Just returned from a quick trip over to the 34th Laughlin River Run. Had a lot more wind driving in on Wednesday than I wanted {or the forecast called for}. From Kingman down to Laughlin we had 25 gusting to 35 right out of the south which is not a lot of fun (westbound), on the bike. Once we arrived things only got better.

By Thursday the crowd began to arrive in mass and the party was on. Most of the parking lots looked like this:



I'm guessing that about 97% off all the bikes in Laughlin were Harley's with a sprinkling of Indians and Victorys, hey its a Harley thing. The crowds could not have been nicer, never heard a harsh word or even a horn honk and the heavy police and private security forces seemed almost out of place.

The median age appeared to be something north of 50 but being 64 perhaps my perception has gone the way of my hair {as in going and graying fast}. We had a room at the Tropicana which being directly across the street from the Colorado Bell was party central.

Managed to finance the trip with a timely $400 win from a quarter slot machine and had a great (383 mile) ride home today with 20 mph tail wind all the way back to Tucson. My bride and I had a blast and can't wait to return next year, now if I just find a way to get up to Sturgis this year....

I went one year, timing a trip from Sacramento to Tucson to take in the Run. Stayed at a Motel 6 in Needles, about 30 miles away. They charged $139 per night!

Good times, but I hate getting played like that...

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I used to be disgusted..

You went from Tuscon to Laughlin via Kingman? Interesting route.

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Release the Kraken

This weekend is also the Route 66 celebration in Kingman. Lots of fancy "old" cars, food and fun.

We spent the first night with friends in Mesa which takes about 100 miles off off the run to Laughlin. Wednesday morning about 0830 when the worst of the Phoenix commute had subsided we just jumped into the car pool lane and never changed lanes all the way across Phoenix picking up the new 303 loop north to 60. That took us into Wickenburg and from there 93 is good wide open road all the way to I-40 about 25 miles east of Kingman.

Kingman down to Laughlin is only about 30 miles but it was windy{25+ right out of the south}. Going home we just headed south to I-40 out of Laughlin (lousy road by the way), then picked up 95 south down through Lake Havesu
and Parker.

Taking 72 north of Quartzite cuts off some mileage and brings you back out to I-10, to 85 south to Gila Bend and then home on I-8 (the Phoenix bypass), merging onto I-10 at Casa Grande.

It was 352 miles going up and 388 coming home. The roads (other than Laughlin to I-40), were smooth and traffic relatively light. Going home we had 20+ winds but since they were out of the west northwest it wasn't an issue.

I was fighting some serious winds on my Sportster that day..

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I used to be disgusted..

Little wet today