Post by Yotes65 on Jul 23, 2010 12:01:02 GMT -7
What a Beautiful day this past Sunday turned out to be. Jeff, Cory, and myself went out for a short little ride. Our plan was to head out of Phoenix up to Payson via the Beeline Hwy. Next was to head over to Showlow so we could run down the Salt River Canyon (SRC). Once we got to Globe, we turned left heading East over to Clifton. From there we rode up Hwy 191 (aka Devil's Hwy) to Springerville. From Springerville we planned on heading back West towards Showlow & Payson. Then back down the Beeline Hwy to head back to Phoenix. According to the mapping software it would be 733 Miles.
The three of us met up at the 5 & Diner that is located on 27th Ave just North of the 101 Freeway. Originally we planned on meeting at 5:00 AM... however Cory point out that they may not be open that early. Damn it, he was right so we changed out plans & met at 6:00 AM instead. After a wonderful breakfast, we took off. We stopped off at the usual gas stop in Fountain Hills to gas up & set up the camera's. Jeff was kind enough to let me use his GoPro. This time I'd decided to mount it facing sideways to capture some of the Vista that we would pass. Being the Bright Person that I am, after setting the camera up and had it taking pic's, I'd reached over and shut the damn thing off. So for the 1st leg of this ride I have no pictures. We took off from Fountain Hills around 8:00 AM. The ride up the Beeline Hwy was a brisk little jaunt, not much traffic. I wanted to open it up a bit… however I was a bit leery of LEO's that may be larking in the Bushes... so I dialed it down a bit so if I were to be Awarded an Performance Award that maybe they would let me keep my motorbike.
From Payson we took Hwy 260 East towards Showlow. Traffic picked up a bit, however still an enjoyable ride. We stop in Showlow to Gas up and to take a small break before heading down the SRC. The first picture is of Cory leaning over to check to make sure the camera was taking pic’s before we hit the road... yep, the counter is going up... smile...
This is the first pix that I got of Jeff as he was gearing up for the next leg of our ride...
The next couple of shots are of the passing landscape as we head out of Showlow towards the Salt River Canyon... As you can tell by the Amazing Blue Sky it was a Fantastic Day for a Ride!
Man, we were running so fast even the Signs were caught in the Vacuum created by our bikes...
As we are running down the SRC, we pasted approx 8 to 10 Sport Bikes ripping it up heading up Hill. I wish I had the camera on the Left Side of the Bike, I might have been able to capture a shot of at least one of them. Maybe next time.
We had a bit of traffic heading down the Canyon. I was so tempted to pass on the Double Yellow just to get around traffic. I did not want to chance it as well as I’d remember that Cory is following me trying to stay with me. I was afraid that he too would try to pass on the Double Yellow and have a very unpleasant encounter. So I decided to behave and stay in line. However, once the opportunity came to pass Legally, I was off to the races.
Once we got to Globe, we pulled over to regroup and then to head toward the Highlight of the Day, running the Devil. As we approach Thatcher we came upon Mr. LEO sitting in the shade waiting to catch anyone who was not respectful to the local city speed limit...
The follow were a few shots that I was able to get of Jeff & Cory as we approached Safford... the ride between Globe & Safford was getting a bit warm. The clouds in the background were a Welcomed sight...
Just before we got to Safford we past a lovely Mobile Radar Vehicle...
The following two pic's were taken along Hwy 191 just South of Three Way... mainly to showcase the awesome weather we were having for this ride.
Another shot of Cory along Hwy 191 just South of Three Way... Cory was not camera shy. I'd seemed to have quite a few shots of him while using the GoPro's Photo every 2 Second's feature...
The follow shot is a series of shots that I stitched together. These were taken from the Circle K that seems to be our favorite last stop for petro before we head up the Devil...
A sign that a many Sport Bike Riders love to see... Bring It On!!!
It was kind of cool going through the photo's and finding a few lucky timed shots... for example the following picture. This is one of the many gravel covered curves as you past the Mine in Morenci...
