Alien dash pt 2

We arrive at Roswell and spend the night here. The next morning while packing we see the balloon and if you look very closely a couple UFOs above the balloon. Luckily they didn't crash and start the debate all over again...

The International UFO museum.

I don't know.

They were walking by and asked if they could get a pic of them by my bike...'Yes, of course'. I invited them to sit on the bike for their pic but they just wanted to stand by it.

Two weirdos standing on a corner...

After our alien adventure in Roswell we leave and see this gift shop along the way. 

Read the sign.

Capitan, New Mexico.

I was not aware there was a Smokey Bear Historical Park...

Then we stop at the VLA. Another item to check off our lists.

Taken from the VLA website:

The Very Large Array, one of the world's premier astronomical radio observatories, consists of 27 radio antennas in a Y-shaped configuration on the Plains of San Agustin fifty miles west of Socorro, New Mexico. Each antenna is 25 meters (82 feet) in diameter. The data from the antennas is combined electronically to give the resolution of an antenna 36km (22 miles) across, with the sensitivity of a dish 130 meters (422 feet) in diameter. 

We rode our bikes into a restricted area...and were able to get this pic before being invited to get back in the visitors area.

This is the Antenna assembly building or "The Barn". This is where the antenna's were built and where they are taken for repair and maintenance.

We went into the gift shop and had a very nice conversation with the pretty lady there. I saw some interesting earrings and the lady notices me checking them out and asks, "what color are her eyes..?" "Ummmmmm.." then I glance at Adrian and he shrugs and says, "Don't look at me!"
After thinking for a minute I remember they are green, so I get the green ones and they are a big hit! Oh yes, the earrings are made out of recycled computer resisters that are used at the VLA. Cool eh?

On the road again.

Our route from Roswell to Quemado, NM.

From Quemado to Salina, Utah.

We stay overnight in Montecello, Utah.
We split up the next morning, Adrian needs to cover more miles than I do, and I want to stop in Salina.
Some road pics on the way home.

At about the middle of that length of road, where it goes up the hill and on a flat spot, is the "Four corners" monument. Where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona meet.

If you look close you can see a jeep on the top of that rock.

And I make it home about 3:30

5 1/2 days, 1886 miles of good roads and good company!

Thanks Adrian for a great trip.

Horizons Unlimited 2015

Attending a Horizons Unlimited meeting is something I've wanted to do for a long time.

HU is a club (loosely defined) of people for whom travel is a passion. It is mostly directed at two-wheel travelers, but 4-wheelers are welcome as well.

An HU meeting is scheduled in Mariposa, California in September for Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th, I reserve my spot and meals and now its...time for a ride.

I go via some straight roads to Tonapah, Nevada where I spend my first night, I was the only one in this large campground so I don't bother putting up my tent and just sleep on a picnic table.

It was a great night for star gazing.

On my way again.

My route from Tonapah to Mariposa.

I have to go through Yosemite NP. It is beautiful, but SLOOOW going.

On the 140 going down toward Mariposa.

My camp spot (the closest tent) - to the right of me were some Brits, an Aussie, and a German; a very nice group of people and I was glad to have them as my neighbors. I had one of the most flat spots there, many tents were pitched on a slope that I'm not certain I could have slept on.... I was lucky to arrive as early as I did while the pickings were still good.

There were many vendors including this one.

I test rode one of these bikes and was pleasantly surprised. The bike is 250cc and comes kitted out for adventure travel at a very low cost. The model I rode was $3500. The one I'm sitting on was a grand or so more, I'm not certain of its price.
They are Chinese made and are not a knock-offs as none of the parts will fit on other brand bikes. The US distributor (the vendor you see in this pic) keep at least one of each part on the bike in stock and can ship same day.
If I were doing an RTW ride I would give serious thought to one of these bikes for at least three reasons;
1 - The low cost to buy and maintain.
2 - The larger bikes make one a target in most countries.
3 - The light weight, and ease of maneuvering.
On the downside; obviously they have less power, and they need oil changes much more often....but, I'm still a fan.

While manning the entry gate I was able to meet this interesting gentleman and his dog. He didn't stay long, but was fun to talk to.

He 'flew the chair' so I could get this pic.

At a lot of bike rallies you will find the people and/or the bikes can be cookie-cutter images. Not so at an HU rally. The BMW GS was the most popular bike there but there were also numerous other brands and models that showed up.
Also, there are very few low mileage bikes here. These are not, 'ride to Starbucks and home twice a year' riders. These bikes are high mileage, chrome eschewing, utilitarian machines.
Oddly enough, I didn't see any "Ride to live, live to ride" stickers.

