Solomon's Castle - 12/06/08

We were nine for breakfast at Snellgroves this morning - J.T., Debbie, Bill, Boyd, Eddie, Robert, Lloyd, Mark and I. Unfortunately five had plans for the day that did not include riding. So, Boyd, Robert, Lloyd, Mark and set out in a light sprinkle and headed for Solomon's Castle via Hopewell, Nichols, Pine Dale, Pierce, Agricola, Baird, Fort Green, Vandolah, Ona, and Bridges. Unfortunately, Boyd succumbed to an upset stomach around Fort Green Springs and headed for home.

Turning off CR-665 onto Solomon Road brought us to our destination. Solomon’s Castle is well hidden in a copse of trees and is not visible from the road or even the parking lot. Rounding a corner of the drive, you are met with your first view of the castle.

The aluminum skin is made from old printing plates from the Wachula newspaper. In fact, just about everything on the premises is made from reclaimed material. Luckily, today was rather cloudy which made the glare off the siding bearable.

You can see that the guard dog was not much disturbed by our presence.

I tried to get a location shot of the guys around the horse statue. I’m not sure what Lloyd was doing when the picture was taken and I don’t think I want to know.

The front entrance of the castle is guarded by two salvaged suits of armor called Knight and Day.

The castle is also protected by a dragon – a huge iguana named, Igor.

While Robert and I waited for the tour to begin, Lloyd and Mark settled into the restaurant aboard the “Boat in the Moat”, a near full scale replica of Columbus’ ship, the Santa Maria.

Now begins the tour of the castle, which may be described as a “corny-copious” display of excellent art and very bad puns. No offense to our guide, Dusty. It is what Mr. Solomon requires. Artists! Most of the art work, including sculptures, paintings, and stained glass windows, is also created from reclaimed materials. Here are a few representative samples of Mr. Solomon’s art.

About ten minutes into the tour, Robert and I were looking for an exit. When the tour entered the restaurant and we saw Mark and Lloyd sitting in a quiet corner sipping cold beverages, we decided the time had come to say goodbye to Dusty and join our buddies. Robert and I both concluded that the ten dollars spent on the tour would have been much better spent in the restaurant where the food was good and the beer was cold. A word to the wise for future visitors.

Gunny

November 29 Ride

A great day was started with breakfast at Snellgroves and the best part was the company of Bryan Bergau who was in town for Thanksgiving. Contrary to appearances, he said he was happy to be back for a visit.

We were also joined by Bill, Boyd and Robert.

After breakfast, all five of us headed northeast to San Antonio and the hills beyond. We covered some of my favorite roads - Jessamine, Hayman, Powers and, a new favorite, Bayhead Road. After a water break on US41 and Spring Hill Dr., we headed for Action Honda on US19 in Hudson. Okay, I know this is getting to be repetitious, but Boyd found another favorite bike. Is it just me, or does red seem to be a common factor?

Robert told us he'd like to stop at a Harley dealer for plugs for his new pony, so we set off for Gulf Coast Harley-Davidson in New Port Richey. Unfortunately, that meant a 13 mile ride south on US19 - too busy for my tastes and way too busy for Bill.

Anyway, Robert got his plugs and we headed for Land O Lakes and lunch at Hungry Harry's on US41. Boyd recommended this restaurant and we agree that it was well worth the trip. We all passed on the all-you-can-eat rib and chicken special in favor of pulled pork sandwiches. Bill and I were beginning to regret the decision when the waitress brought a plate of the special to the table next to us. It looked fantastic but the first serving was more than we could eat. In fact, the pulled pork was all we could handle.

Leaving Hungry Harry's, we headed north on 41 to pick-up a couple of back roads I had found on Google Maps. Unfortunately someone had dropped a gated community across Pump Station Road and locked the gate. That forced us to backtrack and take Ehren Cutoff Rd. north to SR52 and that turned out to be a pretty good ride. Once on 52, we headed towards San Antonio then on home.

It was a great day, great company, and 185 miles of great roads. Hope you all can make it next week.

Glenn

November 22 Ride

Seven of us met for breakfast this morning, including Bill's bride, Mercy. Afterward, Robert decided he had other more important things to do and headed home. Maybe the very cool morning temperatures had something to do with the decision. Bill "The Crash Dummy" McDaniel was unable to ride due to injuries sustained in the line of duty. Hopefully, he will be back on two wheels next week.
Boyd, J.T., Lloyd and I bundled up against to 40-something temperatures and set out for our ride to nowhere in particular. We covered a lot of ground, including, Hopewell, Keysville, Jameson Rd., Nichols Rd., Agricola Mine Rd., over to Homeland, Lake Hendry Rd., Lake Buffum, up the newly resurfaced Crews Rd. to West Lake Wales and West Scenic Park, Winter Haven, then back to Lakeland for a stop at Fun Bike Center. While J.T. looked unsuccessfully for a new helmet, Boyd & Lloyd drooled over a couple of new bikes.Unhappily, both resisted the temptation.

