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 wished I could sum up why I ride. I cant. Today I think I got closer to why, and I think its one of the greatest things about riding: Its the surprises. I always seem to find an answer to a problem on a ride, or not seem to care about the problem itself, which is such a needed break from reality sometimes. This last week ive been focused on work, what I need to do, and how I needed to improve my work. Its been in my head all week, and I think I did that. My head was full of everything but riding, even though I havent driven my truck for about 3 months.
Tonight was a BACA meeting in hurricane, so after work I jetted out on the freeway to go do my duty for BACA, and all of a sudden it happened: The ride took over. It did indeed surprise me, on a short 5 mile stretch of 1-15 where I could feel my bike’s horsepower loving stretching its legs. the wind, the music, the feeling of seeing everything around me and being a part of it. Its the surprise. I love the suprise. Im addicted yet again.
I had big plans this weekend to ride with my brothers from BACA, but at the end of the day only 3 people showed up. Me, and my 2 old friends Justin and Matt. We’ve been friends for a long time, since high school 20 years ago. We get together fairly often, and when justin called me and told me that he and matt were in for a friday ride to caliente and back the next morning, It was good news. I was seriously about to go by myself as usual, but having 2 good friends go with was great.
We headed out friday around 3 or so, and made our way through gunlock, and north on 18.
Me on the Street Glide
Matt has a really good looking and well taken care of 94 Dyna Wide Glide, and Justin has an 08 Street Glide. We rounded up past enterprise and showed them modena. We kicked around checking out the old store and I managed to talk to the guy who lives next to it. He said its been vandalized pretty heavily the last few years from people helping themselves to old radiators and sinks, and the roof started on fire a few years back. Its old. He said he’s got pictures from the 1880s that show the hotel/store but wasnt quite sure how old it is. Its a cool old building.
we then bombed into Caliente, checked into the motel, and found the bar and drank beer to our hearts content. Matty is on the wagon, so jug and I got drunk and we all played pool. Jug is a dick. Noone can beat the guy at pool. I came close, but sunk the 8 ball and lost by one ball twice. the man has skills.
Just past Modena
The next morning we loaded up, had breakfast and was home by 2. Great ride. One to do again. Its close, and its in nevada. I gotta take robyn.
I listen to alot of johnny cash when I ride. His music really resonates with me, especially on the bike. Like him, I am a misfit – an outisder, and theres room in this world for outsiders, because many of you are outsiders too. I am not always positive, sometimes the world doesnt warrant that. Sometimes a spade is a spade, and thank god for men like johnny cash who saw it that way. Im a big fan.
Im 41 years old, and Ive seen my share of hard times in this world. Its not all celestial, sometimes its downright hell. The hell times have formed me, the celestial is what I shoot for. Its nice not to walk alone, and for those who feel they walk alone: Open up your heart, because theres something out there for you my friend. The world awaits, its a great big place… and there is something out there for everyone. Sometimes all you need to do is flip the coin of your perspective, and a whole new experience is out there for you. I know, because everytime I flip that coin, the world looks and feels different. Im getting used to flipping it. Im glad its there.
RIDE ON! Walk the line….
Life is short. This was johnny when he was young, he hadnt much slowed down and was at his peak of experience and energy. Experience in life comes at a great cost, and later he realized that cost as we all will. Look at a man who was with the one he loved, still vibrant in his life and had full faculty. He lived another 33 years past this, but he would never have this moment again. today really is the most valuable thing you hold.
You can feel it starting to turn in the mornings. Its cooling down. The normally perfect 8AM ride to work requires a jacket now. So when I needed to head up to Salt Lake to take care of some family matters, and coupled with the fact that my bike is a third the cost of what itd take to drive my truck up, I jumped at the chance to spend the day riding to Salt Lake. It may be the final time this year.
So I headed up highway 18 toward Cedar, and figured that I’d go up through Minersville and milford again, and see what I could find along my way.
