AlfredMcDonald

July 1, 2010 through July 13, 2010

            The plan was to take our scooters from border to border. Terry Cash and I had planned to hit the San Diego/Tijuana border in the South and travel all the way up the coast to Port Angeles, Washington/Victoria, Canada. We left Tucson, Arizona at 5:40 a.m. on July 1, 2010. Terry was 40 minutes late but we were on vacation-so no harm, no foul. We made Gila Bend, Arizona with no problems. Our first meal was breakfast at the Space Age Restaurant with the flying saucer top.

            After the brief respite, we turned out wheels back towards the southern interstate. We stopped at Dateland, Arizona for a bathroom break. Since we hardly ever stop there, I got one of their famous date milkshakes. It is very rich, sweet and chunky. Between the two of us, we could not finish it. Just too much good stuff I guess. Then we were off again. The weather reports indicated that the temperature in Yuma was going to be 114. Yeah! So into the inferno we rode. We stopped in Yuma just long enough to fill our gas tanks and stock up on water for the desert crossing. I wet my shirt in a spigot and enjoyed the ride out of Yuma and into the sand dunes outside of town. Terry chose not to involve himself with the wetting of his clothes.

On the way out of Yuma, we crossed the trestle bridge that Billy the Kid and Captain America crossed in the opening credits of “Easy Rider.” All I could think of was, “Yeah, that’s right, we bad.” Anyways, after leaving Yuma, we entered into our second State of the trip, California. Thereafter, we stopped at the international border crossing at Los Algodones, Mexico in order to get a close up picture of the border in case we could not get one at the Tijuana crossing. Every 15 feet was a sign that prohibited parking, but we were on a mission. So we stopped the bikes, jumped off, and hastily snapped a couple of photos before we were could be reprimanded. As an aside, a couple of weeks after we got back from this trip, I was reading a news article and discovered that it is illegal to take pictures of border crossing stations. Whoopsies.

The rest of the way through the desert was like Buster Poindexter’s one hit song, “Hot, Hot, Hot!” Our next stop after the border was Ocotillo Wells, California. We needed to use the bathroom bad. However, just like my trip through here last April, the bathroom was broken. So we found a parked truck and marked our spots. While waiting in the shade, I decided to soak my shirt again. This time Terry didn’t think it was such a bad idea and he followed suit. I’m sure we looked and smelt like a couple of dirty, wet dogs, but it sure made the ride out of the Wells a bit more tolerable.   

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April 16, 2010 – April 24, 2010

            Met up with Terry Cash at 6:00 a.m. and then met Bill Shannon at the Quick Mart soon afterwards. From there we took Gates Pass to the Ajo Highway and Bopp Road. As we were crossing the highway, we could smell Craig ‘Asshole’ Miller’s Black and Mild cigars from about fifty yards away. We chatted with Craig for a bit then started out bikes to head out to 49^th Annual Yuma Prison Run. Well everyone started their bikes except Terry. See, Terry had had his bike dismantled for at least four months prior doing some much needed maintenance and restoration. He just recently got it back together and has not been able to take it out much prior to the Yuma Run. So instead of “VROOM, VROOM” all we hear is “click, click, click, click.” So Terry grabs some tools and I immediately grab my camera – another embarrassing moment captured for prosperity.

            It does not take Terry long to find the problem and after tightening down the battery cable, we are off. We take the long way to Yuma passing through Three Points, Sells and Ajo so that we can see and smell the freshly blooming wild flowers on the way. Beautiful ride and needless to say, we kill off a lot of bugs using our windshield and faces along the way. No bug is safe when the Old Geezers Patrol is making the rounds. I really enjoy riding with these old guys, cause they got bladders just as small as mine and are never too in a hurry to take a bathroom break.

            Once we reach Gila Bend, we meet up with Mike Leonard. Mike, Billy and Terry make up the country band called “Whiskey Bill and the Can’t Hardly Play Boys.” Unfortunately for Mike, he just had an operation on his foot and can’t drive his Indian Motorcycle. Fortunately for the band, he is hauling all their equipment in his toy hauler. Mike also can’t walk on his bum leg, so he bought a beer cooler/electric wheelchair that he putts around on. So he is never too far from a cold one.

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October 9, 2009 through October 12, 2009

            I received a text last month from one of my riding buddies. It says “Let’s go to Kino Bay. My treat.” My friend knows someone with a house in Kino we can crash at. I have never been to Kino Bay and the trip involves the scooters, so I am excited to go. We pick a date and meet late morning in Tucson for the ride down there. Once we get to Nogales, Arizona, my friend tells me that the house in Kino Bay fell through. So now I am thinking we are heading into Mexico with limited day light left and we have no idea where we are going or where we will be staying. So I make a call to a friend who has a home in San Carlos and try to arrange a night at his place. He makes a call to the caretaker and leaves a message that I will be calling. So now we are hauling ass to San Carlos to try to make there before nightfall. We failed. In addition, we can never get a hold of the caretaker so we are still without a place to stay.

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April 17, 2009 – April 19, 2009

Although most of the fellas left at the crack of dawn, my best riding buddy, Terry Cash, had to work through lunch so I decided to wait for him. The early group left to reclaim their shaded spots under the trees. The “Tree People” left Tucson down State Highway 86 through Ajo, Arizona and then up to Gila Bend. They got to the Yuma County Fair Grounds around 1:00 p.m.. True to their “Tree People” name, they took their time and enjoyed the wild flowers blooming on the side of the road. Terry and I pulled onto Interstate 10 at 3:01 p.m.. Terry really gassed it up the on ramp and I understood this to mean keep the afterburners on if you intend to keep up! So we humped it down the interstate at about 85 to 90 miles per hour. We stopped at Gila Bend for gas and a drink of water. I noticed that due to the high cross winds and the speed we were doing that my gas tank was nearly bone dry at about 120 miles.

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Left the house this morning at 6:15 a.m. for a breakfast ride with the Legion Riders out of Post 59. About fifteen minutes away from home, I realized I severely underestimated just how cold it was outside. This is not the first time I have been caught on the back of my scooter freezing my butt off. As my fingers and face began to go from feeling cold to being in pain, I noticed that I was driving faster and faster in the hopes of getting to the destination and warmth quicker. It reminded me of all the times I rode in this weather. You drive on knowing that each mile you travel, will bring a small increase in the temperature. Your body seeks out the sunlight and tenses up as you pass through the shade. You continue to ride until you hit your next stop. You take off your mask and gloves and you feel like someone hit you in the face with a shovel full of snow. You warm yourself up with a hot beverage and then you are back on your bike and into the cold. This cycle continues until at last you stop and decide its time to roll up your jacket and store it on your bike. Now you ride down the road with the warm sun on your face. Your body opens up to the heat and your bones start to thaw. Today was one of those days.

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