3300 miles to the Grand Canyon and back

[Dave77459]

(I'm putting this here, and letting some moderator who is smarter than me decide where it really goes.)

 

Last week, I took a trip from Houston to the Grand Canyon and back on my RSTD. My buddy and I left Sunday and returned Saturday. Total trip distance was 3320 miles. I've delayed posting not because I had to recover, but because I wanted to post good pictures. :-)

 

I'm also hoping to attach a Google Earth .KMZ file so you can follow along. I take my GPS everywhere with me, so I have a good track of my actual path.

 

Day 1 we left Houston. We drove to Marfa, Texas via the long way. By that, I mean we headed to San Antonio before going to Del Rio. We stopped in Langtry to visit Judge Roy Bean's haunts, then pressed on to Alpine. We turned off path and did a circle of the Davis Mountains before we ended in Marfa. We saw the famous Marfa Lights. It was a good day, and only 700 miles.

 

I might add that I was a bit afraid that I wouldn't have the range necessary to get between gas stops on this trip. I bought two MSR cans and filled them along with some Sea Foam. I never did need them, but having them along gave me the confidence to really test my bike's range.

 

Day 2 we drove from Marfa to Safford, AZ. We stopped to take in the Prada Marfa, and hit I-10 at Van Horn. We actually split up in Deming, NM. He had family to visit, and Silver City called my name. I ran straight up to the city, choking on a dust cloud from a tailing operation. Ugh. That meant I needed to clean out my throat with a beer in Silver City. ;-)

 

The next stretch is a keeper. I headed north and turned west onto Hwy 78 through Mule Creek. The highway through Apache National Forest is awesome, going from plains to forests to expansive horizons and switchbacks. I crossed the border into Arizona in a forest with a cattle grate. Awesome.

 

Unfortunately, descending down the mountains into Safford meant I entered a furnace. But a nice Mexican dinner and cool shower had me primed for the next day. Day 2 mileage was a respectable 468 good miles.

 

Day 3 was even better! We got an early start and had breakfast at the Morenci Motel on the edge of the Morenci copper mine. This open pit mine is enormous! It is literally eating mountains. Oh yeah, the breakfast was pretty good too.

 

Leaving the mine and heading north, we soon forgot the working world. We were on US 191 through the Apache National Forest, the Coronado Trail, and it was superb. We kept climbing and climbing through switchbacks on good roads. Then we descended, only to climb again! It was glorious!

 

Then we descended into Alpine, AZ for gas. After that, we ran into our first rain. We were planning to take another mountain road west, but opted instead to zip over to Show Low. That stretch of US 60 has fierce crosswinds, which were fun at first but then made me wonder about my huge windscreen. As we entered Show Low, we got wet. But a longish lunch in Show Low let the rain pass by, leaving humidity in its wake.

 

We took US 60 from Show Low through beautiful terrain, ending our day in Globe, AZ. That too was a nice stretch, but pales compared to US 191. However, the scenic overlook in For Apache Indian Reservation is truly stunning. Day 3 clocked in at just over 300 miles, largely of fun twisty roads. I need to add that our next trip will not end in Globe, which just didn't offer the amenities we wanted.

 

Day 4 we rode up Hwy 87 to Clints Well through the Tonto National Forest past the Roosevelt Dam. We stopped off to take photos of the saguaro cactus blooms and discovered from a friendly ranger that high above us were cave dwellings! Very cool! We stopped in Payson for gas, and decided it was a much better overnight destination than Globe.

 

The trip from Payson to Clints Well to Flagstaff was also a keeper. It wasn't challenging, but it sure was beautiful!

 

After a BBQ lunch in Flagstaff, we rode through a torrential downpour to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The rain drops were huge, freezing cold, and laced with ice (it felt, and, I heard later, literally). It was heavy slogging through what could have been beautiful terrain. I don't know; I couldn't hardly see through the stuff.