One of the reasons why I love my bike, is for 20 bucks and some beef jerky, I can get 150 miles away from my problems in life, and the funny thing is, not only is that a cheap vacation, but its also where I get most of my best answers to my problems. Its the best of all worlds.
In cedar I called my brother, and he was game to finish up early if he could and meet me on the road somewhere. Right on! So I headed north, fueled up in Minersville, and headed up to Milford to get some pictures of a place ive passed a million times, but wanted to get some shots of: the Milford Hotel. Its been cleaned up a bit since I was there last, and is primed for resurrection possibly. Cool old hotel.
I met pat just outside of eureka, I met up with Pat after riding through a 4 inch high grasshopper massacre, that for a while made me think my tire was flying apart. My leathers were yellow, and my bike was covered with bugs, but only completely, and only the lower 6 inches of my bike. I was like moses parting the red sea of locusts, which of course is a combination plague. Moses couldnt have done it I dont think, but street glides can. Its just how I believe.
we boogied out, hit 1-15 and headed for the cabin. Of course, when I get together with pat after an evening ride, it can only mean one thing: Single Malt Scotch. We drank 18 year old scotch, which is something money cannot buy. Its drinking with blood, with high alcohol content *IN* your blood. Makes you sleep well.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2008
Woke up, made some calls, waited for my sack ass to accept a reasonable temperature, and headed south behind Utah lake, through Eureka and Delta, through the parowan Gap (where i’d never been) and south on 1-15. Parted locusts again south of Eureka, and enjoyed the ride. I also got bored, busted out my camera and filmed the road while I listened to ring of fire by johnny cash. Through the wind, you can hear it. It is a mighty road song. Mightier than you. I don’t even know you, but I am quite positive it is mightier than you. Johnny cash bows to no man, even you.
Nothing going on. Summer is ending and I’m sitting home watching the kids while Mrs Zip is up helping my mom. I need to go ride. Going to the post office or down the the grocery store doesnt count, although I did take my youngest to school and picked her up on the fat boy, and she felt pretty cool about that.
RIDING IS LIKE PIECING TOGETHER THE PUZZLES OF LIFE, AND LIKING THE ANSWERS.
I said that on a forum the other day, and I think it sums up exactly why I like riding. Its why I ride I think.
So pat showed up last night, well prepared with a bottle of Glen Livet. I had it in my head we were going riding that night and make it to bryce, so we could head up highway 12 the next morning and be back by night. Then it started raining, so we had dinner, polished off a fine bottle of scotch and caught up. It was great. Pat is the first of my brothers to ever come down and stay in my home. Skip did once, but camped in my driveway in his rig and that was cool too. Even so, I love my brother and enjoy his company. Friends are friends, but blood is blood. I enjoy it when we get together.
So this morning we headed out with intentions of somewhere north. On the way to zion, we pulled off in rockville and I showed him grafton, a local ghost town where butch cassidy and the sundance kid was filmed. Remember the raindrops keep falling on my head scene? That was filmed in grafton. If you don’t, here it is:
Theres an old bridge in grafton thats pretty awesome. Got some good pictures below. Im too lazy right now to add them up here so you can check em out right now.
From there, we headed up to zion and went through the tunnel. Thats always a nice ride, and hearing my bike thunder in the tunnel always is just a perfect sound. Pat had never been through there, and it was a nice ride. Headed up to mt Carmel and got our bearings, and I took a picture that I just have to post:
We wouldn't have it any other way....
From Mt Carmel, we bolted north to bryce had lunch and pat split to head north and I headed back to mt Carmel and continued through to kanab, on my way home.
Stopped at the buckskin tavern for a minute. never been in there, had a beer and headed south again through Fredonia and on to pipe springs. Ive probably passed pipe springs a hundred times, and never really had more than a minor curiosity of what it was or all about, and since riding the fat boy for all those miles made my ass feel like it was sitting on a cinder block (or a bag of marbles as pat would put it), i decided to stop in and see it all. It was pretty cool. theres a fort there, and a whole history that was pretty significant to the area. I eat that stuff up.
