It's taken me way too long to get these blog posts out. Anyways...
The day we returned the bikes we took another scenic loop around the Phoenix area with my old man leading the way. It was another good morning of riding. My brother and his fiancee followed us in my father's BMW sports coupe. It was another good day of riding.
We dropped off the bikes at the dealerships and enjoyed some drinks before my mom got out of work, then we were off to a nice semi-fancy restaurant for a Cinco De Mayo dinner. Excellent food all around, although not many of us got any real southwest type dishes. It's kind of funny for my father, loving the retired life in AZ, but not a fan of spicy or southwest cuisine. My time with my family was well spent, with some great memories that I'll gladly hold onto. I think I was finally also able to guilt my parents enough to come home and visit us for a change!
As far as the rental bike goes, I was quite impressed with the HD 1200 Sportster Custom. I'm not converted, but I did enjoy the ride.
The next day was all about the travel back to NH. Had a 5 hour flight, and losing 3 hours due to time zones, and then a 3 hour drive back home. I was pretty tired, and scheduled to go into work for a 24 hour shift the next morning. Only ended up using half a vacation week though, so not too shabby.
It's a strange feeling when I'm on a traveling vacation and then go back to the usual life. It can be weird, but good to get out of the usual routine.
The first thing I noticed when I got my first chance to ride my motorcycle again was how heavy it felt! The Sporty was at least 100 lbs lighter! I guess you get used to a bike when you put over 500 miles on it!
Monday, May 19, 2014
Friday, May 16, 2014
Trip to Arizona: Part 3- The Rental Bike
Back in 2005 when I was shopping for a new bike, I test rode 4 different motorcycle, including my VTX. I test rode at (Yamaha) V-Star 1100, a Kawasaki Vulcan 1500, and a Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom.
From what I've been told, owning a Harley gets you into the cool-kids club when it comes to riding. Being one of those guys that preferred to hang out with the weirder bunch in high school, I kinda thought Harley wouldn't be for me. More importantly, HD's reputation for reliability was sorely lacking. Most people I spoke to either had issues with oil leaks or some other foolishness from their HD's, and I wanted none of that. If I'm going to spend good money on a big toy, I want it to run, and run well.
My experience at the HD dealership was decent. The only bike in their lineup that I liked as far as specs and price range was the 1200 Sportster Custom. It was an ok ride, but the thing shook me like a paint can. I left their thinking "maybe", but was then swayed when I test rode the Vulcan and the VTX, both rides being much smoother. Strangely enough, I ended up choosing the VTX over the Vulcan (honestly, touch choice) just due to the fact the VTX looked less like a Harley.
And fast forward 9 years later! My Aunt Cathy chose a HD dealership to rent from. Their cheapest option was the HD 1200 Custom, which had been revamped a few years prior, and looked even better than the last one I tried. I thought, "why not?" and signed the papers for the rental. My two sets of aunts/uncles got HD Electra Glides (think HD's version of the Goldwing). We picked up the bikes the day after my mom's birthday party.
I was immediately impressed with this revamped version. It had bigger tires, clean basic look. Most important, very little vibration! It sits a couple inches higher than the VTX, but I could still place my feet flat on the ground. My VTX is a 1300, and I figured the HD 1200 would feel about the same since the engine size is similar. But what a difference! The HD felt quite agile and nimble compared to my heavier bike. However it also felt that much lighter, that if I wanted another person to ride with me, that they wouldn't be as comfortable as my VTX.
We had the bike for 48 hours. and the first day kicked us in rears with 100 degree weather in the Phoenix area. That first night we rode to Alice Cooperstown (yep, Alice Cooper's themed restaurant) in downtown Phoenix. Uncle Dave and I got separated from Aunt Cathy & Uncle Rick due to heavy Interstate traffic and confusion with the GPS. Took my Uncle and I about an hour longer to get to the restaurant due to strange road closures because of some event downtown, and the GPS not making up it's mind on my Uncle's bike. We got there, had a good meal, and enjoyed some night time riding, even though I gotta admit that motorcycle riding on the interstates at night in the big city can be rather sketchy.
