does this relate to you? colorado? new mexico? texas? possibly arizona? most certainly mexico. a friend and I are really jazzed to go to mexico for about a week during the christmas season. BUT, we have not much money and would love any and all help we can get by way of accomodations. this will be a very impromptu trip due to the weather this time of year. when it's clear we will ride. plain and simple. it will happen sometime between the 10th of december and the 5th of january.
anyone spare a floor?
EDIT (2 years later): i am copying and pasting the ride report here due to server errors of host sites. god bless you sohc4.net
p.s. right click to view images at proper pixelation
VEGAS ON BIKES
By Geoff Springer
Elizabeth and I had been planning our trip from Boulder, Colorado to Baja California, Mexico since we started dating in late September ’05. When she called me the day after Thanksgiving from the ambulance after being run off the rode by an SUV driver while she was on her bike… we knew our plan of a Christmas break motorcycle trip was most likely postponed… to spring break ’06. The SUV driver had no idea what he had done and was later tracked down thanks to the Golden, CO police department with the help of descriptions from Elizabeth and other eyewitnesses. Her ’98 Honda VFR800 was totaled due to extensive cosmetic damages. Being an MMI grad I look forward to opportunities to do a bit of wrenching (even if it was only replacing plastic). So, we ordered many new bits and about the same time her one broken wrist and one sprained wrist were healed, so was the bike. Now that everything was all back together, it was time to get back in the saddle. She experienced some anxiety following the wreck but soon overcame that quite well. The countdown to spring break began and we started to make the list.
THE LIST:
1. $250 +or- $50 allotted for gas
2. Mexican insurance for each of us ($43/3days)
3. change oil in her vfr and also my ’92 Kawasaki zx7r
4. numerous jetting variations for my bike
5. lube chains
6. tent
7. sleeping bags
8. clothes? (we were going to a beach you know (wink))
9. wristbraces (we both now suffer from sore wrists on occasion)
10. sandals
11. shorts
12. sunglasses
13. sunscreen
14. birth certificate (no need for a passport in Baja for that short of a stay)
15. toothbrush
16. feed animals and plants before leaving
17. tools for both bikes
18. maps
19. camera and batteries
20. flashlights
21. lighters
22. bike locks
23. a new visor for my helmet (I needed an amber visor as sunglasses inside my helmet prompts an instant headache)
24. Spanish/English dictionary
25. compass
26. T.P. (and not the kind you sleep in or toke from the peace pipe inside of)
27. lower the thermostat prior to departure (save energy whenever you can folks… it will allow us to ride our motorcycles longer before we run out of resources)
28. picture of mileage prior to leaving and post-trip
29. radios/intercoms/chargers
30. zipties!!!
31. siphon hose
32. extra quart of oil
33. neck warmers
34. $120 ($15/day for food)
35. $140 for miscellaneous purchases
36. arm wallet (for emergencies in case we might get robbed (must contain $$ or becomes quite useless))
37. license
38. insurance card
39. shin guards (better safe than sorry)
40. meds
41. extra masterlink for chain
42. chain breaker and install tool
43. chain lube
44. tire repair kit / fix-a-flat
45. eye drops
46. chapstick
We packed everything, sometimes more than one of each, with the exception of #41 and #42. Since both of us are students at C.U., money is sometimes an issue and I opted to not purchase the extra master link and figured since I didn’t have the part I wouldn’t need the tool to install it.
DAY 1:
We got a late start. We finally headed out around noon (we were shooting for between 7am and 8am). This became an impossibility very early that morning when she told me I was going to the emergency room whether I liked it or not. You see, me being the braniac of the bunch decided to use waterproofing spray to seal my riding pants the night before. By 1am on Friday the day we were supposed to leave I could barely breath and had a resting heart rate of 120. By the way, did I mention the waterproofing fiasco was not in a well-ventilated area… but, you probably guessed that.
The first day was nice sunny riding through Boulder with a link to I-25 via highway 93 and C-470. Colorado Springs was our first stop for a quick bite and chat with her parents as we bid bon voyage. Elizabeth’s parents were somewhat reluctant of her going on this long trip since she has only been riding since June ’05 but, they respected her independence and appreciated she was going with an experienced rider who is also someone that cares for her safety.
My father and stepmother live in Pueblo, Colorado and we opted to spend the night there as our original agenda, to stay in Santa Fe, NM, was delayed due to my ignorance the night before.