Leaving Fun Bike, Lloyd headed home while the rest of us stopped for a light lunch and conversation. Shortly thereafter, J.T. also headed home while Boyd and I continued our two-wheeled explorations. We eventually made our way over to run Old Dade City Road then explored a couple of new pieces of blacktop in that area - Sherrouse, Keen and Lakeland Acres Roads. All three proved interesting.

As 3:30 p.m. approached we headed for home and the end of another great ride.

Remember - Not all who wander are lost. Ride with Pride.

Gunny

November Minutes

The November 17th meeting Florida XXVII was called to order at 6:08 P.M. Present were President Glenn Monroe, Past President Bill McDaniel, Director J.T. Sims, Lloyd Lowery, Wes Swafford and Eddie Richter.

The reading of the minutes of the previous meeting was waived due to the absence of the Secretary.

President Monroe gave the Treasurer’s report, listing current cash on hand at $1,266.19.

The “Ride for Ron” was discussed. Although the final statistics have not been received from the event organizer, it is believed that 50 to 60 motorcycles participated in the ride led by this chapter.

Future charity endeavors were discussed. Past President McDaniel stated that he may have a line on a grant for a rider safety program that we may be able to present at future Plant City Bike Nights in conjunction with the Plant City P.D.

The planned ride to Lake Okeechobee on November 22nd was discussed. Noting the proximity to the holidays and Fun Bike Center’s scheduling conflict, it was decided to postpone this ride to after the holidays. A ride to Fantasy of Flight was suggested as a possible alternative.

Past President McDaniel suggested an evening Christmas Light ride sometime in December. Eddie Richter agreed to put the ride together with a probable date of December 12.

Eddie Richter suggested we put together another parking lot practice event. After some discussion it was decided that one would be scheduled during the first quarter of 2009 and that the Chapter investigate the purchase of miniature traffic cones in order to minimize the potential of damage to the motorcycles that full sized cones can cause. Bill McDaniel stated that he may have a source for reasonably priced miniature cones. He will investigate and report back on the issue.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:45 P.M.

November 15 Ride to Montverde

Despite the threatening skies, five bikes left Plant City for a backroads ride to Montverde, Florida on the shores of Lake Apopka. The route there and back covered some amazing roads, including Rock Ridge, Green Pond, Lake Erie, Bay Lake, Sloans Ridge, Villa City, O'Brien Rd., CR-455, Old CR-50 & CR-561. We all had a great time. Check the link to The Navigator's Rides for more info. and pictures.

Remember, not everyone who wanders is lost, so Ride with Pride.
Gunny

Ride for Ron

Six members, one associate and a couple of riders joined in this year's Ride for Ron on November 8th. After meeting at Brandon Harley, approximately 60 bikes headed for Plant City via Lithia, Pinecrest and Jameson Road. Although light was beginning to fade as we made our way on Jameson Rd., is was still a great ride, especially for those seeing back-country Florida for the first time. Upon arrival at the train depot in Plant City, we were treated to live music and conversation.

Gunny

November 1st Ride

Six bikes and 7 people headed for Parrish via the back roads, then on to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. After a brief stop, we were off to Barney's in St. Pete, then to Ybor City for lunch. See The Navigator's Blog for more info. and pictures.

October 10 Ride

Yesterday, I rode with J.T. and Boyd north on 301 to I-10 where I had to turn for home while they continued north enroute to join Bill and Robert in North Carolina for the annual Fall Leaf Tour. Check Bill's blog for ride updates.

Today, I met Lloyd Lowery for breakfast. Afterwards, we set out in the morning fog heading for Sugarloaf Mountain. We had a nice ride across Rock Ridge and Green Pond Road. The pavement was a little damp from the fog which forced us to slow down enough to better enjoy the scenery. That allowed us to see at least 60 wild turkeys combing the pastures for their morning meal. The fog had cleared enough by the time we arrived at the top of Sugarloaf to afford us a great view of Lake Apopka and the surrounding countryside. We then turned back to US-27 and the Lakeridge Winery. After a little wine testing, we headed to Lakeland to try the wings at Mojo's, the new restaurant at Fun Bike Center. Lloyd and I both enjoyed our meals and conversation. Finally, we rode along Lake Parker before heading for home. All-in-all, it was a great day and a great ride.

Remember, next weekend we will be riding on Sunday instead of Saturday.

