Camping in the White Mountains

Ms. OK and I did a trial run with the bike and all the camping gear that we need to take with us on vacation. We finally made it out of Tucson around 1330 Saturday afternoon and headed east on I-10 to join up with US 191 and on to our planned stop at Hannagan Meadow. After riding through rain and just missing snow (still on the roadside), we made it as the sun was setting and had to set up camp in the mud and dark. The sleeping pads and bags worked, the tent for a small backpacking model had enough room and was easy to erect. We warmed a can of Pazole on the auto gas camping stove and got a good night's rest. The next morning, after coffee, we broke camp and rode through the cold for several hours and then decended into the Arizona heat for the last leg before home.

Once home, martinis and the pool to end a perfect weekend.

On the Road

Ms. OK was having her morning tea and said the magic words...."I would really like to go on a long bike ride this morning". Damn I love that woman.

Before she could change her mind I was dressed and had the saddlebags packed . We went north with little plan other than to ride by Lake Roosevelt. We ended up continuing north through Payson and Show Low before turning south for home. The photo is at the last stop before home, we had been on the road for 9 hours with 1 more to go. This was the longest Ms Bubba had ridden in one day, before on the VTX an hour to two hours was the max she could set on the back. Not only do I love that woman, I love my V2K. What a road machine.

New iMac

All the computers died last week. I got the POS HP laptop up and running but the Mac is still in the shop so there was nothing else to do but buy a new 24" iMac. I'd thought about it for awhile as I'm no longer traveling so there is no need for a laptop or even a "lugable".

I've geeked for the last couple of days getting everything set up, still not finished but about 90% there. Damn, it is nice to have a full sized keyboard and big screen to work with....I'd forgotten how nice it is.

Once the Mac laptop returns I will post some bike photos.

The Righr Side of the Dial

The big Kawi likes to run. It is so smooth and stable if you don't pay attention she will be over 100 mph before you know it. I was watching the world go by with the BrakeAway Cruise control on when I looked down to see we were going around 110 mph. I had to make a photo before slowing down.

Sunday's Ride

I rode north out of Tucson through Globe to north of Payson. I made a few photos of the the route, this is one made in Globe.

Motorcycle Photos

I have not photographed, worked on making "ART" for several years. The reasons are many but mostly because of changes in location and work the time and interest were not there. Over the years my photographic work revolved around my neighborhood. I was connected to my neighbors and felt a bond with them that I wanted to share. When I left Ogden Street I lost that connection to my daily life and also lost the need to document my surroundings.

During the last year I've joined a new community, Motorcycle riding, and I'm feeling the need to share the joys of that life. I'm working to find a voice and I'm feeling I've started to do things that are interesting. Not all the images "work" but more and more satisfy me and I will be posting those images as I make them.

I guess mostly what I want to say is: This Blog is moving in a new direction and you can expect to see more frequent posts and most of the posts will be about riding and or photographs of bikes and riding.

Last Thursday was the first day in several weeks that I had off and nothing pressing. After sending Ms. OK off to work I headed out with no real plan, I just knew I wanted to ride.

Ended up running east on I-10 about 90 miles to 191 North so I could ride my favorite Arizona day ride. The route runs North on 191 to Eagar then West to Show Low and from Show Low South back to Tucson. Highway 191 is a great motorcycle road, between I-10 and Eagar, AZ, it has everything a rider could ask for: first gear hairpins, slow sweepers, to fast ones. The road passes through beautiful high desert, mountain pine forest and meadows, and even about 10 miles of Moonscape as you ride through a open pit copper mine. The road from Eagar to Show Low runs through the White Mountains and then between Show Low Globe you ride through the Salt River Canyon. None of the road is boring, none of the scenery is boring, it is just a great ride and today was special.

The day had everything, I got hot, and even cold for awhile in the White Mountains, and then hot again. I was rained on a half dozen times, met several folks while fueling, one couple was on a V2K pulling a trailer. They were on their way to California to ride the Coast road to Seattle. Another couple were on their way home from two weeks riding around Colorado. I even watched a beautiful Sunset as I rode back into Tucson. Twelve hours, a little over 500 miles, home just as Ms. OK came in the door, a Martini and the Hot Tub, life doesn't get any better.

