Southwest USA Questions

I'm close to booking a bike [through HC Travel] and spending two weeks touring the southwest USA starting and finishing in Phoenix during May

If those that have toured in this area could advise on the accommodation to be found I'd appreciate it. I'd be interested in the cost per night and if rooms are going to be difficult to come by as I'd prefer not to book ahead.

Also, it's a big area - which states should I stick to for the best motorcyclin' and scenery.

Thanks .

Russ.

A couple of years ago I did a fly drive into Phoenix and arounf the Grand Canyon. Overriding memory apart from how BIG the GC is the straightness of the roads. 10 mile straights are not unusual. IIRC around Boulder Town the road actually curved and went up to almost 10 000 feet. Other roads weren't too bad either in the area.

Thanks John.

On the one hand I'm tempted by Arizona/Utah because of the national parks. On the other the thought of 10m straights ain't too appealing.

colorado's very nice

I did a round trip last year by car.
We flew into Phoenix.. picked up the rental car.
Stayed a couple of nights at the Pointe Hilton at Squaw Peak, Phoenix to relax.
Drove to Grand Canyon. Stayed overnight outside of the park at the Red Feather Lodge at Tusayan. We couldn't get booked into any of the hotels actually inside the park although we tried booking in advance. This worked out just fine.

Drove to Monument Valley at stayed at Gouldings Lodge. It is the only hotel actually within the valley. We booked this in advance. The hotel is run by the Navajo and is dry... a rude awakening when we tried to order a beer. Fabulous views of the buttes from the room balcony though.

Then up to Moab. I can't recommend this area highly enough. Right on your doorstep are Canyonlands and Arches National Parks.... just fabulous.
We stayed at the Best Western Greenwell Inn. Standard Best Western accomodation. perfectly adequate.

Then across to Durango, Colorado and stayed at the Holiday Inn on Carmen del Rio. Again, perfectly adequate. If you go there take the steam railway up to Silverton... an all day trip and well worth it. You may need to book it in advance... we did.

Then across to Santa Fe, New Mexico and stayed at the Santa fe Hotel... very nice, peublo style.

We then made our way to Phoenix stopping overnight at Holbrook (on the old Route 66) and stayed at the Wigwam Motel... the rooms are all concrete wigwams and it's viewed as a Route 66 historic monument. It's different as is the owner.

Then back to Phoenix for a couple of nights relaxation at the Pointe Hilton but the one at Tapatio Cliffs this time.
We did book all our accomodation in advance and we were there end of June/beginning July.

Some places you might be better to book in advance but probably most you'd get away with just turning up.

I did a 3-month, 15,000 mile motorcycle trip around the US this Summer and never needed to book the motels I stopped at in advance. I tended to stay in Motel 6 motels most of the time as they are the cheapest of the large motel chains, but still very clean. I use to arrive at the town I intended to stop at about 4pm and the motels are advertised either on the town's outskirts or on the approach to the sliproads off the freeways. The motels which aren't part of one of the big chains, the privately run ones are called 'Mom & Pop' motels, and these can often be very good too. They are certainly the cheapest but can be a bit ratty. You will always need to show photo I/D (a modern driving licence will do) and pay will a credit card on arrival. Senior rates, which I got some of the time, are flexible. Sometimes that mean't 'Over 50', 'Over 55' or 'Over 60'. It all depended on the house rules of that particular motel. Diners were often nearby, but sometimes required a mile-and-a-half walk along unlit busy, main roads with no pavements. Many diners are dry which was a bit of a pain after eight hours in the saddle, and there's no hard or fast rule about whether an area or town is dry or not. It seems to be down to the wishes of the local population. One area will be dry, yet a mile down the road, you can buy beer or wine with your meal. Some off licences only sell beer, some sell beer and wine, some don't sell alcohol at all. It's all a bit strange to a Brit mind you they don't have the problems we do with binge drinking amongst the young. You must be at least 21yrs to buy drink and always carry I/D as if you look less than (say) 35yrs, you will be asked to produce it.

Back to motel booking, if you decide to stay anywhere near the Grand Canyon, I would definitely book in advance there as the few motels to get booked up.

Why not consider this as a possibility?

http://www.bikeshareworld.com/

I've been a member for 4 years now - had three US trips, and one in Southern Africa this year. Advantages, you save enormous amounts against the costs of bike hire, and as importantly, get to meet up with some like-minded bikers who go out of their way to help make your trip a success - hospitality / maps / local routes / etc. etc. Some of these guys have become good friends long after the trip finished.

With a start from Phoenix and a couple of weeks, I'd recommend you stick with Arizona & Utah - fantastic variety of roads, altitudes, and stunning landscapes. Beware falling into the trap I did ( on my first trip) of clocking up the miles at the expense of really getting a feel for the places you ride through. Thought about camping? - no problem finding somewhere to pitch up for the night - and frees you up from being tied into a pre-arranged itinerary.

