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Yes, I’ve gotten a bit of energy today if you hadn’t already noticed  10 August 2011 - Panorama - They say there's burros around here... I’ve seen these and other warning signs plenty of times, but I really can’t ever recall actually seeing a burro  10 August 2011 - Blue Diamond, NV - Burro population unknown I’d never actually turned onto the road into Blue Diamond, NV before but it looked like a place that might be worth seeing just for the heck of it. Curiosity can be a real pain sometimes and end up costing plenty of time but there’s times when it pays off  10 August 2011 - Blue Diamond, NV - Correction, burro population at least two I swear I didn’t notice these two burros until I was getting back on the bike after taking that picture of it with the road sign  10 August 2011 - Another burro along the road to Bonnie Springs  10 August 2011 - A couple of burros grabbing dinner in Red Rock Canyon  10 August 2011 - Burros heading off into the desert And then I saw even more burros along the road and even off the main road  10 August 2011 - My V-Star with the Old Spanish Trail historic place marker  10 August 2011 - Old Spanish Trail historic place marker west of Blue Diamond, NV I wasn’t really in the mood to stop today – I just wanted to keep riding  10 August 2011 - Panorama - Motorcyclist's view of the moon over the desert During my later evening travels through Red Rock Canyon, I noticed how the moon was coming up in the light sky, but still very visible. I figured why not stop and get the shot for the blog? I think it came out pretty good even if it doesn’t live up to 10% of how it looked from inside my helmet  10 August 2011 - Panorama - Yamaha motorcycles at Red Rock Canyon Overlook My last stop during the ride (aside from grabbing sodas on the way home) was back at the Red Rock Canyon Overlook. I noticed that just about every parking space was full, but there were also a couple of sport bikes parked off to one side. I decided to be friendly and go say hi I wish I could remember their names, but there was an older eastern European guy who was riding the blue bike and a young couple who’d arrived on the red bike. All very nice people and we had some fun talking bikes for a while I couldn’t pass up the chance to get this picture and I’m glad it came out as well as it did Well, it’s now properly late/early and I need to get some sleep before I head back to work in a few hours. I’m going to end this post here, but I hope you enjoyed it at least 5% as much as I enjoyed riding the roads and taking the pics
—————————-  It can take me an entire weekend or more to recover when a week at work goes completely bat guano crazy. This was one of those weekends. I wasn’t sleeping well and as a result didn’t really get much riding in. At least I managed to go out and have a decent dinner both nights  7 August 2011 - Mark Rich's N.Y. Pizza and Pasta in Summerlin  7 August 2011 - Two slices of Sicilian for $5.00 My original plan was to head for Costco’s food court and pick up a chicken bake or some pizza, but there were problems with that plan. The parking lot was so jam packed you’d think they were giving away free cars or something and there was no dedicated motorcycle parking like I’ve seen at other locations. It was rather warm out and I just wasn’t in the mood to deal with that many people and a long walk across an asphalt parking lot I decided to head closer to Red Rock Canyon and found Mark Rich’s N.Y. Pizza & Pasta  7 August 2011 - Kicking back at the Red Rock Canyon Overlook I really wasn’t all that full of energy after dinner so I took a quick ride through Red Rock Canyon to clear out my head of all the negative thoughts. One of the very positive aspects of motorcycle riding is that you’re often too focused on what you’re doing and or the beautiful scenery around you to think about much else. I was getting a bit thirsty on my way back so I stopped off at my favorite overlook and kicked back for a bit. I really do enjoy the scenery and the clean desert air up there I’ve got more pics just about ready to go, so don’t despair – you won’t have to wait long for more photographic goodness here See y’all again soon
