Roger TOWM's 51 birthday ride report

[RogerTOWM 0]

Several years back I meet my friend Doug through my work. A few years ago I got a new motorcycle. That same time Doug also got a new motorcycle. Since then we go on road trips together with our street machines. I had not been on a road trip since October so Doug and I decided to go for a ride from April 29th through May 8th. Not ones to always ride alone we recruited two more riders. All of us have been riding motorcycles off and on since we were young. We all now ride touring bikes.

I meet Ed at work also. Like Doug he has been retired from the County for a few years. Ed bought a new Harley just a couple months ago and has been putting on the miles ever since then.

Gary is married to a friend of Doug’s wife, which is how Doug and I meet him. Like Doug he rides a Honda Goldwing that he has had for a couple of years.

On our previous rides Doug and I have had a set riding plan. We will map out our route and determine where to stay before we even start the ride. This time we decided that we would only plan a general direction of travel. We would take each day as it came and go wherever our mood takes us that day.

One thing Doug and I both like to do is stay off of the freeways as much as possible. We like to ride the back country roads instead. We also like stop and read all the historical signs and discover the history of the areas we travel through.

On this trip we thought we would tent camp as much as possible. We agreed to get a motel room only when the weather was very bad. We would try to make our own meals most of the time as well. This would keep the cost of the trip down and allow us to stay out longer. Gary and Ed also approved of this general plan.

For this trip we decided to head east. Tuesday the 29th found me waiting on the street outside my house at 4:03 am (0403 hrs). I was packed and ready to go having had about 3 hours of sleep. Doug and Gary came by about 15 minutes later. We then drove down the street to a local restaurant for breakfast.

This was going to be a high mileage day for us. We would hit the interstate to Benson Arizona and meet Ed at the KOA there. He had been out there on a HOG ride.

We let the restaurant at 5:15am (0515 hrs) and shot out interstate 8. We got to Ocotillo at about 0627 hrs. We stopped here and stripped off our jackets. The top of the hill had been 37 degrees, but now we were on the low desert floor and it was starting to get warm.

We continued on to Yuma where we gassed up. Our next stop for fuel was Gila bend after which we arrived in Tucson at 1322 hrs.

Doug had just put his house in Ramona on the market 2 days before. His wife called him and told him that they had an offer with a 25 day escrow. We needed to find a fax machine so Doug could sign the papers and get things moving on the house. We found an Office Max in Tucson and Doug spent about an hour taking care of the paper work.

I took this time to apply a little red neck air conditioning and wet my shirt and doo rag in ice water. I then found some shade in the parking lot under a little pine tree and took a short nap. The lack of sleep was catching up to me. It seems that I needed more then 3 hours sleep at night.

By 1422 hrs we were gassing up and heading to the town of Benson.

We arrived at the KOA at 1500hrs and meet Ed. After signing in we went for a short swim in the pool to cool off. That evening we had dinner at an Italian place named Galleanos. The food was pretty good and staff was friendly. The restaurant filled up fast. So far we haven’t made our own meals, which was one of the goals on this trip. Go figure!

We woke up about 0630, cooked oatmeal for breakfast and started breaking camp. We left Benson at 0830 and headed to Kartchner Caverns State Park 30 minutes away. After goofing around there we headed to New Mexico.

My sleeping pad came off and I had to stop and reattach it to the bike. I then scooted along at 80 miles an hour to catch up. I found the rest of the guys at a rest stop 1 mile from the state border with New Mexico.

They were wondering what had happened to me, so after a good laugh we made lunch

and got ready for the trip to the New Mexico line. A whole mile away.

We had to stop at the welcome to New Mexico sign and take some pictures.

This seemed to be a very popular thing as several cars stopped there after we did. I found a very interesting colorful bug there and took a picture of it. Later on I found out it was a tarantula hawk.

We gassed up in Deming and continued on down to visit Barnetts Harley Davidson dealership in Las Cruces.

Ed looked for some oil and of course a tee shirt there. He found the Shirt but they were out of the oil. We found a KOA in Las Cruces and set up camp. This time we made our own dinners, sticking to the program for once.

The next morning we made our oatmeal breakfast and broke camp. We had a driver’s meeting to determine the day’s destination. We decided to head off to Carlsbad New Mexico the long way, highway 70 to 82. At 0951 we had gassed up and hit the road. I found Gary had lost his sleeping bag and pad on the road. I guess I wasn’t the only one who packed his bike poorly. I picked up his stuff and caught up to the group. We fought heavy winds all the way.

