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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Aaron D. on June 22, 2015, 08:38:38 AM
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We leave next week, God and wardrobe willing.
Time limitations mean a lot of interstate travel-any ideas/guidance wise advice/wise cracks?
We do have the coolong vests and mesh, and the attitude all set.
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first thing is locating lodging around the Canyon. Hopefully you have that covered? The weather is always a crap shot when you're riding.
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Have you ever spent time in the desert during summer? If not, then please learn the signs of heat stroke and how to prevent/treat it. It is not fun and it is extremely dangerous.
FWIW, cooling vests, unless they are the ones that circulate cooled water, can become useless out here quickly. Stop frequently in some place that is air conditioned.
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Avoid I-80/90 around northern Indiana if possible--a major truck route, and a hassle you just don't want to deal with.
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I just booked a room in Sedona for 7/5 through 12, not too hard.
Dusty, we'd love advice, we have to blast it but I would take any secondary route that I can. So 412 will be on the list.
Any other route advice, Massachusetts to AZ, sadly no twisties possible to-from but local to Sedona, will be VERY welcome.
Fuel range on Scouts will keep us hydrated I guess!
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I just booked a room in Sedona for 7/5 through 12, not too hard.
Dusty, we'd love advice, we have to blast it but I would take any secondary route that I can. So 412 will be on the list.
Any other route advice, Massachusetts to AZ, sadly no twisties possible to-from but local to Sedona, will be VERY welcome.
Fuel range on Scouts will keep us hydrated I guess!
Sedona is HOT and 135 miles from the Canyon. FYI, Flagstaff is much cooler and 50 miles closer. I'd recommend trying to get a room or campsite in the Canyon or Canyon Lodge, even for a couple of nights. By all means go to Sedona, it's a beautiful place and great ride from Flagstaff.
Also, Williams has a train that goes to the Canyon that some like (I've not been there).
For one leg of the trip, I'd go through the Black Hills and ride through Colorado on through SE Utah or the 4 Corners. I agree that N Indiana has some awful roads- but I have no recommendation what roads to take from NE. If you make it through Okla give Dusty or me a PM.
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Sedona is HOT and 135 miles from the Canyon. FYI, Flagstaff is much cooler and 50 miles closer. I'd recommend trying to get a room or campsite in the Canyon or Canyon Lodge, even for a couple of nights. By all means go to Sedona, it's a beautiful place and great ride from Flagstaff.
Also, Williams has a train that goes to the Canyon that some like (I've not been there).
For one leg of the trip, I'd go through the Black Hills and ride through Colorado on through SE Utah or the 4 Corners. I agree that N Indiana has some awful roads- but I have no recommendation what roads to take from NE. If you make it through Okla give Dusty or me a PM.
Yeah , shoot us a message :1:
Dusty
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For a number of reasons, we will be based in Sedona for the week we spend out there, and we will be doing 412 across the barrens of OK.
Planning the PA turnpike across, well, PA. I do wish we had time for a more sedate pace out, we may decamp early to cruise home through CO etc.
I will PM when we get close.
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I recommend at least one night stay in the Grand Canyon. The sunset and sunrise really lights up the canyon that you don't get during the day.
North side of the Canyon is much less developed, less traffic and tourists, very nice.
Lots of parks in that area, plenty to see and do. Sedona is very pretty, but Flagstaff is much cooler. If you have time try to get over to Jerome, it is an old mining town perched on the side of the ledge. flagstaff has a ski resort, ride the lift to the top if it is running.
drink lots of water, it will be hot, and since it is so dry you won't sweat much as the sweat evaporates very fast.
I really miss that area, one day I will move back.
Old Head
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Dusty & Ryter,
Good info, if you don't mind my wedging into the conversation... I am traveling from San Diego to Maine in the near future and I-40 is a great deal of the route.
So 40 is a bumpy road...? Concrete with bad seams or what...? All of it...?
Thanks,
Rob
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I40 quality varies depending on the area. Most of it has been repaved in last few years and most of the OK City stretch has been fixed (it used to be brutal). For the most part it is pretty smooth sailing. Last month on my trip there were a few short stretches that had some potholes and such, but, was either avoidable by riding in left lane or did not last long.
To avoid some of the heat in AZ you can take an alternate route to Sedona in NM. You end up going through the White Mountains. A little longer but much cooler. Caution, watch weather. There are also more thunderstorms on that route, especially in the afternoons.
I40 Exit 89
South on NM117 and 36 to Quemado
West on US60 to Show Low
West on AZ260
Then either North on I17 to the Sedona turn off, or 260 to Cottonwood and then US89A to Sedona.
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PS Grand Canyon. South Rim is much more crowded than North Rim. But, for good reason. The views from the South Rim are much more varied and you see a lot more of the canyon.
