I started this blog because I love to take motorcycle trips both local and around the country. And I love finding that roadside attraction or quaint town and of course the best places to eat. So I'd like to share my adventures with friends old and new. And I would like to hear about yours. Feel free to share. What's the nicest ride you've ever taken? The most scenic ride? The longest ride? Rallies you've been to with thousands or a solo ride? The town you fell in love with? The food that you'd go back for? Talk about the motorcycle shops along the way. We all love a warm friendly face. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so use them to help others share your experience.















Monday, April 30, 2012

Laughlin River Run 2012

We took a ride up to Laughlin on Friday to check out the River Run. Susan was away for the weekend and Melina had an appointment in the afternoon so it was just John, Darryl Faith and I. We had planned to get some breakfast at the Pioneer Casino so we got on the road about 8:30.

It was a beautiful ride up. Temps were perfect and it was the start of a really nice day.

After a great breakfast ( Faith and I both got the "all you can eat buffet with omelet station") it was time to walk some of the meal off so we headed out to the vendors.    Not that we were anywhere near thinking about lunch, but we did find some interesting menu items.  




The vendor areas were just about the same as any other rally but we enjoy checking out all of the leather goods, shirts, jewelry, bike parts and so forth.         

And when it comes to trying on leather pants and such, who needs a dressing room ????  The day was warming up nicely and jackets and tops were being removed so everyone could enjoy the warmth and the scenery.

Darryl and I took a little break from walking to just watch the traffic and the people for a while. It wasn't quite as crowded as past years but then again it was only Friday and it was still early.

Back to the vendor areas where we found someone who does some really nice custom paint jobs. How many of you remember this guy from way back when ??????

Faith found herself on the other side of the camera here. Isn't she adorable ???
.The Laughlin River Run differs from a lot of the other rallies because along Casino Drive there are about 8 hotel casinos and each parking lot is chock full of vendors. Most rallies have a large field or just one area set up for shopping. So we did quite a lot of walking through the day. But some of the custom work that you find makes it worthwhile

Did I mention that the temperature had risen nicely and the day had actually warmed up to where less clothing meant staying more comfortable ? You might note that she's not sweating. Unfortunately for us, since we rode the motorcycles, we had long pants on. But there was a slight breeze and if you found some shade, it really wasn't that bad.

We took a refreshment break near the Hogs and Heifers stage setup. The music was far too loud but the dancers were having a ball. By this time Darryl had gone back home for a previous engagement so John, Faith and I went to meet up with a couple of John's friends for a drink and then dinner. Although we had wanted to get on the road before dark, we left Laughlin just as the sun was beginning to set.

It's amazing how much the temperature changes once the sun goes down ! By the time we got through Bullhead City we had to pull over to put on a jacket. It seemed that the temps would change every couple of miles. We'd hit a warm spot and then suddenly an area where it was actually more than cool. It was downright cold !

But we made it and all in all it was a great day. I was supposed to go out with a friend on his boat for the races on Saturday but after all of the walking and being on my feet all day Friday I just couldn't do it. Saturday was a day of rest and Sunday was back down to Fox's for church. Then we went home, got the bathing suits on and went to Darryl and Melina's for a little pool time and BBQ. GOOD TIMES----GOOD FRIENDS
It's amazing how we can be 2500 miles away from the New Jersey shore and find some way to bring it all right here.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Lots of stuff coming up in the next couple of weeks so stay tuned !!!!

A Wedding on the River

We went to a wonderful wedding last weekend for some friends that we met at Fox's Floating Dock Bar. Greg and Denise were to get married on Saturday but the wedding was actually a three day event that proved to be a great time with some truly great people.

 Darryl and Melina took their "toy box" down so Faith rode with them on Friday afternoon. I waited for John to get home from work and then he and I rode the bikes down to join them.

So by Friday evening the "wedding weekend" had begun and quite a few people that were in the wedding party also came for the weekend and it was a good night of fun and friends.
Roger, John and Darryl are always ready for a photo op. The weather was perfect after a rather hot afternoon. As soon as the sun set the temps dropped and being near the water made it a night that made you just want to stay out and enjoy it until the wee hours of the morning.
 And I'm pretty sure that's exactly what we did. We had no early plans for Saturday so Friday night was wide open !
Melina and Faith had a great time and although Melina worked through the night into Friday, she was up and partying with everyone.

Some of the Fox's regulars were there as well. Barb got some chat time with John and Darryl.


A cold one for me and some country music on the juke box for Darryl and Melina and the night just kept going and getting better. On Saturday morning John, Darryl and I took a ride down to Ehrenberg just to kill some time before the wedding that evening.

When we got back to Fox's most of the wedding party and a number of the guests were there in various stages of getting ready. It was another hot day so most were in swim suits with a cold beverage in their hand. Then the bridal party left by boat and went down river a bit to a park for the ceremony.

It couldn't have been more beautiful and unique when they came back on the boats as husband and wife.The sun was just beginning to set and it made a great backdrop for the happy couple.

And then the party continued. Susan had come down earlier in the day on Saturday so all of the girls along with the new bride were ready to party all night.




You have to agree---they make a pretty nice couple !!!


The food was great and there was plenty of it. Check out the scenery !! What could be better than a beautiful moonlit night sitting at a table along the river at a friends wedding ?!?!

