Itinerary: Southern Rockies 2001

August 16 - 30th 2001

Rider  £2080  Pillion  £565       What does this include? click here

Day 1.            Phoenix (Scottsdale)

Met at airport, transfer to hotel, informal meeting of group over drinks and meal to discuss daily itineraries/group riding etc.

Day 2.            Scottsdale - Cottonwood ( 214 miles )

From Scottsdale we head north up route 87 to Payson, on through Pine and Strawberry where we visit the old school house travelling route 60 through the alpine-like mountains to Campe Verde. On to Prescott before picking up route 89a.  From Jerome to Clarksdale there is a change of elevation of 2000 feet in 8 miles before arriving in the former ghost town of Jerome. From a population of 15,000 in the early 1900`s to nothing in1953 when the copper ran out it has become revitalised as a funky arts colony. We carry on along route 89a to our overnight stop in Cottonwood. 

Day 3.            Cottonwood - Tusayan ( 127 miles )

Continuing along 89a we come into the famous town of Flagstaff where we cross historic route 66. The road now passes through some very interesting country as we journey towards the Grand canyon.  After offloading our bikes at the motel we take the short trip to the helicopter pad for flight over this wonder of nature. There can be no better way to see the canyon, words and pictures fail to do it justice. To be at the canyons edge as the sun goes down is a wonder in itself. 

Day 4.            Tusayan - Page ( 137 miles )

This morning gives us ample oportunity to ride to various locations along the canyons southern edge before regrouping at desert view and riding off to Cameron. Heading north on route 89 there are many photographic stops along the way before we arrive at our overnight stop of Page.

Day 5   Page - Tropic. (150 miles).

Crossing into Utah we journey via Panguitch where Butch Cassidy`s mother last saw the outlaw alive and the stunning Bryce Canyon to Tropic.

Day 6.  Tropic - Moab. (281 miles).

An early start today as we ride along route 12, route 12 has been selected as one of the top ten roads in the U.S.A. as we sweep north through the Dixie national forest, the Capitol Reef national monument and Green river to Moab.

Day 7.  Moab - Mexican hat. (200 miles).

Travelling via Monticello and Cortez visiting the old Indian ruins and dissused mine workings along the way we journey via four corners the only place in the U.S.A. where it`s possible to

straddle four states at one time to Mexican Hat.

Day 8.            Mexican Hat - Holbrook.(231 miles).

We`re back into Arizona, stopping off at the famous Hubell Trading Post to buy our memorabilia before our ride into Holbrook where we visit the Wigwam motel on route 66. After off loading our gear we`ll have an evening rideout to the Painted desert to see the desert as the sun goes down.

Day 9.            Holbrook - Globe. (172 miles).

Via Show Low which gets it`s name from the turn of a card we visit the interesting museum at Fort Apache before travelling the Salt river canyon to our overnight stop at Globe.

Day 10. Globe - Bisbee. (242 miles).

From Globe we head out through Safford and Wilcox before turning south visiting Cochise head then travelling along the Sulpher springs valley to our overnight stop of Bisbee.

Day 11. Bisbee - Tucson. (155 miles).

Todays ride sees an early morning visit to the famous wild west town of Tombstone to see the shoot out at the O.K. coral. FromTombstone we travel almost to the Mexican border through the

Tumacacori national park and our stop in Tucson.

Day 12. Tucson - Scottsdale. (164).

An early start sees us travelling along route 77 / 177 trough the picturesque Tortilla mountains back to Scottsdale where we return the bikes before the transfer to the airport and the flight back home.

Total mileage 2073 miles.