Today's ride

[cactusjack]

My friend and I started out heading E of the Phoenix area on US60 and stopped in Goldfield at a little bar/grill called "The Garage" for lunch. Then we saddled back up and continued E for several more miles, then exited US60 onto AZ79 heading south to the town of Florence (notable for its many correctional facilities; federal, state and ICE). It's 17 miles from the junction of US60/AZ79 to the town. Going the opposite direction were literally hundreds of motorcycles. Granted, it was a nice day to ride, but I have never seen this many motorcycles. The bikes outnumbered cars and trucks 10 to 1. Coming into town from the north, the first thing you approach are the prison complexes, and the place was crawling with law enforcement people - corrections, sheriff's deputies and state cops.

The entrances to most of the prison complexes were barricaded and cars going in the few open entrances were being searched. Further down the road, approaching the center of town, the highway was blocked by law enforcement and traffic was being diverted through a residential area. There were locals sitting in front of their houses, watching all the bikes go by. I got stuck behind a car at a stop sign and asked one of the onlookers what was going on. He said it was the "prison run", where the various MC's ride by the prisons to show their support for their brethren who are doing time. I've never seen it before and though it was quite interesting.

It's also interesting to note that the electronic temperature sign in the town said it was 81 beautiful degrees. This is as warm as it's been since sometime around mid-November. (Sorry, just had to rub it in a little).