Heading to Phoenix for the NASCAR race the first weekend of March. Reserved a bike and figured I'd spend Saturday touring the desert.

Any suggestions on the best 1/2 day rides to keep me entertained?

 

One of the best short term rides, IMHO, is to just ride north on Cave Creek Road, stop at the Hideaway Bar for a beverage and a slider then continue on to Bartlett Dam Road, turn right, and 15 minutes later past some of the best desert scenery around you will come up on Bartlett Lake. Its kinda cool seeing a lake with cactus right next to it. This is the ride I take all my out of town friends on.

 

Check out this website: www.cyclerides.com
Lots of good day rides!

 

Not to be a smart ***, but does anyone remember the days when Harley riders and NASCAR fans weren't even in the same universe? (long hair vs crew cuts, etc.)

 

+1 on the cyclerides link. Tortilla Flat is a nice little ride - during the week.
So is heading out east on US60 to Globe and up thru Salt River Canyon, though a bit longer than TF.

 

Go to Jerome you wont beleive what you see, Then go south, same road back to Presscott, and down to Wickenburg, We did it 3 times in 9 days. Words cant decribe the veiws....

 

Go out to Wickenburg on the 60 then to Prescott on the 89(there are some awesome twisties and scenery). From there if you only have a half day you can go back down through Prescott Valley on 69 to the 17 and back into the valley. If you have more time take the alt 89 to Cottonwood and onto Sedona. You will go through Jerome which is way cool. From Sedona take the 179 back to the 17 and back to the valley. Use cyclerides.com day planner it is a great ride planner and enjoy the spring in the desert.

 

I'm actually not going by choice. It's a business deal and one of our vendors is footing the bill. I figured since I'm getting a free flight and lodging, might as well take advantage of the free time and ride.

Thanks for the great suggestions. I actually went to school at ASU back in the late 80s but haven't been in the valley for 20 years and forgot what all was out there.

I think I'm gonna head out on 60 to Globe, then cut up to Roosevelt Lake and Punkin Center then catch the beeline back into town.

I don't have to have the bike back until noon on Monday so hopefully get a morning ride in then as well before I head back to the current frozen wasteland that is Denver.