I’m finally on my way! My original goal was to watch the 4th of July parade down Main Street one more time since I had a front row vantage point and then leave the Monday after that (July 9th). I had a great time watching all the festivities one more time (and more than likely the last time) and then went to my brother and sister-in-law’s house for more Independence Day activities.
But one thing and another got in the way and I was not able to leave until the following Monday (the 16th). Oh well… the important thing is I’m on the road!
My primary goal is to see as much of the Four Corner States (Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona) as possible. No real schedule. No planned route. My first stop was to be a friend in Buckeye, Arizona but he wasn’t available right away, so I headed to Flagstaff.
It is my intent to do as much camping as is practical, but primarily when it will save money. Right now I’m at a Motel 6 in Flagstaff (after about 11 to 11-1/2 hours on the road). It’s only about $6 more expensive than staying at the Flagstaff KOA campground. So, since it was such a grueling day’s ride, I decided not to “rough it” on my first night.
It was almost cold in the morning (left HB at 7am) but by the early afternoon in Needles, it was 104. I had all the zippers in my jacket opened and even at 70mph I was still sweating. I took sips out of my MSR water bladder (for those who don’t know, it’s very much like a Camelback) every so often. It’s close to 2 liters, if I remember correctly, and I must have refilled it 3 times today. Some motorcycle riders have open-face helmets and can drink water or sodas, but I’ve chosen to use a full-face helmet. So, I have to be a bit more inventive, hence the water bladder.
As I gained altitude approaching Flagstaff, the temperature kept dropping. After experiencing all that heat, I was ready for some cooler temps. My buddy in Buckeye (just outside of Phoenix) recommended I push on to Flagstaff, and I’m glad I did. My roommate Chuck recommended I ride as much of Route 66 as I could and visit such small towns as Oatman and Topock (just after crossing into Arizona). I started the day with this in mind, but almost as soon as I got started, I hit a road block (almost literally). Hwy 62 was closed, so I had to detour North to Hwy 66. I wanted to ride on 66, but this was a bit earlier than I intended. So I went North, then East, through Kingman and then into Flagstaff, missing Lake Havasu.
I’ll spend the entire day here in Flagstaff tomorrow, both to get some work done, and to do a bit of exploring. Then my friend in Buckeye (a small city or town just outside of Phoenix) should be available for a visit.
Today: 492 miles