My twelve day ride with photos revisited

[Mike Benzon]

This trip started on April 23, 8 am in Chico. I came down the night before and the rest of the group showed up in the morning. We all have road names, such as Mr C, Packer Lover, our leader Mr P, G-Man and myself Rocket Man. We enjoyed a cup of coffee and we were off for 12 days of bliss and visits to states like Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, back to Utah, Nevada and home to California.



Our first stop was for breakfast in Caribou on Hwy 70 in the Feather River Canyon. This is a beautiful ride up to Quincy CA.



After breakfast we continued our ride up the FR Canyon. It was a great time of the year to ride the canyon with all the water falls cascading over the steep walls and the fresh green leaves contrasting with the brilliant blue sky.



Soon after we restarted the ride we encounter the endless process of road repair in the FR Canyon. With its beauty comes the harsh winters that takes its toll on the road. Cal Trans does a great job of maintaining the road.



The group following the safety car through the work zone.



This shot I took from the bike as I was traveling at the back of the pack, looking south from Hwy 70.



I took these next two photos from my bike on Hwy 395. It gave me the opportunity to pull up along side of the riders to take a frontal view.





The first day ended on Carson City. We plan the first day to always be a short ride, sort of a "get out of town" day. The short ride helps us all get in synch without the riggers of a long day.



Day two:
As you can see, the weather was fine and the light was beautiful. A typical work day morning rush on Main St of Carson City.



Here we are on America's loneliest Highway, Hwy 50 in Nevada. I love this road.



Yep, there is a shoe tree on Hwy 50 and it caught me by surprise. I almost did not get the camera opened in time for the shot. You can tell it is a little blurred due to my movement of the camera.



What I like most about a spring time ride across Hwy 50 is the view of the snow capped mountains.



This next photo is a view of us riding through one of many mountain passes you encounter crossing the state of Nevada.



Again, Nevada's snow capped mountains.



Same mountains, but I adjusted the camera to full zoom. This is probably my favorite photo of the whole trip.



We stopped in the little town of Austin for a break and some fuel. We took a break in a small park at the east end of the town.





After a full day of riding, we arrived at Ely NV. We stayed at the Nevada Hotel. If you call and make reservations, the hotel gives you a 10% discount on your room, plus two free drink tickets and so forth. Warning! If you have never stayed at the hotel be advised about the showers in your room. The hot water is very unstable and can scald you or freeze you in a moment of little time. A nights stay is only $35.



Day three:
We have left Ely and continue east on Hwy 50. We stopped at the Utah border for breakfast at the Border Inn. Every morning started with the air brisk and clear. We all had electric heated gear and it was in full use. Most of us wore a full set of Gerbing heated gear, including heated jacket, pants, socks and gloves.



Looking back to the west from the Border.



The desert is not all just flat ground with rocks and sage brush, there are some beautiful scenes like this.



... and this.



We were in Utah and stopped in a little town called Hinckley. Guess what!, Triumphs are made in a town called Hinckley in the UK. I asked Mr P to take this photo of me and the Rocket in front of the town sign.



This spectacular scene was photoed from a mountain pass summit in Utah. I was looking back to the west at the town of Fairview. We were riding on Hwy 31.



This next series of photos were taken on Hwy 31. The road climbs over a mountain pass that had plenty of snow.











The end of day three.

[ogmike]

Thanks for the pictures and write up, you need to post this picture in the calender thread it's excellent

[Orson]

Great pics

the snow capped peaks is a definite pashnit calendar shot

I'm not trying to be a safety nazi but you take a lot of pictures on the move.

be careful with that

[JimmieS]

Hey Mike.

GREAT pics and narrative. Hope to see and read the rest of your adventure right here on Pashnit.com. I just returned over the same Nevada, California route you just covered and like you I had rain, snow, hail and generaaly bad weather for the memorial day weekend - unlike you I wasn't able to take such great shots of the the ride.
I also take a lot of pics "on the move", and agree we do need to be careful with that activity. But acknowledge that often times the shot presents itslef well before the time to stop and compose does - you have done an excellent job so far!

Cheers!

[Mike Benzon]

Day four:
We started in Price Utah. It was a bitter cold morning and the camera was left in the bag until warmer temps. The first photo is at the Utah/Colorado border on Hwy 46 or Hwy 90 on the Colorado side.



We stopped at this place for lunch in the town of Naturita CO.



Day four ended in Gunnison CO.






End of Day four.

Day five:
Two of the five had to detour to a Harley dealership to get a new rear tire,



so three of us stayed on the planned route as we rode south on Hwy 149 through some beautiful country.










The next two photos were taken in the town of Crede. This is my favorite town of the ride. Just look at those rock cliff walls right at the end of town.




This day ended in the town called Cuba of New Mexico.


Day six:
We continued south in New Mexico, headed for Reserve. We stopped for a break in front of this ranch in the middle of no where.



I especially liked this view of the endless fence.





This photo was taken at a Highway rest area on Hwy 32 of New Mexico. The area was very pretty with a nice forest of Pondarosa Pines.



The motels in Reserve didn't look like many people were staying the night, but they claimed to not have any vacancies, so we headed west 26 miles to the town of Alpine AZ. Yes we had turned the corner for home. We found a very nice, clean motel that was very happy to have motorcycles parked in their driveway. The day ended with a breif down pour of rain and a rainbow.



There was a large meadow across the street of the motel and we had a good hunch there might be some wild life moving into it at dusk. We weren't disappointed as two herds of elk moved down out of the trees to feed all night.


End of day six.

Day seven:
The next morning they were still there and we watched them as the slowly made their way back to the trees.



This day's ride would take us to Jerome AZ, a small mining town in the middle of Arizona. We spent most of the morning riding west through the Apache Nationa Forest. It was hard to believe we were in Arizona and not Northern California.






End of day six.

Day seven:
Day seven we rode from Jerome to Lee's Ferry where Hwy 89 Alt crosses the Colorado River. There isn't much scenery and it was to be a short day with a long break when we reached the Cliff Dwellers Motel.



After we unpacked and settled in I invited a couple of the guys to take my Rocket for a test ride.




End of day seven.

Day eight:
We left Cliff Dwellers at six in the morning and headed north and west to a small town in south eastern Nevada called Caliente. It was a nice friendly little town with a main line railroad passing through to give it some character. I espescially liked this old depot. I was told it was the first depot built in the state of Nevada.







End of day eight.

Day nine:
Day nine would take us across Hwy 375, Rachel NV and area 51. We stopped in Rachel for gas and breakfast. Super people in this small little town. We arrived at the gas station at 7:00 am, it didn't open until 9:00 am but the lady owner saw us coming into town so she jumped in her car and came down to open early for us.
The folks at the cafe opened early for us as well. We took this picture outside the cafe.





At the intersection of Hwy 375 and Hwy 6 we found this closed up swimming pool naturally heated for a hot spring near by.



The day ended in Hawthorne NV.
End of day nine.
Day Ten:
I think I said 12 days? There was only ten. On day ten we rode from Hawthorne to Carson City for breakfast and then the group split into two groups to head home. I traveled north on Hwy 395 to Susanville, then west on Hwy 36 to Hwy 44, Hwy 89 to Burney.

Honey lake from Hwy 395.




These next four photos are taken on Hwy 44 between Hwy 36 and Hwy 89.






The End

[Ally House]

Mike,
Great report and pics. Sounds like an awesome time!