The Bumblebee and the Vespa 2014

I think it's time for me to redefine what this new blog is about. In the past I've posted individual blogs for motorcycle/motor scooter rides to places like Alaska, Nova Scotia, Key West, Mexico, Canada, New York, etc. That's all well and good but it seems nowadays I'm dividing my rides into shorter ones comprised of two or more weeks each on different bikes. The total time and mileage is about the same, it's just split into multiple rides with a break somewhere in the middle.

The summer of 2014 serves as a good example of that wherein I rode south to Tombstone, AZ on my '92 BMW R100GS Bumblebee/Ural sidecar rig, (phew!) then returned home for a few days and set out again on my '07 Vespa 250ie motor scooter to visit Canada. That summer has gone and the seasons have changed as will the reports, some will be about shorter rides, some will be about maintenance, and maybe on occasion I'll post a photo or two just for interest. I may even introduce other bikes, a few of which are lurking under cover in the barn...

Navigating this blog is easy, just scroll down the list of posts by date to whatever interests you, click on it and you're in. Photos can be viewed in larger format by clicking on them.

Finally, if you'd care to post comments please do so, I'd love to hear from you. CLICK ON "NO COMMENTS" TO ENTER YOUR REMARKS. That seems really silly but that's how it works. The entry window is located at the bottom of each screen. Thanks for visiting, I hope you enjoy your stay.

LL

Monday, June 30, 2014

Jun 30 - Day 07 Bumblebee - Albuhkurkee....I think

Somewhere around mid-day today I realized I might croak from all this extreme [to me] heat so I decided to turn north, maybe head up towards Wyoming. Prior to that I rode through the Gila National Forest just for the sight seeing and from there to the quaint little town of Hillsboro, NM. The last time through Hillsboro I made the acquaintance of another rider and we've become email pals since. After Hillsboro I stopped at Truth or Consequences for lunch and after that I turned north.

The ride wasn't as bad the last 100 miles or so as it became cloudy, still hot but bearable. Before that it was miserably hot and not a whole lot of fun. Riding slowly through the Gila National Forest the heat became so intense I stopped and removed my jacket. I figured if I fell off the damn bike I'd likely only be going 20 mph and the risk was worth it. Maybe I'd get lucky and land on my noggin, straight up and down.

So here's the pics, not many but it was not a great day for them.

The dreaded oil spot is back....! No idea yet where it's coming from, surely not the BB?

I know mining provides badly needed jobs and necessary materials but I can't get around how nasty it makes the ground look, At least with logging you can replant the forests but what can you do to replenish minerals?

The Gila National Forest - what a treasure it is. Bikers love the road going through the park, tight twisties all over the place. Not quite as much fun on a hack but if you go slow it's pretty cool. This was my 2nd trip and it was great.
View from up top
BB posing in front of the Post Office in Hillsboro, NM*
[*Not Texas as posted earlier, Thanks SGT Stumble!]

New Mexico really knows how to build rest stops. These little cabin-like structures are positioned just right to catch the cooling winds while you rest in the shade they provide. I was ready to take a  nap in one.

This is part of the Apache Reserve in New Mexico. I stopped for a cold soda pop and spent some time taking in the quiet vastness of it. I can't imagine what it would be like to live off  the land in such a harsh environment. 

Hot, hot day, 253 laid-back easy goin' miles. I'm sometimes asked how many miles I ride each day; I think some people are expecting me to spout off huge numbers like the Iron Butt Riders achieve, 1000+ miles. In actuality I ride at whatever pace suits me at the moment, a lot depending on the weather and roadside attractions which for the most part means a typical day is 325 - 350 miles.

LL

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Jun 29 - Day 06 Bumblebee - Silver City, NM

Crimoney, I'm in New Mexico pardner! Helluva day today, great riding all day long. Got to see some really weird stuff like the border patrol thrashing the bushes looking for illegals, then I took a short foray off road thinking I was somewhere I wasn't. Visited Tombstone, then later on a museum complete with the largest bunch of rattlesnakes I've ever seen. I know damn well I'll have nightmares tonight!

When I arrived at Silver City I stopped to gas up and a guy on the next island drove off with the hose still in his truck. Just like in the movies but for real! Then he went a little ballistic, I think maybe he was having a breakdown so I got the hell out of there before he went really nuts. After that I checked into my old standby Motel 6 where I'm finally getting caught up with this blog. Here's today's pics:

Oil blob below BB gave me a start this morning. I thought it was from my bud's Buick but later on discovered it was from the Bumblebee. Bugger all, if my ride's drizzling oil maybe I should carry a drip pan with me?

