This weekend's Grand Canyon adventure

[Phartz]

Left home early this AM (Sat 05/02). Out I-10 and then, after getting into AZ, angling up to and through Prescott, Jerome, Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, through Flagstaff and back west to Williams for the night. The Gateway to the Grand Canyon. Starting south of Prescott on 89, that's a great twisty road, then into Jerome, 89A, is another nice one. Oak Creek Canyon, north of Sedona is also really nice. Sedona itself is certainly touron infested. Didn't stop there. : Weather was great all day. Highest it got was 80. Hovered mostly upper 70s.

So the Grand Canyon is bright and early tomorrow morning. After that the plan is to head back west on parts of Route 66 to Kingman. Up into the hills through Oatman and get to Laughlin, NV for the night. It'll be a shorter than today's 499 mile (not 500 ) day. Should allow good time for Canyon viewing.

Some pics below. A view on the way to Jerome. A stop in Jerome. And a couple looking back at Oak Creek Canyon after climbing out of the north end of it.

Watching game 7 - Celtics/Bulls. Close. :|

 

[Phartz]

Ok, made it to the Canyon today. I was up there pretty early but it was overcast so I didn't sweat it to get there for sunrise. Wandered around a bit and took some pictures then headed down the road for breakfast back in Williams.

Headed west and took off of I-40 for old Route 66. Very lightly traveled open road through a lot of wide open country. Burma Shave signs and all. It's amazing to think that this was once THE highway for cross country travel. It was about noon when I got to Seligman and that was a pretty happenin' little spot. Lots of bikes and hot rods and outdoor eating places and people about. Not a lot goin' on for the rest of it. Nice ride though. South out of Truxton is a nice sweeping section down through a canyon.

Gassed up in Kingman and then a short hop on I-40 to get off for more of Route 66 to Oatman. This section was in a slightly worse state of repair but was being pretty well traveled by weekenders of both the 2 and 4 wheel variety. The day is gettin' warmer about now too. While there was a pretty goodly number of weekend visitors in Oatman it was far tamer than the only other couple of times I'd been there during the River Run a few years back.

Down from Oatman and up the east side of the river to cross over the bridge at Bullhead City and back down to the Colorado Belle in Laughlin. It's 97 degrees now, at about 3 in the afternoon. 312 mile day. In the M/C parking area I ended up next to one of those Victory Visions. At least it was a nice fast color.

Now I'm headin' down to the brew pub for some eats and brews.

:beer2::beer2::eat2::beer2::beer2:

 

[dmulk]

Nice trip Pat!

Did you take a 3day weekend for this one?

<D>

 

[VFR]

I did that road from one end to the other in 1966 when it was THE road. Various sections of it in other years. Oh how I hated that road. I would go three states out of the way just to NOT go on it.

Ride any part of it now for nostalgia - NOT EVEN!!!! Those are memories I don't want to relive. Last year on the way back from CO I decided to pass through Winslow AZ. That darn street hasn't changed since 1950. Couldn't get out of there fast enough.....

I'm glad you enjoyed it however.

 

[Phartz]

Nice trip Pat!

Thanks!

Did you take a 3day weekend for this one?

Yep. I knew this one couldn't be done on a regular 2 day weekend. Got Monday's scheduled service call out of the way on Friday so I could be gone. I'll be headin' home in the morning. Planning to go through Amboy and Idylwild and the Ortega. Whatever happens, I've got all day!

 

[Phartz]

I did that road from one end to the other in 1966 when it was THE road. Various sections of it in other years. Oh how I hated that road. I would go three states out of the way just to NOT go on it.

Ride any part of it now for nostalgia - NOT EVEN!!!! Those are memories I don't want to relive. Last year on the way back from CO I decided to pass through Winslow AZ. That darn street hasn't changed since 1950. Couldn't get out of there fast enough.....

I'm glad you enjoyed it however.

Yeah, I'm not a big nostalgia buff either but with the semi-truck clusterf$%k that was goin' on on the 40 I was happy to get the hell offa there! :noway Coming on at Williams swarms of the 18 wheeled bastahds were racing downhill to the west. All doing 75+ and passing each other and swerving around.

As for 66 I was mostly amazed at the stretch going up the hill to Oatman. It's narrow, windy and woulda been a true biatch in the vehicles of the day. Me, I like to stay off the interstates. 66 is now a nice, remote, two-lane road. That's good.

 

[CruisingDog]

OK, now I'm drooling! I really NEED a long trip out into the Canyons and beyond. Gonna have to figure the vacation plans out soon!!

 

[SoloTotoCoyote]

..............As for 66 I was mostly amazed at the stretch going up the hill to Oatman. It's narrow, windy and ............

George guided me up to that road last month and then let me take the lead on the way up. Yup.....very narrow but well worth it.

 

[SupraSabre]

From Laughlin, take 163 west, then 95 south until you come to the railroad tracks and hang a right. That will put you on Route 66. Follow that all the way to Amboy. Then head for 29 Palms. In to 29 Palms, take a left on to Adobe Hwy, then a right in town onto 62 (29 Palms Hwy). Follow that all the way to I10.

