Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[JCZ]

Not exactly a ride report so I'm putting this in pictures.  In between jobs...putting my things in storage I decided to hit the road.  From Coronado, Calif. traveling many of the same places that a group of us from this forum rode a couple of years ago, I headed out....come on along, you can join me.....

Our previous ride report that took us to these same locations....  http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=74330.0

For those that don't know, Coronado is a small resort town that sits in the middle of San Diego bay....very close to Mexico and only about 2 1/2 hrs. from Yuma.






For those passing through Yuma, the Best Western Plus Yuma Mall hotel is very nice and directly across the street (walking distance) from the mall for your lady to visit









and in the mall, I ate at Famous Dave's B-B-Q.  Great choice!

[JCZ]

The next morning, up early I continued east towards Phoenix.  Passed through Gila Bend.....where 5 old crabs live.



North of Phoenix a ways, I entered the red rock country





and quickly Sedona looms in the distance





Rolling north up through Oak Creek Canyon (Hwy 89A)....



Stopped by The Route 66 Roadhouse Bar & Grill (and Grand Canyon HD) for a nice Porterhouse steak for lunch



In the back of the Roadhouse Grill is a little shop....Trikes By DJ   http://www.trikesbydj.com/   DJ bought an 09 SERG and converted it to a trike and coicidentally, I ended up buying all the take off parts (streatched fender, LED lights, streatched bags, tire and wheel and exhaust) on ebay for $1200 by clicking on "buy it now" just seconds after the add was posted.  I had Jim (hd-dude on this forum) add all the CVO goodies to Terrie's 09 Street Glide. 

DJ has received much attention and notoriety for his John Deere trike and manure spreader (cargo trailer).  That trike and trailer are now for sale to the right farmer. 





Moving on down Route 66, I had to run through Williams, Az. again







and a new feature just at the edge of town is Bearizona a drive through wild life park that has all the critters of the west in one location....(I didn't drive it this time and don't know if motorcycles are allowed...but I will make it a point to tour the next time I pass through Williams, Ariz.)

[JCZ]

I finally arrived at the Grand Canyon just before sun down









I stayed at the Best Western Premier Grand Canyon.  Being a "Premier" Best Western, it has features that most BWs do not have.....like a bowling alley, arcade, hair salon, gift shop, etc. etc. that are all located inside the hotel and one of the best breakfast buffets I've ever experienced.















While I used my BW Ride Rewards points to cover about half of the hotels on this journey, because it is off season in many of these tourist locations.....I believe a King Deluxe room at this hotel only cost me $95.  Very, very reasonable during off season and........the best part....little traffic and few people all along my journey and stops!

By the way, there were motorcycles all along this journey....ever in the Colorado rockies.  So it's do-able this time of year, provided you've got your Gerbing gear.

Heading out the next morning, northeast, towards Monument Valley...







I stopped to view the area where one of the Flying Walinda's (I believe it was Nick Walinda) walked a tight rope across the Grand Canyon a few months back.

[JCZ]

Soon, I arrived in Monument Valley.  Checked in to Goulding's Lodge and went over to the resorvation for photos...



and a quick ride on an Indian pony....




















and a view from my room balcony the next morning, as the sun was coming up....










And the John Wayne cabin (used in one of his movies) is available for tour, along with the museum (which was also used in the movie)....

[JCZ]

Moving on through Four Corners and Cortez and up through Cortez and Delores, Colorado....the way we went on our tour a couple of years ago.  Everything looks so totally different doing this route in early to mid Nov. than it did when we rode through in May 2012.  Still beautiful, but much, much different.

Another quick rest stop in Rico, Colo. where yes, it's CCcccccold!  But all the roads are clear and dry...







(Please excuse the reflections/poor pics...many of these photos were shot right through my front or side windows while I was diving)



Soon I'm back in Telluride.  One of the most beautiful towns I've ever been in, summer or fall....just incredably beautiful...(not to Jock....put it on your list!)




And look at the size of these knobby tires on their bikes and how wide the rims are.  They even have them with spikes in the tires!








Brown Dog Pizza....where the white dogs and black dogs wait patently outside 





Of course, this time of year there's lots more wildlife.....arriving in Ouray, Colorado






At this time of year it's very easy to see why the call Ouray the "Switzerland of America".....

[JCZ]

While most waterfalls were frozen in place, the larger one was still flowing....although it look like it was flowing a frozen slush.



I had dinner at the Brown Bear Cafe in Silverton...



I stayed at the Weisbaden Spa & Hot Springs in Ouray.  Took advantage of the vapor cave a massage and the solitude while exploring the area for a couple of days.



and again, much more wild life on the Million Dollar Highway







And for you off roaders, there's the Alpine Loop   http://www.alpineloop.com/HTML/index.html





For this trip I stay on the paved road....well, for the most part.  I did do a little 4 wheeling...

[JCZ]

They advertise it in Colorado 





hot springs are found all over this part of the rockies









The big horn sheep licking up the water from the melted ice...





and this one seems to have a tracking coller with antenna...



I had an opportunity, as a car came from the opposite direction a bit to fast, to see this little heard go right up the side of this cliff.....so fast and so graceful....it was incredable to watch and they do it so effortlessly.




I'm going to take a break here.  I'll post more of this journey (Bryce Canyon, Zion, Las Vegas, etc.) later.

[charles05663]

The next morning, up early I continued east towards Phoenix.  Passed through Gila Bend.....where 5 old crabs live.

My family is from Gila Bend and two of my cousins are considered the "old crabs."

My uncle used to have a used car lot across the street from the Space Age.

 

[Skillet]

Great pics. Those ribs looked mighty good. Thanks for the tour.

[GregKhougaz]

Great shots, JC.  Very happy to see you are still on the road and still sharing!   

[JCZ]

Spent a day in Cortez so I could visit the Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings.  Again, no long lines, straight forward access, quiet and easy....I was loving every minute of this journey.













and a pack of deer right up next to the visitors center...







Heading east through Utah, and past Fort Bluff and back through Monument Valley...



















Bryce Canyon and the Best Western Ruby Inn were the next stop

[ChopperPilot]

Looks like a great trip, it has been years since being in some of those locations.  Thanks for posting the pictures for us.

[Jock]

Amazing what a difference the white powder makes!  And in November too!  Keep 'em comin' and thanks for sharing!

So glad to read that you are enjoying the journey!

[JCZ]

I stayed at the Best Western Ruby Inn, right at the entrance to Bryce Canyon NP.  They have a very nice indoor pool and hot tub.  I had a ground floor room, right across the hall from the pool so nice location




Moving on to Zion National Park...where I met a couple whose blog I'd been following for more than a year on one of the RV forums








and talkin about RVs....here's a blast from the past that I'd run into just over the Nev. state line

[JCZ]

Arriving in Vegas, cruised by the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop as seen on TV on Pawn Stars.  A line around the block.  I stopped by later that night as I headed down to Heart Attack Grill, when there wasn't a line.  Smaller than it appears on TV and much older looking in person, both inside and out.




The first night I stayed at the Best Western Mardi Gras on the strip.  The second night I stayed at the Golden Nugget in the gold tower, pool view.  Here's a shot from my room on the 11th floor...



The pool has a water slide and the tube goes through the middle of the shark tank.  Of course I had to test drive that one, first hand















a view from under one of the waterfalls....














I got ready to take a pic and all the ladys took off, leaving their towels behind       Just funin....nobody was there when I got there....







This pool is up above the main pool.  It's called the Hideaway....