Oct 12 2021

Arizona Ghost Town Tour: day 6 (what a fright!)

Miles = 455

Total trip miles=1,914

Wild animals running across the road in front of Rick= 1 deer

Smooshed penny = 1 (from yesterday)

Curves= in short supply. Rick stopped counting after 33 in over 150 miles

Quote of the trip= as we were saying our goodbyes to Laura’s mom Kate and her Aunt Deb her Aunt says to me, “I look forward to reading your podcast.” How precious is that?

We rode the 72>62>10 (nearly being blown off the road at that interchange. What a horrid experience)>210>134>101>Home!

Super cool bridge somewhere in the vast open road

Lots of this (and a big bug splat) in California

Lots of this on the 210 and some rain to boot!

The 62 where it interchanges to the 10 is the scariest thing ever. Worse than the 191. Worse than when we were in Europe and I dropped the bike in traffic on a curve as a Porsche flew past. Worse than the winds in Virginia City on Dash. I think Rick was trying to kill me and Laura was just collateral damage 😉. Those winds were so hard they drove us almost parallel to the ground from the right. The gusts drove you into the other lane which if you didn’t push to the left would have pushed you into dirt and gravel. It was frightening. There was no stopping or turning around. You just had to push through. Rick slowed to check on Laura (who I found out later had been blown close to the dirt emergency lane 2x) but I knew I couldn’t so I just pushed on until- of all things- there was a stop light at the top of the gusty ridge and of course it was red what stupid ass puts a stoplight there? A stupid ass that doesn’t ride a motorcycle that’s who! Almost dropped the bike stopping but my P90X3 workouts saved me and I pulled that bike upright like a body builder because you needed that much force in those wind gusts.

Once on the 10 it got better (relatively speaking) and I continued on toward home. Traffic wasn’t bad until, of course, it started sprinkling (which is worse than rain because all the oils come to the surface) but I was undeterred. Then traffic stopped on the 210 due to an accident so lane splitting it was. Then on the 101 another accident and more lane splitting (honestly my hands were aching) so I rode in the emergency lane I had about had it with lane splitting. Some of those cars have side view mirrors like elephant ears. What are they looking at Mars? I thought the ticket would be worth it. After merging into the fast lane (relatively speaking) I passed the accident and was up to speed. Nearing my ocean and seeing home only 15 miles in the distance the winds of over 25 mph appeared. Are you kidding me? And there I was again being tossed around with front winds that made me feel like I was going in reverse. It tossed me back and sideways at the same time. Unbelievable!

But I made it home safely and I still ❤️ motorcycling.

I wonder where the next trip will take me?

Oct 10 2021

Arizona Ghost Town Tour: day 5

Miles = 223

Fights with Rick = daily 😉

Laura yelling at Rick and I = 1x 😳

79>60>88>202>101 (like five times looking for the 60) >74>60

The day started out very temperate which I was not used to. For roughly 90 miles we traveled a recently re-paved 79 with somewhat fresh oil on the newly laid asphalt.—always fun. To pass the time we talked about actors good and bad. I was heartened to know that others thought Bill Paxton was a horrible actor who speaks his lines without nuance or inflection. Laura added George Clooney to the list and so the morning passed until we reached the Goldfield Mine in Apache Junction.

While waiting for the mine tour (which was not really worth the admittance fee) Laura couldn’t resist the Zipline and photobombed my picture while I was trying to catch the train. Geesh Laura.

Here was the picture I was trying to take…

Some more pictures….

After having lunch where Laura’s mom Kate and her Aunt Deb joined us (they were two spicy characters. I liked them both immediately) we left for Chandler to see the train museum. Let the battle royale begin. We had a bit of a problem finding the museum as we were looking for a left hand turn when we were supposed to go right. After realizing our mistake and Rick thinking using my GPS was a good idea (he doesn’t like GPSs apparently and only trusts maps) so needing to make a U turn I didn’t feel good about it so I said no and he said yes just do it and I said that I SAID NO and he said it was a four lane road blah blah blah. Needless to say I did not do a U turn on this day and he took off at 1,000 mph leaving a trail of dust and I think a skid mark. Now in his defense he was correct. I could have made that turn easily but I kept imagining dropping my bike and getting run over by someone peeling out at 1000 mph. Meanwhile Laura was listening to this and pretty well tired of it. After Rick took off I just refused to move and then Laura told me to get going. I had some choice words about Rick and off we went. Finally finding the train museum Rick and I hugged it out. Then Laura told us both off and walked away. As she went to the restroom to steam Rick turned to me and said, “I guess she told us.” To which we both laughed. Laura didn’t laugh for at least another hour. Ha ha

The train museum was actually super cool and Rick surely does know his trains. It’s clearly rubbing off on Laura because she can train speak as well. I really never knew it was so complicated inside a locomotive I figured someone shoveled coal while some one else blew a whistle. Not so much. There are a ton of knobs and controls in there.

The rest of the day we just rode around looking for the 60 until we finally arrived at our hotel. Tomorrow we all go to our respective corners.

What a trip. Glad to have done it with my sister wife and Rick (though they may think otherwise)

Oct 9 2021

Arizona Ghost Town Tour : day 4

Miles = 356

191>70>60>177>77

So much weather in Arizona 🤣 I was so cold in the morning I made everyone stop so I could put on more layers. Luckily they know I will need to stop for a restroom emergency or to layer.

