Greetings!

I'm an AVA member in Oregon. No AVA chapters here. I was visiting your website and saw your upcoming Spring Fun Run in Texas. I will be on a 2-3 week motorcycle trip on my Voyager XII to Southern Arizona and New Mexico later this month and was wondering if guests (non EVA members) can join your ride?

My time table and itinerary are not yet set and I don't know if I can make it to Texas, but, hey! who knows?

Thanks!


Ron in Oregon

Greetings Ron
First, of course you would be welcome. It is always nice to have fellow Voyager riders here. It looks like you will be having a nice vacation. If you have never been to the Big Bend area it would be a great chance to see the park. We also have a great time getting together for the evenings.
Just let us know if you will be able to make it so we can be on the lookout for you. I will be leaving Thursday morning for the ride down and if you would like, you could spend the night here and ride down with me.
Have a great vacation, and hopefully see ya the end of the month.

RR

RR - Thanks for the offer! I may take you up on that. In fact, I think I will make the SFR my ultimate objective. Maybe even time it to make Arizona Bike Week afterward!

My only Texas experience was six weeks in basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio in 1968, followed by about five months in Tech School at Sheppard AFB (if I recall correctly!) in Wichita Falls. Not the best of experiences.

By the way, where are you?


Ron in Oregon

Sounds kinda like my first experience of Texas. Also basic training and I went to tech school at Sheppard AFB for computer programming.
I have attended the Arizona Bike Week the past several years, but don't think I will make it this time. Kawasaki will be there with demo rides as well as several other makes. That is where I first rode the 1700. All they had then was the model without the touring package, but I still felt how the engine and such was. It is mostly a Harley type thing, but still a good experience. A lot of vendors in past years.
I am in Alamogordo, about 90 miles north of El Paso. If you are in our web page click on Roster and you will see pictures and address as well as phone numbers.
If you made the AVA rally in Santa Fe, I was leading some of the rides at that rally.
It is a little over 400 miles to the SFR from my place which includes a good stop for breakfast burritos in Salt Flat on US180 in Texas.
Look forward to meeting you.

RR

You will be more than welcome.

Brenda H.
LSV Pres.

Thanks Brenda and RR. RR, I found you on Google Maps. I will be coming from Yuma and will plan to arrive in Alamogordo on Wednesday. Looking forward to those breakfast burritos!


Ron

Hey Ron,
Welcome to the EV and the forum. FYI Dorothy and I will be leaving Tucson Wednesday AM for the SFR. We live 6 miles from I-10, at exit 279. Perhaps we can ride together some. We have a distance of about 600 plus miles to cover, and plan to spend Wedn. night somewhere midway.
Bob

Ron, a warning to you. RR {Rocket Rod}got that nickname for a very good reason. HaHa

Brenda

Brenda - Thanks for the warning! Forewarned is forearmed!

Bob - Thanks for the offer and I'd like to ride with you but RR has invited me to stay at his place Wednesday night, so I plan to leave Yuma Tuesday morning and spend Tuesday night somewhere in the middle between Yuma and Alamogordo. That could be in the Tucson area and we could meet up Wednesday morning early and ride to Las Cruces.

Unfortunately, it looks like the only practical way to get from Yuma to Alamogordo in two days is via interstate, which is not my highway of choice. I think it was Charles Kuralt who said "Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything." But the interstates are handy when the objective is only getting from point A to point B.

Ron

Ron
First, don't believe everything you hear.
Second, looks like about 580 miles via freeway from Yuma to Alamogordo. Don't know how far you ride in a day, but if you would like some fun roads, by Casa Grande where you join I10, go north a bit to Florence and catch US70 north to US60. There head east and the road between Superior and Miami is really nice. Then OK thru Globe and Safford. About 8 miles past Safford head left on 191 to Three Way whre you go straight thru the intersection (after stoping) on 78. Another really nice road. You go over a pass and enter New Mexico. Then take 180 south to Silver City. A little past Silver City turn left on 152 towards Kingston and Hillsboro. Another REALLY nice road. Then about 25 miles past Hillsboro catch I25 south for the boring ride to Las Cruces and on US70 to Alamogordo. On I25 though you will go past the site of the New Mexico Spaceport, but you can't see anything from the road and it is gravel so far to the site.
This adds only about 80 miles to the ride, but it is really nice. Probably adds 2-3 hours as the roads are twisty and you will probably stop to see the sights. I went the ride to Silver City and back last Saturday just because I like it so much. At the top of Emory Pass between Silver City and Hillsboro there is a scenic overlook. At the summit just take a little road to the left for a couple hundred yards.
Enough rambling about some of my favorite roads.

RR

RR (or anybody) - This route looks great! What are your thoughts regarding alternates:

1) What about making a detour at Peridot, AZ south to Coolidge dam and then along the south side of San Carlos Reservoir and return to 70?

2) Instead of heading straight east from Hillsboro to I-25, how about heading south on 27 and east on 26 to Hatch, then south on 140 and picking up I-25 at Radium Springs, or even continuing south on 185 to Las Cruces?

Total distance is about 660 miles, less than 80 miles more that straight freeway driving. I'll be making the trip over two days so this should be easy to do. Here's the map:

View Yuma, AZ to Alamogordo, NM in a larger map

Ron
Don't know about #1, but #2 that is a good option heading south from Hillsboro to Hatch. Also, you don't have to take the freeway south from Hatch. Take 185 all the way into Las Cruces. It is a nice road following along a lot of chile fields.
See ya in a few weeks.
And have a safe and enjoyable ride.

RR

Regarding #1:
I did this about 10 years ago, and was not that impressed. You're on reservation land most of the time, and all we encountered was lots of potholes and cattle in the road. Of course this could have changed, but I doubt it. Looking forward to meeting you in Big Bend area.
Bob

I am inpressed with this thread. Haven't had one go this long ever here on the EV. And it was started by a non member.
I might have to make Ron an honorary member. I can do that as president!! Maybe a presidential proclimation or something!!

RR

How about the Congressional Medal of Honor?
Bob

I could try that, but it would take longer and involve other members of our leadership!!
Maybe we can get that approved at the SFR!!

RR

I'm looking forward to this trip! Before I just had a vague idea of where I was going. Only knew I wanted to ride southern AZ and NM to see new thing and get out of the rainy Pacific NW winter. Now I have a destination, a route, a group ride, and new friends to meet! I'm ready to leave!

Thanks all!


Ron