hello from Santa Fe

[Guest SantaFeRider]

Hi Guzzisti.

 

A few weeks ago I took a spill in Durango Co on my way from Santa Fe to Ouray.

 

My beloved R1100S got totaled by the insurance company. It was such a good bike (never surged, motor revved quickly and willingly, never a clunky shift) that I decided against replacing it with a similar bike; I'd probably be constantly comparing the two and I'd never be happy with the replacement.

 

I found a 2002 Le Mans locally, with only 1,400 miles on the clock. The former owner never rode it, because he lives in Santa Fe in a garage-less home and kept the bike at hs brother's house, 30 miles away. Not conducive to riding...

 

I'm sorry for him, but happy for myself. This is the way I came into Guzzi ownership.

 

My R1100RT has got a new buddy to share the garage with, and my wife has not put me to sleep on the sofa, so I guess I'm groovy.

 

 

I took it out las Sunday for a long (260 miles) ride and I loved the sound, the handling and the torque. 5,000 RPM sound like a symphony to my ears.

 

 

For those of you who know Valles Caldera National Preserve, you also know that, when motorcyclong through the area, a photo stop is mandatory, so here it is.

 

 

...and now that I have posted and ceased to be a lurker, I hope this will keep me from being pruned.

[Van]

Welcome friend!!

your is going to be a joy after all that German engineering!

Cheers

Van

[Guest SantaFeRider]

Welcome friend!!

your  is going to be a joy after all that German engineering!

Cheers

Van

66835[/snapback]

 

thank you Van. You live in a magnificent part of the world. I used to live in Vancouver BC in the late 70s; but the weather terrorized me away (at the time, I had been previously living in Nicaragua so the change was too much)

 

Hope to see you around.

[wsholar]

...I found a 2002 Le Mans locally, with only 1,400 miles on the clock.

I was going to get that bike, but you beat me to it! C'est la vie.

 

I Guzzi'd around Santa Fe/NNM for a coupla years. I know the roads well. I'm in the LA area now.

 

 

Ah yes, across the street from Los Ojos in Jemez Springs, right?

 

For those of you who know Valles Caldera National Preserve, you also know that, when motorcyclong through the area, a photo stop is mandatory, so here it is.

 

 

Hwy 4 was my favorite close-by road. Nice seeing your pictures-- they bring back fond memories. Glad you're enjoying the Guzzi.

 

w

[Guest SantaFeRider]

I was going to get that bike, but you beat me to it!  C'est la vie.

 

I Guzzi'd around Santa Fe/NNM for a coupla years.  I know the roads well.  I'm in the LA area now.

 

 

Ah yes, across the street from Los Ojos in Jemez Springs, right?

Hwy 4 was my favorite close-by road.  Nice seeing your pictures-- they bring back fond memories.  Glad you're enjoying the Guzzi.

 

w

67607[/snapback]

 

I'm glad I beat you to it you already have one

 

Yes, the picture was taken across from Los Ojos.

 

I'm glad my pics brought you fond memories. The roads in this area are great for motorcycling, pity the weather is getting vile, but it's the season...

[orangeokie]

Beautiful LeMans SFR. Welcome. NM is a great palce to ride. Magnificent countryside and vistas.

[st. augustine]

yes, a great place to ride. I am originally from Quemado NM(Class of '73 - 3 guys and a girl who was already married - no need for a senior trip). Actually got first road legal bike back in '71 in Baton Rouge then rode it to NM, an HD 350 Sprint. Road every road on the western side of the state (east side too flat) and the east side of AZ. My high school coach had a Guzzi and a BMW, he later became one of my best of friends. that's why I ride the goose now, in memory.

 

Want to go on a longer ride, shoot over to Quemado way through Zuni (check out Salt Lake-a volcanic crater with an inner crater - I heard you have to get permission now, but when I was kid.....), head south towards Silver City, turn west before Clifton down the Mule Creek road (that's a RIDE), then back up north to Springerville or even Holbrook (the petrified forest), then back to SF.

