Bisbee Ride 2012 (Part 1)

I've been wanting to do a overnight ride to Bisbee for awhile.  It's an old mining town southeast of Tucson that has reinvented itself as an artist/crafts town.  I've driven by it many times, for work, but have never really stopped to explored it.  So I picked a date for a ride, and invited Kiri, the parents, and Tuyen along.


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We left around 9:30ish.  The weather is starting to cool down a bit, so we didn't have to leave early to avoid heat.  Plus, we weren't going to be able to check into the hotels until 2pm.  Which allowed us to take our time getting there.  Horrible picture of me.  Who's quality checking these photos??

 Oh my gosh!! All three boxes on the Explorer!  It had to be killing my dad that he couldn't just take one side box.  Since I don't have saddle bags on the Bonnie, and Kiri was taking up my cargo space, we threw our overnight gear in Tuyen and my dad's bags.  Why load down your own bike when you can load down someone else's? 

 After an enjoyable morning riding south to Green Valley, and then east, through the towns of Sahuarita and Sonoita, we arrived at our first destination.  The small community of Patagonia.  There was a small miscommunication on the matter of breakfast.  I told my dad that everyone should eat before getting to my place.  He heard that we'd be grabbing breakfast on the road.  After a failed attempt to stop at a Starbucks, their cash register was down and couldn't sell anything, we decided to push on until lunch.  Needless to say some people were starving by the time we had arrived.

 So we grabbed food at a local coffee place.  My dad and I had eaten here on a trip last year.  After lunch we browsed some of the arts and craft shops.  Kiri bought a couple sets of earrings before we got back on the road.

 The next stop was the city of Tombstone.  Tuyen wanted to explore, and I hadn't seen main street in some time.  So we found a shaded parking spot, next to the city's courthouse, and wandered through town.

There was an old spiral staircase on the side of the courthouse.  I'm sure this is how the judges sneak out to go have drinks between cases.

 Making our way to main street.  You can hear the sound of the spurs as we walk.

 The main drag.  Not a lot of tourists.  Traffic usually picks up on the weekends.

 It's like the intro of an old western movie.  With odd looking town folk.

 All sorts of shops, selling anything tourists are willing to buy.

 Here we find a typical saloon girl of Tombstone.  Before I could ask her name, she ran off with some drunk cowboy. Floosey!

 My dad mentioned there was a Harley Davidson store in town so we stopped by.  It was just a place to pick up clothes.  Not a dealership or anything.

 They had a single bike in the store, made up to look old and western-ish.

 Always carry extra ammo!

 Two strange looking fellows from out of town.  Must be from Kentucky or something.

 Kiri had become parched touring the town.  Time for Gelato!  OK, truth is I just started screaming for ice cream until Kiri couldn't take it anymore and gave in.  That's her "One more outburst from you and we're going home" look.

The fudge looked tasty.  I'm watching my figure though, so I passed on sweets.

 We sat outside and watched the stagecoach roll into town.

 Deputy Chu kept an eye out for trouble.  Riff Raff has no place in his town.

 Yep, I married her.

 And there it is, the actual O.K. Corral gunfight site.  

 Tuyen said I should have been standing in front of the coffin.

 Having gotten our touristy western fix, we got back on the bikes and started heading for our final destination.  Bisbee!  We were smart enough to leave the camera with Kiri so she could get some action shots of the next leg.

 The ride from Tombstone to Bisbee was amazing!  The clouds blocked just enough Sun to give a other worldly feel to the ride.  That, and riding up into the scenic hills that surround Bisbee is always beautiful.

Artistic shot of the day.  My parents and Tuyen in the mirror.

Mr. Chu testing out the light speed capabilities of his motorcycle.

 Can't forget the parents. 

More pictures coming!  Until next time!