Group Riding - Yarnell

Group riding is like wearing a helmet, it is a personal preference. I know some people who really dislike group riding, some who enjoy just a few fellow riders with them and those who say the more the merrier. Just because the other biker doesn't share your opinions on group riding doesn't mean they are wrong, just like helmets it is the biker's preference.


We started a local riding group with a couple other friends. It has grown in the past few months to over 30 people, all walks, all levels and all types of bikes. The big thing with this group is not to be a club or have colors of any kind. We just want to get out and ride and enjoy each others company. So far so good, there of course like anything else with a group is a small learning curve that we are going through right now. How does this person ride, how does that person ride, who needs help and who is willing to help. When you ride in a group try to remind yourself that not everyone has the same level of experience and while you should watch out for unsafe practices you can also help those with less experience on how to ride in a group.


We've take a few rides up north, the heat in Phoenix right now is triple digit for the last month+ so riding a motorcycle here is not something you want to do for very long.


Get about 1 hour north of here and you are starting into the mountains and cooler temps, of course you also get a higher chance of rain but that is usually welcome as well. We went up US60 through Wickenburg and then AZ89 into Yarnell. That town was hit hard by a wildfire in June, 19 firemen lost their lives fighting that fire and the community has really rallied together for the cause. The biker community also got involved heavily when it was reported that the idiots from WBC were going to protest a memorial service, never heard that they ended up showing up. Anyways, the first roads we road are very smooth, straight and we can crank up the speed. Once we hit the foothills of the mountains the sweeping curves start, with some great scenery of desert changing over to high desert. Once a little farther north and it starts to turn from high desert into pine trees and green grass. The switchbacks start, the awesome overlooks in this valley or that valley. At one point I swear you could see all the way back to Phoenix but of course being the driver I don't get a long look without stopping. <G> The roads seem to go and go and go, bank the bike right, then a quick upright then bank it left. Follow that with a hard switchback and a couple more tight turns and you keep going up and up. The air pressure is changing, your ears start to pop but whoa don't look at that edge of the cliff where there is no guard rail too long or you may end up in the other lane or worse miss that turn.


Stop at a small mom and pop diner, or greasy spoon for a good meal, right inside of Yarnell is a great little joint. The place is a bit small, no flashy names just dam good food at a reasonable price. If anyone ends up there save room for desert, or do what we did and stop on the way back down the mountain for some pie. If you are really hungry order the cobbler with a scoop of ice cream. You won't be sorry and you won't be hungry.


Back into the valley and the high heat. Luckily it wasn't a long ride back to the house were the bathing suits go one and into the pool to cool off.


I'll write again soon about another ride I took alone a couple weeks after this one. Wether in a group or alone the riding out here is really good. It may take ½ – 1 hour to get out of the valley and heat of the summer but these long straight roads do also offer some excellent riding opportunities.


Take it easy,
KG

AZ Bike Week

We picked up and moved across the country, some say to a place where even though there are an average of 335 days of sunshine a year, one still can't enjoy 3 months of that year due to the heat. Yep, we moved to the southwest desert area named Phoenix.

Is this bikers heaven with all the sun shine, open straight roads with speed limits that are well maybe just a suggestion in the outer lying areas? Even with the triple digit heat, and we've seen some so far it is different for different people.

Like I've told people many times, every place has it's positives and negatives. Phoenix is no different in that respect.

One of the first things done on the bike was venture to Arizona Bike Week. It seems more and more places are trying to cash in on the biker community spending money at week long rallies. This was a pretty good one, not too small and not too big. They really had events going for 1.5 weeks, the main location being a western spread in the northeast corner of the valley (Phoenix metro area). The site was laid out with a main tent in the middle, local bar setup shop inside the tent on one end and a stage on the other for concerts. On each side of the tent were vendor areas (can't have a biker event without them for financial support). One side had an area sectioned off where dirt bike riders did jumping exhibitions, the x game style of jumping, they were pretty good considering their limited space to work in. On the other end there were the food vendors and another demonstration area for a few different things, the day I was there had safety and a stunt show.

Through out the bike week there were 2-3 concerts per day, many poker rides and other events at outlying sites (like the Harley dealerships). Let's say that being a biker in Phoenix during these two weeks you will not be left with nothing to do, like me having my bike washed by some young lovelies in bikini's.

I was pretty amazed at the amount of people that were drawn in by a ride with two actors from the Sons of Anarchy show, Jackson didn't show but Bobby and Opie did, they also had 2 long ass lines (200+ each) of fans waiting in hot sunshine for an autograph.

It isn't anywhere near as big as Sturgis or Daytona but it is big enough to have a good time, the bands were good and the food was, well fair food which is good just not good for ya. :-)

If you get a chance I would suggest spending some time in Phoenix during the Arizona bike week, less it gets too big then the crowds might be hard to fight and make for a frustrating time. If that happens get on your bike and go for a ride.

Take it easy.

KG

Ok, well, I know it just didn't seem to work out to well writing about the biker lifestyle and rides while in the Atlanta area.  I have moved across the country to the Phoenix area so maybe this will help give some more to write about.  Hey, I never said I was a professional writer.

I have done one ride since arrival, went down Hwy 85 to Gila Bend, it isn't so much of a windy road with gentle sweeps or even switchbacks, but it was Mar and 80+ degrees, so that made up for the road being pretty straight.  Sometimes it is good to crank the motor up to 75+ mph, put the feet up on the pegs, the body back on the nice back rest behind ya and cruise down the road. 

After a nice cruise, being able to watch the mountains, seeing a little wildlife, finding the motorcross park for Buckeye and of course some state pen we arrived in Gila Bend around 1230 or so.  Getting a little hungry we saw this old style place displaying a space ship on it's roof.  The sign in front of it was white with big blue letters "Space Age Lodge" and the building next to it with the ship on top was the Space Age Diner.  Sitting down with a salad bar and a decent sandwich all being washed down with some Iced Tea made for a good rest stop and refueling.

On the way back we headed up Old Hwy 80, this proved to have less traffic and more local views.  Houses and ranches dotted the sides of the road with fields thrown in for good measure.  We did pass a solar power plant, basically a field with a huge amount of solar panels in rows.  We did find this road while the speed limit to be lower than 85 had many more curves, there also was a bridge by a dam and people fishing in the pond created by the dam.  That was a nice little find, we'll be sure to go back and have time to stop at the bridge and take a look around.

That's about it for now, more later as we have finished getting things unpacked and put away.

Yes, I'm still changing screen names until I find one that fits.