 

Wanna talk dirt/gravel roads? Been down a lot more of those...another day of stories on an Ossa 250. Hope to hear more stories and pics from you.

[Guest SantaFeRider]

hey st. augustine, you live in a beautiful place!!!

 

...for boating

 

...and eating fish

 

 

but for riding, the four corners states don't have rival.

 

The only time in my life that I remeber my bike sat in the garage for as long as this Guzzi I just bought without accumulating miles is when I lived in Florida (Key West)

 

I have been many times through Quemado; still not much to it, but there is gas at least.

 

I love the country there, and the road from Reserve to Spring City through Glenwood has a bunch of high-speed twisters.

 

The Lady who has the pie shop in Pietown bought the Mogollon General Store and made a great Tuscan style Bed & Breakfast, with an outside patio and wood fired ovens. She only opens in summer and only week-ends, but the remoteness of the place, the bedrooms and the food are worth the detour.

 

If you ever come back this way, pm me for my cell number.

[Martin Barrett]

the four corners states

68829[/snapback]

 

? Is that Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico, seem to be the ones that match the description, and consistant with your NM address.

 

On "my" little island I tend tp forget just how big the USoA is, and how varied the topology can be across a state. Must dip back into Dan's trip reports. You Guys must be pissing yourself with my tales of daring do on the Round Britain Rally

 

I'm going to google the four corner states now - surely there must be some sort of marker/monument?

 

Edit- found it wasn't difficult

 

 

No chance of a picture of your Guzzi with it, apparently it's inside a building.

Edited November 28, 2005 by Martin Barrett

[Guest SantaFeRider]

yes Martin, it's the only point in the US common to four States: New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado.

 

The point is not inside a building, but inside Indian land. There is a sort of a monument and an adjacent parking lot, so you cannot ride your bike to it.

 

Here is a picture of me on the point, when I was seven years younger

 

[Martin Barrett]

yes Martin, it's the only point in the US common to four States: New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado.

 

The point is not inside a building, but inside Indian land.  There is a sort of a monument and an adjacent parking lot, so you cannot ride your bike to it.

 

68856[/snapback]

 

Silly me, I misread or misinterpreted what I read.

 

It looks a lot bigger with you stood on it. The picture I found didn't give a sense of scale. Thinking about I should have realise it would at least be "manhole" size not dinner plate.

 

Oh and I liked your analogy with the goblet.

[Guest SantaFeRider]

Oh and I liked your analogy with the goblet.

 

 

wasn't that on another thread?

 

 

[Martin Barrett]

wasn't that on another thread? 

68866[/snapback]

 

Oh yes, and a different forum.

[Guest Duck2Goose]

Hey Santa Fe-

 

My Guzzi days have not come yet, but soon! I'll be moving to Northern NM and wondering about dealer/shop support out there. My last bike was a 95 Ducati 900SS SP and when doing desmo valve adjustments it was helpful to have a shop nearby for shims etc. I do like to tinker and am excited about the possibility of riding a V11 someday up in the Jemez! Where do you go for parts etc? (If these are naive questions it is because I am new to this forum and Moto Guzzi)

 

Duck2Goose

[Guest SantaFeRider]

Hi Duck2Goose,

 

That I know, there are no dealers in the area.

 

I was informed of a gent who lives in Albuquerque and who apparently is a very accomplished Guzzi tech who will do work on local Guzzis.

 

I talked to him on the phone. He works out of his home so you have to make an appointment well in advance. What I don't know is how his system works if the bike needs to stay waiting for spares.

 

I'll dig his name and phone # and pass it on to you.

 

So far, I have bought spares and technical books from Harper's.

 

There is a Guzzi dealer in Tucson (Renaissance Motors) which has been recommended to me as one of the best Guzzi dealers in the country. Tucson is not close, but it's a great ride from here, three seasons of the year.

 

Sorry not to be able to be more helpful, but I am quite new to Guzzi ownership.

 

When you move to the area, pm me for my cell.