I road 9000 this summer. Rt 191 comes off of I-10 east of Tucson and goes north to Eagar and hit's Rt. 60. I was heading to Albuquerque. Rt. 191 goes through this giant copper mine and goes into the mountains on a very windy road and you go up and up and up. There was no traffic, no people. If you fall of the road, run out of gas or whatever you're in trouble. I did it alone. It was quiet and no one was around. What a ride.

In Tombstone there is a biker type outdoor bar. The owner, I think, is doing what is called Ride to Destiny and it is was in Sept. He's got a website. Might be something good next year. I knew a girl named Destiny.

If you are going through Missouri, take Rt. 36 all the way across. You can go to Denver this way and 36 is finished now and laid back verses I-70.

Outside of Tuscon there is the Sawarro cactus national park that has a museum and a lot of outdoor exhibits that include snakes, plants, wild pigs and the like. It's worth it. It's to the west of I-10. Be careful getting to it as the road is windy and the cage drivers think it's a race track.

If you get to Walla Walla, Washington stop at the Port of Walla Walla airport. They have wineries, coffee roaster, and it was the staging area during WW2 for the finishing off of Japan. My Dad's pictures are in the admin building as he was there on a B-24 crew and he ETS's there due to the Enola Gay's knock out punch. Stay at the Colonial Motel. Great couple owns it. If you need details PM me.

 

Route 191 actually goes to Alpine and Springerville. You have to go west on 260 to get to Eagar. And 191 is quite a ways east of Tucson and then you go north to Safford, turn right on Rte. 70 then north on 191 through Clifton and Morenci which is where the worlds largest open pit mine is.

Which Saguaro National Park are you speaking of as there are two. East and West, both are off curvy roads.

Sounds like you had a good summer.

 

The Saguaro National Park I went to is off of Picture Rock Road. My buddy has a paint shop off of Picture Rock Rd. I didn't have the slightest idea what I was getting myself into on 191. I just knew two things: one-I didn't want to go to Albuquerque via the interstate and two: that road was listed as a scenic road on my HOG 2013 tour map book. I topped the summer off with a trip to Milwaukee to the HD museum with my cousin-in-law where we took these shop classes with an instructor at the H-D university and we got a behind the scenes tour of the museum archives. It is well worth the trip. Also if you get there the food is great at the Motor Bar restaurant and they have a stout brewed for them called Motor Oil. It actually looks like used motor oil but it is sooooooooooooo good. Damn near a meal in itself.

 

191 From Clifton to Alpine is the world famous Coronado Trail. It is the best ride in AZ, as far as I'm concerned. We ride it every year.

 

Having ridden 191 and the Dragon, I have to say that the Dragon has nothing on 191, and 191 is a lot longer than the Dragon is.

My favorite AZ. road might be 89A, but it would be a toss up. Also very fond of Mingus Mountain and the Jerome area, as well as Salt River Canyon.

Bill

 

Both Jerome and 191 are fantastic... for all the fame of Colorado's "Million Dollar Highway" (550),
191 south of Alpine is much more of an "Oh-My-God" ride...

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191 used to be 666 "Devils Highway"! Rode it in June and thinking about one more time in two weeks. The road to Saquaro NP West is Kinney road which also accesses Old Tucson Studio and the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and is busy with tourists. Another way to get to that one is over Gates Pass (west Speedway).

If you go to Saguaro NP East via Old Spanish Trail it is a much more scenic ride and a larger park.

 

The loop through Saguaro East is a pretty nice ride. I like to do it in the Spring to take photos of the wild flowers. The two "passes" to/from Tucson and Saguaro West (Picture Rocks and Star) make a petty nice loop though; one of my favorites in the Tucson area.

An underrated ride in the vicinity and rarely discussed is the ride to the top of Kitt Peak. If you are an astronomy buff, it's a "must do". The absolute best ride in the Tucson area though is the ride to the top of Mt Lemon.

 

Hope someone that has done this ride will see this...
If you were only going to do it one time, would you ride it south to north or the opposite (191 between Clifton and Springerville). I want to do this ride next spring/summer.

I'm thinking I want to do it south to north and then end up in Pinetop for the night. It will be a road trip for me from ABQ.

 

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