Go Back to the
"Travels with John"
April 19, 1998
Hurricane, UT to Scottsdale, AZ
Off to visit my mother in Scottsdale, AZ!
At about 8:30 AM on Sunday April 19. 1998 the Valkyrie was packed and ready for the trip. This will be the first trip with my shiny new Baker Air Wings.
The morning is a bit cool with the sun playing tag with a sky full of puffy clouds. The trip started by taking highway 59 up out of the Hurricane Valley and on towards Hildale, UT, Colorado City, AZ and continuing on the Fredonia, AZ to connect with highway 89A. The first part of the trip has already been described. Basically, after the fantastic scenery and great twisty roads coming up out of the Hurricane Valley the road settles into to a broad and high (about 5000 feet) mountain valley and continues on to Fredonia. Within the first few miles it became clear that I had underestimated how cold it was so I pulled over and put on my heated vest and gloves and plugged in. That, coupled with my new Baker Air Wings seemed to fix everything except for my right hand, which seemed to remain cold. In any case, the trip to Fredonia was nice, there was NO traffic (we hope all the good Mormons were at the Church house!) and I settled in at about 80 MPH and enjoyed.
In Fredonia I connected with 89A and headed south towards Jacob Lake. I considered buying gas in Fredonia but all the stations (both of them) on the south side of town were closed (again, those station owners are at the Church house we presume). Not to worry, it is only 32 miles to Jacob Lake (the "gateway" to the north rim of the Grand Canyon). Leaving the dusty environs of Fredonia, highway 89A soon starts to climb on to a high plateau as it enters the Kaibab National Forest. As the road moves to higher elevations, it cuts through a magnificent Ponderosa Pine forest. And, in the forest, the ground is covered with snow. My right hand is really getting cold and starting to be a bit of a problem. The road with its sweeping well-banked curves through towering pines is a motorcyclist’s dream. Arriving at Jacob Lake (actually, a motel and a gas station) I discovered two things:
Having been assured that there would be gas at a station in Marble Canyon (approximately 30 more miles) and that the trip was down hill all the way, I set out. The trip down from the high plateau was splendid. The road was in excellent condition, the sweeping curves were perfect for cycling and the vistas magnificent. I arrived at the station at Marble Canyon without incident and apparently with fuel to spare as I had not yet switched to my reserve tank. At this point my trip meter indicated a bit more than 140 miles since I last filled the tank. The station at Marble Canyon was presided over by a startlingly beautiful young Native American woman, who was also very nice. She attempted to find a screwdriver so that I could repair my broken electrical connection to my right glove. But alas, to no avail. The good news is that now that I am down from the high plateau around Jacob Lake it is much warmer. Shortly after leaving the Marble Canyon station, the road crosses the Colorado River providing a spectacular view of a canyon of incredible depth and beauty.
Following the crossing of the Colorado River, highway 89A proceeds south to the junction with 89 then heading due south towards Flagstaff. This is some of the bleakest desert on the planet. There are places along this road where the land is so poor that it will not even support sagebrush. The road is straight, the surface of the road is in good but not great condition and the speed limit is only 55. It is not difficult to imagine why, in such a desolate area, the speed limit is set so low; can you say speed trap. In addition to that, it soon becomes obvious that both the Arizona State Patrol and the Tribal Police of the Navaho Nation are pretty aggressive. I have never seen so many police cars in such a remote area. I guess they want you to be traveling slowly enough so that you can stop at the Native American curio stands that abound along the road. Or, failing that, pay a few speeding tickets. Riding a high performance motorcycle on a dead straight road with virtually no traffic across a trackless desert and holding to about 60 MPH is not easy. However, I had numerous "escorts" to be certain that I did not transgress. In any case, there are many lovely desert scenes to enjoy and, unfortunately, much evidence of grinding poverty on the Navaho reservation to lament; on to Flagstaff.
Shortly past a lonely outpost called Gray Mountain, highway 89 begins the climb into the San Francisco Mountains and on towards the city of Flagstaff. The bleak desert gives way to mountain terrain with more abundant vegetation and soon forests. The city of Flagstaff, in my opinion, is a very unattractive city in a very beautiful setting. The city is at an elevation of nearly 7000 feet and, compared to the desert that I have just left, it is very cold. There is a lot of snow in protected areas. Here, highway 89 connects to I-17 leading to Phoenix.
After the aggressive enforcement of the speed limit on highway 89, the situation on I-17 is quite a contrast. The traffic coming down from Flagstaff is moving very rapidly with the traffic in the "slow" lane holding at about 85 MPH. I find 85 as a steady cruising speed just on the edge of my comfort level. Things happen very quickly at that speed. On the other hand, to travel more slowly that the average traffic flow is also a bad idea, so on to Phoenix at 85. Many of the vehicles in the "hammer lane" were traveling at speeds that had to be well in excess of 90; many of these vehicles appeared to be "herded" by drivers having ages to match these speeds.
The scenery along this stretch of interstate is very nice and as the road winds its way off the mountains around Flagstaff. The amount of snow decreased steadily and was finally completely gone. Nearing Phoenix the temperature is in the mid 80’s (as opposed to the mid to upper 40’s in Flagstaff.
Phoenix has become another American urban tragedy. Like Denver, this lovely city is now seriously at risk. The pollution is alarming, the crime rate rising rapidly and the traffic horrible (not to mention the fact that the Diamond Backs are not winning many games). And, finally over to Scottsdale on a sunny and hot afternoon. A lovely ride on a great bike. It doesn't get better than that.
April 21, 1998
Scottsdale, AZ to Hurricane, UT
(Using highway 89 to Page, AZ)
I left Scottsdale at about 6:45 AM heading across the southern part of the city, first on highway 220, connecting to I-10, and subsequently to I-17 to head north to Flagstaff. The inbound lanes, even at this early hour, looked like a parking lot. The trip north was the reverse of the trip on April 19th noted above. The only variation, and a significant one, was in Northern Arizona where I elected to follow 89 north rather then take 89A back through Marble Canyon, to Jacob Lake on to Fredonia.
The stretch of highway 89 from the junction with 89A north to Page, AZ is a great ride. The road rises quickly from the desert floor up into some very lovely mountains, ultimately rising to well over 6000 feet. Page, AZ is a very lovely little town. It is well worth the visit. Yes, it is a bit of a tourist trap but not all that blatant. And, continuing on highway 89 you come to the Glen Canyon dam. This is a "must see" sort of place. The Glen Canyon dam is at the southern tip of beautiful Lake Powell and the dam itself is worth seeing and touring (and I did – highly recommended!). The rest of my trip back to Hurricane was not very eventful. I took highway 89 from Page to Kanab (this is a very remote road – even the road side cattle seem glad to see you), then to Fredonia and back to Hurricane on Utah highway 59.
A wonderful alternative, which I did not take because it was growing late, would be to continue north on Utah 89 and connect with Utah 9 at Mt. Carmel Junction. Then take highway 9 through Zion National Park, Rockville, Virgin, LaVerkin and finally Hurricane. A truly magnificent trip that every motorcycle rider should take at least once, if not several times, in his or her life.
I feel sorry for people who do not ride a Valkyrie. Fantastic power and comfort!