God, I can't believe how easily I am Seduced.
I am weak it seems, a great piece of fresh black top, a dirt road, a dusty trail, a rocky, gnarly, off camber, mean, nasty, evil, torturous, body beater of a track...
Yup, "my name is Frank... and I, am weak."
I headed east across the route marked number 74, known locally as the Carefree Highway.
Carefree is a small city on the N.E. corner of Phoenix. How would you like to live in Carefree? Sounds mellow doesn't it.
Once past I-17N, I turned off onto 7th Street, on my way to New River. The point of today's ride was to check out the bike.
I wanted to see how the engine performed in various situations and needed some quiet, little travelled decent pavement.
This would be the first time really since I raised the gearing, to see where the bike was comfortable. After all, I plan on riding her throughout AZ, the South west USA, and down the Baja penninsula at some point.
Having crossed back over 17, I began a series of roll ons and acceleration runs in various gears and speeds. Last winter, when I bought the bike, I began putting things back to stock as much as possible. It was stalling regularly and had a very annoying hesitation when I was accelerating.
Today, with fresh fuel and a quiet back road, I was doing my homework.
I know from experience this motor should be good for 80mph top speed and strong pick-up.
My speed runs showed this was correct. At an indicated 7500 rpm on the 8500 red line, the speedo hovered right around 75miles or 125kph.
Realistically the cruising speed is 55-60mph. Over that, things get a little shaky, the buzz blurring the mirrors, umm... or maybe my eyes.
Being now in the vicinity of Lake Pleasant, and having a few hours of daylight left, I left 74 and headed north onto the Castle Hot Springs rd.
Can you imagine my surprise as I crested a hill to see a barren, dry lakebed!
I was through here on my way to Crown King (see earlier Blog) in May and you can see for yourself from the photos, what was a 10 foot deep arm of the lake was now... bone friggin' dry. Not only was it dry, but the lake was more than a half mile in the distance!!!
Where boaters boated, there was only dust and dirt.
Of course the annual average rainfall here in the valley, is less than 8". That's a year!
It was very hot this summer, maybe even record hot, and with little rainfall, plus lots of heat, meant little water to spare.
I was stunned.
In only 6 months, the water had dropped by huge amounts.
Setting my water bottle on a convenient post, you get an idea what the term desert, really means.
Google Lake Pleasant and you will see the lake extending up several major valleys... not today!
I talked to two Hispanic guys who stopped me on the bridge, and asked where they could "fish". You see, their GPS showed this entire area under water...
A few weeks ago, back home, I awoke from one of my feature length color dreams...
In the dream, sometime in the not too distant future, the Americans were crossing the border into Canada. Having used up much of the Ogallala aquifer and their own oil and gas reserves... they were now starting the CAN-AM war.
Sound far fetched...
Maybe not so much.
 |
| Is this picture perfect blacktop or what? |
I am weak it seems, a great piece of fresh black top, a dirt road, a dusty trail, a rocky, gnarly, off camber, mean, nasty, evil, torturous, body beater of a track...
Yup, "my name is Frank... and I, am weak."
 |
| Warming up. |
Carefree is a small city on the N.E. corner of Phoenix. How would you like to live in Carefree? Sounds mellow doesn't it.
Once past I-17N, I turned off onto 7th Street, on my way to New River. The point of today's ride was to check out the bike.
 |
| Not a good place to leave the trail! |
This would be the first time really since I raised the gearing, to see where the bike was comfortable. After all, I plan on riding her throughout AZ, the South west USA, and down the Baja penninsula at some point.
 |
| Betty's Trail rides... Frank trail riding. |
Today, with fresh fuel and a quiet back road, I was doing my homework.
 |
| Bone dry lakebed. |
I know from experience this motor should be good for 80mph top speed and strong pick-up.
My speed runs showed this was correct. At an indicated 7500 rpm on the 8500 red line, the speedo hovered right around 75miles or 125kph.
 |
| Same place, 6 months ago!!! |
Being now in the vicinity of Lake Pleasant, and having a few hours of daylight left, I left 74 and headed north onto the Castle Hot Springs rd.
Can you imagine my surprise as I crested a hill to see a barren, dry lakebed!
 |
| Photographed a kayaker paddling right here last May. |
Where boaters boated, there was only dust and dirt.
 |
| Same place, last spring. |
It was very hot this summer, maybe even record hot, and with little rainfall, plus lots of heat, meant little water to spare.
I was stunned.
In only 6 months, the water had dropped by huge amounts.
 |
| Water level is down 10-15 feet here. |
Google Lake Pleasant and you will see the lake extending up several major valleys... not today!
I talked to two Hispanic guys who stopped me on the bridge, and asked where they could "fish". You see, their GPS showed this entire area under water...
 |
| I am shocked! |
A few weeks ago, back home, I awoke from one of my feature length color dreams...
In the dream, sometime in the not too distant future, the Americans were crossing the border into Canada. Having used up much of the Ogallala aquifer and their own oil and gas reserves... they were now starting the CAN-AM war.
Sound far fetched...
Maybe not so much.
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