Day 7
No resting…
By JB “Papa” Brostrom – I sit to pen this blog for our final day of the 2020 FI Ride. I have thought about how to begin this chapter all day and into this evening as I sit at home. Comfortable. Healthy. Well fed. World’s greatest granddaughters at my side watching a music competition show. The kid on the show just did a beautiful rendition of Louis Armstrong’s What A Wonderful World. I suppose if I was smart I would simply end but it did take me three tries to finish college.
Paco and Papa had settled on a 9:00ish start time in Albuquerque. As per normal for two guys who combined don’t get a single good night’s sleep, it was decided to have kickstands up at 7:30ish. Thanks to Lone Star, Papa was able to top off the oil reservoirs. Paco cleaned the windscreens and we prepared to ride. Paco was in sleeves. The Albuquerque morning sun was wonderful and surrounded us with warmth. Papa asked Paco to walk into the shade as we are being lulled into a flash sense of temp. It was only 49 degrees. Both riders donned long sleeves under our cuts and off we went. Both riders have about 70 or so miles in reserve. Plenty of fuel to get out past the route 66 casino on interstate 40 just west of Albuquerque.
Papa’s plan was to get to Laguna and stop for fuel. This way the next stop should be Holbrook Arizona. This pan worked flawlessly with one tiny exception. 49 degrees did climb all the way to 52 degrees with the addition of cloud cover just west of the route 66 casino. With our 80 mph wind, the wind chill was “uncomfortable”. Our fuel stop couldn’t happen quick enough. Neither rider was about to throw in the towel early. Men?!
At this fuel stop both riders retired their cuts and donned their full riding leather jackets and warmer gloves. Well at least Papa did. Paco hasn’t learned to travel with two sets of gloves, two helmets, two sets of weather gear, three sets of eye wear, etc…. It is a sickness.
In any case both Papa and Paco are now comfortable and ready to ride out of New Mexico and her crapy Federal Highway pavements and into Arizona with the prospect of better roads and temperatures. Papa didn’t register a temperature above 59 until after the Arizona border. At that point two things happened. Temps began to climb and the clock shifted back and hour. We crossed the border at 9:05am Arizona time.
As the sun continued to rise in the sky and the temps continued to rise the winds were breathing with gusto. Just like airplanes, motorcycles like head or tail winds. Cross winds make for a Disney e-ticket ride. We pulled into a fuel stop on the east most Holbrook interchange. The temps were into the upper 60’s so it was time to retire the jacket and once again don the cuts. Papa went went for a bio break and to purchase some cold and refreshing hydration. Papa opened the wall refrigerator containing all of the normal beverages only to find the entire refrigerated area was room temp. Refrigerator is out and it takes a while to get a part from Florida to Holbrook Arizona. Management contemplated just putting in a new refrigerated wall but the asbestos filled surrounding makes it more efficient to just wait for the part. Ice was free!
Paco and Papa discussed the remnants of what could only be Rhinoplasty for the septuagenarian behind the counter. We can only imagine the 4 inch square bandage will one day be removed to reveal a Michael Jackson-esc masterpiece.
After a brief rest and a gaze at the snow covered San Francisco peaks 90 miles to our west. It was a beautiful site from a very wind dusted Northern Arizona town.
Next stop./.. tine for some fun, Winslow Arizona. Papa was determined to photograph Paco standing on a corner. It is difficult to grasp the entire experience unless you’ve stopped. Not just any corner in Winslow mind you. There is a corner, on the original route 66 with a small courtyard. There are two statues AND a flatbed Ford! Across the street is a gift shop with an assortment of Eagles and Harley schwag. Paco got more than he was expecting. It is a great day ride from Arizona and if you’re ever hading past on Interstate 40 it is worth the stop in Winslow.
From Winslow Papa and Paco headed due south. No more interstates. State Highway 87 will take us south and down off the Mogollon Rim. This is an interesting ride because the ride south is also quite uphill. After an hour or so the road descends off the rim into Strawberry Arizona. This is a significant drop in elevation, perhaps 3000 feet, and then down again into Payson. What is interesting is that Payson is 500 feet higher in elevation that Winslow. Deceptive increase in elevation followed by a dramatic twisting road dive into Payson.
The Pack stopped in Strawberry for fuel and a bio break. Seems the facilities were out of order but a parking lot port-o-potty was provided. Probably should have just wet our pants. Paco came out first and loaded up with soap on his hands to find no water to wash and rinse… There goes my water bottle. Before mounting up for the last time (before getting home) Papa and Paco literally bathed in the hand sanitizer solution we’ve carried with us for all stops.
The weather was perfect. Soon we were coming into Payson and began to notice the north bound lanes were packed with traffic… Friday afternoon of a holiday weekend. Half of the Phoenix valley was heading north. As we left town we proceeded through Payson’s southern most traffic signal. The two Northbound lanes were literally bumper to bumper at that light and south for 7 miles with heavy traffic approaching rapidly. These folks will get to their weekend home, camp sites and cabins in time to turn around and go home. Paco and Papa felt blessed to be traveling against this onslaught.
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Right out of Payson the 87 (bee line) drops the ascends then descends then ascends then descends over and over. Dramatic steep ups and downs of several thousands of feet. It is the perfect motorcycle road! Eventually it drops into the Salt River valley approaching Fountain Hills. The temperature is now uncomfortable with sleeves and leather vests but we’re so close we do not stop. We turn off the Bee Line and through the reservation into residential Fountain Hills. This connects us to the road to Rio Verde and subsequently to we head west up the 9 mile hill on Rio Verde road which at the top becomes Dynamite road in Scottsdale. The major connector between Paco and Papa’s homes. A quick fist bump between the two is an indication of a job well done, a ride well finished, and a get home safe.
8 miles later Papa pulls into his driveway and the garage door is open. When the current inhabitants hear the Harley growl they proceed into the garage with excitement. Papa sees three granddaughters greeting him. Want a wonderful world!
Epilog.
I can hear my sister Susan… I would say God rest her soul but I think it is better stated her contended soul is ready to rest. She is badgering me about misspellings, lazy grammar, and an incessant switching between first person and third person. I tell her it is because there are voices in my head and they are two distinct personalities who they are competing for airtime in the blog. My blog… live with it Susan.
Special thanks to the Gorfields, as I call them. Breon Gorman, Tim Lanfield, Miranda Panda Lanfield, and Bianca Binky Lanfield. Without their home, without their unwavering and expert and gentle attention to our Mary Pat, I would not have been able to Join Paco on this ride. They are the angels among us.
Keep an eye on Sturgis news…. Just say’in.
SOURCE Industry Analysts Inc.