This week is Arizona Bikeweek, there are numerous events taking place in conjuction with Cyclefest 2008 in Scottsdale. On Wednesday, I participated in a big ride - "Riding for Kids", sponsored by Buddy Stubbs HD and local H.O.G. Chapter 93. A group of co-workers and I (I was the only one on a non-HD bike) rode over to Buddy Stubbs' dealership, where the ride began. Talk about wall-to-wall Harleys! This is a big dealership, with a big parking lot that circles the building, all jam-packed with bikes. I didn't feel totally alien, I saw a few other Nomads, some Goldwings, and even a few sportsbikes. We registered and then enjoyed a complimentary meal of breakfast burritos and a beverage.
After breakfast, we saddled up and hit the road at 10:00. There were over 1000 riders registered for this event. Rather than trying to move a group that large collectively, they had you start when you wanted to and keep your own pace. First stop was in Wickenburg, 60 miles NW of Phoenix. Then N to the second stop, Kirkland Corners. From there, we continued NE to the lovely town of Prescott. The air got a bit chilly above the 6000' level. We ate lunch in downtown Prescott at a 130-year old restaurant and bar called The Palace. Upon leaving Prescott, it got quite windy and the next stop was at Cordes Lakes, for fuel. Then we headed South on I-17 back towards Phoenix, fighting a nasty headwind and the ride ended at Cyclefest, where we turned in our raffle tickets collected at the designated stops for a prize drawing.
Overall, it was a beautiful day for riding with sunny skies, cooler air in the mountains and it was in the 80's when we got back to the valley. This was the biggest ride I'd ever been on, and it was a lot of fun. Saw a lot of awesome bikes, too. Yes, many of them were Harleys. At Cyclefest, we checked out the OCC tent and they had some of their production bikes, but we didn't see any Teutels there. We stopped by the Victory demo area and looked at the Vision up close. They weren't doing rides as it was getting dark. Lots of babes in the Jagermeister tent with a live band playing. Molly Hatchet was playing later that evening, but we didn't stick around for that.
Kirkland Corners, AZ
Cyclefest 08
OCC Bagger
