Greetings Riders,

 

Well, for the first time in many months, I walked outside early this morning and my thoughts actually went to thinking about a long sleeve t-shirt and how great evening riding is going to be. As luck would have it, the plan to start bike nights again this week couldn’t have been better. If you haven’t heard yet, Cyclerides.com Bike Nights at Westgate City Center and Mesa Riverview start this Thursday and Friday nights. We will be doing theme nights this season featuring different types of motorsports each week. The first 3 weeks at both locations will feature Cars and Music from the era of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. The first night will feature live music from the band “56” as well as some 50’s vintage cars on display. The next week will be the 60’s with live music from the Beatles Tribute band “Elevens”, followed the next week with the 70’s with a DJ Darnell spinning disco tunes and classic rock from the 70’s.

 

Following the opening 3 nights we will follow up with what I am calling the “Extreme Machines” series where I will find the biggest, baddest and best of the Monster Trucks, Monster Boats, Sand Rails, Rat Rods, Hot Rods, etc. I am really excited about this bike night season and anxious to put together some good eye candy for you to see every week. Of course we will have vendors for you to visit and plenty of food and drink available. Should be a great season. Check the Cyclerides.com Westgate Bike Night and Cyclerides.com Mesa Riverview Bike Night pages often for details and updates of what is coming. Or just go to www.cyclerides.com to link to those pages. Hope to see you at the kickoff this Thursday at Westgate and Friday at Mesa Riverview from 5-9pm.

 

Last week I left you as we had gone through the Sturgis area and reached Gillette, WY on our 2011 ride. If you are new to the newsletter or have missed some weeks, Click Here to catch up. This link is the first of the series and will take you to each subsequent letter to catch you up. If you didn’t see the Buffalo Video’s, be sure and view these with the sound up. These guys make some menacing noises. Buffalo Video 1 and Buffalo Video 2.

 

 

This week I am going to bring you a local ride opportunity that probably not many of you have done. I have lived here over 30 years and had never taken the time or effort to go to the Antelope Slot Canyons. Even though these canyons are world famous, they don’t seem to get that much publicity locally. These had been in the back of my mind as a destination for a long time, but just never carved out the time to do it. Probably because I didn’t know how cool they really were. Now that I know, I am eager to share it with you.

 

The Antelope Slot Canyons are located just 3 miles East of Page, AZ. off of Hwy. 98. There are 2 slot canyons in this area that are known as the Upper and Lower Antelope Slot Canyons. The Upper Slot Canyon is located just to the South of Hwy. 98 and require a .5 mile jeep ride to get to the start of the tour. The Lower Slot Canyon is located to the North of Hwy. 98 and you drive right to where you start the tour. So what is the difference between the two? I can’t tell you from personal experience about the upper canyon, but I can tell you about the lower canyon.

 

By the time that we got to Page I knew that we only had enough time to take one of the tours, so I wanted to get the best bang for my buck. The upper canyon entailed a ride to the start and I found out that it was not as deep as the lower and was not as long. The lower canyon is more of a hike at 1/2 mile long, much deeper and required some minor climbing around rocks with metals stairs throughout, was a longer tour, etc. This sounded more adventurous to us, so we chose to go for the gusto and get the best slot canyon experience that we could. And did we ever, it was outstanding!

 

To get a good visual, you might want to follow the links that I will have for you that will give you a photo of what I am talking about. When you pull into the parking lot of the Lower Slot Canyons you will see a small old plywood building with some picnic tables in front. This is where you will check in for the guided tour. The cost is a $6 reservation fee that will get you into other areas and a $20 fee for the tour. You used to be able to go take the tour on your own, but in August of 1997 a flash flood from a thunderstorm 5 miles up stream sent 50 feet of water through the slot canyon killing 11 tourists trapped in there. The water was so intense that it actually deepening the canyon by 4 feet. After a 9 month closure, they added some safety features and now require a guide with a good weather report from up stream.

 

When the guide is ready, you will walk down to a plaque with the names of those who perished in 1997 where he will give you the history of that event and the rules of hiking the slot canyon. Our guide happened to be the 26 year old son of the Indian owner of this slot canyon and was able to give us great insight as to the origin of it. The story goes that his Grandmother was playing in the area and climbed down into the crevasse in the ground and discovered the canyon. He said as a kid he played in there all the time, knowing every twist, turn and folklore about the images that had been etched into the walls by mother nature over the years.

 

From the plaque it is a short walk to what appears to be a small crack in the red rocks below your feet. There is no sign, no arrow that says “enter here”, just a crack in the ground about 2 feet wide. This is where you climb down and start one of the most unique outdoor experiences you will ever have. As you descend on a trail through this canyon of winding red sandstone walls reaching as high as 60 feet tall, you will notice the sunlight start to filter down the curved sandstone constantly changing patterns and shadows in many subtle shades of red orange and yellow depending on the intensity of the light. Some sections of the canyon are wide and bright, while others are very narrow with no light reaching the sandy floor.

