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Listers,
Springerville to Alpine, AZ to Reserve, NM
Travel time: 2 hrs 34 mins Distance: 83 miles
I think we both slept well after yesterday's pretty tough ride. I put
all my luggage back on my bike. First thing is to locate the key as if I
can't remember what I've done with it the rest won't matter. I put on
the tank bag and saddlebags and then remember the tank panniers. Off
comes the tank bag and on go the panniers. It only takes a minute but it
tells me to wake up and think about what I'm doing. Everything gets
packed securely and Steve too is ready to go. We get fuel in
Springerville with the next planned fuel stop being in Reserve, NM.
We're about 30 miles north of Alpine which is, as far as I'm concerned,
the beginning of the Devil's Highway. Now we head south for breakfast in
Alpine at the Bear Wallow Cafe. There are a bunch of bikes parked out
front when we get there and we take a quick look at them on the way in.
Our booth is next to a window and we can watch the comings and goings in
this small town. Breakfast is good as usual here. They've added a new
area in the back of the building and I make a comment about that when
paying my bill. The waitress is pleased I noticed and we talk for a few
minutes. She was raised in the area and rides motorcycles and ATVs. We
talk about where Steve and I are headed and she says that's a great ride
and area. They have a large topo map on the wall and she points out our
intended route. It's nice to know that this will probably work and is
worth the trouble. She asks about our time on the Apache Indian
Reservation and says good for us about traversing the northern area. She
comments on how not too many people will ever get to see that country.
We say good bye and as we walk back to the bikes a very large dog shows
up and accepts a few scratches behind the ears. He's a pretty laid back
dog and is interested in what we're doing about as much as a dog can be.
Until he figures out we don't have anything for him. Then he goes and
lays on the ground in the shade about 10 feet from the bikes. Steve
takes my picture with the large bear carving in front of the restaurant
and we get on our way. I lead heading south and the road is in great
shape, fast and with lots of nice curves. We finally come to our turn
east at Beaverhead and head towards Blue. I stop for a picture of the
sign telling us this is a Wolf Recovery Area. I don't see the sign
that's suppose to be just up the road providing more information. We
ride on and this is a very nice road. It's well maintained, fairly
quick, has some excellent curves and switchbacks and the views are some
of the best I remember on this trip. And that's saying a lot as we've
been in some very nice country. It's Sunday morning and I'm thinking
this is better than any Sunday church service I've ever been to. Wow!
This is very most excellent. Without a doubt it's worth doing this
section of the trip if a person is in the area. We finally pass a ranch
and it looks like it's doing well. The road starts uphill and after a
mile or more I see a sign talking about the Wolf Recovery Program. I
stop for a picture so I can learn more about it later. But briefly it's
Mexican Wolves and they're about the size of a German Shepherd dog. We
don't get to see any. The road continues on and on and on and it's just
very good riding and views. Awful rough country here, I'm glad I'm on a
road. At the pavement Steve leads to Reserve. We stop for fuel and
Steve talks with the Sheriff about the road conditions north of here. He
thinks a few roads may be closed due to fire danger but doesn't know for
sure. I save the GPS track and make a few notes in my log. This was a
very nice ride. Well worth doing again. And it could be done in a SUV
or pick up without problems. No 4x4 needed.
Reserve to Grants, NM
Travel time: 4 hrs 22 mins Distance: 153 miles
This finishes on day fourteen.
We leave Reserve with full fuel tanks and the hopes of some more
interesting roads. The Great Divide Route passes through this area and
we're looking forward to riding on it a bit. We travel east on a paved
road for about 6 miles and then see our dirt road heading north. We turn
in and there's a large sign saying "FIRE USE FIRE IN PROGRESS". We talk
about what that means and decide it's just a warning and maybe a helpful
sign for fire crews. We think if the road was closed it would say that.
