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Ride Report: CA to OKC in 48hrs on a BMW
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<blockquote data-quote="Nanotech9" data-source="post: 822964" data-attributes="member: 676"><p>So I’m off! Its 11pm and I’ve been awake for about 16 hours at this point, although I hadn’t done the math on that yet and had not realized I had been up that long.</p><p></p><p>I had made the choice to start this run back through the dessert in the middle of the night given the day temperatures were in the 110 range, and the night only dropped down to about 90deg. It was the right choice. Hundreds of miles of sand, sand, and more sand. Every half mile or so the road would rise a little, dip down abruptly, and rise back up to the same level. After a few dozen of these I came to realize that this must be a water pathway to help during flash-floods or something along those lines. Had I been on a sportbike or supermoto I would surely have taken this opportunity to ride countless wheelies over the tops of these all through the night, but this was no time for playing games. I was 1500 miles from home, in the middle of nowhere, hadn’t seen another car in 30min or more, and on an un-familiar bike worth more than my truck. I decided to behave.</p><p></p><p>One of the oddest things about the dessert was the smell. I never could quite put my finger on it, but it smelled like a cross between marijuana and an electrical fire. It had a very acute smell to it, and not something I could find myself getting used to very quickly. This smell lasted well into the second set of mountains.</p><p></p><p>After stopping for gas a few times, I made it into the Havasu Lake area on the CA / AZ border about 2:30am. This has to be the biggest gathering of motor homes and 5th wheels I’ve EVER seen. Had to be MILLIONS. Row after row for miles stacked several hundred deep. The lake was beautiful at night, and the road around it was really nice and curvy. Luckily the bike was equipped with an HID lamp on the left that threw plenty of light down the road which helped me shut down the bike just in time to avoid a rather large Donkey standing in the middle of the road, with a few of his buddies on either side. No idea if they were wild or tame, but either way it looked to be as though there were plans for a few more in the future given the two humping just off the side of the road&#8230;. Good for them I guess. On to parker Dam!</p><p></p><p>Crusing across the dessert at night... just a little bumpy, but its neat in its own way.</p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p>One of the Ninja Donkey's That magically appeared to attack me.</p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Damn Dam. Closed from 11pm to 5am! No way around the gates, so I turned around and rode back to the Sherriff’s station just a little ways down the road. A quick knock on the door to ask for directions and I realized that nobody was home, and the main entrance was caulked closed! Strange. I couldn’t waste 2 or 3 hours waiting on 5am to roll around so a quick check of the paper map (included with the bike!) and a little luck with signal on the i-Phone, and I found a crossing about 15 miles back down the road&#8230; Off I go. </p><p></p><p>Parker Damn. Closed between 11pm and 5am. Picture taken about 2:30 AM.... dammit.</p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p>Front door sealed shut. If there was someone there, they didn't want to show their face. Used the light to read the paper map. Sometimes those are faster than GPS.</p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Welcome to Arizona! Thank you. It feels good to be in Arizona. I got some gas and then immediately (and literally just a few hundred yards over the border) unpacked my firearm, loaded it up, holstered and pocketed it. Much happier now, and ready for any more herds of wild donkeys stampeding my way (or just standing there). I hear they’re as dangerous as wild bears while running in packs. Yes, I feel better already.</p><p></p><p>Finally I’m back in business and make it up to I40 towards Kingman. Its empty out here, wide, the HID is throwing good light and I crank the bike up to a good cruising speed and hold it there till Kingman hoping to make up a little time lost chasing Donkeys and turning around at Parker Dam.</p><p></p><p>Its down in the 50’s now through the mountains so I throw on a long sleeve shirt and some long johns and crank on the heated grips. That’s better. I stay on I40 for the rest of the way over to Williams. I had wanted to detour into the mountains, but I was focused on making up time lost. Happy the bike has no problem holding good speeds with all the bags on it. Very impressed.</p><p></p><p>Just a few hundred feet into Arizona. I love credit card gas pumps that run all night. </p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p>Kingman. I can almost see a little daylight peaking over the horizon... </p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p>Ahh, yes, there it is... Sunrise over Arizona at about 6000ft. </p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p>My little splattered bug friend stayed with me all day long...</p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p>I pulled off on an overpass to take some more shots and put on a long sleeve shirt.</p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p>The right bag starts becoming a handy place to toss the helmet when i'm stopped...</p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p>Back on the highway... The fog is cool looking. You can see it across the road on the far right.