Jump to content
IGNORED

1st Annual Gilbert, AZ HOV Lane M/C Tour, Dec. 27 or 28, 2006!


KMG_365

Recommended Posts

As some of you may have learned in this post , there is an opportunity to further educate the public in general, and the citizens of Gilbert, AZ (and their PD) specifically, about the Federal mandate allowing M/C's (which are not classified as single occupant vehicles) to use the HOV lanes on a Federally funded Interstate Highway system. Our two-wheeled brethren have been unfairly cited, and though the authorities have since rescinded the citations and are trying to make amends, we'd like to help out!! grin.gif

 

We think it's a good opportunity to spread goodwill among motorcyclists and the public and raise awareness of not just motorcycles in general, but the advantages of M/C use to reduce overall traffic congestion on our nations interstate freeways.

 

 

Well . . . that, AND it sounded like a good idea for a ride to Arizona in the winter when the riding is the best, there currently is no other BMWST.com unorganized ride for the month of December, and it's a good excuse to gather with our BMWST.com motofriends (and any others!) and PARTY!!!!!!!!! clap.gif

 

So, we need some intrepid members from the local AZ Crew (we've got to find you all a good "Crew" name as well! dopeslap.gif ) to take this ball and run with it. So far "Eff" from New York will be in town the week between Christmas and New Years and I've got a few days off in the middle of that week. I'm suggesting perhaps that Wednesday or Thursday as it's in the middle of the week, the traffic will be a bit lighter as many folks will have that week off, and riding during a weekday commute time might draw more attention than a weekend ride when some HOV restrictions do not apply anyway.

 

Your Thoughts??

 

Any Volunteers??

 

Committee Members??

 

Who's doing up a route of HOV lanes?? grin.gif

 

 

What the heck is that crazy guy from SoCal talking about anyway?? tongue.gifgrin.gif

 

 

 

So far we've got "IN's!!!" for:

 

"Eff"

Jamie and Leslie

Bill Spurgeon

AZBaldur

Couchrocket

azkaisr

1bmwfan

chrisolson

KGTKOMET (riding point! thumbsup.gif )

 

 

 

. . . and still on the fence:

 

Draftermike

itroop

SWB

Brant Herbert

Tony_K

ghaverkamp

DiggerJim (he may need a loan of a bike as well! grin.gif )

 

Hey, where's PhillyFlash?? Anyone seen him?? confused.gifgrin.gif

Link to comment

draw more attention than a weekend ride when some HOV restrictions do not apply anyway.

Yep, no restrictions on weekends or mid day - restrictions normally only apply in AM and PM rush hour times.

 

Who's doing up a route of HOV lanes??
Over the next 2 - 3 weekends I'll try to put together a listing of the major HOV lanes in the Phx metro area, possibly with photos along with the exact restriction times ... if that will help ....

 

DiggerJim (he may need a loan of a bike as well!
Can handle that too...
Link to comment
Jamie,

 

Sounds like fun...Jennifer, the girls and I will all be here, unfortunately, for two weeks:

costa_rica_map.gifclap.gif

 

Steve in So Cal

 

**hijack**

 

Steve,

 

Jamie and I went there three years ago for Christmas and New Years. We stayed down in Manuel San Antonio. We had 17 days of absolute wonderment! That is one beautiful country!

 

Definitely take the boat from Puntarenas to Tortuga Islas (Turtle Island). Amazing!! Flying fish, dolphin, rays, and many, many more!

 

You are gonna love it!! thumbsup.gifthumbsup.gifthumbsup.gif

 

**end of hijack**

Link to comment
IN!

Harold is around, saw him last Sunday.

 

--

Mikko

Hope you didn't call him Harold grin.gif

 

The AZ crew could be the Dessicated Crew, making them all Dessicants. "Dessicated to the cause". (Needs work)

 

You realize you are going to get tickets for organizing a demonstration without a permit and probably for obstructing traffic (even if you're not). The Man has a way of dealing with these things...

Link to comment

making them all Dessicants
Ugh...that's worse than the moniker having to do with some type of porcine based entree - which I was never in favor of by the way - but maybe I'll endorse it yet grin.gifgrin.gif

 

I ride the HOV all the time - just not in Gilbert 'cause its about 40 miles away from my normal routes - and have never had a problem.

Link to comment
Who's doing up a route of HOV lanes??
Gotta make sure we go right thru Gilbert. Also might be worth alerting the news so they can do a follow up on their last program. Be interesting to see if they decide they need to dub in a sound track when a dozen bikes go by make a zzziiinnnggggg noise instead of a RRRROOOOAAAARRRRRVVRRRROOOMMMMM clap.gif
Link to comment

US-60 (where the tickets were issued) runs through Tempe and Mesa and is actually outside of Gilbert's township. Gilbert's northern border parallels US-60 for about 9 miles (Country Club rd. to Power rd.) but is a half mile south of the freeway. There is only one place at Higley rd. where Gilbert has a section that touches US-60 for about a half mile.

