Day 17

Well, last night, Chuck and I tried to get our laptops to log onto the Internet. We failed. Something was happening that we couldn't get on. Chuck gave up and went to the Motel computer and I opted to do my blog this morning. My alarm went off at 6:00 AM and I got dressed as quietly as possible so that I wouldn't wake Chuck. I dressed and packed and went to the motel computer. Chuck was still asleep. When I got to the lobby, C.E. was there having breakfast. I got on the computer and started with checking my e-mail. A German gentleman sat at the table next to me facing me and looking at me. As I was checking my e-mail, he kept staring at me. How rude! I was nice and got off of the computer to allow him to get on. Before I got off of the chair, he was already there, sitting on the chair and my left hand was still holding onto the chair. I went over and had breakfast with C.E. The old "krout" finally got off of the computer so I went over and started my blog. Everyone finally came and had breakfast and I finally finished. I went to my room and got my bags and loaded my Motor. I returned to the room and checked the room for anything left behind...Chuck's. I was on my hands and knees looking into all of the cracks and crevices to make sure that Chuck didn't leave anything behind. I didn't find anything left behind. I asked Jan to go check the room also. I went back and checked it again. I saw Chuck and asked him if he had all of his stuff and he said that he did. I gave him my key so that he could check out. He returned to the room and rechecked for any items left behind. We were both certain that NOTHING was left behind. As I was walking to my Motor, Chuck was at his and I noticed that he was adding oil to his Harley. Jan was with him watching. We all got on our Motors and left at 9:04 AM.

Chuck led us toward Show Low, AZ. Before we left Page, Chuck and Jan wanted to put in a couple of dollars of gas in their Motors to make sure that they would have enough gas to make it to Tuba City, AZ. We went through Page and Chuck and Jan had to make a u-turn and returned to a gas station that we had passed. The rest of us waited by the side of the road for Chuck and Jan to return. Chuck and Jan returned and we were off again.

We headed east on Hwy 98 and rode through the Navajo Indian Reservation. It wasn't the same kind of landscape that we were used to, however, it was different and cool to see. We got passed the desert area and started to go up in elevation. It was getting cooler and we were getting into some trees. Chuck put on his right turn signal and we turned into an opening of a fence with a cattle guard. We entered and made a u-turn on the dirt road and back by the street where we all parked. We were at milepost 345. It was 10:01 AM and we had ridden 52 miles. Chuck told us that this was as good a place to stop as any, since now we had trees. It was time for a pit stop. It was great timing, since we ALL utilized the stop wisely. As I stated, it was cooler weather so we all put our jackets on. Since we all felt better, we left at 10:09 AM.

We continued on and enjoyed the scenery. We rode for another 59 miles and stopped at 11:01 AM in Tuba City, AZ. We stopped for gas. We all gassed our Motors and it was decided that we would take an early lunch. There was a billboard a couple miles back that advertised a Subway. We left the gas station at 11:15 AM. We rode a couple of blocks and stopped at Subway at 11:17 AM. The price for the subs was a lot better that the price that we paid in Bryce, UT. We liked Tuba City, AZ. better! We left at 12:03 PM.

It was Jan's turn to lead now. We were driving and we needed to stop for our "after lunch break" soon. I'm not sure about the others, but I was tired and falling asleep as we rode. I was doing as much as I could to keep myself awake. Jan stopped at 1:26 PM after riding only 35 miles. It felt like it was 150 miles! We stopped in Keams Canyon, AZ. We went into the store of the gas station and made a pit stop. We bought some refreshments also. There was a young Native American who came walking up to us and introduced himself to us. He spoke some English and Hopi. His name was James Edgar. He spoke to us in both languages and said a prayer for our Motors and our wives in the Hopi language. He was "strange" but nice. He kept talking of the "Hopi Way" and of peace. There was also a German Shepherd puppy begging for food. He liked the Fig Newton that Bruce gave him. After that, Bruce couldn't shake him. We left at 1:45 PM.

We continued on with Jan leading the Group. We rode for another 34 miles and stopped at 3:01 PM in Chambers, AZ. for gas. We gassed our Motors and, while we where there, made a pit stop. We left at 3:22 PM.

It was Ken's turn to lead. Ken led us to I-40 where we rode for a very short leg and stopped a the Petrified Forest National Park Visitor's Center. We had ridden for 24 miles and stopped at 3:42 PM. We went inside to check it out and some of the guys bought "stuff." We got back on our Motors and entered the Park. We rode around the park and saw the Painted Desert and eventually saw some Petrified Logs. We rode in the Park, and took a scenic short cut, for a total of 30 miles. We left the Park on the south end at 4:44 PM.

OK, next stop...Show Low, AZ. Ken led the Group and we rode on some nice roads and landscape. We finally arrived in Show Low at 5:50 PM after riding 64 miles. We stopped at the Best Western. Some of the guys entered to "make the deal," however, came out and said that the lady at the desk didn't get up and told them that the motel was booked solid. We thought that she saw and heard the motorcycles and told us that just to get rid of us. We went across the street to Day's Inn. They checked us in right away. We rode to our rooms where we were able to park in front of our door. We took our bags inside our rooms and tucked our Motors in for the night. It was rather sad that we knew that this would be the last night together for this year's ride and this would be the last time that we would "tuck in our Motors" in for the night. We walked across the street to The Native New Yorker for pizza and beer. We had promised the "newbies" that we would have pizza and beer for the last night. We call them "newbies." They are the two oldest of our Group. And, for the last time on this ride, we raised our glasses in celebration. It has been a great ride. The roads were wonderful, as was the company. Today we rode a total of 398 miles. Tomorrow we head for home. Of course, we are going to go home on a good motorcycle road. We are going to go on the General Crook's Trail. That will be fun. So, until tomorrow...