Sunday, July 19, 2009

Sunrise Ride


So we decided today to take a nice little afternoon
ride with Bob and Julie - our first ride together
this summer - it is just hard to get our schedules
coordinated. Anyway, when we left we were all
hot and fully clothed up and decided to head up the
mountain toward Sunrise because we wanted
"cooler" weather. Well we got it! We should have
rethought our destination when we started getting
a little rain at the WME Theatre in Show Low! But
we liked the cooling off and pressed on. We hit
small patches of rain on and off all the way to the
turn off to Sunrise. By now the wind is really
kicking up - but we are still fairly dry. So we
tell Bob that we are going to go to the lodge at
Sunrise and rest and get a drink. So he drives through
the lodge parking lot and then heads up to the
base of the mountain. Why I ask you? So that is
where we REALLY hit some rain! By the time we
got back to the lodge we were really wet by now!
It was nice to be inside and warm. When it was time
to go we dug everything imaginable out of the saddle
bags (we were not prepared!) and let Julie wear
the one jacket we had between the four of us - she
swears she would have died without it! I wore an
extra t-shirt, a facemask we found, my gloves and
I stayed pretty warm. Bob found a beanie and called
it good. Chris just sucked it up! We headed down the
mountain in rain the entire time! By the time we got
home we were soaked! What an adventure! Always
have a grand time with Bob and Julie - thanks guys!


Getting a bit windy now!

Good group shot


Ride Continued


Turn off to Sunrise


Starting to get wet


Action Shot


Did we get alittle wet or what? Boys drying
off in Sunrise lodge

The ride home - notice Julie is TOTALLY
bundled up now!



Sunday, July 12, 2009

Road Trip!


Leaving the Queen




In Cortez Colorado FINALLY!


Leaving Cortez the next morning
So we finally decided to do it! We took at 1084 mile
road trip on the motorcycle. We left out on Monday
morning and headed out through St. Johns, onto
Zuni, up to Gallup and then to Shiprock. In Gallup
we ate lunch at a little place called "Jerry's" that
I found on Trip Advisor - it was great! That leg of
83 miles from Gallup to Shiprock seemed like 283! It
was hot and windy and the dead reservation. Whew!
We were so glad to finally get to Cortez another 45 miles
past Shiprock where we spent the first night in the
smallest hotel room we have ever had! I made reservations
on hotwire and it was a Days Inn. Super small room!
But we didn't care - we were pretty tired.
The next day was an absolutely gorgeous ride from Cortez
Colorado to Ouray Colorado. It is only about 125 miles
so a short day but the roads are super winding so it takes
a bit longer but it was so nice. It was cool and beautiful
and just great! We stopped at "Stoner Ranch" in Stoner,
Colorado - a little stop in the road literally. For those of
you who may not know - Stoner is my maiden name.
From there we went to Telluride and had lunch at another
Trip Advisor recommendation which was good again.
Telluride is gorgeous and we saw the home that Tom
Cruise once owned. The ride from Telluride to Ouray
is again spectacular. I have always loved Ouray and
wanted so badly to finally stay there -so our next night
was planned for here. Unfortunately I wasn't able to
get reservations at the hotel I wanted so we ended up just
stopping in and getting one - wow - they do not need
good deals in Ouray because it is so touristy - we paid
a fortune for a Best Western but it was clean and nice
and had a real hot springs pool right at the hotel that
we got to try out. The next day on the way from
Ouray to Santa Fe New Mexico I talked Chris into
stopping at Purgatory and riding the Alpine Slide. We did
this with the boys when we took them about 16 years ago.
We were surely the only people there in long sleeve dark
shirts, jeans and boots - but we had a ball - it brought
back great memories.
We found a nice little mexican place in Pagosa Springs for
lunch and then into Santa Fe. I had never been to Santa
Fe and there is alot of history here - it dates back to about
1620. I got a great hotel here on hotwire that was in the
plaza and therefore walking distance to everything. We
had dinner there that night and walked around the plaza.
We were having so much fun that we decided to extend
our trip a night and not go home on Thursday as planned,
instead we got a Priceline room in Albuquerque for the
next night. So on Thursday morning we had some extra
time and took a trolley ride through Santa Fe that told
alot about the history - we had a great time. Then on to
the short 50 mile or so ride into Albuquerque - because
we got there early we had time for dinner and a movie
that night. The next day was the ride home. About 285
miles to Show Low through Soccorro. The ride from
Socorro home was really nice - we got a little bit of rain
a couple of times but it was nice and helped keep us cool.
We had lunch at a favorite biker place in Quemado and
then on home over the mountain from Springerville. We
realized on the trip past Sunrise that with the exception
of parts of Colorado, we have as beautiful a place as any
we visited right here at home! We feel fortunate to live
in such a beautiful area and we loved getting out and seeing
more of our wonderful country! What a great trip.
I am learning the pros of being a biker chick is that you just
can't worry about your hair - I had a hat on the whole time
and getting ready in the morning is sure speedy!


Coming into Colorado


See the "Stoner Ranch" sign in Colorado


On the road outside Delores


Downtown Telluride


The mountains behind the main street in
Telluride - there is a beautiful waterfall going
down that mountain


Ouray


Coming into Ouray


Box Canyon falls


The start of the trail to the top of Box Canyon


At the top of Box Canyon



Cascade falls in Ouray



Colorado continued


Leaving Ouray


View of the mountains of Ouray out the door
of the hotel room


Beautiful Colorado!


On the chair lift for the Alpine Slide


Top of Purgatory Mountain ready to slide!



Santa Fe


Old house in the United States


Great Southwestern hotel room


The Santa Fe Trail wagon train sculpture


A beautiful indian maiden sculpture


Oldest church in the United States



Headed Home!


Leaving the Alburquerque Hotel


Catching a needed drink



Final eating place in Quemado on Friday

Monday, July 6, 2009

T-Bucket Debuts in the Parade!


Waiting in the K-mart parking lot for our turn
in the parade


The whole gang!


The trial run


Papa gases up


Chris's birthday was spent working hard!
We bought a kit car just before Sean's 16th birthday
to be built as a parade car for the DQ. We have
been building it for six years! Ok - so most of that
time it just sat - but we have owned it that long!
Sean worked on it alot with Chris in high school
to actually get it built - but it needed body
modification and lots of other stuff that we have
just recently done. When Sean got home from his
mission it was the first time it had run in over two
years. He got it going and vowed that it would be
in the parade this year and it was! He and Tim
came up two weekends ago to work on it and we
made it through the parade. It still has more to
make it completely complete - but there is next
year's parade, It was alot of fun and we invited
Lance and Lauren to walk with us to pass stuff out.
We were a really popular item!



Fourth of July Parade


We were really popular - they are all heading
out to try to get something - we are out by
now - it is at the end of the parade




A die hard DQ fan who knew the pictures of the
car and family from the store - his dog tries
on a helmet

Our parade wagon





Sunday, July 5, 2009

Still More Fourth!








Good shot of the tail lights for the boys who
weren't here!



New instruments