I do like the hotel on the North Rim better just because of the patio view.
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I rode out to Phoenix one time in August. Drink water and eat salt. I had a pair of faded black jeans I rode in and wondered what the white stuff was after a few days, it was salt. I also recomend keeping a few tubes of Blistex to use on your lips and also put some on your little finger and work up inside your nose. I discovered this when my nasal passages got so dry and cracked is was getting nose bleeds. My friend in Phoenix said after time your body will adapt to the climate.
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If you are going to be spending a few days around Sedona then take 89A over to Prescott. You won't forget Jerome and the ride over the mountain. You can do a loop and head back north on 89 after leaving Prescott. It will take you to the old RT 66 where you can follow the original road to Ash Fork and Seligman. The section from Williams to Kingman is really one of the last sections of 66 unchanged except for the missing businesses.
Pete
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The adaptation thing applies to Salt Lake as well.
I did a "recreational" construction project in Hesperia/Victorville a few years ago, with a trip deeper into the desert. Drinking is critical-and you seldom have to pee! But it isn't so bad in my experience.
Thanks so much for the tips. We may do the Canyon viewing by tour bus anyway. Might be nice to take a day off the bike.
Pete, that is a great post, I definitely will do that!
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The bus may be just the ticket. We were in Niagra Falls and decided to do the bus tour and thought it was the best decision. The bus driver had a lot of info and facts I would have never gotten otherwise. Forgot about Jerome. Great little town. Stayed in a B&B there one night. The town was a dying mining town and was re-populated by Hippies and eventually became a sort of destination area.
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For a number of reasons, we will be based in Sedona for the week we spend out there, and we will be doing 412 across the barrens of OK.
Planning the PA turnpike across, well, PA. I do wish we had time for a more sedate pace out, we may decamp early to cruise home through CO etc.
I will PM when we get close.
good deal. I'd like to see you all on 412.
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Dusty & Ryter,
Good info, if you don't mind my wedging into the conversation... I am traveling from San Diego to Maine in the near future and I-40 is a great deal of the route.
So 40 is a bumpy road...? Concrete with bad seams or what...? All of it...?
Thanks,
Rob
give me a PM and we'll meet up or something. I40 in Okla is a shitload better than N Indiana Rds.
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We drive between Pittsburgh area and Tulsa at least once a year. I find it much nicer to take I79 from Pittsburgh down to Charleston, WV. To Huntington, Lexington, Paducah on the various slabs. At Paducah, I pick up HWY 60, which takes you across southern Missouri, to I44. It is not quite as fast as going on the more northern slabs, but more hills, more trees, more curves in the road. I70 across Ohio, Indiana , Illinois to St Louis is a special kind of torture to me.
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Any other route advice, Massachusetts to AZ, sadly no twisties possible to-from but local to Sedona, will be VERY welcome.
Once you're in Sedona, Hwy 89A Sedona-Jerome-Prescott is a fantastic road for carving twisties/fun ride. Can also head further south from Prescott to Skull Valley and even Peeples Valley for some nice scenery.
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Aaron , probably the fastest way across Oklahoma is 412 to 183 , then South to I 40 . It may look a bit longer and slower , with a very few SMALL towns to negotiate , but OKC is never ending , and I 44 from Tulsa to OKC and I 40 West from OKC carry a lot of truck traffic , one can never be sure if all but one lane will be closed . That being said , if you are acclimated to dealing with heavy traffic running at stupid speeds , then the I 44 to I 40 route might save fifteen minutes , if there are no delays . If you have never traveled through Oklahoma , our Metro areas will surprise you with how large and spread out they are , and how congested the traffic is . Think Chicago , or at least Minneapolis :grin: Heck , on a long trip that requires going through Tulsa , my departure times are early enough to clear
T town by 4:30 AM , too many idiots :rolleyes: . 412 is a broad smooth 4 lane all of the way to Enid , not much traffic , and I think 70 MPH limit . Just my very humble opinion .
Dusty
So-412 to 183? looks odd-did you mean another route? 183 heads northwest or southeast when it intersects with 412.
Or just turn left at Enid? And of course our fuel situation needs attention at 100-120 miles, I bet. Though we will see, and we are carrying a couple liters each.
Packing now, leaving Tuesday afternoon, I hope. Feels a little like 1979 when we set out on a slightly crazier trip, though it will be a bit more luxurious I hope!
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Why 80 across Pennsylvania compared to 90 across NY State? PA is much more up and down and takes forever, NY flatter and admittedly a bit boring but I think faster. Of course, I could be and often am wrong. :grin:
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Not 80, the toll road, I think it starts as 76?
