Santa Babs to Scottsdale

[twowheelnut]

I've just learned that I have a bidness conference in Scottsdale in early Novemeber. Been on I-10 a billion times and have no interest in riding that. Any suggestions for some nice two lanes? Not much is showing up on Streets...

Skoot? Gunny? Vectorvp1?

 

[Bounce]

87 ne out of town to 188 sw

188sw to us60 east to show-low

grab 260 back west

check the road conditions of Mongollon Rim Rd west and take it if it looks like it's not dirt/gravel.

grab 87 sw just long enough to do the same with Fossil Creek Rd ne

at the junction with with 260 (variously known as Toms Creek Rd and Zane Grey hwy), grab 260 e back to the 87 junction.

take 87 s into town.

~555 miles of good riding!

 

[twowheelnut]

Thanks, Bounce! Sweet route, now I just hafta figger out a way to blow off a day of the conference to ride that route! I need to get to Scottsdale first... Any ideas there?

 

[ionbeam]

It would really help if your day off was a week day because the traffic between Payson and Mesa can be pretty ugly on the weekends.

 

[tcfjr]

If you don't mind a pretty long day, or an overnight in beautiful downtown Blythe, here's my entry in the route sweepstakes:

S&T says 715 miles total. You can't go too fast through Joshua Tree, but the scenery is spectacular. Wickenburg to Jerome is pretty fun (or was the last time I was there). Payson is host to this year's SWFOG in late September.

You should be okay snow-wise in November, but those Widder's will probably come in handy.

 

[twowheelnut]

No way to keep off I-10, TC?

 

[madmike2]

Yew kud allays flie! Er bye a dool sporte en goe add-ventyoor toorin.

 

[Bounce]

Thanks, Bounce! Sweet route, now I just hafta figger out a way to blow off a day of the conference to ride that route! I need to get to Scottsdale first... Any ideas there?

American has routine flights there daily.

 

[tcfjr]

Here's a route with no freeways - not even the 101:

CA-192 to CA-150 to CA-33, then Lockwood Valley Rd. to Frazier Mtn Park Rd. Just before I-5, go south on Peace Valley Rd., then over to Gorman Post Rd. to CA-138. Next is Templin Hwy to Pine Canyon Rd. and on to Elizabeth Lake Rd. This turns into Palmdale Blvd., and becomes CA-138 after you cross the Antelope Valley Fwy.

In Llano, veer left onto CA-18. Just after I-15, turn left onto 7th Street in Victorville, then right on D Street (which becomes CA-18). Veer left onto CA-247 in Lucerne Valley. In Yucca Valley, turn left onto Paxton Rd., which joins up with CA-62.

Stay on CA-62 to the AZ border, and turn southeast onto AZ-95 in Parker. In 12 miles, turn left onto AZ-72. Turn left onto US-60 near Salome. In Aguila, turn left onto AZ-71, then join up with US-89 in Congress.

In Prescott, take AZ-89A to Jerome. In Cottonwood, turn southeast onto AZ-260. Stay on AZ-260 to Payson, then grab AZ-87, which runs south all the way into Scottsdale.

I don't have recent experience on much of this route, but except for the leg from Palmdale to Lucerne Valley it looks like fun.

S&T says 735 miles. An overnight in Parker might work out well.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

check the road conditions of Mongollon Rim Rd west and take it if it looks like it's not dirt/gravel.

There are 3 gravel sections hi-lited on that map (that I know of) -- but, that may or may not deter the truly adventurous?TWN: I've used tcfjr's "no freeway" route (to get to the PHX area) but continue through Parker to Salome (I guess he says that -- just looks a little diff on the map?). 89, Congress to Prescott, is not-to-be-missed. It's (the whole route is) a nice way to go, imo -- if you've got the time....

 

[Bounce]

check the road conditions of Mongollon Rim Rd west and take it if it looks like it's not dirt/gravel.

There are 3 gravel sections hi-lited on that map (that I know of) -- but, that may or may not deter the truly adventurous?

care to point them out?

i was thinking that Mongollon Rim Rd and Fossil Creek Rd could be a problem. was i right?. as with all routing, leave yourself open to changes in plans and alternate routes as needed.

 

[twowheelnut]

Thanks, gents! As for the gravel bits, I, um, stumbled across some 25 miles of bolt loosening ro-ad up in NorCal and though I hate that ****, the bike handles is fairly well so I might just take the route. How long are these bits?

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

TWN & Bounce: I haven't been on those roads recently; but, the 2 northern routes are Forest Roads (or, at least used to be...) and I've always considered them D-S routes. Fossil Creek Rd is about 25 mi across and can be problems at times (high clearance vehicle, etc) depending on recent rains, etc. The Rim Road (Old Rim Road) on the Mongolian Rim can be better in some places than others (W. Rim Drive); and, is a neat history route from Cavalry days -- alternatively known as the Gen. Geo. Crook Wagon Rd. and is about 30 mi (where we're talking about). It is longer, overall, and condition varies. The 3rd road -- the south one -- is AZ88 known as "The Apache Trail" and has been about half-gravel (but, may have changed recently -- I don't know?) and is abt. 40 mi. Certainly a forum member from the PHX area would know....

Good luck.