At 1526 hours in the town of Artesia we gassed up and checked out the weather reports. The wind was getting worse in the direction of Carlsbad. The gusts were almost blowing us over off the road. We decided to go north to Roswell instead. While the wind was still heavy it was not hitting us sideways anymore. The wind was 25 to 30 miles per hour with gusts up to 50 miles per hour.

We arrived in Roswell at 1800 hours and checked into a motel out of the wind. The weather projection for the next day was heavy winds after 1100 hours. Gusts were projected to reach 70 miles per hour. Not quite the best riding conditions. We walked across the street to a Sonic for dinner that night.

The next morning we got an early start and raced the wind. We rode up into the mountains to the town of Lincoln, home of the infamous Lincoln County Wars.

We arrived at Lincoln at around 0830 and had breakfast at a local hotel. The hotel had just opened for the season. This was something we were to hear often on this trip. We visited several of the buildings including a museum

and the county court house where Billy the kid shot his way out of jail.

It is claimed that you can still see one of his bullets holes in the wall.

Over all Lincoln was a very interesting town.

We left Lincoln around 1100 hours. While leaving town we came across this spot The Lincoln National Forest, where Smokey the bear was found.

We gassed up in Captain New Mexico. To bad we couldn’t get these prices.

We then ate lunch in the wind at 1315 hours in Corona New Mexico. A thriving metropolis of 210 souls!

We were fight heavy winds all day and ran into more snow.

We stopped for the night in Santa Fe New Mexico. The winds got up over 50 miles per hour this day. Because of the winds we got 2 cabins at the KOA. Ed changed his oil here.

We met a large group of Dutchmen who had shipped their old Indian Motorcycles from Holland to New Orleans; they then had the bikes trucked to Las Vegas. They flew out and met the bikes in sin city. They were riding around the western states for 7 weeks on these 1940 era bikes!

The next morning (May 2nd) the Dutchmen where enjoying a down day performing maintenance on their bikes.

They had one old Harley with them because the guy couldn’t get his Indian ready in time for the trip.

The KOA campground was very accommodating to everyone. They even had an ice rink for the birds.

We decided to ride to Chama. The temperature was 35 degrees this morning. We rode up to over 11500 feet elevation on the road to Chama. We found lots of deep snow off to the sides of the road.

it was in the 40s going over the mountains.

We camped in the small town of Chama where it was expected to get down to 27 degrees. It did. I washed some clothes and hung them out to dry. Then I had freeze dried chilly con carne for dinner. It wasn’t bad. The next morning my wool socks were frozen like boards. Sorry I forgot to take pictures!

[RogerTOWM 0]

May 3rd was my 51st birthday. 51 how did that happen?! I was just in high school a couple of years ago! We got up early and made our oatmeal breakfast then off for the days ride. We rode through the mountains to Silverton Colorado.

Doug & Ed checking out how high the snow drifts are.

I took this picture because of the pretty girl…oh did I say that out loud?

Doug took this picture because of the ugly guys!

It was the opening day for the Durango to Silverton train. People dressed in period clothes and rode the train up.

They even dressed the babies up.

We tried to sneak onto the train

Gary sat look out

But the sheriff showed up…

and threw us off…

We did some shopping at the local sporting goods/hardware store

I bought a tin plate to eat my steaks on. Now I just need a steak!

We then rode to Durango and found the KOA campground there. The Riders from Holland came in a short while after we arrived also. We rented a cabin for the four of us.

At 0645 hours the next morning we woke up. After much discussion … we decided on a route.

We made breakfast of oatmeal and cleaned the bikes. We would ride to Mesa Verde and check out the Indian ruins there.

This proves I was there. as does this.

and this

Ed was there also.

This proves that at least 3 of us were there.

As I was leaving Mesa Verde I decide to gun it and impress some German girls. I promptly broke my idle cable and didn’t even impress myself, much less the German tourists. (Ok Hammer, I know, I should have bought a Honda). Moral of the story is; old, fat, baldheaded, married men, on Harleys, shouldn’t try to impress the tourists.

I called around to the local dealerships. The Harley shop in Farmington New Mexico had a new cable so we decided I would ride there the next day and get it installed while the rest of the group would check out four corners.