Looks shorter and more interesting but if someone tells me differently I'll listen. I've done the 90 route quite a lot.
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No tolls on I80 in PA. Big tolls on I90 in NY. One option is take I88 at Schenectady to NY17 at Binghamton. This is xpressway to Corning where you can either take I86 to Erie or get on NY417 to Olean. 417 is a scenic two lane with very little to slow you down and more direct than I86.
Pete
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PeteS - just did most of that this past Spring, and you are right, it is a good ride, my trip was from Jamestown through Salamanca to Binghampton up to Albany and back home. Pleasant trip (given it was for a funeral). My recollection of Penn Turnpike the length of that great state was lots of hills, a fair amount of traffic and a long time.
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If you're making time the PA tpke is probably the best way across PA. It's mostly flat and straight and boring (and generally not too crowded except near either end [Philly/Pburgh] at the right times of day), but it gets a little prettier and starts to change elevation and direction a bit the last few hours (near Pburgh).
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So-412 to 183? looks odd-did you mean another route? 183 heads northwest or southeast when it intersects with 412.
Or just turn left at Enid? And of course our fuel situation needs attention at 100-120 miles, I bet. Though we will see, and we are carrying a couple liters each.
Packing now, leaving Tuesday afternoon, I hope. Feels a little like 1979 when we set out on a slightly crazier trip, though it will be a bit more luxurious I hope!
the most direct route is I-44 from St Louis to OKC, which goes right into I-40. This is the old Rt 66 now interstate. (choose I-55 from Chi town or 1-70 from Indy).
If you take 412, then 81 or 281 (which turns into 183) will take you straight south.
There are million routes to take: weather, distance, challenge or scenic?
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I am convinced that Oklahoma riders are spoiled, 44 & 40 were great!
In Santa Rosa NM tonight.
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Monsoon season in Aridzona and probably parts of New Mexico. Be prepared for wildly varied temperatures from horridly hot and perhaps humid, to cool and rainy. These storms tend to be cellular convective in nature and not always huge in expanse. They can be violent though with large hail, hard rain to obscure visibility, and lightening that shows jut how good a conductor a biker can be. be ready to change into rainsuits in a hurry and keep overpasses in mind for shelter. Beautiful time of year but be careful. Oh, storms usually not in early hours, it takes heat to generate them Be ready any time around noon or later. Puddles can be deep and dangerous.
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Good luck today. Thunderstorms will be in your path. I'd probably take the interstate as the White Mountains are getting hammered in the PM. Wave when you go through Albuquerque :)
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I am convinced that Oklahoma riders are spoiled, 44 & 40 were great!
In Santa Rosa NM tonight.
yeah. told ya
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In Sedona now, the canyon road from Flagstaff may be among the most incredible sights I've seen from a motorcycle saddle.
We got out of Santa Rosa early and met up with an old friend in Albuquerque. Great riding all morning and into the afternoon before the wind started. Much worse than a little rain.
And a little rain is all we got.
Surprising find, the TA plaza in West Gallup has a great restaurant, order the Gallup Taco.
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US89A there is nice, but, you are going to see much better on your various excursions.
Have fun.
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very nice view and twist on that road from Flagstaff to Sedona. Glad you were able to take it.
I'd say a little rain and wind is much better than the heat.
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Having recently ridden from Las Vegas to Zion NP in mid-day (103 F) heat, I can only emphasize what others have already said: remember that heat can be deadly, and modify your plans accordingly. I spent the better part of three hours thinking: am I going to die in the next sixty seconds when I pass out on this thing at 75 miles per hour? Good luck --
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People come from around the world to ride Sedona Flagpole. It is beautiful beyond words. Have a great time and ride safe.
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If you have a few extra hours in Jerome, be sure to go to the gold mine museum. There are more old machines, trucks, everything mechanical than I've ever seen in one place, and a Studebaker straight 8 dirt track race car that he'll fire up for you if he's in the right mood. Pay the $10 to have him fire up big bertha, it's a hoot.
roy
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We got home last night, 5520 miles. What a ride! Definitely will be doing more of this, without so much interstate.
But interstate and truck stops are the new "Rt 66" and diners, and you know, it really works.
I saw 1 Guzzi through the whole trip, a white EV that was likely on the way to Erie, PA for the Roar on the Shore. We saw no other Scouts.
The Scouts were flawless, by the way.I only wish there was a forum like this for them-the main topics on the Scout fora seem to be related to getting loud pipes, dangly things and unneeded tire changes. I will likely delete my account there.
Anyway, we'll end up with a 1400 rider accompanying us next time. That should be fun.
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:thumb:
Glad to hear about the ride and the Scouts.
Not surprised about the Scout forum sadly.