A FALL RIDE

We've been home about a month, and even though I recently did a few rides in Central California, I was itching to get on the Harley, and ride some of my favorite roads here in Arizona. So, a few days ago, I took off on a two day circuitous route that took me through Parker, Prescott, Jerome, and a stop in Cottonwood. That first day, the weather was cloudy and cool, but no rain. On the second day, I took a few pictures, the first of which was at this steel arch bridge on Hwy 89, just outside of Sedona. Except for cool temperatures (in the 40's) when I left, it was an absolutely beautiful day, and the ride from where I took the picture of the bridge, up Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff, was about as good as it gets.
The Red Rock Country around Sedona is unique, and was particularly scenic, on a sunny, cloudless, cool, crisp morning. By the time I had traveled through, and climbed out of Oak Creek Canyon, the elevation at Flagstaff was about 7,000 feet, and the ambient temperature was hoovering around 40 degrees by late morning. With all of my cold weather gear on, I was as comfortable as if it had been 85 degrees, and I was pushing through the wind in a T-shirt. By the time I dropped down to Seligman on I40, it was time to shed some of the clothing, and leave the interstate for about 75 miles on old route 66. This stretch of the "mother rode", between Seligman and Kingman, is the longest remaining stretch, and even though I've traveled it many times, it's history, charm, and isolation never seem to get old.
One of the iconic remainders of the past on historic route 66, is the Hackberry General Store, about 25 miles east of Kingman. The old gas pumps, the corvette, and the store itself, are reminders of an era that's long since disappeared. Coincidently, back in 1966, I traveled on this stretch of highway when I had 30 days leave from my U.S. Army assignment at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and I was heading back home before my next duty station in Germany. Every time I travel on this stretch of 66, I can't help but be transported back about 45 years when all I could think about was getting home.

Yesterday, we drove the jeep up to Vegas, and out to the dragstrip, where we spent a couple of hours visiting with our friends, Bob/Shirl, Frank/Suzie, Len/Ellie, Kurt/Phyliss, Steve/Carol, and a few other folks. As the years go by, our circle of race friends grows smaller and smaller. We learned from Frank & Suzie that after 6 years, mostly working with the Bernstein Race Team, they have given notice, and will be leaving the N.H.R.A. circuit after the last race in Pomona. Bob and Shirl will be in Quartzsite for a few days after the Vegas race, so I'll probably drive down and visit on one of the days they are there. Patty is busy packing her bags, and she'll be driving to David's house in Modesto this coming Monday. They leave for Greece a week from today.