Planning a Ride from Phoenix, AZ to Rochester, NY (Route 66) in May

[jjp4674]

Like the title says, I'm planning to do a ride in the first or second week of May from Phoenix, AZ to Rochester, NY along Route 66.

While I've come up with a few places that I want to stop off at (Grand Canyon and Meteor Crater being a couple), I'm not really hugely familiar with what's along that route that's worth seeing, and thus am looking for suggestions.

I've plotted out the base trip and determined that I'll need to ride 4 or 5 hours a day on the highway to make it back in time, using 9 days (Saturday-the next Sunday) for travelling. If I do a couple longer days, that gives me a bit more sightseeing time for other days.

Thanks for any suggestions you can come up with!

 

[El Toro Joe]

Why just 4 or 5 hours of riding a day?

 

[jjp4674]

Was what I calculated out based on 2500 miles split across 9 days at 65-70mph.

Some days will be longer so some can be shorter.

It's more of an estimate of what I -must- do in order to pull off travelling diagonally across the country in only one vacation week.

 

[beemerdons]

https://www.historic66.com For what to see and do along Route 66 I highly recommend this site!

https://www.motorcycleroads.us/states/az.html For the best motorcycle roads in each state, use this one!

 

[mferriter]

Being a Rochester native, I would recommend hitting Niagara Falls (including the Canadian side) and Letchworth State Park just south of Rochester.

I assume you have family in Rochester and you're not just going for the lovely weather.

I'd also recommend the garbage plate at Nick Tahou's.

Are you going to hit the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo?

 

[jjp4674]

mferritter, Rochester is my end destination because it's where I live.

I'm doing a fly-and-ride to pick up a bike.

Plus, call me a heathen, but I've never really been impressed by Nick Tahou's. I'm a fan of Empire Hots in Webster.

Beemerdons, great links! Thanks!

 

[mferriter]

mferritter, Rochester is my end destination because it's where I live.

I'm doing a fly-and-ride to pick up a bike.

Plus, call me a heathen, but I've never really been impressed by Nick Tahou's. I'm a fan of Empire Hots in Webster.

Beemerdons, great links! Thanks!

Cool - I should have been more observant as to your location. Sounds like an awesome ride.

I've thought about a roundtrip ride to the Grand Canyon. Someday when I can get a couple weeks in a row off and permission from the real boss.

 

[Willie]

Not sure what kind of sightseer you are, but I plotted a quick route in Google, Some quick sites I have come up with are the Arches in St Louis, Indianapolis Speedway, Air Force Musuem in Dayton OH, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, already mention Niagara Falls. Since you will be covering alot of ground it would be a good opportunity to start the National Park Tour. You would conver 10 of the 25 required states on the route from Rochester to Phoenix. Using the NP sites I guarantee you will have a much better route than the interstates.

Willie

 

[wheatonFJR]

If yer not as much into sight seeing...but are into some curvy roads in AR, MO and SE Ohio...check out the Hooterville threads and Ramble threads in the midwest section for past ride routes...

 

[beemerdons]

https://www.azbeemers.org/rally2013.php If you are in Arizona over May 17th-19th plan on joining our AZ Beemers 32nd RoadRunner Rally, plenty of FJR Owners at this one! https://www.arizonaguide.com/places-to-visit/northern-arizona/heber-overgaard https://www.campshadowpines.com

Info: (480) 861-2816 [email protected] or Papa Chuy (480) 440-4666 [email protected]

Just a great rally!

Don’t miss the first big rally of the riding season. Join your friends in the tall pines of Northern Arizona, at Camp Shadow Pines in Heber. A weekend of great riding, food and camping awaits you.

Your rally fee includes camping and dinner Friday and Saturday night, continuous coffee, clean restrooms and hot showers. Relax with your friends at the hospitality pavilion with live band both nights. Win some spectacular door prizes.

Ride the scenic poker run or the wild back-country GS treasure hunt. Check out the Seymore Zona rides.

Motels and cabins are available in the area or reserve a bunk at the camp.

 

[Linc]

You're going to love a fly-n-ride, it's how I bought my '06 last year. You can cover a lot of distance without the need to drive back like a round trip.

I would also recommend the Arch in St. Louis, I actually picked up my bike in St. Louis and also would recommend the Botanical Gardens if you're into that sort of thing. 4-5 hours a day? You'll be able to ride of a lot more than that on your FJR, on the stock seat the 3rd weekend I had it I pulled an 830 mile day! Just helps to know you can grind out a 10 hour day if you need to play catch-up or want to pre-load the next day with more free time.

Congrats, she's a black beauty and may you have another 100K of happy (and safe) miles ahead of you! Just watch out for the open road mounties with their blinky lights and "speed awards", this bike can be too fun once you find that 5,000RPM rush a little addictive...

 

[Bustanut joker]

Don't forget Owosso.. We have a castle, a couple dams, a bridge older than beemerdons, the worlds largest collection of anus shavers, and some sheep....

Oh almost forgot the 1225 steam engine and a few old homeless winos too. They add a period character to the display.

 

[jjp4674]

Think I'm going to pass on Owosso. Was planning to head east from Chicago along I-94 so I can hit up Bell's and Jolly Pumpkin in Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor and fill up the top case.

Owosso's a bit more north.

 

[El Toro Joe]

Think I'm going to pass on Owosso. Was planning to head east from Chicago along I-94 so I can hit up Bell's and Jolly Pumpkin in Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor and fill up the top case.

Owosso's a bit more north.

you should not miss the trip up to Owosso...it's not to far from Ann Arbor (that whore!)

 

[Bustanut joker]

Easy there Joe... Your about to cross the line into inane, vulgar, hijacking territory here...

 

[Linc]

If you want to swing even further north (yet still steer clear of Owosso, land of swinger sheep and anus shavers), there's some beautiful territory up in my neck of the woods. Great twisty roads and both M-119 and M-22, arguably the best alphabet roads in the state. Problem is with all our lakes and scenic beauty up here, (real beauty, not cornshuck festivals and leaning, rusty water towers like the Owosso area) there's no easy way back to New York. Pretty much have to drive up and then south again.

Anyway, if you have a day to kill by the time you arrive in Michigan, I'd be happy to be a tour guide!

 

[jjp4674]

I do have a friend up in the Traverse City area... Maybe if I end up ahead of schedule I'll make some time for that.

 

[gixxerjasen]

I'll counter the suggestion for the Rock Hall in Cleveland. I mean, unless you are a true die hard music history fan, skip it. For the money they charged and what I saw, it was kind of like being at Hard Rock Cafe, except they forgot to bring my cold hamburger.

Definitely stop and see the Cadillac Ranch, and maybe eat at "The Big Texan" in Amarillo.

 

[jjp4674]

I'm guessing "The Big Texan" is probably not the right place to casually mention I'm a damn yankee pinko libral, eh?