Homosassa Ride - 9/28/09

We had a great ride yesterday. See The Navigator's Rides link in the right sidebar for details.

Glenn

Low Country Boil Chapter Social

On September 20 the Chapter and guests met at Eddie Richter's home for our Low Country Boil.

The day started early with Eddie, Bill, Trent and I meeting at Eddie's for an excellent breakfast prepared by our master chef, followed by event preparations. If you were not there, you missed an excellent breakfast.

Guests began arriving for the main event at 4:00 p.m. We all enjoyed a few beverages and good conversation while Eddie and Larue Richter slaved over the the dinner pot. About 5:30, Gregg and Mark pulled the food out of the pot and poured it out onto the table, ready for consumption - crayfish, shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn all cooked together. Check here for the pictures provided by Boyd!

After everyone had eaten their fill, the conversation, conviviality, and beverage consumption continued well into the evening.

I had a great time, as did everyone else. I want to extend my thanks to Eddie and Doc for their hard work on our behalf. Be sure you all thank them in person when the opportunity presents itself.

Bill will be putting some info. on his blog, too.  Check the link for the Navigator's Rides to the right.

Glenn

September Ride to Nowhere

Before yesterday's ride I was frequently asked. "Where are we going this week?" I had a hard time answering because it was not a destination ride. Rather, it was just a big double loop ride on some of my favorite roads to the north and south of Plant City. The idea was to not get too far from home, allowing people the opportunity to ride as far or as short as they chose. It all started with breakfast for 10 at Snellgroves. Then we were off through Mt. Enon, Galloway, Kathleen, Socrum, Branchborough, Vitis, Zephyrhills, Crystal Springs, Moriczville, Lake Thonotosassa, Turkey Creek, Pinecrest, Welcome, Keysville, Hopewell, Winston, and Lakeland. I think the plan worked well with people dropping out at various points along the route. Only 3 of us made it all the way to Lakeland. I plan on doing similar rides on the first Saturday of each month.

Gunny

Lake Placid, FL

Seven bikes left Plant City this morning for the 180 mile round trip to Lake Placid via back roads, including Agricola Mine Rd., to Fort Meade, then down 17 and across the Florida Cracker Trail (66), then down 27 to our destination. The trip down was fairly uneventful until one of our new members decided to test the firmness of the shoulders on Lake Josephine Drive. Everything came out okay, but you just can't trust those Harley's on tight corners.

The town of Lake Placid turned out to be a real treat for some of us as we explored some of the 40 murals painted on the buildings. Others thought the biggest treat was to sit in the shade while we explored. To each, their own, I guess. Anyway, you can see some of the pictures we took by clicking on PHOTOS. For more, click on the link to the Navigator's Rides on the right side of this page.

After the exploration was finished, Ace suggested we ride to the Wild Turkey Tavern in Avon Park for lunch. As it turned out, it was a great idea. The food was excellent, the atmosphere interesting and the beer cold. After we all ordered, Eddie brought our attention to the steaks that a couple at another table were eating and we decided that we would have to make a return trip some Tuesday evening for their steak special.

We headed home with full stomachs and rainy skies. Luckily, the rain was nearly finished when we left Avon Park and we didn't get too wet.

Boyd and I stopped at Fun Bike Center on our way home to watch a demo ride by the Buell team. The skill of those three guys on their cycles was amazing.

See you all next week,

Gunny

August 9th Beach Ride

It was ten for breakfast this morning, including Tommy’s brother-in-law, Chip Glass, and Kyle’s friend, Samantha Jones. After breakfast, the two cagers left to do whatever it is that cagers do on a Saturday morning and the rest of us mounted our bikes and set off for Anna Maria Island. Along the way, Robert and Ace dropped out for business reasons, leaving six to test the elements.

We did a pretty good job of avoiding the rain as we made our way south and east. Somewhere on the Tamiami Trail, a gust of wind lifted my map pocket, sucked the map out, and blew it back past the bikes behind me. No problem, I knew how to get to Anna Maria without it, but its loss would prove significant later. Everything went well until we turned onto Manatee from 41 and were greeted with a view of a solid wall of water a couple of blocks in front of us. Being somewhat sensible, we immediately began looking for shelter and were lucky enough to find the covered drive thru lanes of a closed bank that was large enough to accommodate us all. Boyd took these pictures as we wait for the rain to stop.

Once the rain let up, we continued on to Anna Maria Island where Chip led us to one of favorite restaurants, The BeachHouse, at 200 Gulf Drive North. We were treated to a great view of the Gulf of Mexico, good company and fine food.

