THE WHISTLE BLOWS NO MORE

Yesterday, I rode the Kawasaki KLR 650 on an old, abandoned, narrow gauge railroad grade, out of Jerome, AZ. For those that don't know what type of motorcycle a KLR 650 is, let me explain... Just about every motorcycle manufacturer makes what is called a dual sport bike. Dual sport means that the bike is licensed for the highway, but is also suited for off highway riding. I've owned several dual sport bikes, and this latest is a little more oriented for the street than the dirt. I rode on the highway from the thousand trails to Jerome, then hit the dirt road which around 1900 was a narrow gauge railroad. This railroad of the past was like hundreds of other short line railroads, built to serve mining communities when there was no other practical way to transport the minerals. Over the years, one of my passions has been to explore old railroad right of ways and yesterday I added another one to the list. This ride turned into a bit of an adventure, in that it rained in this area the night before my ride. Well, this is almost a perfect scenario for a dirt ride. Notice, I said almost! With a recent rain, practically no dust however, it can mean lots of mud, which can be a bit of a problem. The ride on this old railroad grade started out with little evidence of the rain causing much mud but that changed after I had gone several miles. A little mud is usually no problem but this area is red rock country, and red rocks equal red clay, which equals red, slippery mud! I managed to traverse the bad, slippery areas without dumping the bike, but it certainly challenged my riding skills. As I get older, I'm less inclined to want to put myself in these tougher riding conditions, but I still enjoy getting off the highway and exploring some of the back country roads. As I rode on the old railroad grade, I often imagined a train off in the distance, but unfortunately, the sound of the steam engine and it's whistle, have long been silent.