———————– Saturday… Well, let’s just say that I was still somewhat recovering form the previous week at work and reveling in something that I forgot to mention in my last post. I don’t know if it was because I was completely mentally fried and still stressed out after a week of massive mandatory overtime, but I managed to overcome my discomfort with rain grooves on the freeway  6 August 2011 - BMW of Las Vegas - K1600GTL  6 August 2011 - BMW of Las Vegas - K1600GTL Somehow it got into my head that the Triple Seven Special at Mr. Lucky’s sounded like a good idea for dinner I also found out that BMW of Las Vegas carries PIAA powersports bulbs. Actually, they even had the one I’ve been thinking about for quite a while in stock on the shelf. I went back Monday and picked up a PIAA H4 Star White bulb for the low price of about $40. OK, so it’s not cheap but it’s supposed to throw about twice the light of a standard bulb without using more power and overtaxing the bike’s electrical system  6 August 2011 - Filling up the bike I had to stop to fill up the gas tank again on the way home from the Hard Rock OK, I’m actually just joking here and you don’t need to drive all the way to Las Vegas to knock some sense into me I’ve got more pics from today that I have to get put together and posted, so I’m going to cut this one off here. Have a great day See, I haven’t gone away for good I made the financial mistake of cruising through REI on the way home from a ride a few nights before this and ended up with an interesting new piece of photography kit. It’s called an Ultrapod tripod (click here for more info) and can attach to just about any round object with a velcro strap. Naturally I thought to mount it to one of my motorcycle’s engine bars and set the old Nikon to take a picture every 30 seconds  5 August 2011 - Experimenting with a bike mounted camera  5 August 2011 - Experimenting with a bike mounted camera  5 August 2011 - Experimenting with a bike mounted camera  5 August 2011 - Experimenting with a bike mounted camera  5 August 2011 - Experimenting with a bike mounted camera  5 August 2011 - Experimenting with a bike mounted camera  5 August 2011 - Experimenting with a bike mounted camera  5 August 2011 - Experimenting with a bike mounted camera  5 August 2011 - Experimenting with a bike mounted camera I’m actually fairly limited with the mounting options right now, but I like what I got enough to do it again and really think about getting a GoPro camera before too long So what do all my readers think of the pics and the concept? A GoPro would allow better picture quality, more mounting options, and a host of cool features, but they’re not exactly cheap Have fun everyone Still catching up and I’ve got another post ready 31 July 2011 was a Sunday and I’d spent a few hours at the movies with a friend. Cowboys and Aliens was enjoyable  31 July 2011 - Panorama - Storm clouds clearing out from Red Rock Canyon This is the sight that greeted me as I entered Red Rock Canyon and I loved it  31 July 2011 - A rainbow in my mirror as I leave the rain behind Looking back in the left side mirror I noticed a rainbow behind me  31 July 2011 - Rainbow in the clear sky as the storm retreats to the east The rain must have either been thrown up and over toward my direction or been falling for a very long time as this rainbow looked like it was suspended in a clear area.  31 July 2011 - Panorama - Leftover clouds on the mountains and red rock Last, but not least I got this panorama out at the Red Rock Canyon overlook That’s all for now, but I’ll have more soon. Have fun Folks, I’ll be playing catch-up for a while to come. Work, well, it’s not exactly stress free and I just can’t seem to get into the groove until it’s a bit late. I’ve got quite a bit of stuff that’s just about ready to post but needs to have the writing done. Thanks for sticking around  30 July 2011 - 2012 Harley Davidson Sportster  30 July 2011 - A Sportster with serious 'bling'  30 July 2011 - Customized touring bike  30 July 2011 - Harley Road King without the windshield Red Rock Harley Davidson has been great to me all around. There’s some sort of myth I’ve heard that Harley dealers aren’t exactly the nicest places to riders on bikes other than Harleys. I don’t know if that’s true some places, but it’s not the case here The dealer had a fun event where they rode each of the new 2012 models through the dealership for everyone to drool over. I’d say it went rather well and attendance was good That’s all for now, but there’s going to be much more soon! Have a great day Folks, I’ve been remiss for failing to post these pics much sooner than this. Between a busted computer along with life and motorcycle riding I’ve just been caught up in all sorts of stuff Now that I’ve gotten around to it, I hope you enjoy the pics and such  24 June 2011 - Panorama - Goblin Valley State Park  24 June 2011 - The Three Sisters in Goblin Valley State Park  24 June 2011 - Valley of the Goblins - Click for full size and look at the people for scale After arriving in Utah at the end of a 10+ hour drive (3 of those hours due to my own :censored: stupidity Goblin Valley is named for the “goblins” you see in the pics above. Click here for the park’s website and more info  25 June 2011 - Entrance to the American West Heritage Center  25 June 2011 - Barn and pasture with horses at the American West Heritage Center  25 June 2011 - This foal just loved to run  25 June 2011 - Pathway along the creek  25 June 2011 - Panorama - The Wasatch Mountains in the distance  25 June 2011 - The visitors came by horse drawn wagon...  