Cyclerides.com Weekly Update
8/17/05
Greetings Riders,
I would like to welcome back all the riders that went to Sturgis. Hopefully all
went well with you. I got an email with a picture of an unusual crossing guard in the Sturgis area. If this guy decided to get cranky, I don't think that
Heritage would have been much of a match for that "big boy". But the situation does make for a good picture.
Thanks to Deb Burns for sending it in.
For those of you that were out of town and are now catching up with your emails, in last week's newsletter I gave you an overview of our 2800 mile ride
from Seattle to Glacier Nat. Park, Yellowstone, Tetons, Jackson Hole, Bryce Nat. Park and back to Phoenix.
I am now calling it "Glacier Ride 2005". If you missed the letter Click Here. Or if you would
like to see the preview pictures again, Click Here. This week I am
going to start giving you more detailed information with maps and photos by covering 2 days of the trip each
week for the next few weeks.
As you probably know by now we shipped the Road Glide to Seattle and then rode 80 miles
North to Burlington for the start of our trip. I am a big fan of shipping
the bike to your start location when you are short on time. In our case we only had 8 days to ride and this maximized
our available time in the areas we actually wanted to be. One of the problems I have had in the past is getting
a good motorcycle transport company at a reasonable price. Motorcycle shipping is one of the top questions I get
on the site. This year I used Hog
Haulers Inc. to transport our bike and they were excellent.
I was very impressed with their equipment, price ($525 to Seattle)
and professional service. With their history of hauling classic cars and motorcycles, I felt comfortable as they
loaded the bike for the 5 day transport to Seattle. If you are planning on a trip similar to ours or plan
on going to Daytona next year, I could highly recommend them for your transport. Look at their web site
at www.hoghaulersinc.com or call Scott at 503-650-0093. I was extremely satisfied with their service. Tell
them Barry at Cyclerides.com sent you.
As I awoke Thursday morning I have to admit I was really excited to get going. When I start a trip like this the adrenaline is really high as my imagination of
what we are about to experience starts to get ahead of me. There is so much to take in when riding through an entirely
new area that it is almost "information overload" by the end of the day. And when you are going through
areas like the Cascade Mountains in Northern Washington on Hwy. 20, where there is just one beautiful postcard
scene after another, it is almost hard to process. After a quick ride through Anacortes and Deception Pass we were on
our way across Washington Hwy. 20 East to ride through the Ross Lake National Recreation Area in the
North
Cascades. We were not expecting the first day to be the
highlight of the trip, but it almost was. This is 100 miles of one of the most beautiful rides I have ever taken.
The road that winds through the mountain range
is excellent, the snow capped mountain views
are majestic and the azure blue color of the lakes
are amazing. This route is second to none and the riders of Washington are lucky to have this available
to them in their back yard for regular riding.
After you drop out of the mountains on the East side you will descend into a much
more arid part of the State in the Methow Valley where
temperatures will rise and you will ride into a small old town of 384 people
that was a part of the gold rush called Winthrop. This town is
one of the most authentic "old west" towns
I have ever seen. It has maintained the old time charm and renovations have been true to the era. We
stopped there for lunch at the Winthrop Brewery and ate
on the back patio by the creek. After a stroll down the wooden sidewalks and a stop for "gasolene" (check
out how they spell gasoline in the picture) at the local gas station, we still had about 3 hours of good daylight
left for riding and were off for an unknown city to spend the night. That is a fun part of the journey
for me.
So we continued our ride East for another 100 miles as daylight started to fade to a
place called Grand
Coulee Dam, putting an end to
a beautiful 324 mile day. Unbeknownst to us, every night at 10:00pm in the Summer there is a 30 minute laser light
show on the dam complete with an audio history of the building of the Grand Coulee Dam project instituted by FDR
back in the 30's. Grand Coulee Dam is the largest
concrete structure in the United States and the third largest hydroelectric facility in the world. So we checked
into our hotel that overlooked the dam, grabbed a milk shake from a local ice cream store and sat on the grass
to learn the history
of the Grand Coulee Dam and the Columbia Basin Project
as it was told with the aid of the laser light show. It is amazing what you will run into on these type of rides.
That is what makes motorcycle trips so exciting. There is an unknown around every corner. My props to the State
of Washington for being so motorcycle friendly. We saw these signs all over Washington
to caution motorcyclists to road conditions.
