The Shakedown Ride
June 2006
June 2006
If you read about my story, then you will know that I bought the GS in Las Vegas while attending a conference. I was working in Edmonton, Alberta at the time so planned on riding the GS back to Edmonton. Before heading on that long trek, I wanted to break-in the new GS and convinced my friend Pete to rent a Harley in Las Vegas, and we would take a few days to break-in the GS while riding through Nevada, Utah and Arizona.
I had picked up the GS earlier in the week, and dropped it off at my parent's house in Summerlin, a suburb just west of Las Vegas. Pete picked up his rental Harley Ultra Classic on Saturday afternoon; and bright and early on Sunday morning I took a cab from hotel on the street, and with Pete following on the Harley, we headed over to my parent's house. I quickly packed up the vario cases on the GS, strapped my laptop bag against the topcase, and we are ready to hit the road.
Taking the I-15 north, we stopped in St. George for breakfast at the Cracker Barrel. Then it was on to Zion National Park, where the views are majestic. Part of Zion is off-limits to vehicular traffic, so we took the park bus to see some of the sights. After Zion, it was on the Bryce Canyon - so close in miles and so different in scenery an geology, just beautiful. After Bryce we rode to Escalante for the night at the Prospector Inn - clean rooms, inexpensive, and a restaurant.
The next morning, Monday, we are on our way to Capitol Reef National Park. The roads outside of Escalante through the edges of the Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument are outstanding. The first several miles are twisty, fun, and the scenery is awesome. We explore a few of the roads and trails in Capitol Reef, awed by the beauty of the terrain. We are on our way to Page for the night, and took the Moki Dugway down into the Valley of the Gods. Pete had fun on the big Harley going down the Dugway as he's an excellent rider. We stopped in Mexican Hat for lunch, and then finally ended up at a Motel 8 in Page, AZ for the night.
The next morning, Tuesday, was an uneventful ride back to Vegas. I need to get the bike back for its initial 600 mile service (with now over 1000 miles on the bike). I arrived at Vegas BMW around noon, and they have it ready to go and washed later that afternoon. Wednesday morning I left to ride the bike on its 1500 mile journey north to Edmonton.
I had picked up the GS earlier in the week, and dropped it off at my parent's house in Summerlin, a suburb just west of Las Vegas. Pete picked up his rental Harley Ultra Classic on Saturday afternoon; and bright and early on Sunday morning I took a cab from hotel on the street, and with Pete following on the Harley, we headed over to my parent's house. I quickly packed up the vario cases on the GS, strapped my laptop bag against the topcase, and we are ready to hit the road.
Taking the I-15 north, we stopped in St. George for breakfast at the Cracker Barrel. Then it was on to Zion National Park, where the views are majestic. Part of Zion is off-limits to vehicular traffic, so we took the park bus to see some of the sights. After Zion, it was on the Bryce Canyon - so close in miles and so different in scenery an geology, just beautiful. After Bryce we rode to Escalante for the night at the Prospector Inn - clean rooms, inexpensive, and a restaurant.
The next morning, Monday, we are on our way to Capitol Reef National Park. The roads outside of Escalante through the edges of the Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument are outstanding. The first several miles are twisty, fun, and the scenery is awesome. We explore a few of the roads and trails in Capitol Reef, awed by the beauty of the terrain. We are on our way to Page for the night, and took the Moki Dugway down into the Valley of the Gods. Pete had fun on the big Harley going down the Dugway as he's an excellent rider. We stopped in Mexican Hat for lunch, and then finally ended up at a Motel 8 in Page, AZ for the night.
The next morning, Tuesday, was an uneventful ride back to Vegas. I need to get the bike back for its initial 600 mile service (with now over 1000 miles on the bike). I arrived at Vegas BMW around noon, and they have it ready to go and washed later that afternoon. Wednesday morning I left to ride the bike on its 1500 mile journey north to Edmonton.
|
|
|
|