After lunch, we continued on south to St. Armands Key, then turned east to start our homeward leg. Now here is where the loss of my map and the inability to seach Honda's GPS while moving, became critical. I knew I wanted to get to Fruitville Road, but missed it because I did not realize that 780 was Fruitville Road. After a couple of wrong turns, I finally found somewhere to stop to program the GPS. As it turns out, we were only a few blocks off course and were soon on our way home.

All-in-all, it was a good ride. There was a lot of rain in the area but remarkably little of it fell on us, although those of us who ride with their knees in the breeze had wet legs from time to time.

Rider's Note: The last time we stopped for gas in Myakka City, they only had regular gasoline. Since none of the bikes riding today needed premium, I though it would be okay to stop there today. However, they now have NO gasoline. All the pumps are closed down. I also talked to the owner of the Duette Market at 62 and 39. He is also considering closing his pumps. In short, be sure you are well fueled if traveling in those areas.

Gunny

August 2nd Lake Buffum Ride

Seven bikes, including 2 guests, left Plant City this morning for our Saturday ride. However, the two guests soon disappeared after making an unannounced fuel stop. Remember - when participating in group rides, be sure the ride leader knows if you are leaving the group for any reason.

The remaining five bikes, J.T., Boyd, Eddie, Lloyd & I, continued on through the back roads through Old Florida, over to Agricola Mine Road, then on to Ft. Meade for a water break. It was then onto the Lake Buffum area for a few more twisties.
We then worked out way past Lake Wales, Winter Haven, K'ville to Lakeland for a stop at Fun Bike Center so Eddie could get a turn signal lens replaced.
Thanks to this week's photographer, J.T., for these images.

August Ride Schedule

August 2—Ft. Meade & Lake Buffum
August 9—Gulf Coast Beaches
August 16—Lake Placid
August 23—Cedar Key
August 30—Lake Panasoffkee

As we are pretty well set on breakfast at Snellgroves every Saturday morning, we are moving the ride start from the Depot to J. Arden Mays Blvd., next to the Whistle Stop Cafe. That's where we end up anyway. See you there.

Gunny

July 26 Ride To Pecks Old Port Cove

Ten of us met for breakfast at Snellgrove's this morning. Afterwards, Bill McDaniel, J.T. Sims, Mark Pfister, Kyle Russell, Lloyd Lowery, his wife, Julie, & I headed for Crystal River via, Zephyrhills, San Antonio, Brooksville and Lecanto. We stopped at US-19 and W. Ozello Trail so Bill could set up his video camera, then headed down the twisties to Pecks. A lot of slow traffic kept speeds to a minimum, but it was still a nice ride, especially for Mark, Kyle & Lloyd who were riding it for the first time.
Lunch, as is usual for Pecks, was excellent. We headed towards home about 12:30 p.m. This time Ozello Trail was a little less crowded, giving us a better chance to enjoy the pleasures of this particular stretch or highway. Arriving at Citrus Way and US-98, we decided to straighten out our route and head for the barn as skys were threatening rain. Although we did experience a few brief showers along the way, the resultant cooler temperatures were welcomed by all.
All-in-all, it was a good ride. Hopefully, Bill will have more pictures and/or video posted on The Navigator's Rides.
I hope to see you all on next week's ride.

Gunny

July 19 Ride

Eight of us met for breakfast at Snellgrove's this morning. Afterwards, six of us headed south en route to Pine Level, the former county seat of both Manatee and DeSoto counties. Everything went well until a bee flew into Preacher's helmet, precipitating the first stop of the day. After everyone grabbed a water, we were off again. The plan was to head south on 665 then south on Pine Level Road. Arriving at Pine Level Road we encountered the second problem of the day. Pine Level road turned out to be hard packed dirt covered by pea gravel. Now Gold Wings are great bike in almost every respect but they do not like the dirt. Besides, there was no way Preacher was going to take a chance on dinging his Wing. Keep in mind that there are few roads down there and most are not paved. So, we took a LONG detour. We did finally make it to Old Pine Level only to find that the buildings shown on the web site were no longer there. The only thing left that we could see was an old historical marker. Interesting, but not what we were looking for. Ace chased down a local pulling into his driveway who pointed out the remains of the old hanging tree which had been blown down by Hurricane Charley and the location where the courthouse had stood. He was also informed that the first floor of the Pine Level Methodist Church was the original schoolhouse. Oh well, the joy is in the journey, not the destination. Leaving the location, Robert informed me that he was getting low on fuel. A quick search of the Nav system showed the closest gas station close to our route home was the BP at Myakka City, so off we went. Upon arrival, we found all but one pump was out of order and the working pump only had regular and Robert needed premium. So it was off to the next station, 25 miles away. Did I mention that there aren't many services down there? Anyway, everything worked out and we all made it back home. Did I mention that it was the journey, not the destination?
For more see Ace's blog.

