A couple weeks in the West...

Hi Friends,

Well, I miraculously find myself with some free time ahead of me. So, what better thing to do that ride! Here's a rough route that I'm thinking of:

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=201107373257132989268.0004c36af995e9fd848d6&msa=0 (embedding maps still broken?)

The route was mercilessly stolen from the Trippin' Connies (HUGE thanks to Kory for such great write-ups, notes and opinions, as well as the maps!) as well as others here, with some little tweaks thrown in for good measure. The markers aren't day stops or anything like that; I'm planning on being gone two weeks. I'll be camping maybe half the time, less if it's 100F every night, and I'd also like to have time to hike around at the national parks I'll be going through, so low mileage days need to be factored in. If all goes as planned, I head out on July 9th.

The red bits in Colorado are part of an alternate plan: skip California & Nevada, and spend several days in Colorado. I think the fires up there won't affect me to much. Agree?

So, ever more experienced tourers, where's my route bad? Skip Cali for Colorado? Other crazy alternatives?

You doing this trip solo?

Yep.

You've picked some routes I've at least driven (usually lugging a trailer), and a number more that are on my bucket list to be ridden on a bike. Looks like fun. Keep us posted.

1. Unless there is a specific reason you picked the route you did, I would suggest coming in lower in AZ and riding the Devil's Highway (191).
2. Stay on 191 all the way from Morenci to Chinle and tour Canyon de Chelly (canyon duh shay). CDC is a much better location for scenery then the Petrified Forest.
3. From CDC run north a little ways to Many Farms and then head NW on Indian Road 59 up to 160. Jog over to 163 and go north a couple of miles to Monument Valley.
4. Back down 163 and then continue the route over to the north rim of the GC.
5. Personally, I would not be heading any further west, especially into Death Valley at this time of the year. Even much of your route in AZ is going to be pretty darn hot.
6. From the north rim I would run 389/59 over to Hurricane, UT, then head east through Zion (will be hot).
7. Just east of Hurricane is Virgin and Kolob Reservoir RD runs north out of there. I only had time to ride it a short distance, but it looks really interesting on the map so maybe do that before heading into Zion.
8. Bryce Canyon would be next. It will be much cooler here than Zion.
9. From Bryce you will take 12 to the east/northeast. If you bypass this road you are doing yourself a disservice.
10. Now you're on 24 heading east to Hanksville and then continue north to I-70.
11. A quick run east and now you're in CO and a whole 'nuther world of riding is open to you. Where do I begin to tell you where to ride? There are SO many good roads/passes up there. We spent three days in the SW corner of the state and barely tapped the potential.

Again, just my opinion, but if I had two weeks to play it would be Austin to Santa Fe, and then points north from there. I wouldn't bother with other parts of NM or AZ or CA or UT. It would be CO, WY, MT, and maybe Hwy 12 in ID. I would stay as far north as possible and enjoy the cool weather, and I would stay upwind of all the fires as much as possible.

Invest in a set of Butler Maps and really look hard at all the great roads available to you.

Texas T said:

Again, just my opinion...

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GREAT feedback. It'll take me a bit to go through all you wrote, but that's exactly the kind of stuff I was thinking of.

--Jeff

+1 on Devil's Highway. Get to it via NM 152 from I25 through Silver City.

Jeff S said:

GREAT feedback. It'll take me a bit to go through all you wrote, but that's exactly the kind of stuff I was thinking of.

--Jeff

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We're leaving the valley mid-August (leaving at night) and heading up to the Canadian border. Our route will take us up through Kingman, Las Vegas and then north on 93 into ID. NW over to Ontario OR to get the state colored in on my map, then north up the ID border on 95 to Clarkston WA, again to color in the state, and then we're riding Hwy 12 to Missoula MT.

North to Glacier NP, ride the Going To The Sun road, north to the border (TWT photo op), south back to Glacier NP and take the Many Glacier Rd back into the park and then back out.

South to Alpine WY and then north past the Tetons at sunrise, possibly ride the southern portion of Yellowstone, and then south to Denver for 4 days.

It will be very hot for us Friday night when we leave as the temps here will probably still be above 100 past midnight. We'll leave Kingman early the next morning and ride through NV but once we hit the northern end of NV it should start cooling off and be much more comfortable for us until we leave Denver to come home.

I mention all that because if you are not used to riding in AZ/NV/CA desert heat in mid-summer, it can literally kill you if you don't know what you are doing. I'm not disparaging your riding skills or knowledge, I'm just throwing this all out there "just in case" you weren't familiar with what faces you.

Texas T said:

I mention all that because if you are not used to riding in AZ/NV/CA desert heat in mid-summer, it can literally kill you if you don't know what you are doing. I'm not disparaging your riding skills or knowledge, I'm just throwing this all out there "just in case" you weren't familiar with what faces you.

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Sage advice, and much appreciated. I just ordered Butler's Norther Rockies maps and will look more closely at that area. I think I was just too fascinated with the Southwest landscape, but it was 109 in Austin last week, and I can only imagine being stuck out in that for 10 or 12 or more hours.