Ran down this overgrown single-track, found myself in a nasty sand trap and nearly didn't make it out. Full throttle was the only choice which made for one heck of a ride. Got lucky on that one, no shovel or tackle with me.

This was the place where I had my little off-road adventure


Old buildings - what more can I say? Notice the white windows are painted boards? No?
No way was I going to hike that far.


On to Tombstone

Never got the Jewish connection when I visited before. Odd....

An amazing amount of dead folks here. 

These guys got stuck where it wouldn't inconvenience the gentry

Oops...wouldn't that just tick you off?

Bisbee was the copper mining capitol of the world for years 

Lavender pit operation...luverly, just luverly

We pause to check a map. We weren't lost. Nope.

Man I wuz hotter'n a popcorn, uh, well yeah, one of those. 

Plaques. Can you read the inscription? No? Best have your eyes checked.

Geronimo gave it up not far from this memorial. Bet he liked that.

I'm turning into a tourist, stopping at every darn one of these markers.

I thought there was going to be something about a rodeo on this one. Duh...

Now these people know about tourists, they've got snakes and everything. I mean live ones, hissy buggers that can kill you just by biting you. I know I'll have nightmares tonight, no doubt about it. And I paid good money to get in. Eww...

More road stretching out in front of us. We saw lots of border patrol guys in this area. I thought it was too damn hot to be hunting illegals but I suppose they're used to it. Sure wouldn't want them hunting me and I ain't even Mexican....mostly not anyway.

So there ya go boys and girls, I'm done in and ready to hit the hay. I would too but there's some idiotic big-footed moron stomping around in the room above me making enough noise to wake the dead. Maybe it's the yahoo from the gas station out on bail? 

Forgot to record today's mileage but my fanny comfort meter tells me it may have been substantial. Life is good.



Jun 28 - Day 05 Bumblebee - All the way to Oracle

Today was shopping day at Wally World. Shaving soap, Oreos [the cheap imitation Safeway brand], stuff like that.My ride to see my bud in Oracle would be under 200 miles so I had plenty of time to dawdle around.

This was a pretty neat site to visit. Free admission as they were sort of closed.

Big ol' house made of mud. Cheap material.

Three floors. That's a lot of mud slinging. 

Back on the road to Oracle I stopped at the Tom Mix memorial. 

Mr Mix hisself. Bad ass.

Mr Mix's big ol' horsey all shot full of holes. Real cowboy horse.

It's just a name guys, move on....
Easy day today, 184 miles and plenty of stops. I'm starting to get used to this sunshine, kind of summer-like. I'm told it's raining at home. Brrrr....hardee har har!

Jun 27 - Day 04 Bumblebee - Muddling along, finally in AZ

There's something about the traffic patterns through Reno and Lost Wages that make me wonder why I go there. Maybe if there were other routes I'd give them a try but no, it is the way it is. Today's pics sort of reflect my brain melt-down.

What a find this place was, fab food and I nearly passed it by.

Great motel and a breakfast of flakes. What more could you want? What was the name of that town? Wickenburg? Wilburschnauzen? Something like that. Probably on one of my maps.

Anyway I bumbled along another 300 miles or so, will arrive in Oracle tomorrow. Or was that Creosote?

Jun 26 - Day 03 Bumblebee - My gawd I'm still in NV!

Boy when I don't have to write anything clever, just post pics, this is easy as heck. I should have tried this a long time ago


Early morning still riding south. I think.
There's no end to it is there? I should have been in the asphalt business.
You wouldn't believe how nice this scene was. Too bad my trigger finger is so shakey.

My new water hump. Left my  good one at the motel in K-Falls.

Would you really consider this a "roadside attraction?"
OK, how about this one then? They play bad music really LOUD. Makes you want to rush right in and buy stuff. Yup.

Down the road I find a rest stop

And a very large tree conveniently located.

I did not pee on that tree. Swear. I swear I didn't 

Cool little town out in the desert

It could be your's for only $500. Minor problem with a fire in the wiring but other than that....

Gold City buildings

A Glass Bottle house. Why do people do that anyway?

Spooky. Haunted. Zombies probably live there.
OK, so day three's done, 353 miles total. Hardly noticed it, can't feel my butt but that's probably more information than you need, eh?