Day 2 we made our way through Washington and Coeur D' Alene on our way to Farragut, Idaho to relive some family history.
When I told my Father, who is now 80 years old, that I would be riding
through Coeur D' Alene, he mentioned that I should stop in Farragut at the old Naval Training Station that
he was at in 1943. He said that if I looked, I might even find his picture from his Basic Training days.
As I asked more questions about his days in the Navy, he told me that he enlisted when he was 17 years old in late
1942. He went through a physical in Kansas City and was put on a train to go to the largest Naval Training Station
in the United States in Farragut, Idaho which was home to over 293,000 recruits in the 40's. So we stopped
at the Museum to get a feel for what it was like over 60 years ago in a Naval Training Station after
the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Mrs.
C. and I then went to the files to find his picture.
As it turns out it was miss filed, but we finally found Camp Hill #176 recruits and
his picture on the front row. Unfortunately, I am not the best at keeping up on family history like this,
but I have to admit, that when I walked out of that building, I had a lump in my throat and felt extremely
proud of my Father who voluntarily enlisted in the Navy at age 17, to fight for our Country and contribute
to the defeat of the Japanese in WWII. Go Dad! I brought him back some souvenirs from the museum.
Feeling good that we had completed our mission of seeing a piece of family history and
conquering what turned out to be the equivalent of finding a needle in a haystack, we
were now on our way to our destination of Whitefish, Montana that would end our 409 miles of riding for that day.
We continued North to Bonners Ferry before going East to Montana. We then turned North again on a little known
road called Hwy. 37 at Libby Montana. This follows the beautiful Lake Koocanusa for 45 miles
to Eureka, Montana, 7 miles from the Canadian Border. It was absolutely gorgeous and was a high point of unspoiled
beauty for our ride that day. We had to ride the 45 miles
from Eureka to Whitefish at dusk. This was not a good idea as we had to run the gauntlet of deer, and even watched
the car in front of us narrowly miss one that jumped out in front of them. This can certainly make for
white knuckled riding as Mrs. C. counted over 40 deer on the side of the road as we made our way to the Alpinglow Inn, our ski resort hotel on Big Mountain in Whitefish. Believe it or not, it is cheaper
to stay on the mountain than it is in town.
This was one of those trips that was already so packed with beauty and interesting riding
that we could have almost gone home after day 2 and called it a great ride. But
we still had 6 days and 2000 miles to go, and we hadn't even seen the headliner of our trip yet. So we settled
in for the night to rest up knowing that Glacier National Park, the place we had heard so much about, would
be on our to do list the next day.
Click Here for the Map of Day 1, Burlington, WA. to Grand Coulee
Dam, WA.
Click Here for Photos of Day 1.
Click Here for the Map of Day 2, Grand Coulee Dam, WA. to Whitefish,
Montana
Click Here for Photos
of Day 2.
I will be back next week with the editorial and pictures of Glacier National Park and
a few tips on packing for 2 with limited space.
This Week's Bike Night Events
Tuesday
Copper State Cycles Two Wheeled Tuesday. Who knew that north Scottsdale's newest bike night was such a great place to hang out. Last nights motorcycle trivia contest was a huge success, and the winner really enjoyed the grand prize. Join Copper State Cycles and K O'Donnell's this Tuesday for a great time on the mist cooled patio. Enjoy $2 Bud drafts, Happy hour pricing on appetizers or a great meal from the full menu. Come see the new 2005 Red Horse Customs on display and visit with your friends. K O'Donnell's American Bar & Grill (formerly Uno's Pizza) located in the north Scottsdale area at 14850 N. Northsight, just of of the 101 & Raintree. Every Tuesday night from 7:00pm until...... 61" TV's and music on the mist cooled patio! Reserved parking in plain view for all bikes. For more information call 480-596-6820.
Wednesday
Hooters at 1-17 and Bell Rd. Wednesday Bike Night. Hooters at I-17 and Bell will be hosting a new Bike Night every Wednesday night from 6pm - 9pm. They will feature a "Ride In" Bike Show with weekly prizes for 1st - 3rd. And then, the third Wednesday of every month we will crown the Bike of the Month with a Grand Prize and will also be featured on Cyclerides.com as the "Bike of the Week". We will have $2 Bud, Bud Light, and Mich Ultra bottles. There will be 20% off of all food and merchandise when you ride in on your bike. Stop by for loads of Raffle Prizes. There will be VIP Motorcycle Parking and you will be greeted at the front door by a Hooter's Girl waiting to give you your raffle ticket. Hooter's is located in the Bell Canyon Shopping Center at 2834 W. Bell Rd., West of I-17 on Bell Rd. 602-375-0000.
