Could Be Biker Trouble

San Tan Valley Arizona
Staying with my Aunt Cindy & Uncle Joe

72 Sportster, Rhode Island 1992

 Here is a little tid bit regarding my past most blog readers have no clue about. I had a biker phase. And this phase is latent and could surface at any time. Check out stud boy at 24 years old. I felt like the man no doubt. Feeling like the man was the watch word today as I once again climbed aboard a phat Harley for a morning ride in the Arizona desert.

Uncle Joe & Me

I had the fever right away. In fact I worried about swallowing a bug because I couldn't wipe the stupid grin off my face. It was a Sunday morning, little traffic, long long double lane highways that stretch as far as the eye can see, circled by the arid Arizona mountain terrain. Even better, the temperature was only in the high 80's. Very abnormal for this time of year.

My machine was a 1989 Electra Glide Official Police bike. Big and smooth, with tons of power. Uncle Joe was riding a real classic, a 1964 Panhead. Loud. In fact so loud that I had trouble moving out in first gear on my bike as I couldn't hear the engine on the Electra Glide.

We have some biker history in the family. I sold my Harley in 98. I am well aware of the dangers of bikes and just decided enough was enough. But holy cow did I love today's ride.

I can easily draw a parallel to sailing. Today was like a day of broad reaching in 15 knots and a 3 to 4 swell. On the bike, all alone with just the surrounding hill country, everything dialed, every care in the world simply leaves you. What a feeling. Kind of like the Judas Priest song, "Heading Out to the Highway." A real biker anthem. But bikes are like boats, prone to breaking downs, weather directly affects your enjoyment and the community is cult like. Of course bikes don't readily drag anchor, which is nice, but at some point all bike owners would choose to use the bike as an anchor.

The Panhead can be ruff on the rump, So Joe & I stopped in at San Tan Flats Bar and Grill to cool down. Place was really very cool indeed. Of course pretty soon Joe and I were pestering the girls to "I don't know maybe take a picture on the bike." With the Canon G11 in the saddle bag, I was on the case big. They were all great sports about it. I love these spontaneous small pleasures, that if accumulated consistently really adds up to a great life. Here are some more pictures.

Thanks Girls

Me & Prof Shelby

As usual having a great time with Cindy & Joe and my cousin Lauren. As of this writing I plan on leaving tomorrow  bound for somewhere near LA and snag a hotel. And then my next stop should be San Mateo just south of San Francisco in the Silicon Valley.

Christa as of this moment is still in Texas. Thomas and I had a deal for him to take his time driving across the country so I could seek adventure. The plan is for him to leave tomorrow for a SF arrival Weds or Thursday. Getting excited to get to my final destination and begin my re-assimilation to the Bay Area.

Easy Rider Out

PS: Would love to hear your comments and please pass on the blog to anyone who may like to follow along.

Arizona

Tucson Arizona
Staying at Moma Larson's House

Sonoran Desert

 Having a blast again. I left Mason Texas a few days ago and drove west on I-10 to Las Cruses New Mexico where I stayed in a hotel. Something of interest was driving through El Paso Texas. You can easily see the battlefield known as Juarez Mexico. It looked to me to be a failed state. The violence in that Mexican city of 1.5 million is almost beyond belief. And the day I was driving by a Border Patrol Agent shot and killed a 15 year old Mexican kid who was throwing rocks at the agents and then jumped the border. Then video shows a Mexican agent crossing the border, collecting spent shells and then putting them on the Mexican side. What a mess.

So I'm now at Toni Larson's house in Tucson. Toni is Tom Larson's mother, Tom the former skipper of Sandpiper and current captain of Sadie Sea. The last time I saw Toni was in Puerta Vallarta in 2005 while we were both visiting Tom and Amy during their first year of cruising.

Toni is a great guide. We've checked out the sights here in Tuscon. A really beautiful place. Kind of has a Austin feel to it. The population is way into all things outdoors and Tucson is home to the University of Arizona at Tuscon. There is so much to do, decisions had to be made on the touring front. We decided that a day spent in Tombstone AZ.

Tombstone was a smooth 90 miles south and east of Tuscon. The drive is through the vast Arizona desert and it was blazing. Temps were in the low 100's. The Green Hornet performed admirably under the strain.

Yes, the town is real tourist trap. But I thought it was amazing. The history of the place is so rich and even today the people who keep the legends alive are continuing its history. People walk around in costumes in character and interact with the tourist. So here are some pictures from the Tombstone day.

Lady of The Evening 1880's

Copper Mine Bisbee Arizona

Enjoy!

Capt Chris