November 2015 - Three Day Road Trip

Winter is coming, even in Arizona. So now is the time to take a ride in the mountains, before the snow comes...and stays. Bob and Cindy put together an OUTRAGEOUS 3 day ride.

Although we didn't think we'd be snowed out, we did figure that 30-40 degrees at night was a bit too cold to camp. Staying in motels meant we didn't have to load the bikes down with camping gear. I had a couple of duffle bags and Wayne had his saddle bags, that's it! It was so nice.
We started out with a quick 10 miles of I-10 before getting off on US 60 heading east.  We went through the small towns of Brenda, Hope (including the sign at the edge of town that proclaims that you are now beyond Hope when you leave town!), Salome, and Harcuvar. At Aguila we took a left onto AZ 71, up to Congress where we got onto AZ 89 to Prescott.  We call this the road race road, as it is very twisty!!!. Bob, Cindy and Wayne were nice enough to wait at the top for me!

We stopped at Firehouse Subs in Prescott Valley for lunch. After lunch we had some more really fun roads on the way to Jerome. 

 Located high on top of Cleopatra Hill (5,200 feet) between Prescott and Flagstaff is the historic copper mining town of Jerome, Arizona. Once known as the wickedest town in the west, Jerome was a copper mining camp, growing from a settlement of tents to a roaring mining community. Four disastrous fires destroyed large sections of the town during its early history, resulting in the incorporation of the City of Jerome in 1899.

Founded in 1876, Jerome was once the fourth largest city in the Arizona Territory. The population peaked at 15,000 in the 1920’s. The Depression of the 1930’s slowed the mining operation and the claim went to Phelps Dodge, who holds the claim today. World War II brought increased demand for copper, but after the war, demand slowed. Dependent on the copper market, Phelps Dodge Mine closed in 1953. The remaining 50 to 100 hardy souls promoted the town as a historic ghost town. In 1967 Jerome was designated a National Historic District by the federal government. Today Jerome is a thriving tourist and artist community with a population of about 450.

Nellie Bly is a unique gallery of Kaleidoscopes and Art Glass located in Jerome. It has some really cool collector’s kaleidoscopes and art glass, a large selection of children’s scopes, fun visuals and games. This is a picture taken with my cell phone through a small kaleidoscope. Look closely at the black and yellow shapes, see our heads? Hint: I am wearing my yellow and black jacket! 

We all got a little warm walking around town, but the warm riding clothes had to be put back on as we were continuing on the highway.

This shot is taken looking back at Jerome.

We continued up AZ 89A to Sedona.  Fun Fact: Sedona was named after Sedona Arabella Miller Schnebly (1877–1950), the wife of Theodore Carlton Schnebly, the city's first postmaster. What can I say, retired postal employee here!!!

The red rocks of Sedona.  

Sedona's main attraction is its array of red sandstone formations. The formations appear to glow in brilliant red and orange when illuminated by the raising or setting sun. Very much like the area around Moab Ut..

Wayne and me in front of the view.

We spent the night at the Day's Inn in Sedona, and had dinner at the Vino Di Sedona Wine and Craft Beer Bar. Yum...

Day one:  195 miles

In the morning we went on our first dirt road section. Schnebly Hill Road is one of the premier drives in Arizona, a steep, twisty, unpaved and wonderfully scenic route that climbs more than 2,000 feet to a wooded mesa.   It reminded me of the White Rim Rd near Moab. The DRZ's that Wayne and I ride worked great, but Bob and Cindy are on Adventure styled street bikes.  I worried about them, but they did fine.

Wayne enjoying the view

Bob on his V-Strom

The rocks of Mitten Ridge

Wayne on his DRZ

A stop at the view point is a must

Looking back towards Sedona

We all got a little over heated on the rough ride up. Bob and Cindy shed a layer of clothes.

Once over the pass, we settled down for some miles in the pine trees. The east end of the road looks like it would have great camping.  At I-17 we headed north for two miles to Munds Park where we again headed east, into the pine trees.

We followed Mormon Lake Rd east to Lake Mary's Rd.  Here we found snow along the road.  Most of the time trucks and cars had gone through enough to expose the dirt, but occasionally we did ride on the white stuff! Again, camping looks like it would be great!

Lake Mary's Rd joined AZ 87 which took us through the town of Strawberry. Lunch was at the Sportsman Chalet.

After lunch we took a side trip to the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park.  This would be a nice place to come and hike sometime in the future. Check out the man made bridge down in the canyon.

Here is the actual natural bridge. It is believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world.  The bridge stands 183 feet high over a 400 foot long tunnel that measures 150 feet at its widest point. Its discovery was documented in 1877 by David Gowan, a prospector who stumbled across the bridge as he was chased by Apaches.  He hid for 2 nights in a cave inside the bridge.  He claimed squatters rights, and in 1898 he persuaded his nephew to bring his family and settle the land permanently.

After leaving the State Park we continued south, heading southeast on AZ 188 towards Theodore Roosevelt Lake.

This bridge on AZ 188 replaces the road that used to cross on top of the dam.  It is the longest two-lane, single-span, steel arch bridge in North America. It spans 1,080 feet of Lake Roosevelt.

Wayne at the bridge

Look closely at the dam. Can you see where the dam height was raised in the early 1990's? The old road went across the top, but the new bridge was built to relocate the road, allowing the additional height.

At the bridge we headed south on AZ 88-The Apache Trail.  This is a dirt route from Lake Roosevelt to Tortilla Flats, then on to Apache Junction. 

Apache Lake is the next reservoir south in the Salt River Project

Bob and Cindy arrive at the turn off to the Apache Lake Resort

We spent the night at the resort on the lake, and had dinner at the restaurant

Day two: 168 miles 

In the morning we continued on the Apache Trail.  Here's Bob on his V-Strom

And Cindy on 'Lily' her Kawasaki Versys.  Yes Cindy, you did tell me you loved your new bike!!!

The Apache Trail

Check out my new DON'T HIT ME jacket!!! It worked great.  We tested it in cold and rain this trip!

Cindy coming up to the top

The view from the overlook

From the top it's a short hop to the start of the pavement, then down the twisty road to Tortilla Flats for breakfast.

After breakfast we continued on our route, down another road race road and into the Phoenix sprawl. We tried to stay on the outskirts, going through Apache Junction, Fountain Hills, Scottsdale, Rio Verde and Carefree on our way to Lake Pleasant for lunch. We had lunch at the Wild Horse Saloon with our friends Blanche, Ken and Jackie.  It was pouring when we went in for lunch, but was just cloudy and occasional small showers on the way home.

We stopped in Salome for Hot Chocolate on our way back west on US 60, as we retraced our route, back to Quartzsite.

Day 3:  246 miles

We had such a great time on this trip. Big thanks to Bob for designing such a wonderful route! We saw a lot of the state that we had not been to, and Wayne got to spend almost a whole day in the trees, much to his delight!