I'm going to be in Scottsdale AZ with a couple of days to burn so I thought I'd rent a bike for two days and ride. What kind of weather can I expect mid Feb (17th and 18th) and where would be a good place to ride. I usually like something in the 200 to 300 mile range

 

Salt River Gorge US 60 NE of Scottsdale, Tombstone, Douglass Bixby. Might also include the Air Museum Off I-10 SE of Tucson.

 

You can go just about any direction and run into a cool place to ride. Call me when you get here I'll see if I can help you out. I'll PM you the number. Just let me know

 

Go out to Apache Junction and do tortilla flats its a great ride up and back with lots of twistes.

 

Head north on Route 87 to Payson, and if the weather is decent ,farther up on the Mogollon Rim for a scenic ride . Scottsdale to Payson will take about 90 minutes { roughly 80 miles one way}, but dress warm as we have only been in the high 40's up here lately.

 

Scottsdale to Prescott via Wickenburg, then to Jerome, Sedona and 89A to Flagstaff. You might want to hold off on the ride up the canyon to Flagstaff until spring. I would guess that Flagstaff is snowed under and cold right now.

Bill

 

Head toward Tombstone and Bibee. I live in N. Scottsdale area, and during the early mornings it is cool, but nice. Anything north of here for a ride, for instance, Prescott and Jerome, you will encounter black ice or actual ice on the roadway.

I ride every day to and from work, stay south.

 

That time of the year I would not be inclined to go North. North is more mountainous with a considerably higher elevation which equates to colder.

South and southeast are good destinations. Bisbee (famous mining town), Tombstone (no explanation needed), Douglas (right on the border with Mexico).

All are within the riding range you indicate. Plus be sure to dress warm.

 

You could ride just about anywhere during that time frame as a matter of fact that is the old dates for AZ bike week before they moved it to early April


Personally I would stay away from Riding in Sedona unless you are just looking for a tourist trap

 

What about riding to Mt. Lemmon? Looks like it might be about 100 miles and it looks like highway 79 might be a nice trip.