Day 2

Thursday, 09/23/2010
Kingman, AZ to Socorro, NM
475 Miles

I left Kingman on I-40 about 10:00 AM after getting gas and fooling with the rear brake light switch (again) and started the long climb to Flagstaff 150 miles east at about 7,000 feet. Kingman is at 3300.

I finally discovered that the dreaded brake light problem was due to my 225 pounds of lard causing the right foot peg to slip down when I stood on it to mount and dismount. This kept the brake pedal from coming up far enough to shut off the switch. Too simple.

I started with the cooling vest on but shed it after about 20 miles. It was a beautiful early fall day with a cloudless sky and some breezes and as I climbed it got cooler. I crossed the Arizona Divide at 7300 feet after a gas stop in Williams and started gradually descending to the afternoon’s low point at Holbrook, AZ.

I took a lunch/snack break at the rest stop near the meteor crater exit on I40 where I dug out my 20mm BFW and tightened up the foot pegs.

I left I-40 at Holbrook, AZ, got gas and started SE for Springerville. The remote and sparsely populated area of Arizona is very beautiful. I stopped at St. John for photos and pushed on into Springerville where I topped off the tank for the 150 mile run on US-60 up over the Continental Divide and down into Socorro, NM.

About 20 miles in I stopped at a picnic area for a short break. The sun was getting low and it was starting to cool down considerably and I knew I would cross the CD at nearly 8,000 feet so I put on my electric vest and hooked it up. This turned out to be one of my better decisions of the day as I stayed toasty and was able to really enjoy the ride up over the mountains and down into Socorro even though I did 2 or 3 hours in the dark. I picked up a couple of gallons of fuel at Quemado, NM, on the way up.

A long day.