The Nowhere In Particular & Everywhere In General Tour

[brockep]

I think this is going to be a great journey and i look forward to reading it each day.  My concern is that you are going south now that temps are going to be going up would it be better to go get Alaska out of the way now with all the sunlight and warm weather they are going have over the next few months.  

If you want to just ignore me i don't blame you it's just a thought.  Great work and keep the posts coming!!

[VIVID1]

So far it's been a steep learning curve... I need to get used to how my bike handles with all the extra crap strapped to it. I was super pooped by the time I reached Hwy 180 to Kings Canyon NP, and I was not mentally or physically ready for dealing with twisties. I was thankful that the road wasn't super twisty and was mostly sweepers.


Note to self: don't plan twisties for the end of the day.

 
Wow, those bears are just roaming around  

Yep, having all the extra weight on the bike really effects the roads I pick when I tour. If I really want to ride a very twisty road, I usually leave my crap behind at a camp site or motel room and ride the road with as little weight as possible, otherwise it‘s not as enjoyable.  

Looks like an amazing trip so far!

[VIVID1]

I've found for me it's best if either I ride or stop to take a pic.  Riding and shooting pics simultaneously exceeds my skill set.  

Me too that's why I mounted my camera, the pressing of the “on” and “shutter” buttons I can manage while riding  

Not to mention, on the average a rider will fling a camera off the bike once every 6-10,000 miles. There are two roads out there that have pieces of two Canon digital cameras  

[VIVID1]

Oh, I just have to ask. Where are you finding your internet connection to post from the road?

I love to camp and ride the really secluded backloads, but I can never find free internet in those places      

[Mr.Black]

Honk on your way through central Mass. The coffee is always on!!!!!!

[Lucky_Devil]

I think I may have spoken too soon yesterday when I said that it wasn't that hot.  As soon as I headed into Joshua Tree NP the temperature jumped up dramatically



Good times... NOT!

At least it was pretty

















So I tried to learn my lesson from last Saturday and pick a campsite with some shade for my tent.  I drove around and finally found one that had shad, was right next to water and a bathroom.... SWEET!

While I was sitting on the bench eating my dinner, I kept seeing giant flies buzzing around, so I was swatting indiscriminately at anything buzzing around me.  Unfortunately, I discovered that the big bush that was providing shade for my tent, was flowering and attracting bees.  I had been swatting at flies AND big 'ol bees.  I didn't notice the bees among the flies until it was too late.  I had seriously pissed off some bees and they were chasing me around. I hid in the womens bathroom and could hear them outside the door... and I was convinced they were waiting for me.  I must have stood in that bathroom about 10 minutes before I ventured back out.  But they were waiting... so, the evening turned into mad dashes between my bike, my tent, and the bathroom.  I even tried running down the road to scope out another site, but they were hot on my tail.  I grabbed everything I needed and just spent a good portion of the evening in my tent cursing my bad luck in campsite selection.



They finally went away when the sun went down, but I woke up to the sound of bees this morning.  Persistent little bastards.  At least I can still say that I've never been stung by a bee!

Not many pics from today as it has been all highway.  But I've entered a new state!!





How do you know when it's past time to clean the dead bugs off of your helmet?  When the flies start feasting on the remnants... ewwwww...

It's the circle of life right there on my helmet!

[Lucky_Devil]

Oh, I just have to ask. Where are you finding your internet connection to post from the road?

I love to camp and ride the really secluded backloads, but I can never find free internet in those places      

I've been getting online at Starbucks.  If you buy a $5 Starbucks card you can register to get 2hr of free wifi at any starbucks.  As long as you use the $5 card at least once a month, it remains active.  So it's like paying $5 a month for wifi at starbucks locations.  Plan B is always a local library or hotels with wifi (many hotels that offer wifi have unsecured connections).

I use a wifi hotspotter (http://www.canarywireless.com/canary/) to search for wifi and I can tell whether or not it's a secure connection.... that way I don't have to bother pulling out my computer and firing it up for nothing.

[Lucky_Devil]

I think this is going to be a great journey and i look forward to reading it each day.  My concern is that you are going south now that temps are going to be going up would it be better to go get Alaska out of the way now with all the sunlight and warm weather they are going have over the next few months.  

If you want to just ignore me i don't blame you it's just a thought.  Great work and keep the posts coming!!

I fuigured it would be hotter in the southwest in August than it would in May... but I think my logic may be flawed after it hit 108 degrees yesterday  

[K2D2]

I aspire to do something like this in my future.

I wish you many miles of smiles.  Best of luck!  If you need anything when you hit CT, feel free to contact me.  I can change tires!

