little windy. We went out via I-17 to the Carefree highway to Wickenburg. We stopped and had lunch here at a local restaurant. We headed back out via I-60 Southwest through a few very small towns such as Salome and Linden. We then tool I-72 to I-95 through Parker into Lake Havasu City. The best part of the ride was the last 25 miles between Parker and Lake Havasu where you drive next to the river. Very pretty scenery with some rolling hills and twists. We got to LHC around 4:30.
We checked into the hotel and headed to the rally site. It was at Sara Park just before LHC on I-95. On Friday there was not a lot going on, and there were only a handful of vendors, but we did happen to purchase a few items. We headed back into town around 7 pm for some dinner and to check out some of the local night spots. It just so happens that it was Spring break for the colleges so there was a lot of scenery to checkout if you get my drift. Of course with both of us near 40 wearing biker gear, we did not exactly fit in. We checked out three different bars and then called it a night around midnight.
Saturday morning we planned on going on the Poker Run setup by the rally. The problem is Flynn could not sleep due to my snoring, and could not get up. We ended up sleeping in until around 9 am, and missing the run. After some breakfast we headed back to the rally around 10:30 am. There were a lot more people here now, and riders were starting to trickle in from the poker run. Since we missed the run, but wanted to ride we decided to head out East on I-95 towards Kingman and just kind of wing it. We rode for about 25-30 miles out of the hills before coming back into the desert and a local gas station. We decided to turn around and head back into town. We parked by the London Bridge and had lunch. We then decided to walk around by the beach and check out the college "scenery" on the beaches and boats. We were not let down as there was plenty to see, by things were very mellow due to LHC tightening their laws about partying in the beach areas. Flynn decided he wanted to take a little nap before heading out for the night. We headed back to the room where he snoozed for about 1 1/2 hours. After that we headed back to the rally. Now there were a lot of riders, and we watched some of the riding rodeo games. Dinner was served shortly afterwards, but we were not hungry and gave our tickets to some other folks.
Around 6 pm it started getting really windy and cold. We decided to stay round until 7:30 to see the bikini concert before heading back into town. By the time 7:30 rolled around most of the folks had left, and most of the vendors were packing up due to the cold wind. We were told the bikini contest was pretty much a bust, and was not going to happen. We decided to head back into town for a few drinks. We went to a different bar (The Naked Turtle) by one of the hotels that was pretty cool. Again there were lots of college kids, and we looked a little out of place. After an hour or so we headed back into town to one of the bars we were at the night before and hung out for a few hours before heading home around 11:00 pm.
We decided to head out fairly early on Sunday due to an incoming rain storm to the LHC and the valley. We were on the road by 9:00 am just as the clouds were getting pretty dark. Flynn had rented a Harley while his was in the shop, so we decided to take a quicker route back to get the rental in on time. We took I-95 to I-72, but his time headed South in Vicksburg to catch I-10 back into Phoenix. The clouds were looking pretty dark, but it appeared as though we had outran most of the storm. Just before getting on I-10 we took a quick rest stop for gas, and I put on my rain pants to be safe. Once he got on I-10 about 10 miles later we hit some rain. Not real hard rain, but steady for about 10 minutes. Luckily we both had our helmets on to keep fairly dry. Once we got through that rain, we did not get anymore rain, and stayed dry for the rest of the ride. We took a quick stop in Avendale just to grab a quick bite of food at a Wendy's and then headed through Phoenix and into Gilbert. The ride home was much quicker as I was home by around 1:30 pm, and had time to relax with the family.
All in all the ride was nice and the AZ scenery is always a pleasure. We both though the rally was kind of a bust, and probably would not attend that one again. I ended up putting just over 600 miles on the bike over the weekend and had a really good time.

March 8 - Gila Bend loop

2008-03-10T21:04:00.000-07:00

Today was perfect riding weather. Our group decided to go out on a Saturday this week. We decided to go to Gila Bend for lunch. We all met at a smoke store on Riggs Rd. and I -10. We took Riggs to Maricopa rd. We then took Maricopa to the SR 238 West to Gila Bend. This was about a 45 mile stretch with open road and very little traffic. Although the scenery was nothing spectacular the ride on the rolling road with no traffic was nice. We ate lunch at the Space station Cafe and had a nice lunch. After a little planning we decided to take I-8 back to Maricopa. We then drove through Maricopa again, but his time we headed East on Casa Blanca Blvd. This took us all the way to Arizona Avenue which we took back into town. Overall it was a nice ride with kind of bland scenery. Adam went with me again, and we both had a good time.

