Cyclerides.com Weekly Update
9/20/17

Greetings Riders,

If you missed the newsletter last week about our tour through Wayne Newton's Estate called the Casa de Shenendoah in Las Vegas, Click Here to Read. This is highly recommended for something to do in Las Vegas located just 5 miles from the strip. I realized that I did not put a direct link for the 92 Photos of the tour in the letter last week. That link has been added. Click Here for Photos.

Have you ever had a plan that got interrupted by something completely out of your control, and you immediately thought you were getting wronged by the situation, whatever it happened to be? And then complained about it  when YOUR plans had to change? I'm sure that has happened to just about everyone reading this right now. It is a part of life that those who like to be in control will never conquer no matter how hard they try. We get to participate in life, but we don't have the final say on how our plans actually develop.

This is something that I have been guilty of in the past more than once. When something changed due to an unforeseen circumstance I would forget to step back for a minute, take a breath and analyze the big picture before letting my emotions take over and make a bad decision. Usually in these instances, your next decision is the one that can alter your path for the good or bad. So it can pay to take an extra minute to envision a 30,000 foot look at the situation and see what is REALLY important, and what I THINK is important.

Maybe it is because I am getting older, or maybe it is just because I have learned some things over the last 61 years, but now I tend to let life come to me instead of trying to impose my will over things that I cannot control. If there is an issue, I am more apt to look at the big picture, assess my options, and maybe, just maybe, it could have been for a reason that I am not privy to, and my new plans might turn out even better.

Mrs. C. and I had a situation like that coming home from the Thunder Valley Rally in Cottonwood and Jerome this past Saturday afternoon. To maximize our day, we had left Jerome with the plan to arrive at home just at sunset. All things were good as we were heading South on I-17, until they weren't. . . All traffic came to a halt about a mile North of the Hwy 69 turnoff to Prescott. How could this be? My plan was to be at home by 6:45pm, order a pizza and catch up on some of my Netflix shows on my own couch.  

I pulled out my phone and was trying to find out why traffic was stopped. About that time, my buddy Jim Moore called me and asked if I was on my way back from Jerome yet. I said I was stuck in traffic on I-17 when he told me that Channel 12 had just said that they had closed the freeway due to a fire in the median with a 15 mile backup, and that I better find an alternate route.

Since I was at the exit to Prescott, that was the only obvious choice, and by this time it was 6pm and rapidly getting dark. Riding through the Prescott Forest on 89A at night and dodging animals was something I had no intention of doing. So Mrs. C. and I discussed the options and decided not to push it. We should  just go to Prescott and get a room for the night. Fortunately, we got one of the last rooms in the city as there were a lot of others who had the same idea.

Since we were not planning for an overnight, we had nothing with us. So we got a couple of toothbrushes from the Best Western, went to Target for some contact lens solution and spent the night. Here is where the plans we had originally, were not as good as the plan that we got. As a result of being in Prescott, we got up the next morning and took the ride down 89A through the forest on a BEAUTIFUL blue sky morning (see photos), stopped at the Ranch House in Yarnell for breakfast, then stopped at the Hotshots Memorial State Park that is part way down Yarnell Hill which we had never seen before. More on the Hotshots State Park in an upcoming newsletter.

Here is where we really let the new plan come to us. When we got to Congress I pulled over and looked at Google Maps and found that Bagdad was only 50 miles North of us. We had not been to Bagdad for a while, and the road from Bagdad back to Kirkland Junction is great! So I asked Mrs. C. if she would want to alter our route home and go to Bagdad and back around adding about 115 miles to our day? She said it sounded good to her, so we headed North to Bagdad for some gas, took Hwy 96 to Kirkland and then back through Yarnell for the second time that day and made our way back home capping an excellent day of riding.

So what we thought was an imposition when the freeway came to a halt, actually turned out to be a better plan that added a bonus 220 miles to our ride on a beautiful Sunday for a total of 420 miles. The moral of this story is, if things don't go as planned, step back, assess what life gives you and try to make the best of it. If we would have continued with our plan, it would have been a long and possibly dangerous night. In this case, as the old saying goes, we took what we thought was a lemon, and turned it into a pitcher of lemonade.

I don't think many of you have taken the road from Bagdad to Kirkland, or maybe like us, haven't taken it for years. It is a road less traveled because it is off the beaten path, but it is a beautiful ride through the boulders and mountains. It has many ups and downs and curves. Almost like they didn't have a grader, they just laid the asphalt without bothering to level the road. But the pavement is in good shape and would be a nice alternative. A friend of mine, Mark Prine, caught up with us in Yarnell and snapped a rare photo of me riding. I'm usually the one taking the pictures. Click Here to View.

I have included a map of what I am calling the Bagdad/Prescott Figure 8 which would be a great route especially for those who would be coming through Wickenburg. Click Here for Map.

I took a few pictures of the 2 days for you to get an idea of what this ride looks like. The photos don't do the road from Bagdad to Kirkland justice as the boulders did not photograph as cool as they look in person. Click Here to view Photos.

Click Here for map of both days.

Ride Safe,
Barry

If you would like to sign up for the Cyclerides.com Weekly Update Click Here.

Tidbits:

**Click Here for Photos from last week at the Cyclerides.com Bike Night at Westgate Entertainment District. This Friday night Live Music with Backstage Crew.

**See recent posts throughout the week. Like the Cyclerides.com Facebook Page for mid week updates. Go to www.facebook.com/cycleridescom.

