MY first visit to Phoenix Arizona was in the winter of '97-'98. I had a Dodge van powered by a propane fueled V-8, from which I had removed the Captain's chairs and fold down bed. In their place I had built a plywood carrier that the two XT 600's fit neatly into.
Then partner, Deb and I were doing a Pony Express run to Baja Mexico or California as it is better known. We had both taken 6 weeks off our jobs, her at Mountain Equipment Co-op and I at Bow Cycle in Calgary. It was a hideous drive, crossing the divide several times, through snow covered and sometimes very icy driving conditions. It was after all, January. Winter had set in solid some time before.
Using Surprise as a jumping off point, we did a couple of shake down rides locally before heading south and crossing at Yuma.
That trip will always sit fondly in my mind as my first foray into the wilds of Baja, to be followed up by 11 more over the years.
Ever since I was a kid, I have been fond of the south west. Utah, Nevada, California and of course, Arizona. Images of cowboys, trail drives, outlaws, cacti and rattlesnakes were well planted in my mind. None of it would live up to the actual experiences though.
Many, many years later, in fact several girl friends ago, I bought a small, humble and affordable home in the city of Glendale, one of the many that make up the greater Phoenix suburban area of some 4.5 million people. The "sub prime mortgage meltdown" brought prices within reach and notwithstanding our dollar trading at only 78 cents at the time, bought myself a little condo. I've since spent several months downloading my thoughts and regaining some measure of energy at the little place in the Arizona sun.
Since moving far far away, in fact nearly as far diagonally as one can get across this immense continent, my opportunities will be limited. I have vowed that every fall, I would afford a ticket to fly down and spend a couple of months reading, writing walking and generally recharging my batteries.
I arrived at my southern homestead this week. It's been nearly two years since my last stay. The blue Super shuttle dropped me off in warm fall weather and key in door, I felt myself relaxing already. Now usually I sleep for a couple of days but given the fact that my only transportation here is a '98 vintage XT 350, kick start only and a Chinese made 150cc scooter, I have to get these geared up so I can pick up some groceries before doing my napping.
Thursday I had both bikes re registered, they had expired, and licensed them for 2 years so I don't have to think of it next year at all. Only recently Phoenix rescinded the emissions requirement for motorcycles to be consistent with the rest of the USA, and this certainly simplifies things for me. After all, you can't renew until you passed emissions.
The rest of the time has been spent cleaning, dusting, more grocery shopping and yes... sleeping. I ain't getting any younger!
Holly arrives Monday, for her very first visit to our place, the reason I say that is because I bought the place hoping my girls and their partners would use it as well. It's a keeper! We have plans to visit the FLW center in Scottsdale and several other activities and hopefully get a chance to sit on the deck, in summer like heat and have a coffee or cold Rolling Rock with my kid, get back to basics as it were. We've rarely had much time to sit and chat over the last decade.
A little female kitten belonging next door at Judy's, wandered in the patio door the other night as I was airing the place out. She has been my constant companion since then, and is asleep next to me, as I write this.
Over the next few weeks, I would like to do some day rides of course and hopefully a few over-nighters once I get the jetting sorted on the 350. At only 21 cubic inches, it isn't exactly a powerhouse but then again, I'm not usually in a rush to go anywhere when here.
Now I'm going to finish my airplane novel and then, well who knows... maybe Judy and her son will come by for some refreshments and view some of the thousands of photos I have on this little laptop...
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