Gunny

Four Corners Photographs

Click here for Four Corners Photo Album. Check back often for updates.

The Ride Remembered

Here are a few pics of our trip from my camera (Please note that clicking on the picture will show you an enlarged copy).

The road from Taos to Sante Fe
starts out with majestic views of wooded mountains, but quickly changes to desert scrub with almost no transition area.







I wish we had spent more time in Madrid, NM. The people were very friendly and definitely unique. The atmosphere was very laid back. Bryan, to his credit, wanted to hang around until the Madrid Roadhouse opened for lunch, but, as usual, I was in too big of a hurry. Note Pete's Russian made Ural motorcycle and sidecar. Pete rides this thing summer and winter since the sidecar wheel can also be a drive wheel. That's Pete sitting next to Bryan below. Pete also participates in local naked horseback rides. I was afraid to ask how that works. Boyd is being regaled with local legends by the boardinghouse owner.



The view from Sandia Crest is pretty impressive, but the real treat is the ride up. But since I don't have pictures of the ride, I'll show you a view of Albuquerque, NM from the crest and the radio tower array at the top. You'd think you would get a great cell phone signal up there. You can if you stand in exactly the right spot while holding your left arm and right leg in the air. The Hummingbirds liked the area, too.





Since the Petrified Forest/Painted
Desert was our first National Park on the trip, we spent a lot more time taking pictures than was really warranted. The Painted Desert views were great, but one was pretty much the same as another. The desert colors do change from one area of the park to another, but we were tired of the view before we got to the color changes. The most interesting thing in the Painted Desert is the Painted Desert Inn. It is no longer used for guests but is still an interesting structure.
At the south end of the park is the Petrified Forest. "Forest" is a misnomer since the trees are no longer standing and most have broken into pieces over time.

Keep watching this article. I will add more as time permits.

Home Again

Boyd and I made the final 408 mile leg of our journey yesterday, arriving back in Lakeland just after 4:00 P.M. The trip, mostly on US-280 and I-75, was fairly uneventful until we reached the Ocala area when we started to get some rain. Thankfully, it didn't get very heavy until we exited I-75 at Lake Panasoffkee and then it didn't last too long. I heard from Bryan last night. He was in Cincinnati for a Reds game. I don't know when he intends to be home.

All in all, it was a great trip covering approximately 6,600 miles. We learned that the desert Southwest is very hot this time of year (I don't care if it is dry heat!), and after a while more rocks are just more rocks. There were many amazing sights to see, but we were all very happy to see greenery again. Boyd is working on putting together a collection of photos and videos taken on the trip. I will share some of those here when they are available.

Ride with Pride
Gunny

Charleston, MO to Opelika, AL

This morning we parted company with Bryan who headed to Louisville to visit a friend. Boyd & I headed towards home. The idea was to take secondary roads, which led to our only real problem of the day. The route I selected was to have taken us across the Mississippi River via a ferry. However, as we approached the ferry site, we realized that the river flooding had closed the ferry. That force us to backtrack about 25 miles before we could find another place to cross the river on I-155. Once that had been accomplished, we made fairly good time down to Jackson, TN, Birminham, AL and finally stopped for the night in Opelika near Auburn University. We hope to be home for dinner tomorrow.

Gunny

Eureka Springs & Mammoth Springs

We left Miami, OK yesterday morning & travelled via back roads to Eureka Springs, AR at the western edge of the Ozark Mountains. We then traversed the northern edge of the mountains then headed for Boyd's birthplace at Mammoth Springs in northwest Arkansas. After marvelling at how much the place has changed in the past 40 years and taking lots of photos, we were off again. This time we stopped for the night in Charleston, MO. Tomorrow we head for home.

Gunny

Kansas in the Rain

We have had no real rain before today but our luck has run out. We left Garden City, KS in a light rain which quickly changed to a frog drowner. For the next 163 miles we struggled through high winds & heavy rain with visibility so bad it was sometimes difficult to find the highway centerline. After stopping for lunch in Kingman, KS the rain began to let up & finally stopped. However, we were soaked by then & did not really dry out all day. Tonight we have wet gear hanging all over our motel room in Miami, OK. Looks like tomorrow will be better weather for our trip through to Ozarks.
Gunny

Pueblo, CO to Garden City, KS

The day started off with a trip to the Honda dealer in Pueblo, CO. Bryan needed new tires & Boyd's Wing was suffering from an engine miss. Bryan got a new set of Metzlers & the tech quickly diagnosed Boyd's problem as a cracked spark plug boot. The shop did not have a replacement wire in stock so the tech wrapped the cracked insulation with electrical tape. That temporary fix allowed us to get under way.

