Our annual family vacation happens this month in southern Utah.
On the way down, I stop in Eureka, Utah and while finishing a drink Mark rode up on his Ural and after we introduced ourselves we visited for quite some time.
That Ural is one cool machine!
A few hours later I arrived at St George, where there were a few family members already having fun, and more were scheduled to arrive that night.Among the activities we enjoyed were;
Visiting the Western Sky warbird museum at the St George airport
Luke's knowledge of WWII is amazing!
Kimber, Luke and yours truly
Bev and the tour guide, who is also the author of "The Pilot and his Egyptian Princess" which is about her fathers experiences as a WWII pilot and finding his Egyptian Princess. We purchased the book and it is a great read.
A lot of board games were played and also some rousing games of pinochle.. I was dealt and passed (by partner Theron) this hand in the second game.
That hand is a "1500 family" and wins the game.
Bev and I made the "relaxing" drive (in our 4runner) up to Toquerville falls. The 4runner performed admirably! Bev only left a few fingernail prints in the dash.... haha!
Then in what seemed like only a few days (because it was) vacation time was over and we all had to split up and attend to our various obligations.
My obligation was to ride over to California to mark off some more of my SCMA* Triple Crown items. Its a tough life....
*(Southern California Motorcycle Association)
And so on Sunday l leave St George, Utah and motor over to Tonopah, Nevada. On the way there, I ride the Extraterrestrial Highway
and pass the world famous.....BLACK MAILBOX..... where you can post letters to the aliens...
and also pass Rachel, Nevada home of the Little ALEinn... and a actual genuine replica of a UFO!
Finally arriving at Tonopah and.....noooo....I didn't stay at the Clown Motel. But I did get a picture. :)
I stayed in Tonopah for two days to check off;
Manzanar National Historic Site, a WWII Japanese internment camp
Leaving the Tonopah Motel I rode to the Devils Postpile National Monument
When I arrived I found out that the last couple miles needed to be done in a shuttle bus. Which I boarded on the other side of the street of the Mammoth Lounge.
In the AM I'm out to check off the Ca120, I leave the Mammoth Inn and ride to Benton, California and enjoyed a nice breakfast at the Benton cafe. Then rode the CA120 to Yosemite NP entrance....only to see the "reservations only" sign... I was turned away at the gate. I'm still getting used to the parks requiring reservations..
So I did half the ride....which is the same as not doing any of it, I'll have to start over so that road is still on my list.
Back at the Yosemite gate... after I turned around I rode down hill to a rest area and there met riders; Dennis, Chad and Duke on a couple of GS's and an ST 1100 (if I remember right) I was so irritated about not getting into the park that I didn't think to get a pic, but with their California knowledge and advice, I was able to do a quick re-plan
So forgetting about Yosemite for the moment, the new plan called for a ride south on the 395 and get a room in Tehachapi.
A motel like this one was around $50 two years ago...now it's $100
Times have certainly changed!
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