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| Just received via e-mail.... this report from Dollar Bill:
Yesterday we visited Lambeau Field in Green Bay and took a tour that allowed us to view many aspects not normally seen during game time. Attached is a picture of us on the playing field.
After this trip we went to Waupaca, Wi. which was home to Pauls grandparents. It had been over 60 years since he was in this area and he asked that I take him to the center of town as he wanted to see if he could remember how to find their old house. It took only 25 or 30 minuets and Paul not only found the home but his old swimming beach where he enjoyed many moments as a young boy.
And then a second note:
Since Vern and Audrey read every Angel's note you can save me another email by letting him know the 8 X 15 pictures of Lambeau field he wanted for his living room wall are in the mail. Amazing how so many people in Mpls admire the Packers.
Do you suppose I will be receiving compensation for my efforts as a correspondence secretary?
Shutterbug
| |  | | This Saturday the Angels will be riding to Payson and will have the Airport as our breakfast destination. Departure will again be at 7 am, from the Chevron Station. See you there.
Shutterbug | | | | I received this information today and am really excited to post it. It is such a treat to hear what some of you are doing this summer. Thank you Bill......
Hi Pat,
Will you please post these pictures on the Blue's Angels site?
Thanks Vern for taking these pictures.
On a cloudy Tuesday morning Mini Al, Sandy and Little Al along with his much better half Marie left Green Bay and arrived in the metropolis of Weyauwega to join Fran and I. It was our plan to ride to Neillsville, Wi to meet some
of the Mpls area Angel's for lunch. We met at 11:00 at the Veterans memorial known as "The High Grounds" three miles from Neillsville. Everyone arrived on time and the Mpls group include Vern and Audrey, Chuck and Gladys along with Paul and Marlene Rasmussen.
Paul and Marlene recently relocated from Minot, N.D. to the Mpls area. They followed the Wi group back and will be staying with Fran and I a couple of days to see and ride to some of the area sites. Our plan today is to ride
to the field of the greatest football team to ever exist and visit Lambeau Field. Like most from Minnesota they are Packer fans.
You can see all of the pictures (taken by Vern Chrestensen) by CLICKING HERE
Looking forward to seeing more of Blue's Angels in August!!!!!!!!
Dollar Bill
| See all of the pictures by CLICKING HERE |  | | As you will see, this morning started off with a beautiful blue sky, accented with billowy white clouds! Rides cannot have a better beginning than this. Of late, we have been starting the day with temperatures well into the high 90’s and today it was a full 10 degrees below that. Four Angel bikes with seven riders were on hand for the 7 am departure. Blue and Char were absent as her recently purchased hearing aid suddenly gave up the ghost and they opted to stay home to see if they could remedy that problem. So, Broker was assigned the lead dog position, Bookkeeper and I brought up the rear, Maverick and Goose (dirty windshield and all) rode in the rocking chair while Red Shirt and Eileen filled the rest of the positions. Well, they did for about 14 miles as we did pick up one more rider, Leonard Sackson, a friend of Dennis and an active member of the Superstition H.O.G. Chapter was waiting for us on Ellsworth. Leonard is the lead Road Boss for that chapter and was a welcome addition to our group.
I was glad that Wanda rode with us again today. I miss her being with me on the bike and also miss all of the nice pictures she takes while we are moving. There are a bunch of them today and they continue to feature the wonderful cloud formations as well as the beautiful greens that are now present in the high country.
Our destination for this morning was Forrest Lakes and the Stage Stop for breakfast. There were a number of cycles on the road today and the traffic volume with all the 4 wheelers was unusually high. Fortunately most of that traffic was going north as we returned from the Rim. We did not have reservations but were promptly seated and the coffee arrived in short order. Speed is not one of the features of this eatery but, at least for our table, the meal arrived promptly and it was good and the portions more than adequate. We sat outside so we shared the meal with a few flies, but the conversation and atmosphere made that tolerable as well.
Our return to the valley floor provided us with a rapid change of temperatures. It was soon in the mid 90’s, a full 15 degrees warmer than when we departed the restaurant. We made a fuel stop at Circle K in Star Valley and were then headed back to the city. It was an even 100 degrees when we rode back into the resort. According the my GPS we had ridden a total of 237.3 miles at an average speed of 57.1 mph. Yep, that computes to 4 hours and 9 minutes of bliss on the road.
To see all of today’s pictures CLICK HERE. Again, I suggest that you select the slide show option which you will find when you click the “Actions” tab.
Shutterbug
| CLICK HERE to view all of today's pictures |  | | Hello Angels and greetings from "not too sunny Arizona". As you know we are in the Monsoon and while the rains have not yet been a factor here in the valley, they soon will be here. If you have been reading the ride reports, you know that our average daytime temperatures are in the triple digits. Today it was humid, overcast and only in the high 90's so not so bad... Those kinds of conditions can affect our scheduled rides so we remain flexible. Speaking of rides, the plan for this Saturday is to run up to Forrest Lakes for breakfast and then ride straight home. Departure is planned for 7 am. Hope many of you can attend.
Update on BJ Williams... Today he was moved from Intensive Care to a room on one of the floors. I talked with him this evening and he was hurting, but glad to be on the mend. He hopes to be released on Saturday, but given the problems he has had, I question whether that will happen. BJ told me he had 5 bypasses and they repaired a heart valve. He was a pretty sick boy... BJ had been one of the riders who planned to go to Colorado with us, but after discussing the rigors of the trip, he agreed that it would not be the wisest thing to go this year, so has withdrawn his name from the list of riders. I suspected this might be the case and have been looking for a replacement rider and Ted Moody has offered to ride with us. He will be a great addition to our group and it pleases me that he can go along. If you would like to call BJ a call, the number at St. Lukes is 602-251-8311. We continue to keep BJ in our prayers and hope for a speed recovery.
Now, about Colorado..... most of you know that I have been organizing a ride for the Angels and in a few days I will be sending you our itinerary. And, as is my custom, each evening after the ride, I will do my best to upload an account of our day along with lots of pictures so you can sort of "tag along". The people who are participating in this ride are: John Kelty & Char Kakela ... Al and Marie Servais ... Al and Sandy Jeanquart ... Dennis McKinney ... Gene Vogelgesang ... Bill and Fran Barrington.... Gene and Mary Bonnes ... Mike and Charmaine LaGrange ... Chuck and Gladys Mueller ... Vern and Audrey Chrestensen ... Ted Moody ... Bob Adair ... Steve Jameson & Dawn Hanson ... Steve Alsup ... Pat and Wanda Alsup.
Fifteen bikes and if I count correctly Twenty Five riders. It should be a blast. All of us will meet in Greeley and then will be riding the high country. As I said, an itinerary will be forthcoming in a few days.
OK, enough words from this end..... More later.
Shutterbug | | | | Several of the Angles have been trying to ascertain the condition of BJ Williams, with little success. I do know that Lyle Kreis and Hap Boardman were in to see him the other day and they reported that his appitite was OK and that he was able to walk some.
However, I called today and learned that he is still in Intensive Care. I talked with one of his nurses and learned that he can have visitors. The only time that one cannot get in is between 6:30 and 8 (am & pm) as that is the shift change, or when he is having a procedure done. The nurse dais that his condition is considered stable, but would not elaborate past that.
BJ is one of those who are scheduled to ride with us to Colorado. I really doubt that his condition will allow that as the ride begins in about a month. I cannot give his place away without his OK, but if you, or someone you know might be interested in taking his place and sharing room costs with Country Boy, then let me know. I will start a backup list of those who respond....
In the meantime, please keep BJ in your prayers.
You can contact me at pmawla@aol.com or call me on my cell at 480-231-4144.
Shutterbug
You | | | | I love good rides and can say without hesitation that this was another good one. It was not long, nor was there an extended string of bikes but that made no difference. The weather was tolerable; in fact the first half of the ride was very comfortable.
Participants in today’s outing included Blue and Char, Mike and Charmaine, Dennis McKinney and me. Four bikes with 6 up and we determined that the destination would be Judy’s in Globe. It was just after 7 when we departed and a comfortable 90 degrees. As we rode passed through Top of the World it had dropped down to 79 and was pure delight. Dennis led the group, Blue rode in the rocking chair and I was in charge of cleaning up after the parade.
Judy’s was not busy and we were seated promptly and served in the same manner. Breakfast was good and the conversation interesting. As all of these riders are going on the Colorado ride in August, some of the topic was related to that.
Following our morning meal, we rode down to Winkleman and then back home via Kearney. It was 102 when we rode back to the gate and I think all were satisfied with the time out, miles covered and the day as a whole.
My GPS data indicates that we rode a total of 149.8 miles at an average speed of 54.5 mph. That amounts to 2 hours 36 minutes of riding time… Nice lead Dennis. Thanks for the company Angels…
Shutterbug
| CLICK HERE to see all of this day's pictures |  | | I checked with Blue today and as of this writing, no decision has been made regarding a destination for Saturday. We will ride and we will depart at 7 am but the where part of the day will be decided at the Station...
So see you there and if you have a suggestion as to where you would like to go, bring it along.
Shutterbug | | | | Blue talked to BJ's grandson today and the report is... things are better.
Apparently the surgery went well. He does have some fluid on his lungs which is not unusual. And he has contracted some type of infection that is hospital related. But, his appetite is improved (and BJ is a good eater) as is his dispositon (and he has a great smile).
So, keep him in your prayers and I will try to keep you posted. | | | | I just received an e-mail from Lyle Kreis advising that BJ Williams was admitted to St. Lukes Hospital last Friday and has had a quadruple bypass and valve replacement. I understand that he is in serious condition. Please keep BJ and his family in your prayers. | |  | | Today we had 3 bikes with 5 up and it was a good morning to ride. Blue and Char, Red Shirt and Eileen and Broker shared company as they traveled to Kearney and the West End Cafe. As usual, Debra put on a good feed. Her business is doing well, a testiment to her good food, good service and great personality. The place was full, but we were the only bikers there.
After breakfast we rode on down to Winkleman and then up to Globe before returning home. The temperature in Globe was in the 80's and quite comfortable. Our total milage for the morning was 150 miles.
| | | | Received a phone call from Blue this evening. As the weather for the weekend is questionable, he has decided to schedule a shorter ride on Saturday. Departure will be at 7 am from the Chevron Station and the destination is Kearney.....
| | | | The following note came today via Mary Milbauer and is from JoAnn Fields who has recently had a knee replacement. It appears that both need a bit of prayer....
6/30/10 Note from JoAnn (& Don) Fields - Hi Everyone, Know its been a while since I have sent out an update. It really has been a rough three weeks. Thought things were going to go well, but hit some pretty rough times. Had a major bleed, when I went back on Coumadin. You would not believe the blackness of my leg, from toes to mid-belly. Had so much swelling couldn't even move my leg, let alone do my exercises. Took lots of pain pills, which kept me some where in outer space. The bleeding has stopped and the blood pretty much absorbed. Still lots of swelling, but it's getting better slowly. Am going to therapy twice a week. Needless to say life is pretty quiet.
Then this past Saturday Don golfed in a tournament.. Got home about 6pm, fixed me a bowl of soup and said he don't feel well. He was cold and clammy, snow white and no way could we get a pulse or blood pressure. I asked him if I should call 911. He said YES. So off to the hospital he went. Admitted him and treated him for SVT, a condition where your heart beats much faster than it should. You can look it up on Google. Discharged him on Sunday afternoon.. He had an echo stress test today [which went well] and he will see the doctor on July 9th. Kind of made him sit back and think about things. | | | | Our first group ride for July and it was a good one… As is our custom, the bikes assembled at the Chevron Station in anticipation of a 7 am departure. Today we had 4 bikes, all carrying a full compliment of riders (8 in total). The morning was warm but comfortable. Nights now are not getting much cooler than the low 80’s and that is where we were today. As advertised, this morning’s destination would be the Lodge at Strawberry and we were prompt in our departure. Blue and Char let the pack followed by Mike and Charmaine, then Dale and Eileen with Wanda and I riding shotgun.
Our route took us West on 60 and then up and over Usery Pass to the Bush Highway which then connected us with #87 North thru Payson and Pine to our destination. We did make one bathroom stop at the Casino in Payson, so it was approaching 9 am by the time we stopped for breakfast. The Lodge is one of our favorites, especially when we are riding in warm temperatures. At nearly 6,000 ft elevation, you can count on cooler days and always depend on a good breakfast and friendly service. Today was no exception.
If you look at the pictures, you will note that there is very little color in the desert these days. In fact, we rode through one area where they had recently had a fire and the fire danger throughout this are is Extreme.
As we returned to the valley (elevation about 1500 ft) we were soon riding in 100 degree heat. It was about 12:30 when we reached town. Wanda and I left the group to do some shopping and to find me a barber. That will account for my GPS mileage is be a bit more than Blue would normally record:
My total miles: 210.2
Time riding: 4 hours 3 minutes
Average Speed: 51.7 mph.
| CLICK HERE to see all of today's pictures |  | | I received this note from Carol Dunn and wanted to share it with his Angel friends....
Just wanted to let you know that Flip had his first Chemo yesterday. It went really well, just took a long time, 4 1/2 hrs. Won't take quite so long next time. He will be having them weekly as long as they're working and not too hard on him. This one didn't seem to even affect him, at least not yet. He came home, ate a big meal (amazing in itself) slept good and is hungry this morning. The only thing is he says he's tired. I think he thought his hair would fall out immediatly (kidding) but wonders if it will. 30% do, so they say.
Thanks again for all your good thoughts and your prayers. Love ya, Carol
| | | | Saturday will be a perfect day to enjoy a ride to Strawberry for breakfast. Blue will be leading those who are interested and departure is at 7 am.
I am headed to Mexico for more dental torture and if they turn me loose in time, I plan to join you and you can bet that if I am there, the Bookkeeper will also be in attandance.
Shutterbug | | | | The Rest of the Ride….
Wanda and I have returned home from Las Vegas and are so pleased that we were able to make the trip and spend time with both our families. We visited my brother Bill and his wife Ann and were able to see their son Mike and his wife Sharon. Had a good visit and left realizing that we do this too seldom.
Our next stop was a stay at the Paris Las Vegas where we would spend time with Wanda’s sister Judy and her husband Dean (Shaw), Judy’s daughter April and her new husband Willie (Ford) and April’s daughter Ashlee with her husband Todd (Hoffmann) rounding out the group. They were there to celebrate the marriage April and Willie and we were so pleased to be invited along.
Apart from the time spend getting all caught up on lives, our time included a great ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower (Paris Las Vegas) and a beautiful view of Sin City at night as well as the fountains at the Bellagio.
Monday was a day to spend walking the streets and taking pictures. We don’t cover the same amount of ground as a few years back, so while we still managed lots of photo’s we did not cover so much ground. Still it was fun. We had a great meal at Pampas Brazilian Grille and all of us raved about the quality of the meals. Then the day was capped off with a trip to Treasure Island Casino to witness the showing of the MYSTERE Cirque Du Soleil and I don’t know when I have been so amazed or entertained. It is a show you could see dozens of times and still not witness all that is happening. They do not allow pictures (I tried but was nabbed in the act) so can only say that if you ever have a chance to go…….. DO NOT PASS IT UP. I know that there are several versions of the show (7 showing right now in Vegas) and think all are different, but the music, movement, strength, agility and grace and beyond my ability to describe. It was wonderful.
Today, we were up and on the road home, retracing our route up. Stopped for breakfast in Kingman at the Cracker Barrel and you know there food is good. Another stop for fuel and to cool down at Wickenburg and then the long, very hot, final leg into the Valley of the Sun. It was 110 when we arrived home. Wanda was feeling the effects of the heat and was a little disoriented before we arrived here. She seems normal enough right now (her regular state of craziness) so I guess she will be fine.
