Greater Metropolitan Phoenix is not known for it’s motorcycle roads. However, to attend the State Capital it was not to be avoided.
We started out from Needles heading East on I-40 and then dropped down US-95 through Lake Havasu City (home of the relocated London Bridge) Lake Havasu had all the amenities of a thriving retirement community including big box stores such as Lowe’s and Home Depot.
South of Havasu the road finally get’s interesting with some twistier sections and some irregular landforms, mountains and hills. Around this time we got hit with some rain (the whole region was broiling with thunderstorm activity).
South of Parker we left 95 heading east on Hwy 72. To the north the clouds were black and menacing; to the south blue sky with cumulous clouds marching in formation. Some low points were beset by water coursing across the road as we were entering a ‘flash flood’ area. Too much rain to the north apparently – it proved too much for a stretch just west of Bouse which was closed by the police – forcing us to detour back to 95 and south the I-10.
On I-10 the cross wind was from the north and quite refreshing at a relatively chilly 27 C. Moments later it shifted and was suddenly a hot muggy 36 C; suitable prelude to a dust storm.
The rest of the trip was uneventful as we entered Phoenix and visited the Capitol. The stop proved fortuitous in that the delay meant we arrived in Wickenburg just after the downpours had come through and drenched the town. Rainbows were taken as a sign of better weather tomorrow.