Thank you so much!! It was the ride of a lifetime and the bike preformed perfect!!

Melissa didnt much care for 89A from Prescott to Jerome but I cant wait to ride it again!!!!


Nick

Thanks again for the great rental and good service. I’ve added your business to our club’s link page:
http://www.beeceebeemers.com/links.htm
Hope to see you next year!
Best Regards, Glen Taylor

From the road

Bikes are great! Having a fantastic ride! Sending a couple pics. One pic is of two beamers, John

I live in the Phoenix area and have been considering the purchase of a Yamaha FZ6R. I wanted to spend some time riding one before making a purchase. With the recent cool weather we've been having I figured now was the perfect time.



I arrived for my reservation almost an hour early but Monica and Gabor were able to have me on the road in no time. They are both very friendly and their shop is immaculate. The Yamaha was spotless and looked like a showroom bike that had never been ridden.

I spent the first few miles riding in traffic and getting used to the bike. I stopped by my work to show off to the guys. Later that night I took the bike out for a little after midnight street strafing.

The next morning I packed up and rode out to Bartlett Lake, northeast of the valley. What a beautiful trip! Aside from some wind and a few sprinkles the weather was perfect and the scenery was beautiful. The twisty road to the lake was nearly deserted and never dull. The bike was mechanically flawless. I hated to have to head back to return the Yamaha.

I would definitely recommend MCTours to anyone in the Phoenix area that wants to experience the freedom of a motorcycle while enjoying all of the beauty that Arizona has to offer.

just wanted to say thank-you. From the first phone call about renting a goldwing, to getting us set up at the holiday inn, to helping us with our self tour to the grand canyon. It was a pleasure doing business with you both.....thank you kevin

Our Sedona Trip

We had an outstanding vacation in AZ -- from Scottsdale to Sedona. AZ ride was one of the best parts of the trip. We rented BMW's from Monica and Gabor --and they were just super nice and helpful.

Our daughter moved to Scottsdale last year and now we come down to visit more often. But there is always something to bring or haul back to California, and the car with all the luggage, extra goodies, etc. left my bike at home. I had really wanted to bring my ride and get away and explore all the back roads. AZRide.com solved my problem by letting me get away and enjoy a ride through some great scenery, visiting the historic towns along a great loop was fantastic and offered some great photography spots.

I picked up the ultra clean, fueled, turn key ready 1200GS and headed out for Payson to the north east. With rain in the forecast I came prepared with my own jacket & equipment, but Monica asked if I needed any! The clouds only raised the stakes of finding some solo time on the road. And I did, clearing out my head and getting back to the basics of enjoying the back roads and taking the road less travelled.

I looped back around from Payson and headed down along Roosevelt Lake toward Globe. The rain was only in spots and posed no problem especially when it's 75 degrees and you dry out in about 3 minutes.

Lunch in Globe and then I stopped in Miami Arizona, not yet a ghost town, but maybe the twilight zone. Only one person around sitting in a car, and most of the shops closed including this very cool looking Soda Fountain that appeared under restoration. Hope they open it soon and draw some more people into this wonderful little town that could be so much. I'm sure it was at one point. Main Street is one block over from Highway 60, and well worth the detour over some awesome little bridges. But look out for that woman standing on the sidewalk with that "take me with you" look in her eyes.

I can't thank AZRide.com enough for completing my trip with 24 hours of bliss exploring and taking in what you don't find most of the time.

Great customer service, great bikes, and great advice on where to ride.

In my line of work, there are often missed opportunities when staying cities far from home. I like to get out and explore whenever I can. Even when time is tight, there's so much to experience and it's closer than most people think. Today was no exception.

I had scoped out AZRider.comthe night before knowing that I would have the afternoon free in Phoenix upon arrival in Arizona. So after a quick checkin at the hotel, I rushed over to MCTours and though I would call ahead next time to help Gabor and Monica set my paperwork up, everything went very smoothly and I was on my way within minutes. I had clear instructions and good sense of where I was headed. And the recommended ride of @ 150 miles fit my afternoon schedule perfectly. I wasn't rushed at all. In fact, I enjoyed several stops for a photo or drink of water.