This day's ride encompassed a total of 341.5 miles taking 5 hours 43 minutes of riding time. Thus, we maintained an average speed of 59.7 mph and kept our maximum speed to 78.7 mph
I am not posting all of today’s pictures as much of the ride is less than scenic. It is interesting to see that the new bridge and roadway bypassing Hoover Dam is about ready to be paved. To see more of today’s pictures, CLICK HERE.
Shutterbug…
Oh yes… I received a note from Broker giving me this information about the remainder of their ride on Saturday… Here it is:
Pat. Blue and I had a great ride to Prescott. The weather was good and not too hot. We fueled up and continued on towards Strawberry. Blue had his hand grip come off on the throttle side, and then we has pie and ice cream in Strawberry, We then stopped at the top of the hill to put on air conditioning (collar around neck) rode into the valley around 2:15 it was a great day,
(I understand that they rode a total of about 350 miles)
Dennis
| CLICK HERE to view all of the photo's |  | | This ride was a bit unusual in that we met early, rode to a less frequently visited destination for breakfast and then split for diffferent destinations So, I can only report on part of the day.
Blue, Char, Dennis, Wanda and I met for a 6 am departure… It was already 80 degrees but so nice and comfortable. As we departed, Blue and Char were in the rocking chair, Broker rode shotgun and I did my best to lead the way. The breakfast destination was Wickenburg, so the route was 60 to the 202, then the 101 to 17 and the Carefree Highway. A little over 100 miles later we took 93 into town and the Country Kitchen where we stopped for our morning repast.
After the meal, the two other bikes rode North with intent to pass through Prescott and Strawberry as they traveled back to AJ. Wanda and I fueled before traveling N on 93 as we journeyed to Las Vegas. We are meeting with family to celebrate the wedding of Wanda’s niece.
The pictures attached to this report will reflect our trip to Vegas and some shots of the Hoover Dam and the new bridge with is nearing completion.. I have not heard from our companions as to the remainder of their day. Ours was very nice. It did warm up as we approached Lake Mead and Hoover Dam, but when there we were about 30 miles from our destination.
Spent the evening with my brother and his family. Had a great time and are enclosing a couple of pictures from our stay at my brothers including one of Zeke, his highly trained "watch dog". As you wll see, my brother has a train set and I wal allowed to play engineer for a few mnutes. He does want me to tell everyone that if they wish to donate to the "Buck needs a new remote control Fund" that you can send all check c/o me.…. Today we head down to the Strip to see the newlyweds.
GPS data:
Miles ridden 354.7
Average Speed: 60.3 mph
Maximum speed: 78.7 mph
Time riding: 5 hours 52 minutes…
Shutterbug
| to see many of today's pictures... CLICK HERE |  | | Blue called this morning with plans for the Saturday ride. When he learned that Wanda and I were riding to Las Vegas on Saturday, he decided to accompany us as far as Wickenburg for breakfast.
You too are invited to ride along. We will be departing from the Chevron Station at 6 am. Will take the 202 to the 101, then 17 to the Carefree Highway over to 93 and Wickenburg. Hope you can join us.
Shutterbug | | | | I received this e-mail tonight and wanted to let the Angle's know about his current condition. Needless to say, we want to keep Flip in our prayers.....
Shutterbug
Hi. Since most of you have not yet heard from us about this, I write this as if you have not heard. Flip has been diagnosed with esophagial cancer. We found out today that it has spread to his liver and so is not operable. He has at times been unable to keep food down so they are going to insert a stent in his esophagus to open that up so he can eat better. He has lost 24 lbs. (we all know he could stand to loose that, and he does look good) but they don't want him to continue to loose weight. They will start Chemo on the liver, and if they can reduce the tumors there they will do radiation on the esopagus. It is all to extend his quality of life. Needless to say, we are dealing with this as best we can and want things to stay as normal as possible, so keep the jokes and notes coming. Feel free to e-mail Flip if you'd like with a note of support, he is doing real well with this so far and support and prayers do help. Love you all, Carol
| | | | Five…. Nine….. Eleven…
All significant numbers as it pertains to today’s ride.
And, may I just say, it was a terrific ride, both in destination and conditions. Our predetermined time of departure was 7:00 am from the Chevron (as is our custom). And given our recent attendance numbers, we had a good turnout. There were FIVE bikes ready for departure and NINE riders eager to head up on the rim for our breakfast run. Today we will be checking out a recently opened eatery in Heber, one recommended to me by Golden Vista Park Manager, Larry Martin.
Dennis McKinney had been designated as our leader and Dale Keyes was responsible in the Shotgun position. Mike and Charmaine LaGrange rode in the rocking chair, Wanda and I were in third position and Blue and Char filled were content to be in the fourth position. The morning was beautiful. It was a comfortable 82 degrees as we headed West on 60 up to the 202 and then North over Usary Pass. As we neared the Hunt Highway and got away from the pavement of the city, it cooled down to about 78 degrees and remained that most of the way up the Beeline Highway to Payson.
We made a short stop at the Giant Station in Payson before heading up on the Mogollon Rim, past Forest Lakes and over to Heber. We were more than ready to stop for our morning coffee and breakfast meal by the time we reached the Black Canyon BBQ & Café. There, waiting inside to meet us was Dalton & Ramona Dulaney which made us ELEVEN for breakfast. The Dulaney’s summer over near Show Low and it was so nice that the agreed to join us today.
I want to go on record saying that the recommendation to go there was an excellent one. The facility is clean, the service was terrific, the breakfast was excellent and the prices were acceptable. I had bacon and eggs. The bacon was excellent and the hash browns were as good as they get. Yummmmmmmmmmm!
Did I mention that as we approached the top of the rim, it did get to be a bit on the breezy side? Well, maybe windy would be a better descriptive and when we prepared to depart back towards home, it had picked up its game a bit. We made a short stop at Forest Lakes and took advantage of that to visit with Chuck at the Jerky Shack. They are now living in the spot where Blue and Char used to summer. I understand that they have made some nice improvements to that area.
Broker led us down the mountain and we stopped for fuel at Payson after which we headed home. The route home was via Roosevelt Lake and Globe, where we again stopped for a pit stop (as the Shell Station). The final leg of today’s outing took us West on Highway 60. It was still a little breezy and the temperature was somewhat warmer. It had reached triple digits in Payson and stayed pretty close to that all the way home. The warmest I recorded was 102, so was certainly ready for the cool of our A/C when we reached home. It was 3:00 as we drove into the parking spot for the bike.
Today, you will find that all of the pictures are taken at times when the bikes were not in motion. As we began our trip out of town, the Bookkeeper whispered into the intercom that “Oops, she had forgotten her camera”. She was certain that this would be the day we would see herds of elk or other things that would make me cranky that we did not get pictures of. We did not, and I would not get cranky anyway. I do appreciate her taking the moving shots and hope you enjoy them, but it is ok for her to just sit back and enjoy a ride without those responsibilities. JUST SO IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN!
Today’s GPS data:
Miles ridden: 312.4
Average Speed: 57.2 mph
Time riding: 5 hrs 27minutes
My maximum speed: 82.3 mph
No decision has been made on next Saturdays ride but I will let you know later this week. It was so nice to have Char back on the ride with us. She is hearing so much better now and that makes us all very happy.
Shutterbug
| CLICK HERE to see all of this days pictures |  | | I talked with Blue this afternoon and he is planning a ride for Saturday. There is a new restaurant in Heber called Black Canyon BBQ. We are told they are open for breakfast and that their meals are excellent. So, it will be an opportunity to ride the rim, get out of the heat and try a new spot.
Departure will be at 7 am. I am headed to Mexico for dental work and hope to be home by Friday night. Wanda will be staying at home and will be ready to get out on the bike. Hope I make it back to join you.
Shutterbug | | | | Day three of our overnight to Alpine Arizona is now complete and what a wonderful time we had. I can testify that Mike and Charmaine are super traveling companions. They fill your days with smiles and good memories. Both Wanda and I feel blessed that they were able to get away and share this experience.
My morning began with a peek through the curtains to see if there were blue, or cloudy skies and it was great news… Clean blue everywhere. Makes a guy want to get his jeans and boots on and proceed to get the day started. When I stepped outside, Mike had already pulled the cover from his bike and a close inspection of my cover showed evidence of morning frost. It was still pretty cool, but not uncomfortably so. Our plan was to be on the road by 7:30 and we managed that, with many minutes to spare.
We decided that instead of having breakfast locally, we would ride up to Springerville to find a dining establishment. We settled on Booga Red’s Restaurant and it turned out to be a good choice. They were pretty proud of many of their items. Oatmeal was $4.50 a bowl.. wow…. But, we found items that fit our budget and filled our bellies.
Before departing for home, we decided to find the high school that the plane flew into last Friday. We did, but did not stop, as there were police guarding all of the access streets. It obviously did a great deal of damage and the school is not all that old.
Our route today would take us West on 260 to McNary and then South on 73 over to 60S. That took us around Show Low and through the Apache Indian Reservation. It was a nice ride and pleasant change of scenery. We stopped a couple of time on the way back, once for a potty break at the junction of 73 & 60, then for a scenery break at the vista view point in the Salt River Canyon and then, one last stop for fuel at the Shell Station in Globe.
The trip home included sightings of antelope and deer, as well as a number of domesticated breeds. The temperature ranged from 49 at the outset to low 80’s on arrival here.
GPS statistics:
Miles Ridden: 235.5
Average Speed: 52.6 mph
Maximum Speed 76.6 mph
Time riding: 4 hours 26 minutes
Hope you enjoyed traveling along… If you want to see all of today's pictures CLICK HERE
Shutterbug
| See all of today's pictures by CLICKING HERE |  | | Hello again from Alpine, Arizona. What a fantastic day this was! It did begin a bit on the cool side, as last night we had rain and it was in the 40’s. We were not in a hurry to get started, as there was no plan to ride a tremendous number of miles. We had breakfast locally, at the Bear Wallow Café and then Maverick led us East on 160 with Glenwood, NM as our destination. Really, we were going the see the Catwalks, just outside Glenwood. I had heard that this is a spectacular area. Mike and Charmaine had been here once before, but had never walked up to the end of the developed area. I am going to show you several pictures, perhaps a sampling of the continuous array of waterfalls, and the towering walls, some of the catwalks themselves and maybe one of the fantastic sky as it framed this magnificent canyon. There are a couple hundred pictures of this area alone and almost double that of today’s ride and the accompanying scenery. I will also say that it is one of the prettiest and most ineresting canyons I have ever seen.
We had lunch in Glenwood and then rode up to the ghost town of Mogollon where we spent another hour or so. It was an interesting ride, steep and one lane much of the way, but an enjoyable time. After returning back to the motel and resting for a couple of hours, we rode up to Hannigan Meadows for a steak dinner. Wanda and I spent a weekend there last year and I was so impressed with the meal that I wanted to go again. Mistake!.... The steak did not compare and the service was slow. We did see some elk on the way up, and unfortunately they were roadside on the way home (in the black of night) so it made for a nervous ride. But, here we are, safe and secure, back in the motel.
Tomorrow we will return home and right now, I am going to start uploading pictures. You can see all 400 plus of them by CLICKING HERE, and I remind you that the best was is to select the “slide show” option under the “Actions” tab. That will get you to all of the folders in the easiest way.
GPS data on today’s outing;
Miles ridden: 189.8
Average Speed 43.8 mph
Maximum Speed 75.5 mph
Time riding 4 hrs 19 minutes.
Shutterbug
| Click Here to see all of today's pictures |  | | Yep… it’s Friday and believe it or not, I am not working. In fact, this update comes to you from Alpine, AZ where we have ridden to spend a couple of nights. This outing began with the thought that four couples would enjoy getting away, but circumstances and obligations often have a way of taking precedence over having fun. We understand that and accept it and will do our very best to endure being in this beautiful part of the State.
The day began with a gathering at the local Chevron
station. Mike and Charmaine LaGrange (along with their travel companion Chi Chi) , Blue and the Alsup’s departed at 7 am, with Globe as a breakfast destination. Even at that early hour, it was already 82 degrees, but the skies were a perfect blue and the clouds a billowy white. Blue and Char had planned on going with us, but they thought that her new hearing aid would be ready to pick up today and that certainly was most important… (NOTE: I had a phone message this evening reporting that it did arrive and SHE CAN HEAR AGAIN…… that is wonderful news!!!!)
Breakfast was at Judy’s in Globe and then Blue headed home while we pressed on to Safford where we fueled. The next stop was at a little restaurant in Morinci for iced tea and Nachos. MMMMM good. This was a welcome time off the bike, but we still had miles to make and soon were back in the saddle, headed up 191 and the Coronado Trail. We made a short stop at the viewing area that overlooks the Morinci Mine. It is a huge mining pit and always interesting to see.
The Coronado Trail is not one that you ride in a hurry. I love to ride corners and this is a ride I love. You will see, as you look at some of the pictures that there are lots of hair pin turns, many many switchbacks and the roadway is not all that wide. Today was a perfect day to traverse it as there was little traffic, a tail wind and good weather As we reached the 8000 ft elevation levels, the temperature dropped into the high 60’s. A Porsche Club with about 15 or 20 cars came up behind us. Most went past when we were at a rest area, but some stragglers overtook the bikes and we allowed them around… After a stop at Blue Vista, we saw them enjoying a beer, or wine at Hannigan Meadows when we stopped there to check on their dinner menus.
The ride here took 9 minutes over 6 hours and the distance traveled was 280.3. Average speed was 45.6 mph. We have had our supper, been out for an evening ride where we did see some elk (no camera with us) and as soon as I get this posted, it is time for bed…..
To see all of today’s pictures, CLICK HERE…. I recommend you use the slide show option under the "Actions" tab
More tomorrow.
Shutterbug
| CLICK HERE to see all of today's pictures |  | | It is the first Saturday of June and the Angels enjoyed a wonderful ride… As the temperatures are warmer and triple digits was forecast for today, we decided to depart a bit earlier. 7:30 was the appointed time and right on time all of the bikes were in line and ready to ride.
Today, Shutterbug was the designated leader. The West Side Café in Kearney would be our destination. Blue agreed to ride shotgun and, in fact, had to do double duty as he was also assigned to ride in the “rocking chair”. Have you figured it out? Well, let me show you a group picture (minus the photographer).
It was just breaking into the low 80’s when we rode out. The desert is showing the effects of days without precipitation. It is very dry out there. Around the Apache Junction area, the saguaro cacti are just about done with the bloom and there is very little color on the ground. I have been pretty disappointed that there have not been many large bunches of cactus blooms this year. With all of the early rain, I did expect more.
We arrived at the café without incident and there was one group of riders there. Yes… it was a LARGER GROUP than ours, but we were not intimidated. Debbie’s daughter Jennifer was working today and it was not long before we had coffee and were deciding on our morning selection.
The ride home took us south to Winkleman and then up 77 to Globe where we stopped for a break at the Shell Station. I did notice that the saguaro in this area are still in full bloom and we did slow down to get a picture or two of the Yucca Blossoms. They are pretty spectactuar.
Arrived back in the resort a minute or two prior to Noon and the temperature was one degree below 100.
There are not so many pictures today, but you can view them by CLICKING HERE.
I am learning how to use a new GPS, and hope that my figures are correct.
