A couple of days before Christmas we loaded up my Volkswagen Golf TDI, put my bike on the trailer and headed for Arizona. Ashley has this awesome trailer that completely comes apart and packs in the car, so in south Texas we took it off the trailer for the rest of the ride and took turns riding my bike.
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| One should take beauty shots of your bike while traveling. |
On December 25 I had my first big thrill--riding over the Ruidoso NM pass at about 5,000ft. I took the twisties. Saw an elk. Went through slushy snow. Ashley was behind me in the car, which was just perfect for my desire for a comfortable level of safety. He cheered me on as I attacked the turns going
at least 40mph. It was exhilarating. I felt like a superhero when I dismounted in Las Cruces for the night. Idiotically, I left my billfold at home. I nearly panicked when I rode through a state border checkpoint. Fortunately, they cared nothing about girls on bikes. Whew!
A friend in Phoenix has a bike that he let Ashley borrow so the two of us could ride together. We went to Sedona, Jerome, Prescott, Globe, Payson. It was cold, but we had heated gear (I got mine at
Go AZ Motorcycles, one of my favorite places!) I learned to experience everything from 45 degrees to 95 degrees. Just awesome. Arizona is a great place to ride, and it's where I learned about hitting the road and following your nose--but always with a map. I like maps.
What a great way to spend the winter. I'm fortunate to have such a fun motorcycle, the opportunity to travel, and a wonderful man to share it all with.