The next day my father led us on a long day trip. My father, in pure snowbird old man style, owns a BMW 650cc scooter. This was the luxury style scooter. I took it for a ride around his neighborhood the day before. Fun ride. So my old man, in his silver helmet and long sleeved nitro yellow-green Reebok shirt led the way on his red BMW. My Aunt Cathy was not happy with this, being the cool chick that she was. I told her tough cookies, and I'm following the guy that lives here and knows all these roads.
We started up Interstate 17, with 75 mph speed limits. The old man was cruisin' well ahead of us slow pokes on this ride! We then shot up route 179 to Sedona. which is essentially Mars on Earth. Lots of red rocks. Big tourist town. And now we were in the elevations, so we were riding in 80 something degree weather instead of 100. We got lunch in Sedona, then road down Route 89A, eventually getting to Jerome, an old mining town turned tourist attraction (thanks hippies!) with a lot of steep hills and quick turns. Pretty cool place. Next we went down to Prescott, with the ride over the mountain being the curviest and scenic stretcher I've ever ridden. This made me thankful for the agile HD 1200, which performed beautifully. We stopped in Prescott at it's oldest Saloon for a frosty adult beverage and then made the long ride back to Surprise at the rental house.
We put over 285 miles on the bikes (and scooter) that day. My old man was an excellent tour guide, especially considering how much we fit into a day. Our butt's were a little sore, but we were all quite happy. There was also the realization early on how special it was to go on such a trip with my father, and my aunt's/uncles that day. Considering we all collectively live in 4 different states now. Yes it was a very good day.
My next post will be the last as far as the AZ trip goes. Thanks for reading!
From what I've been told, owning a Harley gets you into the cool-kids club when it comes to riding. Being one of those guys that preferred to hang out with the weirder bunch in high school, I kinda thought Harley wouldn't be for me. More importantly, HD's reputation for reliability was sorely lacking. Most people I spoke to either had issues with oil leaks or some other foolishness from their HD's, and I wanted none of that. If I'm going to spend good money on a big toy, I want it to run, and run well.
My experience at the HD dealership was decent. The only bike in their lineup that I liked as far as specs and price range was the 1200 Sportster Custom. It was an ok ride, but the thing shook me like a paint can. I left their thinking "maybe", but was then swayed when I test rode the Vulcan and the VTX, both rides being much smoother. Strangely enough, I ended up choosing the VTX over the Vulcan (honestly, touch choice) just due to the fact the VTX looked less like a Harley.
And fast forward 9 years later! My Aunt Cathy chose a HD dealership to rent from. Their cheapest option was the HD 1200 Custom, which had been revamped a few years prior, and looked even better than the last one I tried. I thought, "why not?" and signed the papers for the rental. My two sets of aunts/uncles got HD Electra Glides (think HD's version of the Goldwing). We picked up the bikes the day after my mom's birthday party.
I was immediately impressed with this revamped version. It had bigger tires, clean basic look. Most important, very little vibration! It sits a couple inches higher than the VTX, but I could still place my feet flat on the ground. My VTX is a 1300, and I figured the HD 1200 would feel about the same since the engine size is similar. But what a difference! The HD felt quite agile and nimble compared to my heavier bike. However it also felt that much lighter, that if I wanted another person to ride with me, that they wouldn't be as comfortable as my VTX.
We had the bike for 48 hours. and the first day kicked us in rears with 100 degree weather in the Phoenix area. That first night we rode to Alice Cooperstown (yep, Alice Cooper's themed restaurant) in downtown Phoenix. Uncle Dave and I got separated from Aunt Cathy & Uncle Rick due to heavy Interstate traffic and confusion with the GPS. Took my Uncle and I about an hour longer to get to the restaurant due to strange road closures because of some event downtown, and the GPS not making up it's mind on my Uncle's bike. We got there, had a good meal, and enjoyed some night time riding, even though I gotta admit that motorcycle riding on the interstates at night in the big city can be rather sketchy.
The next day my father led us on a long day trip. My father, in pure snowbird old man style, owns a BMW 650cc scooter. This was the luxury style scooter. I took it for a ride around his neighborhood the day before. Fun ride. So my old man, in his silver helmet and long sleeved nitro yellow-green Reebok shirt led the way on his red BMW. My Aunt Cathy was not happy with this, being the cool chick that she was. I told her tough cookies, and I'm following the guy that lives here and knows all these roads.