The first open stretch took me North East on Hwy 87 where I turned off and swept my way south again through mixed desert and rock country that followed a green bed of cottonwoods that familiarly disclose where the water runs in this otherwise dry zone.



The Apache Trail (Route 88) was especially enjoyable with its consistent sweeps then tighter turns. I got lucky. There was virtually no traffic this day and the sun was comfortably warm. I rolled one way, then the other with light shifting, not trying to break any records but happy to have a clear path ahead of me both there and back.



In Tortilla Flat I met some local riders and we shared some stories and laughs before reversing tracks towards town. It was a nice interlude on an otherwise solo afternoon adventure.

All in all, I was happy I made the effort to get out for the ride and I will certainly do it again when in Phoenix. I would happily recommend MCTours/AZrider.com.

Until next time, Thanks

Josh

I had a great time and I know my cousins did too!!! I wanted to say thank you for everything. The bikes ran fine, the scenery was breathtaking and the weather great.



We will rent from you again next time.

Thanks again,
Ray Jasinski

Arizona Adventure

I just visited Arizona for the first time. As an avid cyclist, I knew that the best way to get a great feel for the area and maximize my experience would be on a motorcycle. I found AZride.com by surfing the web. I called and was able to reserve a BMW RT1200 in a few short minutes.

I met Monica & Gabor the morning I picked up the motorcycle. Both were very accommodating. Monica had an excellent knowledge of Arizona and was able to map out a number of great trips. Gabor walked through all of the features and functions of the RT1200. The bike was immaculate and an indication of the care and pride that AZRide takes with their inventory. This was very refreshing. Gabor’s knowledge of motorcycles was very impressive. Both Monica and Gabor were very engaging and I could have spent the morning chatting with them.

I took a number of side trips and did the obligatory ride up the Apache trail to Tortilla Flat. It is a very scenic ride and a nice destination. I had lunch at an outdoor grill; ate a Bronco burger and listened to some live C&W music.





I toured the Carefree / Cave Creek area on another side trip. I found a great stop called Harold’s Corral. The place is very lively and they made a great Bloody Mary (drank just one).

Overall, it was an awesome experience! I will definitely make another trip to Arizona and will rent a bike from Monica & Gabor. I highly recommend their services.

Thank you for the superb service. I'll definitely come back in the future!I have friends coming over from Israel and they'll be the 1st to hear about you guys.

Regards, Shahar from Israel

Thanks again for a great weekend on the BMW's.
We certainly appreciated the professional way all the details were handled and needless to say the bikes were flawless. We had a great ride doing the Coronado trail aka the 191 and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a scenic and challenging ride. That 1200 RT was a pleasure to be on.
Hope to do it again in the future, John Baker

Thanks again, you two, for your years of running a great business: AZRIDE. Certainly made my life better. I do think I'll be out in June. Photo from last week at Taliesin West. - Jeff

Wonderful Arizona Ride

We made a trip back to Arizona and rented bikes from AZride. Can't tell you how great the riding was...nothing short of breathtaking. The folks at AZride made all of it possible. The communication and help prior to renting was fantastic...they were patient, answered all our questions and walked through all the requirements. The bikes were in fantastic condition both cosmetically as well as mechanically. They weren't "our" bikes but definitely the next best thing. Last but not least, they had the best prices in the Valley. I would highly recommend enjoying a ride when visiting Arizona and I would definitely recommend AZride for helping you do that.

I had a wonderful ride and really enjoyed the R1200RT. It's truly a great touring machine. I wish I could have taken more time to get a little further away from the Phoenix area but what I saw there was fantastic. I had a nice ride out to Tortilla Flat and Gabor's suggestion of taking the back way in was great. I also had a very nice ride up to Sedona and took 17 to 69 to 89A and really enjoyed the ride down into Jerome. I took 179 out of Sedona and then 260 over to 87 and back into Scottsdale. I've not been on 260 west of Payson before and that was a real treat. Very little traffic and lots of great views.