After the sightseeing we rode to Cortez Colorado and stayed at the Ute Reservation / Casino. We didn’t have lunch today because of all the sightseeing. After checking into the Ute campground we had a big dinner at the Sky Casino. I then read a bit and went to bed. Doug stayed out and won or lost lots of money. I had to get up early and get my bike fixed, he got to lie in!

I got up early and rode out to Farmington with Ed and his Harley. He said he wanted to make sure I got there all right but I think it is just that us Harley riders stick together. We got to the Harley shop and bought the cable. They had two mechanics working there. One called in sick because he was getting an emergency operation. The other called in late because he was in court and might have to go to jail!

Now for plan two. I could put the cable on but I remember the last time I touched a throttle cable and didn’t want to go through that again. (Just ask Honda Pilot about my throttle). I called the next closest Harley shop, in Durango New Mexico. Yes, they had a mechanic on duty and not in the hospital or jail but they didn’t have a cable. So off we rode with the cable back to Durango. They took the bike right in. While I was looking at the bike on the lift I saw the back tire was starting to look worn. Yes they could replace that as well. There goes more money!

I telephoned Doug and he tells me that he and Gary are going to bypass four corners and just ride straight to the next camp site. He needs to get home and help his wife with the selling of the house. We agreed to go in two groups. Harleys in one group and Hondas in the other. We would meet at the campground.

The Harley shop is right over the river in a very scenic spot. It is now about 1045 hours and Ed and I are getting hungry. The guys at the shop recommend that we go two buildings up the street to a barbeque joint for lunch. We amble up the street and are the first ones there. We order our sandwiches and set outside on the patio overlooking the river. The food is very good and I watch the river as I eat and talk with Ed.

Durango is a college town. I realize this when I finish my sandwich and turn back toward Ed. In the 30 minutes we have been there the large patio has filled up with pretty coeds. I feel like Al Bundy. I have learned my lesson and don’t try to impress anyone. I hide my Harley hat and sneak out of the restaurant. (Why didn’t I know about Durango when I was a young single man?)

After picking up the bike we rocket down the road.

This will be a long ride in the cold wind.

We ride all the way to Williams Arizona getting to the KOA in the dark. I did get lost finding The KOA by following my GPS instead of a map. Turned too soon and went down a dirt road when I should have stayed on the (boring) interstate. Doug has rented us another cabin because the weatherman has called for rain this night (he was right).

The next morning we leave at 0823 hours and head east toward California and home. We get to Needles; gas up, have lunch and say goodbye to Ed who is heading south to see family. Doug, Gary and I continue on to Chiriaco Summit and then Anza. I leave Doug and Gary in Ramona where they live and continue home. I get home around 1800 hours or so. Miles traveled…just around 3000 miles…about normal for our road trips.

Some lessons learned:

Doug had just bought an old motorcycle trailer which we cleaned up and put an ice chest on. It works well and his Goldwing has no problem pulling it.

Unlike Doug, I’m trying to go with less weight. I’m not bringing as many clothes and I’m trying to wash clothes each night. But thick socks will not dry overnight in 27 degree weather.

Textile riding jackets and pants do well to keep you warm and replace rain gear. They are very versatile.

Not all Harley shops will have your parts or mechanics on duty.

I should not try to impress the tourists and Coeds are still cute.

CBs work well to communicate with.

Dutchmen are crazy when it comes to their Indians.

[dirt dame 559]

Very nice write-up. No wonder you don't trail ride very much when you can have adventures like the ones you do with your touring bike.

[RogerTOWM 0]

Very nice write-up. No wonder you don't trail ride very much when you can have adventures like the ones you do with your touring bike.

Actually I want to trail ride more but I work every other weekend. A lot of the best trail rides are posted for the weekends I work. Other rides are posted for Sundays. My daughter likes to have me visit with her family on the two Sundays a month that I have off. Then there is my wife. When I work nights, which I do 6 months of the year, she only sees me on every other weekend. When I’m at work she is at home, when I’m at home she is at work. We communicate through notes and e-mails on those months. For some reason she wants to see me on my weekends off as well, go figure. Now you can see how luckly I am to get to trail ride at all.

[Joliet 0]

Nice write-up Roger. Yes all us old farts are lucky our wives or jobs let us trail ride at all. Sometimes we get pretty beat up riding off road. Or landing (without the bike) off road anyway . Ken

[RogerTOWM 0]

Sometimes we get pretty beat up riding off road. Or landing (without the bike) off road anyway :scare: . Ken

Ken are you referring to this?

I had the bike with me.