Have a great trip - wherever you go, whichever way you do it.

I can't recommmend any accommodation,as I've only stayed in Mesa down the road from Phoenix on a lay over with work.


But if you do decide to head up towards the G Canyon,don't bypass Sedona on the way up.

It's a beautiful area and well worth exploring for half a day or so :




Also,if you have time at either end of your trip,head just east of Phoenix by about 15 miles to Apache Junction and then hit the Apache Trail.


It begins with stunning tarmac twisties through the hills and winds it's way round to Tortilla Flat.

Stop there at the Superstition Saloon for some home made chilli and a beer and then continue onwards.

You come to what is basically a 'mini' Grand Canyon(ie still huge) with extending look-outs.

I used to go up there just before sunset and 'listen' to the absolute silence and watch as golden eagles soar literally 2 feet above your head.


The Trail then becomes gravel as you continue around to Globe,which is great fun on a bike.



Alternatively,the ride from Phoenix to Vegas is amazing.

It took us 5 hours with 2 stops in the only towns encountered in about 250 miles !

Again,a stunning mix of scenery and you will go right past the Hoover Dam.

Forgot to mention, if you're going to the Grand Canyon, go there last! It dwarfs everything else and lessens the impact. The north rim is supposed to be impressive as well. With the natinal parks they're fairly close together and most are worth a visit.

If you stop at a motel in Kanab or Freedonia (on the Utah/Arizona stateline)for a couple of days, this is a good base for rides to the North Rim, Bryce Canyon and Zion Canyon. All of these places are exceptional at dawn or dusk when the light is good and the shadows are prominent. Bryce at 3pm was dull.

Phoenix is one of the hottest cities in the US. Even the airport had to shut down one year as the tarmac on the runways melted. In July this year, the temps were around 110f for weeks at a time. If you normally wear leather, don't. You'll die. Black is a pretty uncool colour at any time of the year. Consider buying a budget mesh jacket and trousers (such as the American FirstGear - jacket about £60). Also a Platypus drinks bladder is good. I used a wide necked Gatorade bottle which I filled each morning from the ice making machine at any motel, then topped it up with water. It stayed cool until about 2pm. The highest temperature we experiences was 118f at Stovepipe Wells, Death Valley. In hot weather, start riding by 6am when the roads are quiet and it's cooler. Drink lots of water too.

if your looking for hotels you cant go wrong with the 'Motel 6' hotel chain,

i stayed in loads between $40-50/night, some as low as $30

they were excellent rooms with tv and shower.

i just got back a few months ago from a USA trip,
a lot of my time was in the south west,
have a look at my travel site for stuff in that area.

http://www.mytripjournal.com/davestravels

as has been said, Zion National Park is awesome and so is Bryce Canyon,

if you go to the Grand Canyon, make sure you get a helicopter flight, i didnt and regret not doing it now

Well fortunately I did book a helicopter flight into the Grand Canyon. It was hellishly expensive, or so I thought when I first enquired in our hotel (Circus Circus) but a walk along the Strip resulted in getting quite a discount. They are eager to get your money so keep going to various 'shops' intil you are offered a price which is bearable. We went with Sundance Helicopters. I can't recall the price now but we were collected from our hotel in a stretch limo and taken to the airfield on the edge of town. We shared the flight with four other passengers, and flew over Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam before landing at Quartermaster Butte, almost down to the level of the river. Spectacular scenery and a champagne picnic, followed by a return flight along the Strip. Great memories!

It'll be great whatever you drcide to do. Rode route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles last year. Took time out to visit the Grand Canyon and see quite a bit of Arizona, Firstly, other than for the Grand Canyon, don't worry about accommodation. Motels are plentiful and easy to find, with various price ranges. As long as you are outside holiday periods you won't need to book in advance. The grand Canyon is a bit different. if you book in advance you may be able to stay in the hotels situated on the rim, either North or South. Take a loom on line for info as the two areas are chalk and cheese. We stayed in Tusayan on the not far from the south rim, and there were loads of hotels and restaurants.
As for the resy of the area, it really is geography on a large scale. Sedona is beautiful, and worth a visit, Bryce canyon and Paige are worth a visit. just remember New Mexico is next door, and Albuquerque is a superb spot for a few days. Whatever you do you'll have great time, and if you rent a bike, forget a Gs and try a Harley. They may be one trick ponies, but they work for USA.

Paul Rochdale said:

Well fortunately I did book a helicopter flight into the Grand Canyon. It was hellishly expensive, or so I thought when I first enquired in our hotel (Circus Circus) but a walk along the Strip resulted in getting quite a discount. They are eager to get your money so keep going to various 'shops' intil you are offered a price which is bearable. We went with Sundance Helicopters. I can't recall the price now but we were collected from our hotel in a stretch limo and taken to the airfield on the edge of town. We shared the flight with four other passengers, and flew over Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam before landing at Quartermaster Butte, almost down to the level of the river. Spectacular scenery and a champagne picnic, followed by a return flight along the Strip. Great memories!

