Experience of Arizona ?

[Jed]

Hi,
My next trip to Chicago goes over the Easter weekend and rather than stay by myself and revisit all of the stuff I've already seen in Illinois and surrounding I've just booked a flight to Phoenix AZ and a hotel in Scottsdale and sent a request to EagleRider to rent a bike for the weekend. Not quite sure why I chose Arizona but seemed like a good idea at 5am this morning.

Has anyone got any experience / nice routes in the Phoenix / Scottsdale area ?
I'm also looking on internet and there's something called The Apache Trail - not sure if that's going to be suitable for a Harley (which is what i've requested from Eagle Rider). I'm not looking to do big mileage - really a couple of day trips returning to Scottsdale in the evening (for plenty of Patron) and am looking for sight-seeing, scenery, nice road type rides ?

Anybody got any suggestions from experience ?

rgds
Jed.

 

[Aidan1150]

Probably too far north west for you Jed, but the ride up through Virgin River Gorge on the I-15 going north from Vegas through Arizona into Utah is a cracking bit of road, even though it is an interstate.

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[Jed]

Thanks for suggestion i had a look on Google Maps and yes believe it's a bit too far.

Any others ?

 

[flytoolow]

I worked there for a few months about 7 years ago now...so the memory is fading..

In Scotsdale there is a Harley Dealership. Every Saturday or Sunday there is a Ride-In. Even if you don't like HD's there is some "machinery" there..even the two-legged kind!

You could try & ring/call them...Im sure they will tell you the best places to ride.

From Memory...Head North...Prescott, nice little town. Good bar etc & nice roads. IIRC take the I-17 north, then left on 74 and do a counterclockwise loop. Its about 170 miles round trip. Prescott for lunch, Flagstaff Mid afternoon, and Sedona at dusk. Back to Phx for about 8 ish & top shelf Margeritas in the Pool!

Obviously Grand Canyon...a bit of a drive. Stop in Flagstaff (OK'ish) if you are heading that far north.

Sedona National Park...Thats where all the John Wayne movies were made.

Father North..Bryce Canyon..Never been..but quite astounding so Im told.

To the south, just after Tucson, There is the Davis "Mountbatton" ( I think) airbase if you're into planes n stuff. Stay out of Tucson...nowt there.

Go watch the "Suns". Watch for rattlers if you pull over on the bike in the desert.

Send us some piccies...

 

[sven]

Always fancied visiting Davis Monthan air force base myself aka "The Desert Boneyard" with over 2000 planes stored there

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i9wQGidG2M&feature=youtube_gdata_player

You book the tour tickets via the museum next door

 

[JohnnyOldBoy]

I hired a car one weekend and drove to Tombstone, gunfight at the OK Corral place. I remember lots of military aircraft in the sky and a nice drive with very little traffic.

It may be stretch milege wise. Flytoolow's suggestion of going to Flagstaff sounds good.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

I rented a HD out of Eagle Rider a few years ago and headed north out of Phoenix on the 87 to Flagstaff via Patson and Sedona. Really nice ride in red mountains and stunning scenery because you are over 4000ft so take a warm jacket. Just looking at the map, there looks like some good riding East out of Phoenix toward Fort Apache reservation and Show Low.

When you get north of Flagstaff, you could easily run up to the Southern Rim of the GC but that would be a night in a motel to really enjoy the ride. The Navajo reservation north east of Flagstaff is very big and very flat so unless you need to go there, don't bother.

 

[Jed]

Sgt Bilco - def looks like the right plan - was that piccie taken from Eagle Rider in Scotsdale ? As i note the ink shop next door - always a good excuse for additional work.

I'll take some piccie's and make an (probably poor) attempt at a ride report.

