Twas A Nipply Ride...Part of it anyway
 

My good old reliable bladder thought 5:30 was a good time to get up, this morning and since I didn't get enough driving last Monday, I decided to take a little drive, before it got toasty. By 6 it was only 85° and I was on my way to Payson. Since I didn't feel the need to stop at the Payson Airport Restaurant for a couple hours, I continued on up the hill to Clint's Well. Almost stopped a couple times to put on a sweatshirt since my tee and shorts was not quite adequate for the chilly temperatures at 7500'. I toughed it out and my hard nipples relaxed on the way back down to Payson. Sure a nice drive between Payson and Clint's. Stopped in Payson for some fuel and put on my ice pack vest for the run back to the valley. Got home just at 10 o'clock,100° and 217 miles later. Sure was a good way to start the day.

Sounds like a nice ride. I am going to try to get out for a short drive on Sunday a.m. EARLY...

Early is the only way to go from now through the end of summer here in sunny AZ.:)

Karl....we had a nice drive to/from Cottonwood via the Payson Air Port bkfst joint with an over night stay in Sedona and also Cottonwood this past weekend. Great offer from a local Boutique hotel in Cottonwood called "SIP N STAY". $200/night in a beautiful 10 room 5 star hotel. Rate includes $50 credit card which can be used for local food and shopping (we used for dinner), two free cocktail tickets good at the Hotel Tavern, $10 gift card for a local restrurant (we used for bkfst) and free wine tasting at 6 vineries (all located walking distance) no more than 2 blocks from the hotel. I will contact the hotel owner and see if we can fill up the hotel and get a special rate for a fall run. Not sure what the wine tasting cost but there is a cost. Stroll up/down the old Cottonwood main street, taste wine, shop at the antique shops,have good food and stay in a really 5 star hotel for $200. Check in is 3pm but we got there early and got all the freebie tickets and did the wine tasting. We also drove to some local winery estates for some additional tasting. Drove through Payson for Bkfst continued through Pine/Strawberry to Sedona. We made it a 3 day trip with 2 overnights. Jerome is only a few miles away so a side trip up/back is also an easy do and over the hill to Prescott for lunch on the way home is also a possibility. Beautiful drive up and direct route back I-17 with a stop at Rock Springs pie store for a break. Home drive to our house was 2hr5min via freeway. We didn't mind the heat cause were were in the "black beauty", Lexie. Great Cobra cruise that could be divided into two groups for a 3 day, 2 night run or just a 2 day one night run. It would be a good fall run for sure.

Mike, sounds like a good idea. Let us know what you find out about the hotel.

If I were in Cottonwood, I'd surely have to go to Jerome and then 89A to Sedona.