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There were seven bikes and 11 riders lined up at the Chevron this morning for the ride to fountain Hills with breakfast at Phil's. Gary was again chosen our leader with Dennis at the tail position.
Gary led us through Goldfield and Brown Road to the Bush Highway, then through the Reservation to enter Fountain Hills. We saw the wild horses in the pastures near Saguaro Lake, but they were out of camera range. Lots of watchers. There aren't many restaurants named Phil, so I identified with my namesake in the photo. We are assured of excellent food when we go to that place, although there were less diners there today because the season is over. The Angels talked mainly about summer plans; Dennis leaves tomorrow for his long trip, and Gary and Laurie are leaving soon. Dan and Sherry Knorr are first going to Wisconsin, then spending their summer at Heber. Dan and Terri are making a trip home to Washington.
After everyone enjoyed their fill, plans were made for the main group to ride the Beeline to check the water level in Roosevelt Lake and return through Miami and Superior. A few of us went home to do the things we needed.
The direct round trip was about 80 miles, and we arrived in GV about 11:20. Today was my last ride, and I have my bike parked in the corner beside our house. I am already looking forward to the return. We wish everyone a great summer, and will see you next year.
Phil Parsons.
Sent from my iPhone
There were seven bikes and 11 riders lined up at the Chevron this morning for the ride to fountain Hills with breakfast at Phil's. Gary was again chosen our leader with Dennis at the tail position.
Gary led us through Goldfield and Brown Road to the Bush Highway, then through the Reservation to enter Fountain Hills. We saw the wild horses in the pastures near Saguaro Lake, but they were out of camera range. Lots of watchers. There aren't many restaurants named Phil, so I identified with my namesake in the photo. We are assured of excellent food when we go to that place, although there were less diners there today because the season is over. The Angels talked mainly about summer plans; Dennis leaves tomorrow for his long trip, and Gary and Laurie are leaving soon. Dan and Sherry Knorr are first going to Wisconsin, then spending their summer at Heber. Dan and Terri are making a trip home to Washington.
After everyone enjoyed their fill, plans were made for the main group to ride the Beeline to check the water level in Roosevelt Lake and return through Miami and Superior. A few of us went home to do the things we needed.
The direct round trip was about 80 miles, and we arrived in GV about 11:20. Today was my last ride, and I have my bike parked in the corner beside our house. I am already looking forward to the return. We wish everyone a great summer, and will see you next year.
Phil Parsons.
Sent from my iPhone
Seven bikes with 9 Riders headed for Gila Bend and the Co-op Grill at Arlington on this warm spring day, one of the few above 80° this year. It was indeed a beautiful day. Gary and Laurie Knudsen were chosen our leaders, and Dennis picked up the tail. As you look over the riders, you will notice some are year around residents, and fewer will be back next week.
The route to Gila Bend is well known to everyone in our group. Highway 238 used to be known as the "dead cow trail", but it has been noticeably cleaned up and there is considerably more traffic. When we reached Gila Bend, we made a right turn on old highway 80 through farming country. The Gillespie Dam bridge is a well known and historical site, all rusted by the ravages of time and sun. What is new is the roaring Gila River below. In ordinary time the river has been a meandering stream in one corner of that wide channel, but some riders have seen it filling the entire channel this year; the width of the bridge. We crossed the Gila several times today. I believe it is 649 miles in length.
Arlington is a Farming Community made up of green irrigated fields along the river, a few horses and some cattle lots along with a large elevator back from the highway. The co-op restaurant opens up mid morning, and was gathering its daily clientele when we arrived. There are plenty of waitresses, lots of good food, and some excitement outside. The EMTs had been called for a person who arrived on a four wheeler, who may have been suffering from heat stroke. The crew was there for quite a while, but no one went to the hospital.
We enjoyed the meal and hospitality for more than an hour befor striking off for home. This time our fearless leader took us across the south edge of Buckeye, Goodyear, and Estrella; coming out on the Red Mountain freeway west of Awatukee. There was lots of Saturday traffic, and the distance from the restaurant to Apache Junction is nearly 90 miles. It was the first warm ride of the season. Riders separated on their way to home destinations, and the last of us arrived home in Apache Junction at 2:45 PM. I had 212 miles in four hours lapsed time for an average of 53 mph.
THE RIDE NEXT WEDNESDAY APRIL 12 WILL BEGIN at 8 AM FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR. We expect to go to Fountain Hills, watching for wild horses along the Bush highway.
Phil Parsons
Sent from my iPhone
Seven intrepid riders on six bikes left the Chevron for Roosevelt lake and breakfast at Butchers Hook in the Tonto Valley today. Again the weather was bright and sunny, but unseasonably cool with the high only the upper 60s. Our numbers drop each week, but there's not much incentive for driving north into snow. Lionel returns to Alberta after this ride. Dennis was our leader, and Dan took up the tail position. Dan and Sherry are spending the summer at Heber. He decided to see that place today and will return via the Rim Ride that has not been done this year.
After a quick stop to retrieve Phil's radio from his foot pad, there was a highway stop for construction where a new electric line tower was being built with a helicopter before we arrived in Miami. Interesting.
The traditional stop at the Roosevelt dam viewing site has a new twist this year. All the old marks of high water are now underwater, and we learned that the lake is at 103% of capacity today. Full size trees, a picnic shelter and table and the entire flats at the north north end of the lake are underwater. Vern, you and I remember a white tank that used to float on spring runoff on those flats. This year the tank would be in the middle of the lake.
We must have forgotten what a huge meal is served at Butchers Hook. Despite ordering senior portions, all of us were left rolling away from the table with full stomach. They have so many pictures from the area on their walls. Many are of trophy size fish, and other local scenes.
Can't say much for the flowers this year, even at this date. While fields bright with flowers appear south of the 60, the traditional mountainside of yellow has depended on daily temperatures and kind of plants growing in the mountains to the north. Seldom do we see the panorama of color that we could have expected with all that rain. Even yet, there are only occasional days of normal 80° temperatures for this time of year .
I had 173 miles today on the circle route from Roosevelt lake to the Bush Highway and the last of us arrived home about 2 PM. Our lapsed time was 3 1/2 hours at average speed 49.7 mph. We expect to go to Gila Bend on Saturday.
Phil Parsons
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Seven blues Angels bikes, with eight riders assembled at the Chevron today amid warm sunny weather like we have enjoyed all season in other years. There were lots of stories to share about home and future destinations as the group got ready to ride. Dennis is planning a trip from here to Kansas to Georgia and Florida, then to Maine and return in April and May. He became the leader today with Paul as the tailgunner on the way out; Paul took the lead going home with Lionel on the tail. We chose to ride to Sunnyside Up near Tucson, with the return via the Copper Corridor East(177), and turning left at Winkelman.
The flower season is still ahead of us according to local news sources, and we can see it now on our rides. Only today are the mountain slopes turning yellow, although the road sides have been blue and orange for sometime. As we rode south to higher elevations on the 79, the desert appeared browner and dryer. On our return trip, the stream bed north of Mammoth turned greener with decreased elevation – perhaps spring is coming.
The sunny side up waitresses were ready for us and the usual good breakfast appeared quickly. Two bikes left early for other events while the main group headed to Winkelman and superior where we filled with gas at one dollar less per gallon than the Chevron.
Customers were still coming to the Renaissance Festival at 1:30, while others are already leaving on this, there last weekend.
We arrived at GV at 1:45, with 185 miles at average speed and 53 in 3.25 hours lab time. I hope next weeks trip will include riding along Roosevelt Lake. We need to keep track of the new record Highwater.
Phil .
Sent from my iPhone