Miles ridden: 151
Average Speed 52.7 mph
Riding Time 2 hours 51 minutes
And my maximum speed was 72.9 mph
I am not sure what the plans for next Saturday will be. There are three couples that are going to ride to Alpine that Friday for a two night stay. Jack & Linda Parsons, Mike & Charmaine La Grange and Wanda and I will head East at 7 am with plans to stop in Globe for breakfast. If any of you would like to join us for that leg of our journey, be ready at the Chevron by 7 on Friday (June 11) morning. We will continue on over to Safford where we will pick up 191 and then ride the Coronado Trail to Alpine. On Saturday we will ride over to Glenwood NM where we will explore the “catwalk”. We will be back on Sunday and I will post a report then.
Blue and Char had planned on joining us, but I think Friday is the day she is supposed to pick up her new hearing aid. It will be exciting for her (and all of us) when she can again join in the conversations.
More news….. as it happens…
Shutterbug
| CLICK HERE to view today's pictures |  | | It's warming up Arizona riders and we are going to depart a bit earlier this Saturday...
Plan to be at the Chevron Station for a 7:30 am departure. We will be riding to Kearney for breakfast, then down to Winkleman and home via Globe.
See you Saturday.
Shutterbug..
PS... update on Char: It has been determined that her loss of hearing has been caused by a viral infection that severed a nerve related to hearing. They are in the process of fitting her for hearing aids and the trial on those produced good results, so things are looking better..... There is still a concern regarding some fluid seen in the cranial area (MRI results) and they have been referred to a neurologist for further diagnosis.
| | | | This will have been our last group ride of May, 2010. The plan was to ride north to the little town of Dewey for breakfast and then over through Camp Verde, Strawberry and Payson on the way home. There was some mutual concern about the traffic we would be riding in as it is the Memorial Day Weekend, but decided to press ahead. As Blue was concerned that the little café he wanted to frequent in Dewey might be closed, we opted instead to stop at Cordes Junction for our morning nutrients.
So, as is our usual routine, we met at the station for an 8 am departure. And, as usual, our summer count of bikes was conservative. Well, is 5 bikes a conservative number? Yep, 5 bikes with seven riders. The Bookkeeper and Goose made up the pretty part of the contingent. Blue, Maverick, Pooh Bear, Ray and I were the other part. Breaking with tradition, there was NO GROUP PICTURE. Well, it was time to leave, people were on their bikes and when I hollered “group picture” no one seemed to interested in climbing off and removing their helmets. So… no picture.
Blue led the way today and Pooh Bear demonstrated his skill as the “tail dragger”. Our route took us west on 60 to the 202, then North on the 101 to I-17 which took us directly to our planned destination. It was a comfortable 77 degrees most of the way up and I am told by my passenger that there was too darned much traffic. She would prefer to be on the less traveled routes, but I think that from time to time, you just have to get out and play with the big boys.
We found a wonderful little diner at Cordes Junction. It was clean, the service good and the prices fair. I liked the 50’s style motif. Before we went inside, I took some pictures of the critters that guard our rides while we are away. I thought I had them all today, but apparently the little weasel on the rear of Maverick ride growled at me and it must have spooked me away. Anyway, have a look at most of the protectors…. Blue’s…….. Pooh Bears…….. Ray’s…… Mine….. NOW YOU KNOW WHY WE NEVER HAVE A LOSS.. They are vicious.
Following breakfast we did take the road up to Dewey so now I can mark if off my “roads I’ve never ridden” map and the same is true for Cherry Road which takes you back over to I-17.. We had planned to turn North there up to Camp Verde, but here is what the highway looked like as we approached the junction… Yowies ! After a quick discussion it was determined that we would be hours ahead to just turn the bikes South and ride back home… When we went past Cordes Jct, there was apparently another accident as thetraffic was backed up there as well. I am thinking that anyone on that stretch of road today spend 3 or 4 extra hours sitting and waiting…
At Cave Creek Junction, we turned East and rode over to Scottsdale Road, then down to the 101 which then led to the 202 and that to 60 which brought us full circle. We arrived home a bit before 2 pm and that was a good 2 hours earlier than we would have been going up and around (even without slow traffic).
My GPS stats show that we rode a total of 268.6 miles which took 4 hour and 31 minutes or riding time. Our average speed was 59.3 mph so you can tell it was all freeway type miles. My maximum speed was 86.8 mph.
Shutterbug
| CLICK HERE to view all of todays pictures |  | | Good morning Angels' and Angel's fans.... It is Saturday morning, the bike is fueled and we are anxious to head out on today's ride.. With the few minutes we have before heading to the station, I wanted to post this information received from Vern yesterday.. I do appreciate these updates and encourage you to send them along to share with everyone... thank you Vern...
PAT
PHIL PARSON AND I (MN BLUES ANGELS) WENT FOR A RIDE TODAY. ABOUT 190 MILES.
TEMP WAS ABOUT 82, VERY COMFORTABLE. WE STOPPED OVER IN WISCONSIN AT GENE BONNES HOUSE AND VISITED THEM FOR AWHILE. GENE AND MARY ARE DOING GREAT. IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE THEM.
PHIL HAS HIS NEW RIDE AND REALLY LIKES IT. I'LL FORWARD A PICTURE.
VERN | |  | | Blue called this afternoon with the information regarding the ride this Saturday.... Departure will be from the Chevron at 8 am. We are going for breakfast at a place new to me (I LIKE THAT). As the day will be warm, we are going North... We will take the 202 to the 101 up to 17N which we will ride as far as Cordes Junction. There we will exit onto 68 which goes up to Dewey. That is where our morning meal will be. After our belly's are full our leader will take us on 168 back over to 17 for a short hop up to Camp Verde. From there we will ride East over to 87 which where we will start South via Strawberry and Payson. I get to mark off a couple of new roads on my "Ive ridden these roads" map.
See you Saturday.
Shutterbug | | | | Yesterday, this area experienced it’s first official triple digit temperature day of 2010. Today, the warmest I saw was 97 as we came off down from Mt. Lemon into Tucson. But, once again, I get ahead of myself. Let’s start at the beginning and find our way to the warm weather in a more orderly fashion.
Blue was with us today and that in itself made it a good riding day. Now we look forward to the time when Char will also be in attendance. (Her condition is much the same and they are now waiting for clearance to take another MRI as the quality of the first one was not satisfactory to her new doctor). Also at the station and ready to ride were Mike and Charmaine LaGrange, Dennis McKinney, Ray Moore and the Alsup’s. After the traditional group picture, Dennis led us out onto 60 E and down towards Catalina and the Sunny Side Up Café.. Blue rode shotgun. They make a good team, regardless of who is showing the way.
We had a quick stop at the Tom Mix Memorial. I went into the desert looking for desert blooms… As you look at today’s pictures you will see that most of the Saguaro Cactus are in bloom. Here is a shot of one up close. I did see some patches of Prickly Pear Cactus that had lots of yellow flowers, but we did not stop to capture their beauty. It was a good morning to be on the road. I think at 8 am it was about 79 degrees and by the time we reached Catalina it was in the mid 80’s.
The restaurant was prompt in finding us a table and our server was quick with the coffee and to take our order. Before our second cup of coffee had cooled sufficiently for sipping, our meals were set before us and the conversation came to an abrupt halt. Once our tummy’s were full and the third or maybe fifth cup of coffee was history, we made our way to the cash register, bathroom and then to the parking lot… Ray decided to return straight home while the rest of us continued on down to Tucson and then up to Mount Lemon with intent of riding the ski lift chair lift to the top of the mountain. That is a really great ride. There are many places to pull off and take pictures and all are worthy of the time. Wanda got some great pictures of the twists, turns and rock formations both on the way up, and back down. We did stop at Windy Vista to stretch and take in the views. It reminded those of us with roots in Wyoming of the area between Laramie and Cheyenne called Vee-da-Voo (not spelled correctly I am certain) As we continued to climb the temperature dropped into the high 60’s but that was still quite comfortable. The ski area is at about 8,000 ft. After purchasing our tickets for the chair lift, we began the assent to 9125 feet and the top of the hill. It was such a peaceful ride. The scenery is a combination of mature pines and some devastation from a fire in 2003. I was hopeful of seeing some wild game and was delighted when we saw this bear.
As we neared the crest of the mountain, you could hear the howling of the wind and it was pretty stiff as we stepped out of the chair and onto the ramp. That did not stop us from exploring a bit, getting some pictures of all the antennas in that area. There are also some observatories up there and this busy little prairie dog critter. There is a series of pictures that show him pushing dirt from his burrow. Click through them quickly for the best effect… He was also fearless and took a bite of grass right out of my hand.
The ride home was WINDY. After stopping for fuel in Tucson, we rode through town, West on 10 to Piccacho Peak and then North toward home via Coolidge and Florence. Wanda and I rode into the park about 5:30, but had stopped for a salad while the others came straight back. It was a day full of fun. What great friends the Angels are….
GPS data:
Miles ridden….. 282.2
Average Speed 49.2 mph
Driving Time: 05:44:01
Maximum Speed 80.0 mph
There are lots of pictures today. To see them best, I recommend you use the SLIDE SHOW option under ACTIONS. And to find them…. CLICK HERE.
Shutterbug
| CLICK HERE to view all of today's pictures |  | | The ride on Saturday will depart from the Chevron Station at 8 am. We will ride to Catalina for breakfast at the Sunny Side Up and then continue down to Tucson and will ride to the ski lodge on Mt. Lemon. Conditions willing, those who are interested can take a relaxing ride to the top of the mountain on the chair lift.
I understand that Char's condition is just the same. She has had one physical therapy treatment and is on medications. More as the information becomes available...
Shutterbug | | | | I stopped at Blue's this evening and was met with pretty big smiles. "We have new news" was the comment and good news it was.. After seeing the specialist they have determined that Char has not had a stroke and that the hearing problem seems to be an infection in the inner ear. She is starting PT tomorrow and hopefully within a few days will be experiencing improvement. It is important for her to be able to hear Blue respond in a positive manner when asked to do a chore.
Please continue to keep her in your prayers. We want a speedy recovery and to see her back on the rides.
Shutterbug | |  | | I really need a full time keeper and Wanda just does not have time to take care of every one of my screwups.... She tries, but it is a challenge... In any case, I am pretty sure that Gary Larson does not want me to change his name to Nelson. Gary, I do apologize for the error. I know better.
And while I am admitting error, Karen is really Sharon.... That one I was not sure of and could not get anyone to answer their phone last night, so took a chance. | | | | May 15 and it was a beauty…. The ride Blue planned for Strawberry was altered a bit as we shorted our breakfast segment to the Airport in Payson and then decided to ride up onto the Mogollon Rim, toward Forrest Lakes. More about that in a bit.. First, however, I want to bring you current on what is going on with Char. I told you that my diagnosis on her hearing loss was some type of ear infections. Turns out my career as a doctor may be in jeopardy. She did go to the Dr who has referred her to a specialist and he has ordered an MRI of the head. There is some concern that she may have suffered a slight stroke while they were traveling. The results of the test should be back early this next week and when I know more, I will share the information. In the meantime, please keep her in your prayers……
This morning seven bikes were lined up in anticipation of the ride. Gary Larson was there and he has not ridden with us for a very long time. Also, with Red Shirt was Sharon Cagle, daughter of Eileen who often rides with Dale. Eileen has recently had a pacemaker implanted and I understand is doing well. Sharon is here from Peoria. Jack Parsons was with us again today. He and Linda have been vacationing in Hawaii and apparently they played very hard as Linda was not on her bike. We miss her being along.
At just after 8 am, Broker led the group out onto 60 and towards our destination. It was a perfect morning for riding. Temperatures were in the mid 70’s and the sky was a brilliant blue. The Saguaro Cactus are now in bloom so are sporting beautiful white crowns near the tops of their spiny heads and stately arms. I need to go out to get some pictures.
When we reached the Casino in Payson, Gary pulled out of our procession and waved us by. I went back to check on him and he was OK, but needed to stop for nourishment. He has diabetes and had told me that if he experienced any problem he would leave us and then return home. As he is an experienced rider and aware of his condition, we went on without him. It was nice that he could ride that far with us.
When we reached the Airport, there was little parking to be found. They were having an Air Fair and there were lots of planes that had flown in for the event, many vendors peddling their wares and a bunch of patrons there to enjoy the show. The restaurant was great about finding us a table and within 15 minutes or so, we were seated and being pampered (or maybe harassed is a better word) by Tammy who does a really fantastic job of catering to our needs. She is one of our favorite servers and we know a lot of them. She soon had coffee in our cups and our orders into the kitchen and it seemed like just a couple of minutes before the plates of breakfast were being set before us. Good job Tammy!
As we were departing the restaurant I heard an inquiring voice say “Pat Alsup???” It took a second of looking up to realize that it was a long time acquaintance and friend of our youngest son who was posing the question. Tom Kvanick had flown up from his home in Chandler. With him was his wife Stacy and their two daughters. We had not seen them for over two years and it was a surprise. They followed me out to say hello to Wanda and we had a quick chat…. Proof again that we live in a very small world.
I mentioned that we rode up on the Mogollon Rim and it was beautiful there and at the Viewpoint where we stopped to enjoy the vista views and they are very special. Whether you are looking down at the highway, across the vast forest or just up at the sky make little difference. It is all candy to the eyes.
The ride home was uneventful.. Well, we did have to help Ray get his bike upright, but that is a dilemma most of us have experienced. And he had a problem getting his bike to start when we stopped for fuel in Payson, but apart from that, it was uneventful. We left the main body of riders when they turned off the Beeline to the Bush Highway. Wanda and I needed to go back to D&D Motorcycle for an adjustment to her helmet and that added a few miles to our journey. We did return to the resort about 3:30, a little tired, warm (as it was now in the low 90’s) and ready to be off the bike for the day.
I don’t think there is a Wednesday ride planned and I am going to suggest to Blue that next Saturday we consider riding South for breakfast at Sunny Side Up and then ride up to Mount Lemon and take the ski lift to the top of the mountain. That should make for a nice day…..
More later.
Shutterbug.
| CLICK HERE to see all of today's pictures (Slide Show option recommended) |  | | I just talked with Blue (yes they are back) about Saturday's ride. He wants to go North and liked the report of the food and service at Strawberry, so that is where we are headed. Meet you at the Station for an 8 am departure.
Blue will fill you in on his trip. Lots of miles and only a few problems. Char, however, is experiencing some serious ear problems. In fact, she is darned near deaf at the moment. John is hoarse from yelling his conversations. She has an appt to see the Dr. tomorrow. I suspect she has an inner ear infection and hope they will be able to knock it down in a hurry.
See you Saturday.
Pat | | | | Summer riding has begun and seven intrepid Angles weathered the first day of “pretty darned warm weather”. Five bikes with two lady passengers met at the local Chevron for an eight am departure. Even at that hour it was warm with the mercury rising to the high side of 70.
This was a bit of a special occasion as yesterday Mike LaGrange worked well into the dark of night installing a new CB Radio on his Wing. He had not had an opportunity to test it, but all was great and it was very nice to have him able to communicate with us. He has not picked a CB Handle as yet, but Wanda and I are leaning toward Maverick and his sidekick, Charmaine, can be Goose. What do you think?
We were riding a new direction this day. Our route will take us West on the San Tan Freeway and then we will jump on the Maricopa Highway over to Maricopa. From there we opt for the less traveled route to Gila Bend, via Mobile. This two lane highway follows the railroad tracks and is a nice alternative to the interstate. Shutterbug has assumed the lead with Broker riding shotgun. Broker, who has traveled this road often as he worked in this area for a time, suggested that we try the Space Age Restaurant and it was an excellent suggestion. It was clean, the service was excellent, the servings came out promptly and were good. Equally important, the prices were competitive. I would certainly recommend this to all who travel this direction.
Following breakfast, we headed South on 85 to Ajo where we topped off our tanks. The day was beginning to warm and there was a breeze as well. Ajo, an old mining town, was larger than I supposed it to be. Don’t know if the mines are still operational. When we were approaching the area, the slag from the pits looked to me like water being sprayed from a huge sprinkler system…. Definitely not that!.
