Volume IV Issue IX

A great ride by one of our Members.....Enjoy By Bob Branch

I trailered my bike from Walls to Kansas City, left Ann with Madelyn while Mike and I headed for Mexico. We had planned to go from there to via San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, take the ferry from La Paz to Mazatian and around the Sierra Nevada’s via Guadalajara with reentry at Presidio, TX then thru the Big Bend National Park back to Kansas City.

The best laid plans of mice and men...y’know, sometimes get changed. I lost all hearing in my good ear about half way down Baja. Mike speaks no spanish and I could only hear static. So, Plan B. We took the ferry to Los Mochis and came back up the East coast of the Sea of Cortez, reentry at Nogales and direct to KC. The start, Kansas City to Wichita Friday, July, 22nd was nice, cool and all the rain they’ve had this summer really made the Flint Hills green. First time I have ever seen them that lush. Good visit with Bob Pace, and, Glenda, thanks for the cookies and Gatorade. Leaving Wichita the temperature climbed fast, over 100 by Oklahoma City and in the 100 to 105 range until we got into Amarillo. There was Jehovah’s Witnesses convention there and we had to look for a while to find a room.

Saturday hot but the remnants of hurricane Emily in the afternoon helped. Thunderstorms, some big, even some hail. We sat out one really big one in a Pilot station. I wore my rain jacket a while. Mike wore his full suit but most of the time the rain felt good and we dried fast.
I was still having a radio problems so called DeSoto Honda in Albuquerque. Richard gave me the number for R&S Honda there and they were only about five blocks away, first piece of luck. They diagnosed the problem, bad mike, had a new one in stock and replaced it with no labor charge. Mike had noted my rear tire was almost bald (DeSoto had replaced front one and said I should have plenty of miles left on the rear for this trip it would have been showing cord by San Diego. Gotta talk to Richard on this). They had a rear tire in stock and installed it in less than an hour.. ..at a total cost of just about what Mike had spent for one and spent 3 hours installing it, second piece of luck. Good dealership. Into the mountains it got downright cold. Mike even put on a jacket in Flagstaff. We made a mistake thinking there would be motels on 17 south of Flagstaff and had to ride half way to Phoenix to find any place to stay. Everything was posh
resorts, far between and all full for the weekend. We finally found a one at Campo Verde
Sunday morning we had breakfast with my brother in Phoenix and headed into the real heat. Over 100 as we left Phoenix and above 110 in no time. I know how you and Red Leader like it hot but this was HOT and stayed that way into Riverside, 115 in lndio. Anyone tells you ‘it’s dry heat and won’t bother you’, watch ‘em...they will lie to you about other things as well.

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Trails End Minutes by Stan Viets

August 2005

We had 18 members attending our August meeting, Elson Reeves, Floyd Nunnelee, Rusty Higgins, Dan Randall, Margaret Rogers, Rick Totty,
Terry and MC Scott, Billy and Hildia Max, Ted Beers, Mike and Brenda Hamilton, Don and Marion Oller, Charlie and Darnell Gibson and yours truly. We didn’t have any visitors.
Hildia reported our current bank balance is $858.40.
We had 3 Birthdays In August, Don Oller on the 12th, Dan Randall on the 18th, Darnell Gibson on the 22nd. We have a bunch of anniversaries this month, Jerry and Sissy Turner on the 3rd, Billy and Hildia Max on the 6th, Buck and Donna Permenter on the 7th, Joe and Deanna Kilpatrick on the 12th and Charlie and Darnell Gibson on the 28th, congratulations and best wishes to all. Please continue to keep Barry Englander and Jean Viets in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Ongoing business:
Our Fox Ridge server Is Traci. Remember the tips are always added to your check at our meetings.
Hildia brought extra logo transfers to the meeting for those that needed any. Also Dan Is checking with someone to make bike antenna flags using two small MTR logo transfers and will let us know next month.
We have 6 MTR memberships’ that haven’t renewed yet but will give them a little more time before we remove them from our directory. Dan reported that Performance Plus renewed their Sponsor/Ad for another year. Thanks Dan we appreciate your dedication to MTR and all the good work you do with PR and Happy Trails. This will leave the two that we will contact and see if they are going to renew. As always please check with our sponsors If you have need for their services.
We have had over 11,100 hits on the site to date, up over 500 during last month alone. Eddie Is doing a wonderful job on our MTR web page and additionally is doing web design for the Motorcycle community, see http://www.thebikeweb.com. If you know someone that would be interested In a Motorcycle Site, designed by a Motorcyclist, let Eddie know.
Did you read the article about “No helmets, more Injuries” In the CA on the 8th. The report Indicates injuries are up in the states that do not require helmets, which now only number 30, a decline from the 47 helmet law states In 1975. Riding without a helmet and protective gear is not a good Idea.
We reviewed the MTR August rides scheduled between the August 11th and September 8th meetings and will be past history when you are reading this.

