Mingus Mountain

You know, I've spent a lot of time on this blog revisiting my trips over Mingus Mountain to Prescott and have really failed to post many pictures of the fabulous road that it is! I intend to remedy that situation with the pics you have before you.

But first, a few updates on the Sgian Dubh. I (of course) hated the muffled lawnmower sound of the Helix muffler, so, with drill in hand I attacked it. Two extra holes in the rear gave it just the right sound...at least until I can have a new head-pipe made so I can use a slip-on muffler. That was a good start. THEN I decided I hated the ugly, heavy, restrictive airbox. So I bought a Uni-filter. I removed the airbox and put the Uni on. Ran exactly like crap. So, I replaced the 110 main-jet with a 112.5. Still ran poorly, so I put the airbox back on. Now it ran better than ever. Okay...now what? I made a mad dash to Flagstaff to Northland Motorsports and got a 120 main-jet. Put it in and it bogged badly. Oops...too far. So another trip over to Prescott to Encore Performance and the aquisition of a 115 jet. Put it in, removed the airbox and re-installed the Uni-filter. Wow! NICE!! Except...I could feel that it had more available somewhere. So I took my needle-nose pliers and opened up the air mixture screw 1/2 a turn...had to use the pliers since I broke the head of the screw off... Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about!! The bottom end and mid range on this thing is more than I had even hoped for! Top end is still where it was...about 72 mph, give or take, but it launches from a stop and keeps hauling butt up to about 65. VERY nice.

Now, back to the trip over Mingus. I just wanted to ride. That's it. And test out the newly jetted and freer flowing Sgian Dubh. I blasted outa town and through Jerome...hoping and praying that the tourists slowing me down up to there would make Jerome their final destination. And it worked. The road was MINE!!!! BWAAaa haaa haaa!!! I cranked up the torque monster (for a Helix) and fairly flew up the mountain. Since this thing has the approximate wheelbase of a Greyhound bus, it won't take the corners like either the Mad Hornet or the Red Baron could, but fast sweepers are LOADS of fun! I topped the mountain...you can see the summit elevation sign in one of the accompanying photos...and cruised down the other side into Prescott Valley. I pulled into Encore Performance and visited with Matt for a few minutes, then on into Prescott. I then hooked a left and chased Hwy 69 south to where it intersects Hwy 169 east. I followed 169 the 15 miles to I-17 where I again took a left, heading north to the Camp Verde exit, which dumps out onto Hwy 260. I met some guys I work with in Camp Verde and we went out shooting for a couple of hours...had a good time. I agreed to buy Mark Tenniswood's Glock 23 .40 cal. for my primary weapon for the Sheriff's dept. and hopped on the scooter and blew outa there.

My wife had called while we were shooting and asked me to bring her an energy drink, so, thinking I needed to ride an additional 50 miles or so, I agreed. North on I-17 to the Sedona exit and onto 179 north through some of the world's worst road construction and tourist traffic. I made it, though...and still had most of my patience!! Ski bought me dinner and after I was done, I went home. That simple. I put on, I'm guessing, about 150 - 175 miles and the Sgian Dubh didn't miss a beat. Averaged about 65 mpg with most of it highway travel with the throttle wide open. Not bad...not bad at all. And it was just as much fun to ride at the end as it was in the beginning.

Okay...I should have another post in the next week or so...the Scarabs are having their annual rally this upcoming weekend. It used to be the Skull Valley Rally, but they tired of the same route, so this year it's Mummy Mayhem, going from Phoenix to Globe (east of Phoenix) then, I think north to Apache Lake...or something like that...I'll let you know. Anyway, it'll be 3 days of riding and camping with my club-mates on some new roads for me. I'll be sure to bring you pics and stories.

C-ya...ride on!

--Keys