We continued on South toward the Mexican border. This is the road you would take to travel to Rocky Point, but at Why we turned onto State Route 86 and began our trek towards home. At Indian Road 15 we turned North and began thinking of ice cream at Casa Grande.. The road took us directly to a Dairy Queen and a cool sit down treat.
By now the temperatures were in the upper 90’s and we altered our planned route over through Florence and rode up I-10 and the 202 which then took us home. 99 degrees was the highest temperature I recorded so we still have not reached the first official 100 degree day. It cannot be far away.
Miles ridden: 315.2
Average Speed: 57.2
It was a very good day!
Shutterbug.
| CLICK HERE to view all of today's pictures |  | | I drove past Blue's place this afternoon and he still has not returned. So, if you are interested in a longer jaunt, covering some roads I have not ridden on, join us for an 8 am departure. We will have breakfast at Gila Bend and then head south toward Ajo.... It will be close to a 300 mile day.. Bring water to drink.
See you in the morning....
shutterbug | | | | I am not sure if Blue will be back in time to coordinate this next Saturday's ride, so will make a suggestion..... In keeping with my personal effort of marking off new roads on my "where I have ridden in Arizona" map... how about trying this?
It involves taking the 202 around to 10, then jumping over to Maricopa where we will take the back road thru Mobile over to Gila Bend. That would be our breakfast destination. From there, we could take 85 South down thru Ajo (and if you wanted could drop down to see the Organ Pipe Forest National Monument) where we would pick up 86 E to 15N which takes us back up to Casa Grande, then Florence and home? Without the extra excursion to OPFNM that is a ride of just over 300 miles. If you think this is something you would like to try, please let me know.
Shutterbug. | | | | Last night Country Boy stopped by with some additional information regarding the ride last Saturday benefiting the Lost Dutchman State Park. Apparently the dollers raised by the ride and what was added by the dealership were reversed. As it turns out...$5,300 was raised, and the Superstition Harley folks added another $4,700 to achieve their goal of $10,000 for this fund raiser.
Now, lets hope that the State does not misappropriate funds and that the park does stay open...
And for those of you interested in seeing where the scheduled ride went and what the questions at the end of the ride were... you will enjoy seeing this....
Country Boy is headed back to Colorado on Tuesday. We look forward to his return in the fall. He is such a great asset to our group... And.. those of us who are riding in Colorado this August will enjoy his presence on the ride then.....
Shutterbug | |  | | May first and the Angels had a mighty small ride…. Our group was small, but the ride was mighty….
At the 8 am departure time, Ray Moore, Mike and Charmaine LaGrange, Wanda and I were to sum and substance of the riding contingent. I thought Dennis McKinney was going to be there and we waited a few extra minutes for him to show up, but to no avail. So, armed with the knowledge that, even with such small numbers, we could find our way to Strawberry for breakfast. It is one of my favorite destinations but because it is in snow country, we don’t make it there often in the winter months.
So off we went! I assumed the lead and Ray rode shotgun. The morning was perfect. No clouds, 60 degree temperature and only a hint of a breeze.. I was delighted to see that the Saguaro Cactus are beginning to bloom. There are lots of buds, but only an occasional flower. It will not be long before we have lots of new color in our desert.
When we reached the Hunt Highway, I was hopeful that Dennis would be there, but it was not to be. Nor was he at the intersection of the Beeline and Bush. So, northward we rode, up past Rye and on toward Payson. As we neared town, Wanda asked if we could stop for a stretch (she had to use the facilities) and as we turned into the road at the Casino, guess who’s voice boomed over the CB? “Hello Blue’s Angels” came the call of that familiar voice. Broker, getting a late start had hurried on up to meet us. It was such a nice surprise. And, there was another surprise there. They were having a Cannonball Express Rally. Lots of fancy cars and scantily clad ladies… I was so busy looking around, I forgot to take any pictures.. duh…………………..
So, now we were six and soon on our way to the Strawberry Inn. Ray asked if Broker could assume the rear position which he was happy to do. The temperature dropped a bit and the wind had become a factor that we would deal with for the remainder of the day. Soon we were finding a parking space and looking for a table. It had cooled off a good bit (low 50’s) by the time we arrived and were really happy to find a table right next to a roaring fire. It was only minutes before we were sipping our first cup of coffee and turning in our orders for morning fare. The orders were prompt in arriving and I can honestly report that I have not had a better tasting breakfast in many a month. The bacon was done to perfection. I had one hot cake and one egg, all perfectly prepared. It was delicious and my riding pals expressed the same thoughts.
When I asked the group what route they wanted to pursue from Strawberry, the left it up to me…..WILL PEOPLE NEVER LEARN????? A quick look at the map confirmed that riding on north, up to Mormon Lake would not make the ride too extended. And, apart from Wanda and I, no one had been there before… so off we rode.
Before long, remaiders of the winter storms were packed along side the road and the temperature dropped into the mid 40’s. I was wishing I still had my jacket liner in and that my fingerless gloves had grown ends to them. As we rode into the town of Mormon Lake, there was a sprinkling of what appeared to be floating ash in the air. However, when it landed on your clothing, it melted… SNOW!!! ON MAY FIRST? YEP…. However, it only lasted for a minute or two… We stopped at the lodge, stretched, watched a couple of guys fish, took a picture of nesting geese and then were on our way, on around the lake and back towards home.
Our next stop was at Clint’s Well, for fuel and to empty our personal holding tanks. After 15 minutes or so, we were off again, enjoying the crisp air but looking forward to warmer temperatures in the valley. And.. we were not disappointed, as it was nearly 70 degrees when we rode back into town.
Yes, we were a small group, but we had a mighty good time…
GPS recap…..
Miles ridden: 300.8
Average speed: 53.8 mph
Driving Time: 05:35:24
Maximum Speed 77.6 mph….
I don’t know if there will be a Wednesday ride, but will be announcing plans for next Saturday in a day or two…
Shutterbug
| CLICK HERE to view all of today's pictures |  | | Report on the Blue’s Angels Participation in the Lost Dutchman State Park Observation Run on Saturday, April 24, 2010. By your very own Country Boy
Six Early Bird Riders on three bikes and a trike met at the Chevron station at 0715 with sleep still in their eyes. We headed for the Superstition Harley Davidson dealers’ digs in Apache Junction at 0730. Broker led with Red Shirt next accompanied by his main female rider, followed by Blue and Char, with Country Boy as tail end Charlie. We arrived before 0800 and were politely directed in off the street and into the parking lot. We dismounted, took off our protective gear, signed a release form, registered, got a wrist band to get us into the park, and got our tour packet. It contained a map with route directions and 9 questions on what the riders would see on the circle route to Florence and return to the State Park. The packet also contained a coupon for $10 off of the price of a tee shirt of our choice in the Harley shop (good for that day only), and a ride pin from AMA stating that “Loud Pipes Risk Rights”. We then headed straight for the big coffee container and the best selection of pastries this Old Boy has seen in many a day. We sucked up the coffee and scarfed down a few of those “quick energy morsels” and kicked back on the benches provided to discuss our next move. It was decided to go on a longer ride instead of the group ride. We inspected the fine machines and accessories inside the big building, then suited up and headed for Kearney. By the time we got there it was decided to stop for coffee which turned into breakfast at the Westside Café. Our favorite Mayor served us and we enjoyed more coffee and some had excellent breakfasts. We headed on down to Winkleman and then over the mountain into Globe. We “rested” at the Shell station and discussed how perfect the weather and the ride were. What a perfect day! We enjoyed it enough for all the Angles. We kept our same formation and rode on in to the State Park for the free meal. Superstition Harley really knows how to throw a party. We were directed through a big inflatable archway to the parking area full of Harleys. We quickly attacked the food line and found a table as the program started. They were offering double portions of hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad, chips, sodas, and water. Guess who took double of everything?
The KNIX radio station truck was there (as well as at the registration sight). Good music emanated from the mouth of a guitar playing entertainer until the raffle drawing commenced. All the official run questionnaires containing all correct answers were put into a box for the prize drawing. The first prize was $100 and the second prize was $75 donated by Superstition Harley, I presume. We didn’t hand over our Observation Run questionnaires, since we didn’t know what the butler was wearing in the Hitching Post in Florence. We also didn’t know a lot of the other answers since we didn’t terrorize the Historical District of Florence, but we sure enjoyed the route we took!
They sold raffle tickets to the attendees (mostly before we arrived around 1:30 PM) unbeknownst to this Tail End Charlie. So we didn’t hold any of the winning tickets. Gale was doing her usual all day Saturday volunteer duties at the park, but they let her have a lunch break to come eat with us since it was her birthday.
Now with that background, I can tell you that there must have been 20 nice raffle prizes given out, and the Country Boy was asked (after each prize found its new owner) why he didn’t buy some raffle tickets. There were some beautiful large photographs and other nice craft items which were donated by local artists. Superstition Harley donated a number of shirts and other riding accessories. It was a great event, with a huge amount of preparation and donations provided by the main sponsor, the Superstition Harley Davidson dealership. We expressed our sincere appreciation to the owner as we were leaving. The small, but mighty group of Blue’s Angels all went our separate ways as we left at different times. Gale hitched a ride with the Country Boy to get back to her car, so that made a head count of 7 on 4 machines for the Angel’s awesome outing on Saturday April 24 2010.
The final results of the Lost Dutchman State Park Observation Run just came in to us this afternoon:
There were over 200 motorcycles (including some cars and RVs), $4,700 was raised, and the Superstition Harley folks added another $5,300 to achieve their goal of $10,000 for this fund raiser.This then supplies the remainder of the funds required to keep the Park open all summer.
It was great to be a small part of this fun event, and we sincerely appreciate all the Angle’s contributions, including those who donated their $15 per person even though they were not here to join the ride.
Country Boy
| CLICK HERE to view today's pictures |  | | I must apologise, for I have no information concerning any plans for a ride tomorrow. Most of you know that Blue and Char left today and will be gone a couple of weeks. If there is someone who is heading up a ride in the morning, let me know and I will post a late reminder..
Now then, about Saturday.... I think Wanda and I will opt for a ride up to Strawberry for breakfast. We will be leaving from the Chevron at 8 am and will welcome all who are interested in heading that direction.
Last Saturday some attended the ride to save Lost Dutchman State Park. I had planned to attend but was not feeling up to being on the bike so sent my contribution and stayed around the barn... I understand that we had 4 bikes in attendance, Blue, Dennis M, Red Shirt and Country Boy. It was pretty informal and I don't think as well attended as the organizers hoped it would be. I am still in hopes of receiving a report and pictures... Will post them if they arrive.
| | | | My thanks to Blue, who called in today's cleanup report. As many of our Angels have returned to their summer homes, the turn out was not as good as one would hope. But, after about an hour's effort, the area was covered, the refuse was bagged and ready for the City Crews to pick up and haul away. Participating today, were Blue, Char, Country Boy, Dollar Bill and Fran and Gene (Rainbird) Vogelgesang.
As the forcast for the remainder of the day suggested wind with rain, it was decided that they would forego the ride to Globe.
Now then, a word about this Saturday's ride. Those Angels who are participating in the Lost Dutchman State Park Run should plan on meeting at the Chevron station and at 7:15 am we will ride as a group up the Superstition Harley.
See you there...
Shutterbug | | | | Mick Buchanan Has just reduced the price on his 1998 Suzuki to $4500.... This bike should be parked in a new owners drive. You must know someone who needs to see this ad. | |  | | Dalton Dulaney has just been released from the hospital and feels he needs to sell is Wing. You can get all of the details by CLICKING HERE. | |  | | If you are looking for a way to spend Labor Day and visit four states (all at the same time) this is your opportunity.
Some of us will just be ending our Colorado Ride so that could be a good way to cap off that exciting week. | |  | | No wonder I have no friends.. I can't remember any names...
Anyway, Goldie advised me that the lady riding with her sweetie is Lila..... | | | | Yesterday, I was so tired that the thought of foregoing today’s ride and the thought of just laying around the house was more than appealing. Today, I am so happy that those thoughts did not prevail. Let the record show that it was a wonderful day with friends. The weather was great and the scenery was fantastic. I hope that you look at all of today’s pictures as they really are full of color. And, as you do so, I want you to take note of all the smiles you see on the faces of today’s Angels. Also, my thanks to The Bookkeeper for her excellent effots in capturing pictures as we ride. (Who is that guy squeezing my sweetie?)
We met, as usual, at the Chevron Station in time for an 8 am departure. Fourteen bikes were assembled and we had 5 lady riders so reservations for 19 were secured. As is the norm, Blue led the group and Red Shirt was assigned the responsibility of riding drag. Red Shirt had a fresh face with him. I think her name is Flo and I remember her from the Condo’s when I taught painting classes there. But, I digress…
We also had a rare visit from one of our Angel friends.. Ed Hensley actually showed up for a ride. Wow, what a shocker.. And, my partner, Ted (Pooh Bear) Moody was also in attendance. Both were a welcome addition to today’s group. Oh yes, another special occassion... today is the 45th Wedding Anniversary of Dollar Bill and Fran Barrington. What a special couple they are. Congratulations to the two of you.
We started our ride East on #60 a couple of minutes past 8 and as mentioned, the weather was beautiful. It was 72 degrees and I was quite comfortable riding with just a tee shirt and my leather vest (of course I had pants on! Don’t be silly).. It did cool a bit as we went over the mountain but only dropped by 4 degrees. We stopped for a 10 minute break at Wal-Mart before heading North on 188 with coffee and a good breakfast on our minds.
Ordinarily, Rhonda has one table set up for us to sit at, but today we were assigned seats in the separate booths. And, ordinarily, the food is delivered in a very short time, but today it took a good bit longer. Still, we were provided with lots of attention and ample coffee, so it was not a problem, at least for me. As is always the case, most of us could not finish all that was served and several asked for boxes to go. The ride (for all but Jack Kemmer who rode straight back to AJ) then continued north, up to Inspiration Point at the Roosevelt Dam. There the scenery was beautiful. The yellow blooms are brilliant and the water in the lake (which is full) is so much clearer. I have several pictures taken there which I hope you enjoy.
Our next stop was at Tonto Basin for fuel and to drop off some of the extra coffee that was consumed at Ma’s after which we continued up to the Bee Line Highway and the turn toward home. About half of us decided to stop one more time to stretch our legs and ease our bladders. So 7 of the 13 bikes turned into the rest area at Saguaro Lake and this gave me more opportunities to use my camera. I was delighted to find that there was cactus in bloom. That is great news, as it is a sign that the desert will soon be full of them.
The end of today’s ride occurred almost 6 hours after departure. According to the GPS, we traveled a total of 178.2 miles at an average speed of 52.0 mph. That puts us on the bikes a total of 3 hours, 25 minutes and 34 seconds.
There are a lot of pictures today, including this one where it appears that Mike is wearing Ted’s handlebar mustache as a monocle. To see all of the pictures CLICK HERE and remember, the best way to view them is to use the slide show option under the Actions Tab.
Reminder: Next Wednesday, is the highway clean up day. Meet Blue at the Club House, here at Golden Vista.. After cleanup, you will be riding to Globe for lunch. Maybe Teddy and I can take an hour to help with the collection part of the day, but the report and any pictures of the ride will depend on someone else.
Ride Safe…
Shutterbug.
| CLICK HERE to see all of today's pictures |  | | I understand that the ride on Saturday will begin at 8 am and that we will be having breakfast at Ma's Kitchen. See you there..
I still have not received any report on the Wednesday ride. I think the numbers were small, (about 7) and am sure that all who rode had a good time.
| | | | I visited with Blue this morning and he says that the ride on Wednesday will be down to Tag's in Coolidge.