Ride to Carlsbad, CA

I had a few days off over the 4th. and Ms. OK is in Austin visiting the girl child so I had to find ways to entertain myself. After dropping Ms.OK off at the airport Thursday I thought "Self what would you like to do"? Well I hadn't stuck a toe in the ocean for almost a year and San Diego is only 6 or 7 hours west.....hummmm can you say road trip?

I threw a couple of changes into the T-Bags, hung 'em on the big Kawasaki V2K and headed West. I ended up in Carlsbad, CA, stuck a toe in the Pacific (yes it is still cold), watched a beautiful sunset as I ate fish and chips, and drank a couple of cold ones. After a good night's rest I rode the coast road to L.A., hung a right on I-10 and rode it like I stole it all the way home. Made it in time to see a great Tucson sunset, I'm not sure which sunset was better. They were both pretty spectacular.

The heat On the California trip was a killer both ways through the desert. I stopped about every 100 miles to cool my core and rehydrate. The photo was made just west of Phoenix, one of the last stops on the way home and by then I was pretty beat up, having a ball but beat up.

Then the next day work called and said my "line" for the week had canceled. Damn the fridge was empty so there was nothing else to do but ride up to Globe for lunch. The Globe, Superior, Winkelman ride is a great bike ride, mostly fast sweepers through beautiful red rock, high desert. Sorry no photos of that part, I was having too much fun riding.

Rode a HD Electa Glide Screaming Eagle

Back in May I wrote a post about my new Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 Classic LT, said it was the best bike I had ever ridden. That statement still holds after riding the HD Electa Glide. The HD was a nice bike but it felt like I was sitting on top of a toy instead of riding in a real road bike. It handled very nicely, quick in the turns and easy to ride slowly but no comparison to the V2K for smoothness and control on the road. We didn't do any "roll on" trials but I don't think that even with the "Screaming Eagle" mod the Electa Glide could stay with me. Lastly while the engine smooths out at speed it still has more vibration than the Big Kawi and there is no way I could ever get use to the engine trying to jump out of the frame at idle

It's a nice bike but it's no Vulcan 2000.

OK Guy at ROT

Here I am; dead man sleeping Saturday afternoon after two days and nights of riding, drinking beer and enjoying the show.

Still more ROT

More from ROT

Ranch-Mobile trolling for beads.

Images From ROT

Biker Bar-B-Que in Leakey, Texas.
Lunch while doing the Three Sisters

Home from ROT

The Republic of Texas Rally may be unique because its venue is set away from the public. All the activities (other than a few rides) take place inside the Austin Fairgrounds away from public streets and normal folks. Austin is a pretty laid back place anyway but for ROT it is hands off, if a bunch of suburban housewives and other assorted freaks wish to act out their wildest fantasies so be it as long as no one gets killed. I've been to most of the big "zoo" events, the infield of the Kentucky Derby, NASCAR, the 500, Mardi Gras, you name it, and none match ROT for shear craziness. It is over a hundred thousand people living Caligula, Dante's Inferno, and a Bible Thumper's vision of Hell all rolled into one alive, pulsating mass of humanity, with rock music blaring, naked women (and men) dancing, squids doing burnouts, HDs with V&H pipes running on their rev-limiters, going around and around the parade route, all day and all night for 4 straight days and all this packed into a few acres.

What can I say: Beer, boobs and motorcycles, does life get any better?

New Scoot

A couple of months ago I made the mistake of setting on a Kawasaki Vulcan 2000....."just to see how it felt"......BTW, it felt damn good. Long story short, after weeks of reading every thing I could find about the V2K, several more trips to the local bike shop to look and wish, and even a few sleepless nights browsing the web for V2K pics and stories, I brought one home.

What a beautiful bike, rides like a dream, has torque out the kazoo, in short the best motorcycle I've ever ridden.

