Subject: Ride report-real long.
Author: tom short
Date: Dec 7, 2004, 11:52 AM
Post ID: 1718015206
Hi all,
I thought I'd tell ya 'bout my trip to not-so-sunny-San Diego this past
weekend.
I started getting ready early in the week by getting all my riding gear
together, and sleeping bag, and all that jazz. Thursday night, I went
out to look the bike over. I had already prepped the bike earlier in the
week, so it needed no attention. I was just putting things in thier
place and getting straps out to hold stuff to the bike for the trip. I
treid to fire the G5 up, but the battery had gone down, due to the
frigid weather we've been having. Hey, it nearly reached freezing in the
Phoenix metro area, and below that in the outlying areas! I started to
take the bike apart to charge the battery when I heard a 'snap'. It was
one of my seat mounts! I have an Eldo police seat fitted to the G5.
Curses! So I look in a coffee can of bits I have for just such an
occasion, and, walla! I have not one, but two of the same mount that
snapped! Into the saddle bag one goes, onto the seat goes the other. On
goes the charger.
I only charged the battery fo an hour or so, then fired the bike up.
Took right off. Thinking that I was all set, I put the bike back
together. Friday morning I go out to sart the bike, and it is too cold
to crank over, prolly 38-40 degrees cold. O.k, I'll charge it some more,
and finish the pot of coffee. About 9am, the bike is running, packed,
and I am on my way to SD. Two quick stops first, gas and go see the
folks.
I take the I-10 west out of Phoenix, traffic is light going out, a
tail-light parade going into town. I'm crusing along just fine, really
glad I'm wearing my Shoie fullface helmet. It is pretty cold, about 45*.
I get to the first turn, and conection between I-10 and I-8. I take the
old route becouse it is a two lane that follows a river. Reaaly nice,
and not much traffic at all. As I am crusing thru the farmland, I see a
familiar site. Behind a farmer's house sits an an antique fire truck. I
had seen this a few times before, but this time I turned into the
driveway, and rode bace to get a closer look. Two big, but friendly dogs
got to thier feet to watch me as I came in. They weren't to interested
in me, though. I drove slowly, hopeing someone would come out to meet
me, but no one did. I pulled up alongside the fire truck, and identified
it as a 1929 Ford AA fire engine. It is in need of restoring, but was
all there, including the hand-crank siren on the passenger side of the
windshield! Too cool.
I leave having satisfied my curiosity about that firetruck. I get back
on down the road, and have to slow a couple times for farm equiptment
coming down the road. Large machines for picking cotton. I cruise on
past the very small towns of Palo Verde and Arllington. No more traffic
at all! After a few miles passing large feilds on fressh clipped cotton,
the road curves and I ride over a very old bridge that crosses the
Hassayammpa river. Tempeture is rising, but not much. I wish I had put
on the sweatshirt I had been wearing at home. Afew more miles, and old
85 meets new 85 as it enters into Gila Bend, world famous as the water
pump capitol of the world. They don't make 'em there, they just replace
'em there. It is one of the hotter places in Arizona. This is where I
stop for breakfast. As I'm waiting for breakfast to arrive, I go out to
my bike and retrive a second pair of socks. Gotta keep my tootsies warm!
Breakfast was real good, and I was on my way. Only two miles to the I-8
interchange.
Once on I-8, it is a straight shot to Yuma. Flat land with scrub bushes
and far off mountains. Temp is betting better though, now about 50*. I
got to Yuma, got gas and coffe, and called my niece. Nobody home. Oh
well. Back onto the bike and off to California, a whole mile from where
I am now. Crossing the bridge over the Colorado river and I am in S.Cal.
Sand dunes a plenty! 50 miles to my next turn off, El Centro. I take
that exit, head 11 miles north to Brawley.
I stop at a fast food place to eat, and sit next to a window. The sun is
pouring in and it is HOT! Ooooo, it feels good! A deaf man who was in
there at the time, looked at me and made the motion of holding onto
handlebars, kinda asking if I rode. I nodded yes, and pointed outside to
the bike. Then I showed him my card that says I'm from Phoenix. He
rolled back his head in disbeliefe, and then shook my hand! It was a
pretty funny moment.
Back on the bike and 25 miles out of town is my next turn, but first, I
have to go thru an immigration checkpoint....
Continued...........
The Arizona Kid
LFL 009
Tom Short
AZ MGNOC Rep
Phoenix, AZ