Hope someone can get me a report.
Shutterbug. | | | | Kelty Clan Celebration
Our ride today was special in more than one way. Certainly, a morning with clear blue skies, no wind and comfortably warm temperatures is one of them. And sharing time and miles with such good people is another. Completing an outing with no problems, mechanical or personal, adds to the enjoyment. But today the crown jewel was being able to share time with Blue’s family.
Once again, the Kelty Clan gathers in Apache Junction to spend time with “Dad”. What a great group of kids John has. Like last spring they came from all directions. With us on today’s ride was Kate (from Oregon), Jeff (Colorado) Sue (Pennsylvania) and Barb who lives in Maryland. Not with us on the ride, but I am sure they are part of the family gathering are Ed and John who both live in Arizona.
Today’s ride was up to Punkin Center where we made reservations at a restaurant under new ownership. Previously known as Aunt Becky’s it is now Mama Lou’s. We had a total of 17 bikes plus a cage and a total of 29 of us who made the trip. Jeff drove the cage along with Char, Kate, Sue and Jeff’s girlfriend Kim. We rode as one unit with Blue leading. Barb rode behind him on the blue Goldwing. Broker rode shotgun. As a section of the Bush Highway was shut down to only one lane (to accommodate for a huge bicycle race being held in that area) we opted to ride the 60 and 202 up to Gilbert Road which then intersected with the Beeline Highway just West of Fountain Hills. The colors are pretty spectacular on this route all the way up 188 where we turned for the short ride over to Punkin Center. While it is a longer route, it took us about the same time as the primary route normally does.
I mentioned that it was quite comfortable. Even at higher elevations, the temperature was nearly 70 degrees. Not many places in the country could have claimed that. As nice as it was riding, we were happy to arrive in Punkin Center and it did not take long to dismount the bikes and open the door to Mama’s. Our room was ready for us and it seemed that they had adequate staff but, to be frank, the service was not up to par. We were seated in five separate groupings and two of the groups were enjoying a second cup of coffee while the center table (guess where I was sitting) was still wishing they had even an empty cup that might soon be filled once. On the other hand, out table had food long before the others and even though we tried to chew every bite fifty times, were finished with the meal and others still had only their coffee. Am I exaggerating, just a little? Well, I can only say this is the first time I have ever been able to go get a haircut and still have to wait for the last biker to finish their meal. It was slow! And to be honest, my haircut was not all that great, but that is another story.
Some of the early eaters rode out to get gas at Tonto Basis. We had planned on meeting there and riding down past Lake Roosevelt together. However, they had apparently tired of waiting for us as when we pulled in for fuel, there was no one there and we did not see them at the dam, nor in Globe, were we stopped at the Miami Shell Station for a rest and to use the facilities. By now the day had warmed into the high 70’s and it was time to shed jackets and chaps in favor of tee shirts and Levi’s. Our numbers had dwindled down to 9 bikes and the cage which is a more manageable number to keep together. I will say that today, the group did a very good job of staying in a tight formation. Some still have a tendency to move to the hammer lane when the leader calls for it instead of waiting until all of the traffic that may be between the front and back of the group has passed. Then we move over as a unit.
I think it was about 2:00 pm when we rode in the gate and the temperature was 86 degrees. There are a number of pictures taken today. Some by me and many by the Bookkeeper who is diligent about capturing shots as we ride and you can view them by CLICKING HERE. Again, I recommend using the Slide Show option under the Action tab.
I know that a number of those who rode today will be departing in the next week or so. Please travel safe as you return to your summer homes. We will think of you as we ride here in Paradise. I have a favor to ask.. Please send me accounts of some of the rides you take this summer. I will post them on the site. It will be great to share your experiences. If you can include pictures, that will be even better.
GPS readings:
Miles Ridden: 187.5
Average Speed: 56.0 mph
Driving Time: 03:20:59
Let me again say how nice it was to see Jeff, Kate, Sue and Barb and to meet Kim. You are a great family and as you undoubtedly know, your Dad thinks you are more than special. Ride safe everyone.
Shutterbug
| See all of today's pictures by CLICKING HERE |  | | I think Blue has mentioned this ride to many of you. I am certain he is planning on attending, as will Wanda and I. Hope you can join us.
Shutterbug...
Oh yes, please remember that this Saturday's ride will begin at 8 am. We will be riding up to Punkin Center. Blue's kids are visiting and will be going along. Should be fun.. See you there..... | |  | | Hi Pat,
Still having issues with downloading photos so will put them on CD and deliver them to you. Trip report as follows.
As our season winds down, so do the number of riders. Today we had a total of 8 bikes meeting at the Chevron station with 2 ladies joining us; Fran Barrington and Anne Hewitt. Gary and Anne will be leaving on Thurs so returned home after breakfast, wishing you a safe journey. Mother nature presented us with a near perfect day for riding. Blue was modeling his new summer helmet today which could best be described as "pretty cool". Dollar Bill served as our leader with Blue as our tail gunner, these rolls were reversed on our return. Both assumed their rolls well as would be expected. Our destination today was Lake Bartlett with our breakfast stop being Denny's @ Fountain Hills. Jack Parsons joined us there increasing our bike count to 9. The waitresses were kind enough to line up enough tables to allow us to eat as a group which is always preferred. Lack of subject matter never seems to be a problem with the Angels! The service and food was top notch, smaller groups never seem to be an issue here.
Our next stop was Lake Bartlett which now appears to be near or at its highest level, what a beautiful sight. We parked at a visit area nearer the North end which I have never seen before, I think one of the nicest parts of the lake. Our return home was via 101 and 202, we did encounter quite a bit of construction along Pima Road which combined with stop lights made staying as a "bunch" a challenge. Once were able to negotiate our way to the diamond lane on 101 this was no longer an issue. We arrived home by about 1:30 PM, I neglected to reset my odometer so have no input on distance.
To view all of today's pictures, please CLICK HERE.
I believe Blue plans on Sat. include going to Punkin Center Sat. and eating at what was "Aunt Becky's" which is now under new ownership.
Hope to see you all then.
The Red Baron & Snoopy
| CLICK HERE to see today's pictures. |  | | I am reasonably certain that Blue said the ride this Wednesday would be to Bartlett Lake...
Remember, the departure time has been moved up to 8 am and the Chevron Station is still the beginning point.
I hope someone will get me an account of the ride and some pictures.
Ride Safe Angels.
Shutterbug | | | | The Long Loop….. AJ to Payson to Show Low, down the Salt River Canyon to Globe and then home… This is near the top when it comes to my favorite local rides and today was good because it was shared with friends. In total, twenty-two of us astride 16 bikes, were treated to a day of beautiful scenery.
The ride began at 8 am, with 12 bikes departing the Chevron Station. We grew by two bikes when we reached the intersection of Usary Road and the Bush Highway and then by the last two as we intersected with the Bee Line Highway. It was a beautiful morning, blue skies, only light breezes and temperatures hovering in the mid 50’s. Our breakfast destination was pre-arranged for Rye Creek. As always, our leader, Blue, had made reservations for us. Broker rode shotgun today and kept everyone safe and the herd reasonably gathered. Upon arrival, the tables were ready, the coffee was waiting and spirits were high. Most of us like stopping here as the prices are more than reasonable and the portions are beyond ample. You can see here that Don Field's Chicken Fried Steak Breakfast is more than a mouthful. The food started out promptly, but it took a while to get us all served and it was over an hour later that the last of us had sated our appetites and were ready to ride.
We continued on up to Payson and then East up on the Mogollon Rim. We had planned to stop at some of the viewing areas but they were not yet open for travel. As you will see, there is still a good bit of snow up here and while the melting is creating some sizable ponds, it is a long way from the point where you would stroll barefoot through the spring blooms. It was a bit windy at the higher elevations and the temperature dropped to the low 40’s. brrrrrrrr. We made a brief stop (to stretch and use the facilities) at Overgaard and then another to refuel when we reached Show Low. Then it was time to turn the bikes toward lower and warmer country. We always like to stop for pictures when we enter the Salt River Canyon and today was no exception. Here is a shot of my pal, Steve Jameson, standing tall on the wall. (Oh to be young and full of it again). And the Red Baron wanted a picture of he and Snoopy with their new trike. This is a great place to feature that combination. After a long stretch and one more group picture, it was on down the highway to Globe and one last stop at the Miami Shell.
By this time, we had shed layers of clothing and some were down to tee shirts and levi’s. I saw readings of 73 as we came off the mountain. It was after 4:30 when we rode back into the resort. I missed a few miles of recording distance with the GPS today. Sometimes I just forget to turn it back and are down the road a mile or two before I figure that out. What I did record in miles traveled was 300.2 at an average speed of 55.3. So, of the 8.5 hours we were playing today, almost 5.5 of them were moving on our two wheelers. My maximum speed this ride was 83.7 and that was only because traffic separated us and caused me to fall back a mile or two. So, I hurried just a little to catch my friends.
To see all of today’s pictures… CLICK HERE. I suggest that you use the slide show option under the Actions Tab. Pay close attention to all of the smiles, the beautiful green desert and all of the beautiful flowers that adorn the roadway. Then perhaps you can understand why, even when tired, I can say it was a WONDERFUL DAY. Thanks Blue for a great lead.
Shutterbug
| CLICK HERE to see today's pictures |  | | My continued thanks and appreciation to Gene Bonnes for both his tenacity and excellence in covering the rides when I am unable to be there. He has been battling a problem with his computer. Finally has a new one, but now the program to handle pictures is missing. So, today he brought me a disc with the pictures from this ride. And here is the report he submitted on the 31st....
Shutterbug:
Hi Pat,
Progress sometimes comes slow. I now have my new computer but just discovered my photo program from the old computer was not downloaded into this one. Something to do tomorrow! I will just do a report tonight, if all goes well, will have some photos tomorrow.
We had a very nice ride today, our destination being Petro in Casa Grande. We had a total of 17 bikes with 3 lady riders. Joining us today for the first time was Eric LaJoy of Regina, Canada. Eric and his co-rider wife Nadia spend their winters in our park (Sun Life in Mesa) and rides a GW 1800. Because of our size, Blue decided to split into two groups, one led by him with Little Al in the rear, the other group led by Dollar Bill with Red Shirt in the rear. We took the scenic route down via Florence and somehow the two groups became separated but still arrived within seconds of each other. Our food and service were both exemplary as is quite common here. All agreed that due to the high winds, we would not return via the freeway and instead took yet another new way back home. Other than a couple of healthy gust from the SW, the winds were quite bearable. The amount of dust in the air was also much less than expected. We arrived home by about 1:00 PM my estimated miles to and from GV would be about 150 miles.
To see all of today's pictures, CLICK HERE. Use the slide show option under the Actions Tab.
The plan for Sat. is to "Ride the rim" with breakfast in Payson continuing on to Show Low then returning via the Salt River Canyon. This and all future rides this winter will now be departing at 8:00 AM. Blue estimates that our total distance will be about 310 miles, our scheduled time back to GV will be about 4:00 PM. This is always a beautiful ride, the flowers should be in full bloom by then.
Hope to see you on Sat.
The Red Baron and Snoopy
| CLICK HERE to view today's pictures |  | | I received the word from Blue this afternoon that the ride on Saturday will begin at 8 am. And, it is one of my favorite excursions.
We will head to Payson, stopping for breakfast at either Rye Creek, the Casino or the Airport. Then we will continue on up past Forrest Lakes and over to Show Low where we will turn South to Globe and then home. It should be a beautiful ride and I am betting we will have another good turn out. See you there.
Shutterbug. | | | | I just had a note from Ed, and he loaded some of his pictures into the folder where I have the picnic pictures. If you have already looked at this, you may want to take another peek. To access them, CLICK HERE | CLICK HERE to see today's pictures |  | | Good Morning Angels…
I am tardy in preparing the report and posting the pictures of yesterday’s picnic. It was a full day and I was a little lazy.
Once again, we met at Lost Dutchman State Park and if you were not there, you missed a really nice affair. We had 44 Angels who signed the attendance register and they were treated to some beautiful views of the mountain and I have never seen it greener. The cactus blooms are not yet in evidence, but they soon should be.
It was a day of good conversations. After a short period of silent prayer for the bikers that were struck by the truck, Parson Phil (or is it Phil Parsons) gave a wonderful blessing and we started in on our lunch. Following that, Blue recognized several of the Angels for their contributions to our activities and introduced some of the new members and special guests. I appreciate the nice things he said about us. I want to share some of those accolades with others who have contributed to the reporting of rides, etc. Gene Bonnes (Red Baron) has been so good about providing write-ups on the rides I don’t attend and is always so good about providing pictures. Phil Parsons also jumps in to help in this area, as has Bill Barrington and Fred Krantz. My thanks to each of you for your contributions as I know it is a time consuming activity and your fitting it into your schedule is really appreciated.
For the past several years, Dollar Bill has donated beautiful wooden motorcycle replicas to Blue, which he in turns sells raffle tickets on and those funds help to offset some of the costs of the picnic and other expenses that Blue incurs during the year to make our activities to successful. This year there were two bikes won, the first by Tony Reslein and the other by Al Servais. Al was at the picnic, but Tony may have already returned to Canada. So, Tony, give Blue a call at 480-671-2040 to make arrangements for delivery of your prize. There was also a tee shirt drawn for and Very Chrestensen was the winner of that. (I checked the size and Vern… I think you have a birthday present for Audrey!)
I understand that a couple of the bikes (Dollar Bill and Red Baron) rode on up to Tortilla Flats following the picnic. Wanda and I rode to D&D Cycle and ordered new helmets. (It is going to be our gift to each other for tolerating each other a total of 47 years)
Next Wednesday’s ride is tentatively scheduled for Petro and I am assuming that it will still be a 9 am departure.
To see all of today’s pictures, you can CLICK HERE. Oh yes, Ed Kelty had his camera there and Ed takes fantastic shots. Hopefully he will share some of them with us today.
Shutterbug
| To see all of today's pictures, CLICK HERE |  | | Dallas Talbott sent me this message today. It is self explainatory. What great people we ride with... Thanks Dallas...
Shutterbug...
Hi there I just sold my 1989 Honda Goldwing and I have a clymerr 1988- 1992 manual
I also have a 1994 Honda shop manual to give away if any one wants either one, or both.
These are free so call 480-982-3031. I'm not sure if this the way to do this but would like some one in the group to get these they are in good condition.
Dallas
| | | | I can't imagine that anyone would have forgotten, but just in case, tomorrow is the Annual Picnic. We will meet at Lost Dutchman State Park at Noon. The cost of entry, I think, is $2.00 if you wear your Angel's cap. You should bring your own lunch and something to drink. See you there.
Shutterbug | | | | Our ride Sat. consisted of 18 bikes with 4 co-riders. The weather was perfect. Because of our size, we were divided into two groups, one going to Ma's, the other to the Duck Pond. The first group departed for the Duck Pond with Broker in the lead and Big Al in the rear. Vern served as the leader for the second group with Wrangler in the rear. Snoopy and I opted for the Duck Pond as can be seen by the photos. As we gained in altitude, the temperatures gradually cooled off to 54 degrees. As is usual at the Duck Pond, the food was excellent, it's just not a good place to be in a hurry, it has become one of Snoopy's and my favorite places. We like the relaxing atmosphere among other things.
After satisfying our hunger pains, 3 bikes returned directly home, the remaining going on to the dam @ Roosevelt. Our timing was perfect as our group arrived at the dam less than one minute prior to the second group. We opted to ride to the rear of the dam as rumor was that they were draining water from the lake which turned out to be fact. I'm not sure what the volume of water leaving the lake is but it is very significant (photos 036 thru 041). A couple more riders returned to GV, the remaining two groups continued on the our usual gas stop. We returned home as one group with Broker in the lead and Wrangler in the rear.