25 June 2011 - And they came by tractor as well!  25 June 2011 - Wild roses at the American West Heritage Center After our visit to Goblin Valley, we headed north past Salt Lake City and spent the night in a hotel. We wanted to get an early start to the day as we’d planned a few different stops Speaking of living history, wait until you see the pics and video in the next part of this post!  25 June 2011 - Monument at Golden Spike National Historic Site  25 June 2011 - Monument at Golden Spike National Historic Site  25 June 2011 - An authentic piece of history from building the Transcontinental Railroad  25 June 2011 - Jupiter and No. 119 on the rails at Promontory Summit  26 June 2011 - No. 119 with coal smoke rising at Promontory Summit, UT  26 June 2011 - Jupiter with wood smoke rising at Promontory Summit, UT  26 June 2011 - Historic marker for the site of the Golden Spike at Promontory Summit, UT  26 June 2011 - No. 119 with coal smoke rising at Promontory Summit, UT  26 June 2011 - Jupiter with wood smoke rising at Promontory Summit, UT  26 June 2011 - Controls for No. 119  26 June 2011 - Big lumps of coal in the tender for No. 119  26 June 2011 - No. 119 and Jupiter face to face  26 June 2011 - Info about No. 119 - Click for full size so you can read it  26 June 2011 - Info about Jupiter - Click for full size so you can read it  26 June 2011 - Information about rails and how they've evolved  26 June 2011 - Controls for Jupiter  26 June 2011 - Looking at No. 119 from Jupiter  26 June 2011 - Builder's plate on Jupiter  26 June 2011 - Sand container on No. 119  26 June 2011 - Sand container on No. 119  26 June 2011 - No. 119 just about to start moving After we left the American West Heritage Center, we headed for another history lesson. This time it was to be a truly historic site with nearly perfect replicas of the machinery of the time to bring it to life The National Park Service operates the Golden Spike Historic Site and the two replica steam locomotives that run there. On May 10, 1869 the Transcontinental Railroad was completed at Promontory Summit just north of the Great Salt Lake. This rail link was incredibly important to the growth of the west coast of the United States Sadly, but understandably the original locomotives – Jupiter and N0. 119 were scrapped in the 1920′s. They were worn-out machines of a bygone era that nobody was all that interested in at the time. The National Park Service decided that they wanted replicas of these engines and approached Walt Disney to see if he could build them. Walt declined saying he could not give them the realism the project deserved. Chadwell O’Connor Engineering Laboratories of Costa Mesa, CA stepped in and underbid the government itself while spending twice what the contract paid so that they could do the job right And folks, they got it RIGHT! I felt like I’d been dropped back in the 1860′s for a couple of minutes as No. 119 huffed past me with the smell of steam and coal smoke wafting on the wind and the sound of the bell and whistle ringing into the distance. This is another one of those places to take your kids for an experience they won’t forget. It’s places like Promontory Summit and people like those who keep these locomotives running who allow today’s kids to make a personal connection to what they read in their history classes. That personal connection can make all the difference when they’re learning to enjoy learning and very likely can be the difference between good grades and wanting to play video games Click here for a great deal more information at SteamLocomotive.com After the fun and interesting time we’d spent in the past so to speak, Cindy and I headed on over to Crystal Hot Springs to soak in the mineral rich waters  27 June 2011 - Avionics bay in an F-111 at the Hill Aerospace Museum  27 June 2011 - Inert B-61 thermonuclear weapon - I've been told I can't have one  27 June 2011 - F-16 and Old Glory at the Hill Aerospace Museum  27 June 2011 - A-10 Warthog (Glenn's jet's sister  27 June 2011 - SR-71C at the Hill Aerospace Museum  27 June 2011 - SR-71C at the Hill Aerospace Museum  27 June 2011 - SR-71 start cart at the Hill Aerospace Museum  27 June 2011 - SR-71 flight/space suit at the Hill Aerospace Museum  27 June 2011 - Too much good stuff at the Hill Aerospace Museum  27 June 2011 - Cushman scooter at the Hill Aerospace Museum  27 June 2011 - Cushman scooter at the Hill Aerospace Museum  27 June 2011 - Cushman scooter info at the Hill Aerospace Museum  27 June 2011 - B-1B on outdoor display at the Hill Aerospace Museum  27 June 2011 - More good stuff on outdoor display at the Hill Aerospace Museum We didn’t actually have plans for our final day up north, so we headed somewhere we’d been before so I could drool all over the floors again Finally we headed back down to Price, UT and kicked back for the evening with a movie. I really didn’t want to go home so soon, but we can’t always get what we want. At least it was an overall good trip with wonderful memories that also provided ideas for the next time I head north in search of cool old stuff and new experiences That’s it for this trip report. Here’s hoping you enjoyed reading it 10% as much as I enjoyed the trip itself and that you also might have learned a bit here and there I took these pictures last weekend and fully intended to post them during the week, but the overtime bug hit at work and I’ve been a bit frazzled. I’ve got a few more with the pics ready to go, but it’s going to take a bit of time to write the posts for them So, back to last Thursday and Friday  28 July 2011 - Adding a bit of character to the bike I decided my V-Star needed a bit of personalization, so of course I stopped by Margaritaville and picked up a few decals  29 July 2011 - Dark skies leaving work
 29 July 2011 - Panorama - Dark skies leaving work  29 July 2011 - Storm clouds over Red Rock Canyon  29 July 2011 - Entertaining weather in the Las Vegas valley Another fun thing from last Friday was the riding conditions. Y’all might think I’m a bit That’s all for this post, but as I said, I’ll have more in the near future. Have a great day everyone |
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I don’t know what happened, but I’m sure as heck not gonna complain about it 
I got out of work today and figured I’d just go for a short ride out to the 
I headed north through Red Rock Canyon…
Red Rock Canyon is part of a federal wild horse and burro management area and it’s not like they’ve got a whole lot holding them back from the road, so I guess the signs are a good idea…
I just loved this road sign and absolutely had to get a pic of the bike with it 
Now, where the heck are those burros hiding 
Yes, those are wild burros munching on the lush, green grass of the local park in Blue Diamond, NV which is directly across the street from that great sign 
I go from not remembering ever seeing a burro in Red Rock Canyon to having them practically everywhere I look 
OK, I’m having a little fun with the smilies, but I really can’t remember seeing a burro out in Red Rock before today and then here they are all over the place. I can’t say just why it is, but I like ‘em 
Why not ride up to 
I’d only been down that road one time before, but remembered it was nice. It was back on my trip around Mt. Charleston that took me through Indian Springs and Pahrump and I didn’t remember seeing a marker for an historic place. Having nowhere to be and all evening to get there, I turned around and rode the bike across the gravel (which was entertaining to say the least) for a couple pictures and to learn a bit. I never knew about the Old Spanish Trail, but now I have yet another piece of fairly useless knowledge in my head 
I’d love to ride one once I lose some more weight and after I’ve had a good deal more experience on the road 
The bike still moves around like it always did, but somehow it just doesn’t bother me anymore 
I’m trying to figure out why it feels like I’m always at the gas station even though the bike gets between 40 and 50 MPG and has a four gallon tank 
I didn’t take the motorcycle on this trip for a few reasons like incredible heat, massive wind, and the fact that I only had a couple weeks’ worth of riding experience 
), I settled in for the night at Cindy’s place and got some sleep. The next day we packed up her car with the two of us, Cindy’s mom, and her 90 year old grandmother for a relatively short trip down to Goblin Valley State Park 
for saying this, but even though I’ve only been riding for two months I’ve found that I really do like riding in the rain