We have never been by the Phoenix International Raceway (NASCAR racing), so we made the ride out that way. Along the way, we watched a helicopter doing aerial application (crop spraying); probably not as fast as a spray plane, but they can stop when they get near power lines.
PIR was impressive. Out of town, up against the mountains...
That's a file photo - the races were last week. No crowds, we had the road to ourselves. The parking goes on for a mile or so west of the track.
We stopped for fuel. Somewhere around 75 miles on the odometer, but neither bike was completely full when we picked them up. Just a guess on the mileage, but it looks like it will be on the far side of 90 mpg. It's supposed to get close to 100 mpg once the bikes are broke in. We can do a lot of aimless wandering with that mileage. On my way back to the bike after getting a receipt, there was a young lady getting off a bicycle; she asked me, "How much do those cost? They are SO cool."
I hope I didn't dash her hopes when I told her. She looked to be about 14 years old... yes, I remember what a motorcycle meant to me back then.
On one stretch of road, a Harley rider blew past us. We caught up to him at the light. With a roar, he pulled away. We caught up to him again at the next light. I was wishing the PCX had a tach so I could see if the engine was running while stopped beside this guy.
The speed limit was 45; we were running at 45. I nodded and smiled at him, he tried to look through me. That was me 30 years ago... pretty sure he couldn't see that he would ever be me. Next stop: Culver's. Joan suggested an ice-cream stop; no argument from me. You may be familiar with the biker saying, "Live to ride, ride for ice-cream." Culver's has custard type ice-cream - it's worth the trip.
We drove north of the Interstate on Avondale Blvd. Joan was concerned that there would be a lot of Sunday shopping traffic, but we wound up driving through a nice residential area. Names like Laguna Vista and Lake View... and there were some ponds (no doubt elevated to lake status for the real estate market) with homes around them. We saw a few places with small docks, one had a small pontoon boat. It wouldn't be adventure cruising, but it was a little bit of water... it would be a good workout area with a kayak.
We turned west on Indian School Road. A divided road, but not bad with the traffic... urban scooter cruising. At one stoplight, a guy in an SUV nodded as he pulled alongside us. He said, "Those look like fun - how fast will they go?"
"We are told they will do close to 70. I would imagine that is with a tailwind, downhill, and the ass-end on fire."
He laughed. I told him, "We are still breaking them in, so we haven't had them above 50 yet."
We nodded at each other again when the light turned green. I don't think he was old enough to remember the advertising campaign from the 60s: "You meet the nicest people on a Honda." ;-)
We drove through a couple more housing developments. They all have great sounding names... Pebble Beach sounds like it should be on some water, but other than a small man-made waterfall at one entrance, I didn't see any "beachy looking" area. It is a 55+ development - you didn't see any kids around there. We did see some "active adults." (That's how they promote the 55+ developments... you don't ever see them advertised as "sedentary old farts sitting around," but I'm sure there are some of them in those active places.
When we got back to the kids' place, we put the bikes back in the garage. Joan laughed at me when I took off my helmet. "What's the matter? Is my hair flat to my head?"
"Look in the mirror on the bike... you look like one of those Star Trek guys, the ones with the humps on their forehead. What are they called?"
"Klingons," I said, big deal, a small extrusion on my forehead. My skin isn't as elastic as it used to be... give that an hour or three and it will mostly go away.
That wasn't the first time today she insulted my appearance. I didn't shave yesterday. It was a gray ol' day, we didn't go anywhere, except to feed Steph and Dan's cats. This morning before I shaved, she mentioned how much gray there is in my beard stubble. Nothing new. After I shaved, I showed her how smooth I looked.
She said, "Like buttah... is that where they get the phrase "butter face'?"
The only time I have heard the phrase "butter face" has been on the Howard Stern Show. For those who feel his humor is crude and juvenile, let me state that women say the same thing about the 3 Stooges, but guys get it. We used to have Sirius satellite radio in the boat, and I would occasionally listen to Howard. We switched to XM a while back, so no more Howard. On occasion, he would have a "butter face" contest... as in: "her body is a 10, but her face..."
I explained "butter face" to Joan. She thought that was funny, too. Somehow, "but his face" isn't nearly as funny.
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On edit: Joan just informed me it is Pebble Creek, not Pebble Beach. What do I know - I'm a Klingon! I didn't see a creek, either. ;-)
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