Technical Discussion > Ride Reports and Event Reviews

2018 Airizona Airheads Spring Camp Out.

(1/2) > >>

wilcom:
Dave Alquist, The Arizona "Air Marshall" puts on this event and this is the 8th year.

I decided to ride over and attend this years event. I had a great time and the Arizona folks were a friendly crowd. I got there Friday afternoon and pitched my tent. There was a ride on Saturday to Jerome, Az an old mining town. Jerome was interesting but over the years it has become a commercial tourist trap. They are probably pulling out more gold now than they ever did when the mines were active ;D

This time of year is perfect for AZ. Great riding weather. Won't be long before it will be so hot there that the only person on a bke will be Bob Roller ;) The only drawback for me is the trip to AZ is 300 miles of ugly desert both ways.

Pics....... camp site photos, rest stop on the way to AZ, couple of Jerome, AZ scenery. and one fat guy at a breakfast stop.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vCHDq3CaJAAtMEO23

Bob_Roller:
Good to hear you had a good time Joe !!
The drive from the LA area, is mostly Interstate 10, a main truck traffic corridor for the southwestern US .
I despise riding or driving I-10 .
It's getting ready to get hot here, 100 F, 38 C forecast for the next 2 days here in the Phoenix area .
Dave Alquist is also the owner of an independent BMW motorcycle shop, Quality Cycles in Mesa, Arizona , I've done a lot of business with him over the last 10 years .

wilcom:

--- Quote ---I despise riding or driving I-10 .
--- End quote ---

I took the interstate going as I wanted to get to the Camp Verde area in a timely manner. I-10 is miserable but the I-17 heading north out of Phoenix isn't bad for an interstate, once you get some altitude its green and  swoopy turns heading toward Flagstaff.

On the way home I skirted some of the 10. I bailed off the 17 and headed to Prescott, AZ and then down to Wickenburg, AZ and then took Highway 60 to Quartzsite, AZ..... and then it was only 200 miles of ugly on the I-10 >:(

Highway 89 west out of Prescott is a great road with lots of twisties as you lose about 4000 ft of elevation coming down thru the forest.

Bob_Roller:
You go from dense pine forest to low desert in about 30 minutes of riding taking the route you did .
Any issues with the trailer on the long steep descent  from the Colorado plateau down to the northern Sonoran desert ??

wilcom:

--- Quote ---Any issues with the trailer on the long steep descent 
--- End quote ---

This was my test run of any mileage. The first 100 miles were perilous as I wasn't used to any wiggles or bumps the trailer would give. Anything and I would go {{{WTF WAS THAT}}}}. After 325 miles to get there I was pretty well used to the feel and what it would do over all types of terrain and settled in.

I didn't need to take much stuff for the week end but I wanted to pull the trailer to see if it would fit the bill when I head to the Sierras this summer and it looks like it will do what I wanted, carry more stuff without looking like a bike set up for a "around the world" attempt. ;D

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page