The following shots are of the many Curves, Bends, Turns in the first 20+ miles of the Devil. Sorry for so many, I'm just trying to make ya jealous of all of the Fun we had... The first two were taken 2 seconds apart from each other...
The next three were taken close to each other, 4 seconds between the first 2, and then 2 seconds later for the third one...
The next four were taken close to each other as well, 6 seconds between the first 2, and then 2 seconds later for the third one and then 6 seconds later for the fourth one...
The next shot is of the Maintenance Yard that is 26.6 miles North of the Circle K earlier in Morenci. Whom ever I ride with, we tend to stop here so everyone can regroup. As Jeff approached, he decline to stop and off we went chasing...
The following pictures are of the upper part of the Devil... once you past the Maintenance yard, the road is not as technical with a few straight ways where one can pick up some speed...
Another lucky timed shot, this time capturing Jeff within the picture...
Sorry, just a few more of the upper portion of the Devil's Hwy... I can't say enough about how beautiful the Weather was...
We decide to stop in Alpine for a very late Lunch / early Dinner. We stopped at the Bear Wallow Cafe. I have yet to try 'em, but I hear they have awesome Home Made Pies... we can ask Jeff & Cory for they both had a slice...
After eating, we continue up the road to Springerville to catch Hwy 60 to head back to Showlow, then Payson, and then Phoenix. The following picture was taken between Springerville and Showlow...
We stopped off in Showlow to gas up and for the gang to get the blood flowing back into their legs. There was some sort of grumbling about how we need to stop a bit more often for not everyone has an "Iron Butt".
- 2nd stop in Showlow around 7:30 pm
It never fails, everytime I am in Showlow, there is a LEO near by... the SUV just to the right of the guys belongs to the Local Sherriff's Department. Not getting me this time. I will not go faster then the posted speed limit... now that I know how to read the Speed Limit Signs posted on the side of the road.
One last stop before we head back down the Beeline Hwy into Phx... I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ice Cream!
Watching the Sunset as we rode back to Payson was the icing on the cake. I had a blast riding these three legs with both Jeff & Cory. Sure, it was a Long Day, but Worth it in my Opinion. All in all, from my door to my door, my ODM was 730 miles. I'd walked in the door around 11:20 PM... making it approx a 17.5 hour day, approx 15 hours of riding. No Performance Awards, No Bike Issues, Great Beautiful Weather.
Below is a map of the route that we took...
The three of us met up at the 5 & Diner that is located on 27th Ave just North of the 101 Freeway. Originally we planned on meeting at 5:00 AM... however Cory point out that they may not be open that early. Damn it, he was right so we changed out plans & met at 6:00 AM instead. After a wonderful breakfast, we took off. We stopped off at the usual gas stop in Fountain Hills to gas up & set up the camera's. Jeff was kind enough to let me use his GoPro. This time I'd decided to mount it facing sideways to capture some of the Vista that we would pass. Being the Bright Person that I am, after setting the camera up and had it taking pic's, I'd reached over and shut the damn thing off. So for the 1st leg of this ride I have no pictures. We took off from Fountain Hills around 8:00 AM. The ride up the Beeline Hwy was a brisk little jaunt, not much traffic. I wanted to open it up a bit… however I was a bit leery of LEO's that may be larking in the Bushes... so I dialed it down a bit so if I were to be Awarded an Performance Award that maybe they would let me keep my motorbike.
From Payson we took Hwy 260 East towards Showlow. Traffic picked up a bit, however still an enjoyable ride. We stop in Showlow to Gas up and to take a small break before heading down the SRC. The first picture is of Cory leaning over to check to make sure the camera was taking pic’s before we hit the road... yep, the counter is going up... smile...
This is the first pix that I got of Jeff as he was gearing up for the next leg of our ride...
The next couple of shots are of the passing landscape as we head out of Showlow towards the Salt River Canyon... As you can tell by the Amazing Blue Sky it was a Fantastic Day for a Ride!
Man, we were running so fast even the Signs were caught in the Vacuum created by our bikes...