Home from Texas

just made it back from Texas, three days, two nights, just over 2000 miles. I had a blast....Sunburned, tired, dirty, can't hear, with bugs stuck in my teeth and a grin from ear to ear. Anyway I'm home and after a martini and the hot tub I'm catching up with my email and doing my three turns around the nest.

What could be better: Three days of riding through some of my favorite country, eating great Mexican food, having steak and beer after a long day's ride, Texas Hill Country Bar B Que (not Luling Meat Market but still good), a night in a great hotel and a walk across to the Cadilac Bar

BTW, I did the SS1000 reverse order: I rode a day and a half from Tucson to Laredo, spent the night and early the next morning I hopped on the Slab and "rode it like I stole it" all the way home. Had a close one between Fort Stockton and Van Horn, It is about 140 miles between them, because of head winds I went to reserve at 105 miles. Slowed the scoot way down and made it to fuel (I believe I put 4.5 gals in).

Today I have to clean all the dead bugs off the scooter.

IBA Certification

Received my certification for my Iron Butt SS1000 I did the first of March. I'm now known as IBA Member 33312.

I'm leaving on another SS1000 tonight/early AM. This one will start in Tucson, go to San Antonio via I 10 then end in Laredo. 1030 miles according to MapQuest. I will spend Friday night in the La Posada Hotel. I should get there in time to walk across the bridge and eat at one of my favorite places. Saturday I will do an easy day to Alpine or Marfa for a RON and Sunday finish up in Tucson.

Iron Butt SS1000

What a day. I’ve been planning and working on doing an Iron Butt certification ride for a couple of months. The Iron Butt Association is clearing house and certifying agent for long distance motorcycle rides. The shortest qualifying ride is the Saddle Sore 1000 or SS1000 for short. The SS1000 requires you to ride your Scoot 1000 miles in less than 24 hours. You need time stamped fuel receipts for the start and finish as well as ones at the “corners”. All the documentation is sent to the IBA for confirmation and if confirmed you are rewarded with membership.

I did my first SS1000 Saturday. I departed Tucson early AM for Deming, NM, Albuquerque, NM, Flagstaff, AZ, Phoenix, AZ and then home. 1079 miles on the Scoot’s clock and 19hours 15 minutes latter I was home in hot tub with a martini. What a hoot. It was planned as a 65th. Birthday present for myself and I must say it was the best B-Day present ever.

Will I do it again? You bet, in fact I’m already planning another SS1000 to this summers ROT in Austin, Texas.

Iron Butt

I may do an Iron Butt ride sometime in March….kind of a 65th B-day gift to myself. If I do it, it will be a Saddle Sore 1000 (!000 miles in 24 hours). I have two routes planned, one is a round about from Tucson to Deming, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, Phoenix, and back to Tucson. The other goes from Tucson to Pecos and back to Tucson.

I’ve been trying out equipment for the last couple of weeks. I have most of the bugs worked out and should be ready to go anytime after next week. It’s strange the things you find on longer rides that bug the shit out of you….if I don’t put my helmet on just right my hair gets caught in the padding and it’s like someone put itching powder in my hair or the ear piece of my riding glasses will drive me crazy after 20 or 30 miles. Anyway I will try a do-rag this weekend to see if it will take care of the itching.

BTW, last weekend I rode to Show Low, pultzed round there for a while and then rode home, a little over 400 miles total for the day. It was a good ride, the day started off in the high 30’s, warmed up to mid 50’s by the time I went through Globe, then back into the 30’s in the Show Low area (about 7000’ MSL) with heavy snow on the ground, then back up to the high 60’s by the time I made it back to Tucson. All in all, a good test of my riding gear.

New Scooter

I'm a biker guy now. A couple of months ago I bought a '06 Black Honda VTX 1300S. Someone said a new bike is just a down payment on the accessories, I can testify that it is true. Anyway I'm through adding things for awhile, now I just want to ride.

We did a short ride yesterday, went south of Tucson to a crossroad cafe for a steak and then home. Today I did a couple of hundred miles solo, went north to Globe for some bad Mexican food and a cruise of the canyons.