4000 Miles of Good Old US of A

Arbey Canuck · 01-14-2003, 06:20 PM

Headed out with Gyro on Jan 4th ... trailer packed with the RS and GS ... and went south looking for good riding weather, roads and sights.

Unloaded at the Valley of Fire State Park which resides in the Lake Mead recreation area ... in Nevada ... and began riding from there.

The roads in this area are awesome ... as you make get to notice in an upcoming issue of Cycle World (I think) ... who were up there testing some new crotch rockets.

Our first order of business after unloading the bikes ... was supper in Vegas. The road out to Interstate 15 was sweet but incredible winds kept us down a notch. And if we thought the wind was bad going to Vegas ... coming home was even worse ... the most windy conditions I've ever ridden in !! Some of you on the west coast may remember the wind storms Sunday evening Jan 5th. Anyways my GS loaded with Jessie's was an easy target ... getting push around all over the place. Gyro had her hands full too. We did get to test our theory ... that ... the faster you ride ... the more comfortable you feel. It IS true ... but more comfortable was still way uncomfortable in general and increasing speed required mega BALLS !! I also had a magnetic tank bag that wanted to join the wind ... which required management. I guess I could of easily stopped and put it in the Jessie's ... but no ... since I hate stopping (and admitting defeat) I gave up valuable upright leverage so I could lay down on my tank bag and keep it put.

Monday we did Hoover Dam and then on down to Lake Havasu City for some 'Gyro Business' and then Tuesday a short ride upto the Grand Canyon. We did the Imax ... sunset and sunrise and had to leave quickly cause nasty weather was on the way. Fortunately we blasted through the rain and sleet within a 100 miles or so and ended up Wednesday evening in Yuma Arizona. Nothing like going from 34f with rain and sleet to a balmy 77f in the evening and 82f the next day !!!

Highway 89 south from Prescott Arizona which takes you out of the Granite Mountain area and down to Peeples Valley towards the city of Congress is something special. Not only is the stretch technical in nature and full of incredible sights ... the blacktop is PERFECT ... with banked curves that seem to have been produced and created from a computer program !!

We spent most of Thursday soaking up the incredible weather in Yuma (even took Gyro to a golf driving range ... more on that in JoMomma) and took Thursday evening and Friday to get back to Nevada by taking the California side of the Colorado river.

We ended up doing 2000 miles in the truck and 2000 miles on the bike with better weather than we could of ever hoped for. We rode quick ... with no tickets ... with no incidents ... with no episoded that required luck to get through and had a marvelous winter riding session that we northerners are not usually privie to.

Oh yeah ... I've seen enough RV's and RV parks to last a lifetime.

Pics to follow

ImaPoser · 01-14-2003, 06:25 PM

Sounds like a great time. That's gotta be the best way to ride the west. truck them out to the good stuff, then ride till your hearts content, tehn truck it back home. I did that ride out and back before. I'll never knock someone for hauling them again.

Arbey Canuck · 01-14-2003, 06:26 PM

Pic #1

Unloading at Valley of Fire State Park. Lots of sci-fi movies and shows get shot here. We're just about to head out to Vegas without a clue as to the nasty winds that we'll find.

Arbey Canuck · 01-14-2003, 06:28 PM

Pic #2

The obligatory Hoover Dam pose

Arbey Canuck · 01-14-2003, 06:37 PM

Pic #3

This one was lots of fun ... with the relentless Gyro cruising comfortably over a ton.

Me ... I decide this would be a good time to get a pic ... cause the road and scenery up to the Grand Canyon is sweet.

So ... while keeping pace with Sweet Lady Gyro ... I have to retrieve my camera from my tank bag ... slip the strap around my wrist and close the noose so it doesn't go flying ... open the lens cover ... hold it upside down with my left hand so I can manage the shutter / focus button ... and then get a pic of her that also shows my speedo.

Oh yeah ... we encouter traffic during the process !!!

Arbey Canuck · 01-14-2003, 06:43 PM

Pic #4

A nice close up of Gyro doing her thing. The RS ... simply perfect for her ... creating superb riding posture !!!

Arbey Canuck · 01-14-2003, 06:46 PM

Pic #5

The obligatory Grand Canyon pose. I can't believe you can't bring your bike to the edge.

Arbey Canuck · 01-14-2003, 06:48 PM

Pic #6

A cool sunset over the Canyon

Arbey Canuck · 01-14-2003, 06:52 PM

Pic #7

And finally ... ones last pose demonstrating the rigors of Adventure Riding !!!