So we ride on. After a mile or so we see fire crew activity and smoke
from the fire. On we go and pass a couple of fire crew members on ATVs
and then a bit further a bus of fire fighters and a pumper. And maybe
1/2 mile further on the road is closed because of the fire. We turn
around and head back to the pavement. Looking at a map and the GPS it
looks like we can head east and then north on pavement and reconnect with
our route after maybe 20 miles. On the map it looks like it could be a
fun route and we head off. We get to 103 and turn north. The road is in
nice shape, fast and goes through some interesting country. As it
ascends into the mountains we start getting smoke from what I assume is
the fire that we were near earlier. At Jewett Mesa we reconnect with our
planned route and turn east on a forest service road. This road is in
high country and is pretty nice. We get behind a pick up truck for a
short ways and then pass it and have the road to ourselves. I remain
amazed at how fast a bike can comfortably travel in these conditions
compared to a 4 wheeled vehicle. We come to a major intersection on this
road which is really just two roads crossing. The main road (well
traveled) heads left. We go straight and the road gets very small and
rough and takes us towards some trees. We ride this road for maybe 5
miles and there is a nice stopping place with some shade. It's
lunchtime. Steve breaks out the last summer sausage he's been carrying
for the entire trip and we sit on some rocks and enjoy it and some water.
We leave a small hunk for whatever wild animal might like a hand out and
head off to Pie Town. The road gets a bit rougher and goes even a bit
higher. This country sure is nice. I like high country and it doesn't
seem to matter to me where it's at. Just so it's high, is enough for me.
In the Azores it was the higher lava flows and cliffs, in Cuba it was
just the cliffs over the ocean, in Europe it was the Alps and in the
states its about anything over 7,000 feet that's wild. And if it's not
high, just so it's higher than most everything else nearby, well, that's
good enough. For those that know Mount Scott in Oklahoma you know what
I'm talking about. We continue on and have to change our route once or
twice to keep off closed or private roads. We're making good time and
it's not long and we're at Pie Town, New Mexico. We've never stopped
here before but have been told some neat stories of how friendly everyone
is and how good the pie is here. Steve leads and we stop at the
Pie-O-Neer Cafe. I take a picture from the parking lot and then ask
Steve to take one of me with a carved bear on the front porch. While
he's taking my picture Kathy, the owner, comes out to take down the open
sign. She asks if we came for pie and when we say yes she tells us we'd
better get inside as she's closing. Yes ma'am and we're in. The pies
are on a display in the back of the large rustic room. It's got a nice
homey feeling to it and I like large rooms. One of the girls helps us
with our selections and then the devil shows up and suggests some ice
cream to go with the pie. Of course we go along with that idea and sit
down at a table. I have cherry pie and Steve has apple. And it is very
good too. Even though they're closed the door opens and in come a
couple of rough looking gents. One has a six shooter strapped to his
waist. I'm talking this is like part of his body and it's been around
and looks well used. I'm guessing it may be a .44. They says hi to
Kathy and sit down for some pie and coffee. Kathy sits at a nearby table
and we have a nice talk. She's been doing this pie operation for about
10 years and loves it. She used to be in advertising chasing the dollar
and now she's doing what she really likes and is happy with. She talks a
bit about the renovation done to the building for about 18 months and all
the headaches associated with a building that's well over 100 years old.
If I recall this correctly one of the issues was wiring and finding bare
wires in the walls. She was very surprised there wasn't ever a fire.
She's peeling apples for the next day's pies and is skilled at it. Steve
and I are both allowed to sign a "guest" type book that they keep and
look at after the day is finished. We fill our water bags, pay for our
pie, say our thanks and then head out. Floyd and his partner head out a
minute or two later. Floyd is the cowboy with the six shooter. His
partner asks how we like the iron ponies out here. We comment on how we
think a real horse might work a bit better. He and Floyd agree and we
all start talking a bit. Finally his buddy heads back to the campground
where he's staying for the summer and Floyd stays around and talks for
another 20 minutes. He has some neat stories of when he was growing up.
One is about a killer stallion he befriended back in '46, when he was 16.
The boss wouldn't let anybody ride the stallion as it was too mean. It
was kept from the other horses in a corral by itself. Floyd was the guy
that took care of it with feed and water and such. He got friendly with
it and after about 4 months was finally able to touch it and then got
where he could go in the corral with it. After a bit longer he could
lead it around. He never did get on it and ride but he still thinks to
this day that killer stallion would have let him ride. As we were
getting our "nice to talk with you" and "good byes" done Floyd comments
about how he lives up in the mountains. His nearest neighbor is 5 miles
away. He can do pretty much what he wants up there. For a guy that's
about 76 years old, that's not bad. Kathy comes back out of the cafe and
gives Steve and me each a pen. It has contact info on it and she says to
let her know how the moon looks over the lava beds at El Malpais National
Monument tonight. It's supposed to be a full moon. If you want to learn
more about the Pie-O-Neer Cafe check it out at
www.pie-o-neer.com .
