Gila Bend and Painted Rocks...

It's a Gas gas gas... stop.

LAST year I tried to get to this site, home to the largest deposit of ancient Petroglyphs in the state.  I scouted a route SW from the city, down old US 80 and across country through Arlington.  Unfortunately, when only 27 miles from the site, I had to detour 20 miles in the other direction to get fuel.  My planned stop was closed.  This didn't allow me the chance to get to see the glyphs and I rode home, cold, in the dark and droning along at barely 50mph.

Very cool bridge off Old US 80

Having learned my lesson, (I don't need a boulder to fall on my head)

I headed out again but this time went directly to Gila Bend where I fueled up.  The glyph site is just out of GB, off I 8 and about 12 miles on an excellent sporty paved highway.

Pretty warm today.  Baja only 115 miles!

It was quite the contrast to last weeks ride to Prescott via Cow Creek/Wagoner rd and the Senator highway coming back.  It was a chilly 26.2F when I began loading the gear leaving my motel in Prescott and over 7000'

As you can see from the photo, Painted Rock was both lower and warmer.

My revised gearing came in very handy, I had no problem cruising at 60 mph which if nothing else, lessened my chances of ending up in the grill of an 18 wheeler!

I picked up old US 80 shortly after leaving Interstate 10.  I remember this road from 1998 when Deb and I departed Phx for our Baja adventure.  Then I was riding an XT 600 (which I still have) and today I was on the little brother 350.

Looked like a subdivision that barely got off the ground.

US 80 winds its way past run down farms, rusting equipment, a broken dam and a housing tract complete with gated entry, boat slips and palm trees, literally in the middle of nowhere that seems to not have gotten off the ground.  Didn't they get the memo that this is a 'desert'!

Complete with individual boat slips.

I fueled up in Gila Bend, a dilapidated town on the confluence between state highway 85 heading to Mexico and Interstate 8 to San Diego CA.

My tank range is normally about 180 miles to reserve and perhaps 30 more beyond that.  No problem making the trip topped up in GB.  I planned on returning via the loop I had been on last fall before having to detour for gas.

On the way back to Arlington, beautiful desert.

Made it!

It was hot at PR, a very pretty little place with a huge campground where I met Dale retired from the military (meet lots of Americans that served actually) and comes down from Oregon with his wife in the big RV to host at this out of the way campground.

Self guided short walk.

I thought I may have headed in that direction myself back about 10 years ago before I met Brenda and Anna... things certainly changed in many ways...

Yeah, no kidding.

Very interesting this...

Only shade offered.  Very good campsite and picnic area.

Parking the bike in the only shade offered, the covered picnic area, I removed my Icon boots, geared up my Canon SX20 and went for a walk, turkey sandwich in hand.  I met some nice folks from New Mexico who reminded me it was US Thanksgiving and after a short visit went on to snap a few photos of the 12,000 year old petroglyphs.

There they are!

I'd seen many such etchings before in Baja, of course they depict different creatures mostly marine vs desert.

 



Leaving, I took a chance and rode to the dam which has been closed to the public for many years now.  It was a short detour on a nicely paved road but unfortunately the access road was closed so I never got closer than 1/2 mile.  Once backtracked to PR, XT and I headed due west on rough, unmaintained primitive gravel roads that brought us back to US 80 after some 70 miles through beautiful desert scenery.  I passed a few miles south of Palo Verde looking at it from an angle most would never see, across a barren desert landscape.  This is the largest nuclear power plant in the USA generating some 3.3 GW of power, enough to feed power hungry Phoenix and area plus southern California including L.A.


Riding along standing on the pegs for much of the 70 miles, to gain stability I couldn't help but think what a great life I lead.  Honestly, I've never been too concerned about money or work, I always managed and I have packed much into my near 60 years, many memories especially sitting astride a MC. 

I did my freeway stint with a blazing setting sun to my back, this time much more relaxed than last year, when I had a dead battery, I was cold and it was dark.  traffic sped by me with at least a 30 mph differential.  This time round I didn't feel quite so vulnerable.

Appropriately it was Thanksgiving and let me tell you how truly grateful I am.

Did I mention what a great life this is...