Day 15

Springerville, AZ to Kingman, AZ:

Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon

Original images here.

Today was another "let's see stuff" say, and it also turned into another long day. I don't know how that keeps happening. But it just does. Was up and out of the Hotel by about 9:30am or so and continued on my way up 180 into St. Johns where I gassed up and then kept following 180 to the Petrified Forest national Forest. I wasn't sure what to expect, but since I was there, I was going to check it out. I ended up spend quite a lot of time there, just checking everything out. Here are a bunch of pictures from the forest. Most are self explanatory:

Cool looking formation
Petrified wood
I got someone to take my picture in front of Jasper Forest
Agate Bridge
Cool view
Cool view 2
Alien Landscape
Tepees
Drawing
Drawings 2
Drawings 3
Puerco Pueblo
Painted Desert
Me at the Painted Dedsert
There are other pictures, just look in the full size directory here.

Once I was done at the Petrified Forest, I got a message from Micky that they were heading for Las Vagas. My plan, meet up with them, but I had a few stops first. My next destination: The Grand Canyon. However, on the way there I noticed signs for the Meteor Crater, and asking myself "When will I be back here again?", I pulled off to check it out. I was very surprised to to find out that it was privately owned. Odd. Anyway, the crater is HUGE!! I spent some time checking out the crater and some of the history there, then I was back on the road for the Grand Canyon.

I continued up 180 to the Canyon. On the way there I noticed these snow capped mountains. I *think* it is Humphreys Peak, but I'm not positive. Anyway i finally made it to the Grand Canyon. Now I've been there before when I was a kid, but that was a long long time ago, so i don't remember it. Whoa. Just whoa. I knew it was big, but until you see it, photos and words just do not do it justice. Here are some pictures anyway:

From Mather Point, looking northeast
From Yavapai
Another from Yavapai, you can see the river in this one.

I left the park and made my way down 64 back to I-40. My plan was to make my way to Laughlin Nevada and get a room for the night, I figure out that getting to Las Vegas just wasn't going happen. So it was out I-40. I cruised along noting that the next services were in 56 miles, I did some mental math and was like, cool. Perfect break for dinner. Sooner than I expected, the low fuel light came on. You see where this is going, right? Looking at the map, I saw a nice major intersection coming up. Perfect, there will be gas there. There wasn't. I backed way off, coasted down the hills, and stayed tucked in behind th windshield. Doing everything I could think of to maximize mileage. Well, it didn't work. Sputter sputter as I was heading up a long up grade.
Fuck.
Coasted off to the side of the road. I had just passed a Highway Patrol cruiser who had someone pulled over, so I figured worst case, he would be by shortly. Of course I was in a cell deadish zone. But by climbing up the embankment, I was able to get enough of a signal to call AAA. Soon thereafter, the Highway Patrol just cruised by, without so much as a glance. Gee, thanks. After about 45 minutes, the tow truck arrived. Gave me gas, didn't give me any grief about the fact it was a bike (I surrendered no information on the phone "Black Honda"), and I was on my way. Gas was just 2 miles up the road. Grrrrr. Arrived in Kingman, it was late, I was tired, so I found a room and called it a day. Now I need to figure out tomorrows plan.

Ending mileage:	73289
Starting mileage:	72786
Miles for day:	503
Total:	5075

	Today was another "let's see stuff" say, and it also turned into another long day. I don't know how that keeps happening. But it just does. Was up and out of the Hotel by about 9:30am or so and continued on my way up 180 into St. Johns where I gassed up and then kept following 180 to the Petrified Forest national Forest. I wasn't sure what to expect, but since I was there, I was going to check it out. I ended up spend quite a lot of time there, just checking everything out. Here are a bunch of pictures from the forest. Most are self explanatory: Cool looking formation Petrified wood I got someone to take my picture in front of Jasper Forest Agate Bridge Cool view Cool view 2 Alien Landscape Tepees Drawing Drawings 2 Drawings 3 Puerco Pueblo Painted Desert Me at the Painted Dedsert There are other pictures, just look in the full size directory here.
	Once I was done at the Petrified Forest, I got a message from Micky that they were heading for Las Vagas. My plan, meet up with them, but I had a few stops first. My next destination: The Grand Canyon. However, on the way there I noticed signs for the Meteor Crater, and asking myself "When will I be back here again?", I pulled off to check it out. I was very surprised to to find out that it was privately owned. Odd. Anyway, the crater is HUGE!! I spent some time checking out the crater and some of the history there, then I was back on the road for the Grand Canyon.
	I continued up 180 to the Canyon. On the way there I noticed these snow capped mountains. I think it is Humphreys Peak, but I'm not positive. Anyway i finally made it to the Grand Canyon. Now I've been there before when I was a kid, but that was a long long time ago, so i don't remember it. Whoa. Just whoa. I knew it was big, but until you see it, photos and words just do not do it justice. Here are some pictures anyway: From Mather Point, looking northeast From Yavapai Another from Yavapai, you can see the river in this one.
	I left the park and made my way down 64 back to I-40. My plan was to make my way to Laughlin Nevada and get a room for the night, I figure out that getting to Las Vegas just wasn't going happen. So it was out I-40. I cruised along noting that the next services were in 56 miles, I did some mental math and was like, cool. Perfect break for dinner. Sooner than I expected, the low fuel light came on. You see where this is going, right? Looking at the map, I saw a nice major intersection coming up. Perfect, there will be gas there. There wasn't. I backed way off, coasted down the hills, and stayed tucked in behind th windshield. Doing everything I could think of to maximize mileage. Well, it didn't work. Sputter sputter as I was heading up a long up grade. Fuck. Coasted off to the side of the road. I had just passed a Highway Patrol cruiser who had someone pulled over, so I figured worst case, he would be by shortly. Of course I was in a cell deadish zone. But by climbing up the embankment, I was able to get enough of a signal to call AAA. Soon thereafter, the Highway Patrol just cruised by, without so much as a glance. Gee, thanks. After about 45 minutes, the tow truck arrived. Gave me gas, didn't give me any grief about the fact it was a bike (I surrendered no information on the phone "Black Honda"), and I was on my way. Gas was just 2 miles up the road. Grrrrr. Arrived in Kingman, it was late, I was tired, so I found a room and called it a day. Now I need to figure out tomorrows plan.