 

Your guide will point out many rocks that the Indians have given names to over the years and the history behind them. Here is one that they called Eagle rock. Our guide also had recently taken up playing the wooden flute which added a cultural ambience to the tour that you wouldn’t normally get that made our tour even more memorable. Here is a photo of our guide. If you can arrange to get him I would highly recommend it.

 

As you descend the 1/2 mile hike that is taking you toward Lake Powell, the walls get higher, the colors and formations get more intense. You will traverse some makeshift metal stairways along the way before taking one steep stairway down that will leave you about 100 yards from your long stairwell ascent back to blue skies and about a 1/2 mile walk back to your car. The whole tour ended up taking about 90 minutes as our guide was more than willing to give us all the time that we wanted while he leaned against the sandstone walls serenading us with music from the flute. A truly magical experience that we will not soon forget.

 

We did this particular trip the end of June, but in a little different way, so you will be getting some bonus pictures in this gallery. I had been wanting to do a tour of the Grand Canyon from the air for about a year. There are only 3 corridors that you are allowed to fly over the Canyon at the low altitude of 10,500 feet. So I planned the trip to fly those corridors and then head Northeast to Marble Canyon where we landed to take a break and grab some tea at the Chevron station across the road. Check out this great picture of the Navajo Bridges on approach to the Marble Canyon runway.

 

From there we took off flying over Lee’s Ferry, Horseshoe Bend and Glen Canyon Dam before landing in Page, AZ. We rented a car and immediately went to the slot canyons to catch the best light for the tour. We then checked into the hotel, rested a bit and then back to the plane to take off for about a one hour sunset tour of Lake Powell. For those of you that are fans of Lake Powell and have been boating up there over the years, you will love the photos including some shots of the famous Rainbow Bridge from the air. Here is a good shot of the Antelope Lower Slot Canyon from above.

 

I would highly recommend a visit to the Antelope Slot Canyons. It is a very unique experience and one that you will probably do more than once. You could easily combine it with a trip to the Grand Canyon North Rim or on your way to Bryce or Zion. From I-17 and the Loop 101 it is 270 miles to the Antelope Slot Canyons. Just take I-17 North to Hwy. 89 in Flagstaff and follow that to Page. Then go East on Hwy. 98 five miles till you see the sign to the Lower Antelope Slot Canyon.

 

See 118 photos of Grand Canyon, Marble Canyon and Lake Powell from the air as well as photos from the Lower Antelope Slot Canyon. (Click On Slideshow in upper right for best full screen viewing)

Click Here for Map.

 

Useful Links:

 

 

Fall Bike Night Schedule:

I am really excited to announce the new Cyclerides.com Fall Bike Night Schedules for Westgate and Mesa Riverview. We will be doing 10 weeks for the Fall season at both locations. There will be Live Music, Vendors and Theme nights with varying displays.

 

 

Cyclerides.com Westgate Bike Night: Starts Thursday, September 15th!

Petersen Johnson Accident Lawyers.
Petersen Johnson is a local Arizona law firm, whose attorneys have over 60 years of combined legal experience in Accident/Injury law and DUI/Criminal Defense law.  We have substantial experience in representing riders injured in motorcycle accidents.  Ron Petersen and Brad Johnson are involved in every injury case.  We discount our fees; never our service.  Please call us locally at 602-650-1200 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Arrowhead HD and Ridenow Powersports Your local Harley-Davidson dealership and proud sponsor of the Cyclerides.com/Westgate Bike Night. We are located just South of 83rd Ave. and Bell Rd. Stop to see the latest 2011 HD motorcycles and to pick up the new Cyclerides.com Westgate Bike Night T-Shirt. 623-247-5542.

Curly's Customs.
Curly's Customs is a full service Custom Paint & Body Shop for the motorcycle enthusiast. We refinish Harley Davidson and Metric motorcycles. Our goal is to provide high quality workmanship & materials at a very reasonable price. Curly's is located at 12030 N. 111th Ave. in Youngtown, AZ. 623- 977-0339. Stop by and see them at Bike Night. 

Trask Performance. A full service shop specializing in high performance upgrades and dyno tuning.  Let our team of professionals fulfill your performance needs and unlock your bike’s full potential. Motorcycle Builder and performance expert Nick Trask will be Featuring his turbo systems. This will be your opportunity to meet Nick and see how he can improve the performance of your bike. 21601 N. 3rd Ave. Suite D., Phoenix, AZ. 623-879-8470.

 

 

Cyclerides.com Mesa Riverview Bike Night: Starts Friday, September 16th!

We will be doing 10 consecutive weeks at Mesa Riverview starting on Friday, September 16th and ending on November 18th. The first night will be 50’s Theme night featuring 50’s Vintage cars on display and 50’s Live Music with the band “56”. Event time 6-9 PM. I will also be programming theme nights at Riverview with Live Bands, Vendors and static displays including the best of Monster Trucks, Power Boats, Sand Rails, etc. for you to view. The Cyclerides.com Photo Gallery will also be back with some new photos from the archives and from our trip this year. For those of you on the East side, we are looking to bring you even more fun this season. Look forward to seeing you there. If you would be interested in being a vendor contact me at info@cyclerides.com . Click Here for Details.

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Friday – Sunday

September 16th-18th

11th Annual Thunder Valley Rally.

