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.