We have decided to avoid the Interstates as much as possible so we headed east on US-50. After a few hours, we stopped at Wendy's in La Junta, CO for a drink. We struck up a conversation with a local couple who told us about a nearby restored fort dating from the time when the area south of the Arizona River belonged to Mexico. We decided to take a look & were glad we did.

Bent's Old Fort is a walled adobe structure near the north bank of the Arizona River. Built in 1833 by Charles & William Bent, the fort served as a trading post for trappers, buffalo hunters & local Indians. Touring the place we were amazed at how much space there was inside the seemingly small structure and how cool it was inside the adobe walls compared to the nearly 100 degrees outside. While the normal population was about 60, the fort sometimes accomodated up to 200.

We left once again thankful we listened to the advise of the local residents. A few more hours on the road brought us to Garden City, KS where we have stopped for the night.

Gunny

Royal Gorge, Colorado

Today we were back in the high desert to visit the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park. It is located just west of Canon City, Colorado. The suspension bridge was built in 1929 as a tourist device. It is truely a bridge to nowhere. It is 1,260 feet long and stands 1,053 feet above the Arkansas River. Although it is open to vehicular traffic for an additional fee, pedestrians are welcome to cross for free. Free being a good thing at this point of the trip, Boyd, Bryan and I opted to walk across the bridge. The excursion brought no end of amusement to Dr. Harrell as he dutifully documented my timid progress and green color. While I walked back across the bridge on my own, Boyd & Bryan walked up the cliff to take the cable car back across the gorge (the climb was too much for my bad knees). While I sat to recuperate from my trip across the bridge, the boys took the Incline Railway 1,550 feet down to the canyon floor travelling at a 45 degree incline.

I have decided that it is time to get my overweight, overage, under oxygenated body back to sea level. So, we headed east on Route 50. While stopped for fuel in Pueblo, CO, Bryan noticed that cords were showing on his rear tire. After a quick phone call, he located a cycle shop a few miles from here, but they would not be able to change the tire until tomorrow morning. So, we had an early stop and a nice dinner celebrating Boyd's birthday a day early. Tomorrow we'll get Bryan's new tire(s) and get back on the road.

Gunny

Rocky Mountain National Park

Today we arrived at The Rocky Mountain National Park. We entered the park from the west side at Grand Lake, CO. Almost immediately we began seeing elk along the side of the road. Boyd got some pretty good photos of a bull grazing beside the Colorado River. We then began the steep climb towards the continental divide. On the way up I almost ran into the rear of a vehicle that had stopped in the middle of the road to gawk at a mountain goat high on a mountain top. Dang tourists! We finally reached the visitor center at about 11,700 feet. We were all feeling the effects of the altitude as we stopped to admire the views there above the treeline. We could see high mountain meadows dotted with patches of snow and herds of elk grazing on tundra grass as well as still higher peaks surrounding us. Leaving the visitor center, we climbed to about 12,200 feet before beginning our descent to the east end of the park at Estes Park, CO.

We then headed south on some nice cycle roads (Rts 7, 72, & 191). We stopped for the night in Idaho Springs, CO. Tomorrow we will head for Royal Gorge.

Gunny

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Today we changed plans again. We rode picturesque Route 550 from Durango, through Silverton and Oray (Little Switzerland) to Montrose, then took Route 50 to The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Okay, more rock and more canyons, but this is the deepest, most verticle walled canyon we have seen yet. Very impressive place. It also contains the steepest road we have yet encountered at a 16% grade. The steepest we have seen anywhere else is 8%. Not only is it steep, but it winds back and forth down the canyon side to the Gunnison River.

Afterwards, we rode Route 50 throught the Monarch Pass and stopped for the night in Salida, CO.

Gunny

Durango-Silverton Railroad

We left Durango this morning on a narrow guage railroad that ran north into the mountains to reach the old mining town of Silverton, Colorado. It took a full 3 1/2 hours for the train, pulled by an orginal steam engine, to cover the 50 miles and 2800 foot climb. The tracks, completed in the 1860's, runs along side the Animus River and hangs off the cliffs with often no visble separation between the tracks and the cliff edge. The river itself is white water for the majority of the distance. We were able to get some magnificent photos and videos that we will share with you when cirumstances permit.

Arriving in Silverton, we found an 1800's high mountain village that has been converted from mining to tourism. Very picturesque, very trendy, with very little else to recommend it. We had a good lunch at one of the many restaurant/bars in town. Bryan should not have had the buffalo burger (enough said). He was also disppointed with the lack of operational brothels.

After a couple of hours, we reboarded the train for the trip home. Another 3 1/2 hours of rocking on a 100 year old bench seat. I was very happy to get back to Durango. It was a great trip. One I am glad I took since the views were so fabulous but one I will not repeat again in the near future.

