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l'|EI{ OF v t5l0l{ A\,IcI0RYI|t$t0il T0t|R OFAi,| ERICAIIi,|ETTLE by GaryMraz
VISION - NEuni en experTdncd I I ision and indomitablespirit forgedAmericanmetrle. l,f Travellingwest, pioneers found an oceanparadise 7n whleh a pers@n, thlng, @T ! via the desolatedesert heat. In honor of that spirit I I rode to Laughlin, Nevada,on a newAmerican legend, dvent appoars vTvIdIy @r the Victory \4sion motorcycle.Ourjourney will takeus from Palm Springs to Slab City to Joshua Ti"ee,through the erodlbly te tha alnd, Mojave Desert to Laughlin. Along the way we will better altheugh net eetutlf y understandsome of the visionariesthat shapedtoday's badlands-Cabot Yerxa, who founded Desert Hot prasont, eftan undar the Springs,Leonard Knight's Z1-yearlabor of faith on Salva- tion Mountain, Dr. Van Thssel'sflying-saucer energy 7nf Tudnea ef a dTvLna @r dome, and finally Laughlin, acity built up from a bankrupt bar by its narnesake. ethdr zgancy. Ti"avelinghundreds of miles through arid desertrequires a token amount of creaturecomforts. Amenities that allow you to contemplatethe grand expansebefore you. Options
42 AMERICANRIDERTAUGUST 2OO9 like XM radio or an iPod,whether the windshieldshould be an inch higher or lower.The varietyof possibleleg positions of cleverlydesigned floorboards. Should the heated seatsand grips be activatedto staveoffthis evening'schill? Of all the fla- vors of American touring motorcycles,in my opinion, only the 2009\4ctory Vision offerssuch choices. Aerodynamically faultlessand visuallystunning, it's shockinghow well a motor- cycle this sizeactually handles.The additional torque and powerof the new Freedom106 powerplant is truly appreciat- ed. Completelyat easeat 85 miles an hour as the road unfolds,the VictoryVision is exhilarating.
Men of Msion GroundZerot Th€ Shaman'sMsion Quests When traveling the amazingterrain of the west,first and fore- mostwe must pay homageto the Cahuilla Indianswho have begin early.There really aren't any good placesfor lunch lived here continuouslyfor 3,000years. Cahuilla shamans around here.Make sureto pack food and water; thisjourney would procure their power from the natural mineral springs is not for the faint of heart. found in what we now know as Palm Springs. Before Palm Springs,this land wascalled se-hhe (boiling water) in Uto- Day l: Heading north on Indian CanyonDrive, passthe l0 Aztecan,thenAgun Cali,ente(hot water) by the Spanish.Now freewayto Dillon road and turn right (east)to Desert Hot this land takesits name from the surrounding native palm Springs. At Mountain View Road,turn left and follow until it trees.Important shamanslike PedroChino bathed here and endsandveers left again.In total,it shouldtake about l5 min- through vision questsacquired knowledge about healing from utes from Palm Springs to reach Cabot's Pueblo Museum. the powerful beings who occupy the underworld to which CabotYerxa homesteaded here on Miracle Hill in l9l3 and thesehot springsare connected.Chino wasallegedly 126 cashedin on the now famousnatural hot springs.Hand-made yearsoldwhen he died in 1939.Today these same hot springs by Yerxaover Z4years entirely out of found materials,the 35- are locatedin the Agu" CalienteCasino on the corner of East room Hopi-stylepueblo museumitself is amazing.Inside Thhquitz Canyon and Indian Canyon Drive in downtown you'll find NativeAmerican pottery early 20th centurypho- PalmSprings. This is ground zerofor our own men-of-vision tographs and artifactsfrom Yerxa'sNaskan adventures.The quest.The plan: staythe night here,get a good breakfastand 40-foot Indian sculptureoutside was hand carvedby Peter
u AiIERICAN RIDERIAUGUST 2OO9 sAUATt0t{|'|0ut{TA[{ STAilIISASA MOOERII AI,|ERIIAII|M[[CA.
