Solo Around Lake Arrowhead 7-12-09

Ya know, I like to ride with my friends, I like to ride with my club, I like the fun runs and riding with everybody. But every now & then I like to go out and do the solo thing. Today, Sunday, 7-12-09 was one of those days. For starters, we slept in and missed church and it was starting to get hot out. Janice is hard to get on the bike anyway, but when it's hot, forget it. So, at about 11:30 a.m., I headed out to Lake Arrowhead. It was already 94 degrees heading for a high of 108 or there abouts. And unlike Arizona where it is a dry heat, it is a miserable wet heat here with the humidity. Come along on this warm ride and REMEMBER: IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE PICTURE BIGGER, JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE.











Before heading out, I got a bottle of frozen water out of the freezer in the garage. I keep several of these on hand for hot days like today.. They melt completely in about 35 minutes and stay cool another 15 or 20 and then they are useless, unless you like to drink warm or hot water..

Heading down one of the country roads en route to Lake Arrowhead..

There wasn't very much traffic out and I had the curves to myself

I come up to my turn. I didn't actually go to the State Park, only passed by it. I didn't have any money on me to pay the entrance fee.

As I got on FM 2606 and onto the spillway, I stopped and got a couple pictures.

This is looking back from the East side of the Lake Arrowhead Spillway

Ms. Clone sits on the South side of the spillway in the sun.

I got to the Lake Arrowhead Dam and got the oil derricks in the lake & Ms. Clone.

This is either a crane or an egret..Which every it was, it was cooling off in the water

The lake is down about 7' or so looking at the rings around that structure

Crossing the Lake Arrowhead Dam

This stretch of FM 2606 has been adopted by M.A.C (Motorcycle Awareness C.O.R.P.S). I have been out with them before picking up the trash. M.A.C. was founded by our friends Jeff Rumminger & Phil Golden. For more on M.A.C. visit their site at: http://www.seemymoto.com/main/

This is the East side of Lake Arrowhead, taken from the bridge looking East

From the bridge looking West. Right after I took this pic, that kid on the inner tube was flung off and landed hard and bounced a couple times. but he looked like he was having a good time. One thing was sure, he was a lot cooler than I was.

I left the Lake and headed home. Coming back from the East side of the lake, takes you thru Henrietta Texas where Four Stars Motorcycle Ranch is at. It is closed on Sunday and here is the business. For more info see this link & click on Motorcycles: http://www.fourstarsautoranch.com/

Getting ready to get on the on ramp to US 287 Northbound

Crossing into Wichita County Texas

The Welcome to Wichita Falls Texas sign

Starting up our version of a mix master

Going up & over and will come down on US 82 West bound

The Wichita Falls Texas downtown area

Coming down onto US 82 (Kell Freeway) Westbound

Five miles or so later, I enter the construction zone nearing Barnett Rd. I was warned by the local police the other day about speeding thru this area on the bike. I wasn't paying attention to my speed and I was going over the limit. Good thing there were no workers there at the time or I would of got a very expensive ticket.

One of the new city water towers on the South side of the construction zone

After about an 1 1/2 hrs later from the start of the ride & a little over 76 miles (the total length of the ride) I turned onto my street and looked at my house. (at the end with the white garage door). I am anticipating the air conditioner because it is now HOT with the temperature showing 104 degrees. It was showing 94 when I left. I got in the house, woofed down a Subway sandwich, started guzzling ice water and promptly started throwing up...A great way to end a great ride...(grin) But like they say with planes: any landing you can walk away from is a good landing. With motorcycle, any ride you get home safe from, is a good ride. It was hot but I enjoyed the time on the bike.

I am also adding another name at the end of this blog for ya'll to add to your prayers. It is my good friend, Manuel. He just got activated a few months ago and is now starting his tour in Afghanistan. Pattie, the other person, is currently starting her tour in S. Korea. She is know to most of you viewers as Pattie with the new red Harley Ultra Classic.

Scroll down for more rides, events & posts and don't forget to click on the "older posts" link at the bottom of EACH page for more rides and posts. Check out North Texas Bikers (1) at http://www.jjskewlstuff.blogspot.com/ for rides, events & posts from January 08-November 08. Until next post, ya'll be careful out there, ride safe, keep the rubber on the road & pray for our Troops & Pattie & Manuel................JOHN