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Soozy's 50 First Dates Tour:The Ride Report

Soozy

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I finally got to a place with three prong outlets. :mrgreen:

Saturday June 20

I was supposed to be out of bed at 5am to start this escapade. Slowpoke had arranged to meet me at Minyards so she could ride the first tank of gas and have breakfast with me. She is getting used to her Burgman 400, a beautiful blue one, and wanted to see if she would still be comfortable after close to 300 miles. Sooo, Slowpoke called at 5:30 and woke me up. :lol2:

So I jumped up and onto the bike and went in the clothes I slept in...with gear.


Packed and blurry-eyed just like the picture.

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I am already packing nicer than this looks here.

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Met up with Slowpoke. She told me she bought this Burgman because of the Colorado Ride Report last summer. I had also expressed appreciation for the company on this first leg in spite of the early start. Her words were, "It's worth the price of admission." Guess what? Slowpoke is my FIRST DATE on the 50 First Dates Tour! Her husband didn't even mind.

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Here we go! Starting mileage on the Burg is 41862.

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We stopped for breakfast and gas a couple hours due west...

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...and Slowpoke gave me a traveling companion who I have named Y'all...

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...so I can say I am traveling with Y'all. But don't ask how he is because it will sound like this, "How is Y'all?" and you will sound REAL country.

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We parted ways and not soon at all I found myself here. The weather had been nice for the ride with overcast skies and coolish air.

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By Hobbs NM, I had been asked if I had been caught in the bad storms. Huh? I seem to have this weird super power. If I were a super hero, I would be Good Weather Girl. It was nippy approaching Artesia, so I put on the Frog Togg rain jacket. Those things are sized GIANT. The XXL I was wearing was so roomy, the shoulders seemed to take on a life of their own filling up with air. This little town of Artesia had such a nice downtown, the kind of place that draws one in. They had many large bronze statues like these in the pictures.

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Leaving Artesia, I was surprised by a curve warning. I hadn't seen a curve in the road in hundreds of miles. The sign said 55 for this beautiful giant s curve one could take at probably 120mph, but it was a curve!
The ride up to Cloudcroft was very cool and beautiful, then you just drop into Alamogordo.

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Way off in the distance is Alamogordo.

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I was beat and decided to try Rich Simmon's style of mom/ pop motel,,,the Ace. $31 a night. My only complaint was that they had two-prong outlets so I couldn't use the computer. I was too tired to go looking for an adapter. This is also where I had what has become an intermittent problem with the bike. It is a little thing, but sometimes it won't start. It is either a weakening engine cutoff switch, or a weakening starter button. I am not too worried. Either one of those could be rigged if needed. I will probably replace the cut-off when I am in Seattle. In the meantime, I am leaving the cut-off ON.

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The hotel neighbors looked at me with great awe in the morning as I packed. Probably had never heard snoring of that magnitude before.

Alamagordo reminds me of a beach town...flat with one story businesses stretched along the road, but then there are mountains and you are 4000 feet above sea level and there is no humidity.

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:clap:

Hope you have a great trip - looks like you're off to a great start:rider:

Al
 
I forgot to add that the first day was 561 miles.

Sunday, June 21

I was on the road early this morning and noticed that Alamogordo has a nice linear park. A few things caught my eye that you might enjoy. There is a miniature train ride.

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And a CAR show! Look at these!

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Yes, my signature trick.


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Whitesands National Monument was next. The lady park ranger did not charge me admission. Wonder if she is a two wheeled fanatic?


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Cool views down the road to Las Cruces.

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This roadrunner is a huge metal statue and I love roadrunners!

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I got off I-10 and headed toward Clifton along this straight road. Not a bend in it for over 13 miles.

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Clifton looks like any rustic town at this point.

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I think the tent is mother-in-law quarters.

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But when you get further into town it becomes very interesting.

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This is where I got onto "The Devil's Highway" aka The Coronado Trail aka Hwy 666. This road was more than 90 miles of twisties with elevation changes from 6000 to 9000 feet. No guard rails. FABULOUS!!!

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Clifton is a mining town. This isn't pristine nature, but it was amazing the magnitude of disassembling of whole mountains man can do.

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Now it gets pretty.