Then I headed home. I had a good ride. The fat boy is not in the same league as my street glide as far as riding long runs goes, but at least I felt I got to know her a bit and she is what she is. She ran great, and she almost asked me to put some saddlebags on her, and my ass clearly asked me to get another seat, and even some freeway pegs. I may do both.
My week started with my street glide making noises that I couldnt tell were in my head, or not. Turns out, a cam chain guide fell off and rested in the bottom of my engine, so I took it in to get it fixed. That left me with a weekend to ride, and the untested fat boy in garage. It was time to see what this softail was made of. if it was destined to be an around the town bike that I end up bobbing and make into something worth looking at, or if I would bag it up a bit and make it into something that makes some miles.
So saturday morning I headed out around gunlock, and up towards rachel nevada. That was my goal anyway, to head out, have a couple of beers and lunch in rachel, and mabye see some terrain I hadnt ever seen in nevada.
My first stop was mountain meadow. I hadnt been here for a few years, and figured that it would be a good place to rest my ass and see what new things have been there in the way of monuments. Mountain meadow still holds controversy, as mormon settlers and indians seiged and massacred 120 men, women and children. Its a complex story as to why, and Ive studied it and read about it several times since college. I stopped, snapped some pictures and headed north.
Somewhere up toward Enterprise, erik’s cousin wrecked on erik’s ultra glide the night before. I couldnt find any evidence or wreckage, and bombed to the nevada border.
Just on the nevada utah border, I explored modena a little bit…. another cool little old (almost) ghost town in nevada that vandals havent done anything to.
after modena, another hour and I found myself in Caliente, drinking a beer and hearing my brothers plans had fallen through, so I headed back to st george to meet him, drink a bottle of Glen Livet and prep for another ride tomorrow.
Gotta go back to caliente, theres more to see there.
Woke up around 8, and randy took my bike down to the auto parts store to get something to fix his cable. Nothing. So we ate breakfast across the street, and parted ways… Randy to head north to Wendover and then to Morgan, I headed west to Tonopah. I debated whether I should go. 500 miles in a day isnt a short jaunt, its a commitment that might mean not getting home that night if something happens, or I take too much time. I decided to go.
The ride out of Tonopah surprised me.
It was nice! long sweeping turns and nice and cool outside. My head wasnt in the ride tho. I was feeling guilty for not heading home, spending money (even though this trip was extremely cheap) and not coming home and getting ready for my work week. I struggled to get my head into my ride untill at the junction of hwy 6 and 318: Halstead’s Blackjack Inn. For one, I love ghost towns. I love seeing civilization in the middle of nowhere, where a person has taken a risk and put his shingle out to start a business and to piece together its history. I love it.
Halstead’s BlackJack Inn
Second, there was an old trailer that im sure had a ton of history that someone had spraypainted on that put my mind in the right place:
“Home is something some of us never find”
That was the ticket. I headed out with a new point of view, and knew this was going to be a great ride.
Currant Nevada
Nevada always suprises me. It wasnt what I was expecting, theres more there than just sagebrush. I want to explore it all now. Life in nevada comes in surprising places, and in little pockets.
“Home Cooking – Come on In”
At the end of a really awesome 50 mile ride I found Currant Nevada. its still on the road signs, but there isnt much going on there. I was there for probably 20 or more minutes and never saw a soul, let alone a passing car. It was almost apocalyptic — the abandoned bar/motel/rv park/gas station was overgrown with weeds, but looks as though the people were vaporized mid spot. theres still bedding and pillows on the beds, clothes hanging in the closets in the hotel. In the restaurant, theres an unfinished bottle of wine on the table. The bar has a cowboy hat on it, and a stocked bar. Theres vines growing under the doors, and the calendar reads november of 1996. It was trippy, if anyone knows a story, or THE story behind this place, please email me or post here. I’d love to know it.
