Cyclerides.com Weekly Update
6/16/04 

Greetings Riders,
 
Well, it is now mid June in the Valley of the Sun and things are starting to heat up pretty good. So what do we do when it gets hot in town? We take a ride North for cooler weather. That is a great plan in theory, but the problem is that we eventually have to come back home. And that is where the pay back starts. But as we all know, if we are going to live here in the Summer, going North to cooler riding is our only choice. That is exactly what I did this past Monday.
 
I have been wanting to do a new Day Ride for the site and I noticed that I didn't have one of the most popular rides on there. So I grabbed a buddy of mine and off we went to Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon. I decided to wait until Mrs. C. went to work and "borrowed" HER bike to pile a few extra miles on it. Fortunately there were no news helicopters filming (click here for video) me as I rode North this time so she didn't know about the "borrowing" BEFORE I got home. Read Here what happened last time I tried this. I know a lot of you have done this ride before, but I'll bet you didn't know that there is a new easier and shorter way to get there. One of my favorite ways to get to Sedona is up Mingus Mountain through Jerome. This is a great 14 mile ride that I wish were 50 miles. There are a lot of ways to get to Sedona, but I think this is one of the best ways to see it all. Take I-17 North to Cordes Junction and take Hwy. 69, 21 miles to the brand new Fain Rd. This road is just 2 miles West of Young's Farm in Dewey at the Prescott Country Club light. Turn Right on Fain Rd. for 8 Miles. Turn right on 89A and you are just 3 miles from the base of Mingus Mountain ready for a beautiful ride through the twisties and pines on your way to 7000 feet and cooler air.
 
Once you have seen Jerome you will continue on Hwy. 89A, 28 miles to Sedona. There are plenty of places to eat and shop in Sedona, but we came here to ride, right? So right through Sedona we went to what might be the best part of the ride. And that is the 25 miles from Sedona to Flagstaff through Oak Creek Canyon and then on up to almost 7000 feet again in the pines. This is an absolutely gorgeous ride. And it can only look this good on a motorcycle. Those people making this trip in cars are really missing out. As with any ride there are a few variations you can do after you have reached your destination.
 
What we did was hop on I-40 West for the 10 mile ride to Bellemont and a stop at the Grand Canyon Harley dealership to grill a hamburger at the Roadhouse. Some of you know that the old Pine Breeze Motel that was in the movie Easy Riders is just a couple of miles East of the dealership. You might remember when Captain America pulled into the driveway the old man looked out the window and saw bikers and the turned on the NO Vacancy Sign. This is the exact building where this was shot. So, not being one to pass up a "Photo Op" for the bike, I went down there and snapped a couple of pictures in front of the old Pine Breeze Motel. You will see an Easy Riders sign in the window.
 
Now the next decision was what to do now. Do we go back down I-17 or stretch this 75 degree riding a little longer? We had only gone 169 miles and it was before noon, so you probably know the answer to that. We decided to go on down I-40 to Williams. For those of you going to Williams this weekend, there is a great ride South that is excellent. It is about 20 miles if you take it clear to the end. But then it turns into dirt. This is where some times things look better on paper than they are in real life. You can either turn around and go back which would be fine, or you can make the same mistake we made and that is to take Drake Rd. to the West. This is a 9 mile dirt Road that will drop you off on Hwy 89 which will take you to Prescott. If you are adventurous and need to save some time, you can go about 40 mph on this road and cut off some miles. But I would recommend just turning around and enjoying the same road again. I don't know what the name of this road is, but you reach it by taking 4th St. from downtown Williams South and you will be on it. I would recommend it if you are going there this weekend.
 
My best suggestion for finishing the Day Ride would be to go back down 89A from Flagstaff to Sedona. But this time take Hwy. 179 to I-17 out of Sedona. This will be 15 miles of beautiful Red Rocks that you have not seen yet and is well worth the trip. On this trip it really occurred to me the difference it makes in scenery by which way you are traveling the road. When you are going up 89A from Sedona your line of sight is primarily the pine trees and the mountain in front of you. When you come back down that very same road it is a whole new experience as your line of sight and primary view is the Red Rocks of Sedona. That is why I highly recommend that you return home through Sedona and then out 179.
 
