Hi,
I am considering this route in the next couple of weeks to bag another IBA ride.
Chandler
Kearny
Oracle
Tucson
Wilcox
Safford
Globe
Superior
Florence
Collidge
I 10
Gila Bend
Yuma
Brawley
Coachella
Blythe
Chandler
New to the area - will I have problems with weather (ie snow) on the east end loop or on the north route coming back on I10?
I think I will be okay with gas stops on this route as well. Doing the east loop first so I have little to no navigation to care about later in the ride.
Any input is appreciated. Wanting to ride this Feb 9, 2015.
The Oracle Kearny leg should be the highest in elevation...though you'll also have some along the west end of I 10 as well.
My suggestion is to stay on top of the several weather forecast areas you'll be in on that route.
I'll add a bit more to this in a few hours.
Sent from my teeny screen using my big fat fingers!
EDIT:That first half seems to be really complicated - I think I can provide an alternate, but there seems to be a LOT of 'corners' which would require receipts.
Here's an alternate - laid out clockwise, but direction is obviously your choice. This isn't perfect routing; some adjustments and tweaks, especially on the corners, to make sure you have the miles. Beginning & ending location would help that...you also have the benefit of Loop 303/Loop 101 to add miles after you've tweaked on the corners. Plenty of miles that's close to home; just need to document corners appropriately.
Chandler/Safford is probably the dicest stretch - mainly two lane...good lighting would be helpful, if you'll be doing this section in the dark.
Middle & end stretch almost all highway/freeway - make good time along this; loop into CA is one that I'm contemplating a BB/BBG route - see another thread I have on the AZ board here about LD trip planning.
You should be able to only have to get receipts at the major turning points. Not sure how you are getting to Kearny, but the kelvin hwy is actually a dirt rd out of Florence. This will get you an all in AZ pin for the SS1K. Not sure if you just want to get the miles or see parts of AZ. https://goo.gl/maps/4jFae If you are leaving real early in the morning, head east first. If you have a spot that track would be good.
I'd get receipts at
Start
Oracle
Globe
Wilcox
Nogales
Sells or Oja
Gila Bend
Yuma
Quartzite
Wickenburg
Arrival
Good luck
So I am up early this morning (Sunday Feb 1) and I look out (6AM - which would be 2 hours after my departure time) and I cannot see the curb across the street for the fog. TV says "the fog is in the valley, but up at the TPC in Scottsdale, elevation is higher and there is no fog."
This could be very bad news for me next Monday if the fog shows up again. If memory serves, I don't start climbing till about Superior going east - Yes? Sure don't want to push my starting time back as I do better with an early start than a late finish.
I know it's weather, but for those of you with more time in the Gilbert/Phoenix area, can you share? I have been here since Oct 29, 2014 so you see I am a short timer.
As usual, thank you for your input. Always great to hear the wisdom.
The fog is as a result of the heavy rain we've experienced over the last two days - it'll clear in a few hours.
You're headed out a week from tomorrow on this ride? You should be fine - wx forecast here says good thru the weekend in southern & central AZ...
Local weather forecasts get pretty good 7 days out - less so for days 7-10; most won't forecast beyond day ten anyway.
...back to the original topic...
EDIT: I like Marc's routing suggestion - just now got a chance to look at it. If you've not done a lot of riding in the region, he's taking you on some pretty interesting roads. I've wanted to do an in-state ride, and have one that takes in some of the high country (not do-able this time of year...).
This time I am going to use the kwthom northern route. Flyguy405 I have saved your inside AZ route for another day. KW - you said you are looking to maybe do this inside AZ route - if you are so inclined, let me know and I'll do what I can to ride.
Next question, how do you ride your distance. Top half of my tank is 120-130 miles (I use the bottom 1/2 for reserve). Typical stop, gas, protein bar, drink bottle in pocket and off on the next leg. Facility use as needed at the stop. Later in the day (12-13 hour mark) sit for some eggs and sausage for about 30 min). Pretty much gas and go. iba 59189 fyi
If anyone wants to join - Monday, February 9 - leaving QT corner of Arizona/Germann in Chandler 4:30AM. Going to do the route clockwise.
160 miles but I'm familiar with my fuel stops. A fuel stop is ten minutes, which is ten miles further...
Working when you're riding, but post up a spot link so we can ride with you.
EDIT: I posted elsewhere about my last SS (done Dec 30th) and that I ran that one at more of a BBG pace, so I had also done BBG-levels of trip planning - searching for fuel locations...spreadsheet time calculations, all of it.
I was amazed that I was only 15 minutes or so off the pace (for a 14+ hour ride...) at the end of it, as a result of really pushing it. You're post above mentioned considering a 30 minute break at the 12 hour mark, which probably puts you near Indio. if you stay on CA-111 (instead of how Google planned it, which is CA-86 on the west side of the Salton Sea...) you could enjoy the sights (and smells...) of the local area.
If you've never been in that region, it's worth *one* trip there...
Started at 4:30am, back in at 1040pm....and yes it was warm.
You would not know it from the morning though. Chandler, Globe, Safford and Lordburg - it was 37-42 degrees until about 9AM when it started to climb. I had my electrics on and learned to love them all over again. Lasted till Globe where I put the heavy gloves on. The heated grips kept things okay till the glove switch. I should have put my rain pants over my jeans - that will be remembered for next time.
Interstate 10 all the way to Yuma was a breeze. Stopped in Eloy (remembering out RTE there) for fuel. I was tempted to cut off the ride and bail out at Casa Grande as I was a little fuzzy in that I was getting tired. It did not last long however and off to the wild west I went.
So understand that I grew up in Winnipeg Canada and lived mostly in Michigan. I was seeing stuff that I think was in every horse movie I ever saw. The vegetation was different about every hour. As I am closing in on California, I start to see light brown colored mountains that are really low.......wait for it........wait for it........I eventually do connect the dots.
I had to laugh at myself as I discovered the light colored, low mountains were sand. I'm in the desert.......duhhhhh. Just a while ago a friend told me that Lucas did some of Star Wars somewhere in the area.
Swinging north took me by the Salt Sea - pretty. Then made the turn at Indio. Now Interstate 10 all the way back. 70mph speed limit in CA and 75 in AZ. Miles flew by. I was amazed at the amount of traffic on 10 being that it was a Monday evening.
Thanks for the route idea. It was much simpler than mine. Bike ran like a fine tuned watch......the way it always has.
Now off to bed so I can get up and go to work Tuesday.
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