Tucson, AZ - Ride to Mt. Lemmon
Roughly a 30 mile jaunt along Catalina Highway, the road takes numerous sweeping curves winding its way up to an old ski resort some 8,000 feet high.
But experience was made all the better after meeting fellow motorcycle blogger, Arizona Harley Dude.
Sash and I picked him up further north at the Tom Mix Memorial along SR79, a place where the famous serial cowboy laid down and died. The winds blew hard enough that we had to chase our full face helmets as they rolled like tumbleweeds across the desert floor. But after several minutes chatting, we took off facing the wind head on.
The biggest issue I had with Tucson is that there's so much city you have to ride through to get anywhere. To get to Catalina Highway, we had to endure something like 10 miles of intersections, traffic, and stop lights, all under 90 degrees of full sunshine. Not exactly blazing hot, but hot enough to make you want to cool down.
So when we finally began making our ascent up the mountain, I could feel every one of the degree temperature drops and drew a bigger sigh of relief as I watched the numbers tick down on my dashboard.
With a big heave to the left and then a big heave to the right, it was largely smooth sailing and nary a car or truck to slow us down. Our bikes seemed to glide like slaloming on fresh powder as my attention was tugged back and forth by the beautiful rocky mountainsides and the road in front of me.
Sash remained behind me and behind her Arizona Harley Dude took up the rear. I couldn't help watching Sash in my mirrors. Being that she's still a new rider, I was concerned about her taking these twisties. But she seemed to do fine, and as we continued along, she was handling turns at faster speeds.
Reaching the summit, the temperature dropped to the upper 50s. But under a cloudless sky, the sun managed to keep things warm.
Lunch at the Sawmill Run Restaurant topped off the afternoon with juicy burgers and sweet potato tots.
I think, however, that the day was made all the better having Arizona Harley Dude on the ride. Thus far, with just Sash and I, there can be a sense of loneliness leaving your hometown behind. Even though we can keep in touch with our friends back home on Facebook and e-mail, there's nothing more satisfying than having another friend with us in person.
It's also cool that the three of us could sit down for lunch and compare notes on our favorite motorcycle bloggers, talk about what we thought of their posts, and who we'd like to meet. It brings a little bit of community back to Sash and I.
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| Arizona Harley Dude (left), Sash and I wearing our eBikerLeather Jackets, at Tom Mix Memorial, SR79 |
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| Tom Mix Memorial, where he died |
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| Cool twisties up on Mt. Lemmon |
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| Sash and Arizona Harley Dude, Mt Lemmon |
More photos of the Mt. Lemmon Ride:
https://picasaweb.google.com/116269130583969708148/RoadPickleDay9Tucson
As of this writing, Sash and I left Tucson yesterday. We rode through Benson, Tombstone, Bisbee, and Douglas, and are now holed up in Lordsburg, NM. But not for long, we're leaving this morning for Las Cruces.
Photos from yesterday here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/116269130583969708148/RoadPickleDay12TucsonToLordsburg
Be sure to peek at our Road Pickle Map to see all the places we've been.
Steve:
ReplyDeleteNice scenery and it was great that you managed to meet up with Paul. It makes for a much less lonely trip when you are able to meet up with friends, along the way
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
When I was still living in the barren desert wastes, I felt the same way about Tucson. It's a really cool town but, dear god, how about an express route or two?
ReplyDeleteIf you've got the time and the inclination (and you think nuclear junkyards are pretty cool), a visit to the Black Hole in Los Alamos, NM is worthwhile. I don't know how much it has changed since Ed passed away, but I can guarantee you'll never be anywhere like it again.
Looks like you kids are having a swelltastic time out on the open road. Stay the course you two, I'm loving these updates x
ReplyDelete