Food in the plates and a half empty bottle of wine on the tables…
_
Almost apocalyptic – Wierd
From then on out, it was 100 miles of Flat and long, with the only turns coming at the mountainous rises from the high desert floor.
Hope I make it
I’ve never ran my bike out of gas before. I know around 100 miles the needleleaves from being pegged full, and at 175 miles its pegged empty and pretty much out of gas. My ride was 170 miles between gas stations, and I was pretty confident when I left, untill I started wondering how much the extra weight and wind resistance on a full tour pak would make. I know at around 1/4 tank it drops visibly fast. You have about 10 or 15 miles max. I pulled into tonopah and i was nearly empty, and my gas gauge read 174.4 miles. Awesome.
Pulled into tonopah around 2:30 pm, checked out the place a bit, and stopped into a local watering hole for a brewski, and doubled back to head toward Rachel and home.
House in Warm Springs Nevada
Warm springs is another place i’d love to know the story of. I stopped there, stretched my legs and checked out the old bar/cafe and the house across the street. some of the grafitti inside told the story, and theres a warm spring that runs into a pool on the site that is fenced, but I’ve read about people still using it. The writings on the wall suggest that the house was inhabited as late as 1988, but whether or not thats true is another story. The house is starting to fall in on itself a bit. In the back were evidence of an RV park.
Warm Springs Bar and Cafe
Warm spring is at the junction of 6, and the Extraterrestrial highway I headed south toward Rachel.
Little A’Le’Inn in Rachel
At rachel I stopped to check the Little A’Le’Inn out. This place is famous if you run in UFO Circles (which I dont, but find it interesting), and is the closest town to area 51. I think its awesome to see a place survive for 20 years out in the middle of nowhere, and hopefully will for 100 more.
I walked in, and the only other people in there were from Pittsburgh. I had my penguins shirt on, and we talked for a bit. Really nice guys, just checking out area 51. Its just amazing that 5 penguin/Steeler fans meet in the middle of nowhere. I had me a patty melt, a couple of Guinnesses (obviously a place with good taste), took some pictures and started heading for home. Ill come back to rachel. They let you pitch a tent for free there, and are extremely friendly folks.
The Black Mailbox
The guy at Little A’Le’Inn told me about the mailbox for area 51, 20 miles outside of town so I stopped and took pictures. The real story of the mailbox can be found here, but the box was interesting nonetheless. I guess alien afficianados gather around it at night looking for evidence, and holds the claim as the most famous mailbox in the world. I took some pictures and moved on.
20 miles of good road later, I was at the junction of Extraterrestrial highway and nevada state road 93. I felt closer to home now, but this was all new. If I go left, I go through caliente and the map says its a scenic drive, and Im home in probably 90 minutes. If i go right, its 3 hours. I went right. I figured left is a ride erik and I can do later possibly, and I didnt want to go home yet.
I got gas in ash springs, and was surpised to see so many people again. the pumps were all full of people and I had to wait, and the store was busy. Getting close to civilization again. Lots of trees and a couple of lakes. I opened it up and started heading south toward moapa.
Waiting out the Rain
I’d had the rain at my back all day, but heading south at moapa it caught up to me. It came down pretty good. Had to wait it out a bit in glendale. No big deal, the break was nice before the stretch home.
I made it home around 10pm. Id done 480 miles that day, and honestly, I could have done 500 more. The bike ran great and I 100% enjoyed riding in nevada. Like i said, it surpised me. I want to check it all out now. Nevada is no longer a state to just get through, its a place to explore. To be able to find places like I’d visited today that were so intact and not vandalized was amazing to me. I need to find out more about them and go back again.
Ride totals: 3 States, 485 miles in 12 hours
NOTE: I didnt realize but the date on my camera is wrong this trip.
