Just Ride.

Should this ride thread be just a.... well, thread? Or should there be a dedicated Forum topic?

  • Yes, it's own topic in the Forums

    Votes: 19 90.5%
  • Nah... threads good enough.

    Votes: 2 9.5%

  • Total voters
    21
  • Poll closed .
Buddy stopped by today. What else is there to do but go for a ride. One of the places we went to was a State Park 20 miles to the north. Lots of grass, trees and hills. One of its unique features is the creek that meanders through it. They have concrete bottomed fords in 3 places to get across it.
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Signs are posted telling you it is slippery. And it is. Moss on concrete with moving water on top is incredible slick. Go slow, clutch pulled half in, don't let engine lug or worse yet have clutch out and accelerate. Every year dozens of bikes and riders get a bath in the creek.
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View from the other side.
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Seems strange riding across them on same bike 40+ years later.
 
You rode your XS2 through that water? :yikes:
I’d be cleaning for weeks afterward! :laugh2:
Yes I did. No dust on rims or lower frame rails now.
It was the only one I crossed. The next one looked to be axle deep. With all the rain we have had this year today was the first time they have been open to traffic. Normally they are 3 to 5 inches deep and not moving as fast.
 
Did a 160 km/100 mile afternoon loop with the GF on the back. Easy cruising on local rods for the most part, and dinner at the main road intersection, where there is a good roadside cafe with excellent local food. Was really nice and warm today, for this part of the world, 23 C or thereabouts :)
 
Just realized posted in a different thread.
Beautiful day for a ride today. Mid 70s, no rain in sight. Rode to the Mississippi Palisade State Park. 2500 acres along the Mississippi River. 60 smiles one way. Not as epic a ride as gggGary had. It was the farthest I have ventured from home with it since I got it running. Normally you can watch eagles soaring over the river. Didn't see any. Must have Mondays off. Gnats were out in full force. Bike ran sweet.:rock:
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Just realized posted in a different thread.
Beautiful day for a ride today. Mid 70s, no rain in sight. Rode to the Mississippi Palisade State Park. 2500 acres along the Mississippi River. 60 smiles one way. Not as epic a ride as gggGary had. It was the farthest I have ventured from home with it since I got it running. Normally you can watch eagles soaring over the river. Didn't see any. Must have Mondays off. Gnats were out in full force. Bike ran sweet.:rock:
upload_2019-7-22_14-55-28-png.145815

upload_2019-7-22_14-58-37-png.145816

upload_2019-7-22_14-59-36-png.145818

upload_2019-7-22_15-0-28-png.145819

Very nice! Happy to see you getting your bike out, looks beautiful there!
 
JRP1 was up so we took his recently restored Nighthawk (memorial to his brother) and the EBR out for lunch, took about 50 twisty miles to find a place to eat.
Crossing on the Merimac Ferry.
JP ferry nighthawk gregcycle EBR.jpg

He says the EBR needs more power. :yikes:
Told him I could shut off the traction control.
He's all; No, no, NO! that's OK. :laughing:
Oddly my sit bones are a bit tender... hmm wonder why?
 
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The ride to Cave Creek, Carefree, Bartlett Lake, New River and of course .....Big Earls Greasy Eats!

I will be the first to admit, I’ve been feeling cooped up and cranky , our crazy hot weather has kept me hiding in the house , or hanging out in the pool.

But last night the weather gods blew in a powerful monsoon storm, lots of wind, lots of lightning and rain. And this morning I was pleasantly surprised to wake up to 78 degrees, showers and clouds. By 9:00 am the clouds and showers were starting to clear away and I decided to throw on my gear and go for a ride.

Here’s a real short video of my bike, cold start this morning. It is always such a good starting bike, it always fires right off. ( Note, my fumbling with the ignition was because I didn’t have the key inserted all the way.)


Rain was beginning to fall again as I warmed up my bike, I rode off into a light rain that lasted for about the first ten miles, it actually felt really nice, the wet streets trashed my bike, but it’s no carport queen.

