Weekend at the Wharf Rat Rally

Early mornings never seem to be as bad when you are heading out for some fun...strangely we were up this morning same time as every weekday, and although we were heading out for the weekend it didn't take as nearly as long to get ready to leave at 8 as it does for us to get ready for work....maybe it is the promise of a different day...a different adventure.

I have to say I have become a travel addict....well actually I should clarify...a motorcycle travel addict. Having clocked over 40,000 kms since getting my motorcycle license in August of 2008, I think I can safely say I have found nothing about this kind of travel that doesn't appeal to me or deters me. I often find myself longing to keep going down the road or fantasizing about the next trip. I dream of the day when we hit the road knowing we will not be returning in 4 or 10 days or 2 weeks! I look forward to the day when we load up the bikes and head out only to return when we feel like we have seen what we want to see, travelled where we wanted to go and finally long for home. That day will come and will be a much longer version of the "planned, unplanned vacation".

This weekend we are heading out on one of our 4 day trips....a first time adventure for us to the Wharf Rat Rally! We have already run into many people who are headed to the same rally, all of us captive on the Saint John to Digby ferry...captive huh..ya, not too many captives have entertainment, bar, and wifi! Three hours will have us to our destination. We are looking forward to the B & B where we are booked to stay. It promises it's own kind of adventure.

So stand by, and I shall bring to you another short story of the Johnson Motorcycle Adventures as we continue to chronicle our travels.

 

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Summer 2012 - St. Martins and Fundy Parkway

July..the first of this month, including the long weekend, was either rain or work around the house.....mostly work. The second weekend we did manage a great day trip to St. Martin's and the new Fundy Parkway. It was more than a pleasant surprise.

I have been to St. Martin's before and it is always a special treat...the parkway however was breath-taking. Having seen an ariel documentary of the Fundy Coastline on the Oasis Channel, we had decided that a ride around the parkway was a definite must.

 

 

The roads, all 18 km, were spectacular. Smooth corners, and snippets of beaches, cliffs and water that draw you in for a closer look. This is just the beginning of a larger plan for the parkway. It is still in its infancy, waiting further development so that we can all share in this rare beauty.

Fundy you are indeed a natural wonder. The more you are discovered, the more people will come to know what treasures lie ahead on your coastal trail.

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Desert Cowboys - Siesta Fiesta

Today was rest day. As pointed out by our youngest cowpoke, it would be really sad to spend this much time in sunshine and go home without a tan. So a day poolside it was.

Patti and Bud went out to explore the "range" or University as it is known by some of the city slickers. The number 9 engine pulled out of Sheraton Station at noon. Apparently the University of Arizona (or University of Phoenix as Patti keeps calling it) houses a gifted and eclectic group of students.

Larry, Bailey and I opted for an afternoon at the Oasis. Sunshine and swimming made for a great day of relaxation.

This evening we are enjoying some munchies and margaritas...except for the cowpoke....she's on the prickly pear juice! As we sit around the campfire we are trying to decide on a fitting title for the blog.

One of the biggest things that has stood out for us during our time in southern Arizona is the presence of Border Patrol, whether it is stops on just about every road we passed or their horse trailers or ATVs parked on the side of the road, they are ever present. While the city of Tucson was not one of our favorite stops, the Sheraton has made the stop an enjoyable one. Love those Scarlett margaritas.

Tomorrow we are heading out to the mountains on our way back to Scottsdale. If we get the time it could mean another side trip to Tortilla Flats.

Until then....goodnight from the Beemer Gang!

 

Desert Cowboys - Frozen Cactus and Prickly Pear

Well true to the weatherman's forecast the wind from the day before was being pushed into Arizona by a cold front....a very cold front. I have heard the desert can be cold at night but I expected less chill for the day.......average temp ran about 56 and that is not Celsius my friend.

Despite this we soldiered on. Ajo, Why (that's not a question, it is a town that does invoke the question) and Organ Pipe Cactus National Park.

After that it was straight on to Tucson to get out of the cold. We hit the freaky freeway and found our way to our hotel. This at least was a pleasant end to a cold day. At check in we get treated to some Prickly Pear Lemonade. A wonderful concoction of prickly pear juice, vodka, and Midori. They also had the best margaritas and nachos ever! Can't complain much about that!

Today we may venture to Tombstone. It is still a bit cool but at least the wind won't contribute to the chill.

Stay tuned!

Desert Cowboys - Ride Like the Wind

The most significant occurrence yesterday...the wind!

The forecast was for heavy gusty wind all day. We were not disappointed.....unfortunately.

We started off the morning in the best way. Doug and Jane met up with us at the hotel and took us across the Parker Dam and into some California Hills....with wild burrows. We also saw a coyote with breakfast run across the road. Once he got up on the side of the road it was hard to see him he blended so well with the ground. Had we not seen him cross the road I doubt we would have picked him up otherwise. Mother Nature's camouflage is amazing. The road we took was actually a dead end to one part of Lake Havasu (the lake not city). There we had the biggest breakfast ever and were entertained by T 'n T (Tina and Tina) who cooked and served these massive meals. The pancakes were an inch thick and the size of a medium pizza!