DAY 2:
It was WINDY! 60mph crosswinds got the best of Elizabeth’s nerves in Walsenburg, Colorado. I don’t blame her at all as those were the most extreme wind gusts I’ve ever ridden in during all my 15+ years of riding. We found a couple beers and some chips and salsa and gave our nerves a couple hours rest. At this stop we got gas and while doing so met Mike. Mike was from Gunbarrel, Colorado (what might be called a suburb of Boulder). He told us he was heading to California on business and his chosen mode of transportation was an ’03 Suzuki Hayabusa. He wasn’t sure which way he would be taking so we parted ways and headed south on I-25. Once back on I-25 I soon realized that this windy day might get worse if we didn’t head for the hills. So, we went west/south on highway 64 thru Taos and into Santa Fe. I recommend this road highly… full of twists and turns and breathtaking mountain scenes. We arrived in Santa Fe around 8pm, cold, exhausted and excited that we were finally living what we’d been dreaming for months.
DAY 3:
We were still a bit tired from the day before but the hot-tub session before bed really helped. Our start was of a decent hour (about 9:30am) and we once again went south on I-25 to Albuquerque. There we jumped on I-40 toward Gallup, NM. Before we got out of the city we once again crossed paths with Mike from the day before. For the rest of the day we had another riding buddy. Elizabeth got her first dose of riding in the rain. It was not as bad as she’d expected she said but, not fun either. In Gallup, our last fuel stop for the day, we were approached by 3 different sets of Mexicans and Indians. Some we gave food and some we gave money but we definitely gave in Gallup. That night we shared a 2 room family suite in Williams, AZ with Mike. We got a bite and shared stories across the street at the Route 66 Diner. That night’s sleep was very lacking as a group of rowdy teenagers kept us awake until past 2am. For all you rowdy teenagers… it is not a good idea to piss off tired motorcyclists… that’s all I have to say about that.
DAY 4:
Waking up to rain when you have to ride motorcycles is not the best wake up call. It was raining pretty steadily and heavy flooding was forecast throughout the Southwest for the next 3 to 4 days. Elizabeth and I were thinking of holding ground for a day or two to wait out the storm. As mike was hell-bent on making it to California that day his parting wisdom set us straight… “You know it’s supposed to snow here tomorrow?” We left promptly after breakfast at the 66 Diner and rode in the rain. As we pulled out of the motel I caught a whiff of fuel… I couldn’t find where it might be coming from nor could I see any coming off the bike. I made it about 60 miles on that tank of gas… I knew something was wrong but couldn’t really find the leak in the rain. We cruised to the closest station after siphoning gas from the VFR to tide over the growing appetite of the 7R. Once there I found the leak. The emissions equipment was removed from the bike by the previous owner and was capped off at the carbs. The rubber caps he used were not gas impervious so he warned me they would disintegrate after time… great timing! We found an abandoned truck stop nearby and set up shop. I wrenched, we drank a corona and laughed at our developing adventure.
We had discussed it earlier during breakfast and we decided with all the flooding expected and adverse conditions that we should revise our trip to be destined for Las Vegas, NV as opposed to the original Baja. Following the fuel puking fiasco the ride was smooth sailing all the way to the Hoover Dam. On Highway 93 between Grants, AZ and Las Vegas we even traded bikes and Elizabeth got a taste of pure crotchrocket fever. She likes to twist the throttle on my 750, she says.
At the Hoover Dam we’d only been parked for 5 minutes or so when a minivan-driving jackass decided to run into Elizabeth’s bike. Of course this was the perfect opportunity for me to blow off some steam from the late-night shenanigans the night before. “jackass” got a face-full of pissed off biker. His exact words were “I didn’t see it”. It was parked no more than 4 feet from the driver door he got into to drive his kid-hauler over the front right side of the VFR.
We saw a bolt of lightning and that’s when we decided we needed to get to Vegas as quickly as possible. Night fell about 20 miles outside of Vegas and the pouring rain once again started up. Vegas drivers are the worst I’ve ever seen. We set up shack at the off-strip casino/hotel “Fiesta”… very fitting and we decided that we had always been destined for Vegas, we just didn’t know it. We even enjoyed some tasty $1 margaritas at the Cabo Lounge and gorged ourselves the next morning at the Baja Beach Café.
DAY 5:
Vegas is an amazing place. But first, we had to watch a documentary about the Hoover Dam. Despite widespread rumors, the bodies of dam workers are not buried inside the concrete mass… That would harm the integrity of the structure. Dad really had us believing that until we believed everything we heard on TV. instead.
Vegas on bikes is FUN. But, the Vegas Strip on bikes is better. A show-off’s fairytale land. People love to see a show and we tried to not disappoint. “Viffer” and “Kiwi” really play the part. It’s fun to watch the reactions of people when they see Colorado tags on a couple of motorcycles.
Our server was extra perky and smiley while the grub was good at the Harley Davidson Café on the Strip. The nostalgia is thick in that joint.
