I haven’t ridden much lately. It’s pretty hot outside. It hit 118 degrees a couple of days ago here, which is pretty damn hot. On a bike, in the wind, thats like 130 degrees. I’ve done it before, and it never really turned out that great for me.
I’m not bitching; I love it. It beats the living hell out of snow in the winter. You don’t have to shovel heat off your car, or your doorstep. You don’t slide sideways into a ditch, because of heat.
These are the times for an air conditioned car. It’s 108 today, and that’s more like it. It’s that extra 10 degrees that’ll kick your ass on a long ride. In another month, It’ll be time to bust out the bike and go ride a place and see something new.
Never been to Alamagordo… Or Madrid New Mexico. Or white sands…. I’ve been kicking those places around to ride out and have a little look-see. I can feel a ride coming on.
Pretty much my whole life, I’ve made fun of country music. I laughed it off as corny and even a little too simple for my tastes. I’ve liked a few artists; Dwight Yoakam, Johnny Cash, a little Alabama or a country/pop crossover song here and there. Mostly, nothing I’d admit to.
I think it all started with that trip across the Texas Panhandle. I found some old classic country riding through there, and it just seemed to fit the territory. No big deal; I enjoyed the hell out of those miles. That was a few months ago.
I came home, and lived my life.
Now all of a sudden, The last couple of weeks, for some reason all I’ve been listening to is country music on the way to work. I found this playlist on my Amazon Prime account on my phone that sync’s up with my car and its been Patsy Cline, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Loretta Lynn… shit I’ve heard, but never listened to. Even some of the new stuff; yeah, it’s simple and even so corny sometimes I wince a bit when I hear it.
Yeah, I think I’ve had a stroke. This stuff all of a sudden sounds good to me.
I think I’m done with politics. I know where I stand, and where I’ve always put my vote. I’m just sick of how divided the world is, and how its trickled down to daily life.
I’m looking forward to the time when we judge people by whether they’re an asshole or not, not what color of state they’re in, or whatever else.
You can feel a revolution coming on, or some kind of social civil war. It’s dumber than hell.
Man, life is too short. Aaaaand, for me anyway, There’s too many good things out there to enjoy….
I’m sitting here, at my computer chair watching youtube videos on a weekend, and doing pretty much absolutely nothing. It’s a Saturday, and it’s pretty awesome.
A few people have asked me why I like Easy Rider so much. Anytime I’m asked what my favorite movie is, I’ll always say Easy Rider. It must be, because I’ve spent at least 20 years chasing down locations from it. I think it’s my favorite movie because of all the fun I’ve had finding those locations. At first, it was just a cheap excuse to ride somewhere and put the puzzle pieces together. When I watch the movie now, it gets intertwined with all the people I’ve met, and the fun I’ve had finding these places.
I first posted the route 10 years ago on this blog. A lot has changed since then, and I’ve had a helluva lotta fun with the tours and the documentaries, etc. I’ve ridden and became friends with some pretty fucking cool people. I really need to re-write the whole thing, because I have so much more info now then I did back then.
Anyway….
The last place I’ve never identified was the Tire change scene. It’s the ranch house where Billy and Wyatt showed up with a flat tire, and scored a groovy dinner at lunch time. I’ve always figgered it was around Valentine Arizona, and I was right. A German biker named Berndt hit me up and inspired me to finally get off my ass and go check it out, finally. Thanks Berndt!
Here’s the scene:
I found it. It’s right dead center between Valentine and Hackberry. I didn’t go up to the place, but I can tell you it’s the place. The mountains all line up. It was posted “No Trespassing” and in Rural Arizona, if you’re smart you pay a little heed to those signs. Mostly, because its a good place to get shot if you don’t. With a little respect and some time, I’ll be able to get in and talk to the owners and see if I can get some good pictures.
They Shot a lot of scenes around here. One of the most famous pictures of ER was also shot, just at within a mile or two of the turn off.
Spent a lot of years riding and researching it and having a hell of a lot of fun along the way…. Ridden it from LA to New Orleans several times and a few times with some of the best people I know.
A buddy of mine from the UK who loves the movie as much as I do hit me up about doing the ride again for the 50th Anniversary of Easy Rider. It’s been sorta in the works since 2013, when we rode the route together. This time, its going to be a little more grass roots than it was with Eagle Rider. A little more truer to the route, maybe a little camping where they camped, and a little more fun. We’re putting together the itinerary now.