Not sure of the plans for Wed. hope to see you all there and again my apologies for the late report.
To view all of today's pictures... CLICK HERE
The Red Baron
| See all of today's pictures by CLICKING HERE |  | | Blue just called to let me know that the ride tomorrow will be down to Sunny Side Up... Departure at 9 am... If you are wanting one of the Blue's Angels Patches, Blue will have some with him. The cost is $5.00 each.
Shutterbug | | | | Dollar Bill asked me to post this announcement for him. If you are interested, please contact Bill:
4th annual Blessing of the Bikes (this is the end of bike week)
April 18th, 2010 at Four Peaks Elementary School in Apache Junction.
Service at 9:45--Blessing at 11:30
First 200 riders get a free ride pin/year bar
Located at Crossroads Alliance Church on the corner of N. Idaho and E.
Superstion Rd
E-mail me if you are interested....
| | | | Sunday, our last day of travel for this outing to New Mexico. The weather forecast had predicted cold early temperatures, so it had been decided that we could sleep in a little and not depart until 9 am MDT. And, while that sounded like an excellent idea, it just was not to be for at 5 am the fire alarm for the motel began to yell at us. I did my best to ignore it, but Wanda, being the vigilant one in the family, rose and gently suggested that I get my fanny out of bed as well. You will remember that yesterday I drug my sore hip three miles up and down the mountain, so there was no “springing” out of the sack. When I stuck my head into the hallway, people were returning to their rooms with the knowledge that it was a kitchen mishap that had triggered the event. (they burned some of the breakfast) But getting back to sleep was out of the question, so we bided our time until it was time to go to breakfast. It has been a longer than planned day.
By 9 am the temperature has warmed from 26 up into the mid 30’s and we had our gear loaded in and on the bikes so it was off to the local Chevron Station for fuel in preparation for departure. Today, Blue asked that I lead the group and Dollar Bill was to ride shotgun. The morning was clear and crisp, with brilliant blue skies and you could see forever. ( I am not sure how far that is in miles.. but a long way)
Our route would take us home over the path we originally had planned to take on the way to Silver City. We rode west on # 180 up to #78 where we turned toward Mule Creek and the Arizona border. There was little traffic and we made pretty good time. Had talked of stopping in Mule Creek for a break, but could not find a good spot to get off the road and we continued on past the Arizona border where there was a good spot to stretch but there were no bathroom facilities. (sometimes a problem) The road from that spot on over to # 191 was fun to ride. Lots of turns, some greater than 180 degrees and there were some really nice vistas. We stopped at that junction and availed ourselves of a portable john. Not the prettiest, or cleanest, but sometimes being the closest makes up for those things.
As the day was so nice and the day still reasonably young, the decision was made to turn north and ride up past Morenci to look at the Copper Mine. That is the beginning of the Coronado Trail and another fun spot for anyone who likes to lean into the corners. It was interesting to watch the seemingly small, but in reality HUGE trucks hauling materials from high on the mountain to a pit in the bottom.
The effects of an early breakfast began to fade so it was time to head on down the road, with Safford our target for fuel. That would be fuel for the bikes and then to Jerry’s for lunch. That took a bit longer than planned as the food was a long time in coming out, but we managed.
Blue then took the lead as we proceeded west on # 70 to Globe and there we stopped at a regular stretching spot (the Shell Station) for another break. The rest of the ride in took a bit longer. I was again charged with finding our way and we made good time all the way to the Renaissance Grounds and then it almost stopped. It was mostly brake lights and "toes on the pavement" for the remainder of the ride to town. We arrive home at just after 5 pm, tired but content. It was a really great weekend away.
Today’ GPS data indicates we rode a total of 282.7 miles at an average speed of 45.9 mph. So our time moving on the bikes was 06:09:53. That is a long day for us and I know that all twelve of us are glad to be back in our own nests.
If you would like to see all of today’s pictures, just CLICK HERE.
Shutterbug
| See all of today's pictures by CLICKING HERE |  | | Brrrrrrrrrrr…. Why would sane people leave an 80 degree climate and travel to one where the morning temperature was 27 degrees and the wind chill equivalent was 19? I have an answer to that, but am not sure that you would understand it. So, we will just say that the key word in that question was “sane”.
So, have you surmised that it was chilly when we rose this morning? You are correct. But, the motel serves a hot breakfast and we were not pressed to depart extra early, so it was not all that bad. I did not get pictures of the morning repast, but I understand that Little Al had some trouble distinguishing some of the foods available. They had bacon, eggs, waffles, cereals, etc and I don’t think I have ever heard of anyone putting sugar and syrup on their eggs before. (Now they were cooked in a round shape and did resemble hot cakes, but…..) In any case, it was a nice meal and I am certain that in the morning we will avail ourselves of that amenity.
It had been decided that we would ride up to visit the Gila Cliff Dwellings and by the time we gathered in the parking lot and began uncovering the bikes and getting them warmed up, the ambient temperature had warmed up to just below freezing. But, warm layering and in many cases, heated clothing made us pretty comfortable. We decided to take highway 15 up and for me that was an excellent choice. It is full of twists and turns, some bending back on itself, and is a really pretty ride. We rode over the continental divide and reached elevations in excess of 7,000 feet. There was evidence of winter along the way and in spots the roads could have been a bit slick as the water ran across the pavement in a number of spots. But, we were cautious and had no near misses.
Don Gabbert did experience some difficulty as his machine, much like Mini Al last Saturday, began having reduced output from his alternator. We stopped and Don disabled his headlight and the tail lights which seemed to reduce the voltage usage enough that his alternator was able to keep the battery charged. So, we were able to proceed up the Cliff Dwellings.
We stopped first at the Visitor Center for orientation and to use the facilities. Then we rode up to a temporary parking area as a damaged bridge on the way to the ruins was damaged. That then required that those interested in seeing the ruins walk a mile up the road. It was a pretty walk but not John, Char and Wanda opted to stay behind.
Once at the ruins there was a short introduction to the walk up to and through the dwellings and then we started the one mile walk up to, through and back to the center. These are the largest and best preserved dwellings I have ever seen and am really pleased that I was able to make the walk. There are a number of pictures taken of and in the attraction, but I am not sure they do it justice as it does not really show how extensive a place it is. For certain, it is worth seeing.
I think that the total walk up, through and back took about 2 hours. John, Char and Wanda had gone back to the visitor center so we rode back there to gather the clan and then proceeded homeward. Our route back took us on highway 35. It is not as windy or as steep but is very pretty and both routes were full of cattle guards. We crossed more of them than we saw cattle, but I suppose in the summer that changes. There were a number 108.8 of places where we had to slow for the water crossing the road. Fortunately Blue was good about giving us adequate warning. ( I understand that he hit one of the mini rivers with sufficient speed that he received a nice afternoon shower) We did make one stop for snacks before returning to the motel. We had talked about riding down to see City of Rocks, but the day was late and all were tired, so that will remain for another time.
Upon return to our evening digs, we again enjoyed a session of adult cocktails and then hiked down the highway to the Red Barn, a local steakhouse. The food was good as was the service and the prices. Now we are all safe in our room, and soon will be dreaming about tomorrows ride back to warmer temperatures. We will be taking a different route home and I will share those pictures with you tomorrow. In the meantime, if you are interested in seeing all of today’s shots (and there are LOTS OF THEM)…… CLICK HERE ….. I do suggest that you use the slide show feature which you will find after clicking the Actions Tab as it will automatically take you to all of the folders.
We did not ride a lot of miles, but it still took all day. My GPS shows total miles ridden as 108.8 and our average speed was 32.0 mph. Total time riding : 3:19:03. Maximum speed – 67.3 (see we were on some faster straighter roads)
Now it is time to transfer the pictures and this account to the web site. I hope that the local riders will send me a report on their outing today.
We will visit again tomorrow…
Shutterbug
| CLICK HERE to see all of today's pictures |  | | It is Friday and a small group of the Angels gathered for an overnight outing to New Mexico. These are the types of rides that lend themselves to smaller groups and for this occasion, six bikes, each with two riders, were included. John & Char, Bill & Fran, Pat & Wanda, Al & Marie, Don & Shirley and Garry & Anne met at the Chevron Station for a 9 am departure. The forecast locally indicated that there may be some wind, but no rain while the New Mexico prospects included cooler temps with a 30% chance of thunder storms. You will see by the early pictures that the skies were ominous looking and hinting of some wet riding. It was in the mid 50’s on departure but began to cool as we gained elevation and there was some smattering of rain on the windshield. By the time we reached Judy’s in Globe and parked the bikes for our breakfast stay, some took the time to cover their rides in hopes of preserving a dry place to park their rears when we left.
Breakfast was enjoyable. We all shared a large corner area and the service was good. By the time we finished, it was about 11:00 am and the skies were even darker. Wanda and I donned rain gear in hopes that our efforts would insure no rain for the group and for the most part, that worked. Our intended route was to include a little detour up to Morenci to look into the mines, but as we rode east on 70 past Safford, the weather deteriorated. The snow on Mt. Graham was ample and it looked cold up there. As we headed N on 191 it continued to grow more threatening and the wind picked up which caused huge dust disturbances in the foothills around Morenci. The scenery, however, as we rode this way was pretty spectacular as the poppies are in bloom and gave the hillsides bright yellow and gold casts.
We decided that we would stop to discuss our plan of attack and to allow everyone to gear up for wet riding as the clouds as we looked toward Silver City promised a lot of rain. A car coming from that way, stopped to say that there were 30 miles an hour side winds with hard rain. He recommended we not go that way and our decision was to ride South to pick up 70 again so we could arrive from the South. By this time, the wind was our constant companion and the temperatures continued to cool. By the time we reached Highway 90, it became clear that even with this new approach, there was going to be some dampness involved. When we climbed to about 6,000 ft elevation, the temperature dropped to 42 degrees. With my leathers and rain gear, my body was warm enough but my fingerless gloves did little to keep my paws comfortable. Many later commented that their faces were really chilled but we arrived here with no problems… well, sort of arrived without problems. My GPS led us astray with directions to the motel, but we found a spot outside of town and returned. Blue used his natural skills to find the EconoLodge and we were soon checked in and ready for coctails.
Now, it is a little after 9, my traveling companion just turned her bed lamp off and will soon be deep in dream land. I am tired, but want to get this posted to the site before quitting for the day.
Tomorrow, we will do local site seeing and I will bring you up to date tomorrow night. Until then, know that my untrustworthy GPS says that we traveled a total of 263.1 miles at an average speed of 53.7 mph. So we were riding time = 04:53:45. My maximum speed today was 75.6 mph (was hurrying to complete a passing maneuver.
More tomorrow night.
Shutterbug.
| CLICK HERE to see all of today's pictues |  | | This note is to let you know that the ride for Saturday is currently scheduled for Ma's Kitchen. Vern Chrestensen and Wrangler will be coordinating the ride arrangements and I guess could change the destination as well. Departure times have not changed so those attending should be at the Chevron and ready to depart by 9 am.
There is a small group of us who will not be attending as we are headed to New Mexico for the weekend. We are leaving Friday morning and will return on Sunday.
Ride safe and if someone will prepare a report (with or without pictures) I will be sure to post it.
Shutterbug | | | | Blue has asked that those of you who will be riding in the St. Paddy's Day Parade on Wednesday meet just inside the South Gate of Golden Vista at 9:30. You will see where the bikes are staging.
Also, I have the Blue's Angels Patches that some of you have been asking for. The cost is $5.00 per patch. Contact me to make arrangements to get one.
Pat Alsup 480-671-2137
| | | | This is to remind all of you that this Wednesday the Angels will be riding in the Golden Vista St Patrick's Day Parade. The parade begins at 10 am, but you should be ready to ride not later than 9:30. Meet at the station before that. You are encouraged to doll your bike with any appropriate decoration and if you want, you can even come looking like a Leprechaun.
There is no ride planned following the parade, but that should not detour you from planning your own.
I will be working, but Wanda will be there with her camera, so smile nice when you ride by.
Here are some pictures from an earlier parade....
Shutterbug | |  | | Tonto Natural Bridge State Park was the destination today for, by my count, 27 bikes and a compliment of 36 riders. Given the size of the group, it was determined that we would divide into three smaller segments. Group one would have breakfast at the Payson Airport while two and three would stop at the Casino for their morning meal. Shutterbug led 9 bikes with 13 up to the airport. Wrangler rode shotgun for me as Wanda’s sister Judy was his passenger again today. It will be her last ride for this season as her schedule is full up to the time she returns back to the cold and wind of Wyoming. Vern C, with Dollar Bill was in charge of the second unit while Blue and Broker escorted the last of the Angels to the Casino. Our plan was to meet after breakfast at the State Park.
As is always the case when we go to the airport, the service is exemplary, the food is excellent, the prices are moderate and the scenery is spectacular. Tammy is usually our server and that was the case today. When we reminded her of her promise to have blackberry jam stashed away for us, she cringed and again promised to do better. She is an excellent server and a kick to be around. No wonder we like going here.
At just after 11:30 (about an hour following our arrival) we were again ready to head north to see the Natural Bridge. This is one of the parks scheduled to be closed and it’s date for demise is June 3rd. We were told that there is some chance that the City of Payson may become a partner in the venture and be able to keep it open. I hope that happens with this and other of our beautiful parks.
You will see by the pictures that the walk to the bottom of the canyon yields some beautiful scenery. Several of the Angels made the walk down and all made it back up. That is proof positive that old folks have staying power.
There was one problem today. Mini Al lost the alternator on his Honda Trike and it quit running just as we arrived at the Park. Wrangler rode back into Payson in hopes of finding a charged battery, but was unsuccessful in his search. Many of the riders departed for home. Blue led some back via Roosevelt Lake and Globe, while others opted to head straight back. Some of us stayed to assist Mini Al. It was decided that he would try to nurse the bike back home by disabling many of the electrical components and hoping that the remaining battery charge would be sufficient energy to travel the 100 miles back home. Well, it did get him about 30 miles closer to his Casa but that was all. We had tried to switch batteries with my 1800 however they are different sizes and his would not fit in my bike. So, when the power ran out, Wrangler, Gentleman Farmer and I left him on the highway and headed home to get car and trailer. While we were riding, Mini Al used his GWRRA membership handbook to call Payson members for help in locating a battery. It worked and one was delivered to him on the highway. About that time Dollar Bill, Little Al and Steve Jameson returned from a side trip to Strawberry and rode back to town with him.
All in all, it was a long day, but still enjoyable. The weather was beautiful and the companionship as good as it gets. Unfortunately, many of our riders will soon be returning to their summer homes and we will miss their smiling faces.
My GPS stats:
Miles ridden:188.6
Average Speed: 51.4
Driving Time: 03:40:21
Maximum Speed 72.4 mph
I will let you know about the Wednesday ride early next week. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy all of today’s pictures (using the slide show option under the actions tab), which you can see by CLICKING HERE. In the next few days I will be posting information about the ride some of us will be taking this next August. We will be conquering the high peaks of Colorado. Until then, please ride safe.
Shutterbug
| View today's pictures by CLICKING HERE |  | | IMPORTANT NOTICE; Bill Barringtons trip to the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park tomorrow has been rescheduled to this Sat. Departure time will be the usual 9:00 AM. Breakfast will be at a "to be determined" restaurant in Payson. Anyone not wishing to continue on to the park can return to AJ following breakfast, your choice. Also, remember next Wed. is St. Patty's Day so the Angels will be participating on the park parade in the morning, more details to follow.
