Once around...

Another beautiful day, more time on the scoots.  Yeah, we're probably trying to make up for lost time.  I suggested we drive around the White Tank Mountains, Joan said, "There's a new Oregano's on Bell Road - how's that for lunch?"

Yep.

She checked out the Maps app to see if we could find a road other than the Interstate to get to Sun Valley Parkway (that goes north and west around the White Tanks.

Heading out, suburban secondary roads...

Plenty of new homes going up in the West Valley...

A bit of highway on the way to Buckeye...

You may not think of Arizona for agriculture; if you irrigate, you can get two crops in per year...

The image above is one of the many dairy farms in this area - you can smell the dairy air!

The road changed to chip seal as we made our way west...

You can see the mountains ahead, so we are getting close; and then: gravel...

Joan pulled out her phone to find us another way around.  Gravel is not my friend when on the scoots.  They are great around the city, and even through the twisties.  But I do not like gravel, Sam I am.

We made our way south, then west, then north again, eventually connecting with Sun Valley Parkway and the highway that takes us around the White Tank Mountains.

In the middle of nowhere: a golf course...

Developed for Sun City Festival, another Del Webb development about 15 minutes west of the city of Surprise; it sits out with desert all around.

More through the desert, and then, we were back in civilization...

Our lunch stop at Oregano's...

The food was good and the place wasn't packed; must be new enough that everyone doesn't know it is here.  After lunch, we headed for home, picking a north/south road that was new to us.  On our ride today, we passed about a dozen motorcycles heading the other direction (most on that highway by the White Tanks)... every single one of them waved.  I think, like us, they were just happy to be out in the nice weather!  About 2 miles from the RV resort, there was another scooter coming our way... a Vespa... I waved... he didn't.  I've heard those Vespa riders can be snooty.  (Yes, that is a joke).

We did about 80 miles on the scoots today.  Just happy to be out and about, burning fossil fuel.

Proof that I was there, too...