I was raised by wolves. Very kind, very nurturing wolves. I love riding to a town a just barely learned the name of on a Friday, making a decision at the intersection to get myself lost 1000 miles away from home on a Saturday, and trying to figure out how the hell I can get home on a Sunday. Just ride a place and see a thing.
I get it; we all get caught up in shit. Somewhere, somehow.
But what I can’t stand about dealing with Millennials is the work factor; If you want anything, you gotta work for it.
I don’t care if Aliens came down from space and completely changed earth’s monetary system and societal structure — someone has to go to work to gain a thing, for somebody to benefit. You can bitch about the rich, shout that things are unfair and protest all you want; You still have to produce something. The whole point about America is that you can get what you want to have. I don’t get the excuses.
It’s not rocket science. If you want something, you have to work for it. Ray Charles could see that. Maybe its just selfishness that is the enemy. That’s a whole other post.
Alot has been happening at work, which is a good thing. I stepped down as manager to focus on customers, and going back to just selling which I found I enjoyed a lot more. The guy who replaced me is a solid and honest human being and I can get behind that.
My old man used to say “those that can; do. Those that can’t; teach”. Getting my ideas across I found frustrating and I came to realize that I’m not great at it, at least to the extent I’d like them to get across. Plus, they say patience that has its place, but I wasn’t built around that particular enzyme. I’d rather just do it. I know that sounds contrary to what most people want to do, which is climb the latter and work their way up. I just found I had no aspirations there, and so I might as well get back to what I like doing. I’m also very competitive, and I miss that sales competition and the camaraderie of being on a team. I think I can do more good in the trenches than I can as a bureaucrat. I think I can do some good there.
So Fuck it. I’m going to do what I like doing. Life is too short. Plus, it’s just work.
I’m taking a week off next week, mostly to ride back up through my old stomping grounds, see an old friend and get some bike time in. Up to Southern Utah and back through route 66 and a lot of little Easy Rider spots that I want to get some clarity on. Some shit that has haunted me over the years that I either want to figger out and even just ride again to see how its changed.
It’s a cheap excuse for a long ride. God, I can’t wait.
Life in Arizona is pretty good. I get to wake up each morning and take the 30 mile drive to work and enjoy the hell out of it. There’s something about this place, and I haven’t quite put my finger on it. Its the people, the warmth, the terrain. It all adds up to something methinks.
A nice bonus is the concerts; In a city of 6 million people, the music is pretty outstanding, and its everywhere. This weekend I get to go see a couple favorites I’ve seen before: Offspring and Pennywise.
It’s also Easter weekend. I’m going to try to work in a ride this weekend before dinner with the Family. Time to bust out the smoker maybe, and smoke a thing. Ribs or pork butts or such. That’s always a good thing.
I took a couple days off next month to ride up through route 66 and into my old stomping grounds in Utah to take care of a few things, and I’m really looking forward to that. It’s a great ride, especially this time of year. A little wind therapy never hurt a guy. It’s time to ride, and go re-see a thing. I wonder how much it’s changed. Route 66 and some Easy rider spots are always good.
With the move, and work I haven’t been able to hit up some of the places I wanted to ride. I’ve been needing an overnight trip somewhere to just explore, do whatever I want and enjoy the road and whatever that brings.
It’s fun to ride with friends, but sometimes I just want to get out on my own and not have to listen to someone bitch about where we’re going, or not waking up on time because they need their beauty sleep or whatever. Riding by yourself you can do whatever YOU want to do. If I want to wake up at 3 AM and ride to Texas because I have some crazy idea I can find a BBQ Place I’ve always wanted to try, or sleep in and come home I can. I can push myself to make miles or ride slow and check out every little small town along the way. It’s all about the exploration and enjoying the moment.
At work I have to follow someone elses plans and bust ass to make sure they’re being implemented. On the road, its Fuck all. I’ll do what I want to do, and its a nice change up. It’s fuel for the fire, and it’ll last for a long time.
That is exactly what I love about riding.
I left Saturday morning about 9. The air was a bit cool and the riding was perfect T-shirt weather. Perks of living in Arizona in march. There was a renaissance festival 30 miles outside of town that backed up traffic for 15 miles and I tried to avoid it by taking side roads and getting breakfast, but it was clear I wasn’t going to be able to. Just bite the bullet and get through it. Once I got past it the road opened up and it was clear it was going to be a pretty damn good day.
Trying to find a side road, getting the hell out of dodge.
Just past the town of Superior there’s an old tunnel from the 50’s you go through that winds up the canyon. I’ve noticed the old road that wound below it, and spotted the older tunnel on a past trip this way. Curiosity killed this cat. I’m a sucker for an old bypassed road.
Old 1920’s to 1950’s section of US60, winding around the terrain.
The Claypool Tunnel
I had a minute so I filmed it. If you’re ever over this way, its a neat old section of road.
Claypool Tunnel, back in the day
It was starting to get hot, so I headed east on the 60 again toward Globe. It’s a great stretch of road to ride.
Made me giggle. Welcome to Miami Arizona.
I think the thing I love most about Arizona is the Sonoran Desert. It covers about a third of Arizona but its the most unique desert in the southwest IMO. Basically, if you see a Saguaro Cactus, you’re in the Sonoran Desert. It’s beautiful terrain, and makes for a great ride. I was heading east, and the desert starts looking more and more like New Mexico, which is sorta ass. Maybe I don’t know as much about New Mexico as I think I should, but its the neighboring state and I’m sure I’ll have time to hit those roads once I get sick of riding AZ.
US 191, East of Fort Grant
I wound south down through the Apache Indian reservation and westward into Benson. I crashed for the night at the KOA. The place was empty for tent sites, which sort of surprised me since this is the time of year to camp. I gotta think no one camps in Southern Arizona in July. Maybe no one just wants to go to Benson, who knows. The old Korean Lady owner was a sweetheart and gave me an upgraded spot with power so I could charge up my phone. I called Missus Zip and hit the sack.
Ya gotta love a good road morning…Arizona Moon, before sunrise.
Woke up early and enjoyed the morning. There’s something about waking up in a new place. After a day of riding your senses come back in tune: you hear the birds, the wind, hell… everything else. I fucking love road mornings. I loaded up the bike and headed down the trail toward Tombstone.
Tombstone Arizona
I’ve been to Tombstone before. There’s a lot I want to see here, but I’d like to get my family down here if I can talk them into it and experience some things with them. I had breakfast and headed toward Bisbee, which my brother Skeezix has talked about for a few years.
Riding into Bisbee, I was sorta blown away. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen another town like it before. It’s like a combination of Park City, and Caliente Nevada: A re-purposed old town nestled in the middle of a canyon, with a lot of hipsters and mining history. I rode through it, put my gopro on the windshield of my bike and figured I’d show you how cool the main street of Bisbee is. Turns out, Harley-Davidsons shake a lot so even at 20 MPH my goPro footage was like watching the Blair Witch Project. I won’t subject you to it 🙂
I went to take a tour of the Queen Mine, but the next tour was an hour away and like Tombstone, I figured we’d plan a family trip and come down here again.
I pointed the bike toward Sierra Vista and then toward home. Great ride, and I got to see a lot of the different terrain that Arizona has to offer.
Turns out, Life is pretty goddamn good. The nice thing about scouting the perimeter you always come back with more questions than answers. I think I need to spend an entire day or two in Tucson, there’s a lot of things I want to see there.
