aztrip08

Murray Family Farms. Passed this place many times without stopping. Today was the day.

Nicely decorated inside and out.

It's a large farm, all the fruit and vegegables are grown here. You can spend $5 to enter the fields and orchards. Pick what you want, and pay as you leave. Or, just buy from the store. All the fruit in the store is in season right now.

Budda's Hands. A lemon smelling and tasting vegetable. Used in salads and also as a zesty air freshener. The Chinese use them is several dishes.

A nice variety. Pat bought a huge Grapefruit. It's called a Pumelo.

Some nice winter squash.

Another nice display. We ended up buying a pretty large basket full. All of it didn't get home.

Decorative Gourds..several different kinds.

Some time before long, we'll stop and wander through the grounds and pick a few things. They even have large sweet strawberries out there right now. The Farm is located on Hwy 58 Between Bakersfield and Tehachapi.

A few yards below the summit of Sitgrave pass. This used to bo the old road before the bad curve was taken out on Route 66.

A lot of people didn't make the curve in the old days. The road has a little different route now.

A lot of "down hill" behind me.

Ed and Carl didn't want to ride their Harleys up the "old road". Don't know why :-)

"The Boys" on the West side on Sitgrave Mountain on "The Mother Road"

There are a LOT of burros in town today. I think the 'girls' put out a little hay, at least there's some attraction there this morning.

I think this is the same baby I was petting last week. The little ones are soooo cute!

A fire is roaring inside the old Oatman Hotel today. Hope none of the thousands of dollar bills get hot enough to burn.

An old motorcycle engine, and a pretty rock.

Carl is looking up at all the 'bucks' hanging on the walls and ceiling.

Must have been one of the many 'runs' that come through here every year.

An Arizona Christman Tree. And, there's Rudolph!

Ed and Carl getting ready to leave Oatman. I think there were more burros in town today than I've ever seen. And, since there weren't a lot of tourists, they were getting pretty agressive wanting carrots! It was chilly, in the 60's today. Still too warm for Carl to wear a jacket. He must have very good circulation.

These items were found on the shoulder of Hwy 93 in Arizona, just about 3 miles south of the City of Wikiup. While waiting for a trailer to haul Chunks Vulcan on, we started looking "down". We were on a bridge over a dry wash, that was maybe 50 yards long. this is what we found just near where we parked the bikes. I was totally amazed! Just think of all the miles and miles of highways in America, there must be tons of this sort of stuff along side them. Click on the picture for more detail. Oh, and the one in Chunk's rear tire isn't in the picture

After a nice BLT for lunch on the road, Chunk and I decided to share a Hot, Deep Dish, Cherry Pie, with Ice Cream. It was very tasty!

We saw several of the speed trap camers that the Arizona people have been talking about on the way down. And 3 wrecks, on that happened right next to me. We were in the car pool lane, going about 55 I think. A guy in a white van was checking out the Scooter, and didn't see the strawberry patch of brake lights in his lane. He looked up all four just before the impact, which pushed the car he hit into the one if front of it, and almost came far enough into hour lane to get Chuck, who managed to get around them. Thanks to the Zumo, we were able to fine Iguana Macks, in the South East part of Phoenix. We were the first ones there.

This is a nice neighborhood. This was taken from our outside table at the Restaurant. It was a nice warm evening.

Chunk and Slick. John says the new hair style will help his dating efforts

When Tony D.'s pony tail reached 8 inches, it came off and was donated to some organization. Teresa (and a lot of us) was happy to see it go!

Slick is pepping up his wings.

Beth and Flaco came in late. Her she is with Tony, Cactus Jack, and biglefti's back.

Flaco, Chunk and Slick.

Lanny is fitting in with the GB crowd, but he hasn't quite made the BF part yet.

Mel must have said something to crack up Jim Lohman. Jim seems quite amused

One of the prettiest Nomads I've seen!

Jim Lohman's new Star Ship. Not really my style, but, I have to admit, it's a beautiful machine. and, like all of Jim's "Stuff", it is tastefully done, and immaculate in appearance.

Sorry I don't have all the names, or all the individual pictures. I think that by the end of the evening, we had 15 VROC folks there. A good turn out.

Chunk, Flaco and Tony D.

Lanny lives about 40 miles from Iguana Macks. It was about 10 PM when we arrived to Santa's house..er, uh, Biglefti's house that is.

