My weekend in Sedona.

This is an excellent example of how to network on the web.  I have been a member of a motorcycle forum for over 2 year...maybe three.  Anyways I went to visit a fellow member this last weekend and this is the story that I posted on my forum.  It has pictures. :)

Well this was a great weekend. I have got to admit that its some of the best riding I have done. So I will do my best to explain it. Patti can jump in and fill in any details that I failed with.

Friday night my roommates drug me out to the bar so I was up to about 3 am. I was so worried that I wasn't going to make it up to Sedona the next day. I was the designated driver so I had to be responsible (as much as that stinks). Anyways I didn't want to feel iffy in the morning. I was up early. Had a gut full of coffee and I was off and away from the apartment at 7:50 out of the rat race zone.

Out onto the 202 and swinging around onto the 101 loop around the east side of Phoenix. I thought I had left early enough for the crazies to still be in bed. Ya right. 100 mph on the interstate seems excessive...but not for these people. Thank goodness no one was trying to share my lane today.

I swing off the 101 loop onto I-17 north. The road is quiet and only 4 lane. Its amazing to watch the terrain change as you head farther north. The desert plants give way to scrub trees as you head into the higher elevations. This is where I started to get a bit of bite from the wind.(stick a sock in it Brad!!!!) This is also the area where I start thinking that my 120 mile range isn't enough. (stupid small tank) Stop for a quick fill up(3 bucks a gallon...) and I am back on the road with 30 miles left. This is where the elevation starts changing greatly. Up and down and some amazing views. Then my exit is upon me. Off the road and only about a quarter mile to Dave's shop. Over the cattle guard and just off to the right. I got to admit I find the cattle guards unnerving. I have never been comfortable driving over something that is steel.

I pull into Dave's shop and I can see Pmint out front waving me in. Am I that obvious. LOL. Anyways. I am all jacking into my tunes and my stocking cap on under my helmet. So whatever she said when I shut the bike off never got to me. She gave me a huge hug...and let me get situated. Small chit chat and meeting the big guy (Dave). She wasn't lying. Thats for darn sure. I have a short chat and then Patti tells me we have to go on a parts run. This is starting to feel more and more like home. I got a first class ride in the Dodge and a chance to thaw. I hope I get the details right but I believe we went to Cottonwood or was it Cornville. Great ride...even if it was in a cage. I was trying to soak up this absolutely gorgeous area. Right now they are having their fall leaves...if you can have that in Arizona. I got a great tour.

Got our parts and headed back to Dave's. Hmm I can't remember the route we took. Ha we took so many different roads I can't remember. We dropped the part off and I got to run over and check out Patti's home. I know some of you mentioned that Patti was great but I do not think you can really tell how much of a sweetheart she is until you meet her. Food and a nap and I was ready for a ride.

This is were the rocket ride gets pulled out. Patti's bike is a beast. Hearing that thing fire up and rumble was great. I then fire up the lowly 800 with it's quiet demeanor and off we go to pick up Dave. Patti had some race fuel in the bike and it was a sweet smell. There is nothing like the smell of burnt race fuel.

Pick up the big guy with his gold wing and we were off on the interstate. This is the point where I realize that I have no chance keeping up with Patti and it was going to be a long day if this was the pace we were going to go at!  She was just opening up on the interstate she said or "blowing out the carbon". She let Dave and I catch up and by that time we were at our exit. We get off the interstate and somehow lost Dave. We got off the ramp and pulled over to the side of the road. This is where Patti mumbled something about a Wing being like Harley...but thats just what I heard...could have been something totally different.

We are off the interstate and heading towards Sedona. The traffic was horrible so we spin around and take a detour through Cottonville. Which was a great ride in itself. I do not remember the name of the road but 35 to 45 mph curves. I think I enjoy the low speed curves more then something like going 75 mph in a long sweeper. This road took us to a rest stop just outside of Sedona. I took a couple of pictures of all the bikes and got some good photos of Sedona off in the distance. We hope back on the road and in no time we are in Sedona. Sedona is beautiful but is it ever crowded! Overrun with tourists. I will have to return again but on a weekday. It took awhile to get through the stop and go traffic but onward to ride up Oak Creek Canyon.

This ride was great. It started out with some 45 to 55 mph curves. By the time we were getting to the top we were into the 15 mph hairpins. The whole time we were following Oak Creek and this was great area. Lots of aspens and tall pines along the ride. I wish there was less traffic to take some of the corners at some higher speeds but thats fine we still had a blast. I have to admit. I have done some super rides in Wisconsin. The Mindoro cut being the closest to this but the Mindoro cut is tiny compared to riding up this mountain. I would have to say this is one of the greatest rides I have taken for scenery and the technical riding. We stopped at a scenic overlook and took some pictures and froze in the high winds. I can't remember the exact elevation but I think it was just under 8000 feet. Lots of bite in the air now. Best part of all is that we get to head back down!

Thank goodness they didn't let me take the lead. I might have done something rash. Anyways back down the mountain and back through Slowdona. I think the traffic had Patti fired up a bit because she popped the clutch and revved the engine (using alot of fuel) at some guy that tried to pull out in front of us. I am not sure how he could miss us coming?? Wait silly question.

We made it out onto the interstate and heading back towards Patti's house. I am tailing the group just hanging out when I see Patti ride up beside Dave in the passing lane and she started to make a bunch of motions. I remember she mentioned her clutch was getting hot in Sedona so I thought she was saying that her clutch was slipping. We continue on and about another 5-10 minutes down the road Patti suddenly wants to get over. I was thinking that we were going to have to trailer the bike home cause her clutch burned up or something. Turns out someone's bike ran out of fuel...but I am not sure who's bike and who's fault it was.  I guess the race fuel burns faster. A short shot down the road and a 1.25 gallon gas can (whatever happened to simple 1 or 2 gallon gas cans) and back to the point of interest to fuel the unsaid bike. We were back on our way to Patti's house.

I will skip ahead and say that we went out for chinese. I swear....I think I gained 10 pounds this weekend. Patti knows how to feed a guy!

Here are the pics that I have...Patti has the others but because of technical difficulties we will have to get those later.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...f&id=185101191