 

But, as we approached the Grand Canyon the weather cleared and we could enjoy the grandeur. To say the Grand Canyon is stunning is an understatement. We were treated to a gorgeous sunset, and returned to our rooms in Tusayan (hint: the 7 Mile Lodge is clean and inexpensive). A good dinner made us forget all about the rain. Day 4 was a short 328 miles, made seemingly longer because of the rain.

 

On Day 5, we made a hard choice. We changed our plans and started heading back. We were told that Arizona was getting their monsoon early, and we could expect rain every day. Rather than take mountain roads when we couldn't enjoy the vistas, we chose to save those for another day.

 

Accordingly, we drove through the gorgeous segment between Flagstaff and Prescott knowing it was to be our last truly beautiful stretch. I have been through Sedona, and the overt "mysticism" is annoying to me. The red rocks really are beautiful, but founding a tourist enclave based on that is not my cuppa joe. We had lunch in Jerome (fantastic burger with cream cheese and serrano peppers mixed in!), and I much preferred its grittiness and more biker-like attitude.

 

After Jerome, we had to make a dash to Prescott, where the heavens opened again. We rode through very nasty weather down the freeway to Carefree, where the rain paused. We skirted sprinkles down Hwy 79 all the way down to Catalina. A nice steak and cold beverage later, we were ensconced in our room at the Best Western. Day 5 was a truncated 375 miles.

 

Day 6 began in rain that made the commute through Tucson a bear. We rode on the service road of I-10 for miles, thanks to construction blocking all the on-ramps. Stopping at every light and getting rained on was crap. But the weather cleared enough that we decided to take a chance and visit Tombstone.

 

I'm glad we did, because the turn off I-10 was a turn for the better. My photos of Tombstone show white fluffy clouds that make my tale of non-stop rain seem like a nut job's ranting. However, we weren't back on I-10 for a half hour before it began raining again.

 

By now we had loads of experience riding in the rain. Even so, when we got to the Texas border we had to either stop or put on snorkels. An hour's wait and an early dinner, and we fought El Paso's afternoon rush hour traffic.

 

Things got floody again on the far side of town, making the ride up to Van Horn very ugly indeed. I actually lost my buddy after the Border Patrol checkpoint when he exited into Sierra Blanca hoping I'd stopped there. I didn't realize he wasn't behind me for a few miles, but then there was nowhere to turn around. The next 20 miles to the first overpass to stop under were bad. Finally, he pulled in and explained that he simply couldn't see me. Together we rode to Van Horn, where a brand new Hampton Inn seemed like a slice of Heaven.

 

We'd begun the day thinking we might do an ironbutt home. But the rain turned our 1000 mile aspirations into a 512 mile slog.

 

The last day was a mix of nice weather and rain, perhaps half and half. The worst moment of the trip happened on the 1604 bypass around San Antonio. The road is covered with tar jagged snakes. My buddy pulled out to pass a car in the rain, and I accelerated to do the same. As I did, it seems like my rear tire got into a tar-snake that had settled, and stayed there. My rear wheel weaved wildly at 55 mph. I let off the throttle and kept the front wheel straight. I don't know if that is what I was supposed to do, but it worked. I regained control, fought the burst of adrenaline, and kept on.

 

We parted ways just before 1604 met I-10. He was heading to Victoria to visit his parents, and I was headed home. I don't know if he was as lucky, but I got to drive through the heaviest rain yet. Cars were pulled over to the side of the road, but I was dry inside my Frogg Togg's and just kept going. I felt like I wouldn't be dry until I was in my garage.

 

The weather did clear as I got off I-10 for the last time. I had a nice little run home from then on.

 

Day 7 ended at 628 miles, with a trip total of 3320 miles. It was a good one. I regret missing some great places, like Mount Lemon, but that just means I need another trip. :-)

 

Thanks to the members here who gave me some great suggestions on where to visit.