Beautiful Lake Roosevelt Loop

2008-03-02T15:28:00.000-08:00

Today we had a smaller group but a wonderful ride. Me, Scott, and Rick from the SC group were joined by a friend of Scott's and Flynn and two other buddies. We met at the Chevron on Idaho and I 60 at 10 am. Took off to Globe right around 10:30. Temps today were a little cooler but still very nice. The ride into Globe is beautiful with great scenery through Superior, Miami and Claypool. W arrived in Globe around 11:45 and had lunch at a Denny's type restaurant. As we ate there were definitely storm clouds gathering. Flynn and his buddies had already decided they were going to drive back to Mesa from Globe. Rick, Scott, and I decided the weather did not look too horrible and decided the head to Roosevelt.
Just as we gassed up we started to get a few sprinkles and I don't think anyone had any rain gear. We headed towards Roosevelt and luckily after about 10 minutes of light sprinkling we outran the storm. As we drove towards Tonto Basin the skies cleared up and it was smooth sailing from there. The drive past the lake is a really nice and scenic, including driving right by the Dam. We the hit 87 and took it home into East Mesa. Traffic here was much faster, but he down hill drive was fun. I got home around 3:45 and overall really enjoyed the ride. I plan on doing this one again in the future.

Oracle Loop in the opposite direction

2008-02-24T17:24:00.000-08:00

Today our riding group (Southwest Cruisers) did a 200 mile ride. The day was supposed to be sunny and 75 degrees, but it started out a little overcast with light sprinkles, but soon cleared up to be a really nice day. We took I60 out of the East valley to Superior. Then took state route 177 through several small mining towns. What beautiful scenery. We stopped at a small local mexican diner in Mammoth for lunch. The food was good. We then headed to Oracle and then back towards Florence. We never stopped for gas and I almost ran out before we got to Florence. My fuel light came on about 15 miles outside of Florence and I was a little worried. I made it and we all gassed up in town. We then took 587 west towards Chandler and headed back home. Overall another fun ride with no problems. One note is we had four Vulcans on this trip (3 Nomads). This way was a better way to do this route as the downhills outside of Superior were excellent.

Casa Grande ride off the beaten path

2008-02-17T16:47:00.000-08:00

I recently joined a motorcycle club named Souther Cruisers. We went on our first real ride today. It was around a 90 mile ride to Casa Grande and back. We took state route 87 South out of Mesa/Chandler and then Southeast through Sacaton and Coolidge. We did a quick stop at a McDonald's in Coolidge for quick coffee and rest. Then we headed West on 287 through Casa Crande. We actually drove through Casa Grande twice looking for a nice place to eat and settle on a Chili's. After a late lunch we headed back North via 387 out of Casa Grande and around Sacaton. We then took 87 back towards town, but this time turned North on Gilbert road which brought us back into town. We left at 11:30 am and arrived back around 4:30. It was a little chilly right around 70 degrees but not too bad, with beautiful clear skies.

Great ride in early February

2008-02-10T13:49:00.000-08:00

Adam and I went on a 215 mile ride today. We did a loop that took us from Gilbert through Florence and to Oracle. There was actually a little snow on the ground in Oracle which is at the base of Mt. Lemmon in Tucson. We also found out that the town of Oracle had no fast food places at all. We ended up eating lunch at a Circle K. Our lunch menu was six dohnuts, Milk, A burrito, and a Dr. Pepper. At least they had a gas station where I could fill up. Back on the road we headed towards Superior. We drove through a couple of older mining towns (Winkleman, Hayden, and Kearny). That part of the ride was the best part with some nice curve, and beautiful scenery as well as some Arizona history. Overall a very pleasant ride with the nice weather in the 70's all day.

