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Day 16 - Setting Up Camp in AZ

Kurt lent Mary his Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III camera.

It is a bit intimidating, and much larger and fancier than what Mary has been using for the last 10+ years.

But he has shown her how to use it in point & shoot mode.


Getting ready to roll out this morning...




...here's a map of what is planned...







...and a close-up of the best part, which is a little section of Old Route 66.







After lunch in Oatman, plan is to turn around and do it all again. 

And we're off...






...oops, gotta get some gas.






Now we're rolling...







...we're on the cut-off...







...truck is doing 10 over...







...but Kurt wants to go faster. This is gonna be a fun day! 







Shadow pic-



 

 

The "cut-off" is a winding and hilly, 14 mile stretch of road...







...its' main purpose is to connect Bagdad with the "outside" world...








...and it is a fun road to ride!








Turning on to the 93...







...our first stop today is Kingman...








...and the road is a fast one...







...with a comfortable, early morning...








...desert beauty...








...and then there's Kurt. lol, couldn't resist messing with him.







A view off to the side.

 

 

A view off to the other side of the road...







...and straight ahead.







We're going to be stopping in Kingman...








...getting close...







...we're going to the Walmart here...







...Lela, has been ready to send us $ for the last week. But we cannot receive it with no ID. So she is sending it here, in Kurt's name, so we will have enough $ to get home. 







Got it done! Back on the road...








...for just a bit, before we stop to fill up the tanks. That was fast, now waiting for a line of 8 bikes to pull out ahead of us...








...our turn now...







...back rolling now...

 

 

...just a little bit more interstate...







...before we get on Old Route 66...







...The Mother Road.








We started this trip, a couple of weeks ago, on Old Route 66. We did not know that Kurt would be taking us back on it today.







It is deceptively straight for awhile...








...a look back...








...but it is not long before...








...Kurt waves us to go ahead...







...it looks like we are getting to the fun part...







Yep. 

 

 

I think Mary is getting pretty comfortable with Kurt's fancy camera.

It definitely takes better photos than the $100 point & shoots she's been using.








We're just getting started...







...fun ahead sign...








...dunno why...








...but roads like these...







...are a big part of...







...what makes riding fun for myself and Mary.







How did I never ride this road before????








Kurt gave me a heads up about the burros...








...a look back.

 

 

Oh yeah...








...this is a great road!









A look back at the curve we just came out of...









...and ahead at the next one...








...and a look off the side of the road!








Quite a view as we...








...pass a fellow traveler...







...on the way up to Sitgreaves Pass (elevation 3586 ft.)









A view from the pass...








...and a look at some of the fun ahead, as we go down toward Oatman.

 

 

I sure was wrong all those years...







...when I only thought of Arizona as a place to pass thru to get to good riding.








I am having a blast...








...and Kurt said these great roads...








...are just a warm-up for what we'll be riding tomorrow.








A look back-








Remember those hot wheels tracks that you can make all kind of crazy curves and loops?








  








Another look back...and checkout the switchbacks ahead too!









What a great day to be riding!

 

 

Yep, bike is dirty on Historic Route 66 as we...








...pull into Oatman, AZ.








What's this...








...there are burro's everywhere...








...and a lot of them!









This is where we're going to park. We have insurance if they decide to gnaw or kick. 








Kurt says they'll be ok.









Time for some lunch and refreshment!








This is as far as we were followed. lol







This looks like a good place to sit.

 

 

After a good meal, some talk, and taking in the local flavor, we walked around the tourist shops a bit...







...then headed back to our rides, where we saw this...







...and after a bit the burro decided to use the throttle to scratch the inside of its' ear...roflmao...








...then another one decided to clean its' teeth on the pouch inside Kurt's Tour-Pak.







No damage done, but it took a bit longer than normal to get geared up and headed out. 







We saw a fellow triker...








...as we rode the short distance to the far end of town...







...and a little guy at the edge...








...back thru the center of town...









...and back out toward the twistys!

 

 

Back thru this prime...








...section of Route 66.








It's just as much fun...








...riding back as it was a couple of hours ago.








Kurt is right on our tail, tearing up this amazing...








...road on this perfect riding day!








The views are...







...stunning. The road is great...







...the TG's are running fantastic...








...Riding the curves is the best medicine!

 

 

Out of the curves now...







...back on the straight section...








...of Route 66, getting close to Kingman.








We have no idea where we are, Kurt leads us...







...via some nice secondary...







...roads skirting the city.



 


Uh Oh, the camera just ran out of juice. Last pic of the day.





After chewing up some road back to the 14 mile cut-off. We ran the curves of the cut-off at a near terrifying speed. It was a ton of fun, and very intense...not something I would do everyday, but glad we did it.

 

 

"The Cutoff"

Pictures don't do this road justice.

It is a 14 mile stretch of road that runs between the 93 and the 96.







Besides being curvy, there are dozens of elevation changes...








...some steeper and taller than others.







Running this road at sunset, behind Kurt. He knows the road well and there is little traffic, so we're hitting it pretty hard, 50 mph - 75 mph the entire way.

Seemed like we could do about twice the suggested mph in most of the curves. 







Hilly curves are the most fun...in this pic we are at the top of a hill, headed down into a curve. That curve exits going back uphill, and then there is a curve at the top that turns back downhill.

Oh yeah!







Another long hilly S...








...what a great ride to end with...








...we have thoroughly enjoyed the ride today!







Headed into the only grocery store in Bagdad for a few things before going to Kurt & Sally's for a great meal and story swapping.




Kurt says today was just a warm-up for what we're going to ride tomorrow!

 

 

Day 17 HERE