The entire roundtrip this way is about 318 miles from the Loop 101 and I-17. We had about 3 hours and 40 minutes invested in going up to Bellemont. It is 150 miles coming home so you will probably have about an 8-9 hour roundtrip if you stop for lunch or site seeing. I give this ride 4.5 spokes out of 5 for the shear beauty, changing landscapes and cooler weather to ride in during the Summer months. A must ride for anyone. You can do it again and again without getting tired of it. And if you have done it before, try the new Fain Rd. for a good short cut to avoid the traffic. This would be a good route this weekend as you make your way to Williams for the H.O.G. Rally. Click Here for the Day Ride feature with all of the directions, map and great pictures. Click Here for the Video. If you want to stretch your ride out to about 360 miles you can take I-40 to 89 South and follow that all the way to Wickenburg and then come back Hwy. 74 to I-17. This option is also on the map. Our total ride was 345 miles with 6 hours in the seat. As you know, I am a fan of taking pictures, Click Here for All Photos From The Ride
 
One word of warning when riding in high temperatures this time of year. Be sure and stay very hydrated by drinking lots of water. If you start to feel light headed, that is the first sign of de-hydration, pull over. This is no joke. Because it will be about 107 when you re-enter the Valley and when you factor in the heat from the pavement it is HOT! When you start down from Sunset Point you will really start to feel it. I stopped at Cordes Junction on the way home and downed a Propel, a 16 ounce Arizona Ice Tea, a Kit Kat bar for a sugar rush and took a pack of Bubblicious "Gonzo Grape" gum for the ride home. I was able to make it all the way, but I was ready for something cool to drink.  
 

Cocomo Joe's Sunday Bike Day. Live Music Every Sunday from 1:30-4:30pm. Live music is also Thursday - Saturday nights at 8:30pm. Many of you have been to Cocomo Joe's in North Phoenix. There is now a day just for riders. Cocomo Joe's is a very open and comfortable place to hang out that is decorated in a Jamaican theme. They have a new large outdoor patio as well as 2 smaller ones around the side. There is a large dining area with TV's all around to keep up on all NFL football on Sundays. See the pictures here. After football season they will be bringing in live entertainment on Sunday afternoons. There is also 3 pool tables and games for your enjoyment. There will be food and drink specials for ride days starting at 10:30am as well as blocked off preferred parking for motorcycles. The day starts at 10:30am with breakfast foods available. Bike day is from Noon - 6pm. Cocomo Joe's is located on the NW corner of Tatum and Dynamite Rd. So if you are riding to or from Cave Creek, or want to take a ride up North and not have to run the DB gauntlet, stop by Cocomo Joe's. 28244 N. Tatum Blvd. 480-538-8008. Stop by this Sunday for opening day. Click Here for all the details.

Sugar Daddy's Blues Biker Sunday Brunch.
Now is the perfect weather to be sitting out on the Sugar Daddy's patio, listening to Live Music while dining from the Brunch Menu. And Sunday Brunch Just Got Better! You now have 3 options to choose from. Option #1: Eggs Benedict – Grilled English muffins, smoked ham, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.
Served with your chose of fresh fruit or crispy potatoes. ($8) or Sugar’s Pancakes – You won’t eat pancakes anywhere else. Buttermilk pancakes served with butter and syrup. ($5)
Option #2: Can’t decide what to eat? How about an All-You-Can-Eat buffet for ONLY $12.
Option #3: Order off our regular menu.
Our 5,000 sq. ft. temperature controlled patio has six air conditioning units, misters, and plenty of shade. Sugar Daddy's patio, food and entertainment is becoming a regular Sunday stop. If you haven't tried it yet, give them a try. Complimentary coffee is now served. Make Sugar Daddy's Blues your stop on your ride down Scottsdale Rd. for Brunch or Lunch from 10am - 5pm. Enjoy live music from 1-6pm Or maybe just relax on the patio with your favorite beverage and enjoy the beautiful weather and watch the bikes roll down Scottsdale Rd.  Click here to see the awesome pictures and details of Sugar Daddy's located at 3102 N. Scottsdale Rd. between Indian School and Thomas on the West side of the road. Stop by and check it out. A great place to hang out. Plenty of Bike Parking. If you have suggestions, email them at sugardaddysaz@aol.com . 480-970-6556.

