Had a good trip out to Arizona. Left Wednesday night at about 6;00pm. It took 2 hours to go 100 miles, even splitting lanes. Took another 25 minutes to go another 10 miles. Terrible traffic.
Once I got past the 60 to 10 interchange, traffice moved along fairly well but it was still pretty heavy. I stopped for gas at one of the Indio exits. While I was gassing up, a CBS local station T.V. reporter and his camerman approached me and did an impromptu interview with me about the traffice conditions. Somehow, he seemed thrilled that I was riding a bike from Anaheim to AZ. Strange. Unlikely that I was on T.V. in any area other than local, if even that.
Gassed up in Quartzite; gas is usually cheaper than in Blythe. Posed with the bike for a while but at midnight or close to it, nobody is interested.
Dang.
Stopped at a rest stop 40 miles outside of Phoenix to put on a sweatshirt under my leathers. Posed some more but at that time of the morning, even fewer people were interested.
Dang.
Drove another few miles and gassed up. You guessed it. Nobody interested there, either.
Dang.
Figured I'd get a hotel somewhere. I didn't do prior reservations figuring I'd just find a place out in East Mesa where the family is and drove out thataway. The area is really growing up fast but guess what: No preponderance of hotels out there yet. I had to loop around and come all the way back to Tempe to find one. Parking lot was nearly empty. Yay! Room instantly available.
Overall, it was 9 hours from departure to arrival, due to traffic, posing ineffectively, crazy Phoenix reducing speed limits to 55mph in the city limits and an hour or more looking for a stupid hotel where hotels simply don't exist. I was freezing-a$$ cold by the time I got to the hotel. Still, it's G-r-r-r-r-r-r-REAT! to be on the bike!
Next couple of days spent bouncing around town, visiting family and friends. Rode up to Canyon Lake. GREAT ride if you can get on it when there's no traffic. Only saw one cop at the bottom of the hill when I was coming back out. No biggie. Spent a little time one afternoon cruising Bush Hwy and Usury Pass. Both short rides but moderately appealing.
Considered leaving Saturday morning but said, "What the heck. I'll leave tomorrow. Sunday morning, rose bright an early, loaded up the luggage on the bike at 8:00am (our time). It was freezing cold and a good stiff wind was blowing. "Man, I wish I'd left yesterday." It wasn't the last time I wished that wish!
Rode to the outskirts of Phoenix, battling a 25 mph headwind. Gassed up at a truck stop. Tens of thousands of cars were on the road heading West. Insane. Once in a while, I'd cruise for a mile or so behind a truck to take the wind off me. Then back out into the battle. At least the open road out there has 75 mph speed limits. Saw ONE patrol car in the median pointed at me but I was right behind some other car and going the speed limit (mostly) so I avoided that ticket by luck.
Stopped in Quartzite again for gas. The Harley guys who were already at the gas station laughed at my rig when I pulled up. Something about a 'Busa with a tall tailbag on it must be comical. I might have to agree. As if I cared, really. Still, posing brought no admiration from any other people either.
Dang.
As I drove West through town, traffic got REALLY REALLY bad. For some reason, people driving West were getting off at the LAST Quarzite exit near the McDonalds instead of using the first exit going into town. Mental note for future reference: Better to get off the first exit heading west than the last one. People were lined up for a loooooong time trying to get to the gas stations right there off of that exit.
Jumped back on the road. Once in California, it was a relief to be able to split lanes again. Coooool. At Twenty-nine Palms, traffic came to a complete halt. Heard some other people through my Chatterbox complaining about it. Funny. Pulled off to gas up and eat. No big thrill but the restaurant was pretty good. I don't recall the name of it. On the Washington Street Exit there next to the Chevron station. Decent little greasy spoon.
Finally! Someone admired the bike! Aaahhhhh! That's a relief!
Jumped back on the road, splitting traffic like crazy to get home to total relaxation. At least it stopped being cold and windy. Two hours of lane-splitting can really unnerve you and I even LIKE to split lanes. Psychotic, I know, but that's how it is. Nearly got crunched when two pickup trucks drifted toward each other. I was going about 35 mph. Locked up the back brake (sorry Jeff!) but kept perfect control of the front brake (thanks, Jeff!) and managed to avoid contact. It was damm close, though. An inch or less on either side. Skilz Dayz, anyone?! I highly recommend it.
After that, it was a piece of cake splitting lane. Traffic would loosen up here and there but it was still pretty heavy most of the rest of the way. I missed the exchange to the 91 freeway but the 60 cleared up immediately after that and it was clear sailing the rest of the way home. Mental note: Use the 60 coming home from future vacation weekends.