You'll hit a little traffic in 29 Palms all the way to the 10, but it's an interesting route! I take it anytime I go or come back from Vegas! :biker:

 

[Phartz]

From Laughlin, take 163 west, then 95 south until you come to the railroad tracks and hang a right. That will put you on Route 66. Follow that all the way to Amboy. Then head for 29 Palms. In to 29 Palms, take a left on to Adobe Hwy, then a right in town onto 62 (29 Palms Hwy). Follow that all the way to I10.

You'll hit a little traffic in 29 Palms all the way to the 10, but it's an interesting route! I take it anytime I go or come back from Vegas! :biker:

That's pretty much the route. I've found I like to just take Needles Hwy south from Laughlin straight (more or less) down to I-40. Then that short stretch of I-40 down to (is it?) Mountain Springs exit meets me up with the route you describe. 6 o' one, half-dozen o' the other. Somethin' about that freeway over the hill from Laughlin and 95 that I just don't like. Been that way lots of times . . . .

 

[BigTom]

Nice looking trip, Pat.

Lots there to like. 89A and OLD Route 66 (that mountain stretch!). Great ride.

 

[VFR]

I stay off the interstates as much as possible. Also like to go on as many new-to-me roads as I can. On one 3K+ miles trip last year the only time I was on the interstate was out of SoCal to Quartzite. Not even on many 4 lane roads if I can help it. I'm not into running with semis either - only on a fast run to Tucson...

 

[Phartz]

Well, so OK, I made it home. Took a late start from Laughlin. Probably 9-9:30 before I hit the road. Cruised gently down to Needles and got me a McMuffin and some coffee. Then hopped on the I-40 for (I think it was for about) 25 miles to the Mountain Springs exit. This is Route 66 angling to the south of I-40 towards Amboy and eventually 29 Palms, Yucca Valley, etc. The picture with the road sign was taken shortly before Goffs road joins 66. Goffs Rd was the route SupraSabre was mentioning. A nice road too.

I saw another of the Yucca Valley ST ridin' LEOs and, again, he waved first. Maybe it was the same guy I saw a couple months back around there. Cool. Stopped for gas in Morongo Valley. That's where the pic shows that little bit of snow on the mountain top. That's the eastern end of the San Bernardino Mtns. Not sure if the peak is Mt Baldy or something else.

After that it's down to I-10 and a short run to the exit for Hwy 243 to Idyllwild. This ride up 243 was the highlight of the day. Beautiful mid 70s temp and I did not see one car going up the road the same direction as me and only a few passed going down. Great road, great ridin'! Lunched in Idyllwild. That's the picture with the ST parked by the big tree. That market makes a pretty mean sandwich and has quite a selection of food goin' on. Recommended.

Left Idyllwild and traveled on down 74 to 371 down to 79 and on up through Temecula, Murrieta, and Elsinore to the Ortega Hwy and home. These roads from Idyllwild are all familiar turf for me so it made a pretty relaxing, enjoyable run in toward home. The Ortega was even quite fun today. A 346 mile day. Great weather the whole day. Temps ranged from 75 to 85. Much more at 75 than hotter.

The whole 3 day trip cashed out at 1157 miles. Had a great time.

 

[fnmag]

Well, so OK, I made it home. Took a late start from Laughlin. Probably 9-9:30 before I hit the road. Cruised gently down to Needles and got me a McMuffin and some coffee. Then hopped on the I-40 for (I think it was for about) 25 miles to the Mountain Springs exit. This is Route 66 angling to the south of I-40 towards Amboy and eventually 29 Palms, Yucca Valley, etc. The picture with the road sign was taken shortly before Goffs road joins 66. Goffs Rd was the route SupraSabre was mentioning. A nice road too.

I saw another of the Yucca Valley ST ridin' LEOs and, again, he waved first. Maybe it was the same guy I saw a couple months back around there. Cool. Stopped for gas in Morongo Valley. That's where the pic shows that little bit of snow on the mountain top. That's the eastern end of the San Bernardino Mtns. Not sure if the peak is Mt Baldy or something else.

After that it's down to I-10 and a short run to the exit for Hwy 243 to Idyllwild. This ride up 243 was the highlight of the day. Beautiful mid 70s temp and I did not see one car going up the road the same direction as me and only a few passed going down. Great road, great ridin'! Lunched in Idyllwild. That's the picture with the ST parked by the big tree. That market makes a pretty mean sandwich and has quite a selection of food goin' on. Recommended.

Left Idyllwild and traveled on down 74 to 371 down to 79 and on up through Temecula, Murrieta, and Elsinore to the Ortega Hwy and home. These roads from Idyllwild are all familiar turf for me so it made a pretty relaxing, enjoyable run in toward home. The Ortega was even quite fun today. A 346 mile day. Great weather the whole day. Temps ranged from 75 to 85. Much more at 75 than hotter.

The whole 3 day trip cashed out at 1157 miles. Had a great time.

Always love seeing pics of Roys in Amboy.
Great memories of the Mother Road.