Twist and Shout!

IT was still light as I set off chasing the receding sun into the west from Mayer.  I knew I wasn't far from Prescott, if I rode the divided route 69 straight north, but that really isn't the point now is it.

Yamaha 600 Diversion Swiss Alps June 2009

Rarely do I ride anywhere in a straight line and most often, even on my street bikes, rarely take the well traveled path.

After 50 km I was turned back 10km from my destination by a closed pass.

I knew that in an hour or so, the sun would be dipping below the Bradshaw's and I would have to up the pace and hustle my buns.

 
In what little daylight I still had, I would have to cover the roughly 20 miles or so on the Pine Flats road, climbing continually, just to get to the Senator Highway.

Twenty miles on the interstate is literally minutes at 75 or 80 mph in the family sedan, but twenty miles, as I darn well know from experience out here, is a whole 'nother story.

What few photo ops I would stop for would be truly minimal and brief, not once on the PF section did I dismount, taking pics only on the occasion I could do it from the saddle.

I apologize for the poor quality, the light by this time was doing a Houdini... and quick!

Of course, as often happens, there are few road signs except at a major intersections and this Goodwin road was no exception.

Fortunately for me, there were limited side roads, and the PF road was easy to navigate.  Still, it was slow going with only the very occasional use of third or fourth gear (25-35mph) before having to shut down for some pine shaded corner or creek bottom, where here and there were running or standing water from the recent rains.

My pace on the stretch was about 60%, the road surface was good but still unpredictable, and I am climbing higher and higher all the time.

I passed Goodwin on my left.  The village appeared in the distance as I rounded a mountain curve.  It seemed I never did get close to it but the presence of a pick up or two and the odd gate confirmed I was indeed near civilization.

I didn't even slack off, time was now my enemy.

I was not only faced with the diminishing light which would make it hard to see what was up ahead, but also the increasing cold.

Normally I enjoy crossing these mountain streams, you could be assured that the base was solid underneath, and the water was only inches deep.

On the downside, my feet were sitting inside socks soaked from the repeated splashings and I was beginning the fringes of shivering.  Not a good thing this.

Riding the high pine country like an XT powered roller coaster, I dropped into another valley, splashed through yet another stream crossing and a smile opened my lips as I saw the signs.

I had reached the Senator highway!

To my south, a tantalizing short 19 miles away, was Crown King, where I had sat at the General store three hours ago, sipping a Coke and munching a sandwich.

I dismounted, my seat saddle sore and snapped a few pics in the quickly receding daylight.  The sun was long gone, only the residual twilight now existed.

At some point in the future I will connect the dots from where I now sat to Crown King to the south with Phoenix, south of that on the C.K. trail to Cow creek.

Shaking my head, I wondered if I could have made it across that short 19 mile gap, despite what I'd been told at the General store.

It felt just a wee bit warmer as I mounted up for the run into Prescott which was now within genuine striking distance at twenty miles.

The Senator was in good shape, no major surprises as I hauled ass the five miles to the Palace Station stagecoach junction with Brodie Mine rd.

Just high pine forest, lots of tight curves and climbing higher still.

Looking at the map I'd picked up at Cordes, which by the way, seemed like yesterday, I saw I would be passing very near Mount Union, at 7900 feet the highest peak in the vicinity.

You can tell riding the 350 at these higher altitudes, the lack of oxygen causes the engine to run richer.  As a result the power drops off and it becomes a little harder to do the job.  I wouldn't be passing any cars on the freeway out here but it was a steady uphill climb in 2nd gear.

The motor produces about 21-22 horsepower so losing a couple of ponies does make a difference.


This weren't no 600 I was riding!

A few more hurried snaps at Palace Station which is still in use by the Forest service as a residence and service yard, but off limits otherwise, and I was off for the final 15 miles into the city of Prescott, a goal which had alluded me twice before.

Fifteen miles... should be easy I thought, a piece of cake...