Great trip. If you read through all that, you REALLY need to get a life!
--Wag--
Once I got past the 60 to 10 interchange, traffice moved along fairly well but it was still pretty heavy. I stopped for gas at one of the Indio exits. While I was gassing up, a CBS local station T.V. reporter and his camerman approached me and did an impromptu interview with me about the traffice conditions. Somehow, he seemed thrilled that I was riding a bike from Anaheim to AZ. Strange. Unlikely that I was on T.V. in any area other than local, if even that.
Gassed up in Quartzite; gas is usually cheaper than in Blythe. Posed with the bike for a while but at midnight or close to it, nobody is interested.
Dang.
Stopped at a rest stop 40 miles outside of Phoenix to put on a sweatshirt under my leathers. Posed some more but at that time of the morning, even fewer people were interested.
Dang.
Drove another few miles and gassed up. You guessed it. Nobody interested there, either.
Dang.
Figured I'd get a hotel somewhere. I didn't do prior reservations figuring I'd just find a place out in East Mesa where the family is and drove out thataway. The area is really growing up fast but guess what: No preponderance of hotels out there yet. I had to loop around and come all the way back to Tempe to find one. Parking lot was nearly empty. Yay! Room instantly available.
Overall, it was 9 hours from departure to arrival, due to traffic, posing ineffectively, crazy Phoenix reducing speed limits to 55mph in the city limits and an hour or more looking for a stupid hotel where hotels simply don't exist. I was freezing-a$$ cold by the time I got to the hotel. Still, it's G-r-r-r-r-r-r-REAT! to be on the bike!
Next couple of days spent bouncing around town, visiting family and friends. Rode up to Canyon Lake. GREAT ride if you can get on it when there's no traffic. Only saw one cop at the bottom of the hill when I was coming back out. No biggie. Spent a little time one afternoon cruising Bush Hwy and Usury Pass. Both short rides but moderately appealing.
Considered leaving Saturday morning but said, "What the heck. I'll leave tomorrow. Sunday morning, rose bright an early, loaded up the luggage on the bike at 8:00am (our time). It was freezing cold and a good stiff wind was blowing. "Man, I wish I'd left yesterday." It wasn't the last time I wished that wish!
Rode to the outskirts of Phoenix, battling a 25 mph headwind. Gassed up at a truck stop. Tens of thousands of cars were on the road heading West. Insane. Once in a while, I'd cruise for a mile or so behind a truck to take the wind off me. Then back out into the battle. At least the open road out there has 75 mph speed limits. Saw ONE patrol car in the median pointed at me but I was right behind some other car and going the speed limit (mostly) so I avoided that ticket by luck.
Stopped in Quartzite again for gas. The Harley guys who were already at the gas station laughed at my rig when I pulled up. Something about a 'Busa with a tall tailbag on it must be comical. I might have to agree. As if I cared, really. Still, posing brought no admiration from any other people either.
Dang.
As I drove West through town, traffic got REALLY REALLY bad. For some reason, people driving West were getting off at the LAST Quarzite exit near the McDonalds instead of using the first exit going into town. Mental note for future reference: Better to get off the first exit heading west than the last one. People were lined up for a loooooong time trying to get to the gas stations right there off of that exit.
Jumped back on the road. Once in California, it was a relief to be able to split lanes again. Coooool. At Twenty-nine Palms, traffic came to a complete halt. Heard some other people through my Chatterbox complaining about it. Funny. Pulled off to gas up and eat. No big thrill but the restaurant was pretty good. I don't recall the name of it. On the Washington Street Exit there next to the Chevron station. Decent little greasy spoon.
Finally! Someone admired the bike! Aaahhhhh! That's a relief!
Jumped back on the road, splitting traffic like crazy to get home to total relaxation. At least it stopped being cold and windy. Two hours of lane-splitting can really unnerve you and I even LIKE to split lanes. Psychotic, I know, but that's how it is. Nearly got crunched when two pickup trucks drifted toward each other. I was going about 35 mph. Locked up the back brake (sorry Jeff!) but kept perfect control of the front brake (thanks, Jeff!) and managed to avoid contact. It was damm close, though. An inch or less on either side. Skilz Dayz, anyone?! I highly recommend it.
After that, it was a piece of cake splitting lane. Traffic would loosen up here and there but it was still pretty heavy most of the rest of the way. I missed the exchange to the 91 freeway but the 60 cleared up immediately after that and it was clear sailing the rest of the way home. Mental note: Use the 60 coming home from future vacation weekends.
Great trip. If you read through all that, you REALLY need to get a life!
--Wag--