Take care and I look forward to doing business with you again sometime.

Best Regards,
John Hamilton

Many thanks for facilitating such a wonderful weekend. I enjoyed the experience immensely.
I had a terrific evening at the Biltmore and was able to enjoy a hearty dinner at Hillstone (formerly Houstons).

Thanks again for everything.
See you soon …

Jeff

Mesa to Bisbee via Tombstone

Coming from Seattle to Phoenix for a conference at the end of the week, a buddy and his wife and I decided to arrive early and rent bikes for a two day trip to see the lay of the land. While they are Harley people, I decided I'd like to try an R1200RT instead to see what it was like (I ride a Suzuki V-Strom at home)--and AZRide was extremely accommodating! They are great people to work with and their friendly and helpful attitude made the experience all the better. Since I came straight from the airport, they happily stored my luggage, making it completely care free for me to don my gear, grab the bike and head to my hotel without having to worry about lugging a suitcase with me. Next time I'm in Phoenix, I'll definitely rent from them again!

Our all too short trip took us out of Phoenix on Monday morning along as many back roads as we could find, with our first stop at Casa Grande National Monument. It was an interesting look back in time.
I'm amazed how long a structure can last that is essentially made out of mud. I've seen ancient stone castles, and even been inside the Great Pyramid in Egypt, but a mud brick building that has been around for almost a thousand years is still mighty impressive.

From there we headed out and the thing that struck me the most was how long, flat and straight Arizona's roads can be. Having been used to the twists and turns and ups and downs of coastal and mountain riding back home, the flatness of the desert riding was totally new to me. Of course, it was still fun, as just being on a bike brings on a joy that can only be 'experienced' and never be adequately or sufficiently described to a non-rider.

We stopped for lunch at Lupe's (don't remember the town but it was at a crossroads) and I had another 'first.' I tried a drink I'd never even heard of before--Horchata. It's just rice milk with cinnamon in it, served over ice. There's apparently also some sugar and possibly another ingredient or two, but all I know is that it was totally refreshing and I'd happily order it again. They said it was also good served hot, but on ice was perfect after the hot ride. I had a 'chicken burro' with it (no 'ito' here). All good, and while it may not look like much on the outside, we really enjoyed our lunch.

From there we rolled on to eventually make it into Tombstone. I gotta say I was impressed with how much everyone made you feel like you were immersed in the setting of being in the late 1800's. All of the individuals roaming the streets 'in character' played their parts brilliantly and really added to the experience. Everyone was so friendly, and it was humorous to find how many 'cowboys' rode motorcycles in their spare time, as my gear gave me away for what I did as much as wearing a badge did.
After spending an hour in town, we figured we'd better head to our 'hotel', as we planned on coming back to Tombstone the next morning anyway before heading back to Phoenix. We rode another half hour to Bisbee, and I gotta say if we'd only gone to Tombstone, we'd have really missed out! Bisbee was a great town set on either side of an extremely steeply walled and narrow canyon. The buildings that seemed to cling to either side of the canyon walls reminded me of towns I saw in the mountains of Europe. The town streets were often one lane only, and twisted and curved while going up and down-usually in mid curve-making it an extremely fun and somewhat challenging ride on two wheels. There is a huge quarry/pit that is the result of copper mining that was seriously impressive too. After dinner, we headed to our final destination for the night--lodging at the Shady Dell. What a riot! It is a campground populated by a collection of 10-12 old travel trailers from the 1950's. There were Airstreams and all kinds and sizes of funky looking trailers and other vehicles--like the Tiki Bus that my buddy and his wife stayed in. I chose the "Crown", a 12 foot trailer that had all the comforts of home-sans a bathroom (restroom and shower facilities were only 30 feet away though). The old radio in it was set to a 50's station when I walked in and an old copy of Life magazine was on the table. Even the coffee maker was an old percolator type-that worked just fine I might add! If you ever get the chance to pass through Bisbee, I highly recommend staying at the Shady Dell. It totally added to the sense of adventure and made for one of the highlights of the trip.