Trip to Hacienda Harley-Davidson in Scottsale

2008-01-27T10:07:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I took Adam on a ride to a Harley Dealership. It was a beautiful day in the low 70's with lot's of sunshine. We started out through Apache Junction, past Saquaro Lake to Fountain Hills where we had lunch (McDonald's). We then headed down Shea Blvd to Frank Lloyd Right and then to Hayden Rd. The dealership was huge with lots of bikes to look at. Adam loved the few used quads they had outside. They also had some cute girls washing bikes out back. We then came back through Fountain hills, and took Beeline highway Southwest to Gilbert Rd. We came back up to Greenfield road, past Falcon field and them home, but first stopping for a Smoothie to top of the day. It was a nice hour ride, and some great father/son time together.
I planned on going for another nice ride today, but rain has set it so it will have to wait for another day.

Christmas Parade 2007

2008-01-14T13:37:00.000-08:00

Lynn's mom lives in Leisure World (retirement community), and every holiday season they have a Christmas parade. The Parade is a mainly golf carts decorated for Christmas, but they will allow go-carts, minibikes and motorcycles. This year Adam and I decided to participate and even dressed up like Santa and Rudolph. It was a lot of fun, and luckily we had nice weather for the short ride. Lynn wanted me to ride around town dressed up like Santa, but the outfit was a little to uncomfortable for that. I have included a picture of Adam and I driving in the community area.

Toys for Tots Christmas Run

2008-01-04T19:22:00.000-08:00

One of the local radio personalities (W.Steven Martin) had a Toys for Tots run on a Saturday in Mid December. It started at a Harley Dealership in Mesa, and ended in Maricopa. It was about a 70 mile run. It was a little cold as it started at 10 am with temperatures probably in the mid 40's. I took Adam with me again, and other than being a little chilly we had a lot of fun. What was rally cool was the police escort closed down the freeway for the run. So you had this line of like 500 bikers riding two by two down one lane of the freeway with no other traffic. It was a spectacle that is for sure. Unfortunately I did not get any pictures, but we had a great time, and will go on that run again next year.

With the holidays and cooler weather I have not been able to go on any other rides of any significance, but will keep you posted on the next ride.

The Bigger Bike....

2008-01-04T19:16:00.000-08:00

I have since traded up from my Shadow 600 to a 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 classic, which I love. My friend Mike loves to remind me it was a girl's bike anyway. This bigger bike has increased my love for riding even more. After getting used to the bigger bike I took my 11 year old son Adam on a day trip to Globe and Florence just before Thanksgiving. We had a great time and enjoyed the wonderful weather before it started getting a little chilly here. This was a shorter 150 mile ride, but we both enjoyed it immensely.

Adam's 11th Birthday was Dec. 9 and we got him a minibike to ride around the neighborhood. He loves it and rides it everyday. I take him on short trips around the neighborhood when there is no traffic. Here is a picture of us the day he got it on our bikes.

Early Trips

2008-01-04T18:54:00.001-08:00

It all started around May of 2007. I finally talked my wife into letting me get a motorcycle. The first one I got as a 2006 Honda Shadow 600 VLX Deluxe. The bike was almost new with only 110 miles on it. It ran great, and was fun to ride, but I soon found being 6ft. and 260 lbs this bike was a bit small for me. I did however take my first two real road trips on this bike.

The first was a rally at Mormon Lake AZ called "Too Broke for Sturgis". It was held in late July, and was at a high enough elevation that we escaped the AZ heat for a few days. The rally was fun and we did a nice run through Winslow and Flagstaff. I went with a good friend Mike (Honda VTX 1300) and we had a good time, especially at the Wet T-Shirt contest. Here is the day ride we took that was about 160 miles.

My second run also on the small Honda was an overnight trip to Sedona with another good friend named Flynn. He has a nice Harley an I am sure he was tired of waiting me and my little putter. We did this just before Halloween as the weather was cooling off. The drive up was a little windy, but beautiful as we drove through Payson, Pine, Strawberry, Camp Verde, Cottonwood, and into Sedona. The night was a little cool in the 50's I believe. The second day we drove from Sedona to Jerome to the back way to Prescott with breathtaking scenery. We did lunch in Prescott, then drove to Wickenburg for dinner and eventually back to Gilbert in the early evening. Overall a very fun trip with lots of great scenery. I believe the trip was right around 400 miles total. I plan on making this trip again in the spring.