A somewhat new addition to the "Frilly Room". I've stayed it it several times as a guest of Lanny and Jeannie. I haven't taken pictures, I'm not a good enough photographer to give the room the justice it deserves. Jeannie and done a remarkable job of decorating, and, it's very quiet and comfortable.

Lanny's putting green on his back patio.

Looking out Lanny's patio windows.

Lanny is visiting with Chunk. You'd think a good looking guy like Lanny would have better looking pajamas

Wickenburg is an old town, where they still have real cowboys. We stopped for breakfast here, it was crowed with the locals. We had the Special, Green Chili, cheese and eggs, with some very good home fries and toast. We didn't have have a doggy bag.

Stopped to take a picture of some large Sugarao's but they didn't come out. I did get one of some rocks along the road.

The rocks These are about the size I thought my Kidney stones were.

There she is............Suzy in all her glory!

What a shame. Only a year or two ago, this was an active business. "the All Mart" store in Nothing, AZ. The pink building was a little automotive repair shop, and towing service. There was a lot of fun stuff to see around there, and the owner was always friendly. It's another "end of an era". I think this is where Chunk picked up the nail in his tire.

We found a small nail buried deep enough to let the air out. At least it wasn't a new tire

This is were we sat waiting for rescue.

Chunk was curious about the structure of the large bridge over the wash we were on. I think he went down there for an inspection.

The Big Sandy River. When we passed it just a short ways bfore the flat, there was a beautiful white horse standing down there on the River's edge. While waiting, I rode back to take a picture of it, but the Horse was gone.

Pat was able ot hook up the trailer. She's never done it before, but had watched me several times. Her and "Mom" was able to find us. We got the bike loaded, went on to Kingman where I left the scooter, and hauled Chunk and his Vulcan back to Lake Havasu City. It was a very fine day!

The Mother Road............Where we spend the winter...

Our new friend in Oatman. I learned a blogging lesson today....publish your posts before you work on them for an hour, then make a mistake and delete the whole thing! I'll start saving every few minutes from now on. After the pictures of today, the old ones won't be in the proper order, and most of the captions will be a little different, since I had to start all over and probably won't remember exactly what I wrote last time.........so, here goes.......

Yesterday evening, 12/2/08, we got a call from Vicky (Epibunny) Carlsen, she was only an hour away in Lake Havasu City. Our spare room was taken up with Pat's mother, so we invited Epi to stay over and use the Hide-a-bed. She did, and we had a nice visit.

Pauline, Pat and Vicky are in the gift shop and museum at Cold Springs on Route 66. We had a nice breakfast at home, and decided to head to Oatman, since Vicky had never been there.

Sherm hanging out iin the old gas station at Cold Springs.

Epibunny is checking out the "50's style" pin ups.

Glassware on a window sill, with an Arizona peak in the background.

The only "facility" at Cold Springs. Sort of primative, but it gets the job done. Actually, there's a very nice clean porta potty in side the plywood.

Epi taking pictures of the local color.

Someone made this drinking fountain, even has a pet dish. I imagine the water comes from a "Cold Spring"

As you start up the mountain from Cold Springs, there are signs warning to watch for the wild burros along the highway, all the way to Oatman.

A baby with a "no carrot" sticker the locals put on the little ones. Their teeth aren't strong enough to chew up a large carrot, so they get sick if they eat them.

Pat and Pauline feeding a burro. Pat always breaks her's up into small pieces. I like to feed them the whole thing, but make them work for it. I make them reach up as high as I can reach. Their teeth snap, and their big lips flap. Pretty funny

Mutual admiration. And the carrot in Vicky's hand helped.

This white one became quite attached to the Epibunny..followed her all over town!

This is a young one, but not a real baby. There were several ones in town today that had been born in October and November. Very cute little ones.

Epi on Main Street with friend.

Santa came into Oatman on a sleigh pulled by burros. The lead burro was, "Conrad, the carrot eater"

Every day, at 1:30 and 4:30 there is a "shoot out" in downtown Oatman. They are getting ready for the days show now.

Hi! My name is Spot....Got a carrot for me?

OK, another trip to Oatman, our first of this winter. Out of order because of my mistake.
here we are in Cold Springs. It's almost 80 degrees, stopped to take off some clothes.

The old gas pumps are set at 14.5 cents, I don't think they have been used for a long time!