The fastest way to reach my destination would’ve been to get on a freeway and just burn it all the way, but there’s not much fun in that, so I made turn after turn, connecting back roads to get there.
I pulled into Cave Creek. The main drag through the center of town is lined with restaurants, bars, art galleries and stores selling Old West cowboy and Indian trinkets. It’s kinda touristy , but fun and the restaurants are good.
A2A28FBF-7D7C-459B-BEEC-699E78663CDE.jpeg


This is desert foothills community with big custom homes built all over the place, most of them hidden by desert trees and plants.
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This is the famous Buffalo Chip Saloon, this place burned down from a kitchen fire a few years ago and was rebuilt, it has a rodeo arena out back with live bull riding out back. All you gotta do to ride one , is drink enough first, then sign your life away.
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Cave Creek is also the home of True West magazine, they’ve been putting out magazines filled with stories from the old West since the 50’s. Cowboys and Indians, Train robbers , gun slingers , saloon girls , Marshall’s and outlaws.....my grandfather was a farmer back in Missouri and I always remembered this magazine laying around his house, he loved that stuff.
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Ok, enough of this, I’ll be back for lunch, right now I’m riding about 15 miles out of town to Bartlett Lake , along the Verde River.
The road heading back in is pure joy. It’s a non stop roller coaster , twists and turns, desert washes and mountain views. The desert was still damp from last nights rains and the air had the wonderful smell of the desert after a storm, the smell of creasote bushes were very fragrant.
B296A913-2F4E-4BE6-9CD2-42D265D9D441.jpeg
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And finally I arrive at Bartlett Lake, I am pleasantly surprised to see the lake is nearly full. The last time I was here the water level was very low. This is a hard lake to get close to unless you pay for a day use permit, so this view is going to have to do. Basically I said “ Yup.....that’s a lake.” And turned around to ride back.
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This whole road back to the lake was a little sketchy, the rains had caused water to run across the roads at many of the washes and left sand in the bottom. These often didn’t come into view until right after you came over a rise in the road or around a blind curve. I also at one point thought. “ I smell smoke! “ brush fires have been burning all over Arizona. I came around a corner and just like that I went through a couple of miles of scorched desert, recently burned and still smelling of smoke.

So now I’m back in the town of Cave Creek, I’m heading for my favorite lunch spot. Big Earls Greasy Eats, built in an old gas station from the thirties.
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Hey you know what’s fun? When you’re riding down the road after just scarfing a big old jalapeño cheese burger and you belch inside your full coverage helmet and it’s got no where to go, good times! :D

I’m riding out of town now, but I’m making one more detour, I turn North and ride about twenty miles to the town of New River, I am just passing through, I didn’t stop to take photos. New River was one of those unincorporated town in the county where people used to go to live alone out in the desert, away from neighbors and rules and conformity. But the city caught up to them , they still live out in the desert, but now they have high end neighbors , living in custom homes with associations and neighborhood pools.

Back home now, four and a half hours after I left, and 130 miles later, I had the best time! The most fun I’ve had on my XS2 yet. It ran absolutely perfect, and I got 51mpg on my ride. The XS2 was the perfect partner for this trip, average speeds of 45 - 60 mph is right in its comfort zone, I have also heard that it wasn’t a great handling bike, but mine was carving corners with confidence, totally in control.

Today was a lucky break for me, I was ready for a break, who knows when the next opportunity will come?

Till next time,
Bob
 
The ride to Cave Creek, Carefree, Bartlett Lake, New River and of course .....Big Earls Greasy Eats!

I will be the first to admit, I’ve been feeling cooped up and cranky , our crazy hot weather has kept me hiding in the house , or hanging out in the pool.

But last night the weather gods blew in a powerful monsoon storm, lots of wind, lots of lightning and rain. And this morning I was pleasantly surprised to wake up to 78 degrees, showers and clouds. By 9:00 am the clouds and showers were starting to clear away and I decided to throw on my gear and go for a ride.

