10 November

Dona goes to make the coffee whilst I am having a shower, but much to our consternation the jug is missing, but Dona uses her iniative and finds a replacement…the ice bucket!

We then go for breakfast-unusally for US this is a cooked breakfast buffet,with sausage,scrambled egg,hash browns and scones as well as the usual cereals & fruits.

We mention our predicament with the coffee machine and are told not to be so silly as the machine was for cups only!! Oops!

It's another Michelin man day - 36.5F as we set off

We take a lovely windy road down the mountainside,but Dona is the only one who manages to overtake the queue of cars in front of us to really make the most of it.
The newly named "Unity",the bald eagle seems to be enjoying the ride.

Down in the Valley the waeather has warmed up so we stop to strip of a couple of layers, I also get my first look at cactus.

We head up to Parker, where we stop for gas and water. We then cross over the Colorado river.

And the Zumo tells us to turn left & continue for 84 miles!

This picture just about sums up those 84 miles-long & straight , and very little traffic-the good thing is that does mean we can ride at 80-85,so the miles quickly zoom past.

I panic Scott at one point, as I go from being right behind him to disappearing  when I have to pull over as a huge swarm of bugs have headed straight for me and splattered all over my visor and I couldn’t see a thing, so I has to stop and wipe it clean.

At the end of this its a short stint on 10 before we turn into Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua Tree National Park Website

Whilst having a quick stop at the the Rangers office we get talking to another biker, this guy is from Vancouver and is riding a new bike he bought in North Carolina which he is riding home.

Another beautiful park where I will let the photos do the talking.

Ocotillo Patch

 

Cholla Cactus Garden

Joshua Trees...as far as the eye can see

As we leave the park, decisions being made about which way to go.

We turn left to Yucca Valley and find a Motel 8 with rooms.

We eat at Carrows-a chain a bit like Beefeater.  On the ride out of the park I had been thinking about what I fancied for dinner tonight and unusally I had an urge for a jacket potatoe...it turns out that Sue had been thinking the same-although in her case it was a Baked Potoatoe she wanted! The similarities between myself and Sue just keep on coming! 

6 November

We manage to navigate our way out of Vegas a lot more easily than we did getting in.

Our first stop is the Valley of Fire, with the most amazing rock formations.

Sue & me

Dona &  Scott walk up to the viewpoint,but it is too hot for me to consider it

Leaving the Valley

As its Saturday,it seems that all the Harley riders from Las Vegas are in the area.

We stop for lunch at a Casino in Mesquite, where I get very confused trying to find the loos, but luckily Dona sets me off in the correct direction.

Heading towards Zion

Zion National Park

Scott & Sue have a National Park card which should allow 4 of into the park without paying. The warden says that its 4 people on 2 motorcycles & not 4 motorcycles and gets out the rule book, but luckily in the end he lets us through

Zion is stunning, especially with the autumnal hues of the leaves

Chequerboard Mesa

It had clouded over whilst we were in the park,but as we leave the sun comes out in its full glory.

Tonight is the only time we have pre-reserved a room, so its a long, dark, cold 109 mile ride  to get to Page, for the Balloon Fiesta.

But the cold is soon forgotten as we arrive and see the Hot Air Balloons all lit up for Night Glow 

Todays route



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9 November 2010

We wake up to find the bikes are frozen!

So after moving them into the sun to thaw out,we enjoy a lovely cooked breakfast and go for a wander round the few gift shops. It looks like we had definately made the correct decision yesterday morning not to head north to Bryce,as we hear that there had been heavy snow there! (This does mean though that I may have to come back so that I can visit this beautiful canyon)

A wall of post boxes

By about 11the bikes and roads have thawed out, so we take 180 down to Williams. It is still pretty cold -the bike thermometer is flashing at 37f-so its 6 layers of clotihng,including waterproofs to keep out the wind! Michelin Man has nothing on me!

After 64,we take 40 to Flagstaff,turning off onto 89A where the scenery changes to pine forests.

We stop at Creek Canyon,where there is a small market where Navajo Indians are selling handmade jewellry...too good to resist & a few purchase are made.

The sun starts to warm up as we ride into Sedona-what beautiful scenery.

We stop in Sedona for lunch,and it is warm enough to sit outside to eat.

After lunch we spend an hour wandering round the many gift shops.

I finally manage to find a Bald Eagle for Dona,as she has been feeling left out without a mascot.

After Sedona, we continue onto Jerome then a great bit of windy road,with more amazing views.

As we head into Prestcott the sun is blinding-even with the dark visor down on my lid I cannot see a thing-so have to ride with my left hand up blocking out the sun for a while. The timing on my i-pod is perfect as Three Doors Down come on singing "I'm tired of staring at the sun".