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Texas & Arizona 2000/01
Arizona


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It's February 19th and almost 3 weeks since my bike accident and I'm still not fully recovered. I never thought bruising could be so severe. Been a pretty miserable time - we weren't really able to go anywhere as I had to use crutches and it's not much fun sitting around in the trailer when the weather is so nice out. We had a couple of trips out - to the Home Show (Sun) and then to the Tubac Arts Festival (Friday 9th) - and both times were just too much for me on my crutches.  Took it easy for days and then had a drive to Picachio Peak State Park to see the wildflowers and the to Saddlebrooke Resort to look at model homes at the golf course community (Sun).
 
Desert flowers
Ostrich Farm at Picachio Peak
Mexican Gold Poppies at Picachio

Thought I was making progress by Monday (Feb 12) as I could put my full weight on my bad leg without any pain, although my knee was now swollen and hurting a bit.  One of our neighbours suggested that I should try magnets.  Turns out she sells these magnetic pads that are supposed to do wonders for chronic pain sufferers.  After about half an hour of wearing this magnetic knee support, I had so much new pain that I stopped using it and it took about two to recover back to where I was before trying it.

By Thursday I was ready to try the bike for a first ride.  We loaded it on the truck and headed for the Cow Palace and Mt Hopkins, about 30 miles south of here on the way to Mexico.  Mt Hopkins is about 8000' and has a Smithsonian Observatory at the top.  The map showed a little dirt road switchbacking up to the peak so we decided to try it.  It was a fun ride with great views but the observatory was closed to the public for the winter. There was snow at the top so I guess the road is sometimes snowed in.   After the trip we had dinner at the Cow Palace - the rack on the truck makes it convenient to have your ride just where you want it and not to have to bother with heading straight back home on the bike.
 

The Cow Palace and Mt Hopkins
The new bike rack
Longhorn Grill at the Cow Palace
Santa Rita Mountains
Mt Hopkins in the distance
View from the top

 
There's snow at 8000'
View towards Patagonia
The road down
Dinner at the Cow Palace
"Just crank it and go"

Had an interesting ride on Saturday and felt I was in the middle of a "Cops" TV show.  I was heading through the Aqua Dolce Ranch in the Waterman Mountains when I stopped to open a gate that's normally always open. I noticed a couple of police trucks pulled back off the road under some trees.  I went over to chat to them (when you are in the middle of nowhere and haven't seen any one for a couple of hours you sort of feel obligated to go over and say "Hello").  I asked them why they were out in such an untravelled area and they said this back road gets used by smugglers, and that's why they had the gate closed..  Well, wouldn't you just guess, at that moment two trucks come barrelling down the track and skid to a halt at the gate, spot then Police trucks and try to do a quick escape.  The police trucks go charging out and try to surround them. The occupants of the first truck take off into the desert with the police, guns drawn, ordering them to stop.  The other police truck is chasing the other guys through the desert, smashing down cactus, trees, etc.  I'm just about to whip out the camera when I wonder if the smugglers have guns and a shootout is about to start.  Time to fire up the bike and get out of there FAST !!!

On a previous ride, just before I hurt my leg, I'd met up with a couple of ATV riders and it turned out one of them was a keen motorcyclist (he used to own Arizona Honda) and his friends still ride off road bikes.  He put me in touch with his friends and one of them, Gordon, dropped by to see me on Sunday.  He normally rides an off-road BMW (Dakar-type) bike but decided to visit on one of his other bikes - a Yamaha R1 - this was the fastest production motorcycle available until recently and probably does about 180 mph - it's almost identical to the bikes they race in the Superbike Series. Later in the day, we took my bike to Oracle and attempted to ride up the old access roads on the 'back' of Mt Lemmon.  There is a regular road up the front which we've been up, but the back way is really rough in parts but unfortunately was still snowed in - it's the north side of the mountain and 11,000' high.  We went up half way and then looped around through San Manuel and back to Oracle.
 
 

Sandy & Gordon
Gordon's Yamaha R1
The dirt road up the back of Mt Lemmon

For more pictures taken during my bike ride on Sunday (March 4) check out my Motorcycling pages - click here for a shortcut.


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This page last updated on March 6, 2001