Eddie

[Lucky_Devil]

Yesterday afternoon I rode the Gila Pinal Scenic Route, followed by the Globe to Show Low Scenic Byway.  The Globe to Show Low Byway was s\absolutely stunning... but unfortunately, my camera's battery died about half way through and I didn't realize it.... so there I was snapping away thinking I was getting a bunch of great photos... but walked away with nothing more than pleasant memories.  It was an amazingly beautiful road, so I wish I had pics to share.  Here are some of what I did get from yesterday afternoon's ride

















I spent the night in the town of Holbrook, which has some friendly looking dinosaurs to welcome you



Although I spent the night camping at the local KOA, I really, really, really wanted to stay at the Wigwam Hotel... but I was good and saved my money



This morning I visited Petrified Forest National Park.  I didn't know much about this park before entering, but man o' man, it did not disappoint.



























Within Petrified Forest NP, there is a spot called "Newspaper Rock" which is an overlook above boulders that are adorned with over 650 images.  The petroplyphs were etched into stone 650 to 2,000 years ago.







I also visited the Puerco Pueblo, a partially stabilized 100-room pueblo.





There were many more petroglyphs at this site as well



I took many more pictures of the petroglyphs, but I cannot post them all here.  When I get some free time I'll try to upload all of the photos from today onto SmugMug so those who are interested in seeing more can do so.

The Petrified Forest NP is also home to "The Painted Desert."  Again, I took a ton of photos of the painted desert, but cannot post them all.  When I get a chance, I'll load them onto SmugMug and post a link so those who wish to see them can go see them there.



CLICK TO SEE FULL SIZE

After leaving the park I passed through Winslow Arizona.... which, if you don't remember the Eagle's song "Take It Easy," may not mean anything to you... but I'm quite familiar with the song and stopped at the  monument the town has built.  I liked how the mural on the building in the background incorporates the lyrics from the song ("Its a girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford slowin' down to take a look at me").



Here I am taking it easy... "standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona"



After Winslow I was headed to Sedona when the weather got a little crazy.  I stopped in Flagstaff to see if it would pass, but a few hours later it was still raining pretty hard.  The nasty weather that has hit the area is supposed to remain for the rest of the week... so I'll have to make some decisions tonight about where I'll be heading tomorrow.  There is plenty more I would like to see in Arizona, but when it's raining you can't really see anything... so there's no point.  I think I might have to move on because I can't hang out all week hoping the weather improves.  Luckily, Arizona is close to my home state, so it wont be difficult to return to Arizona at a later time to see all of the other sights I had on my agenda for this state.

[sagerat]

Yep, the Salt River Canyon is big fun.  

Hopefully the wind wasn't as bad in the Winslow/Holbrook as it was for me a few weeks ago.

89A is a great road down, so hit it if you get the chance not to mention 191 on the eastern side of the state from Clifton-Morenci to Springerville.

[mustang28027]

I gotta admit, I'm jealous as hell of you right now.  Cant tell you how many times I have wanted to sell everything and just take off.  I will follow your post closely. If you ever make it to Charlotte, NC, you have a place to stay here.  I am curious about the equipment you have. Care to list what you are riding with?

[FizDog74]

This should be good. I'm in...  

 

[DogBoy]

Subscribed! Really enjoying the report.  

[Jetrocooter]

I am really enjoying your ride reports and the pictures are great.  Thanks for making life more interesting and please be safe!

[CDN]

Great running acount of the trip  

Keep your eyes open for a black new Concours headed in the opposite direction: you and Smoker could be crossing paths in the days to come (His ongoing ride thread

[Lucky_Devil]

When I left Flagstaff this morning it was raining and cold so I put the liners in my jacket and pants... but a few hours later it was only sprinkling and was too hot to continue to wear all of the liners in my riding outfit.  Unfortunately, the only way to take the liners out is to take everything off.  So I stripped down on the side of the road because I hadn't seen anyone else all morning... so I figured I could get the pants off, liners out, and pants back on without anyone but the birds and bunny rabbits knowing.  But of course, as soon as I pulled my pants off someone drove by.  So someone got a free show on Hwy 89 this morning.

Outside of getting caught with my pants down, it was an amazing day.  I didn't end up going where I had originally planned to go, but ended up somewhere beautiful and amazing anyway... so who cares!  I love it when that happens.

I am thoroughly tired, but a good kind of tired... the kind of tired where you can't wait to wake up and do it all over again.

I took a TON of photos today, but the WiFi where I'm at is painfully slow... so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to show you all what I saw today... and whatever stuff happens tomorrow.

[Tony T]

 

[VIVID1]

But of course, as soon as I pulled my pants off someone drove by.  So someone got a free show on Hwy 89 this morning.

For that exact reason, I’ve been wearing bicycle shorts under my riding pants for years      

[Oddball]

If you ever find yourself in north central Illinois in need of a hot meal, washer/dryer, any maintenance you are more then welcome to our guest room.  Good luck and best wishes.  Can't wait to read more.