2nd June
I make an early start – it’s the only way to travel at this time of year in Arizona. I’m packed in the relative cool (it’s 67 º F even now) and on the road at sunrise – 0530
Interstate 10 (a road I keep running into as it crosses the entire USA ) is busy – I’m not the only one who wants to avoid the heat of the day. I make good progress, though, and I’m soon on the 191 heading north, climbing towards the Apache Sitgreaves Forest. My ideal plan would be to remain on the 191 as it heads north through the forest, but the road’s still closed due to a forest fire and a cleanup operation after a fuel spillage. I later find it’ll probably re-open tomorrow
…
Still, I manage to retrace my steps through the very twisty and picturesque 78, into the New Mexico and the Gila Forest…
Real bikers do at least 200 miles before breakfast. After 207, I stop in the small town of Glenwood. The sign…
…advertising the best breakfast in town, seems paltry recommendation in a town this small
– but they do a great breakfast, with a killer chilli omelette. I meet up with 3 other riders at breakfast…
Dean, Les & Joe. Dean lives down in Mexico, whilst Les & Joe live in Oregon. They met up in Tucson and are heading north. We ride up to the filling station together and I say a brief hello to Trevor…
…who is riding a Vermont registered GS he bought 2 weeks ago – he loves it
I say my farewells and head off up the 180, which is a pleasant enough ride, passing something weird with a trailer on the way
…before passing through Alpine again (I was here on 7th April) – I stop for a coffee at the Bear Wallow Café, but neither Jolynn nor Talic are serving today, so I move on. I continue north, riding through the town of Snowflake (the temperature is 97 º F), eventually entering the town of Holbrook at 1330. Holbrook is on the (now largely vanished) Route 66. It’s hot (but not as hot as yesterday in Tucson) and I’m tired. I stop in a little ‘mom & pop’ motel for $27 per night (including tax!).
Route 66 was at the height of its popularity in the fifties and sixties – the same goes for the Holbrook Inn…
I was considering staying at the Tepee Motel…
…which seems to be part motel, part museum, as each Tepee has a classic car of a different decade (although many are from the 50s, when the place was built) parked in front…
…but, alas, it was not to be – they didn’t open until 1500 and I needed to cool down now…
Nearby, other, less well preserved, examples of old Detroit metal rust away gently, awaiting a buyer…
No internet connection here, so I have a snooze, write up my journal and will go out in search of somewhere to eat after sundown. 375 good miles today
Oh, in case you were wondering, the best place to get chilled water in Tucson is in the fridge of Room 131 of the Hampton Inn. That’s where I left my CamelBack…
I make an early start – it’s the only way to travel at this time of year in Arizona. I’m packed in the relative cool (it’s 67 º F even now) and on the road at sunrise – 0530
Interstate 10 (a road I keep running into as it crosses the entire USA ) is busy – I’m not the only one who wants to avoid the heat of the day. I make good progress, though, and I’m soon on the 191 heading north, climbing towards the Apache Sitgreaves Forest. My ideal plan would be to remain on the 191 as it heads north through the forest, but the road’s still closed due to a forest fire and a cleanup operation after a fuel spillage. I later find it’ll probably re-open tomorrow
… Still, I manage to retrace my steps through the very twisty and picturesque 78, into the New Mexico and the Gila Forest…
Real bikers do at least 200 miles before breakfast. After 207, I stop in the small town of Glenwood. The sign…
…advertising the best breakfast in town, seems paltry recommendation in a town this small
– but they do a great breakfast, with a killer chilli omelette. I meet up with 3 other riders at breakfast…
Dean, Les & Joe. Dean lives down in Mexico, whilst Les & Joe live in Oregon. They met up in Tucson and are heading north. We ride up to the filling station together and I say a brief hello to Trevor…
…who is riding a Vermont registered GS he bought 2 weeks ago – he loves it
I say my farewells and head off up the 180, which is a pleasant enough ride, passing something weird with a trailer on the way
…before passing through Alpine again (I was here on 7th April) – I stop for a coffee at the Bear Wallow Café, but neither Jolynn nor Talic are serving today, so I move on. I continue north, riding through the town of Snowflake (the temperature is 97 º F
), eventually entering the town of Holbrook at 1330. Holbrook is on the (now largely vanished) Route 66. It’s hot (but not as hot as yesterday in Tucson) and I’m tired. I stop in a little ‘mom & pop’ motel for $27 per night (including tax!).
Route 66 was at the height of its popularity in the fifties and sixties – the same goes for the Holbrook Inn…
I was considering staying at the Tepee Motel…
…which seems to be part motel, part museum, as each Tepee has a classic car of a different decade (although many are from the 50s, when the place was built) parked in front…
…but, alas, it was not to be – they didn’t open until 1500 and I needed to cool down now…
Nearby, other, less well preserved, examples of old Detroit metal rust away gently, awaiting a buyer…
No internet connection here, so I have a snooze, write up my journal and will go out in search of somewhere to eat after sundown. 375 good miles today
Oh, in case you were wondering, the best place to get chilled water in Tucson is in the fridge of Room 131 of the Hampton Inn. That’s where I left my CamelBack…