Thursday Night
NEW
THURSDAY BIKE NIGHT IN THE FAR EAST VALLEY!!
New!! Superstition Harley-Davidson and Spirits Bar and Grill have teamed up to bring riders in the Far East Valley a great New Thursday bike night. For those of you in Far East Mesa and Apache Junction, you now have a place to go on Thursday nights. And better yet, just for riding your bike to Spirits, they will give you a free hamburger. That’s right, every rider to show up on their bike between 7-10pm will receive a free hamburger! Stick around and win great prizes and raffle items from Superstition Harley-Davidson. Spirits is located at 9303 E. Apache Trail in East Mesa. One block East of Ellsworth on Apache Trail (Main St.). Come sit on the patio and watch the bikes roll in, stay inside and enjoy a game of pool, and friendly wait staff. The large dance floor is always open with music from Goodtime Charlie The OUTLAW DJ playing The Best of Country and the Best of Rock and Roll every Thursday night from 8:30p.m till 2am. With an extensive food menu, 2 patios, and monitors inside to watch your bike, Spirits is the hottest Bike night place to be in the east valley. The LEGEND of Spirits Lives on. More info at Superstition HD at 480-346-0600 or 480-986-5572.
Hooters Mesa Thursday Bike Night. Hooters in Mesa located at 6730 E. Superstition Springs Blvd. will host a Bike Night every Thursday night from 6-9 pm. If you haven't seen this Hooters yet you will have to stop by and take a look. This is one of the nicest locations that they have. Hooters will $2.00 Corona's and 20% off of food and merchandise if you ride your bike in. Stop by for raffles prizes every Thursday Night with Big Raffle prizes the first Thursday of every month. For more information call 480-396-9396.
Hooters at Arrowhead Bike Night. Continues Giveaways and Raffles. Ride by and join in on the fun! Hooters will host a Bike Night every Thursday at the Hooters at Arrowhead located just 1 block S. of Bell on 83rd Ave. Stop by for some great food and Hooters Hospitality. There will be 20% off menu items, $2.00 Corona Thursdays and plenty of parking next to the outdoor patio. Stop by for some giveaways and raffles from Hooters and Arrowhead Harley as well as great wings and fun at Hooters. Click Here to see Pictures and all the detailed information.
Casey Jones Grill Bike Night. A valley favorite bike night for over 3 years. Ride in and sit out on the patio for what I call the Best Cheesesteak Sandwich in town. This thing melts in your mouth. They have 3 new pool tables, darts and foosball. Located in the Mervyns Shopping Center on the SE corner of 43rd Ave. and Thunderbird Rd. Casey Jones is a great place for a bike night featuring a large outdoor seating and over 150 people inside. And for those of you that want to watch a sporting event they have 50 TV's scattered throughout the restaurant connected to satellite to get any game you can think of. They have a full menu for lunch, dinner and a Happy Hour from 11:00AM - 7:00PM and a reverse happy hour from 10:00PM - 12:00 Midnight. $1.75 domestic bottles and $2.00 Jacks. There are always a lot of bikes showing up for bike night at Casey Jones Thursday night. Join them for open mic night on Wednesdays. Sunday. You can always count on lots of bikes here.
The Bike Night At The Billet Bar. Voted "BEST BIKER BAR IN PHOENIX" by New Times. There is no better place to watch all the Bikes ride down Scottsdale road than from The Billet Bar Patio. The Billet is ALWAYS packed with bikes Every Day. Stop by and take a look at the New Flamed Booths on the Paradise Patio. The new bars front and rear provide spacious seating, fresh air atmosphere, perfect temperature and courteous staff. The food is amazing and always the latest in cold libations await. You can sit at the back bar and watch your favorite TV on any of the seven big inch televisions. Play pool, listen to the latest music and socialize. The front patio seats over 75 people and is perfect for people watching on Scottsdale Rd. The Billet Bar is located right next to Genesis Custom Cycles on 3752 N. Scottsdale Rd. Check it out this Thursday night and all weekend long. Info: at 480-941-1876. Click Here for the New Billet Bar Page with pictures.
