I'm getting the hankering to do a night ride lately. One my favorite for 10 yrs. working nights. Actually thinkin' doing a ride here in a little while as I haven't been on a morning ride for a couple years. Wanting to run some MMO thru the ole' girl.

 

I`ve seen the Beauty of Atlanta once on the trip home from Carlyle,PA in 2007...
I was returning home from the Big Carshow there and was passing through Atlanta at 4AM...
No traffic on the streets and Atlanta Lit up in her Glory...
Ranchero USA was invited for the 50th anniversary of the Ranchero "Cartruck", I drove a 75 Ranchero to show...

Enjoy @gunsmoker

 

We used to do night rides all the time! I think its great!

 

Well, my friend and I did it, last night. Atlanta. Took the interstate there, rode up and down several of the more famous surface roads with bars and coffee shops (and strip clubs, and "Getcher Freakon" hip-hop dance clubs).
Nothing other than bars / clubs was open. Due to crime, there are no more 24-hour diners, 24-hour doughnut shops, etc. We some City landmarks that still had their lights on, even though they were closed.

Got "lost" by forced detours due to construction, and the maze of one-way roads in downtown ATL is always confusing. At one point I thought I was on a one-way road and knew I'd be turning left in 1/4 mile, so I got in what I thought was the "left lane." NOPE, I was in the far right lane for ONCOMING traffic. (The lines painted on the street were faded to almost nothing, and the lighting in the area was good-- tons of street lamps and businesses had outdoor lighting).

 

Here in Tucson a night ride through town and before 10 Pm is up A mountain. You approach this on W. Congress St. The view of Tucson is dramatic. "A Mountain Park" closes at 10 PM.
Another good night view is from Mt Lemon Highway on the far east side. You leave the desert at about 2800 feet and windy point is 4500ish and the summit is 9000. Temp. change bottom to top is about -20 degrees.
Windy point has a great view of East Tucson lights. I can not think of a good reason to continue to the top at night.

 

I love riding eastern colorado, nw new mexico, western kansas at night. Like riding through the old west.

 

I have not done this on motorcycle recently. I did ride 54 across W. Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas panhandles. and on to Tucumcari. This is a great ride. Also I rode Dalhart, Boise City, Elkhart, Johnston City to Hi way 80. I crave to ride the 5 state 300 miler out of Guymon every May. It is like going back in time. As you know, E Colorado and W Kansas and northern NM are not places to run out of gas especially at night. "The destination is far less important than the ride"!

 

When I was younger I made may trips across the country by car. One of the things I always enjoyed was seeing a city off in the distance and watching it get closer.
I'm a night owl so I'd drive 4-6 hours after the sun went down and could see 10 cities in a night.

I'd still do that but all the people I did it with have left and new people, with jobs, at my age, aren't interested in cross country treks.

 

When I leave Milwaukee early and I`m heading north I have to cross what is referred to as "The High-rise Bridge". The view is really something, but because you`re on a bridge you can`t pull over. But being a shutterbug I`ve been tempted. It makes it hard to keep your eyes on the road in front of you. Below are the views I get on my right as leave the city before sunrise. (Not my pics) Looking forward to some pics if you have any. I have a nephew that lives outside of Atlanta.

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Pics of our 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. trip to ATL.
The professional quality photos are not mine-- I just swiped them off the internet,
but they represent the views that we actually saw the other night.
The amateur is looking photos, slightly blurry, are mine.

Mo' pix:

"The Big Chicken" is actually in Marietta, not Atlanta but that was the end of our trip where we parted ways. My friend went straight north to his home and I went northeast to mine.

The internet pics....

but it really WAS this beautiful.

 

This may be slightly off topic but i will tie it up at the end.

I grew up and worked my career at the upper end of the Skagit Valley. Think a company town at the base of a canyon that extended 30 plus miles north to the Canadian border thru 3 to 5000 foot mountains.

Whenever workers from Seattle or visitors came there and were awed by the grandeur and beauty of the view I had to stop and look around. I guess it is beautiful, but it was just my backyard!

I did spend 4 years in Seattle (electrical apprenticeship) and still heard how great the Skagit Project looked.

As it turned out I had to take a ferry across Puget Sound from Seattle to Bremerton one evening. The Seattle skyline at night is WAY different than daytime.

After that I told everyone that praised my backyard, you have just as beautiful a view from a ferry if you look for it.

Sorry about no pictures. Just one of the FEW fond memories of my time in Seattle!

Thanks
Steve

 

Sometimes I ride my bicycle through the city before daybreak. I can ride right down the city biggest streets and only encounter a few cars. Then , once the sun comes up, the city awakes. It seems like joggers and dog walkers come out of nowhere. Then, poof, the streets are loud and busy again.
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These are interesting lights, the Beauty of these cities...

Yeah,
Dennis

 

roadsnakes, when are you coming up with a 18 month calendar with 18 of your best photos on it?

Put me down for three.

 

LOL
Thanks

 

not a honda my apologies, but took this after i rode through about 20-25 miles of thunderstorms in east colorado. Could see it coming so stopped and got rain gear on. Didnt run very fast, that no front fender drowns a guys vision. Got through and had to get a quick photo. I love riding solo, expecially in the middle of nowhere.

 

When I see your name, it reminds me of a joke in the 1970s about the hippies who were on the beach smoking pot and having a great time partying.
And then they decided to give the sea birds some pot to see what would happen.

They wanted to leave no "tern un-stoned".

 

Its actually a band i enjoy hearing, and my year of birth. Stoned jesus is a...stoner metal band. Imagine that. Ironically i dont think they partake in the activity to much.

 

More of the "City Night" pics please? I'm liking'em.

 

raton new mexico, "goat hill" at night.