In spite of substantially cooler than normal temperatures, 15 bikes showed up with one brave co-rider: Tail Dragger's wife Shirley. Our destination today was the Cracker Barrel in Casa Granda. Our route down was via the fastest route through Florence. Blue was our leader, Wrangler was again our tail gunner. This was only temperary as we lost Rainbird and Wrangler just South of Florence as Rainbird lost a side panel and Wrangler stayed behind to help search for it. I am pleased to report it was found with only a couple of minor scratches. They arrived at the Cracker Barrel only about 15 min. late. Mini Al did a fine job as our new new tail gunner for the remainder of the route. While traveling West on 287 we were surprised to be intercepted by Broker bringing our new total to 16 bikes. As is usual, the food and service at the Cracker Barrel was first class. We were all seated as a group which is not always possible in restaurants of this type. Some more good news; Roy and Jack now have CB's installed on their bikes now allowing them to comunicate with the group. Blue temperarily assigned Jack the handle of "Jumping Jack" which may get changed, but who knows?? .
Our routing home was via the Interstate with Blue as our leader and Wrangler again in the rear. Blue, Wrangler, and I think one or two others broke off on 202 to visit D & D Discount as Blue needed a new headlight bulb. By the time we arrived home, I was showing an OAT of 60 degrees as compared to 48 when we left. Great ride, great company. Unfortunatey, I will not be able to ride Sat. due to family commitments. You all have a safe ride. Hope to see you next week.
| View all of today's pictures by CLICKING HERE |  | | Blue left me a message and has asked that I remind you that tomorrows (Wed) ride will be to Casa Grande. Depending on the size of the group, you will be eating at either the Cracker Barrel or Mimi's. Depart from the station at 9 am.
| | | | | | | | My apologies to the Red Baron for not including his photo's taken at The Duck Pond.. I just did not see the attachement. If you log onto the site and go back to the Gene's write up on the ride, they are now attached appropriately (I think). Or you can just look at them by clicking here.
I will try to do better in the future, but it is a challenge for people of my moderate skill.
Shutterbug. | |  | | Blue asked that I let you know that Joe Lessard's 2006 Suzuki Burgman 650 scooter is for sale. It has less than 10,000 miles on it, is in excellent condition and he is asking $6,000. For complete details you can call Joe at 208-443-0602 | | | | Angels & Friends.... as soon as I made the posting for today's ride, Gene Bonnes sent me this account. Gene was with the group that rode to the Duck Pond.... Thank you sir... Excellent Account...
Shutterbug
(note: you cannot count these extra words against my reduced numbers)
Hi Pat,
Following is a brief overview of the first group of bikes today, our destination being the Duck Pond. This group was led by Vern with Dollar Bill riding shotgun. We began our trip with a total of 12 bikes and 3 co-riders. When we made our scheduled stop at Wal Mart in Globe, we were joined by Little Al and his co-rider Marlene Moser (photo DSC-104) a long time family friend from Pequot, MN. Marleen seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the ride and the company.
As is usual at the Duck Pond, the service was a little slow but the food was excellent, the prices were right, and the added time gave all some extra time to socialize. As is often the case with either the Duck Pond or Ma's as our destination, we continued around Lake Roosevelt to route 87 exiting on the Bush Highway. Four bikes in our group opted to return directly home due to previous commitments.
Today was another one of those "this is why we're here" kind of days. In addition to the perfect weather was the absolutely beautiful scenery. The rock formations after passing through the tunnel and returning on Bush Road are something I don't think I will ever tire of. My sympathy for those who may never have the opportunity to view these wonderful sights. As I have said before, this is truly a bikers paradise!
I arrived back in Mesa at about 2:45 PM, my odometer showed a total distance of 188 miles to and from our park. Hope to see you all on Wed. not aware of any designated destination at this point.
View these pictures by clicking here
Regards,
The Red Baron.
| To see the pictures from the Pond.... CLICK HERE |  | | Sunshine…. Smiles…. And lots of Miles…. That is the short summary of the Angel’s March 6th outing. I could leave it at that, but it would not be my nature. I don’t suppose that any of you would find it odd that my mother-in-law often referred to me as “Wordy”. Not because I knew a lot of them, but because I used them often… Well, today, I will attempt to be a bit briefer..(This is not going to be easy)
Twenty-eight bikes with 36 riders took part in today’s ride, fifteen of them headed to The Duck Pond with Vern Chrestensen showing them the way and Dollar Bill riding shotgun. The remaining 15 bikes, led by Blue, followed at a reasonable distance behind, but extended their ride to Ma’s Kitchen. Wrangler trailed this group to be sure no one had problems. Both units stopped at Walmart in Miami for a stretch before heading toward their destinations on Roosevelt Lake.
Following satisfying morning meals, the two units met at Tonto Basis before riding on up 188 to the junction of 87 where they turned South for home. Blue and Broker traded positions in the group for most of their journey home. They did make one rest room stop at the Saguaro Lake area before continuing on.
Wanda and I left this group as we neared US 60 as I had some shopping to do. Blue tells me that everyone arrived back without incident.
I mentioned the good weather. It was in the mid 60’s on departure, dropped into the high 50’s for a time and was 75 degrees when we rode back into the valley. Wanda took more than the normal number of pictures from the back of the bike today. She was captivated with the beauty of the very green desert and especially with the spectacular cloud formations. There was one that really reached out and grabbed her (see picture). Doesn’t it look like a hand in the sky?
We did have a new rider with us today. Meet Lynn Flora who was a guest of Chuck Mueller.
Including my shopping excursion, I logged a total of 215.8 miles at an average speed of 50.8 mph. That constitutes four hours and about 15 minutes of riding time. It was glorious.
To view all of today’s pictures, I suggest you use the slide show option under the “actions” tab as it will take you to all of the folders without having to tell it to do so. CLICK HERE
Wednesday’s ride will probably be South with destinations of Petro and Tags…. Time and place remains the same.
Shutterbug
Oh yes.. I forgot to mention that Blue was selling raffle tickets for two carved motorcycles. Chances are a buck each and the drawing will be held at the picnic on March 27th. Here is a picture of the prize..... | http://www.blues-angels.com/p/Picture%20Archive/Forms/MainView.aspx?RootFolder=%2Fp%2FPicture%20Archive%2F2010%2F20100306%20Mas%20%20%20%20%20Duck%20Pond&FolderCTID=0x01200033E31B853A7D514B916FBFB48220A198&View={7A48B2CD-E895-4A24-93E3-F90194FD9EB5} |  | | blue stopped at my work site today to tell me that the plan for this Saturday is to go to Ma's Kitchen and the Duck Pond.... Departure time and location remains unchanged. See you there.
Pat | | | | It has been such a long time since Wednesday has been a ride day for me that I had forgotten how enjoyable it could be. Now I remember. Today was fantastic! No rain, very little wind, temperatures up into the 70’s and an excellent turnout all were contributing factors.
The intended destination for today was the Sunny Side Up Café in Caliente. I think that we ended up with 31 bikes at the station and a total of 41 riders. Needless to say, that is a large group to add to a restaurants normal traffic. As it turned out, some of those bike (I think 6 or 8 of them took a shorter ride down to Coolidge where they dined at Tag’s. The remainder rode in two contingents with Vern Chrestensen leading the first and Blue the second. Dollar Bill and Wrangler rode drag, but Dollar Bill experienced radio problems after departing so I filled in temporarily. He was able to make the correction when we stopped at the Tom Mix Memorial and it was good to have him back in the conversation loop.
It was about 10:30 when we invaded the parking lot and then entered en-mass, with many of the patrons looking a little curious as we paraded to the room they had reserved for us at the back of the restaurant. Blue made the comment that this is one of the top three places we frequent when it comes to facility, quality of food and service. I have to agree, except maybe there are four on the top of the list.
We had some fresh faces today. My buddy Pooh Bear was in the saddle and he has not been able to ride with us much in recent months. It was so good to have him along. Also back visiting his parents this year is Steve Jameson along with his friend Dawn. What a nice couple.
After breakfast all but four of the bikes returned home via Winkleman and Superior. The remaining four, Wrangler, Jack Parsons, Renne Heckert and myself rode on into Tucson to see the nice people at J&M Corporation, manufactures of the electronic headsets we use. Well, three of us had cable issues which were solved with no cash expenditures on our part, and Jack obtained information regarding what he had to do to install communications on his and Linda’s bikes. (I have said this before and will repeat it often, if you are considering headsets, or communication devices for your bikes, J&M are fantastic people to deal with. They really stand behind their products)
Our ride home took us West on I-10 to 87 and then North up through Coolidge. We arrived back in the resort around 3:30. All of us were riding without jackets, so you know that the day was warm and nice..
If you are interested in seeing who rode and some pictures of the trip.. CLICK HERE.
According to my GPS, the four of us rode a total of 206.8 miles at an average speed of 51.5 mph. That reduces to a riding time of 04:01:06. My maximum speed was 80.4 mph.
Shutterbug…..
I have also received a report from the Red Baron on the ride back from Caliente.. Here it is…..
Hi Pat,
Bill Barrington has asked me to forward a note to you which he would like to have included in your trip report of today. Bill is planning a one day trip to Tonto Natural Bridge State Park which is approximately 16 miles norht of Payson, near Pine. The plan is to leave the Chevron station on Thurs. 11 March at 8:30 AM. Bill anticipates returning by mid to late afternoon. This sounds like a nice ride, this park is one of those being closed in June of this year so it may be our last chance to see one of natures wonders. Please let Bill know if you plan on participating.
Ref our trip today, we had a total of 18 bikes returning from Catalina in two groups with a fuel stop at Winkleman and then on to GV via the Kearny route. Blue led the first group with The Red Baron as tail gunner. Vern led the second group with Dollar Bill as tail gunner. Because of the manner in which we parked at Winkleman, the two groups switched positions for the ride home. Another beautiful ride under severe clear skies with the mountains getting greener by the day.. No plans for Sat. as of now.
Hope to have my computer mess sorted out in the near future so I can again include some photos.
Regards,
Red Baron
| View today's pictures by CLICKING HERE |  | | Phil Parsons is selling his Kawasaki. If you, or someone you know is looking for a very affordable ride, at only $2,200 this may be the perfect opportunity. Check out the complete details by clicking the For Sale Tab on the web site.... Or, just Click Here | CLICK HERE to see both pictures. |  | | First of all... the Wednesday ride will be headed to Sunny Side Up in Caliente and for those interested then continue down to J&M where those in need of communication gear or correction will take care of business....
Second... Several of you have asked if my sister in law will be making additional of the Blue's Angels Patches that most of us have sewn on our vests or jackets... I asked and she said that she would make them but we need at least an order of 5. So if you are interested, let me or Blue know.
Third... I am interested in picking up an extra helmet for passengers. Need it to be size medium and do not want a full face helmet. 3/4 or 1/2 is fine.... (and keep in mind that I am poor)
See you tomorrow.
Shutterbug | | | | I received an e-mail from Toy Soltou this evening advising that his surgery has been delayed to March 16th.. He is hoping that will allow him additional rides with us before he has the back surgery. I hope so too. He also said that your prayers for a quick and complete recovery are appreciated.
Shutterbug | | | | I understand that Roy Salteu is going to have spinal surgery this week. He will not be riding with us for some time, and I hope you will keep him in your prayers.
Pat A | | | | Earlier this week, most of the weather forecasts for today indicated a strong possibility for rain. That was upsetting to me, as both of Wanda’s sisters had planned to join us for the morning ride and I had hoped that we would be able to ride north to Strawberry. Yesterday, however, the profile changed and the guess was that the expected storm would not arrive until late in the day.
So, as we gathered for the ride and the plan was to ride either to Florence or Coolidge (either less than a total of 80 miles) I pled my case to Blue for a ride north. Maybe he could see the tears beading up in the corners of my eyes or perhaps he is just the really nice guy I have always proclaimed him to be, but a compromise was made. We would ride north, but stop at Rye Creek. Some of our group wanted to be back in the resort by mid day, and Rye Creek made that possible. (Thanks Blue)
The gathering was smaller than usual and with only 15 bikes and 21 riders, it was decided that we could travel as one unit. Blue took his usual position at the head of the pack and Wrangler rode shotgun. I met a new Angel today, Darrel Hunrud (third from right -facing camera) who I think had ridden previously but was new to my camera. Andrea Kern (my sister-in-law from Laramie) joined us as a rider on the back of Dennis McKinney’s Harley and Wanda’s other sister (Judy Shaw) was at the extreme rear of the procession as a guest riding with Wrangler. Tony Reslein has returned for a second time this season from his home in Canada and he too was along.
Departure was at the prescribed time and we managed most of the stop lights while getting out of town, over Usary Pass Road. That took us to the Bush Highway which led to the Beeline which when taken North leads to Rye Creek. Blue had called to alert them of our numbers and they were ready for us on arrival. We did not need the coffee hand warmers as much as in previous weeks as the temperature on departure was 58 and until the last 20 miles or so, stayed in the upper 50’s. It did cool down a little as the wind came up a bit, but all in all, it was a very comfortable ride. Oh, there was snow covering some of the higher areas, such as Four Peaks and we could see it on the hills West of the restaurant, but none in our path.
They were quick to take our orders and the first helpings were quick to arrive, but the remaining meals took a bit longer, with Blue, Char, Wrangler and Tony ending up the last to be served. Those wanting to get back early, ate and then headed directly back to AJ. When our meal was finished, we proceeded down 188 toward Globe, via Roosevelt Lake. I think that the lake must be at capacity. Never have I seen it this full and there is still a steady stream of water entering via Tonto Creek.
There were eleven bikes headed toward Globe and we made no stops before reaching the Miami Shell station where some of the bikes welcomed a drink of petro while the rest of us took advantage of the stop to stretch or to ease the bladder. On the ride back through the Canyon on #60, the temperatures continued to climb and neared 70 as we dropped over Gonzales Pass into the valley. It was around 2 pm when we rode back into the resort. For this writer, it was a glorious ride. The desert is green, reflecting the benefit of our winter rains. The company was as good as it gets and no one had any problems. All in all, a very good day…
GPS Data:
Miles Ridden: 186,6
Average Speed: 54.00 mph
Driving Time: 03:27:14
On Wednesday, there is talk of riding down to Caliente and if I can get off work, I may tag along as I need to see the good folks at J&M in Tucson.
Shutterbug
| CLICK HERE to view today's pictures |  | | February 24, 2010
Ride to Petro
It was a cool cloudy day when 24 bikers with 5 lady passengers left the Chevron station for the ride to the Petro Restaurant near the intersection of I-8 and I-10. Our travel was on the “high road”, taking Highway 60 to 79 through Florence, then Coolidge and a short tour on I-10. In half an hour, the cloud layer overhead disappeared and the sun shone for the rest of the trip. It was an exhilarating Arizona day.
After the picture, taken by Wrangler, we were divided into 2 groups. Blue led the first 12 bikes with Tomahawk as tailgunner. Vern Chrestensen led the second group with Red Shirt on the back. There was again a new rider. Vern Tiede from Hawley, Minnesota appeared on his 2006 Harley with 1,600 miles. Roy, who rode the yellow Gold Wing with outrigger wheels, appeared with his new grey Gold Wing Trike, but decided not to ride when it made unexpected sounds.
The back room at Petro was set for us when we arrived, and it was a jovial place. This was the second day on the job for our waitress, Mary, and she passed the test of service, delivering plentiful food. Some needed to return directly to AJ, while 14 bikes continued the tour to the west, with a rest stop at Ak Chin Casino, then through Maricopa and the 202, returning to Golden Vista about 2:00 with 165 miles total.
