National Parks Tour - Pt.5 - Completed!

September 27, 2021 - Leg Two

As far as the National Parks Tour, Arizona is one of the more 'target-rich' states available.  So, I thought we'd catch the remainder needed before the end of the year.  We're close - real close.  This blog entry will be periodically updated as we do some short rides in order to get the rest of the stamps for the NPT award from the Iron Butt Association.

When you punch off ~7200 miles in three weeks, the bike sometimes just sits - deserving a bit of a rest.  Or was that my back, and legs?  Probably both.  So, we did a quick day ride; 57 miles to Tumacácori, AZ.  Much of the ride was along the Juan Bautista de Anza Nat’l Historic Trail; claimed that stamp also.

The ride was the 'Sonoita Loop' ride.  As you see from the map, the mileage was greater than just there-and-back.

114 miles we'll claim for distance, and two stamps.

October 14, 2021 - Leg Three

The weather is beginning to cool off a little, and we’re both still wanting this process to continue.  Another day ride out to Gila Bend, AZ.  At the Visitors Center, two stamps are available, including a second stamp for the Juan Bautista de Anza Nat’l Historic Trail.

Gila Bend Visitor Center and Museum

Small museum, dedicated to mining, ranching, and railroading.  Neat stuff!

I want to think there was a local band by this name, way back when.

This is the discrepancy that I mentioned earlier in the blog.  It seems that if there’s more than one stamp (example: trails will have multiple stamps, such as this example) that each stamp counts, since you have traveled to a different location to get that stamp.  Some are more orthodox, in that the stamp only counts once, since you’ve been on the trail - somewhere.  I’ll play it safe and have extras in the event it’s only counted once.

Amazing something like this was able to be constructed several hundred years ago.  Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Coolidge, AZ

From Gila Bend, we proceeded east, toward the Casa Grande National Monument.  I've lived in this state over 40 years; this was my first time here.

A bit under 200 miles, and we claim three stamps. Yeah, still in one state.

November 12-14, 2021 - Leg Four

Prior to the madness that’s the holiday season, we decided we’d go hit some reasonably close stamps that are in northern Arizona.  It’s time to get this ride much closer to being done.  We headed to northern Arizona to snag several stamps on a weekend of late-autumn riding.   

On a ride a long, long time ago (back when we were still learning how to tour…), we’d visited the Sunset Crater Nat’l Monument, but hadn’t done any other NPS locations in this part of the state.  This was again another great opportunity to visit some of the units we’re lucky enough to have here close to home.

Montezuma Castle National Monument, Camp Verde, AZ

Tuzigoot National Monument, Clarkdale, AZ

Walnut Canyon National Monument near Flagstaff, AZ

Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, Ganado, AZ

Wupatki National Monument outside of Flagstaff, AZ

The ride home from this weekend was probably the coldest ride the two of us have done together.  Again, having already used the Interstate to get into the Flagstaff region, I decided we’d take some of the small backroads, while staying in the high country for a good portion of the ride home.

As we’d left reasonably early, it wasn’t until I was struggling a bit with visibility thru my visor that I had a look at the thermometer - 24°F.  WOW - started scrubbing a bit of speed off. Some after-the-ride quick math shows:

At 60MPH, the ‘feels like’ temperature with that speed is 2°F.  Dropping the speed to 50MPH, it’s now a balmy 3°F!  Damn…I thought it was helping!

Fortunately, the air temperature began to climb as the sun angle increased, and we were clearing some of the lower areas of the route.  Payson’s temperature was a balmy 43°F, and knowing the route, it’d only be another hour and we’d easily gain 10°F or more of temperature as we dropped another couple of thousand feet of elevation.

Home - and now, to begin the process of the holiday season.  When we go on the road again, I’ll add more to this section of the blog.

Seven stamps, seven locations, over 630 miles of riding.

December, 2021 

We'd chatted about possibly doing a quick run over to southern California and grabbing stamps in San Diego, and possibly north to Joshua Tree Nat'l Park.  We'd thought about that period between the Christmas & New Year holiday.  I looked at the weather forecasts, waiting a while, looked again, and said "nope!"

That was a good call, the weather was terrible both here and there.  I began the process of assembling these latest blog entries in earnest.

January, 2022

By my count, we currently sit at 51 stamps and 24 states.  There's only four locations here in Southern AZ to get stamps that we've not visited.  I'm saving the one in my own back yard (Saguaro NP) as the last stamp. There's at least one accessible location in New Mexico (White Sands NP), and one in El Paso, TX that should be a 'stamp-and-go' situation.  There's also those same California locations to consider as well. The loops are already planned out, and distances are easy to do in a couple days.

It won't be much longer.  This will be the post that finishes the story of the National Parks Tour.  Hope to have it happen soon!

February 15, 2022

I've been patiently waiting for a good weather window to finish this ride. It happened the weekend of Valentines Day. In less than a day, I had a room reserved, the bike packed and the trip planned. We bugged out late afternoon on Friday; now I know why I do my damndest to avoid that situation - ugh!

As noted above, the unit at El Paso, TX that should be a 'stamp-and-go' situation was easy to time our arrival at the same time they opened on Saturday morning. Got the stamp, walked thru the museum and was rather impressed that a 90+ year old dispute was resolved to the benefit of all. 

There was one more location in New Mexico (White Sands NP). After lunch (a chance to eat good - and to warm up) we headed over to the park. Of course, Saturday afternoon - busy place. We rode thru the park; I was keeping things on the road, while she snapped a few photos.

During lunch, we collectively agreed we'd head for home, and Sunday morning, we'd get up have breakfast, then ride over to the park closest to home. Had a nice therapy ride to collect that last stamp.

Today, I polished up the application and sent it in for review and approval. I'll have a final update in this blog entry when completed (expect 2 - 3 months for that).

What's next in the endurance motorcycling story? I have no idea; too many other priorities for the moment.

Thanks for reading this far!

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June 27, 2022 

The best email received for the month...this week, one year from when the ride started: "You are receiving this e-mail because of your application for a ride certification. This note is to let you know that your ride has been approved and entered into the Iron Butt Association's certification database:" Woo-hoo!