HHMC 2010. DAY 10 of 10

I'm going to let Waylon Jennings take me home. Old country is great for riding down the highway...



476 Miles from home.

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Now THAT is a great sunrise view from the campsite. I love UTAH!


So I got up and blasted down to the town of Orderville. Not a large place, but the Thunderbird Cafe was good enough food and it was cheap. I kept moving on down through Kanab, Utah and on to Fredonia, AZ. From there I headed toward the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.


The road ahead looking good!


Blasting along the road towards the Colorado river and Lee's Ferry.


Love this area.








Cruising over the bridge at Lee's Ferry. An old ferry crossing for the Colorado that now is the put in spot for fishing and rafting in or near the Grand Canyon which is just down river.


Cool looking old bridge!


Not a bad view below either!


Such weird formations of rock. These looked like large mud hills as I went through Native American Reservation land.


Chief Yellow Horse was not in today. I know because usually there is a giant old Cadillac that looks like it was painted with a roller and some yellow house paint.


Headed into Flagstaff. I didn't have time to stop, but I LOVE flag!


I decided to avoid the slab of the I-17 to Phoenix and instead take a back way through Williams, Prescott and Wickenburg. MUCH more twisty and fun.
Williams was really cool. It's the "Gateway to the Grand Canyon" and although being touristy it has a lot of history and some cool old bars. Gotta come back here and finally ride one of the historical trains to the grand canyon.




Off I headed for Prescott. I love the view as you head into town. These rocks are so beautiful to hike amongst.






I stopped in Prescott for some food and gas at my favorite place. The Raven. I was lucky enough to see a really good buddy and catch up. It was a good pause before being home. Prescott is just far enough away where I felt like I was still on the trip and relaxed. No bills, no responsibilities yet.
I'm glad I stopped and enjoyed one last hour of traveling time!

I decided that I'd better not ruin a good thing at this point so I kept on the back roads all the way into Phoenix. It was a great ride!!!!
When the hell can I do it all over again and lets triple the length please.


Don't wake up dead, but just in case, you better not put off living life. Thanks for reading.
Monkey, Dirt Beard, Scuba Steve, Smokey and timtim.

HHMC 2010. DAY 9 of 10

533 Miles or 590 today if you trust the Triumph Odometer.

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It was going to be a long day so I tried to get up with the sun. I unloaded the Triumph and was absolutely shocked that my street tires gripped and the trump road right up the hill I had hidden the bike beneath!
I knew I'd be stopping as little as possible so I rode down into Bridgeport to catch a breakfast and GIANT coffee at the same place we had days before.
I said hello to the Rhino for Scuba Steve. She's waiting there for you! Your prison guard of a woman is waiting for you. (No seriously, that's what she did for work)



I blasted along the 120. This highway is empty and the road is perfectly kept up. The whoop-de-dews are pretty fun. You'll catch just enough air to loose your stomach going about 90.
I gassed up and headed for Tonopah, NV. It got hot almost as soon as I had entered Nevada again. Damn.
On the upside, as I rolled into Tonopah I found the place that NO ONE could ever sleep well for fear of evil murdering clowns getting you.
Welcome, sleep well until Pennywise get's you!


Murdering Clown Motel Office.


As I left Tonopah I knew it might be a little while until I saw a gas station, building or even another car again soon, but I had no idea how long.


This is where I wouldn't mind a bike that could go really really fast. There is only so long you can stare at a road this straight!


At the one turn I'd make for 200 miles I saw this trickling hot spring.


It was nice and warm!


Not doing so well out here.


Next gas 111 miles... Hmmm. I had already done 53 since Tonopah. The range of the Triumph is about 150 miles. This could get fun trying to make it to 164 miles. At least I had a few hours to think about it!


I could look out for ET!


Because of the gas situation I rode at 70mph to get the best mileage possible. 70 had never seemed so slow. It was painful to not goose the throttle and go a little faster.
If I ever see this view again it may be too soon. Don't get me wrong, in a weird way it was fun. I like having the odds against me.


I did get to see 4 other cars along the road over those few hours. 2 going my way and 2 going the other way...
I flipped over to the reserve tank... No town in sight.
Finally I came to an intersection. A real life intersection!! Well, it was exciting at the time...
Now the only problem was that the little town that supposedly has gas was still 12 more miles and it was in the wrong direction.
Well I made it just barely to Alamo, NV. I filled up the tank and turned around to head toward Caliente, NV.
The road was just as boring, but knowing gas was close I could ride a bit more briskly.
The best sight of the day was this... Cedary City, Utah! There was color, mountains and cool weather!


I grabbed some gas and gut rot food before heading up and over the 14.
Lovin UTAH!





Once at the summit I was riding at 10,000 feet. Nice and brisk! It was like taking a shower of cold air after Nevada.


I headed back down to a lowly 7000 feet so it might be a warmer night and decided to treat myself to a KOA. With showers, a pool, bathrooms, fire pits and a little store it was luxurious to me!


