Best Ride In Arizona

 

It's The Coronado Trail.  Hwy 191(used to be 666 'til the Christians
whined)) north out of Morenci to Hannagan's Meadow at 9,000' elevation.
It's 69(Really) miles of twists and turns.  I've heard there are 3,000+
curves.  I know hustling a Gold Wing there is tiring.  Sweet Wife and I rode
it yesterday.

I tell you Eastern boys what; I'll try yer silly Dragon at Deal's Gap
sometime during the first week of July.  We'll see how that sucker compares.
I think I know already, but hey....

--

-Phxbrd

 



Although I thought Oak Creek Canyon was a great ride, I wouldn't argue with
you.  Personally, I loved the ride south thru the White Mountains to
Morenci - culminating in the huge copper pit as you descend.

The Tail of the Dragon is much more compressed, intense and IIRC, has more
traffic.  I enjoyed the Dragon much more in my Z4 than my GoldWing - but if
you are getting that far east, you also need to ride the entire 469 miles of
the Blue Ridge Parkway - altitudes vary from about 600 to 6,000 feet, which
is nearly as high as it gets east of the Mississippi.

By the way, there is still a state route 666 in northern PA in the
Alleghenies.  Neat road, but lousy pavement condition as of last week.

Tom K.

 



We rode it the the other way.  I've only done it by car from North to South.
I've ridden it North 5-6 times.  They told me at Hannagan's Meadow that only
two riders have been killed recently - both novices with no business there.
Loose sand/gravel in turns got 'em both.

Oak Creek Canyon isn't fit to ride except during the week, but I don't see
it holding a candle to old 666.  YMMV....

 



That's one of the advantages of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The National Park
Service maintains it so that there is virtually no gravel on the turns,
unlike the surrounding NC and VA mountain roads.  Unfortunately, their
budget has been cut so the formerly glass smooth asphalt could use some new
pavement in a few sections.


I think I had that impression from riding it in 1977!  I suppose there's a
bit more traffic now....

IIRC, another great road is US 89 from northern Arizona all the way north to
the Canadian border.

Tom K.

 

Seth Hammond wrote:

My guess is the main difference is the flora.  Lots more trees at Deals
makes it feel tighter.  But it also limits the views...

--
-Fred W