Well, I’m a standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona
Such a fine sight to see
It’s a girl, my Lord, in a flat-bed Ford
Slowin’ down to take a look at me
Come on, baby, don’t say maybe
I gotta know if your sweet love is gonna save me
We may lose and we may win, though we will never be here again
So open up I’m climbin’ in, so take it easy    -The Eagles

Hello everyone,

Today’s ride was about 92 miles from Flagstaff AZ to Holbrook AZ and we passed through the famous city of Winslow Arizona made famous because the the Eagles Song, Take It Easy. Now about 43 miles from Winslow there is a tiny town of Winona. I wondered as I passed it, what the change would be like if Don Henly had stood on that corner?

We started the day fairly cold with most of us wearing some extra warm cloths for the ride as it was about 40 degrees. We  had a pretty good tail wind and did most of our riding along I-40 along with the big trucks and other traffic but its a very wide shoulder albeit heavily littered with debris. Also most of the ride was a descent so we had so pretty good speeds. I topped a long climb doing 30 mph and watched my average speed climb to over 23 by the first SAG at 40 miles. There was one stretch of highway under construction and I had to actually get into a traffic lane The posted speed was 35 but I was able to zip through it at more than that so to not tick off the drivers.

After the first SAG, I was riding with Howard and he flatted a few miles from Winslow. It was a pattern that many riders repeated that day. All told our group had 23 flats with Lou leading the crowd with 4. Howard and I actually lingered in Winslow for probably well over an hour. We took some pictures with other riders who came and went. When the last group pulled in (slowed by quite a few flats), Howard and I were enjoying espresso’s and just lounging in chairs watching the action. One of the riders said we looked “so relaxed – almost tranquil”. When the last group left, Howard and I went with them.

At that point, I kind of just took off and flew into the next SAG at the Jack rabbit Trading Post. A number of riders were there and Lois was fixing a flat. The trading post is one of those disappearing icons of American folklore that were once prevalent along all the major highways . This is the old route 66 so it was even more special. I bought a little something there to eat and  a gift for my daughter.

Lois left the SAG alone and I decided to try and catch up so I could ride with her. We were within a few miles of Holbrook when she and I flatted simultaneously. As we fixed our flats, the last riders came by. Howard and Low stayed to help us and the rest headed into town. Once in town, Howard and Lou got a little ahead of us. Lois and I stopped at the Dairy Queen and the other riders were there enjoying the fare but were almost finished so they left for the hotel only a half mile away or so. Howard and Lou, discovering that they passed the DQ, decided to come back after they already entered the hotel lobby. Jim was rolling up and Howard told him than the places closed and we had to ride further. Jim later told me that he bought it hook line and sinker and felt his spirits sink until he realized it was a joke.

I also forget to mention that Lou, Lois, Howard and I stopped at the Wigwam Motel and museum a few miles into town. I sent a little time talking to a couple from Mississippi who were staying there. That graciously allowed us to peak inside their room .

At route wrap, Tom gave a little bit of the local history go Holbrook. There is a street named “Bucket of Blood” because of a gun fight at a saloon that resulted in the deaths of several people. Holbrook was called a town “Too tough for women and churches”. It was established in 1881 and was primarily an RR town.

Tomorrow we may get some rain and the high temperature is supposed to be 67 – not a good combination especially on the debris-strewn roads.

Thanks for reading

~Chuck