I may not of been able to get the bikes to the Canyon edge ... but I was sure as hell going to get them in this one !!!!!

ImaPoser · 01-14-2003, 06:55 PM

Yo Baldy! or Waxy!? Whoever keeps tabs on these here Advrider photos for rotation. Number 7 has got to go on it! Now that is adventure touring at its best!

Lone Rider · 01-14-2003, 07:07 PM

Great pics. Sounds like you guys had a blast....on a pair of nice bikes.

Valley of Fire has the redest? rocks I've ever seen.

Quote:

Oh yeah ... I've seen enough RV's and RV parks to last a lifetime.

Yuma has got to be the RV capitol of the world.

Ostrich · 01-14-2003, 07:36 PM

Great pics! Looks like a good time.

Roadwarrior · 01-14-2003, 07:37 PM

Hey Arby thats cheating! It was -12c and cloudy with snow flurries today here in the Toronto area, and you should be hear suffering like the rest of us. Next thing we know you will have quit your job moved down south and spend the rest of your life riding arround on exotic german motorcycles.

Nice pics man, how about some shots of the twisty roads?

Arbey Canuck · 01-14-2003, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Said Roadwarrior:
Nice pics man, how about some shots of the twisty roads?

Sorry Mang ... no shots in the twisties. Hell ... we hardly like to stop for shots at all ... that why I have to take them on the fly.

Nope ... in the twisties ...we're rocking ... and I need both hands on deck !!!

Shazam* · 01-14-2003, 08:04 PM

Yeah man
get back up here and suffer with the rest of us

its.
snowing.
every.
single.
frikking.
day.

not a lot, mind you, but enough that the highways have been... risky on a bike

01-14-2003, 06:48 PM	#8
Arbey Canuck ^OP Ageless Adventurer Joined: Jul 2001 Location: Chambly, Quebec, Canada Oddometer: 467	Pic #6 A cool sunset over the Canyon Attached Images __________________ Arbey 01 R1150GS Riding is always a good day

01-14-2003, 06:52 PM	#9
Arbey Canuck ^OP Ageless Adventurer Joined: Jul 2001 Location: Chambly, Quebec, Canada Oddometer: 467	Pic #7 And finally ... ones last pose demonstrating the rigors of Adventure Riding !!! I may not of been able to get the bikes to the Canyon edge ... but I was sure as hell going to get them in this one !!!!! Attached Images __________________ Arbey 01 R1150GS Riding is always a good day

01-14-2003, 07:36 PM	#12
Ostrich Jaded and Happy Joined: Jun 2002 Location: Fresneck or Bust Baby! Oddometer: 8,731	Great pics! Looks like a good time. __________________ If you use Geico watch out. The buyout for my car was way below any objective figure (KBB, NADA, etc.). Also, I could not get in touch with anyone on the first try during a claim resolution. Just because it's a zoo out there doesn't mean you have to view it from a cage! Don't be an impulse buyer... afterall you have time..

01-14-2003, 08:04 PM	#15
Shazam* Studly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2002 Location: Toronto, Canada Oddometer: 774	Yeah man get back up here and suffer with the rest of us its. snowing. every. single. frikking. day. not a lot, mind you, but enough that the highways have been... risky on a bike __________________ If life was easy, everybody would have one...

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: .
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

