Ash Fork, Arizona
Ash Fork Arizona on route 66 and still not connected, but hey they have electricity and running water. Like a number of places along the route, they are still living in the past - ya might be able to tell by some of the pictures. Ended up pretty close to where I started too today, 80 miles from the Grand Canyon, but that’s after 300 some miles of riding to see the sites. Had to checkout route 66 and according to a number of people the first being the chick from the Vegas Harley shop, Oatman is definitely a town worth seeing.
Most of the night at the South rim had sprinkles of rain, but nothing that soaked the ground…it’s so dry around here that it just evaporated as soon as it hit. Got camp tore down, showered up and on the road to eventually checkout the IMAX theatre just outside the park. It was well worth the $10 although it was only a 35 minute film, but it had all the fixins of being at a movie theater, popcorn, candy and soda…ok, some of us say ‘pop’, they say ‘soda’. The film actually gave me goose bumps and I know my return trips, yep, plural will be down in the canyon. Still have to hike that 24 mile path from the north to south rim and am definitely going to do the white water rafting. Wanted to do it this time, but remember, $429 for white water rafting or getting a new tire on the bike – too many more places to see that the tire was more important and besides the white water rafting might be a fun adventure to share with someone. One of the things the film said and is so true, no picture, canvas, painting or film can capture the majesty of the Grand Canyon, but you have to experience it for yourself. No matter how many pictures I take and/or have seen of the Grand Canyon in my life, standing on the edge looking at what’s in front of you just doesn’t have the words to cover it, it is truly an unbelievable site and something that everyone should see.
Ok, 35 minutes later, after the movie that is and it’s down pouring…one of those thunderstorms they get in the area every so often so for me, time to sit around, let things dry up and see about trying to get connected at a little internet café across the road. So much for that, maybe got some of my blog written, but couldn’t get it uploaded so guess you’ll just have to wait. Once things did clear, it was time to head south and look for route 66 heading west. Along the way I saw a couple hitch hiking and my first thought was, just like the 60’s that’d probably be something cool to do, hitch hike route 66. Well, the route takes you through a lot of interested places and still more problems with the camera so be happy with the pictures you did get.
Oatman was definitely worth seeing and you can see it’s a pretty old place with burros roaming the streets, wild burros that is. Places were already closing down at 4:00 and according to one of the locals, that’s because it’s the summer months. Isn’t that something how some places close down because of the snow and cold of winter and these places close down because of the heat and dry of the summer? Well, anyway, did find a local bar, the only one that was still open so had to hoot it up with the locals a little. They said the town has pretty much been taken over by the tourists and bikers so now instead of just the wild asses, the place is always filled with asses – ok, and the wild still applies, but not all of us bikers are that bad. From there I hit a piece of California, Needles and it was a pretty nice place for the heat and dry around here and out of the way, but the easiest way to get to the freeway. Yea, so the freeway route takes me an extra 30 miles, but still nothing like route 66 which I should’ve take back.
Figured I’d head back toward Flagstaff where tomorrows riding’ll take me and probably should have made a trip to Laughlin as long as I was in the area, but that can wait for the bike rally, one of those things I can share some day. And that brings me to Ash Fork, just pulling into town because of the sprinkles and they had just got hit hard with a thunderstorm, so had to stop at the gas station to figure out the situation. Talked to a couple sitting there and wouldn’t you know it, they were the hitch hikers that I saw earlier in the day. Told them how cool it must be hitch hiking route 66, but not in their case. They were down and out, homeless from California who hitch hiked to Colorado to find jobs, like they said, jobs for the uneducated are hard to come by, but they found a couple so now had to get back for a court date to get custody of their baby who was taken since they were homeless. Well, I did try to help because a trucker pulled in, Harley shirt and all, so started b.s.ing with me and when he said he was from CA, I said “hey maybe you can help out this couple I know who is trying to get back there”…well, no luck, he said he use to work at San Quinta and doesn’t have the time for deadbeats and besides his wife and dogs are along. Ok, so I’m not a very big dog person, but I’m sure his wife could’ve found another ride. Well, he was coming from the east and told me what the weather was like and suggested I call it a night here…ok, time to look for a place to stay and eat. Hey, I tried helping that couple out, but there’s only so much you can do. Anyway, look what I found, a motel for $25 a night, hell that’s cheaper than some of the campsites I’ve found, but again, they have electricity and running water, no phone or cable, but you can’t be too picky now can you. Found a little café still opened so had a bite to eat and then it was to the lounge to see what the locals had to say and work on my blog. Look what they had, a shuffle board game, much like curling so I took on a few of the locals and of course kicked their ass…I knew curling would pay off some day. Let’s see what Flagstaff and Sedona have to offer and on to Phoenix to hook up with Brian, remember my new roommates’ old roommate? Ash Fork Photos.
