scale

Anyone been through AZ? THat state looks to be great for scenery.....but im not sure of the roads and conditions. I think it would be neat to ride some of the route 66 route through AZ but it is hard to figure out if that is freeway or not.....or shouldered or not. Google maps really isnt turning up much for routes.

Anyone experienced with AZ touring?

saddlesores

as i recall, route 66 was 2-lane us highway with a wide shoulder.
maybe not everywhere, you could try google street view.

saddlesores

has some nice dirt/gravel with excellent scenery.

locolobo13 

Parts of Route 66 are still there. Others have been covered by I40. Here's a few links to cgoab route 66 journals.

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/sear...&main_type=all

saddlesores

take some lightweight hiking boots if possible, well worth the extra grams.

scale

yeah....this looks like a great place. I like the mix of gravel and asphalt roads. I am also looking at the Monument Valley to Gooseneck state park via 163. Its only about 30 miles each way but i bet it would made for fun weekend trip.

suncruiser

I always start off out by Wickenberg and ride around the back side of lake pleasant. Absolutely gorgeous, and There's only a couple spots I have to walk a 32mm tire through. I don't have any good pictures at the moment though. Roughly 35 miles of riding each way

indyfabz

https://www.adventurecycling.org/rou...ycle-route-66/

boomhauer

I rode in and out of Monument Valley on 163. It sucked. No shoulder and big RV's.

Rob_E

It's part of the Southern Tier route. I was wondering the same thing, as my in-laws are in AZ, and I thought about working a mini-tour into our next visit. I found a fair number of crazyguy journals for people riding through.

fantom1 

I've done 10-60-71-89-89A. Not really the greatest from 10 (awful) through 71, but 89 and 89A are nice scenery, though there isn't much shoulder at all. The traffic can be pretty constant and fast moving, so make sure you have lights and bright colors.

Be careful thinking that dirt roads you see on google maps will be ride able. There are a lot that have too much sand to ride and can turn into a not very fun walk-a-bike. I also remember a lot of barbed wire on the sides of the roads if you are planning on stealth camping at all.

Arizonabikeped.org has bike maps. They used to be free.

andrewclaus

I lived in the central highlands in Prescott for a while and enjoyed long day rides and short tours out of there, up to the Grand Canyon through Sedona and Flagstaff, around the Mogollon Rim (in summer). Ditto the above resources. I joined warmshowers then and hosted a lot of folks touring though on the way to/from MEX or CA. Prescott is on the RAAM route, too, I believe. Fantastic place to ride for the most part.

gregjones

^^^THIS^^^

An easy search on cgoab will provide you with dozens, and in the case of AZ hundreds, of journals written by riders going through most anywhere you can imagine.

gregjones

^^^THIS^^^

An easy search on cgoab will provide you with dozens, and in the case of AZ hundreds, of journals written by riders going through most anywhere you can imagine.

stardognine

Not yet, but I've been thinking seriously about it. 🤔
I've been goofing around up here in Colorado for a couple months now, and made it up to Canon City last month. (That's pronounced "canyon", there's no squiggly Spanish line on my phone's keyboard.) I would have gone on across the Rockies, towards Cortez & Durango, but realized I needed to gear up better, lol. 🤔🙄😁

pdlamb

That's OK, there isn't a tilde on Colorado DOT's signs or maps either. I was confused that there was nothing connected with theological dogma in town when I went through there.

stardognine

I was a little surprised to learn that the prison system around here is such a big deal. Almost as big as the military. 😁
But that 7-mile hill just West of town is a blast either way. I saw around a dozen mule deer going up, mostly female, but 2 big guys with nice racks. 😃

saddlesores

jinkies! and i thought thailand had a monopoly on ladyboys!

stanram

I did a part of AZ touring during my last trip, but route 66 was not in my schedule.

Sullalto

Isn't there a big bikepacking route there?

escii_35

I've done a fair amount of touring in AZ. No mongollion (sp) rim yet. Yes to 66, GC connector, SE, E, NE, NW and N.

The Bad:

Stop you now spring winds from random directions on random days.

89a from Fredonia to Jacobs lake.

Monsoon season winds from the south.

The Good:

North Rim off season. Technically you can't camp in the N.P. w/o a permit but it -is- open to non moter traffic.

South from Tuscon skirting the Mexican boarder.

fantom1 

Hmm, good to know. I thought it was closed to all traffic. Does get pretty cold though.

escii_35

Yes, last week in April it was freaking cold at night.