I headed east on Hwy 260 through Camp Verde and on up the goat trail to where it meets Hwy 87. I've described this junction before...about 6500 ft. elevation and heavily wooded with big ol' Ponderosa Pines. The road goes north to Winslow or south to Payson. I went south. Beautiful ride through the pines and the corners and curves and hairpins to the town of Strawberry, on through Pine then into Payson where I fueled up again. From Payson down to Phoenix proper is about 80 or so miles of mostly 4 lane highway with a 65 mph posted speed. I averaged about 55 or so due to a hellacious headwind. There was little enough traffic that there was plenty of room in the hammer lane to get around me.
I thundered into Phoenix around eleven or so, jumped on Shea Blvd to the west, followed it to the Loop 101 (also known as the East Valley Raceway) and went south to Indian School Road. Jumped off, heading west again to a little ATV/go kart/go-ped shop where I got a new tire and tube for my stepson's go-ped. I called Ruckuschick to let her know I was in town and the crew waited patiently at a Starbucks in south Phoenix for me. I made it there about 12 or 12:30. We said our hellos and made all the appropriate noises about everybody's new scooter or what they had recently done to their old one. Met a few new folks, too.
Ruckuschick led us south and east on a bunch of roads I didn't recognize to a little grill called San Tan Flats. No, I don't think we were in Japan, although the name might suggest it...
Expensive burgers, but good ones. We had some great conversation, some good food and a lot of laughs. A good time. Along about two we left San Tan Flats and Ruckuschick led me back to Country Club Road which, if you follow it north far enough, it turns into the Beeline Hwy...previously refered to as Hwy 87. One by one, Sean and Crys, Ruby and Jeremy, Tryg and Ruckuschick peeled off leaving me alone once again.
I continued north to the Ft. McDowell Casino where I hit a little Conoco store for gas. Coupla bucks, maybe. The next stop wasn't for another 75 miles when I blew into Payson once again. It had been getting pretty cold for the past 20 miles or so, so I was ready. I stopped, checked my messages and found one from Lucas, my son, so I called and chatted with him for a bit while I gassed up and put on more cold weather gear.
Speaking of cold weather gear, I wore my work boots, long-johns, jeans, a t-shirt, a long-sleeved button-down shirt, two sweatshirts, a jean jacket and finally my leather bomber. A leather-faced ski mask, skier's headband for my ears, my brain-bucket and goggles...topped off with some riding gauntlets. Even dressed like this, my butt is laying in a ditch somewhere north of Payson where I froze it off!
It was dark when I left Payson and the trip to where it intersects with Hwy 260 wasn't a bad trip. I turned left onto 260 towards the west and started on towards Camp Verde. A few miles down the road some moron in an SUV got on my tail because 5 over wasn't fast enough for him. High headlights right in my rearviews and him right on my tail annoyed me. I didn't slow down, but I didn't speed up for him either...I was going a sane speed considering how cold I was, how dark it was and how curvy the road was. He finally was able to pass and he did. Seems I forgot to dim my lights when he did. I refuse to reward idiots for their bad behavior. A couple miles up the road he was pulled off for some reason...sure enough, about 5 miles further, there he was again...right behind me. Again, he passed and again my headlight stayed on high. Of course, the headlight on the Buddy is anything but bright, so maybe he didn't even notice...
I cruised back home about 7 with the temps again in the thirties. Cold, yet wonderful ride. I'd do it again in a minute. Just under 12 hours, 412 miles and an average of 96 mpg. What a DAY!!
As for pics, I must apologize, I was about halfway to Camp Verde when I realized I'd forgotten the camera. I promise I'll make the trip again...this time with a camera.
C-ya...ride on,
--Keys
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