Steve and I head off finally after a nice relaxing visit in Pie Town. We
head north on 603 and bear right at the fork after about 3 miles. This
is about 30 miles of good dirt/gravel road. We can do a comfortable
45-50 mph on it and ride about 1/2 mile apart to keep Steve from riding
in the dust. We connect with 117 which is paved and will take us to
Grants, eventually. The road here is in fine shape and we stop at a pull
off to take a picture of an arch in a rock wall. I don't remember the
name of the site but Kent took us here last year when the three of us
were on a ride. I ask Steve if he's ready to find somewhere to camp.
There are lots of bluffs or mesas and they look inviting. He's ready and
so we ride on looking for potential camp sites. It seems that every side
road is posted and much of this country is on an Indian Reservation. I
don't recall which one but it's clear we shouldn't be venturing off the
paved surface. After about 20 miles on 117 we come to a Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) Camping Area. We turn in and it's a rough paved loop a
few hundred yards from the road. We ride around for a few minutes and
Steve picks a camping spot. Since there is only one other vehicle here I
take the camping spot next to Steve's. We set up tents and inflate our
mattresses. I'm looking forward to sleeping on an inflated mattress for
the entire night. Steve walks over to about the halfway point between
our tents and with a stick draws a line in the dirt. Then on his side of
the line facing my camp he writes in large letters "DO NOT ENTER". I
smile to myself while this is going on. Not a word has been said. I'm
thinking about how to handle a situation like this and make it better
instead of worse. Then I get an idea. I go about my business for a few
minutes and then pick up a stick. I stroll over to the line in the dirt
and with my back to his camp I write in large letters "WELCOME". Steve
starts to laugh and I grin at him. But he still fusses at me if I step
into his camp. : ) I head off to climb a nearby mesa and tell Steve I
want to get a picture of the camp from up there. When I'm about 50 yards
away I yell back to him "If I yell I've been bit by a rattler, I'm not
joking". And I head off. The climb is pretty easy and I take my time
with a few breathers along the way. On top the view isn't as nice as I'd
hoped for but it's still ok. I take my pictures of the camp and it's
pretty small from up higher. Then I walk around on top for a few minutes
as I'm sure not a lot of people do that. There is nothing special to
see. I head back to camp. We talk a bit and relax in our Kermit chairs.
Neither of us is hungry but I find I'm drinking a lot of water. This is
a dry camp. Steve gets out his cell phone and finds he has coverage
here. Well, he kind of has coverage if he's facing the correct direction
and holding the phone on the north side of his body. He calls home and
checks in. The we call our friend John Wood in Oklahoma and talk with
him a bit. He's posting short accounts of our where's and what's to the
Oklahoma Airhead list. Finally I call my sister and let her know I'm
still alive, where we've been and where we think we're going. The sun is
setting but it's not as nice as some we've seen on this trip. We put our
chairs on the pavement near the bikes facing where the moon will rise. I
take a look at my GPS and we've still got 20 minutes or longer before it
will get above the mesa to the east. Steve is intent on getting a
picture of the moon as it just creeps over the edge of the mesa. He's
got a tree silhouette he wants to try to get. I tell him I think I'm
going to bed and he keeps telling me I need to stay up at least for a
moon rise picture. So I hang a bit longer. As the moon gets started
showing itself Steve gets more and more excited. He starts to take a
picture or two and finally figures out his lens cover is on. So much for
those pictures. Then the batteries go dead in his camera. Man is he
getting frustrated. It's kind of funny from my view but he's intent on
getting a picture of the moon rising. I get my camera out and try to
take a picture or two. But I haven't read the manual enough to know how
to put it into manual mode and adjust the shutter speed and f stops etc.
So I try in auto mode and could take the same picture in a dark room with
a flashlight. It's just a bright light in the dark. Finally Steve gets
what he can get and I head off to bed. My air mattress is still inflated
and that's a good thing. It's warm right now but will probably be pretty
good sleeping weather shortly. So that's what I do.
End of Day Thirteen.
Jeff Saline
ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal
Airheads Beemer Club
www.airheads.org
The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota
75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT
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