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Hi Paul,looks like you had a good trip.
Did you take your own bike or did you hire one?.
Looking to do a similar trip in the not too distant future and am looking for recommendations.
Cheers,Col.

Hi Colin

I shipped my bike out by sea from Southampton to Port Newark, then flew over to collect her. I rode across the US stopping at all of those places that were 'must sees' - Washington DC, Blue Ridge Highway, Sturgis, Little Big Horn, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse.......well there's too much to mention here. Anyway I reached the Pacific at San Diego - that replaced San Francisco as my favourite US city - then headed up to Malibu, San Francisco and Las Vegas, before riding back across the country to Virginia and New Jersey. Three months and 15,000 miles later it was time to fly home. That was a long time to spend in motel rooms.

We've just bought a new computer and I've checked my website for the first time in ages only to find the pages are blank. I don't know what the problems is - it's far too technical for me as usual - but try the following to see if you have any luck -

http://groups.msn.com/FROMSEATOSHININGSEAANDBACK

....or PM if you like.

Paul

Motels and hotels

Paul/Half_Empty1,

Did the Motel 6's usually have (free? wireless?) Internet access?

Also, can ANYONE recommend a particular hotel for the Grand Canyon - mega-views (and beer) etc.? Going there in mid-March.

Many thanks all

A

Paul Rochdale said:

Hi Colin

I shipped my bike out by sea from Southampton to Port Newark,

Paul

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How much was that, Paul? Who did it and what do you reckon to the service? Did you pack the panniers before shipping?

Al

andysdad said:

Paul/Half_Empty1,

Did the Motel 6's usually have (free? wireless?) Internet access?

Click to expand...

most of the motel 6's i stayed in didnt have wireless, i think its how they keep the prices cheaper than all the others,

although if you have a travelodge, super 8, days inn, best western motel right next door you can usually tap into theres

mcdonalds even give you wifi, although you do have to pay with credit card $2.95 for 2 hours, cheaper than a lot of cyber cafes,

so you can surf the net while stuffing your face

http://www.mcdonalds.com/wireless/find_hotspot.html

Blackal

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Line, Southampton Terminal, speak to Tony White on 02380-637233 or email tony.white@2WGlobal.com

It cost £547 one way, Southampton to Port Newark (close to New York) and you have a choice of about five East Coast ports to ship to. You have to arrange the return journey when you are over there, they don't do 'return tickets'.

A quarter of a tank of gas allowed and they recommend panniers and top boxes are empty for security reasons. Stuff might get nicked. I left my waterproofs and helmet in the top box and they were fine. You must get the bike down to Southampton eight days before departure, and it will travel in a steel container on a humungous great ferry, the size of a skyscraper on it's size. It takes about eight or nine days to get across. You cannot travel with the bike.

I flew out and stayed with friends then went to collect the bike from the stevedores (I think that's the right word) at Port Newark, the rudest and most ignorant of Merrycans. They are a very union orientated people and got very shirty that I turned up at the time they told me which was close to going home time. Then there was a disagreement over the bikes VIN number when they couldn't agree that an '8' was in fact a '6'. Quite a bit of hassle getting the bike off them.

For coming back, Tony White will give you the contact details for their American office. One big problem with the return - and NOT mentioned to me before - was that the return trip took a MONTH. Nor could the UK office tell me where the ship was. It seems to have travelled to all of their East Coast ports before returning to the UK.

I went down to Southampton to collect the bike to find that the battery was flat - a small electrical fault which didn't show itself in the US - and sticking calipers.

I would definitely recommend taking your own bike if you are going for any reasonable time - more than say for a month. Yes, it's expensive but when you pay one third the price for gas, eat gumbo or jambalaya washed down with cab sauv, or ride to the top of Mount Evans, you KNOW you've done the right thing.

PS I'm sorry my website seems to be blank; I'll have to contact MSN so discovered where the thousands of words and pictures have gone. PM me if you have any more questions.

Andysdad

I can't recall the name of the motel we stayed at in Grand Canyon Village, South Rim, (it was 2002) but it'll be one of these. All you want is a clean room with air conditioning, and food and drink not too far away. Almost all motels in the US are of a pretty high standard.

Wifi? That's WELL outside my area of knowledge. Some motels have an Internet terminal or two, most don't. The more expensive ones do. Internet Cafes are surprisingly few and far between, and vary enormously in price. EasyNet in New York's Times Square for instance is the World's largest internet cafe with over 600 terminals and costs a mere $3 or so for an entire day, yet another cafe might ask $10 an hour. In 2002 Washington DC, the countries capital had only TWO internet cafes. Odd.

Paul

http://www.kaibab.org/serv/gc_serv.htm#south_park