Any suggestions on which Harley I should go for ? Looking for something with side bags so i can stuff a jacket in there (if it's hot) but nothing to difficult to handle - been riding 14 months and currently got a GS and K16GT.

rgds
Jed

 

[Baz]

Get a Goldwing

 

[how much for a service!]

apache trail

If my memory serves me right eagle rider excludes the Apache Trail from places you can take their bikes!
looks great though

 

[sven]

Nah, R1200RT Just in case you come across some twisties

 

[Rushy]

Head North, go see Sedona as Bilks suggested then head up Hwy 160 towards Monument Valley, spend a night in a motel in Kayenta, do Monument Valley in the morning . Then ride south to the almost always overlooked (because most people have never heard of it ) Canyon de Chelly (nearest town is Chinle) which is like stepping back in time . Its all Indian Reservation around that area and when you visit the Canyon, look down on the flat valley floor with the river running through it and people riding horses, you can just imagine what it was really like before the white man arrived.

Head back to Scottsdale via Tonto National Forest.

That's 2 x big 300 mile days which'll be tough on a Harley so rent something nicer

If you can make your weekend 3 days long then from Monument Valley head to 4 Corners Monument ( not really worth a detour in itself but you can tick a box off and its on the way to ...) then Cortez and visit the nearby Mesa Verde National Park before heading back down to Chinle/Canyon de Chelly and the run back to Scotsdale as before - that'll be about 1000mls though .

Be warned there is sod all towns/services motels or anything between Cortez and Chinle. I left Mesa Verde NP in the afternoon to get to 4 Corners NP for sunset with the notion that I would then find somewhere nearby to stay. I had to ride from 4 Corners to Chinle in the dark (just over 100 miles) which is a bit of a no no around those parts.

 

[JohnnyOldBoy]

Some great advice here. If it has to be Harley get a Road King

 

[Sgt Bilco]

The one I had (in the pic) from Scotsdale was a Heritage Softail and I really liked it to be honest. I'd never ridden an HD before and it was a hoot to ride. Comes complete with the panniers and I just prefered it to the others in the shop. Nice riding position once I got used to the feet forward thing and all day comfy

The guys at Eaglerider Scotsdale were really good and helpful and let me decide what I wanted. If they try to rent you chaps (which they will) politely decline and ride away at high speed

As Rushy says, Monument and Canyon de Chelley are superb but you would be really pushing it in a couple of days and leave until you had more time. As you only have a weekend, I'd chill out in the local area and enjoy the stunning scenery in Sedona. There is a great bit of R66 left just West of Flagstaff that would be nice for a cruise on the big HD

I have a mate in Phoenix so I'll mail him for some good routes.

 

[The G Man]

Big plus for Canyon de Chelly - also worth taking the tour on the Indian run 4x4 along the valley if you can spare a few hours

G

 

[RichardIMills]

This thread makes me feel happy by memorizing all my Arizona trip. I lost my beautiful engagement ring there.

 

[Arsey]

I've done the Apache Trail many times by car but personally wouldn't fancy it on a Harley and would imagine that Eagle R would exclude it from their agreement.

The Trail starts off on tarmac and ends up on loose gravel with some tight hairpins.

A GS would cope but not sure a good idea on an HD.

But it's a lovely area and we are actually 'doing it' by RV this summer.

Further to the above,I can recommend Sedona and surrounding area.

Sedona airport is a great little place for lunch and try and budget in the time to take a bi-plane ride whilst there !!

 

[Bugbear]

I also have done the Apache Trail and a lot of it is dirt roads.

Tortilla Junction is well worth a visit though, the inside is covered in dollar bills previous visitors have signed and pinned to the walls.

Not bikes but if you like custom cars there is a meet on Saturday evening in Scottsdale that is just fantastic to visit. Early Rock & Roll blasting out of the Diners and dozens of amazing cars.

.

 

[Northern jock]

We're heading for the States September using up some BA miles, were thinking of starting in Vegas but I'm beginning to think Phoenix could be a plan as a starting point

 

[sven]

Williams was a lovely little town (excellent Thai meal at the Dara Thai Cafe), the Grand Canyon was stunning, but the ride across the desert to Kayenta was hot and boring. Monument Valley, Moki Dugway and Mesa Verde were fantastic too

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