Jessie and Cathie joined us last night and Jess led the way. He was a good leader. Somewhat conservative, at times, in his riding unless you hit 9000+ in elevation. Then he chooses to stop in the middle of a road. On a curve. All this to point out we were above 9000 feet in elevation. I almost had a heart attack

We then hit the 191 also known as devils highway because it used to be called the 666. But everyone kept stealing the signs so they renamed it. This road was chock full of hair pin turns, safety pins and Bob pins (we named them that when in Europe motorcycling – those are not real things). It was a twisty filled – joy filled ride

As we pulled over at a turn out one of us dropped the bike. Now I must add that yesterday another person dropped their bike while trying to get out of the cavern parking area. Anyone who knows me, or reads this blog, knows I am infamous for dropping my bike. so smart money is on me as to who dropped their bike. But alas, it was NOT me. Either time. Luckily no one was hurt (other than their egos taking a hit) and the bikes were fine too. Now, back to the story, when we pulled out at the turn out, on very deep gravel, two guys were there on motorcycles and ran over to help. They were super nice. When they eventually pulled out they had cigarettes in their mouths. Super 60s look. How did those things not fly out at speed?

As we continued on the 191 we rode past the largest gold and copper mine which was so very colorful and exceedingly large. I don’t quite know how to feel about this

We then left the 191 and Jess led us on the side roads to his home. While riding there was a Rick Hall Shooowwew: The Rick Hall Show! —preview all about cotton as one each side of the 70 there were fields and fields of cotton growing. On the Rick Hall Show was a discourse about how crop rotations have saved the farmers farms so that farmers could continue farming. This went on for quite some time until a commercial finally interrupted scheduled programming

What a great day. Tomorrow off to Apache junction for the next ghost town and then to Ricks train museum in Chandler. No more twisties. But hopefully the ghost town will be spectacular.

I cannot upload pictures here so that will be tomorrow.

See you on the road!!!

Oct 8 2021

Arizona Ghost Town Tour: day 3

Miles = 310

U-Turns = 3

Laura sneezing= 5

Lisa sneezing = 1

Smooshed pennies = 3

Hot damn it was cold. Until we hit Winslow AZ.

Today was the day of failures and mishaps. Other than the rain which Rick kept insisting would occur no matter how many people. (Including strangers who had no investment in the outcome) tried to tell him. The day began with Rick and Laura’s shower clogging and toilet overflowing. Nothing can compare with that but my batteries in my SPOT died and then Laura’s kickstand came apart. That would have been a true disaster if she had lost more than just a bolt.

After Winslow we rode to the Petrified Forest. I had been there in the early 90s with Carolina and the petrified wood was spectacular to look at but it wasn’t quite like I recalled. I can’t put my finger on how I remembered it to how it was now but with time I’m certain I will. I did get a souvenir as I always regretted not having one (and I didn’t even pilfer it).

Rick and Laura lend a helping hand. I told them it was too heavy

At the end of the day we stopped for some much needed alcohol and while Rick and Laura have no room in their saddlebags I had a ton of space. Rick likened it to Mary Poppins purse!

Tomorrow we go to the 191 and finally the twisties with Jess and Cathy who joined us in Springerville

Oct 7 2021

Arizona ghost town tour: day 2

Miles= 326

U-Turns = 2

Laura sneezing = 151 (I’m not kidding)

Smooshed pennies = 1

We left lovely Barstow at a very reasonable hour. Things were looking good. I was feeling good. I was going to find my riding groove. As we left the hotel and turned to get on to the freeway I had my face shield up to greet the day. Breathing in the fresh cold air we made our first left turn and the worlds biggest bug hit me square in the eye.

Maybe I would need to rethink this day.

We rode from the 40>93>125 (which was Chloride and our first ghost town). 93>40>66

Chloride was quite small

After Chloride we rode on to the Grand Canyon caverns which also has a hotel. Pre COVID you could literally stay in a room in the cavern (wait for the picture) but now you cannot. So we opted for the regular hotel (and it’s crappy WiFi and large sloth like bugs) but took the tour.

Now about the tour. Dino was the tour guide and it was all,I could do to manage my irritation. Dino REALLY liked puns. And I mean REALLY LIKED PUNS. I hate puns with a passion. So for one hour I had to listen to his spiel while Laura was absolutely engaged in everything he said. it was as if nuggets of gold and love were dropping from his lips. They became a duo. Two peas in a pod. I wanted to jump into the cavern just to escape the banter.

But let’s see a picture of where we could have stayed if not for COVID

We would have stayed here. Can you imagine?

Tomorrow we are off to the Petrified Forest. Cannot wait. I was there in the early 1990s so it will be a real treat to revisit it once again.

But before that back to talk with Rick and Laura -who is grilling me about all sorts of things. It’s like an interview with Oprah or Barbara Walters. Maybe I can get her to drink more of those tiny rum bottles she brought with her and she will pass out. Ha ha

Love you Laura ❤️

Oct 6 2021

Arizona Ghost Town tour: day 1

Miles= 248

U-Turn = 2

As with all trips to Rick and Laura’s house the ride begins as a slog. 101>118>210blah blah > something else Blah blah …

Until you arrive at Rick’s Evel Knieval jump ramp of a driveway. Why must all of his houses have this? After reconnecting we had (my favorite lunch) of hotdogs and jalapeño cheese dip (which by the way is bright orange).

In an attempt to get a jump on the next day we decided to drive to lovely Barstow. Rick made certain that we rode Route 66 at every chance. We then visited the Blue Bottle ranch or Bottle town or something with a bottle (I asked Rick 3x and don’t want to ask again him again. I’m certain he will correct me in the comments section)

Here are some pictures. It really is amazing the commitment this guy had to creating this. Truly remarkable

I thought this typified our trip rather well…

A ghost of a bike starting out our ghost town tour