An early Spring Run to the South West

[Niehart]

Thanks for keeping us on your trip. Relive is very cool.

[Lanzos]

Any word on the damage to the truck?

[bigjohnsd]

Day 3 Tucson to Organ Pipe National Monument.

A great dirt run along the border.

A fast run to Organ Pipe.

A cold night in the tent.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vevWpGYXXGO

A 200 mile ride to breakfast in Wickenburg.

[bigjohnsd]

From Wickenburg our plan was to ride to Prescott, spend the night then ride through Sedona, over to Verde, then to Payson and back to our Tucson base. Weather was cold and snowy in Prescott and in general up in Northern AZ. FrankieD left for Vegas up US 60 toward Kingman, we left headed East on 60, around Phoenix on the 101 and 202 back onto 60 and then back to Tucson. Tomorrow is a day off the bikes. Having lunch with Ralph Jumago



and looking at some airplanes. Saturday is TBD, Sunday a ride with the AZBeemer Group. More tomorrow. Relive failed to generate today, they should fix it tomorrow.

[bigjohnsd]

Today, Saturday, we left Tucson Base a little before 0800 bound for Coronado National Monument.. Mostly Slab to get there then a great ride along the border and then up to Sonoita for lunch.
after lunch at the Cantina we Headed North on AZ 83 for a bit before taking to the dirt on AZ62 to the West and through another canyon coming out at Sahuarita. We then slabbed It back to Tucson Base.

Today's ride and pictures are here:

https://www.relive.cc/view/v8qkj95ExK6










You can see the Border Wall heading to the East.










Tomorrow we have a big loop ride planned from Tucson Northeast to Superior then a rendezvous with the AZBeemer group from Phoenix, then up to Show Low for lunch, West to Payson, where we will head South back towards Tucson on AZ 188.



Monday we plan to ride up the dirt to the top of MT Lemon and back down the paved side.

Tuesday, Kip and I will head back to Alamosa.

[bigjohnsd]

Added some pix to the above

[fontanaman]

Glad you came out of this unharmed. I bet you are in the market for a critter guard to mount on the Ridgeline or your next vehicle.

[Pterodactyl]

Glad you came out of this unharmed. I bet you are in the market for a critter guard to mount on the Ridgeline or your next vehicle.

I have a Ridgeline and after seeing John's pictures I explored putting a Bull Bar or some other form of protection up front; at least something that will protect the radiator. There are guys on the RL forums that are running some, but they are for appearance and/or as a light bar. The pictures I saw made it look like the bars did not provide much protection. The two local shops that sell truck accessories both had a guard that will fit a RL. In both cases the catalogs they have said in bold red letters, "Warning, will interfere with forward sensors." Also, when I asked if these guards would stand up to a deer strike, they both just shrugged. So no guard for me. The Ridgeline, being the choice of a more intelligent, better educated and quick witted class of owner, is a small market, so there are not many options for some accessories.

[wheatonFJR]

Glad you came out of this unharmed. I bet you are in the market for a critter guard to mount on the Ridgeline or your next vehicle.

I have a Ridgeline and after seeing John's pictures I explored putting a Bull Bar or some other form of protection up front; at least something that will protect the radiator. There are guys on the RL forums that are running some, but they are for appearance and/or as a light bar. The pictures I saw made it look like the bars did not provide much protection. The two local shops that sell truck accessories both had a guard that will fit a RL. In both cases the catalogs they have said in bold red letters, "Warning, will interfere with forward sensors." Also, when I asked if these guards would stand up to a deer strike, they both just shrugged. So no guard for me. The Ridgeline, being the choice of a more intelligent, better educated and quick witted class of owner, is a small market, so there are not many options for some accessories.

So. Yer saying you'd rather be stranded with a busted radiator out in the wilderness. You must have awesome cell phone coverage!

[bigjohnsd]

Day Six - a ride with the AZBeemers and two pink FJRs.
More pix in this Relive Video:

https://www.relive.cc/view/vxOQrxEMDM6


At the Salt River Canyon


Lunch


Brian Boles - the organizer

[bigjohnsd]

Day Seven - up the backside of Mount Lemon.
Not a long day but a rough one.

Today's Video:
https://www.relive.cc/view/vr637o28Zd6






















Lunch atop the mountain, 8,000 feet and 61F.

It was 90F when we reached the bottom at 1430.

Only 90:miles but there were 30 rough dirt miles going up the back gaining 6,000 feet. A few drops but no harm to the bikes or the riders.

[Canadian FJR]

Great pics, thanks for posting.


Canadian FJR

[bigjohnsd]

Tuscon to Alamosa, a long, cool, and windy ride.

Only one picture came out, my phone quit due to the cold, battery expired.

Relive came through again though, not sure how relive worked without the phone, maybe the InReach or the Garmin link.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vXOdK1Bzp4v

Day off tomorrow, going to go look at the Ridgeline damage.

[bigjohnsd]

It was 17F in Alamosa when I got up at 0630, 19F at 0700 and 26F when I departed at 0810.
I rode US 285 North to Denver a beautiful route up through Salida, past the site of recent deer strike, when I passed the site there were two deer crossing the road this morning but this time they were far enough away. The Temps stayed in the high 20's - low 30's until I was through Fairplay and across the South Park before I saw 40F. Once I dropped off the front range down through Evergreen into Denver the Temps climbed into the 50's and I saw 60 at Littleton where I stopped for gas and quick Wendy's lunch. I then ran I-25 North go Wheatland WY before taking some local roads over to US 85 for the run North to Spearfish. It hit 70F once along the way. The wind blew constantly from the NW from Cheyenne on.

A great 3,500 mile motorcycle trip!

https://www.relive.cc/view/v1OwNPRzjEv

[Uncle Hud]

Fairplay and the South Park are absolutely beautiful, and the approach roads are first-rate! (Submarine buddy has a cabin in Fairplay.)

Hope the sunlight was warm yesterday, sir.

[bigjohnsd]

Any word on the damage to the truck?

$15,839 is the total cost, I pay $500 deductible.

[bigjohnsd]

Fairplay and the South Park are absolutely beautiful, and the approach roads are first-rate! (Submarine buddy has a cabin in Fairplay.)

Hope the sunlight was warm yesterday, sir.

It was pretty cold until I got off the South Park and started down.

I didn't shed the Overjacket - the jacket between the Electric jacket and the Klim Latitude Outer Shell until lunch.

Hoping that the ride back to pick up the truck and trailer in Salida in late April will be a little warmer.

[Full House]

Any word on the damage to the truck?

$15,839 is the total cost, I pay $500 deductible.

Wow, 16 grand for a deer strike on a Honda!!

[bigjohnsd]

Any word on the damage to the truck?

$15,839 is the total cost, I pay $500 deductible.

Wow, 16 grand for a deer strike on a Honda!!

If the air bags had gone off it likely would have been a Total Loss.

[bigjohnsd]

Jeff Bezos sent me this nice video of my trip.

https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/Vf ... PrVOfLhCKr Click on the link, the arrow in the photo doesn't work here.