AZ 191 - Hannigan Meadow by sidecar - Day 2

 

Finally getting to day 2....We left Apline AZ. at 8:00 or so, everything was soaking wet from the heavy dew the night before. We took AZ 191 to "Hannigan Meadow". 

 

I expected a town....but below is Hannigan Meadow. A Lodge of sorts with a cafe and a couple of gas pumps.

 

The riding was great. Lots of twisty roads, which are quite a bit more effort on a side car rig. We came around a corner in the heavily wooded area to be greeted with this view from a little overlook:

(click on photos to enlarge)

 

What a view. We could see a number of mountain ranges from there. Stopped for a little while and I changed the rag which was containing the oil seep from the pushrod tubes.

 

We wandered through miles of twisty climbing roads without any towns or services to be found. I had an extra bit of fuel along in case it was needed. 1.25 gallons won't go very far but I had it along regardless.

 

 

Roadway ahead of us visible on the mountain.

 

Approaching Morenci AZ. we were greeted with this great vista point.

There is a HUGE mine at the end of the valley.

 

 

 

There was an old grave site across the road from the pull out.

 

The inscription showed a young mans' (25 or so) final resting place.

 

 

 

I think this was listed as one of the largest open pit mines in the world....it was large.

The road went through the middle of it...took quite a while to pass through. Looks like the mine has been there since the 1800's.

 

The mine site went on and on....

 

 

The highway traveled directly through their crusher complex.

                                                   Old mine workings everywhere.

 

We fueled in Clifton the headed back northward on numerous different secondary roads which eventually took us back to Quemado NM.  

                                               View on highway 32 near the Gallo Mtns.

 

 

Heavy thunderstorms were forecast. We finally ran out of luck about 40 miles out of Quemado...fueled at Reserve NM and shortly after leaving there we encountered rain. At the first sign of weather to come, we pulled over and "donned" our rain gear. Typically I ride until we are getting wet, then put the gear on, but not this time.

 

 BIG strom was real close but we fared pretty good until close to Quemado.  

 

 Approaching Quemado NM we were "nailed"...huge thunderstorm and a lot of lightning too close for comfort. I pulled over on an approach and we sat for a few minutes with lightning crashing real near....decided to "make a run for it: and made it to an old former gas station in Quemado with an awning enclosure.....sat there and watched it pour for 20 minutes or so.  

 
We lucked out and only rode in light rain for the last 80 miles. Ran into a "flash flood" section of roadway in El Malpais monument.....a lot of mud / debris was washing across the road but the county had a loader there clearing the road.....had to ride through 100 yards of 4" mud / slop / water to get through. The bike was coated with a nice thick layer of red mud when we arrived at home.

What a great ride this was. I'm going to need to give the sidecar a little rest until I get the oil leaks taken care of. Hopefully I can get Darian on the old Goldwing for a conventional bike ride in the next couple of weeks.

I have a lead on a large stockpile of old BMW parts which I plan on checking out this weekend. I went "fishing" via Craigslist and got a contact from a guy with a bunch of parts: A titled frame, engine parts, forks, fuel tank, headlight....nearly enough junk to assemble another bike. If the price is right we'll drag all this stuff  "home" this weekend.....hopefully I can make room for all of it in our trailer.