Link to comment
My first Arizona ride! IN
Hi George!! wave.gif

 

Maybe you can get together with Chris, Thomas and the rest of the "Fry Town" Crew ( thumbsup.gif ) to help make this happen. It sounds like a REALLY fun time! clap.gif

Link to comment
Putting together a CD mix for the event.

 

-Eff

 

Something along the lines of the helicopters in Apocalypse Now??? eek.gifeek.gif

 

I love the smell of HOV Lanes in teh morning!! grin.gif

Link to comment
Putting together a CD mix for the event.

 

-Eff

 

Something along the lines of the helicopters in Apocalypse Now??? eek.gifeek.gif

 

I love the smell of HOV Lanes in teh morning!! grin.gif

 

And THAT will be the opening song! Keep the suggestions coming! Or PM them.

 

-Eff

Link to comment

Hey Eff.

How about.....

 

Riders on the Storm: The Doors

 

On the Road Again: Willie Nelson

 

Cowboys Like Us: George Strait

 

Turn the Page: Bob Seger

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...
Putting together a CD mix for the event.

 

-Eff

 

Something along the lines of the helicopters in Apocalypse Now??? eek.gifeek.gif

 

I love the smell of HOV Lanes in teh morning!! grin.gif

 

And THAT will be the opening song! Keep the suggestions coming! Or PM them.

 

-Eff

Ooooh, "The Ride of the Valkyries" (by Richard Wagner)--AWESOME idea!! thumbsup.gif

 

I also thought of:

 

"Back in the Saddle Again" (Aerosmith, I think?)

 

"Radar Love" by Wall of Voodoo

 

"Radio" by The Wise Guys (okay, maybe just on MY CD! dopeslap.gifgrin.gif )

 

Of course, "On the Road Again" by Willie Nelson and segue right into "On the Road Again" by Bob Seeger. (I'm crackin' myself up now! dopeslap.gif )

 

I almost forgot: the "Dies Irae" from the Verdi Requiem! (Actually, the whole requiem if you can can find a version where the soprano isn't too "Wagnerian" and doesn't "wobble" too much! dopeslap.gifgrin.gif )

 

Gotta be a way to work in some ZZ TOP and Holst's "The Planets" in there somewhere, though I can see the transitions being a bit rough! grin.gif

 

We were hitting the Virgin River Gorge on the way to this last Torrey and "Mars, Bringer of War" (from "The Planets") came on just as we decended into the gorge for a high-speed run through the canyon amidst the trucks and cars. It was PERFECT! cool.gif

 

I know there are more that I thought of in all the riding the last few weeks but am totally blanking on them right now. I'll chime in as I remember to write them down. grin.gif

 

 

 

Also, Signman has already made stickers for the attendees and gave them to me at Torrey--thanks, Rodger!! They're bitchin' and they look just like little miniatures of the signs posted on some of the entrances to the HOV lanes with the original "MOTORCYCLES OK" sign on the bottom! But you gotta show up to get yours!! thumbsup.gif

Link to comment

Unfortuately I'm in sunny Detroit...I notice on Marin's BMW site they give out "Access OK" stickers, perhaps we should create one for the AZ HOV event or a generic one that can be sponsored by the site. I would be happy to contribute to the cost and/or be part of the AZ committee.

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Oh yeah!! I'm still in!! cool.gif

 

Since there's only a few miles of HOV lane and it looks like our own Deadboy has made this rallying issue largely moot, Chris Olson has been cooking up some alternate routes for us to check out! cool.gif

 

 

 

Hey, Eff!

 

I was thinking about you and your music mix as I was riding on the Death Valley Recon Ride a few weeks ago. There were 14 of us in a long line riding from Pahrump to Death Valley Junction flying along (at a pretty good clip) crossing an open section of basin with a strong side wind and suddenly "Ride of the Valkyries" (Wagner, used in Apocalypse Now) comes blaring on in my earplug monitors! Looking at the long string of bikes in my mirrors stretching back through the curves as we flew along the empty road enjoying the cool, bright sunny day in the middle of NOWHERE with Wagner blaring in my ears--it was one of those glorious BMWST.com moments! clap.gif

Link to comment

Oh yeah!! I'm still in!!

 

Since there's only a few miles of HOV lane and it looks like our own Deadboy has made this rallying issue largely moot, Chris Olson has been cooking up some alternate routes for us to check out!

Jamie,

There are several great routes possible depending on participation level and how far we may want to go and of course the weather - although usually that time of year its really great.