The next morning we headed back to Tombstone to grab a big 'cowboy breakfast' of steak and eggs and then catch a gunfight show. A lot of laughter ensued and we all enjoyed the show. After that was a stop at Boot Hill Cemetery, and then unfortunately due to our rapidly diminishing time, we had to head straight back to Phoenix--all highway. It was a fun ride too, as Arizona's 75 mph speed limit, coupled with the natural wind gusts that day (and unnatural wind from all of the trucks) made for an exhilarating ride. The 1200RT can really move when you want (or need) it to.

I made it back with a half hour to spare for the 5pm deadline, and had maybe 8 miles left of the 500 miles (250/day) that were included with the rental without incurring extra charges. I couldn't have been happier (unless I had an extra couple of days that is!) and would heartily recommend AZRide to anyone looking for a great rental shop in the Phoenix area. It was a really great trip and I plan on making another one out there again soon to see some more of the amazing scenery of Arizona, and when I do I'll be sure to hook up with AZRide again for another great adventure! I'm thinking the R1200GS looks mighty interesting...

Thanks again, AZRide! You guys rock!

Best Regards,

Dave 'Zen Guy' Stern
Seattle, WA

It was very nice getting to meet you guys and talk with you. I was very impressed with the entire AZride operation from the neat and clean appearance of your shop to the variety of motorcycles from which to choose. You do an excelletn job of maintaining your rental fleet into near showroom condition. It is evident that you really do care about the quality of bikes you are offering your clients. I would highly recomment AZride to anyone. You are a first class operation all the way.

Sincerely,

Brian Vissers
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Lesley & I thoroughly enjoyed the four days with the 1200GS. It really made the trip for me.

I'll see if I've got any pics worth sending you but to be honest I was having too much fun riding to take many. We are already planning for next year's ride.

We've got a couple of months to go before I can ride here in Alberta due to record snowfalls but in the mean time I plan to buy an ESA-equipped 1200GS set up with Wilbers custom lowered shocks so I can get the low seat height I need coupled with BMW's electronic suspension adjustment. There are three BMW dealers (Florida, Wisconsin & California) equipped to make this modification so if I buy the bike from one of them and ride it home I could be riding again soon.

Thanks again for looking after us.

A quick little get -away

Thanks to Monica and Gabor for a great Arizona experience. With an extra day available on a business trip, I wanted to get in a little two wheel time. The winter is long in Edmonton and I was suffering motorcycle withdrawal symptoms.
I set out south east of Phoenix and discovered the mining area around Superior, Hayden and Globe. A nice little ride despite the wind and cold.
Be sure to stop in at Libby's El Ray Cafe while in Globe for fantastic Mexican food

Two guys from Wisconsin...

Two guys from Wisconsin, Phil and Jeff, had a wonderful six days on BMW RTs from AZride. Monica's personal efficiency and Gabor's love for the machines were evident, and resulted in a flawless, exciting and rewarding week. Did I mention the weather?



We began the trip in good Scottsdale temperatures, probably in the 70s, and headed NE on Hwy 87 to Hwy 188 where we turned SE on our way to Roosevelt Lake. That road and most of Hwy 177 into Tucson were twisty and hilly, a relaxed but sufficiently adventurous ride for our first day on bikes after a winter's grounding. We're used to big miles on our trips and thought we would go way over our allocation of 1,500 miles for the week, but today's ride was almost exactly 250 miles, and we brought the RTs back with a little less than our allocation. Riding 250 miles a day on these back roads seems just right.



After spending the night in Tucson, and finding a restaurant near the university, we started up venerable Mt. Lemmon, 24 miles of switchbacks and glorious views as we progressed from desert to pine forest, gaining 6,700 feet of elevation. The nation's southern-most ski resort is at the top, which was evident by the snowbanks. Fortunately, the road was clear.



