Went up to Bellmont, AZ to pick up my Road Glide rental today. I started from Prescott on the Low Rider at 7:00am. Going up to Flagstaff there are two sets of twisties: from Prescott Valley over Mingus Mountain down through Jerome to Cottonwood and up Oak Creek Canyon from Sedona to Flag. The rest of the trip is I-40 for about 11 miles. I arrived a bit before 10:00am.

In the warehouse they are uncrating a beautiful Cobalt Blue 2006 Road Glide. They pulled it out into the sunshine and it sparkles like the preverbal diamond in a goat’s @$$ I ask the rental guy if it is sold. Yup. They have 15 2006s and 6 are already sold.

We take care of all the paperwork and I’m on my way on an ’05 Smokey Grey Road Glide. I put around the parking lot doing some low speed maneuvers to get the feel of the scoot. Then I do a short putt on a frontage road before I hit the Interstate. I have two ways to go at this point: back the way I came with a unfamiliar, heavier bike on the twisties or 40 miles of I-40 to Ash Fork and 89 south into Prescott and no twisties.

Well now this is Saturday in July. So that I am likely to get caught behind some tourista doing the recommended speed limit for the curves. Mmmm, not a bad idea with an unfamiliar motor, this will give me a chance to get used to it without holding anybody else up. Off in a cloud of dust on I-40.

I kick her up to 75 mph for this is the speed limit here and try to relax. Nice bike, I be thinking to myself; lot more feel for the road than the Ultra I rented a few weeks ago. Why? They both have the same front end geometry but the Road Glide feels better. I like this bike!

As I suspected, I am second in line behind a tourist who negotiates the curves at the recommended speed; no problem keeping up. I was surprised at how well it did handle and by the time we reached the bottom, I wished he’d pull over somewhere to let me by.

Pulling into Cottonwood, I notice the thunder-boomies are building over Mingus Mt. Time for lunch. After lunch, the storms are still there so I decide to take a little excursion out to Page Springs. The storms over the mountain are dissipating, as I head back into Cottonwood and starting to build over the valley. Time to head for the hills.

After Jerome, I find that the whole road is mine. So I let it out a bit, not much, but enough and I try to be as precise as I can going through the corners. Nobody catches me and I don’t catch anybody else. This is very unusual for a Saturday in July. Down into PV and I’m home free.

I really do like the Road Glide. Now I have to see how she works 2 up with Kat tomorrow.

 

This is a trip I look forward to. Last year the wife and I made a trip out to California when my dad died. We were in the expedition though. This was before I had a bike. Anyways I never thought of Arizona to be more than a flat useless desert. So we get to Sadona and I was just amazed at the beauty. We went through the canyon there and through cottonwood and then we got to Jerome, and the whole time all I could think about was this would be awsome on a bike. Espeacialy the mountains around Jerome. Anyways this is awsome I completely know what you are talking about.

 

Rode through this same area myself last week, never been there before...wow, the beauty is unbelievable. I loved it.

Glad you liked the RG, Lee...just checked the crystal ball...you'll have an '06 before September.

Now I have to find another moderator for the Dyna forums!

Mac

 

Hey Mac, check that crystal ball and let me know when I'll be able to retire so I can get all these trips planned.

 

Hey Lee, great story! What did you think of the stock seat?