Arizona morning ride

[Mailman]

After returning home from breakfast out with the Mrs. this morning, I didn’t feel like working.
The day was bright and sunny and full of promise, the air was clear and it was 63 degrees.
“I’m goin’ for a ride! “ I told my wife.
I pulled on my gear while my old motorcycle chuffed happily, warming up.

Pulling out of the neighborhood I headed out to my new favorite stomping grounds, the desert foothills Norhwest of my house. Lots of little two lane meandering roads, just perfect for an old bike to putt around on.

The sides of the road are lined with native desert plants and flowers, just on the verge of really popping. We had record amounts of rain in October and it’s paying dividends with the wildflowers. These are the very first to show.

Desert marigolds

Brittle brush

By springtime they will be joined by penstemon, globe mallow, and desert poppies.
All those things that look like grey shrubs lining the roads will be masses of yellow flowers within weeks.

This calls for a haiku...to show you how classy I am.

Here’s one way to have a view of the surrounding desert, just bulldoze the top off of a mountain and stick your million dollar home on top. Idiot, it looks like his expensive home is sitting on top of a pile of dirt!
The more imaginative home builders build mountain side homes that blend into their surroundings and mimic the look of the surrounding mountains and are much more attractive. This guy has more money than sense.

So with that I turned my old bike and headed to get some lunch, because with me, it seems all roads lead to lunch, and then on towards home. Back to the snowbirds paradise that I call home.

Until next time, Happy Trails to You,
Bob

 

[Jim]

Man I miss the wide open spaces out west. Nice ride Bob!!

 

[Mailman]

Man I miss the wide open spaces out west. Nice ride Bob!!

I really do love it. But I fear it’s in danger. I must’ve passed 15 new home communities in the early stages of construction. The last house I lived in for 30 years, when I first moved in, I was 6 miles past the edge of town.
Within years it caught up to me and in the end , the edge of town was ten miles beyond me. It’s looking like that’s happening all over again.
Maybe I’ll move to Fredericksburg Texas, I hear they have wide open land and great BBQ! What else does a man need?

 

[Jim]

when I first moved in, I was 6 miles past the edge of town.
Within years it caught up to me and in the end , the edge of town was ten miles beyond me.

I know what you mean. When I moved to Gladstone 20-25yrs ago, it was a sleepy little town of less than 20,000. We're north of North Kansas City. Hell, there used to be a forest between us. Now it's just one huge suburbia... all the way to downtown KC. The wife likes it here. Given a choice... I'd be packed ten minutes ago.

 

[Skip]

Gosh Bob....
It would be so awesome to be able to ride year round...would seen surreal to us here in the Northeast..Thank you for sharing your day.... Gorgeous scenery , warm November day...this Canadian is jealous ☺

 

[Mailman]

Gosh Bob....
It would be so awesome to be able to ride year round...would seen surreal to us here in the Northeast..Thank you for sharing your day.... Gorgeous scenery , warm November day...this Canadian is jealous ☺

Thanks Skip!
Theoretically it’s possible to ride year round and a lot of guys do. But I always tell people that live in cold country, it’s like our seasons are reversed. Our summers here are so long and so hot, it’s really not much fun riding while stewing in your own sweat. Summers here, folks tend to hole up in their houses. Go outside and all you hear is the roar of air conditioning units! Haha!
We do , however have 8 months of really nice weather, and I’d say from November thru March is really spectacular!
And by the way, I live in a retirement community that has a HUGE population of Canadians that live here seasonally.
C’mon down, there’s room for more!

 

[Ipa62]

Mailman, you are so fortunate to have those beautiful wintertime rides, no place better on earth. However, you can keep your summertime weather, unless they figure out how to do AC on a motorcycles. Have fun.

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

Happy Trails to You

And happy trails to you, too, Bob.
You seem to make the most of your bike rides.

 

[Mailman]

Thanks guys!
Winters here are our reward for surviving the summer!

 

[59Tebo]

You should get together with Moabite...
He's been posting some equally epic rides.

 

[Mailman]

You should get together with Moabite...
He's been posting some equally epic rides.

Haha! That man’s hardcore! I’m tootling around little two lane roads and he’s up in REAL mountains!

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Any chance of gettin' a pic of a gila monster?

 

[Mailman]

Any chance of gettin' a pic of a gila monster?

Ha! I’ve lived in the desert for 58 years and have never seen one! ( that wasn’t in a zoo.)

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

I think you have to send them engraved invitations, with a postage-paid RSVP card...

 

[geedubya]

Gosh Bob....
It would be so awesome to be able to ride year round...would seen surreal to us here in the Northeast..Thank you for sharing your day.... Gorgeous scenery , warm November day...this Canadian is jealous ☺

Skip,
Move to North Queensland were we have 300 sunshine days/year

GW

 

[Skip]

That's certainly my type of climate GW...
We have a beautiful beach here called Queensland Beach...one of my favorite spots, especially as a younger man....but the sun never seems to make 300 appearances a year ☺

 

[xjwmx]

There weather is showing snowstorms in southern AZ, NM. I didn't think it was possible.

 

[Mailman]

It’s rare in the lower elevations, but it does happen. These photos are from a couple days ago. It’s 28 degrees out as I’m typing this.

 

[azman857]

Roads going up to Mt Lemon have been closed to all but residents and workers with tire chains on for about a week now. High of 55 today. Ski place is opening up soon. More rain and snow Sun/Mon.