After a quick trip to Saguaro National Monument to ride an eight-mile loop around the majestic cacti, we headed south to Sonita, then east to near Tombstone and north to Benson, on roads accented by wilderness areas and mountains, before a quick sprint east on I-10 to Wilcox for the night.



Day 3 started with a ride to the top of Chiricahua National Monument, where it started getting cold enough to sightsee while keeping helmets and everything else on. Light flurries chased us off the mountain through Douglass to the unexpectedly delightful town of Bisbee. In addition to great food and coffee, we left with the promise to return when we had more time. Bisbee is at an elevation of 5,300 feet, though, and it remained cold -- in the 30s and 40s with light snow showers -- until we dropped a few thousand feet into the desert on our way to Nogales.



Our destination on Day 3 was Ajo, but when we hit Nogales late in the afternoon, we realized we didn't want to ride for four more hours in the cold and dark and fight javelinas on the road, so we called the wonderful people of nearby Tubac Golf Resort and Spa and they gave us "the deal of the century" on two rooms probably because, shall we say, demand was slack on this frozen, midweek night.

After brushing frost from the parked bikes on the morning of Day 4, we heeded Gabor's recommendation for one of the best cups of coffee in Arizona at the Gadsden Coffee Company in Arivaca. The ride there was a personal highlight. The narrow, empty road curved through and across inviting arroyos, with desert plants crowding the asphalt on each side. Everything about the ride resulted in wide smiles. After a lot of coffee in Arivaca, we motored through Ajo on our way to Wickenburg, which is a little over 2,000 feet in elevation, but the temperature was dropping. We had hoped to ride the next day to Jerome, but the overnight low there was 10 degrees and the wind was picking up, so we opted to head south in search of warmer climes.

Unfortunately, there were no warmer places in Arizona on Day 5, Wednesday, Feb. 2. It was cold everywhere and on our way out of Wickenburg, the temperature was in the mid 30s with winds out of the north at a steady 40 mph. We were headed SW before heading SE, which just meant we were leaning the bikes into the wind in different directions. I had five layers on top, three on the bottom, and of course heated seats and grips going full blast. Still cold -- BUT -- still enjoyed the day riding through gorgeous country on the Beemers.

It turned out to be a short day to Goodyear, where we spent the night, then another short day on Day 6 riding south of Phoenix back to Scottsdale.

Of course the temperatures could have been higher, but we still had a great time and enjoyed the break from real winter weather in Wisconsin. We'll be back. Thanks, Monica and Gabor for the rides, routes and coffee suggestions.

Josh and Chuck from Chicago

If you are a serious motorcyclist who can't handle another moment of winter while your bike(s) sit in the garage on trickle chargers, then AZride is just the thing for you.

My neighbor, Chuck Shotwell, and I were standing in the garage we share to store our bikes, shivering in the cold as we hooked up those trickle chargers for the third month in a row, and got the bright idea to just go somewhere warm and scenic to ride. Shipping our bikes somewhere was out of the question. We just didn't have the time. This had to be quick, easy and reasonably priced.

I found AZride on the internet and cold-called them (pun intended). "Monica" answered. Within about 30 minutes of that phone call, we had two BMWs lined up (an R1200 RT and an F800 ST) and Monica had booked weekend accommodations for us in Scottsdale.



We arrived in Scottsdale on a Thursday night. The reservation for the bikes was for the next morning. Work commitments at home had left us with no time to plan our routes. This was very out-of-character for me and Chuck; we usually plan bike trips with great care.

As Monica promised, the hotel was ideal. A brand-new looking Holiday Inn Express with great low rates just a short walk from Old Town Scottsdale. Our rooms were very large suites (with microwave, refrigerator, two televisions, king beds) and breakfast was included. Better yet, AZride was virtually across the street! We had breakfast on Friday morning and just strolled over there at 9 a.m. wearing our gear, ready to ride, just as if we were crossing the street to our garage in Chicago.

