Now, I can't blame Maureen for not wanting to ride on the back of the KLR which is not exactly a great 2-up machine and she'd been looking at and admiring our Gold Wing since the wife and I bought it last year. Jim decided that what he'd do is rent a Wing and take the Mrs. for a nice comfy, short, fun weekend ride to see if maybe, just maybe, she'd think about riding again and maybe, just maybe give the nod to a newer and bigger bike. You married guys will know that the story isn't that simple but I'll spare you the details.
Jim arranged a Gold Wing rental and asked if the Mrs. and I would like to join them on a weekend ride to Globe, AZ, an old copper mining town east of Phoenix, for a little antique shopping. As this trip was for "the ladies" the riding was minimal but important. The wife and I had not done an over night ride together in the two years we've been married so this would be a first for us also.
Since Maureen isn't a rider or even a passenger I decided it was my solemn duty to set about explaining to her in the days leading up to the big ride how to be a "biker chick" even though she'd be on a Gold Wing and not a Harley. I started by giving her an official "biker name." I chose "Mad Dog" since she's a psychologist and if a name can't be accurate, it should be a complete contradiction, right? I nick-named Jim "Psycho" since he's a psychologist, too. You could never chose two less apt names for "bikers."
OK, for starters here's "Psycho" and "Mad Dog" by their weekend Gold Wing:
My wife, AKA "the red head" and Mad Dog:
On the road up to Globe. Wife uses her point&shoot camera over her shoulder:
We take a break in front of an old teepee shaped motel and decided where to
wander around first:
Since we started out after lunch we opted to check into the motel and then look around before a little before it got dark. We didn't stay at the New Tonto Hotel. It looked like it might not be that tidy:
The Days Inn in Globe is very nice and well run. Not inexpensive though at $80 a room in a small town. Seemed like a better choice than the other place:
Mexican food for dinner. Yum. No food pictures though. It got eaten before I could remember to get the camera out. > from your memory insert typical plate-of-Mexican-food picture here<
Sunday morning it's time to antique shop. The ladies are very happy. Jim and I are very happy because there is no room on the bikes for more $tuff:
Globe is/was a dieing copper mining town founded about 1870. It's starting to come back to life as a tourist town and as a get away spot in the mountains for the folks down in Phoenix.
More antique shopping:
We visit the Pickle Barrel, a well known local antique, Indian art, and junk place. Some interesting stuff, some kitsch:
Inside:
Back out on the street I spot a Ducati 600 Desmo that had breathed it's last, at least for a little while. The owner said something about an oil leak and waiting for a friend with a truck:
Visited a stained glass artist. Nice stuff, not ready for a cathedral, but nice. The Mrs. found some small molded glass earrings for a mere $20. Room on the bike for those, I guess.
In the same building was a quilt show. I'm not much on quilts except to keep warm but the craftsmanship was wonderful:
I was tired and hot so I stopped for a bath:
Looking through the window of a building (which had no back) I found a 1920s Jewett:
When I bought the wife her riding gear a couple of years ago she insisted on chaps with fringe. I explained that fringe was not the right style for a sport touring bike (we had the ST1300 then), that she needed something smooth and sexy. She bought the fringe.
More antique crap in a window:
Jim and I did find an interesting box in one of the antique shops. He looked but I remained pure and innocent and only peeked a little:
The Red Head noticed Jim and I standing under a sign and thought it would make a nice picture.
Ha ha. "Gimme the earrings back!"
Departing Globe, Maureen is still smiling. A good sign:
We all had a fine time even if the ride only totaled 180 miles. The wife got some earrings and one or two more items she managed to cram into the top box. I had some good Mexican food and managed to introduce Jim and Maureen at least once to total strangers as "Mad Dog and Psycho."
