Pop's Place: A Ride with a View

A couple of weeks ago I went on the grown mans equivalent of Baby’s Day Out, taking my bike out for a quick ride around town.

That quick ride ended up being two days and about 650 miles of sunshine and wind in my used to be hair.

I hadn’t taken the bike out in a few weeks, just couldn’t find the time, so I was due. Thinking I would run around town, maybe grab some lunch, I somehow ended up in Black Canyon City, about 60 miles from home. I figured since I got a little off course I might as well make a day of it and kept heading south.

Without the confines of roof, doors, and windows, traveling on two wheels allows one to notice things you may not otherwise see- some good, some not so, but most interesting.

Here’s a few of the highlights of Pops Day Out:

14: the number of Wal-Mart bags that you can see stuck to fence posts.

30: the number of Keystone Light cans that can safely fit in a three wheeled stroller being pushed/dragged at the bus stop on 35^th Ave & McDowell

4: the number of minutes it takes to take out 30 beers from inside a broken stroller at the bus stop on 35^th Ave & McDowell so the crying toddler sitting the trash can is able to take a seat in same stroller.

3: number of F Bombs that can be hurled at gawking motorcycle rider before he rides away.

8: number of diapers seen in various cross walks in the city of Phoenix (2 #1’s, 4 #2’s, and 2 that can only be described as containing #4’s- way too much to be considered #2’s) Note to parents of babies in Phoenix- please throw diapers in trash receptacles and you may want to reconsider your choice in baby food.

3: number of Mexican restaurants a fella can eat at during an 8 hour bike ride.

After leaving home at about 10:30 am, parking in my driveway after 7 pm, you might think that would be enough.

You’d be wrong.

Day two, over Mingus Mt, into Jerome, Cottonwood, and Sedona.