Cyclerides.com Bike Night

Started Friday, September 8th
Cyclerides.com Bike Night at Westgate Entertainment District.
Cyclerides.com Bike Night at Westgate Entertainment District will begin our 9th Fall Season with 11 nights total on Friday, September 8th from 5pm - 9pm. Yes, you read that correct, Friday night. Due to interest in Friday nights last time and some conflict with events at the arena, we have decided to do the first 7 Cyclerides.com Bike Nights at Westgate on Friday nights. For those of you putting this in your calendars to keep track, those dates will be Friday nights from September 8th - October 20th.

Here is where it gets a little tricky. Our first idea was to do the last 4 nights on Thursday nights and that is how we were going to proceed. Then Westgate got notified of an event happening at the arena on Thursday, Nov. 9th. So we are switching that one night to Friday, November 10th when we will have a big Veteran's Day celebration at bike night. So the last 4 nights will be on Thursdays, October 26th, November 2nd and November 16th for the last night. November 10th will be on a Friday. It was unfortunate that we couldn't keep all 4 Thursdays in a row, but with all the conflicts either way, this was the best way to do it. 

I am excited to get this kicked off for the Fall season and to give us all an excuse to get out on the motorcycle and enjoying some cooler weather especially for evening riding. There was a lot of good feedback on Friday nights last time as a lot of people used it for a date night on the motorcycle and were able to stay out a little longer as for some it isn't a work night. 

Live Music for the first month will be: 
Friday, September 22nd: "Backstage Crew"
Friday, September 29th: "Mojo Rats"
Friday, October 6th: "The Visitors"

Thanks once again to our presenting sponsors: Arrowhead Harley-Davidson, Ridenow Powersports and Indian Motorcycle Peoria, and Indian Motorcycle Chandler.
And also to our Associate Sponsor: Law Tigers Motorcycle Lawyers. 

For more information, go to the Cyclerides.com Bike Night Page. Here you will find the bands that will be playing each week and photos posted throughout the season. I look forward to seeing you all again for bike night this fall. Westgate Entertainment District is located at the SE corner of Loop 101 and Glendale Ave. in Glendale, AZ.


This Week
September 23rd
Desert Wind Harley-Davidson Freedom to Trade Event. Bring in your old helmet and/or riding boots. Trade them in for $25 credit towards the purchase of any in-stock genuine Harley-Davidson helmet or riding boot. Credit is only good on regular priced helmets & boots. This offer does not apply to any other offer or discount. Desert Wind Harley-Davidson is located at 922 S. Country Club Dr. in Mesa, AZ. 480-894-0404.

Saturday, September 23rd
Arrowhead Harley-Davidson Fall Freedom Fest. Fall has arrived & so have the 2018 models! Join Arrowhead Harley-Davidson for our Fall Freedom Fest on Saturday, September 23rd, from 10am to 1pm.
*Free Food
*Live Band
*Bikini Bike Wash
*Raffles
*End of Summer BLOWOUT SALE on all pre-owned motorcycles.
*On-Site Patch Sewing
*Free Energy Drinks
*End of Season Motorclothes Merchandise Sidewalk Sale
Arrowhead Harley-Davidson is located at 16130 N. Arrowhead Fountain Center Dr. in Peoria, AZ. 623-247-5542.
Next Week

Saturday, September 30th
Shake, Rattle and Roll for Parkinsons. Shake Rattle and Roll for Parkinson's Disease starting at Harley-Davidson of Scottsdale - 15656 N Hayden Rd. Scottsdale, AZ. Meeting at 9:00 AM. Riders will be treated to Breakfast, Lunch, Live Music, Gift Bag, Ride Pin, Raffles, Silent Auction and more. Single $25 - Couple $45. See flyer for more details.

Saturday-Sunday,
September 30th - October 1st
Buddy Stubbs Harley-Davidson Demo Rides. Ready to Demo ride the 2018 Harley-Davidson lineup? Don’t wait any longer, Buddy Stubbs Arizona Harley-Davidson will have the Harley Factory Demo Truck on site and packed with nothing but 2018 motorcycles! Bring your gear and see what the all new Softail lineup is all about! With more power and less weight you can’t go wrong. Head on over to Buddy Stubbs Harley-Davidson on Saturday September 30th – Sunday October 1st and twist the throttle on the 2018 lineup! For more information call (602) 971-3400.  Buddy Stubbs Harley-Davidson is located at 13850 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix AZ 85022. Or online at www.buddystubbshd.com. Be sure to also follow them on both Facebook and Instagram for the latest in everything Harley-Davidson.

Extras
 
Mid Week Updates will be made on the Cyclerides.com Facebook. New Easy to remember Facebook address. Go to www.facebook.com/cycleridescom. Over 6500 LIKES! Take a look at all the new photos posted on the wall. If you are not on Facebook, you can still view the  page, but you will not be able to post. There will be a link there for you to sign up for Facebook if you are inclined. Click the LIKE button!

Who needs machines when you have this kind of precision from humans. Click Here to view.

Video of the Week
Don't get caught in a handicap space with this tow truck driver. Watch to the end. Hilarious! Click Here. Click on the Video of the Week graphic to view.
 
If you would like to sign up for the Cyclerides.com Weekly Update Click Here.

Until Next Week,
Blessings and Safe Riding To All,

Barry Caraway
"The Road Is Yours - Take The Ride"
www.cyclerides.com
All information in this newsletter is
Copyright © 2017 BDC Products, LLC.
Information may be used only with permission.
All rights reserved.