AZride's facility is like a new car showroom, only smaller. The place is immaculate and very well-kept. More importantly, the bikes were in perfect condition -- not a scratch, spotless, great rubber, meticulously maintained. Monica is a seasoned travel professional; Gabor is like a motorcycle-McGyver who maintains the bikes and knows them inside-out. While Monica worked with Chuck on his paperwork, Gabor gave me the orientation on the RT. Then we switched. When we were both done, Gabor pulled out several maps, showed us some routes we could take up to Sedona and back over two days (about 200 miles each day), as well as some local riding options for Sunday. And then we were off. Total time from start to finish was under an hour.

I am happy to say that within those first few miles, we knew we picked the right rental/travel agent. The single most important aspect of a motorcycle trip is a bike you enjoy riding and can count on to perform. These bikes were in terrific shape and ran like new throughout the entirety of our trip, about 600 miles total. I couldn't have been more thrilled and satisfied.

Gabor's suggested routes were just what the doctor ordered to chase away the winter blues for two guys from Chicago.



We took the appropriately-named Carefree Highway (Rt. 74) west out of north Scottsdale to Wickenburg. Our first stop along the way was Lake Pleasant. (see photo) The scenery started out as classic Sonoran Desert that became a bit more hilly as we neared Wickenburg. Had lunch al fresco at Nana's Sandwich Saloon on Rt. 93 in downtown Wickenburg. Fantastic sandwiches, salads, baked goods and coffee. Fast service, too. We had some killer grilled chicken panini-style sandwiches stuffed with bacon, cheese and green chilis. Cruised the old western-style town and then continued up Rt. 93 to Rt. 89, through the town of Congress and up into the mountains and the White Spar Highway. This was when the riding really improved -- a great mix of high-mountain tight twisties and slightly broader turns, with incredible views of the desert below and the mountains ahead around virtually every turn. It was spectacular.



Less than an hour later, we found ourselves winding our way through the Prescott National Forest. Again, some fantastic riding. Great turns, great roads, pine forest, even a little snow on the sides of the road, despite temps in the mid-50s and low 60s.

After winding our way through Prescott, we picked up Rt. 89A and headed east towards Jerome, a speck of a town perched like an eagle's nest on a mountainside in the northern branch of the Tonto National Forest. Chuck lives for the twisties, and he had a blast on this route, carving up the mountain with that F800 ST.

By 4:30 p.m. we had arrived in Sedona, our destination for the day. The sunset, with the light illuminating the red rock cliffs, was beautiful. Our accommodations that night were the Best Western Inn of Sedona. This was a great deal. The hotel is terraced into the hillside with breathtaking views of the Oak Creek Canyon.



The rooms were very clean and comfortable and only $99 per night. The best part was the free shuttle service to anywhere within 5 miles of the hotel -- basically all of Sedona. This is critical when you don't want to suit up just to go to dinner, or if you want to enjoy a cocktail (or two). The shuttle van was readily available and prompt. Dinner was at Dan's Bistro, a Sedona newcomer that is BYO until the liquor license arrives. We enjoyed a hummus plate with a terrific assortment of grilled fresh vegetables, briny olives and capers and artichoke hearts; grilled asparagus in puff pastry drizzled with a balsamic reduction; a chopped salad generously laden with grilled shrimp; and a homemade tagliatelle with scallops, mussels and shrimp tossed with a garlicky roasted tomato sauce. Looking up at the stars from the terrace outside our rooms back at the hotel, I realized just how much of the galaxy we never see living with all the light pollution in Chicago.



Saturday morning was bright, sunny and a bit chilly. Didn't think I'd be using the heated grips in Arizona, but I was glad to have them now. We were on the road (89A) by 9:15 a.m. heading north through the Oak Creek Canyon. This is beautiful red rock country. Brooks and streams filled with assorted rocks and boulders snake their way along the side of the road in some places; in other spots, sheer rock walls surround you on either side as you steadily climb through the canyon towards blue sky and Flagstaff, just a short 28 miles ahead. The rock walls soon give way to sheer cliffs and parapets, views of the canyon to the south and twisties that just get tighter and tighter. The riding couldn't get any better than this. Or so I thought.