Dateline Memphis. TN
August 11, 2005
Motorcyclist visit museum
and eat high on the hog.

Saturday August 13th We had 18 members attend the Pig and Whistle Dinner Ride to Kerrville, TN. This ride Included a visit to the Art of the Motorcycle Exhibit. Both were outstanding, If you haven’t been to the Art of the Motorcycle Exhibit, you should consider going. It has a fabulous assortment of motorcycles with a brief story about each of them, Its well worth your time. Please check the web page for pictures.
August 19th thru August 28th. The Big One, Mt Rushmore and points West. We wish a safe and fun trip for all. We will look forward to your progress reports with your wireless computer connection.
Advance Planning Notice; The following MTR Scheduled Rides will take place after the September meeting.
September 10th 7 States In one Day Ride, TN, AR, MO, IL, AL, MS
September 17th Trail of Tears, Waterloo, AL
September 24th Burnt Burger IV, Arkabutla Lake, MS
October 8th Blazing Saddles-Ezell’s Fish Camp, AL-Meridian, MS (Overnighter)
Why not make your reservations now?
Dan received an email from the Best Western Motel, owned by a Gold Wing rider, Sweetwater, TN, Inviting somebody to come up, check out the attractions in the area and use their motel as a base
of operations. They offered a free nights stay for an MTR representative to check it out. Billy Max offered to follow up. Don Oller confirmed they have been using this motel for years and on September 16-18 they will host the AWGA Smoky Mountain Roundup there.
Don and Marion Invited anyone interested in going to the Sprint Car Races in Farmington, Mo on October lst to come on up, they will be staying at the Rescuer’s Inn and Restaurant, Park Hills,
MO., 1-573-431.4241. Also If you would like to go to the Motorcycle Races at Barber Motor Sports Past, October 21-23, their Chapter will be staying at the Days Inn in Leeds AL, 1-205-699-9833 and you need to make reservations early. Let Don know If you are Interested in going to either, both or have any questions. donoller@jaxnet.net
Thanks to all that brought door prizes, you win one, you bring one, and we appreciate your donation. We are grateful for Rick Totty and his generous contribution to the MTR treasury.
See y’all at our next meeting September 8th, again at Fox Ridge Pizza.

Ride Safe and arrive alive in 005
Stan and Jean

Adjourned at 7:55 PM

Door Prizes - Win One Bring One

Donated By:	Prize:	Winner:
Terry & MC Stan & Jean Dan Billy & Hildia Margaret Brenda & Mike Don & Marion Don & Marion	Canvas Bag Popcorn Cleaner Therm. & Compass Peanuts Doub. deck cards Candle Candle	Dan Billy Rick Mike Rick Eldon Brenda Darnell
50/50 Drawing	$42.00 (donated to MTR)	Rick

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We couldn’t believe the traffic in Riverside. Four or five lanes, all going 60 or so, bumper to bumper, for miles, and this on Sunday afternoon. We found Lonny’s place with no problem but could have used Bob Pace’s pathfinder abilities. Lotta rich Californians with sick pets so Lonny had to work late. He ordered pizza as he left the clinic and it arrived at the same time he did, around 8PM. Nice pad and we enjoyed the short visit, and the pizza. Lonny had to go in at 8AM Monday and left early. We left shortly after and had breakfast with my namesake nephew and his beautiful family In Murrieta Hot Springs, a few miles south of Lonny's, on the way to the border. Becky had gone to Starbucks and picked up sweets,
coffee and juice. Nice touch and good visit. Too bad I
don’t see them more often.
No problem it the border. Got the necessary vehicle
Insurance at one of the drive thru’s. But they only have casualty insurance at these drive thru’s. If you want comprehensive and anything else it's best to get it on-line or somewhere beforehand. They just waved us thru at the border. Baja is some kind of free zone and you don’t enter Mexico until you cross over to the mainland, as we found out later.
From the border to Ensenada is a four lane scenic
highway, cuota (toll road). Good road, good scenery.
Roads were generally good all the way down Baja, and on the mainland, but in Baja there are no shoulders, NONE, even at pull offs or entrances to businesses like the Pemex stations. I had to relearn how to handle loose gravel, sand, rocks, drop-offs and bump-ups to get back on the road.

"If a man does his best, what else is there?”