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I was so overwhelmed by the scenery while trying to stay on the road. I have unfounded fear of heights and this road had no guard rails and no shoulders with sheer drops. I found one pull off that was not as scary and took a couple of pictures. This ride is worth the miles to get here.

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I made Alpine and chose this cool lodge for the night. Tal Wi Wi Lodge.

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381 miles today and Grand Canyon tomorrow!

Hmmm....there is something alive visiting this room. At least it is smaller than me.
 
Soozy! Outstanding ride you have going. I'll be watching for more good pics.
Neal
 
Hmmm....there is something alive visiting this room. At least it is smaller than me.
Soozy, you crack me up. :rofl:

Minor correction to the road-fuzzied recollection in your first post:
I landed *here* at TWT because of reading your Colorado Ride Report.
(I had already bought the Burgie when I spotted your link over at BUSA.)

Awesome ride report, and it's only just begun.
Thanks muchly for letting me tag along for a few hours.

'Poke
 
Cool, cool, cool. I love the Artesia fountain. The contrast between valley and mountains is startling.

May you continue having fun.
 
Um, does this mean you aren't attending the Pie Run this Saturday? :scratch:

Who will help pass out the nametags? :eek2:


:lol2:


Keep the report coming, I am :popcorn:

:mrgreen:
 
Soozy - you forgot to tell me in advance you were going - I would have loved to join you - jealous - definitely

Enjoy the ride - cool pictures of the cars

Elly
 
Hooray for Spot, what better way to vicariously enjoy a ride with someone. Soozy is entering the Grand Canyon NP right now.
 
Great ride report. What are your plans for the trip? Did I see you mention SEATTLE? That might take awhile. I thought I saw a SPOT transmitter on your scoot. Would be nice to watch your trip on a SHARE TRACK. Squeaky sometimes does it and it is great to follow. Speaking of Squeaky I believe a couple of years ago she and 3 others were on a high no rails twisty hiway around Clifton and she had to turn around and one of the others helped her back down. Yes she has mentioned a few times that she doesn't care for high places either. Ride safe and enjoy. Barn
 
Hey I just posted asking about Spot and looked back and you must have a share going. Is the link a secret? I am following my youngest daughter and son in law running around NW Washington on a short vacation now. I would like to follow on SPOT if you can send me the link. One good thing is you are getting out of this area just as it is starting to really heat up. Take care. Oh yes I am also following 3 guys from Texas X Riders that are just ahead of you. They were on I 40 in Flagstaff about midmorning. Probably riding Honda VTXs. Barn
 
She must be burning the tires off that scoot. Can't believe she could get from Alpine NM to the Grand Canyon that quickly.
 
I am getting ready to head out from Tusayan and have too much packed into this day ahead. The I-net connection is too weak to post pictures right now, but soon, OK? I had 2 more of the 50 First Dates yesterday...:mrgreen:

More later on THAT. I froze last night and I just want to get going. It was down in the low 30's. The time changes are keeping me guessing. I hear that in Tuba City one side of the street is on the Navaho Reservation and is on a different time than the other side of the street.

Thanks everyone ofor the kind comments, encouragement, and corrections!

Chuck, send Arlene out to fly me in for the Pie Run so I can do my job. You would have to pay anyone else double what you pay me.
 
Soozy,
Great report, can't wait for the next installment. :clap:
We will miss you on the PR, but where you are is a whole lot cooler.
Have fun!:rider:
Marty
 
I meant to ask in my last post, why does your SPOT start tracking clear over in western New Mexico rather than from home here in north Texas?:ponder:
Marty
 
And a CAR show! Look at these!
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Tell me that's not a bullet hole ahead of the right wheel...................:eek2:



I'm so jealous Soozy!!!

My Aunt lives in Soapbox Canyon just outside Clifton, AZ. I'll make it one day.......
 
I meant to ask in my last post, why does your SPOT start tracking clear over in western New Mexico rather than from home here in north Texas?:ponder:
Marty

Marty,

I wondered the same thing but noticed that it loads 50 spots per page. There are three pages. Looks like the first "spot" was west of town on day one.
 
Marty,

I wondered the same thing but noticed that it loads 50 spots per page. There are three pages. Looks like the first "spot" was west of town on day one.

:doh: It helps if you read a bit! Thanks for the info Don!
Marty
 
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