 

 

As a final note, when I bought my RSTD, it was 2 years old with only 2000 miles. Since I got it late last July, I've put on 18,000 miles and she now has 20K on the odometer. She was meant to be ridden, and that's my plan.

[Dave77459]

Just more photos.

[starrider60]

Five of us fools made the trip last September. Camped on the North Rim. Beautiful country. Sore butts but bragging rights. Your route sounds more enjoyable than our straight line from Texas to Arizona. Will go again in a few years. Thanks for the good pix. Keep on ridin'.

[04Midnight]

I can't even express how jealous I am...

[Dave77459]

I see that I can't upload the KMZ--too big! So here's a screen cap of the route from MapSource.

 

Five of us fools made the trip last September. Camped on the North Rim. Beautiful country. Sore butts but bragging rights. Your route sounds more enjoyable than our straight line from Texas to Arizona. Will go again in a few years. Thanks for the good pix. Keep on ridin'.

 

Yes, I really enjoyed the southern route. It was almost the same length, but new territory!

 

I can't even express how jealous I am...

 

It was a great ride!

[Iowawegian]

Just wanted to say what terrific pix you got of the canyon. I got to see it last November and was just awestruck!!

[sarges46]

Thats sure some pretty ditch there! Alot nicer than when we saw it.....dang it, it snowed on us the day we went on a side trip from Vegas.

 

Nice pics and thanks for sharing!

[fishinjer]

Looks like a beautiful trip, like to do that one day

[chabicheka]

I can't even express how jealous I am...

 

 

 

 

me too. WOW ! what an experience it must have been. BRAVO !

 

excellent picture taking too.

[jburrell]

Good job. Great pics. Now I want to go again. I drove up there about 5 years ago. Now I want to ride it and take my time and get pics like you did. My longest trip so far is a 4 day weekend to Kerrville this weekend with a paltry 1000m. Had a great time though.

Ok, Now where you going next? Lynn says I can go riding where I want.

 

signed

Completely Jealous Jim

 

[aspen60]

Awesome pictures. Wish I could do a trip like that this year. I'm jealous!

[Dave77459]

Good job. Great pics. Now I want to go again. I drove up there about 5 years ago. Now I want to ride it and take my time and get pics like you did. My longest trip so far is a 4 day weekend to Kerrville this weekend with a paltry 1000m. Had a great time though.

Ok, Now where you going next? Lynn says I can go riding where I want.

 

signed

Completely Jealous Jim

 

 

Hey Jim, I'm in the hole for vacation now (doh!), but this same buddy wants to take a Colorado ride in late summer, and the group I am in always does a fall Kerrville/Twisted Sisters. But now you've done that, so...

 

I'll keep you in mind on the next one. You can see by my /.sig that I have a bunch more states to get colored.

[Red Ryder]

Hey Dave, wife and I and another couple went last year. All I can say is wow, one of this worlds great sites to see, you are awed when you look out, no words to describe that beautiful view. Our 08 Vacation was 12 days from Northern Michigan thru various states, the Mountains of Colorado (Beautiful), to Grand Canyon, Four Corners, Hoover Dam, Vegas, to California, back to Route 66, visit Dad in TN, and on home. It was a spectacular trip. Wives took over 1000 pictures, some amazing sites.

 

Dave, I truly appreciate you posting these pictures. Recommend that everyone goes to the Grand Canyon at least once in your life, you will stand there speechless in Amazement. Later-

[Grandpagak]

great pics.. thanx

[Royal Star Ronnie]

Outstanding trip and pics. I was going to head east for lobster, but west it is!

[Condor]

I see someone knows how to pull the trigger on a camera.....

[pktexas]

Dave, looks like a great trip. Very good pics. Will have to plan to do this one in the future. Just got back from my trip to the Indy 500, 2577 mi round trip. Went solo, was ok, but riding with another looks better. See you at the M&E on the 27th in Lockhart.

 

[ibents]

What a great trip and the pics of the canyon were awesome. Now I'll have to put that on my Bucket List.

 

Ian