Gunny

Four Corners, Mesa Verde & Durango

Had a great day today travelling first to the Four Corners, then to Mesa Verde and, finally to Durango. Sounds like a lot, but the total distance was under 200 miles.

For those who may not know, the Four Corners refers to the point where New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah meet. It's on Indian land and consists of a marker in the ground and some Indian vendors. Not a long stop, but a gotta do photo op. Which reminds me, we have lots of photos, but most of the WiFi connections available to us will not upload the photos. They may have to wait until we get home to upload more.

Mesa Verde is a National Park that sits between Cortez and Durango, CO. From the entrance, it is a 23 mile, 7,000 ft climb to the top. The primary attraction includes several ancient cliff dwellings. Most require strenuous climbs on stairways and ladders to visit. However, one, Spruce Tree House, can be reached by a paved, switchback walkway. It was still too much for my bad knees, but Bryan and & Boyd made the trip down and back. Bryan decided he didn't want to live there - no topless Indians, just more rocks.

Upon arriving in Durango, we went straight to the Durango-Silverton Railroad depot to purchase tickets for tomorrows train ride to Silverton and back. After checking into the motel and dinner at the Serious Texas Barbecue, we spent the evening people watching in downtown Durango. It was a very pleasant evening. It was a nice change of pace from the frantic pace of the past week. We plan to do it again tomorrow night.

Gunny

Bryce Canyon and Beyond

This morning we headed for Bryce Canyon. Since it is much higher than Zion, the temperatures were far cooler (78). We were very happy about that. Bryce has very interesting geologic formations, but, as Bryan put it, "Yup, more rocks." I guess at this point of the trip have all seen enough rocks and desert. So, we made the trip up to the end of the park and back, stopped at a few of the scenic overlooks, took some pictures, had lunch at the park lodge and headed out.

That led us to the most interesting part of today's travels: Utah Route 12. It is 123 miles of tight turns, extreme elevation changes, color changes and just plain fun. The road took us from the desert floor to the mountain tops, down and up again several times. Added to that, the highway passes through open range, which meant several stops to clear cattle out of the way. What a great road! Don't miss it if you are in the area.

From Route 12 we headed southeast on Route 24 which took us through the Coarl Reef National Park. Hear again the views were magnificent, although Bryan saw only more rocks. After leaveing the park, Route 24 winds through a seemingly endless streatch of Utah desert (refer back to previous desert comment).

We finally turned onto Route 95 through Glen Canyon, across the north end of Lake Powell, across the mesa lands to Blanding, UT where we have stopped for the night.

Tomorrow should see us clear of the desert, and none too soon, as the temperatures out here have been much higher than normal.

Gunny

Zion National Park

We got a late start this morning as Bryan's Yamaha needed some service. We left for Zion National Park about 1:30 p.m. with arrivial about 40 minutes later. The park is beautiful. The temperature, however, was nearly unbearable. Good hint: If you go to Zion, go early in the day. We made a run from the east entrance to the Visitor Center (about 13 miles). Took a shuttle bus up the scenic drive where private vehicles are prohibited, then made the return drive along the same route. The drive is very challenging with many hair pin turns and changes in elevation, but is very slow, especially in the area of the 1.1 mile tunnel. The scenery also makes the drive hard because it is difficult to keep your eyes on the road.

We have all had enough of this heat and are thinking of avoiding any further desert visits. Bryce Canyon is supposed to be cooler. We'll find out tomorrow.

Gunny

Day 6 and the North Rim

We set out from Page, AZ this morning enroute to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to determine for ourselves whether the North or South Rim is the better destination.

As we travelled down Route 89A we ran across the Navajo Bridge in Marble Canyon. We decided to stop to take a look. What a great decision! The view from the bridge over the Colorado River is absolutely spectacular as are the views of the surrounding canyon walls. Our intended 10 minute stop turned into 2 hours, including a side trip to nearby Lee's Ferry which was the main Colorado River crossing point before the Navajo Bridge was constructed. Near the ferry site we were able to walk down to the river's edge and watch several rafts run the Paria Riffle (a riffle is white water too small to be called at rapids). Bryan is now trying to find out how to join one of the rafting trips. On the way back to the highway, we stopped to get some pictures of some unique balanced rock formations. I gotta tell you, I had a hard time keeping my eyes on the road there because we were surrounded on all side by magnificent red rock cliffs. We were all very happy to have made this unscheduled stop.

We finally made our way towards the North Rim and stopped for lunch at the Kaibab (pronounced kybob) Lodge. It was an excellent meal in a very nice log lodge.