Here’s a real short video of my bike, cold start this morning. It is always such a good starting bike, it always fires right off. ( Note, my fumbling with the ignition was because I didn’t have the key inserted all the way.)


Rain was beginning to fall again as I warmed up my bike, I rode off into a light rain that lasted for about the first ten miles, it actually felt really nice, the wet streets trashed my bike, but it’s no carport queen.

The fastest way to reach my destination would’ve been to get on a freeway and just burn it all the way, but there’s not much fun in that, so I made turn after turn, connecting back roads to get there.
I pulled into Cave Creek. The main drag through the center of town is lined with restaurants, bars, art galleries and stores selling Old West cowboy and Indian trinkets. It’s kinda touristy , but fun and the restaurants are good.
View attachment 146003

This is desert foothills community with big custom homes built all over the place, most of them hidden by desert trees and plants.View attachment 146004

This is the famous Buffalo Chip Saloon, this place burned down from a kitchen fire a few years ago and was rebuilt, it has a rodeo arena out back with live bull riding out back. All you gotta do to ride one , is drink enough first, then sign your life away.
View attachment 146005 View attachment 146006

Cave Creek is also the home of True West magazine, they’ve been putting out magazines filled with stories from the old West since the 50’s. Cowboys and Indians, Train robbers , gun slingers , saloon girls , Marshall’s and outlaws.....my grandfather was a farmer back in Missouri and I always remembered this magazine laying around his house, he loved that stuff.
View attachment 146007

Ok, enough of this, I’ll be back for lunch, right now I’m riding about 15 miles out of town to Bartlett Lake , along the Verde River.
The road heading back in is pure joy. It’s a non stop roller coaster , twists and turns, desert washes and mountain views. The desert was still damp from last nights rains and the air had the wonderful smell of the desert after a storm, the smell of creasote bushes were very fragrant.
View attachment 146008 View attachment 146009 View attachment 146010 View attachment 146011
View attachment 146012 View attachment 146013 View attachment 146014 View attachment 146015

And finally I arrive at Bartlett Lake, I am pleasantly surprised to see the lake is nearly full. The last time I was here the water level was very low. This is a hard lake to get close to unless you pay for a day use permit, so this view is going to have to do. Basically I said “ Yup.....that’s a lake.” And turned around to ride back.
View attachment 146016

This whole road back to the lake was a little sketchy, the rains had caused water to run across the roads at many of the washes and left sand in the bottom. These often didn’t come into view until right after you came over a rise in the road or around a blind curve. I also at one point thought. “ I smell smoke! “ brush fires have been burning all over Arizona. I came around a corner and just like that I went through a couple of miles of scorched desert, recently burned and still smelling of smoke.

So now I’m back in the town of Cave Creek, I’m heading for my favorite lunch spot. Big Earls Greasy Eats, built in an old gas station from the thirties.
View attachment 146017 View attachment 146018 View attachment 146019

Hey you know what’s fun? When you’re riding down the road after just scarfing a big old jalapeño cheese burger and you belch inside your full coverage helmet and it’s got no where to go, good times! :D

I’m riding out of town now, but I’m making one more detour, I turn North and ride about twenty miles to the town of New River, I am just passing through, I didn’t stop to take photos. New River was one of those unincorporated town in the county where people used to go to live alone out in the desert, away from neighbors and rules and conformity. But the city caught up to them , they still live out in the desert, but now they have high end neighbors , living in custom homes with associations and neighborhood pools.

Back home now, four and a half hours after I left, and 130 miles later, I had the best time! The most fun I’ve had on my XS2 yet. It ran absolutely perfect, and I got 51mpg on my ride. The XS2 was the perfect partner for this trip, average speeds of 45 - 60 mph is right in its comfort zone, I have also heard that it wasn’t a great handling bike, but mine was carving corners with confidence, totally in control.

Today was a lucky break for me, I was ready for a break, who knows when the next opportunity will come?

Till next time,
Bob
Just love your riding stories. I love the smell of creosote, is it the same from the bushes?
 
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