After breakfast we travelled along the California side of the Colorado River until we got to the Oasis, which is located in Earp, where we bid adieu to our good friends Doug and Jane and headed to Blythe...but not before my poser had his picture taken....again.

It was a hard ride from there to Gila Bend approximately, 250 miles in the wind. We stopped in Blythe and Yuma only for gas, water, a couple of snacks and to wet our scarves to keep our nose and face protected against the dry wind and dust if we happened to encounter it. We lucked out with the dust and with the wind. Though it was still windy it did seem to ease before we got to Yuma and didn't pick up again until we got to Gila Bend at the Best Western Space Age Lodge. This stop was a surprise for Pat, Bud and Bailey. We kept it under wraps but is a really cool place in the middle of no where. Across the street was a great Italian Restaurant with fabulous pizza and hot/cold Chianti. That one will require explanation lol.

Apparently we out ran the wind like a bunch of Outlaws....yup..that's the Beemer Bike Gang people, riding like the wind!

Today we are heading around route 85 and 86 to Ajo through some more mountains and hopefully today we will get to stop and enjoy some ghost towns and roadside stands

So until the next blog and to quote Winnie the Pooh...."Happy Winds-Day!"

 

Desert Cowboys - Unfinished Business

This morning started around 6 am for me. I was up and wandering outside taking yet more pictures of the rocks! By 9 am we had all had our breakfast so we headed down to Bell Rock in search of some mystical enchantment from the vortex that is said to exist at the base of that rock formation. By the time we left there we had taken a ton of pictures as there is no shortage of view. We also managed a little hike as well.

Pat and I had decided that there is just too much left to explore and that we must make the effort to visit here again. That wasn't the last time were to feel that way today.

We headed out of Sedona on our way to Jerome, which is essentially a ghost town up high in the mountains, way up high. We spent a good hour and a bit exploring this little town and did not get to see it all. The most spectacular thing of it was the narrow twisting roads even through the town itself. The road and town are cut out on the side of the mountain so the vista from the egde of the road were undeniably breathtaking and the turns nothing short of hairpin. The speed was slower than most of the roads but still fast enough to enjoy the thrill of the turns and the view...........and it didn't stop there......the ride to Prescott was the chocolate covered cherry on top of the chocolate sauce on top of the chocolate ice cream...yes it was that good!

The roads through Prescott National Forest continued to be nice big twisties We stopped in Prescott for gas and lunch at a new authentic Mexican restaurant (or as some would say...more gas) and headed towards Congress. We were not done with the twisties yet and the last run was actually a divided highway. For those who ride and love to ride the twisties, you know that the ultimate road is the one you don't have oncoming traffic interrupting your line of sight. We really hauled ass along these ones.

We made it to the bottom of the mountain all smiles and adrenaline and headed south to Agila, west to Hope (desert and deserted) and on to Parker. In contrast to the twisties these roads were not hairpin they were straight as a pin. Not even a nudge of a turn. We made really good time along here. No traffice just desert and sun.

As we pulled into the motel in Parker, Doug and Jane were there to greet us. They had arrived moments earlier as they could no longer wait patiently at their house. What a welcome. Over to their place we enjoyed a home cooked meal, great hospitality and a lot of laughs with the usual reminiscence of days past. Even a little future planning. They are picking us up this morning and leading us to more great roads before we head out to Yuma and Gila Bend. Even promise of seeing some wild burrows. Not only will we be able to haul ass again today but we may actually see some too!

We are leaving behind more things we haven't explored than what we did explore. Even as we were running down the turns of Prescott National Forest, I asked Larry..."how many times do you think you could run this road?". His response "Today?". What we have taken away is desire to spend more time here. We have not even scratched the surface of what Arizona has to offer or done half the things we know we would like to do. Unfinished business folks....we will be back!

Desert Cowboys - Day One

Today we covered almost 260 miles. The scenery and the terrain changed so much over that distance. Cactus covered most of the terrain as we left Scottsdale heading south and then east and eventually north through Tonto National Forest. The roads were amazing, large sweeping turns and we made great time as we travelled along. First stop was the Roosevelt Dam. No where near Hoover size but just as impressive.

After lunch we continued north through Coconino National Forest. As we climbed to 5000 ft it was evident that they get snow in these parts. It was cold, dropping to 58 degrees. I had removed my fleece as we left Payson as it was extremely hot. At the top of our climb I would have given a weeks pay to have had it still on. Neither the heat from the engine nor the hand grip warmers were sufficient to keep my knees from knocking against the tank. It was freakin' cold but luckily didn't last long.

Long sweeping turns coming down the mountain side brought much better temperatures and even more fantastic scenery. We had moved from the cactus of Tonto National Forest to the pines in the Coconino National Forest and the newest vista as we neared Sedona were rocks..........huge massive mountains of red rock!

We checked into our hotel which is even better than what we saw on-line. Beautiful southwest style complete with a fireplace in every room and the view from the decks are breathtaking. We took a ride up to Airport Road to check out the sunset. The view again was spectacular. The sunset on the rocks not what we had hoped for but still thrilling none the less.