 

Also an after ride get together at my house is being offered with food and beverage supplied for those who might want to participate.

 

Like to firm up the dates, # of potential participants and the general interest in a short, medium or long loop. I'll offer up some route possibilities first part of next week.

Link to comment
Oh yeah!! I'm still in!! cool.gif

 

Since there's only a few miles of HOV lane and it looks like our own Deadboy has made this rallying issue largely moot, Chris Olson has been cooking up some alternate routes for us to check out! cool.gif

 

Ok so here goes...

 

The former Gilbert HOV ride coverted into the Vulture Mine / Bagdad / Prescott ride...about 300 miles. Lunch possibility in Prescott. After ride get together held at my house with food and beverage provided. PM , email or post to participate ... or just show up ... but I can't guarantee you food grin.gif

 

Ride Date = 12/27/06

 

dec27ride.jpg

Link to comment

One choice is my home in Avondale...PM or email for the address and cel...I'm conveniently located on the way grin.gif. Jamie and Leslie will be there and it will be the home base for the after ride get together.

 

Other possibilities are Denneys or Cracker Barrel at I10 and Dysart if people want to do breakfast first. I'm open to options.

 

Scheduled ride time is 9AM .

Link to comment

Nice route. The Bagdad road is short, but a real hoot. Lots of whoop-de-do's and quick, blind corners. Very little traffic, but easy to get in trouble if you don't pay very close attention to what you're doing.

 

The weather usually is pretty good that time of year, but you never know. If the high country is getting snow or ice, as an alternative we could head east to Superior, south on 177 to Winkleman, north on 77 to Globe, east on 60 all the way back to Phoenix, or a side trip up 188 to Roosevelt Lake.

 

Several different options, so there's usually someplace decent to ride to where the weather is still good.

Link to comment

Howard,

 

I had considered the Superior, Winkleman, Globe, Roosevelt Lake route also ... the difference was I'd done that fairly recently and the other route allowed for lots of interesting lunch possibilities in Prescott as a diversion for our out of state guests ... grin.gif But, its always good to have alternatives.

 

Will your bike be back together so you can join?

Link to comment

OK, so far it looks like...

 

Les_is_more

KMG_365

chrisolson

azkaisr

Effervescent

Bill Spurgeon

George_LT

 

Unknown:

 

PhillyFlash

AZJerry

FlyingFinn

knuc04

BillAllenR1150RT

johnlt

 

 

There is an option on the table of a pre-ride breakfast. Location would be in Avondale, aprox time would be 8AM if we're doing Vulture Mine / Bagdad / Prescott. Thoughts?

Link to comment
OK, so far it looks like...

 

Les_is_more

KMG_365

chrisolson

azkaisr

Effervescent

Bill Spurgeon

George_LT

 

Unknown:

 

PhillyFlash

AZJerry

FlyingFinn

knuc04

BillAllenR1150RT

johnlt

 

 

There is an option on the table of a pre-ride breakfast. Location would be in Avondale, aprox time would be 8AM if we're doing Vulture Mine / Bagdad / Prescott. Thoughts?

 

Breakfast sounds good to me. For those of us in the exclusive Ahwatukee Motorcycle/Polo Club, we can meet around 7:15 at the Safeway (Starbucks). I think traffic will be light cutting accross town though some folks will be working.

 

 

Kaisr thumbsup.gif

Link to comment

IN.

 

Well, sort of in. Meeting at 7:15 with rest of the Polo Club members sounds good. See you there Tom.

But I have a customer meeting at 4pm so I might have to bail out early to get back for that obligation. frown.gif

Link to comment

 

1. I'd sure like to make this ride. Just to get the hell outta here for a day. We'll see.

 

2. I'd sure like to hear Radar Love by Wall of Voodoo. eek.gif

 

3. The Black Bear Diner in Avondale (they call it Goodyear??) is FAR better for breakfast than all the above mentioned. Dysart Rd and I-10. 20 yards from the offramp. Awesome food. thumbsup.gif

Link to comment
2. I'd sure like to hear Radar Love by Wall of Voodoo. eek.gif

It was on their very hard to find "Live, from Mazatlan!" album. tongue.gif

 

 

Okay, I got it wrong. I always mix up those drum tracks from Mexican Radio. smirk.gif

 

 

Anyway, I just had another "Oh, Really?" experience. Similar to when I found out as an adult that "The Scorpions" were a band out of Hannover, I just learned that "Golden Earring" is/was a Dutch group! Who would've guessed by just listening to the lead singers' perfect English? dopeslap.gif

 

 

 

Hey, Eff!! If it's not too late how about adding "Autobahn" by Kraftwerk, and "Fly on the Windscreen" by Depeche Mode? grin.gif

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...