The three day Thunder Valley Rally will begin Friday afternoon with the Barley and Grapes Ride beginning in Old Town Cottonwood, making their way to Jerome and back down through the wine country of Page Springs, and of course making stops along the way for a bit of tasting. The run will end giving riders’ time to make it out to Stargazer Pavilion at Cliff Castle Casino Hotel to be entertained by Willie Nelson and Family beginning at 7:00 pm. If you would rather return to Old Town Cottonwood you will enjoy live music on Main street, vendors and some of Arizona’s premier bike builders.

 

 

 

Saturday, September 17th

Rally in the Alley. A FREE Fun Event for all motorcycle enthusiasts! Sierra Vista Harley-Davidson and Thunder Mountain H.O.G. present Rally in the Alley. Enjoy Music, Vendors, Food, Raffles, Bike Show and Bike Wash. Event time is 9 am – 4 pm at Sierra Vista Harley-Davidson located at 176 W. Fry Blvd. H. in Sierra Vista, AZ.

 

Saturday, September 17th

Buddy Stubbs Anthem Open House. The 2012 models are in stock and Buddy Stubbs Anthem Harley-Davidson invites you to come check them out! Stop in September 17th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and enjoy a wide-open house Harley style. There will be FREE food and drinks on the misted patio as well as a bikini bike wash! Ride early to take advantage of cooler temperatures and be sure to stop in afterwards to spend time with friends and make new ones! For more information call (623) 465-1122 or e-mail marketing@buddystubbs.com. Buddy Stubbs Anthem Harley-Davidson is located at 41715 N. 41st Drive, Anthem AZ, 85086. Or online at www.anthemhd.com.

 

Saturday, September 17th & 18th

Superstition Harley-Davidson Demo Days. Event time 10am-4pm. Been waiting to ride that new Harley-Davidson that you saw in the magazine? Now is your chance, take advantage of Demo Days - 2012 Model Year Open House - H.O.G. Chapter Chili Cook-off at Superstition Harley-Davidson in Apache Junction, AZ. T.E.A.M Arizona The Motorcycle Training Specialists will also be there. Don't Ride? Want to feel what riding a Harley is all about? Try the Jumpstart Experience!

 

Saturday, September 17th

John V. Taylor Ride for Research, benefitting the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.

 

Sunday, September 18th

Chester’s Harley-Davidson Party on the Patio. Has Moved to SUNDAY’S!

Party on the Patio moves to Sunday this week and we have the Detonators playing all your classic rock. Rock Taco Cantina will be here serving up some of their great tacos for you to try. This will also be our salute to the Military as we have Phoenix Soldier’s and Ride for Semper Fi here as our Charities. Come help the men and women that protect us. This will surely be a big event.

 

 

Saturday, September 24th

2nd Annual Ride to Chase Field with Arrowhead HD and Chandler HD. Take a ride to see the Arizona Diamondbacks take on the San Francisco Giants. Ride will start at 2:30 pm at 2 locations. Or meet us at the Ballpark. First 30 to sign up will get Swimming Pool Suite Tickets. Or you can buy tickets online. Game time is 5:10 pm. Go to www.dbacks.com/harley and enter the special code: ride. Tickets are only $15 per ticket with $5 of each ticket going to Ride For Kids. Tickets are for sale at both Arrowhead and Chandler Harley-Davidson locations. For more information call Arrowhead at 623-247-5542 and Chandler at 480-496-6800.

 

Saturday, September 24th

Buddy Stubbs Harley-Davidson Wide-Open House. Ride into Buddy Stubbs Arizona Harley-Davidson on Saturday, September 24th, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and check out all of the hottest 2012 offers courtesy of Harley-Davidson. Summer is winding down, so ride early and stop in at their open house to enjoy FREE food and drinks while browsing the endless isles of incredible motorcycles. In addition, there will be live music, museum tours and a bikini bike wash! For more information call (602) 971-3400 or e-mail marketing@buddystubbs.com. Buddy Stubbs Arizona Harley-Davidson is located at 13850 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix AZ, 85022. Visit them online at www.buddystubbshd.com.

 

Saturday, September 24th & 25th

Harley-Davidson of Tucson DEMO EVENT! We all want to see the new 2012 model year Harley-Davidson’s. Now is your chance to test ride the 2012’s for Free* From 10am – 4pm both days, pick your favorite Harley-Davidson and take it for a ride. If you don’t have a motorcycle license, stop by and try the Jumpstart experience. You will feel like you are riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle without leaving our parking lot. While you are there, enjoy Food and Prizes. Harley-Davidson of Tucson is located at 7355 N. I-10 Frontage Rd. East in Tucson, AZ 85743. 520-751-3380.

 

 

Saturday, October 22nd

“Arizona On the Move” City of Peoria Centennial Celebration. SAVE THE DATE! This is one event that you will want to attend. Presented by SRP, this event includes a free community breakfast sponsored by Peoria Firefighters Charities, a 5K run (7:30 am start), family bike ride, Motorcycle Run to Prescott, kids arts and crafts, the Copper Chopper, horse and buggy rides, entertainment and much more!