Looking North...
Jeff

Good decision. We're a great state in the sense that we can ride 12 months out of the year, but you just need to be selective about "where" you are riding depending upon the time of the year. For those of us in the Valley Of The Sun we ride north as soon as the temps start climbing; Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, Sedona, Payson, Prescott, White Mountains, Mogollon Rim country, etc.

On part of your original route let me point out some good stuff..
In NM you're going west on 60 from Socorro. This takes you right past the VLA. See the recent Pie Town Ride Report for details. If you have any Geek genes in you, this is not a place to miss.

The route shows you taking 12 SW out of Datil. This is a route to be taken only if it is daytime and if you want to cut off a little bit of time. This is an area with a HEALTHY Elk and Antelope population. A better route would be to stay on 60 just a little further, and then take 32 S out of Quemado. This also takes you right through Pie Town if that interests you at all.

Bring up 32 in Google Maps, zoom in a bit and then change to the Satellite view to see why it's a better ride than taking 12. 32 eventually dumps back into 12 and then you can continue into Reserve NM. Now you have a decision to make...
Go S on 180, then 78 into AZ (a great ride itself), and then head north on the Devil's Highway (191) going past the world's second largest Open Pit Mine in Morenci. Or...
Go N on 180 and head west into Arizona, winding up at the junction of 180/191 in the town of Alpine and lunch or dinner at the Bear Wallow Cafe. Then north on 191 into Springerville/Eagar and find the 26 Bar Ranch, formerly owned by John Wayne if that sort of thing interests you.

Now head west just a bit to Show Low / Lakeside / Pinetop and you will have high elevations, cool temps, lots of wildlife, lots of lakes/fishing/camping.

Hi Brian,

Thanks for all the advice. Based on it, here's draft two:

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msi...35.550105,-105.556641&spn=24.080656,27.070313

Omits California and Nevada, adds Idaho, Montana, Wyoming. And adds about 1000 miles, which might be a problem. I might need to cut out the Devil's Highway loop, stop short of Bozeman, and otherwise simplify things. But, I like the idea of starting out with the ideal map in mind, while remaining flexible to route changes and time requires.

Cheers, Jeff

Ok. Take three.

I've split it up into daily rides, trying to make room to spend time in some of the parks along the way. I've also decided that I'm not going to go out of my way (well, not too far out of my way) in search of better roads. I'm avoiding interstates except where the alternatives are silly, but I'm not adding a full day to do the Devil's Highway. That'll be another ride. For this one, I want to get North, see lots of parks and places I've never been, and return to several that I know well.

There seem to be fires all over the place - I'm pretty sure that'll effect my Colorado map. But I won't be in those parts for another two weeks (I'm leaving early next week), so I'll address that as I get closer.

Butler maps due in soon, so I'm certain I'll be fiddling with the roads more...

New question: anyone know good trout fishing that's wet-wadable in Idaho?

Ok. Like this one the best so far.

From Soccoro NM on Hwy 60. Continue a bit further (30 mi) to Quemado and then go south on 32. Much better motorcycle road for a 30 minute time investment. Don't forget to stop at the VLA.




I see you're intent on visiting the Petrified Forest.




If you change your mind about that at all, consider staying on 60 to Show Low, then 260 to Payson, then 260/87 to Pine and Strawberry (GREAT strawberry pie at the Strawberry Lodge), then 260 General Crook Trail west to I-17. I was on the General Crook within the last 60 days and it was a great ride. A short jaunt up I-17 takes you to Flagstaff. This is a much more scenic ride than what you currently have planned up to I-40 and across, as well as being cooler. If it is the least bit windy, I-40 can be a bear to ride in that section. However, if you skip it, you'll miss the opportunity to "stand on the corner" in Winslow.








Are you going all the way up to Page for any particular reason? If you're going up there to tour Antelope Canyon, that's understandable. If not, then ride up the side of the canyon a little bit to the large pull-out/rest area facing west where all the Native vendors are set up. It's a great view of the area where you're about to ride.






Camp grounds at the North Rim or Jacob Lake can be pretty full this time of year so you might want to call ahead to see if you can reserve a spot.




Remember to look for the Kolob Resv Rd before you get into Zion if that interests you at all. This guy really didn't want to let us past, but we waited until an SUV rolled past and then tagged along with them so the bull couldn't get to us.




After Zion we stayed at a nice little motel in Hatch if you don't feel like camping.



Your route takes you past Bryce but not down into it. I think you will like Bryce better than Zion. Plus, you can ride the bike through the canyons unlike in Zion. There is a lodge far back in there with good food.

You're really going to enjoy 12 from Bryce and onward. Great road. Shortly after leaving Bryce you'll come to the Tropic Ditch. It's real easy to miss, but if it's hot and you want to cool off, this is the place to dunk yourself. I was really, really hot until I laid down in the water. It must have been about 60 degrees.




I thought Capitol Reef was okay, but not spectacular. There was a cool old homestead that we stopped at for a while.



From other ride reports I've read, I'm not sure that going all the way to Bozeman is worth it but you may have better info on that. The rest of the route looks pretty darn good.

Just got back. Here's the route I ended up taking:

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=201107373257132989268.0004c525e82d244f0e5df&msa=0
(I still can't embed maps )

I don't have a ride report, per se, but photos are here.

Look forward to hearing about it.

Absolutely wonderful photos. Thanks for sharing.