01-14-2003, 06:20 PM	#1
Arbey Canuck ^OP Ageless Adventurer Joined: Jul 2001 Location: Chambly, Quebec, Canada Oddometer: 467	4000 Miles of Good Old US of A Headed out with Gyro on Jan 4th ... trailer packed with the RS and GS ... and went south looking for good riding weather, roads and sights. Unloaded at the Valley of Fire State Park which resides in the Lake Mead recreation area ... in Nevada ... and began riding from there. The roads in this area are awesome ... as you make get to notice in an upcoming issue of Cycle World (I think) ... who were up there testing some new crotch rockets. Our first order of business after unloading the bikes ... was supper in Vegas. The road out to Interstate 15 was sweet but incredible winds kept us down a notch. And if we thought the wind was bad going to Vegas ... coming home was even worse ... the most windy conditions I've ever ridden in !! Some of you on the west coast may remember the wind storms Sunday evening Jan 5th. Anyways my GS loaded with Jessie's was an easy target ... getting push around all over the place. Gyro had her hands full too. We did get to test our theory ... that ... the faster you ride ... the more comfortable you feel. It IS true ... but more comfortable was still way uncomfortable in general and increasing speed required mega BALLS !! I also had a magnetic tank bag that wanted to join the wind ... which required management. I guess I could of easily stopped and put it in the Jessie's ... but no ... since I hate stopping (and admitting defeat) I gave up valuable upright leverage so I could lay down on my tank bag and keep it put. Monday we did Hoover Dam and then on down to Lake Havasu City for some 'Gyro Business' and then Tuesday a short ride upto the Grand Canyon. We did the Imax ... sunset and sunrise and had to leave quickly cause nasty weather was on the way. Fortunately we blasted through the rain and sleet within a 100 miles or so and ended up Wednesday evening in Yuma Arizona. Nothing like going from 34f with rain and sleet to a balmy 77f in the evening and 82f the next day !!! Highway 89 south from Prescott Arizona which takes you out of the Granite Mountain area and down to Peeples Valley towards the city of Congress is something special. Not only is the stretch technical in nature and full of incredible sights ... the blacktop is PERFECT ... with banked curves that seem to have been produced and created from a computer program !! We spent most of Thursday soaking up the incredible weather in Yuma (even took Gyro to a golf driving range ... more on that in JoMomma) and took Thursday evening and Friday to get back to Nevada by taking the California side of the Colorado river. We ended up doing 2000 miles in the truck and 2000 miles on the bike with better weather than we could of ever hoped for. We rode quick ... with no tickets ... with no incidents ... with no episoded that required luck to get through and had a marvelous winter riding session that we northerners are not usually privie to. Oh yeah ... I've seen enough RV's and RV parks to last a lifetime. Pics to follow __________________ Arbey 01 R1150GS Riding is always a good day

01-14-2003, 06:26 PM	#3
Arbey Canuck ^OP Ageless Adventurer Joined: Jul 2001 Location: Chambly, Quebec, Canada Oddometer: 467	Pic #1 Unloading at Valley of Fire State Park. Lots of sci-fi movies and shows get shot here. We're just about to head out to Vegas without a clue as to the nasty winds that we'll find. Attached Images __________________ Arbey 01 R1150GS Riding is always a good day

01-14-2003, 06:28 PM	#4
Arbey Canuck ^OP Ageless Adventurer Joined: Jul 2001 Location: Chambly, Quebec, Canada Oddometer: 467	Pic #2 The obligatory Hoover Dam pose Attached Images __________________ Arbey 01 R1150GS Riding is always a good day

01-14-2003, 06:37 PM	#5
Arbey Canuck ^OP Ageless Adventurer Joined: Jul 2001 Location: Chambly, Quebec, Canada Oddometer: 467	Pic #3 This one was lots of fun ... with the relentless Gyro cruising comfortably over a ton. Me ... I decide this would be a good time to get a pic ... cause the road and scenery up to the Grand Canyon is sweet. So ... while keeping pace with Sweet Lady Gyro ... I have to retrieve my camera from my tank bag ... slip the strap around my wrist and close the noose so it doesn't go flying ... open the lens cover ... hold it upside down with my left hand so I can manage the shutter / focus button ... and then get a pic of her that also shows my speedo. Oh yeah ... we encouter traffic during the process !!! Attached Images __________________ Arbey 01 R1150GS Riding is always a good day

01-14-2003, 06:43 PM	#6
Arbey Canuck ^OP Ageless Adventurer Joined: Jul 2001 Location: Chambly, Quebec, Canada Oddometer: 467	Pic #4 A nice close up of Gyro doing her thing. The RS ... simply perfect for her ... creating superb riding posture !!! Attached Images __________________ Arbey 01 R1150GS Riding is always a good day

01-14-2003, 06:46 PM	#7
Arbey Canuck ^OP Ageless Adventurer Joined: Jul 2001 Location: Chambly, Quebec, Canada Oddometer: 467	Pic #5 The obligatory Grand Canyon pose. I can't believe you can't bring your bike to the edge. Attached Images __________________ Arbey 01 R1150GS Riding is always a good day

01-14-2003, 07:37 PM	#13
Roadwarrior Taking The Long Way Joined: Apr 2002 Location: Great White North Oddometer: 993	Hey Arby thats cheating! It was -12c and cloudy with snow flurries today here in the Toronto area, and you should be hear suffering like the rest of us. Next thing we know you will have quit your job moved down south and spend the rest of your life riding arround on exotic german motorcycles. Nice pics man, how about some shots of the twisty roads?