Every Saturday and Sunday
Cave Creek Roadhouse Bike Weekend. Take a ride and stop
by the Hottest New Restaurant/Bar in Cave Creek where every weekend will be Bike Weekend. There is plenty of motorcycle parking right out front. I have mentioned this place before
and now it has finally opened to rave reviews. CCR is located on Cave Creek Rd. in the heart of Cave Creek
directly across from Harold's. It is a restaurant and bar that focuses on a broad menu of good food and has a large
bar for socializing with your riding pals for a good time. It is built to look like something out of the 1800's,
but it is brand new. Stop by this weekend for lunch, dinner or just to have a drink and take a look at the place.
I can tell you that their hamburgers and steak fries are exceptional. Mrs. C. had the swordfish and said it
was very good.
Live Music Every Weekend:
Friday: Live Music with "SoulCatcher" 9pm - 1:30am
Saturday Night: Live Music with "9 Ball" 9pm - 1:30am
Sunday: Live Music with "Walt Richardson" 3pm - 7pm
Click here for the Cave Creek Roadhouse website. 480-575-3098
Sunday
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. Live Music from 10am on the patio.
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 - 4pm. Enjoy live music from 10am - 2pm 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
Saturday, August 20th
Superstition
Harley-Davidson "Hula Harley Day". Too hot? Cool off at Superstition
Harley-Davidson’s Hula Harley Day, Saturday, August 20th from 8-5pm
only at Superstition Harley Davidson! There’s a whole wave of savings coming in as we make room for our 2006
MotorClothes inventory, with great clearance prices on selected
in-stock MotorClothes merchandise! This is a one day only event,
you don’t want to miss. You’ll enjoy Hot Beach Dogs, Monsoon Madness Mix, superstition savings, and door prizes
every 15 minutes from 11-2pm. That’s Hula Harley Day, August 20th, only at Superstition HD! Don't miss your chance
at great prices on Harley-Davidson MotorClothes. Superstition is located at 2910 W. Apache Trail in Apache Junction,
AZ. 480-346-0600. Map.
Saturday, August 20th
Benefit for
Dan Honerkamp. Dan Honerkamp went
in the hospital last month to get a benign tumor removed only to have his kidney and colon removed and to be told
he had cancer. Dan has been told he has 3 months to 3 years to live - he has a cancer that can't be helped
with chemo and only one in 15 million people get it. We are raising money for his medical expenses. Please
come join us for a party to wish him well at: Pioneer Ranch on August 20th from 1pm to 5pm, party in the air-conditioned
saloon. Donation is $10.00 per person which includes: Lunch and a Live Band - "Psychobilly Rodeo". Raffle
and 50/50 Drawings Being Held. There will also be a ride that morning leaving from the Steel Horse at 10am.
The Ride will be visiting some of Dan's favorite stops. Contact Tracy O'Brien-Mueller. (480) 423-2665.
Next Week
Saturday, August 27th
Bikes and BBQ
at Buddy Stubbs. Join Buddy Stubbs Harley-Davidson from 11am - 2pm for a
free BBQ lunch and meet Amy, the Arizona Dream Girls Calendar Cover Model. There
will also be a Free Bikini Bike Wash, Free Motorcycle Museum Tour hosted by Buddy Stubbs. Free Pool Tournament
starting at 11am, signup begins at 10am. 50/50 raffles hosted by Phoenix H.O.G. Chapter 93. Discounts and Specials
throughout the dealership. Buddy Stubbs is located at 13401 N. Cave Creek Rd. in Phoenix. 602-971-3400.
Extras
Did that trip to Sturgis take its toll on your tires? Now is the time to get them
changed for the riding season at the best price in town. Copper State Cycles is extending our 30% off
sale on all Dunlap, Metzeler and Michelin tires through the month of August. We
also are still installing them for a flat fee of $35.00. This sale has been a huge success. We would also like
to introduce a new brand of tires to Arizona. We are now a dealer for Maxxis Classic tires. They are known for
quality and value. For a limited time, we can install a new SET of Maxxis black walls (front and rear) of any size
available on your bike for $260.00 out the door.
We can also install a SET of Maxxis wide whites (front and rear) of
any size available for $320.00 total price including install and tax. Don't miss this smoking deal. Call today
for an appointment. 480-596-6820 or tiredeals@copperstatecycles.com
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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