We started up Interstate 17, with 75 mph speed limits. The old man was cruisin' well ahead of us slow pokes on this ride! We then shot up route 179 to Sedona. which is essentially Mars on Earth. Lots of red rocks. Big tourist town. And now we were in the elevations, so we were riding in 80 something degree weather instead of 100. We got lunch in Sedona, then road down Route 89A, eventually getting to Jerome, an old mining town turned tourist attraction (thanks hippies!) with a lot of steep hills and quick turns. Pretty cool place. Next we went down to Prescott, with the ride over the mountain being the curviest and scenic stretcher I've ever ridden. This made me thankful for the agile HD 1200, which performed beautifully. We stopped in Prescott at it's oldest Saloon for a frosty adult beverage and then made the long ride back to Surprise at the rental house.
We put over 285 miles on the bikes (and scooter) that day. My old man was an excellent tour guide, especially considering how much we fit into a day. Our butt's were a little sore, but we were all quite happy. There was also the realization early on how special it was to go on such a trip with my father, and my aunt's/uncles that day. Considering we all collectively live in 4 different states now. Yes it was a very good day.
My next post will be the last as far as the AZ trip goes. Thanks for reading!
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Trip to Arizona: Part 2
My parents live in a retirement community, where my mother works at the nearby hospital as a nurse. My father however, a retired firefighter, notoriously known for being a workaholic, has embraced retirement like a kid in a candy store. Sun City West truly is a candy store for retirees.
Just to own a home in the area, one of the married entities in the marriage must be at least 55 years old and up. My mother was 55 and my father 53 when they got their house, a 2 bedroom 2 bath one level home in the community. Kids are only allowed to visit for certain amount of time, and everyone pays a fee for the multiple community centers, 9 golf courses and other various forms of entertainment. Taxes are relatively low due to there being no schools. As for their home, they don't have a lawn, so nothing to mow. They have a backyard with lots of crushed rock, cactus and citrus trees in which they get fresh squeezed juice during the spring. They also have a nice backyard patio. Jackrabbits like to run around there sometimes.
My parents have made a nice home for themselves there, putting in all the pieces they like, from some unique bathroom sinks to granite kitchen counter tops. My folks will add things here and there, and I gotta say they're quite happy in Sun City West.
My father keeps busy with the "Boomers Club", even running it a some point. The group gets together for events that they'll agree on. My second night in AZ, many from the Boomer's club and my family got together at one of the community centers for my mother's 60th birthday party. There had to have been at least 60 or more people there, along with my younger brother, his fiancee, two sets of aunts and uncles (mom's siblings), along with my cousin Rob and his wife Demecia. There was a live band made up of some members of the Boomers, and my father and I got up to sing a couple times.
One song in particular, American Pie, is my father's favorite. He and I both know the words, and usually when my father is enjoying a few frosty adult beverages, if that song plays the man has to sing! Always a good time. A good time was had by all, especially my mom, who truly deserves that kind of party.
Coming up: riding a rental Harley in AZ....
Just to own a home in the area, one of the married entities in the marriage must be at least 55 years old and up. My mother was 55 and my father 53 when they got their house, a 2 bedroom 2 bath one level home in the community. Kids are only allowed to visit for certain amount of time, and everyone pays a fee for the multiple community centers, 9 golf courses and other various forms of entertainment. Taxes are relatively low due to there being no schools. As for their home, they don't have a lawn, so nothing to mow. They have a backyard with lots of crushed rock, cactus and citrus trees in which they get fresh squeezed juice during the spring. They also have a nice backyard patio. Jackrabbits like to run around there sometimes.
My parents have made a nice home for themselves there, putting in all the pieces they like, from some unique bathroom sinks to granite kitchen counter tops. My folks will add things here and there, and I gotta say they're quite happy in Sun City West.