General George S. Patton (1 885-1945)

Lunch in Ensenada, our first Mexican meal, good, as most were, and we rode south. We were trying to rigorously observe speed limits but they are all quite low, even on the highway. We soon learned no one paid much attention to them. When we got passed by an old dump truck we joined the crowd, usually finding a "rabbit” and following a little behind him. We only saw two “poilcla” in Baja, both in pickups and not very interested in us, helpful with directions. But we were still cautious, not wanting a Mexican traffic ticket. Roads and streets were generally well marked and we had no problem finding where we wanted to go.
Northern Baja man agricultural area with lots of groves, plowed fields and labor intensive crops. Surprising how much. The largest olive farm In the world In just east of Ensenada. Fox Studios has an exhibit at Rosarita where they made the movie Titanic but we didn’t even slow down.
We were glad to get to San Vincente about 6PM and find a hotel. This is a typical small Mexican town and a good first stop to get a flavor of Mexico. Unique hotel, Las Palmas (one big date palm growing up thru the root from the marble porch, up between the columns), and the porch was a good safe place for the bikes. Only 12 rooms but no air conditioning....the only non-air conditioned place we stayed. But it had a good fan and was quite comfortable not a FOX motel by any stretch. The only employee was the owner, and he owned the “general store” next door, as well as a lot of farm somewhere dose. His workers brought in several truckloads of peppers and tomatillos, which left for somewhere about bedtime. They also worked on a truck outside our window until midnight. Their roosters took care of getting us up in the morning and this guy was there collecting his laborers in trucks for the fields.
We had had a good supper ate restaurant across the road Monday night and they told us it'd open at 6:30 the next morning. When we walked over there Tuesday morning it was still “cerrado, “closed”. They explained that 6:30 was “Mexican time”, open about 7, maybe.We made do with snacks from the Pemex and headed south. I had hoped to show Mike the Meling ranch, and their air strip, just south of San Vincente. But it is off Highway 1 about 20 miles on an ‘improved” dirt road and a local at the Pemex, in a 4x4, said he had had a hard time making it there because of deep soft sand. So we skipped it..didn’t want to punish the Valks. Ann and I flew in there twice when we were in the old Baja Bush Pilots, once in the Comanche and once in the Saratoga. Then the strip was dirt and gravel about 900’ long, with a 30 degree slope from the threshold and hidden behind a cinder cone. It is still behind the cinder cone but has been lengthened, I understand. When you come in you can’t see the strip until you turn final. And once you turn base you are committed, no place to go but the strip. A BIG mountain at the end of it, as well as on both sides. Interesting.
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Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays

04 - Sissy Turner

11 - Judy Crawford

12 - Kathy Dennie

12 - Cindy Beers

14 - Jean Viets

18 - Donna Permenter

Anniversaries

12 - Gene & Kathy Dennie

28 - Rick & Dana Totty

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Beautiful scenery from there to Guerrero Negro and on into San lgnacio, and quite varied. The first 100 miles or so is close to the ocean and then inland, across the peninsula and thru a large preserve. Except for this stretch, Pemex stations were plentiful. But between San Vincente and Guerrero Negro there’s one stretch of about 225 miles between stations~ Around Memphis I start looking for gas at about 200 miles. Across the hot desert, and at higher speed% we were on reserve once at 140 miles and were a little concerned here. As we were heading for a “tienda” to buy cans some guy returning from Cabo told us there were several entrepreneurs along the way selling gas out of 55 gallon drums in pickup trucks so we forgot the cans. And sure enough, about 40 miles we came upon the first of these informal stations and bought about a gallon and a half each siphoned from the drums to gallon or two gallon jugs and then to our tanks. Surprisingly, the cost was no more than at the government owned Pemex stations. Pemex Magna Sin was $M6.00 to $M6.33 per liter in Baja and on the mainland. This translates to $US2.1 Ito $US2.22 per gallon, much less than in CA and about what it cost here in the Memphis area. Pemex gas was at least as good as US gas, maybe better than that in Califomia.Their Magna Sin (without lead) was 87
octane and they also had a Premium at 91 octane. We did not use Premium anywhere.
This area has many kinds of cacti and other plants, as well as a “boulder field” with miles of boulders covering everything, some as big a houses. There are several interesting plants here, the two strangest are the cirio cactus and the elephant plant. Only place in the world for either and there are miles of them both. The cirio is strange a kind of pole up to maybe 20 feet tall with many little twigs from bottom to top and a kind of flower at the top. The elephant tree looks like It has no bark and its leaves are frilly and look like flowers, strange also but kinda pretty. There were also a lot of saguaro cactus, healthy and numerous all down Baja and on the mainland as well. After getting gas via siphon and lunch in Guerrero Negro (wrong time of year to see the whales) we made good time and got into San lgnacio and Ricardo’s Hotel early. Good meal at his “Rice and Beans” restaurant and a good safe place for the bikes. Ricardo had ridden in the Baja 1000 a couple of years before and his dirt bike on the porch was one of the few bikes we saw in Baja. In fact, other than this one we only saw three more the entire 1000 miles of Baja, two smaller ones, two up and loaded with camping gear, headed north and a Gold Wing, early 1980s with a Mexican couple from Ensenada. They were taking the La Paz - Mazatlan ferry and stayed where we did in La Paz. The rear tire was bald. Hope they made It home with no problem. lt was hot much of Baja but not like the AZ-CA desert. I wore my long sleeve cotton shirt, gloves and full face helmet all the way. Mike agreed, I think, that a long sleeve shirt is cooler than bare arms and wore the safari shirt Glenda gave him most or all of the way. We drank a lot of water (without need to stop to pee much) and had no problem. I was never conscious of being uncomfortable, except at that gas station in lndio, CA. In Mexico we locked the bikes and took the same precautions we would take in Memphis or Kansas City and had nothing stolen. Course, my riding shirt and gloves are so disreputable no self respecting Mexican thief would take them anyway. Near San lgnacio there are some prehistoric cave paintings that rival those in France but we chose to head south Wednesday morning, much of it along the east coast of Baja, on the Sea of Cortez. Mountains high enough to cool things off some and many great vistas (and little crosses and altars where someone didn’t make the twisties) we were into La Paz as the downtown ferry office was to close, but that office had been closed for months. We found a hotel close to the Malecon, the very attractive promenade along the beaches and it had an enclosed parking area for the bikes. I took a swim and Mike finally was able to get a call thru to Madelyn. A walk to and along the Malecon and a great seafood meal, more large shrimp, gambas, than we could eat. Mike was becoming frustrated with our communication difficulties and when we found the ferries would not be running Friday we decided to take the Thursday ferry to Los Mochis instead of Mazatlan and head home.
We thought we could make a run down to Cabo San Lucas the Thursday morning end still make the ferry at 3PM. It is only 88 miles, 4 lane super toll road. When I was there 38 years ago it was only accessible by boat and dune buggy. It took the better part of a day to get there, using creek beds and animal trails. We had a sandwich at the lone hotel, a margarita, marked the beach and headed back to La Paz. It got dark and we stayed with a Mexican family, kinda the original bed and breakfast, actually bed and supper. They fed us and gave each of us a wool blanket for a bed, on their dirt floor. And we had a hard time getting them to accept any money when we left early the next morning them days are gone forever. I would have liked to have seen it again but it may be just as well. It was pristine then. Now it is spoiled with posh resorts and hotels. Course, there were probably some back then decrying that the dune buggies were spoiling it.
Getting on the ferry proved more complicated and time consuming than we expected, so no Cabo anyway. We had to do all the formal entry into Mexico first and, like most foreign countries, they have a lot of people stamping papers and, of course, getting a little moolah each time. When we got this done we just had time to get back to town, check out of the hotel, eat lunch and get back to line up for boarding. These are a big ferries, many cars and semis. We boarded on the third deck, down a ramp to the second deck where they had a good place to secure the bikes, a rail with strong ropes and dogs in the deck to tie off on the kick stand side. It was a boring but pleasant trip, supposed to be five hours. But, Mexican time we got into Topolobampo near midnight. Topolobampo is 40 miles or so from Los Mochis with little in between. We agreed first sign with motel, hotel, posada on it, that’s it”. About halfway there Mike saw “Popeye Hotel” and in we went. It was clean and had individual units with operable garage doors so the bikes were safe. When we got in and turned on the TV we realized what kind of hotel it was....all channels were porn. But, shucks, you had to bring your own senoritas. The road from Los Mochis to Nogales is a good, cuota or toll, four lane and most of the Pemex stations had paved entrances. They also had good concessions attached and we were able to get good meals without searching. A long ride thru intensive agricultural country but we made it to Nogales on Friday and thru customs before dark. It started to rain as we rode into Nogales but it was good to be back in the good old USA.
Saturday to Tucumcari, NM and Sunday on in to Wichita for the night with Bob and Glenda. When we pulled into Mike’s garage Monday morning the bikes were a little dirty but still running great, 4703 additional miles on them, and us. Great trip. We made real good use of these days the Lord has given us. But north next year, okay? Nova Scotia? Banff? Glacier?

Bob Branch