</p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p>The lighting looked cool on this guardrail. </p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p>Finally, some real trees and the dessert smell is finally leaving my nostrils, none too soon.</p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nanotech9, post: 822964, member: 676"] So I’m off! Its 11pm and I’ve been awake for about 16 hours at this point, although I hadn’t done the math on that yet and had not realized I had been up that long. I had made the choice to start this run back through the dessert in the middle of the night given the day temperatures were in the 110 range, and the night only dropped down to about 90deg. It was the right choice. Hundreds of miles of sand, sand, and more sand. Every half mile or so the road would rise a little, dip down abruptly, and rise back up to the same level. After a few dozen of these I came to realize that this must be a water pathway to help during flash-floods or something along those lines. Had I been on a sportbike or supermoto I would surely have taken this opportunity to ride countless wheelies over the tops of these all through the night, but this was no time for playing games. I was 1500 miles from home, in the middle of nowhere, hadn’t seen another car in 30min or more, and on an un-familiar bike worth more than my truck. I decided to behave. One of the oddest things about the dessert was the smell. I never could quite put my finger on it, but it smelled like a cross between marijuana and an electrical fire. It had a very acute smell to it, and not something I could find myself getting used to very quickly. This smell lasted well into the second set of mountains. After stopping for gas a few times, I made it into the Havasu Lake area on the CA / AZ border about 2:30am. This has to be the biggest gathering of motor homes and 5th wheels I’ve EVER seen. Had to be MILLIONS. Row after row for miles stacked several hundred deep. The lake was beautiful at night, and the road around it was really nice and curvy. Luckily the bike was equipped with an HID lamp on the left that threw plenty of light down the road which helped me shut down the bike just in time to avoid a rather large Donkey standing in the middle of the road, with a few of his buddies on either side. No idea if they were wild or tame, but either way it looked to be as though there were plans for a few more in the future given the two humping just off the side of the road…. Good for them I guess. On to parker Dam! Crusing across the dessert at night... just a little bumpy, but its neat in its own way. [b][Broken External Image][/b] One of the Ninja Donkey's That magically appeared to attack me. [b][Broken External Image][/b] Damn Dam. Closed from 11pm to 5am! No way around the gates, so I turned around and rode back to the Sherriff’s station just a little ways down the road. A quick knock on the door to ask for directions and I realized that nobody was home, and the main entrance was caulked closed! Strange. I couldn’t waste 2 or 3 hours waiting on 5am to roll around so a quick check of the paper map (included with the bike!) and a little luck with signal on the i-Phone, and I found a crossing about 15 miles back down the road… Off I go. Parker Damn. Closed between 11pm and 5am. Picture taken about 2:30 AM.... dammit. [b][Broken External Image][/b] Front door sealed shut. If there was someone there, they didn't want to show their face. Used the light to read the paper map. Sometimes those are faster than GPS. [b][Broken External Image][/b] Welcome to Arizona! Thank you. It feels good to be in Arizona. I got some gas and then immediately (and literally just a few hundred yards over the border) unpacked my firearm, loaded it up, holstered and pocketed it. Much happier now, and ready for any more herds of wild donkeys stampeding my way (or just standing there). I hear they’re as dangerous as wild bears while running in packs. Yes, I feel better already. Finally I’m back in business and make it up to I40 towards Kingman. Its empty out here, wide, the HID is throwing good light and I crank the bike up to a good cruising speed and hold it there till Kingman hoping to make up a little time lost chasing Donkeys and turning around at Parker Dam. Its down in the 50’s now through the mountains so I throw on a long sleeve shirt and some long johns and crank on the heated grips. That’s better. I stay on I40 for the rest of the way over to Williams. I had wanted to detour into the mountains, but I was focused on making up time lost. Happy the bike has no problem holding good speeds with all the bags on it. Very impressed. Just a few hundred feet into Arizona. I love credit card gas pumps that run all night. [b][Broken External Image][/b] Kingman. I can almost see a little daylight peaking over the horizon... [b][Broken External Image][/b] Ahh, yes, there it is... Sunrise over Arizona at about 6000ft. [b][Broken External Image][/b] [b][Broken External Image][/b] My little splattered bug friend stayed with me all day long... [b][Broken External Image][/b] I pulled off on an overpass to take some more shots and put on a long sleeve shirt. [b][Broken External Image][/b] The right bag starts becoming a handy place to toss the helmet when i'm stopped... [b][Broken External Image][/b] Back on the highway... The fog is cool looking. You can see it across the road on the far right. [b][Broken External Image][/b] The lighting looked cool on this guardrail. [b][Broken External Image][/b] Finally, some real trees and the dessert smell is finally leaving my nostrils, none too soon. [b][Broken External Image][/b] [/QUOTE]
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