Tomorrow will be the Road Pickup on Baseline, starting at 9:00 from the Center. A rainy forecast for Saturday makes planning a destination uncertain. A short trip, perhaps to Fountain Hills, may become the goal.
Phil Parsons
| |  | | Road Cleanup
February 25, 2010
It was a light day for the Blue's Angels road warriors. Thirteen pickup Angels appeared. Blue had the trash bags, pickup sticks and vests, and we all spread out along our assigned part of Baseline. Eight bags of trash were picked up, and we were all back in the Park by 9:45 and feeling good. How's that for a day's work?
CLICK HERE to see today's pictures.
Phil Parsons
| http://www.blues-angels.com/p/Picture%20Archive/Forms/MainView.aspx?RootFolder=%2Fp%2FPicture%20Archive%2F2010%2F20100225%20Cleanup&FolderCTID=0x01200033E31B853A7D514B916FBFB48220A198&View={7A48B2CD-E895-4A24-93E3-F90194FD9EB5} |  | | I stopped at Blue's on my way home from work. He was sitting across the street, soaking up some sunshine. Smart man!
He told me that the plan for tomorrow is to ride to Petro. The departure time is unchanged. Ride safe...
Pat | | | | The weather forecast for today called for rain ! Hah…. What do those guys know about the weather? Well, today….. quite a bit. Still, even knowing that there was some chance that we might get a little damp, twenty bikes sporting 26 riders met at the Chevron, all wearing warm smiles and toasty jackets and all anticipating another great Angel ride. We had some riders back who have not been acknowledged this season. Bob DeCorte from Michigan rode last Saturday too, but I did not mention him. Also back were Don and Sue Theys on their attention getting Spyder.
While we had planned previously on riding North, as snow was a good possibility that direction, it was decided to try Kearney instead. A phone call to the restaurant there confirmed that they would find a spot for all of us to sit and following the group photo, we were on our way. Vern Chrestensen (now know as “Eagle Chrestensen as he recorded a 3 on a par 5 yesterday) led the first contingent of eleven bikes with Shutterbug riding shotgun. Blue and Wrangler were in charge of the remaining riders and they were not far behind us as we rode East on 60, past Gold Canyon, up to Superior and then South to Kearney. It looked for a time that the prognosticators were going to be wrong about the rain. There was a drop or two as we turned South on 177, the when we arrived at the restaurant, the skies were pretty clear and I, among many, opted not to put any rain cover on my ride. (Mistake!)
Our tables were ready for us as was the coffee and as the temperatures had dropped from the 50’s into the high 40’s as we rode past the Ray Mine, we were ready for some warm stimulants. Owing to the size of our group, the food was a bit longer coming out than we normally experience, but that did not diminish the quality of our gathering. What did put a little bit of a “damper” on the morning was the fulfillment of the rain prophesies as by the time we were ready to ride, rain suits were more than just a fashion statement. They were pretty much a necessity.
Some of the bikes opted to head straight back to Apache Junction, braving what was obviously a serious storm on the mountain. Others went to Winkleman for fuel and then rode on up to Globe and home. The remaining 13 bikes rode as one unit down to Oracle Junction and then home via Florence. We chose this route thinking that if we avoided the mountains, the weather would be dryer. Well, while there may have been less rain, it was certainly not dry. I heard a couple of guys say it was the worst rain they had ever ridden in. I can only say that they have not been with Wanda and I on all our journeys as we have experienced harder and longer storms, but in all fairness, it was pretty damp. And the wind was really whipping it up. I had a tumble weed larger than my bike blow directly in front of me. What an explosion! It was pretty exciting for a second and I will be picking sticks out of my bike for weeks to come. Glad I had the faring to protect me and my face shield down.
One stop just prior to reaching Florence allowed the boys to water cacti and then a fuel stop in Florence gave the “hold outs” a chance to lighten their loads as well. We rode back into Apache Junction just before 2:00. The temperatures had warmed from a low of 42 to about 50 and it was no longer precipitating. And, just in case you are wondering, it was still a great ride.
My GPS records indicate we covered a total of 177.7 miles at an average speed of 53.6. Do the math and that comes to a total of 3 hours, eighteen minutes and 51 seconds of riding. My maximum speed was 83.8 so you know I was near the back of the pack and had to hustle to catch up a time or two.
I will send information about Wednesday’s ride later, but want to remind all of you that this next Thursday is the street cleanup day. Meet Blue and your fellow Angles at the Golden Vista Club House at 9 am.
Shutterbug…..
| CLICK HERE to see today's pictures |  | | As the weather experts are predicting snow in the morning at Payson, it has been decided that alternate destinations are likely. Departure will be at 9 am and the decision as to where we go will be made then.
Pat | | | | Hi Pat,
Still no computer so am unable to forward any photos but will give a brief overview of our ride today which was absolutely excellent. We had a total of 20 bikes, 10 with co riders. We were joined by a new rider today, a Darrel Honrud of Bellingham, Washington riding a Kawasaki Venturer. Darrel is spending the winter in our park (Sun Life) and commented about how nice our group is and how great the ride was today.
We traveled in two groups, the first group (8 bikes) being led by Vern C. with Big Red in the rear, the second group (12 bikes) was led by Blue with Wrangler in the rear. Our destination was Guayo's just North of Globe who's specialty is Mexican food. We arrived at about 11:00 AM and were escorted to a private room in the rear of the building. The restaurant looks small on the outside which is very deceiving as there are several small banquet halls inside. The food and service was excellent, they have the capacity to deal with large groups of people. We were informed that the unlimited supply of chips supplied to each table were home made each morning. I'm sure we will be visiting here again.
Our return route was via Winkelman again traveling in 2 groups, this time with the lead group being led by Blue with Wrangler in the rear, the second group with Vern in the front and Big Red in the rear. I registered a total of about 190 miles from our park and returned home at 2:45 PM. For whatever reason, the route between Globe and Winkelman seems more scenic going South than North, only my opinion.
Our plans for Sat. are to leave the Chevron station at 9:00 AM and go North to the Payson area with one group eating at the casino, another group at the airport and the third group going to Strawberry. Sounds like another good ride. Hope to see you all Sat.
The Red Baron
My thanks to Gene for his fine report. We miss the photo's but understand the problem.
Blue has asked me to remind all of the Angels of the Street Clean Up scheduled for a week from Thursday, Feb 25th. I will be sending you a reminder of the time and place to meet, but please put this on your calendar.
Also, I understand that Blue's brother Bill is improving some. Please continue to keep him in your prayers.
Shutterbug. | | | | It has come to my attention (that is what sister-in-law's are for) that Blue did not lead the group to Judy's. He, in fact, led the last unit to the Duck Pond. I do apologize for the error. Guess I should not wait until midnight to do these entries.
Sorry.
Shutterbug | | | | From 50 to 70 - - - that was our day. Now I could be talking about several things.. Maybe the ages of our riders, but not the count of our clan. Maybe the speeds we rode and I suppose it could be the distance we traveled. As it turns out, it is the temperatures we enjoyed on the fantastic February day.
In fact, we did have one of our largest counts of bikes and riders. If I am not mistaken, there was a total of 35 bikes and 52 riders that crowded the parking lot at the Goldfield Chevron. Blue made the comment that if we continue to grow we will have to find another gas station with a bigger lot. (Maybe we should consider an abandoned air field someplace) The decision was made that we would travel in three groups to three locations. Some of the riders needed to be back a bit earlier so Judy’s Cook House in Globe was the first destination. Group two would ride to Ma’s Kitchen at Roosevelt Lake and the remaining riders would stop at the Duck Pond which is only a few miles short of Ma’s. Figuring out who was going where, so we could get a count that would allow Blue to call to alert them of our pending arrival, was a real challenge. When asked for a count of hands for any given place, some hands were barely visible, while others went up for about 30 seconds, but not long enough to get an accurate count. It was a challenge. So, Blue called ahead with what he hoped to be good numbers and we were soon ready to depart. But not before our traditional group photo.. I also took a picture of most of the ladies who were present. (Good looking group don’t you think?)
Garry Hewitt led the first unit up to Judy’s.. Garry was nice enough to send me a report on that segment and I really appreciate that. Thank you sir!
Hi Pat: As per your request:
Left Chevron with 8 bikes & 5 passengers for Judy's Cook House in Globe. Garry lead the way, with Little Al on the tail, arriving in Globe in time to wave & spur on Vern's group on their way to lake country. Short but warm & beautiful ride - great service @ Judy's and as always, great company. Back to AJ by 12:15. (no rain today!)
Thanks, Pat. Garry
Thank you Garry!.. Wow.. how can he say it all in so few words?
Vern Chrestensen led the second unit which consisted of 13 bikes packing 19 riders. Don Fields assumed the responsibility of tail gunner and our destination was Ma’s. As I mentioned, the temperature early was in the 50’s, although I think it may have dropped into the high 40’s as we went over the top of the mountain. As our departure from the Chevron was a little delayed, we opted not to take our usual stretch stop at the Wal Mart store in Globe, and made the trip to the lake in just under an hour and one half. They had expected only 12 Angels, but quickly made the adjustments to get us seated, coffee poured and our orders submitted. The foot was abundant, delicious and came out in a reasonable length of time. The company was as good as the meal.
Blue led the remaining riders (14 bikes with 20 up) to The Duck Pond. Gene (Red Baron) Bonnes rode shotgun and their unit was close behind us so we were able to hear them chat over the CB’s. Before we stopped to eat, arrangements were made to meet at Roosevelt Dam for a picture session. You will see that we took a several pictures of the riders and their mounts, all of which are posted. (If any of you want copies of you and yours, let me know).
Our next stop was at Tonto Basin and was important as our breakfasts always include an ample intake of coffee and it does not seem to travel well (or long). Several of the bikes from group two and three had opted to return directly back to AJ so I think we were now down to around 21 bikes total. Blue led the way home, continuing on up 188 to the Beeline Highway and then home.
Remember the 50-70 thing.. Yep, it was over 70 degrees when we rode back into town. Now that is perfect riding weather. And, according to my GPS, these riders traveled a total of 177.3 miles at an average speed of 52.1 mph. That figures out to be 3 hours, 24 minutes and 15 seconds of riding time. My maximum speed was 78.4 mph (the result of falling behind for traffic at a stop sign) And, on a personal note, I also turned over 80,000 miles on my 03 Goldwing. For me that is 60,000 miles of enjoyment and smooth riding.
As you are looking at today’s pictures (which are available by clicking here) be sure to not the beautiful blue skies and the emerging green in the desert. Our recent rains have made a tremendous difference in the look of things and in the water levels of our reservoirs. (Roosevelt must be near capacity) When viewing the pictures, I suggest using the slide show option under actions.
The ride on Wednesday will be up to Globe for lunch. Departure is at 10 am so mark you calendar accordingly.
One last thing… Bill Kelty, Blue’s brother, is needing our assistance. He is struggling with pneumonia and is also being treated for cancer. Please keep him and the Kelty family in your prayers.
Shutterbug
| CLICK HERE to view today's pictures |  | | Blue informed me that the ride this Saturday (Feb 12) will be up to Ma's & the Duck Pond... Departure will be at the regular 9 am time and we will meet at the Chevron Station. See you there.
Shutterbug | | | | I want to thank all of the Angels and Angels Friends who attended our showing of the Wyoming Ride pictures last night. It was a fun evening for Wanda and I. We had about 30 show up. Some had to depart at intermission but most hunkered down and shivered through the entire program.... Pictures and HERE | click here to see all of the pictures. |  | | Blue asked me to remind you that this Wednesday the group will depart from the Chevron Station at the usual 9 am time. The planned destination is The Sunny Side Up Cafe. I hope that someone will remember to take pictures and send me a report to post. Wish I could tag along, but work prevails.
Ride Safe.
PS... Blue has turned in a number of the update sheets for the next roster. Please remember to get them back to him, or to me as soon as you can. If you do not have a form to complete, ask
Blue for one. If I do not get an updated form from you, I will assume that you do not want to be included in the roster.
Pat | | | | Payson is a popular destination as it is a pretty ride and the airport is a wonderful place to eat. Combine that with sunshine and warmer temperatures and the result is 29 bikes and 37 riders. Yes Sir… it was a very good turnout.
I was delighted to see that Audrey Chrestensen (on the left) was again one of our riders. For those who do not know, Audrey joined us in Wyoming and there demonstrated that even those new to riding can be troopers and she proved that for certain. Last year she was riding in a borrowed parka and now is sporting a fancy helmet with communications and a nice new Gold Wing Jacket. Nice to see you back Audrey.
And today I met some new folks. Roy and Karen Dansforth joined us, riding a beautiful black Harley and aboard a shiny white Harley was Dale Ringuette (seated on left). It is always nice to have new riders with us.
Owing to our numbers, we opted to ride as two units. Blue and Wrangler had a total of 17 bikes with 6 ladies on the back of the bikes… They would have breakfast at the Casino and their contingent followed Shutterbug and Broker whose group was 14 bikes strong with 16 riders up and our choice for the morning meal was the Crosswinds Restaurant at the airport in Payson. I understand that the Casino had a room reserved for that group and the back room at the airport had tables waiting our arrival. This is another of my favorite places to go. Their service was exceptional and there were no complaints with the quality. In fact, the service was so good that, in spite of the fact that we rode about 6 miles past the Casino and the same distance back, that our group was the first to Tonto Basin where we had agreed to meet as a group. After a short break, we decided that we would stop on down the road at the Roosevelt Dam and would check to see how much water was being released. It was pleasing to see that Roosevelt Lake is again full and we have a lot of winter ahead of us. At the dam, our group was parked and waiting when Blue and his riders rode right past the gate and on down toward the unpaved portion of that highway. I guess they were just going to practice turning around on very narrow roads.
After a bit of a rest, we again headed on South toward Globe. 5 of us stopped for fuel while the remainder rode on past toward home. We were not far behind them and we rode into the resort just a bit after 2:30. It was a great day. No rain, only a little rain and no major problems. Little Joe experienced some breathing difficulties but I guess was able to return without incident.
My GPS indicates that we rode a total of 211 miles at an average speed of 52.9 mph. We were just 54 seconds short of riding 4 hours. My maximum speed was 74.1 mph.
To view all of today’s pictures, CLICK HERE. (I recommend using the slide show option under Actions)
Shutterbug
PS... If you are planning on joining us this next Thursday evening to watch the Cody Adventure Slide Show, and have not yet told us that you will be here, please do so. We want to be sure we have adequate seating. The show starts at 7, so come early. We are expecting over 30 and hope you will join us and make it a real party.
| CLICK HERE to view all of today's pictures |  | | My thanks to Wrangler for the account of today's ride. As you will see, the plan to ride South to Catalina was changed. I think they learned there was rain in Florence, so opted for a dryer location. In any case, it sounds like a good ride. Here is the report:
We started with 17 bikes and one cute little co-rider. Our revised destination was Denny's in Fountian Hills. Someone's mike got stuck in the open position, so we stopped at the Salt River to get that corrected and at that point Dallas turned back.
We arrived at Denny's, sat down and within 10 minutes some of us were eating our breakfast. Now, that is good service. Upon finishing our morning repast, we decided to return via the same route thus avoiding city traffic and were home before noon.
It was a great Ride and back in time to have our spouses fix lunch.
Wrangler
| |  | | Blue called this morning to let me know the plans for tomorrows ride are to head South, to Catalina and the Sunny Side Up. 9 am departure...
And as of this date, he is planning on riding North on Saturday. The destination is Payson and we will probably eat at the Airport and the Casino. Again, 9 am departure....
Please remember to let me know if you plan to attend the slide show of the Cody Ride which we have planned for February 11th. That is a week from Thursday. As of this date, we have had a few responses, and I do hope more are interested.
Pat | | |
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