Gabor had explained that as we neared Flagstaff, the roadsigns would try to force us onto Interstate 17 to get back to Scottsdale. We took his advice and ignored them, opting instead to take Lake Mary Road south through the Mogollon Plateau towards the tiny town of Strawberry, and then to Rt. 87 and Payson.

Anyone who rides a motorcycle must ride Lake Mary Road in Arizona. There is simply nothing that compares. Once you see Upper Lake Mary and then Mormon Lake, you will think you have found motorcyle riding paradise. But just wait. It gets much, much better. The pine forests and lakes open up to incredible mountain riding with perfectly paved, smooth-as-silk roads, soft, sweeping turns, tons of curves and mind-blowing beauty. And there is no civilization. Not a town, not a gas station, not a restaurant -- nothing for close to 100 miles, except for the Happy Jack Lodge.

When we arrived in Strawberry about 90 minutes later, we were ready for hot coffee. This town looks like a dump, but there is a terrific place called "Strawberries" (go figure) with a sign out front that just says "Restaurant Lodge." Chuck picked the spot; I was skeptical. This was a great place. Our server, Margie, (whose delightful 12 year old daughter arrived just as we finished lunch) could not have been more charming. And the homemade green chili stew, eaten while sitting fireside in the restaurant's low-ceiling, timbered dining room, was highly memorable.



The balance of our ride back to Scottsdale that day was more my style than Chuck's. I love big broad sweepers, two lanes all to myself, and panoramic views. Route 87 from Payson to Mesa was my dream ride. There was no traffic. The sweepers were awesome, and the RT was just the bike on which to enjoy them. And the best part is that even though Rt. 87 is a four-lane divided highway, you hardly ever see the oncoming lanes. These roads were constructed through the mountains, so for much of the ride, all you see is the two lanes going in your direction because the mountains separate you from the other side of the highway. It was like they built a private road just for me and the bike in the most beautiful spot imaginable, and I could ride as fast as I wanted. And I did.

Back in Scottsdale that night, Chuck and I did a walking tour of Old Town Scottsdale and enjoyed dinner at Don & Charley's, co-owned by Rich Melman (founder/owner of Chicago's Lettuce Entertain You) and the Carson family (of Carson's Ribs in Chicago). This place is a little gold mine, so plan accordingly in terms of reservations. We went early and ate in the bar, which was perfect for us.

On Sunday, our last day, we spent the morning riding out the Apache Trail to Tortilla Flat. This is a popular ride for local motorcyclists and we saw many of our brethren on all sorts of bikes. The scenery is classic Sonoran Desert with tons of Saguaro cacti to enjoy along the way, as well as a fair number of hills and twisties -- so many that Chuck and I got separated as he carved them up and I stopped repeatedly to document the trip with my camera. In the afternoon, we rode out the Bush Highway from Mesa to Saguaro Lake, where there is a marina and a decent restaurant where you can sit outside and enjoy lunch on the water. This is also a popular destination for the local motorcycle crowd, so we felt very much at home.

By the time we got back to Scottsdale, the Bears-Packers game was in the 4th quarter and we stopped for coffee to catch the abrupt end of the Bears 2010 season. I was glad I opted to do this trip rather than spend the money on Bears tickets so I could sit in frigid Soldier Field and watch the carnage.

Monica and Gabor met us at AZride's facility on 73rd between Earll and Thomas promptly at 5 p.m., when we said we would be back to return the bikes. Gabor gave the bikes the quick once-over, and Monica gave us our paperwork. We walked back to the hotel, changed out of our gear, had a light dinner of seared sushi grade Ahi at nearby Bandera, a couple of cocktails and wished we could start it all over again.