Tomorrow we visit Bell Rock vortex which also has great views and even greater vibes before we move on the the ghost town of Jerome and over to Parker to meet up with other friends hanging out in these parts.

Looking forward to another great day of riding.

 

 

Now we are really ready!

Today, the rest of the BBG (Beemer Bike Gang) arrived. Safely delivered by Cathy and Tom, also hanging out in Phoenix to get away from the Canadian winter. It was great to meet them and we were so happy to have Pat and Bud in the same room. Four years is the longest stretch we have gone without spending time together yet when we get together it is as If no time has passed.

Now we are planning the real trip, together. We are off tomorrow, riding new roads yet to be explored....Sedona here we come! If I am lucky enough to catch an Indigo Sunrise tomorrow morning, I will post to share.

Til tomorrow.....

 

Rode thru the desert on a horse with no name......

After a long day of travel, today was the elixir for jet lag and lack of shut eye. We had decided not to get up early....our biological clocks of course had another idea. We were up early. Took our time getting ready and waiting for the teenager. That being said we were up, showered and ready to roll at 9:30 am.

We headed to the rental office to pick up the bikes. Great folks. A couple of guys ahead of us, obviously hung over, were picking up some bikes to head up to Sedona for the day. We still had some errands to run, most important of which were to eat and to pick up some groceries. With that task completed we headed for the Apache Trail...destination Tortilla Flats.

The first stop was Apache Junction where Bailey made friends with a horse at the Hitchin' Post Saloon while we did a map check.....and yes it is a real horse and cactus!

 

Then Canyon Lake. Beautiful vistas.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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....and of course Tortilla Flats...

 

..and just so we don't forget what brought us here.......

 

We await our friends from Kelowna who arrive tomorrow in the afternoon. We are also looking forward to seeing our friends who are staying in Parker (he is originally from the east coast). It is going to be a great trip....and today was just the appetizer to the main course..........

Until tomorrow........

 

Space Cowboys and the Air Farce

Well the day started early...very, very early. 4:15 am kinda early. Even the birds call that early. Having found out the night before that the plane was full, our seats were not together and we couldn't get our boarding passes until we got to the airport, we decided that an early start would be a good idea...and one that paid off....4 people didn't make the flight due to the plane being slightly over weight.....so early it was. Considering our flight wasn't until 7:45 am and we were staying at the airport hotel we figured it would be tons of time...that was until Larry got hauled into customs for an "interrogation". (cue my mother's laughter and Mary Ann's gasp). Yup.......I wasn't worried as this wasn't the first time he has been questioned during international travel but definitely the first time to the "office". While they offered us a seat to wait I opted for the boarding area to order breakfast. I wasn't worried.....I was hungry.

Larry made it just in time for his breakfast to arrive ( I really WASN'T worried) with of course a funny explanation of his incarceration. Apparently a convicted felon with the exact same name and birth year. Now.....those of you who know my husband know this...by the time he gets home, his tale of 15 minutes of interrogation, which also included an apology, will be epic. Such is the Johnson gene. Just like his father and his grandfather before him, exciting antidotes will accompany the facts. All before 6 am when most of the hard working folk have not even risen to start their day. Always an adventure with LJ!

An uneventful flight to NY. All a bit weary given the early hour and lack of real sleep the last couple of days. Our flight was late leaving and arriving so we decided a side trip to the Big Apple wasn't in the cards this time...an adventure for another day. Lunch in the Guiness Pub of course...who could resist a cool Guiness in the morning...it's noon somewhere! Actually it was almost noon! So just doing a little wandering around, and checking out the shops and a little Java at Bucks house as we wait for the second leg of our journey today! It will be past everyone's bedtime so I know I will not be remiss if I do not add new notes to the day...today Space Cowboys, tomorrow we will be Desert Cowboys!

...sorry original didn't post due to some network issues.....

 

Desert Cowboys.....ready to ride again!

Today we started getting ready for the next big tale...the next adventure. This one a little different from the last which makes it ever more exciting!

This time we have Bailey joining us as well as some good friends from each coast. We won't be riding our own bikes..this time we will be renting our rides (ya I know...sounds a bit like prostitution and I am sure my bike feels the same way). We will also be meeting some old (not older) friends down there and we have made all our reservations ahead of time. No leaving it to chance this time for two very big reasons...larger group and larger snakes. Yup, not a fan of snakes of any kind! Not sure I am willing to "chance" the desert that much yet.

Even though Bailey has happily provided the daily countdown to the day we leave, today the reality of how close we are to getting there hit us all. We pulled together all our riding gear, first aid kit, clothes and started planning how it gets packed and testing to make sure it all fits in our side bags. Stopping just to take a minute, looking at each other in our silent list check we immediately realized how close we were and at that very moment, in unison, burst out in joyful song....actually it was more like teenage scream of excitement but still had a melody!

We are so close, four more sleeps......my Grandmother always told us to never wish your life away when we said we couldn't wait for this day or that...but I have to believe she would forgive me three days!