Most of the night at the South rim had sprinkles of rain, but nothing that soaked the ground…it’s so dry around here that it just evaporated as soon as it hit. Got camp tore down, showered up and on the road to eventually checkout the IMAX theatre just outside the park. It was well worth the $10 although it was only a 35 minute film, but it had all the fixins of being at a movie theater, popcorn, candy and soda…ok, some of us say ‘pop’, they say ‘soda’. The film actually gave me goose bumps and I know my return trips, yep, plural will be down in the canyon. Still have to hike that 24 mile path from the north to south rim and am definitely going to do the white water rafting. Wanted to do it this time, but remember, $429 for white water rafting or getting a new tire on the bike – too many more places to see that the tire was more important and besides the white water rafting might be a fun adventure to share with someone. One of the things the film said and is so true, no picture, canvas, painting or film can capture the majesty of the Grand Canyon, but you have to experience it for yourself. No matter how many pictures I take and/or have seen of the Grand Canyon in my life, standing on the edge looking at what’s in front of you just doesn’t have the words to cover it, it is truly an unbelievable site and something that everyone should see.
Ok, 35 minutes later, after the movie that is and it’s down pouring…one of those thunderstorms they get in the area every so often so for me, time to sit around, let things dry up and see about trying to get connected at a little internet café across the road. So much for that, maybe got some of my blog written, but couldn’t get it uploaded so guess you’ll just have to wait. Once things did clear, it was time to head south and look for route 66 heading west. Along the way I saw a couple hitch hiking and my first thought was, just like the 60’s that’d probably be something cool to do, hitch hike route 66. Well, the route takes you through a lot of interested places and still more problems with the camera so be happy with the pictures you did get.
Oatman was definitely worth seeing and you can see it’s a pretty old place with burros roaming the streets, wild burros that is. Places were already closing down at 4:00 and according to one of the locals, that’s because it’s the summer months. Isn’t that something how some places close down because of the snow and cold of winter and these places close down because of the heat and dry of the summer? Well, anyway, did find a local bar, the only one that was still open so had to hoot it up with the locals a little. They said the town has pretty much been taken over by the tourists and bikers so now instead of just the wild asses, the place is always filled with asses – ok, and the wild still applies, but not all of us bikers are that bad. From there I hit a piece of California, Needles and it was a pretty nice place for the heat and dry around here and out of the way, but the easiest way to get to the freeway. Yea, so the freeway route takes me an extra 30 miles, but still nothing like route 66 which I should’ve take back.
Figured I’d head back toward Flagstaff where tomorrows riding’ll take me and probably should have made a trip to Laughlin as long as I was in the area, but that can wait for the bike rally, one of those things I can share some day. And that brings me to Ash Fork, just pulling into town because of the sprinkles and they had just got hit hard with a thunderstorm, so had to stop at the gas station to figure out the situation. Talked to a couple sitting there and wouldn’t you know it, they were the hitch hikers that I saw earlier in the day. Told them how cool it must be hitch hiking route 66, but not in their case. They were down and out, homeless from California who hitch hiked to Colorado to find jobs, like they said, jobs for the uneducated are hard to come by, but they found a couple so now had to get back for a court date to get custody of their baby who was taken since they were homeless. Well, I did try to help because a trucker pulled in, Harley shirt and all, so started b.s.ing with me and when he said he was from CA, I said “hey maybe you can help out this couple I know who is trying to get back there”…well, no luck, he said he use to work at San Quinta and doesn’t have the time for deadbeats and besides his wife and dogs are along. Ok, so I’m not a very big dog person, but I’m sure his wife could’ve found another ride. Well, he was coming from the east and told me what the weather was like and suggested I call it a night here…ok, time to look for a place to stay and eat. Hey, I tried helping that couple out, but there’s only so much you can do. Anyway, look what I found, a motel for $25 a night, hell that’s cheaper than some of the campsites I’ve found, but again, they have electricity and running water, no phone or cable, but you can’t be too picky now can you. Found a little café still opened so had a bite to eat and then it was to the lounge to see what the locals had to say and work on my blog. Look what they had, a shuffle board game, much like curling so I took on a few of the locals and of course kicked their ass…I knew curling would pay off some day. Let’s see what Flagstaff and Sedona have to offer and on to Phoenix to hook up with Brian, remember my new roommates’ old roommate? Ash Fork Photos.
posted by Dalej Webb at 10:11 AM
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