As many of you know from a previous thread I started a couple months back I have been on the lookout for a pristine 2013 FJR. I found it! It was more than I wanted to pay. It didn't have some of the farkles I would have liked to see on it. It was further away than I wanted - simply due to travel expenses to get it home. Blah....blah....blah...... I am SO glad did it! I am sitting here typing this with a shit-eating grin on my face after just arriving home late last night.
So why a pristine 2013 model when I currently have, and have had so many other FJRs? Well, I have had three other '13 FJRs and I keep on coming back to it. Somewhere I described the '13 Stone Grey color as unremarkable, yet beautiful! I like it. The '13 FJR I have in my garage before this adventure started is not so pristine with 80k miles on it. It's been the worst FJR of the 15 I have owned. Nothing major. Just poor maintenance by the previous owner. It living in a beach town near a large body of salt water in the People's Republik of Kalifornia. And just plain bad luck on some stuff.
So, about a year and half ago I devised my 'master plan' (always subject to change don't you know!) that included obtaining a pristine '13 that would be a keeper for local riding. I have been diligently searching for over a year without much luck. That changed recently as a few interesting candidates came up recently as the riding season approaches.
One of several ads I responded to was Mr. Don D from a bit north of Atlanta. Emails, and then phone calls were exchanged, and last Saturday I flew to Atlanta with my gear and a pocketful of benjamins.
Well, let me tell you - I tip my hat to Mr. Don D! This machine was absolutely stunning! Only 8,500 miles on the odometer but it looked BETTER than brand new condition. Not one spec of dirt or dust on it. Mr Don D had acquired it many years ago from a dealer when it had 1,000 miles on it from the first owner. Thank you sir for taking such wonderful care of this FJR. It was a PERFECT specimen. And believe me, I have seen a lot of FJRs over the years described as 'excellent condition', or 'just like new' that were nothing of the sort. This one most certainly is.
Cripes! Enough of my wordy eloquence. On to the moto-porn photos and the ride home to Phoenix.
Just after taking care of business. My pretty new FJR in front of Mr. Don D's abode. Don - if you are reading this, say 'hello' to your lovely mom for me!
Next up was checking into a motel in Marietta, GA. Then, I had the pleasure of buying dinner for this rascal of ill repute. Despite that, I am glad to call him my friend and he is an all around great guy. He is also a muckety-muck of great importance and my favorite employee of the great mother ship Yamaha. AND has over 200k miles on his '06 FJR! Identity of the guilty shall remain nameless......
The next morning my trip home started in earnest. First up was a ride through the mountains of north Georgia. Wow! I had no idea! I could live here! But.... prolly can't afford it. I was having too much fun for photos. I ended the night in Chattanooga and had some good BBQ. This desert boy was enjoying the green scenery, twisty roads, and local cuisine. Life is good!
Day 2 had me spending most of the day riding through rural Tennessee. More green and uncrowded roads. Not necessarily the twistiest of roads, but that is my fault for not doing my research ahead of time - as I really didn't know what route I was going to take home. I did happen to make a pass through Lynchburg, TN, but no time for the tour unfortunately. A big shout-out to my SWMBO, Susan, for directing me to Central BBQ in downtown Memphis. This BBQ was simply OUTSTANDING!!! I mean, Damn!!! So much for the diet..... I finished the day just a bit into Arkansas at some cheap motel in some no-name town.
Day 3. I have heard and read about the fantastic roads of north-central, and northwest Arkansas for years. Well, it was time to sample some of them! Again, damn! What a wonderful day in scenic, green hills with the most beautiful ribbons of asphalt everywhere!
This was a potty/snack break stop in St Paul, just before starting the Pig Trail Scenic Byway. You gotta love Arkansas! What a name! Well, my stop here was what I would think would be the quintessential Arkansas experience. Every car that pulled up to the little General Store was a complete POS, clapped-out jalopy. Every one of them was missing significant body panels. And most of the folks that got out of them were missing teeth. And a few were shoe-less. And they all were wearing clothes that a Goodwill store would not accept. But then I am sure they were looking at me with my Jap Crap moto and my Stitch one-piece suit like, WTF?! It was surreal. But, it did make for a great photo catching Ol Glory perfectly flapping in the wind. I finished the day in the nondescript town of McAlister, Oklahoma. It was a great day. Life is good!
Day 4 . Unfortunately, it's time to stop screwing around and start making progress towards home. All the easier as I am now in the 'fly over' part of the country. And it is a rare thing indeed to have a trip of all perfect weather. So today was that day. I ran into this as I approached Wichita Falls, Texas.
I swear many of the lightning strikes were only a football field's distance away! And the rain! Oh, the rain! After a while getting wet, the dark clouds truly opened up dumping torrential rain. Finally, after riding through the middle of nowhere with no place to hide and getting soaked I happened upon some small town and took shelter under a gas station awning and waited out the storm for 30 minutes or so. Once again, the looks people were giving me......
My reward for almost drowning.......... More BBQ in Wichita Falls!
The plan was to tap into my past of studly Iron Butt moto greatness and do an overnight-er all the way home to Phoenix. Well, things don't always go according to plan. Especially, when you are older and feebler than those old glory days. Round 2 approaching Roswell, NM. (It got much worse than what shows)
Then, my plan to take the southern route on Interstate 10 to stay in warm overnight temperatures was derailed.
Other options had me heading north into higher elevations and frigid temperatures overnight. At least frigid as far as this desert rat is concerned.
Screw that! I got a room for the night in Ruidoso, NM.
Day 5. So, I added another day. That was a GOOD thing. I had a wonderful ride home with great weather on some scenic roads I hadn't traveled for quite some time. Here, at the VLA (Very Large Array) - think Jodie Foster in the movie 'Contact'. https://public.nrao.edu/telescopes/vla/ I hadn't been here in several years. I always enjoy this ride.
A funny thing. I didn't notice this until later when I was looking at the photos. The array antennas were rotating while I was there! I didn't even notice. I guess they aren't moving all that fast.
Early photo with antenna pointing toward me:
Later photo with them pointing somewhat away. They must have been picking up E.T. phoning to come back to earth.......
A bit further down U.S. 60 is one of my favorite places on Terra Firma: Pie Town, New Mexico. And specifically, the PIE-O-NEER cafe where they have the most delicious homemade pies. I had their specialty, the New Mexico Apple Pie with Hatch green chilies in it. Absolutely scrumptious! With a full belly it was off for the last few hundred miles home. A pleasant ride, but with increasing headwinds and crosswinds.
And the ONLY photo with your author, yours truly in it. Just so you know this trip was not ridden by a fascimile of myself. Sucking in that pie-filled gut!
A couple last observations.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner was a Lubbock, Texas, Costco for cheapest gas at $2.87/gallon. A VERY welcome respite from the ridiculous Phoenix area gas prices of $5/gallon.
Of all the states I traveled in - Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico, Arizona had the worst roads. Pathetic and embarrassing. There was a time when I would have said Arizona had above average roads. No longer. My tax dollars NOT going to work.
Initial trepidation of paying too much for a 10 year old FJR and traveling too far to get it disappeared as the miles rolled on. What a wonderful long road trip after the winter! Good for my soul. And I love this new FJR. It is going to be a keeper. Life is good!
To plagiarize a well-known character around here who very recently acquired a fugly ASS-phalt grey FJR - the WORST color of the FJR......
Stay thirsty my friends......