A German RTW rider's vintage BMW (Beaky in the background).

Dunno...

Vintage Honda CB 750 still going strong

GSA I think

BMW

Honda 500

Ural

Ducati, (one of two at the meet) ridden by the wife of the guy you see. Had I included her in the pic people would have thought I did it just for the cleavage....so, you just get the bike.

Honda ST

Honda ST and a Yamaha something

You had a choice of three or four one-hour long presentations given from 9 am to 5 pm each day. Most were given twice so that with a little planning a person was able to see almost every presentation. 

All were purposed to educate the attendee on how to better travel, and most were very interesting.

My favorite was "Radioman rides the world".

Here is his blog;

http://radiomanridestheworld.com/

And it is Sunday morning.... time to say my goodbyes to new friends and the town of Mariposa and ride home. I'm anxious to get on the road as I've decided to make it home in one day, a 660ish mile ride.

(I tried to find the guy I spent the most time with but he wasn't at his tent and I felt like I didn't have the luxury of waiting.... so Frank, if you check out my blog, when I came to your tent and you weren't there I moved your boots up next to your helmet so you would know someone visited....I hope you had a good ride home and thanks for the great conversation.)

Mariposa is Spanish for butterfly.

On my way....

I took two days to get there - 667 miles, and then simply reversed my route to get home in one day, 666 miles. I had a devilish good time, learned a TON, made some new friends, and won some cool swag. I (along with numerous others) volunteered to help and spent several hours at the entrance directing new arrivers; actually kind of a fun thing to do. Plus it resulted in making two good friends, Kim and Steve.

About 280 travelers attended.

The catered food was very good, my camp spot was OK, the until-the-wee-hours-of-the-morning parties were....ummm...taxing, but all in all it was an interesting, and positive experience.

Will I go again? Yes, but not soon. I think this is a good once a year or maybe every two years event.

For better or worse, one thing the HU meeting did was stoke the fire of my wander-lust...if I could find a funder for an RTW, I could be packed in about 5 minutes! :)

1333 miles total.

An Enchanting ride, part 1

We've bought a new, to us, bike...an '07 Yamaha Venture. Time to try it out.

Beverly and I will ride for a few days ending up in Taos, New Mexico, then we will ride to Torrey, Utah to meet the other three couples that comprise our annual "Couples Ride".

First stop, Green River, Utah.

Dinner at Ray's Tavern.

We are overnighting in Green River, so after dinner Beverly picks up some snacks at the grocery store...I'm waiting outside sitting on the bike parked next to two SUV loaded with tourists when I hear a soft voice, "Sir,sir...would you like an ice cream bar?" I turn my head and one of the tourists, a pretty young lady is talking to me. She says, "We got these for a snack, everyone has one and this is left over if you want it...."  

Well, heck yes!
I thank her as I unwrap it and we chat about where they are going etc.

Then they leave and I enjoy my treat.

The next day we are on our way via the Cisco Junction and Moab via the SR 128

We stop for a snack here, Beverly gets a cream soda that she claims was the best she's ever tasted, I get a root beer.

Our final destination for the day is Pagosa Springs, Colorado where we have a condo waiting for us. The lodging is in the middle of a golf course, right on the edge of a small lake. It is a nice setting for despite the  golf course...anyway, we are sleeping when Bev wakes me at about 1:00 am...

"Ken! There is something in here!"

And sure enough I hear something scritching around.

I get up and arm myself with a riding boot... and start checking the closets etc. 

I find nothing, but can still hear the scritching...I finally figure out it (whatever "it" is..) is underneath our condo in the crawl space.

We go back to bed, but a few minutes later I hear our neighbors talking loudly, and then the doors slamming and they were outta-there!

We didn't get eaten or attacked during the night, so following day we're off to Taos.

We see this a few miles outside of Taos. They didn't move during the three days we spent there.

We spent three days in Taos, shopping, tasting authentic Mexican food, shopping....

We also visited a place several miles outside of town that builds these houses called "Earthships".

The earthships are pretty neat. They have built in greenhouses, solar gathering, recyclable water systems, etc. The power usage of the earthship is extremely small and can reportedly be satisfied by solar or wind powered power.

We took the self guided tour and were fascinated by the earthship. 

After the earthship tour we rode the "Enchanted Circle" an 87 mile loop through the local mountains.
We stop at the New Mexico state park Vietnam war memorial.

And then we go back to our lodging.
It was an educational, beautiful, and humbling day.
(more in part 2)