My father keeps busy with the "Boomers Club", even running it a some point. The group gets together for events that they'll agree on. My second night in AZ, many from the Boomer's club and my family got together at one of the community centers for my mother's 60th birthday party. There had to have been at least 60 or more people there, along with my younger brother, his fiancee, two sets of aunts and uncles (mom's siblings), along with my cousin Rob and his wife Demecia. There was a live band made up of some members of the Boomers, and my father and I got up to sing a couple times.
One song in particular, American Pie, is my father's favorite. He and I both know the words, and usually when my father is enjoying a few frosty adult beverages, if that song plays the man has to sing! Always a good time. A good time was had by all, especially my mom, who truly deserves that kind of party.
Coming up: riding a rental Harley in AZ....
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Trip to Arizona: Part 1
I'm writing this en route back to New Hampshire in the air. I was out in the Phoenix, Arizona area for almost a week to celebrate my mom's 60th birthday party. Most of my mom's side of the family along with my brother and his fiancee were there.
My parents live in a retirement community where one of the household members has to be at least 55 years old. My parents bought the place about 5 years ago when my mom was 55 and my father was 53. The small city of Sun City West is a retirement community with 9 golf courses, multiple gyms and various recreation areas for sports, crafts and even automobile restoration. She works at a nearby hospital, where a lot of her days her commute is a nice 2 mile flat ride on her bicycle. My old man, a retired firefighter, is enjoying enjoying retirement as a full time job. He has an exercise regimen, is heavily involved in the local "Boomer's Club"(baby boomer generation) and goes off on scooter adventures with his BMW 650cc.
I've got two sets of aunts/uncles that ride Harleys. One couple lives in Vermont, my mom's sister Aunt Cathy and Uncle Rick, while mom's brother Uncle Dave and Aunt Denise live in Texas, near my cousin Rob and his wife Demecia. They all rented a house in the next town over while staying in the area for the festivities. Aunt Cathy suggested to me a couple months ago that we should rent motorcycles and tour some of the area.
Having gone on some car trips before with my folks, this got me excited. Get to try a rental bike and ride on some gnarly mountain roads. After some exchanged emails about where to rent, I just told Aunt Cathy to pick a place and I'll rent what I like from there. She chose a Harley dealership... which would not have been my first choice. The handful of people that read my blog know that I'm not a big fan of HD, and how much I love my Honda VTX1300. There was one HD model I'd been wanting to try however, and this would be a great opportunity.
Over the next week I'll be posting on my excellent vacation in Arizona; from hanging out with the family, to my mother's birthday party, good food, and some excellent riding (even when we got lost... a couple times).
Stay tuned folks :)
My parents live in a retirement community where one of the household members has to be at least 55 years old. My parents bought the place about 5 years ago when my mom was 55 and my father was 53. The small city of Sun City West is a retirement community with 9 golf courses, multiple gyms and various recreation areas for sports, crafts and even automobile restoration. She works at a nearby hospital, where a lot of her days her commute is a nice 2 mile flat ride on her bicycle. My old man, a retired firefighter, is enjoying enjoying retirement as a full time job. He has an exercise regimen, is heavily involved in the local "Boomer's Club"(baby boomer generation) and goes off on scooter adventures with his BMW 650cc.
I've got two sets of aunts/uncles that ride Harleys. One couple lives in Vermont, my mom's sister Aunt Cathy and Uncle Rick, while mom's brother Uncle Dave and Aunt Denise live in Texas, near my cousin Rob and his wife Demecia. They all rented a house in the next town over while staying in the area for the festivities. Aunt Cathy suggested to me a couple months ago that we should rent motorcycles and tour some of the area.
Having gone on some car trips before with my folks, this got me excited. Get to try a rental bike and ride on some gnarly mountain roads. After some exchanged emails about where to rent, I just told Aunt Cathy to pick a place and I'll rent what I like from there. She chose a Harley dealership... which would not have been my first choice. The handful of people that read my blog know that I'm not a big fan of HD, and how much I love my Honda VTX1300. There was one HD model I'd been wanting to try however, and this would be a great opportunity.
Over the next week I'll be posting on my excellent vacation in Arizona; from hanging out with the family, to my mother's birthday party, good food, and some excellent riding (even when we got lost... a couple times).
Stay tuned folks :)
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