I asked where to eat and the locals said that the only place was the Buffalo Bistro down the road a few miles. Sounds good to me!


I saddled up to a table near the grill and had a Polygamy Porter. Gotta love that Utah sense of humor.


HELLUVA menu! I had the Buffalo and Wild Boar ribs. They were amazing!!!


Another good Utah brew.


And another good local choice!!


Nice.

Shoot I meant to take the pic before I ate, but it was just so darn good!! The big ones are buffalo and the little ones are Wild Boar. I like the wild boar better than any ribs I've had. So soft they melt in your mouth. Not gamey at all.


I liked this place. Made me feel like I was in a friendly place. The owner chatted with me for a couple hours as he cooked on the grill.
This guy had a nice set up. It was his house and his restaurant that he opens for very limited hours and he only cooks exotic meats. Nothing boring.




I chatted for a few hours with my camping neighbors and then just relxed. Headed home tomorrow... Glad to see my lady, but I was tempted to pick her up and keep on riding!
I can't actually end can it.

HHMC 2010. DAY 8 of 10

443 miles, but when you put it on that little map it looks so easy!

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If only we had more time, this looks like a GOOD place to be! We were finally into the rhythm of the trip and life on the road, but as it always does the end was nearing. We were just about at the end of our riding together.




Where are you fish!! I see you!!!



We woke up at the Coffee Creek camp ground and headed for the little country store just down the road. You'd think they'd have coffee right! They did. Nothing fancy, but it did it's job!






We fussed around there for a while and finally got going down the highway. Monkey and I buzzed ahead because we had a special stop to make up the road.


We headed north toward Fort Jones where my Grandparents lived and where my Grandpa was buried.
Now that's the kind of view a cemetery should have. Nice and peaceful farm fields. A lot better than a view of a freeway.




What a cool guy. I wish I had met him. Pictures and stories paint an image of a guy who was part mountain man, pilot, farmer and entrepreneur. Most importantly a man of his word.




Gotta get a couple views for mom and grandma!!


His old office. Looking well kept up!


Scuba Steve found the Cemetery and we all headed down to the gas station. "I had a long way to go and a short time to get there." So I said my goodbyes and wished them luck. As a good friend from another life always said to me "Don't wake up dead." I guess there's something so morbid about it you can't help, but laugh.
See ya!


I headed through "downtown" Fort Jones and on you Yreka.


And then there was one.
I hit the 5 freeway super slab for a short time and blasted down to the town of Weed, Ca. next to Mt Shasta. Yes, that a real town. (I guess it's less odd than Bagdad, AZ or WHY, AZ.)


Now that's a good gas station view!


I really wanted to make some good time even though it was halfway through the day so I didn't have to ride too far on the last couple days so I hit a side road to Susanville, Ca. Blasting along on the straightest road I'd see so far on the trip. I made good time and the view was great.

In Susanville I realized that I was back in too populated an area for me. I wanted to blast to Reno and past it as soon as I could. It seemed like the second I hit Nevada it got hot, dirty and busy. The traffic and drivers in Reno along the 395 were insane. I'd stop for water and to shove a clif bar into my face, but that was it!

Eventually I made it back up into the mountains and the traffic, to Lake Tahoe I presume, subsided.


I was enjoying the cool air and riding again. The miles were ticking by, but I was in no hurry as far as MPH went.


As soon as I started to see lakes and the mountain pass turn offs we'd done earlier in the trip I knew I was back in an area I'd like to camp. Also, one that would put me in a good spot for tomorrow.


I made it into the town of Bridgeport where for the first time I realized it was the beginning of Labor Day Weekend. The gas station was packed, the restaurants had lines and I decided I'd head up to twin lakes for some quiet camping.
Or maybe not so much. I spent an hour pulling into every camp ground to see reserved or taken spots. I prefer camping remotely anyway, but there was no where to remote camp. They had made sure that there were no little roads to go and remote camp off of. Except for one. It said "day use only"... and after all I wasn't even going to use it for a whole day. So I figured it would be all right!!
Just in case it wasn't and the fact that I heard a car coming down the dirt road I backed the Triumph down a steep hill to hopefully conceal it.


So, as soon as I made it down the realization hit that I may never get the bike back up it, but I had come prepared.



One of those giant beers of the gods took care of that problem. Until morning anyway.
I settled in and enjoyed my spot on the river. In a low profile kind of way. No tent, just the sleeping pad and bag next to the Trump. It was just me and "Hammond" at this point.
I have to admit riding solo today was odd. Not having a buddy to point things out to or stop and have a cold one with was sure quiet. Too quiet.


At least i had one of those noise machines about 10 feet from my bed. It was stuck on babbling brook though.


Sunset was... WOW!


Tomorrow I was going to travel the loneliest highway, lonely if you like using gas to run your bike.