Once inside the park, the difference between the South Rim and North Rim was obvious. Where the South Rim is a crowded, hot, modern, desert environment, the North Rim is cool, wooded environment with log cabins and a visitor's center in the craftsman style. Onto of that the drive into the park and the roads to the various viewing points winding and wooded. We all agreed that the North Rim is far more pleasant destination.

We are now in Kanab, UT for the night & will be going to Zion National Park tomorrow. More later.

Gunny

Day 5, Wednesday, June 19

We started out from Holbrook, AZ at 7:30 this morning and headed to the Petrified Forest National Park. The name is somewhat of a misnomer because he park contains the Painted Desert as well as the Petrified Forest. We purchased annual National Parks passes and were pleased to learn that we needed only one pass for every two bikes. That saved us $80.00. We thought we would zip through this stop in a very short time, but found ourselves stopping often to take photos of the changing desert landscapes and colors. We also spend some time at the Painted Desert Inn. Very interesting spot. Too bad it is no longer open for overnight guests. We finally made it down to the petrified trees, bought some souvenirs and headed west again.

The wind was blowing so strongly that riding was difficult and tiring. Once we reached Flagstaff we knew it was time to get off the interstate so we gave up on going to the Grand Canyon Skywalk, which was a couple of hundered miles further west, and turned north on 180 to the Grand Canyon South Entrance. Now the Grand Canyon is the kind of place that you can see enough of in 20 minutes or spend weeks viewing. We split the difference, visiting as many spots as possible in the 5 hours or so we were there.

Finally, we exited the park at the east entrance, taking 64 to 89 and 89 north to Page, AZ, on the southern edge of Lake Powell. That was an 82 mile run on 2-lane blacktop with out a single stop until we arrived in Page.

Day 4 on the Road

Today proved the maxim that travel itineraries should be flexible. We headed out of Taos early in the morning for the High Road to Santa Fe. Along the way, one of our pre-selected roads quickly turned to dirt, causing some route changes. We easliy made the change & got back on route for some twistes over and down the mountain, traversing from high mountain firs to desert scrub. Nice road. Great views.

Afterwards we shot down 285, across a short streatch of I-25 to NM-14 which carried us into Madrid, NM. If you have seen the movie "Wild Hogs" you will remember Madrid. Boyd, Brian & I had a beverage on the front porch of the Madrid Boading House with the owner and a few local characters. Pete, who rides an old Russian cycle complete with sidecar, told us about a ride that he especially likes. After a few more stories, we decided to follow his suggestion and headed south out of Madrid towards Sandia Crest. The road up is about 16 miles of hard switchbacks, curves and very short straightaways. Bryan even managed to scrape the pegs on his Yamaha on the way up (a first). Once at the top (elev. 10600 ft.) we were treated to a breathtaking view of the surrounding countryside, include an panorama of Albuquerque. They say you can see eighty miles from up there.

Our next stop was to have been in Chambers, AZ, but after learning that the only motel there wanted $89 per person, we decided to move on to Holbrook, AZ, where we have holed up for the night. I thnk we may be changing the itinerary for tomorrow as well. We will keep you posted.

Gunny

Two Old Guys & a Skinny Kid Head West

On Saturday, June 14, Bryan Bergau, Boyd Harrell & I met at 6:00 a.m. to begin our trek to the four corners area. J.T. Sims also met us to bless the bike and the trip. Then we were off, heading up I-75 to Atlanta, then thru Birmingham to Jasper, AL. After 658 miles and too many hours, we pulled into the motel for a well needed rest.
On Sunday we headed west out of Jasper with the goal of making it to El Reno, OK for the night. After passing thru Memphis, Little Rock and Oklahoma City, and covering 718 miles, we arrived at our destination.
Monday started out with a light rain but soon dried up. However, when the rain stopped, the wind began. After 500 miles of leaning into the wind, we left I-40 and turned north on US-85, which a remnent of historic Route 66. That and a short distance up I-25, we arrived in Las Vegas, NM, where we grabbed NM-518 north to NM-434. Finally a fun road up and over the mountain with lots of twisties, woods, hills and a beautiful stream running along side of the road. Then we had more twisties on NM-64 enroute to Taos. A total of 580 miles today.
More later.
Gunny

June Beach Ride

I was hoping to get a few pictures from Ace to accompany this article. However, Ace did a much better job describing the ride than I could. So, I'll just refer you to his blog at:

http://navrides.blogspot.com/

New Member Inductions

We will be inducting three new members, Marc Pfister, Gaylyn Russell & Wesley Swafford, at our Chapter Meeting on June 12, 2008. Please join us in welcoming these new members. We will also be welcoming two late renewals, Dee Dee Gregory & Matt Combs. We will be meeting at Sparky's offices.