One of the many gift shops on Oatman.

This is one of our favrorite burros. When we first started coming here, I couldn't see how the locals could remember which was which, but we're getting familiar with them now, and starting to recognize them.

OK, where's my carrot!

It's time for the gun fight again.

I like the rough skyling behind the city.

DD and Pebbles will remember this place. We ate here last February. It's for Sale, if anyone is interested.

Carl having a small Navajo Taco.

Pat had the same thing. A large piece of Fry Bread topped with meat and beans, cheese, onions, usually some lettuce and a lot of good salsa.

My treat of the season. Fry bread coated with sugar and cinnamon, then covered with peaches, good french vanilla ice cream, and topped with whipped cream...Yum Yum. My have to take an little large dose of insulin tonight!

The town is full of old machinery. There were several mines here in the old days.

This is the only feeding trough in town. The borro's are totally free to come and go, and they do go out into the desert sometimes. But, with water, hay, and carrots that the tourist feed them, they tend to stay around.

Carl and Ed made friends with this one.

Hey Mom! It's time for lunch!

The little ones stay pretty close to their mothers.

The Main Street in Oatman.

I took this one for my good friend Bob. No reflection on him, just interesting

Some of the burros get a little pushy if you don't feed them. This one grabbed the ladies purse! Pat had watched one bothering an older lady down the street, and a shop keeper came out and poured some water on her (the burro, not the lady)

Clark Gable and Carol Lombard were married in Kingman, and then drove over the hill to Oatman for their Honeymoon. This is where they stayed. The upstairs is just as it was then, their room still looks the same as it did them. It hasn't been used as a motel for years, but here is a little restaurant, a bar, and ice cream parlor inside. Clark Gable came here a lot to get away from the Hollywood crowd. He liked to play cards with the miners here.

Some locals had been checking out the Burgie. Not many people in town today. The large delivery trucks come in from the West, the road from Kingman is too narrow and steep and crooked for trucks. There is very little traffic on that stretch of Route 66.

Sitgrave Summit. It's only 3550 feet, but goes up fast. It's a great motorcycle road.

The top of the hill.

Ed is quite happy to see his camp. Looks like no one has used it for a long, long, time.

Carl waits while we stop for a "photo op"

Julie and Carl are buddies. Ed and Carl came over for "beans" tonight. I was under pressure, since Carl is the expert with a bean pot!

I was installing a new exhaust fan over the kitchen stove. Pat was outside cleaning up the area around the hole. I grabbed the camera for a framed shot.

Leaving for the day. That's our neighbor's house behind us. It's not the most decorated place on the street. TONS of Christmas lights and figures. It's nice we can enjoy it too.

Old gas station in chloride. A town that at one time had 7 working mines and a population of over 2000 people.

A VERY good place to eat. The owner and waitress were very friendly, and the food was outstanding!

Murals inside Yesterdays Restaurant and Bar.

More Murals.

They serve 172 different kinds of beer there. Some are seasonal, so they don't always have all 172, but it's close to it.

This was after the breakfast croud on Sunday, and before the live music started in the afternoon.

75 degrees near the end of November. Suppose to get into the 80's next week.

This guy was riding a Honda 250 Rebel. He had been inside asleep at a table while we were eating. He came out here for a smoke. I think it was "hangover city" for him.

Pat is taking off the electric vest, she finally got warm.

There were plenty of parking places, I chose to park by the big bumkin.

This is the oldest working Post Office in Arizona. I can't remember the year it started, I think 1862. The building next to it has been a grocery store and several other things over the years.

A house that's lived in now, made of adobe with a lot of straw in it, and also has a straw roof.

This is an information center, as well as a general store..I think the only one in town.

I couldn't figure out the large pipe coming out of the copula in the roof. It didn't look like it went down inside the old store.

Free Spirit Mercantile. I think there are a lot of Free Spirits in Chloride!

A very small building, but had thick, reinforced walls and barred windows. It was the town bank for years.

The old red house is still inhabited.

Not a balloon, but a large nicely painted rock...hmmmmmm..maybe Roy Purcell?

Large bellows by the old Blacksmith's shop.

This is the meeting place for the historical club in Chloride.

A dinner "melodrama" theater. Also where the Guns and Roses, an all female quick draw team perform 2 times a month. the alternating Saturdays have a mens team shoot out in the street. The theater is open all year except August.