A few drinks and gambles later and we ended up back at the hotel. All was well on the evening that marked the halfway point of the 10-day trip.
DAY 6:
A show on Nevada history kept us indoors for a few hours but the Strip called to us once again. This day, it entertained us until the wee hours of the next morning… 5am to be exact.
My 7r again decided to throw a tantrum and spit out all the coolant. We parked and walked and saw and toasted and smoked… we were debauchery at its best.
DAY 7:
We asked the night before for a late checkout… We used it. It would have been nice to get to see more of the Hoover Dam but being poor college students we opted not to pay the $7 per bike to park within walking distance. One good thing that we realized leaving the damn headed south on 93. We missed the weekend rush when we were on our way to Vegas. A non-moving line of cars stretched for 5 and a half miles waiting to cross the damn to get into Vegas.
The highway 93 basin area is one of the straightest stretches I’ve ever encountered and with a little prodding I got the driver of a brand new GT500 to mash the gas with me to stratospherical speeds while I’m sure Elizabeth smiled and watched… although, I can’t be sure as her headlight quickly diminished in my mirrors. The driver, while we filled up at a Grants, AZ gas station said I passed him with his speedo reading 150mph. Now, I don’t mean to brag but, I’ve seen 155 on my speedometer and when I passed him it read 130… and another thing, the mileage difference for the amount of miles that the VFR traveled and the 7R traveled is over 100 miles. I guess the only thing to say is there is some speedometer error on one if not all the vehicles in question. And perhaps, speedometer reader error.
We found a hotel in Grants, AZ which made for our shortest riding day (excluding the days we jaunted about the Strip). It was nice to settle in at the Ramblin Rose Motel a bit early for a change then get our best meal of the trip at the Nashville Honky Tonk Bar. We both despise country music but, for some reason it looked like the place to be… it was.
DAY 8:
The next day was going to be our 500+ mile day but a cheap motel bed was beckoning when nightfall came as we entered Gallup, NM. About 10 miles before Gallup, traffic was bumper-to-bumper big rigs clogging up the interstate from construction delays. Once again the Kawasaki got hot from going nowhere so we sat on the side of the road and watched the truckers go nowhere. We caught Route 66 into Gallup to avoid the jam and by that time we were strung out and in need of a 6 pack, a delivery pizza and the “cheapest” motel I’ve ever seen.
DAY 9:
Our first stop, in Albuquerque, at a family run Mexican restaurant served a great breakfast and our server even gave me free refills on apple juice.
I got a funny feeling about my bike outside of A-town but shook it off and continued on to Santa Fe… by the time we got there I’d forgotten all about it.
We rode hard and fast that day in hopes we’d make it home in one piece sometime shortly after nightfall. Those hopes and dreams came crashing down in a little New Mexican village called Wagon Mound just south of Raton. Remember that master link I wanted to pack? Isn’t it always what you don’t bring that’s what you need? Yep! I think that “funny feeling” I got around Albuquerque was probably about when I threw the clip off of my master link. Yes, it was installed correctly. Not sure how it came off but it was definitely not there and a sure kink in our chain so to speak.
Of course it was Sunday and the motorcycle shops are closed on Sundays and Mondays. We decided to leave the bike and take the VFR 2-up to my dad’s house about 150 miles more to see what we could do. I thought maybe my sister’s bike would have a 520 clip style master link. It didn’t occur to me until about 30 miles outside of pueblo that I should have gone to the Raton hardware store and purchased some safety wire and fixed it that way… hindsight is 20/20 though, right?
I know you’re really jonesin’ for the pictures from this day but there are none. We rode all day and were beat in the end.
DAY 10:
Breakfast at the Golden Arches and Dad drove us in his car to go fix my bike. We had safety wire and that was to do the trick. Dad said on the way down “there’s a little Honda dealer in Raton, we should just go see if it’s open”. Way to go dad! And, thank you R&D Honda! Not many shops open on Monday but a very few are… even in small mountain towns like Raton.
The day just kept on going and so did we… after stopping at a biker buddy’s house in Denver, we finally made it home at 10pm on our 10th day.
FOLLOWING THE TRIP:
The following week has been hectic but the trip is still so exiting to remember I had to write this report. All the animals and plants are still alive and I’m happy to say, so are we. The bikes obviously need a tune and I’ll have to check the Kawi’s cooling fan, as I don’t think it’s working, hence, the overheating episodes. I’m also enjoying being back on the seat of my ’73 Honda cb350f, just to give the Kawasaki a break and enjoy the new spring weather on another great bike. School has kicked in with a vengeance but we still found time to celebrate my 30th this past Wednesday the 5th of April ’06. I couldn’t think of a better birthday present than to share this trip with Elizabeth. I’m glad we could make it happen.