A beautiful backlit wedding cake which was simply yummy !!


James and Shirlene took a slow dance break.

Shirlene is another wonderful friend that we've made since moving to this little piece of paradise. It just seems that the weather and the company are always great and the good times keep on comin' !

C'mon Mom, this is a happy occasion. Wipe away that tear and join the party !

And the party lasted well into the night and I must say that it was a wonderful weekend again spent with some wonderful friends (who we mostly consider family now).

Friday, April 6, 2012

Arizona Bike Week 2012

Went to Arizona Bike Week from Friday 'til Monday.  Had a great time as usual with John, Susan, Darryl and Melina. We weren't in much of a hurry because Melina worked all night so we waited for her to get home and get a short nap. So we got on the road around 10 and it was a beautiful ride all day.
We stayed off the interstate and took a leisurely ride along some of the less populated back roads. The weather was perfect. The scenery was awesome. Only a couple of hours into the trip and it felt wonderful to be getting away to relax and have fun for a few days.

We stopped in Wickenburg for lunch. What a great little old town! On the main drag you feel as though you stepped back in time to the old west. It's a very biker friendly place and we got a good lunch and a drink and some good conversation before getting back on the road.

I love riding around the Phoenix area. There are tons more cacti than we see around Lake Havasu. We also rode through some areas where people came to build beautiful homes high on a hill surrounded by mountains and cacti and views that go on forever.

Finally, after a glorious day of riding and eating and enjoying the scenery, we got to our destination. We stayed with John's daughter Stacey and her boyfriend Tim.
Oh yeah....and Bubba. They live outside of Phoenix in Mesa. It was really great of them to have us all staying there. I hope we weren't too much of a bother. With the spare bedroom and a couple of air mattresses and a couch or two, everyone found a place to call their own for the 3 nights we'd spend there. 

Saturday morning....Time to head out for the rally. It was about a thirty-five minute ride to Scottsdale and the day started out a little cool. Tim and Stacey joined us and we were off!

Riding along the highways around this area is different than we're used to because some sections have a cactus or two here and there and the concrete walls and barriers are decorated with southwestern murals.

West World is a huge media and event showplace where the rally would be taking place.

We arrived early enough to get a good spot in a rather empty parking lot. That's John, Darryl and Tim locking everything up. And now on to the sights and sounds of the Arizona Bike Week Rally.

We did quite a bit of walking because the fairgrounds was huge and there were plenty of vendors to check out.. But the temps were perfect and there was just a hint of a breeze to keep you comfortable.                      That's me and my honey.

John found himself some willing stand-ins for a nice photo-op.

Susan and Stacey having some fun.

After walking around the first half of the vendors, it was time for a little break. A cocktail, an empty table and some good rock'n'roll in the background and we all settled in for a while.


Among all the vendors were the bikes. And boy were there some bikes!! It's truly amazing what some creative people can do with two wheels and an engine. The paint jobs were stunning and some of the body work was just awesome!






I even found a custom trike. Not much storage on this one because just about every inch of the bike and the trunk are jammed with speakers.



Sometimes you just have to stop and enjoy the scenery.

What a great shot of the ladies. This was after walking around for a while but they're still smiling!


When we decided that we'd done enough walking for the day (there was always tomorrow to come back for more), Tim took us home the back way which included a stop at Seguaro Lake.

The ride to the lake was gorgeous and it seems a bit odd to be riding through a beautiful desert with dirt and cacti as far as you can see and suddenly find an oasis like Seguaro Lake.


Susan, Tim, Laura, Melina, Stacey, Darryl and John ready for a break and a cold one.

When we got back to the house our day was far from over. Plans had been made for a night of partying so Tim and Stacey graciously offered to be our designated drivers. With some of the gang in Tim's truck and some in Stacey's car we were off to what is one of the coolest bar/restaurants that I've been to. San Tan Flat Saloon and Grill is located in Queen Creek Arizona. 

It is made up of three or four buildings and a band stand.  These are all built around a huge open area filled with tables and fire pits. Everything happens outside under the stars. Luckily we arrived early enough to get a table and then you go inside to order your food. You're given a number and and you can build a fire and drink and listen to the band and wait for your number to flash. Go in--get your food and enjoy.





Here you can see the bandstand and get some idea of what a fantastic concept this place is. The pits are all made of 3/4 barrels and they have all the firewood you can use. You can eat inside the main building but what could be better than a perfectly cooked steak with a nice cold beer under the stars on an absolutely beautiful night ?!?!?


And "YES", we did need the designated drivers.
Sunday was another day at the rally but it turned out to be a shorter visit because we had seen it all the day before. But it's all about the ride so we went out to Scottsdale again and took the scenic route through old town Scottsdale on the way back. Tim grilled up a bunch of burgers for dinner and as much as I hate to say it, it was a rather early night for everyone.    They were calling for some hefty winds for the ride home on Monday and we weren't looking forward to it but the party was over and it's time to go home. By the way...they were right about the wind. There are no pics of the ride home because it was kind of a rough one. A lot of the ride was along some wide open areas and that 40 mile per hour wind can keep you fighting that motorcycle to stay on the road. But all in all it was a fantastic weekend with some fantastic people and we're looking forward to more adventures with our little group. Check back for more.