Today's Ride (Photos)

[CraigArizona85248]

We've had incredible weather all week here in Arizona.  Daytime highs are hitting the upper 60's and lower 70's.  I've got in about 500 miles in the last three days just puttin' around.  Today I grabbed the camera and took it with me.  Intended to get some shots of the desert but went through Tortilla Flat and found a huge number of bikes there.  I guess it's a tradition to ride out there on New Years Day for a lot of folks.  I had not idea but was glad I had my camera because there were some interesting bikes.

This was a nicely restored Indian flathead four.  Very neat bike.








This bike is a Norton with a Wankle (rotary) engine!  I've heard about these but this is the first time I've seen one.  Sweet!




Here is a really nice 1984 Low Rider.  They owner told me he got it from his uncles dealership brand new and has been the sole owner.


Lots of people and bikes.  There really weren't many Harleys.  Tons of sport bikes (no surprise since Tortilla Flat is located along the best sport bike road in the Phoenix area).






The wash was running over the road from all the rain last week.  Only about 2" to 4" of water so easily traversible.  Too bad most folks let it stop them.  The best 6 miles of this road are beyond the wash.


A little bit of desert scenery...

[help-u2]

nice shots craig.   yesterday i went other direction.   but will fire up the buell and head that way right now....
did not figgure so many would be up there

[CraigArizona85248]

Gary,

I got there around 9:30am and left around 12:30pm.  I was passing a lot of bikes still on there way in, so I imagine the crowd will be there until 4-5pm.

-Craig

[hpbear101]

Craig great photo's and ride! Was just talking to my brother about a winter trip to Arizona for a ride. Been snowing for the last couple weeks here so spring fever is getting bad.
Tom

[JamLazyAss]

Craig,

Don't mean to sound corny, but those pictures are absolutely beautiful.
56 years old and I've never been west of Buffalo New York 

Some day. some day....

[Dakota]

Thanks for the pic's Craig.  It's nice to see some people riding when we've been freezing here.  At least we've been thinking about where we want to ride to next year.

[RK101]

Great pics Craig. Love the Indian  Went outside this morning to go for a ride and the temps were about 20* so I decided to go back in the house and watch football. Just wasn't in the mood to ride in the cold today. Glad to hear you got to put some miles.

[Kansas]

JamLazyAss - interesting handle.  Anyway, you only live once and there is some really beautiful America west of Buffalo New York.  Take the time, make the sacrifice, and go explore.  Thanks for the photos, Craig.

[03deuce]

Great pics.  Also got out for a short ride to the beach for lunch today.          Weather was in the high 60s, mid 70s along the ocean.  Lots of people out for the holiday.  Sorry, no pics from me.  I can take them, but getting them posted to the internet would be on all day job for me.  lol!

[Panzer]

Craig,
Thx for sharing.
Come ooooooonnnn spring.

[blk-betty]

Craig

Great Pics!  Wife and I were in Scottsdale last February for a work related conference and stayed on another day.  We rented a car and headed out for Tonto National Monument to get a look at the desert moutains as we're flatlanders from the south east coast.  Had a rental car and when we got the water crossing there at Tortilla Flats we didn't know if we should proceed on or turn back.  Water was about 6" so we took our chance and crossed over.  Saw a good bit of sport bikes along the way but the farther we got past Tortilla Flats the less we saw.  Figured out way about 5 miles later - that road turns to gravel then dirt.  Our cheap map from the place we were staying didn't mention any dirt road.  Oh well we kept going, must have been about 20 miles before we came to the Roosevelt Dam and pavement again.  

Beautiful county but I couldn't help thinking I probably wouldn't ride the bike very fast on that rode.  Nothing to stop you if you go over the edge.  Back east we got lots of trees to sort of break the fall when you go over a cliff - nothing out there but open air until you tumble to the bottom.  Of course going over in either situation would be catastrophic but the trees here give a little false sense of security.

[seattledyna]

nice pics!

gotta say that Indian four is the most beautiful motor ever put between two wheels!

but I did see a bike once with a flathead Ford V/8 60 that was quite a site!

[Reddog74usa]

Great pics. Those henderson powered Indians are nice bikes. I to have never seen a Norton Rotary. That was supposed to be the bike that took the Commandos place but it really never happend since they went under. I wonder how good they run? Did you get to talk to the owner?

[Coyote]

Great photos Craig, thanks for sharing. I love the ones of the water over the road. Reminds me of many I have been on here in CA! We were fogged in today so they are cool to look at! 

[Ken R]

Really cool pictures.

I've actually been to Tortilla Flats.  One of the best rides Judy and I have done together.  Everything was picturesque.  Much different than N. Central Texas, for sure.  We'd never been to Arizona before . . . . thought those cactus were only in cartoons. 

We stopped at the stores there, had ice cream, but didn't go over the wash, either.  I was afraid of moss or algae.   Someone told us that the best riding was beyond.  But someone else told us that it was gravel road.  Maybe I'll get to go back some day. 

[Rusty Steel]

Thanks for the warm looking photo's. 

[CraigArizona85248]

Washes with water running are not something to take lightly.  I just happen to know this one really well because of having ridden through it so many times.  In the case of this wash it might run once or twice after a big rain in the summer and then it runs pretty regularly Jan-March.  I've never seen the water over 6" deep.  And because it dries out regularly, there is never a moss build up (that I've seen).

blk-betty, it's too bad the pavement doesn't go all the way to Roosevelt.  That would make an awesome ride.  But with the 20 miles of dirt road it's passable on a bike, but not a lot of fun.  And tough on the equipment unless you happen to be an a dual-sport bike.  That road has some of the worst wash boarding I've run across.

I would encourage anyone who hasn't been out west to come check it out.  I grew up on the east coast and when I first came out here, the scenery and big sky took my breath away.  After you're out here a while you sort of get used to it.  Now I enjoy seeing the thick lush green I grew up around.

-Craig

[road-dawgs1]

Nice pics, I live in VT......2 degrees and -20 with wind chill last night.....you suck!

[harpo1313]

ya ,my cars doors are frozen shut,my dogs jewels have frostbite and your out cruisin in the desert,somethin wrong here.any garden shed you want to rent out for winters? nice pics craig,always wanted to move west but all the kids live out this way so im stuck here

[Old Crow]

Great pics, Craig.  Brings back some memories for sure.  
Back in the '70's I was stationed at Williams AFB.  Bought me an old 305 Super Hawk.  
Rode  up to Globe one weekend, saw the sign for Tortilla Flats and took the turnoff.  Took a while, and I had a scare on Fish Creek hill, but I'll never forget the ride.

[Grumpy : (]

Craig, great pics.  I need to schedule a road trip out that way.

G  : (

[Bumpy1959]

Great Pics Craig! Cold and windy on the North Oregon Coast today, looking forward to loading the scooter in the ToyHauler and spending the month of March at Parker Dam and riding in some t-shirt weather. Hooray Arizona!
Bumpy

[texaskatfish]

Craig great camera work dude!

I'm wondering -What is that verticle bolt towards the rear of that Indian motor - looks to be passing through an extended fin off of the cylinder (no biggie just caught my eye)

And that rotary Norton WOW - never heard of or saw one before. As someone else asked above I wonder how that thing runs?

Only wankel I've even seen run was in a buddies Mazda RX2 in high school - that lil car was QWIK!

[RK101]

TKF, It almost looks like a dip stick. Just a guess.??

[RVN73]

I left VT to get away from that damn cold and snow but I still would't like the summer heat in AZ