This Week 

Next Week 

Saturday, June 26th
Mogollon CD Release Party. This is going to be a big one. Everyone's favorite Valley band Mogollon is having a CD release party at Harold's in Cave Creek for their new CD titled Mogollon 4. Duane and George would like to invite everyone out to the release party to hear songs from the new CD. This recording has been two years in the making and is scheduled to be released Saturday, June 26th 2004. The band is currently working on distribution but in the meantime the first place that “Mogollon 4” will be available for the public will be on June 26th at Harold’s Cave Creek Corral in Cave Creek, Arizona. The Mogollon CD Release Party starts around 5:00pm with Mogollon taking the stage around 8:30pm. There will be a second band under a tent outside called “Furious George” and they will be playing great rock and roll all night long. The Mogollon CD Release Party will be free to the public with great drink specials and door prizes all night long including 4 new Fender guitars to be given away. This event is sponsored in part by Budweiser. A portion of the proceeds of this event will go to a local charity called D.E.V.A. (domestic violence education and assistance). For more information and dinner reservations call Harold's at 480-488-1906.
 
Saturday, June 26th
Benefit for Vaughn Sheradowski. Seven Card Poker Run starts 9am. Benefit Party starts at noon. Live music with Cold December, silent auction, merchandise raffle, 50/50, home cooking for lunch at $5 per plate. Phil and Sandy's Tavern, 928 759-0377, 8172 E Long Mesa Drive in Prescott Valley, AZ. Information at 801 675-9128 or 928 759-0377.
 
Sunday, June 27th
Motorcycle Swapmeet 6am till 12am. FREE setup Free Admission at The Grand Hotel 8955 N/W Grand ave Peoria,Az. Do you have Motorcycle, Trike, or Sidecar items you would like to sell? Sell it here FREE. Vendors Welcome. More info call. George 623 521 1121 or Van 623 204 9267. 

Extras 

Every once in a while a product comes along that is just perfect. One of the problems I have is that to lock my bike I have to use a disk lock to secure it. That's fine, but when it is not in use I have to find a way to carry it. With no bags on the bike I used to carry the lock in my pocket or clip it onto my belt loop. This was cumbersome and uncomfortable. Finally I ran across the perfect product called "The Peg". It is a foot peg with a built in disk lock!! That is perfect! So I got one from them to try out and it is great. Now when I am riding I just put the lock back into the peg. When I park it, I unlock the lock, slide it out of the peg and put it on the disk. It is as simple as that. The other side has a cap that comes off so that you can store your insurance and registration papers in a water proof compartment. You can buy "The Peg" at Genesis in Scottsdale, The Wheel Shop on E. McDowell, Hacienda HD and Surgical Steeds. It runs about $130 for the pair and you supply your own lock. Click Here for several pictures that shows how it works. I give this product a 10 out of 10. For more information you can call "The Peg" at 1-888-4 THEPEG.
As with a lot of issues, there are 2 sides to every story. Here is the Fort McDowell Indian Tribes response to the Out of Africa eviction that I had in last week's newsletter. I don't know who is right, but the bottom line is, I would like to see the animals get the proper care. I'm sure this will raise the awareness of the whole situation now. Here is the PR. http://www.fortmcdowell.org/pressrelease.htm
 
As for me this weekend, Mrs. C. and I will be going to the H.O.G. Rally in Williams on Saturday. We are going to make a quick stop at Pioneer for breakfast (they now open at 6:00am Sat. and Sun.) and then make our way on up to Williams to spend the day. Should be a good time.
 
Until Next Week,
Blessings and Safe Riding To All,
 
Barry Caraway
"The Road Is Yours - Take The Ride"
www.cyclerides.com
info@cyclerides.com

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