What a wonderful first day! Getting out of the house and leaving my family was the hardest part. I was out the door at 6 a.m. this morning, just what I had planned. I just knew I had to beat the Phoenix heat and I would take any route necessary to get out of Dodge!
So it was up the I-17 to Cordes Junction and then I knew things would chill from there. And chill they did. It was below 60 up Mingus Mountain. There was a chill in the air and the bike ran great.
I got into Jerome way too early, even the breakfast joints hadn’t opened yet. And getting a beer at the Spirit Room definitely wasn’t happening. So it was breakfast in Sedona. Not a bad compromise.
After breakfast I was hitting the twisties through the canyon up to Flagstaff. It was crazy up there! I was riding through smoke and burning ambers. It wasn’t scary but it did feel chaotic if not surreal. I don’t know if it was subliminal or what but I wore my ‘Globe Hot Shot’ shirt (as in forest fire fighter). Needless to say I was welcome at the staging area where I happened to stop for gas. I admitted I wasn’t a hot shot fire fighter but I did immediately tell them I have put out plenty of fires in my life!
On the way north from Flagstaff it got hot! Maybe in Phoenix hot but 70 miles an hour for, well, too long, things got uncomfortable. I was happy to get north and work my way into the Grand Canyon National Park.
It is so beautiful here! I got here sometime after 3 and it is too beautiful to rush out. I found someone who sold me their camp site pass for $10. The place was sold out and I was waiting in line to beg for a spot and this lady came up to me and offered her pass. Woo Hoo! It just couldn’t be more perfect for me right now. Yes, I would love a shower and a bed (I will make sure I get those tomorrow). But I am walking distance to the edge of the North Rim. I have a bottle of wine (Ericka would be so proud), cheese, crackers, apple and plenty for stuff. I am CONTENT! And actually having fun, I just don’t get to do this every day.
I hope this made some sense. I have 390 miles and a couple of glasses of wine under my belt. The sun is starting to set. The smell of camp fires is starting to fill the air and I have actually already seen a doe and several squirrels. People are friendly and fascinated by the contrast of my Harley and my rough appearance and the contrast of the bottle of wine and the laptop. Again, things are good.