:j.$ :\*::, -l'his Road. is one of the most enjoyable lides tl-rrough the desert,vet;you're cruisinq through the heart ol'.|oshua-liee -l'he National Park. rocks take on a stranse licpricl-likefil'rn as if'floating gravity fiee and arnries of'.foshua trees loonr befole you defbnding their-arid enrpile. It's zu'rabsoltrtely bcatrtiful drive with sonreserious nn,isties tossecl in. KevsVieu, is at 5,575 feet and the r,istais staggerinc.\t)u can seeMex- ico 300 miles alva)'.Asain, you rvill travel another 50 rnilcs atrd nrat'stop severaltirnes to appreciatethc ur-riqueten'ain. Springs Road u'ill deposityou ont() Hishr,val'62in the Quail -lbdav's city o1'JoshuaTiee. travelsonly' totzrl 2i]0 nrilesbut it's taken us about l0 hotrrs. I recomnrenclturnine in fil'the night at the.[oshuzr-lieeInn.
Giant Rock, the Integratron and Historic Route 66 Day 2: About l0 nrinutes zlwzlvfrclnr the Inn, try the heartv #*ro.n* Roadkill breakfast at Route 62 Olcl'l-inrer Diner, where thcre ale zrls
48 AMERICANRIDERIAUCUST 2OO9 -l
end into Historic Route 66 (this section is also known as National Ti"ailsHigh- way). Here you will find the historic Roy's Motel Caf6. Built in 1938, Roy's served as a desert oasis to travelers oir this desolate section of Route 66 for years.Roy's vision of a travelers''Mecca was dashed when the 15 frreway was built, virtually bypassingRoute 66. The station, motel and cafd that served thousands over the years now stands virtually deserted along that stretch connecting Route'66 to the 40. Forging east on Route 66 (also known at this point as Needles High- *uy) into Laughlin is where cruise Nw abandoned, for yeats Roy's served as a desert oastro to Route 66 travelers. control comes in handy. The Victory Vision is well laid out aesthetically and ergonomically.Recall those clev- never recovered.)Replicated again and time to ruminate over the experiences erly designed floorboards I men- again, this one's the real deal; it even of the past severaldays. Quesffirl visions; tioned? They have enough real estate leaksoil. one man's mountain of faith revealed; to do the two-step.I was even able to Also Emilio and Monica Scotto's another's cosmic secretslie yet undiscov- wedge my heel into the front cowl and motorcycle is on display.In his l0-year ered. Visions can be vivid shimmering tip-over pad for a comfortable full-for- motorcycle odysseyEmilio traveled desert mirages that evaporate before ward leg extension. The incredibly 485,000 miles, visited 232 countries, your eyes or they can become tangible cushy seat coupled with smooth sus- and cnrssedsix continents,while receiv- manifestationsof motorcycles,hotels or pension left me daydreaming. Thke a ing 15 tickets (13 in California). This highways.As thesemen along our voy- second to reflect-other American epic excursion earned him a place in age have shown us, if you can conceive motorcycle manufacturers like Indian the GuinnessWorld Book of Records. it, truly believe it, you might achieveit. and Harley-Davidson have had over a On the final day of our trip, I take nide safe.O century to define and refine their product. Victory's mere decadeis very very impressive.Thking advantageof a century of evolution, fusing it with modern technology and visionary designers like Arlen Ness, Victory embodies that true American spirit. The soft bags provided with the Vision, packed appropriately, the glovebox, and the hidden area under the trunk are very useful.
Laughlin, Nevada: Paradise Found From Joshua Tree, it's about 200 miles until we reach Don Laughlin's Riverside Resort Casino. This 4O-story hotel overlooking the Colorado River began as a bankrupt bar on an unpaved road. Another lone wolf in the desert, this man of vision now inhabits a city that bears his name. The Laughlin River Run began in 1983 and is now billed as the West Coast's Largest Motorcycle Event on the Banks of the Colorado Rive4 with thousandsof avid motorcyclists attending each spring. The Riverside ResortCasino also hosts their Run to Fun rally in mid-October. Sitting in Don's auto museum is an EZRydeq the bike that inspired gener- ations of custom builders and riders. (Ihe originalEasy Ridnr bikewas stolen shortly after filming was finished and ATIERIGANRIDERIAUGUST 2OO9 49