We got up a bit earlier than initially scheduled today so we could get on the road a bit early. Tom’s bike didn’t have any evidence of oil leaks so he had done an excellent job of sealing up the cases he removed. The bike started right up and just like yesterday evening after the repair, the volt meter was showing a healthy charging system. The bikes all packed and filled up with fuel, we were on our way by 6:30am. The temperatures were on the cool side (about 45F) but the wind was calm….for now.
I elected to wear my heated liner and gloves. Tom decided not to in hopes that the temps would quickly increase into the upper 50’s or 60’s. He wanted to take it easy on his stator to start off the day.
The wind was calm for the first 70 miles before it started to pickup. In addition to the wind increasing, so did our elevation. In fact the increasing elevation negated the ever rising sun which kept the temperatures right around 50F for much of the morning. After 100 miles of riding (the last 30 of which were in winds gusting over 40 mph) Tom radioed me that he was turning into an icicle. We stopped at a fuel station at the top of hill right in the middle of the highest winds. It was really blowing.
Tom put on his heated liner and gloves and after topping off the fuel tanks, we were on our way again. I think Tom ran with his heated gloves and jacket on full blast for the next several hours thoroughly enjoying the luxury of heat!
After another 120 or so miles, we stopped again for fuel. We had been battling heavy winds continuously and our fuel mileage was again suffering. So playing it safe, we elected to fuel up when our tanks were half gone. The winds had diminished somewhat and the temps were beginning to finally rise in the upper 50’s.
The next stop was in Holbrook, AZ. This was where we would get off of I-40 and head southwest into Tempe. We topped off with fuel and got some lunch. A couple in a U-haul truck parked next to us and their two little dogs were quite excited to see us and the bikes.
With the temps now at 70F, Tom and I removed our heated gear and prepared for the heat we expected to come as we neared Phoenix. We wouldn’t be disappointed. We saw temperatures rise to 93F as we entered Tempe.
The ride from Holbrook to Tempe was great fun both in terms of the roads and the scenery. We went from high plain pine forests to desert and everything in between. Take a ride with us along Arizona 277 through a forest.
And then along Arizona 87 as we cross over a set of mountains on our way into the Phoenix area.
We arrived in Tempe at around 6pm (5pm local time as Arizona doesn’t adjust for DST). Tomorrow Michele’s flight arrives at 11:30am and then we head to our first National Park of this ride, the Grand Canyon.
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