As we are running down the SRC, we pasted approx 8 to 10 Sport Bikes ripping it up heading up Hill. I wish I had the camera on the Left Side of the Bike, I might have been able to capture a shot of at least one of them. Maybe next time.
We had a bit of traffic heading down the Canyon. I was so tempted to pass on the Double Yellow just to get around traffic. I did not want to chance it as well as I’d remember that Cory is following me trying to stay with me. I was afraid that he too would try to pass on the Double Yellow and have a very unpleasant encounter. So I decided to behave and stay in line. However, once the opportunity came to pass Legally, I was off to the races.
Once we got to Globe, we pulled over to regroup and then to head toward the Highlight of the Day, running the Devil. As we approach Thatcher we came upon Mr. LEO sitting in the shade waiting to catch anyone who was not respectful to the local city speed limit...
The follow were a few shots that I was able to get of Jeff & Cory as we approached Safford... the ride between Globe & Safford was getting a bit warm. The clouds in the background were a Welcomed sight...
Just before we got to Safford we past a lovely Mobile Radar Vehicle...
The following two pic's were taken along Hwy 191 just South of Three Way... mainly to showcase the awesome weather we were having for this ride.
Another shot of Cory along Hwy 191 just South of Three Way... Cory was not camera shy. I'd seemed to have quite a few shots of him while using the GoPro's Photo every 2 Second's feature...
The follow shot is a series of shots that I stitched together. These were taken from the Circle K that seems to be our favorite last stop for petro before we head up the Devil...
A sign that a many Sport Bike Riders love to see... Bring It On!!!
It was kind of cool going through the photo's and finding a few lucky timed shots... for example the following picture. This is one of the many gravel covered curves as you past the Mine in Morenci...
The following shots are of the many Curves, Bends, Turns in the first 20+ miles of the Devil. Sorry for so many, I'm just trying to make ya jealous of all of the Fun we had... The first two were taken 2 seconds apart from each other...
The next three were taken close to each other, 4 seconds between the first 2, and then 2 seconds later for the third one...
The next four were taken close to each other as well, 6 seconds between the first 2, and then 2 seconds later for the third one and then 6 seconds later for the fourth one...
The next shot is of the Maintenance Yard that is 26.6 miles North of the Circle K earlier in Morenci. Whom ever I ride with, we tend to stop here so everyone can regroup. As Jeff approached, he decline to stop and off we went chasing...
The following pictures are of the upper part of the Devil... once you past the Maintenance yard, the road is not as technical with a few straight ways where one can pick up some speed...
Another lucky timed shot, this time capturing Jeff within the picture...
Sorry, just a few more of the upper portion of the Devil's Hwy... I can't say enough about how beautiful the Weather was...
We decide to stop in Alpine for a very late Lunch / early Dinner. We stopped at the Bear Wallow Cafe. I have yet to try 'em, but I hear they have awesome Home Made Pies... we can ask Jeff & Cory for they both had a slice...
After eating, we continue up the road to Springerville to catch Hwy 60 to head back to Showlow, then Payson, and then Phoenix. The following picture was taken between Springerville and Showlow...
We stopped off in Showlow to gas up and for the gang to get the blood flowing back into their legs. There was some sort of grumbling about how we need to stop a bit more often for not everyone has an "Iron Butt".
- 2nd stop in Showlow around 7:30 pmIt never fails, everytime I am in Showlow, there is a LEO near by... the SUV just to the right of the guys belongs to the Local Sherriff's Department. Not getting me this time. I will not go faster then the posted speed limit... now that I know how to read the Speed Limit Signs posted on the side of the road.
One last stop before we head back down the Beeline Hwy into Phx... I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ice Cream!
Watching the Sunset as we rode back to Payson was the icing on the cake. I had a blast riding these three legs with both Jeff & Cory. Sure, it was a Long Day, but Worth it in my Opinion. All in all, from my door to my door, my ODM was 730 miles. I'd walked in the door around 11:20 PM... making it approx a 17.5 hour day, approx 15 hours of riding. No Performance Awards, No Bike Issues, Great Beautiful Weather.
Below is a map of the route that we took...