Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The Course Description Just Released!

Departing the start at Chester's Harley-Davidson, in Phoenix, Arizona we will travel north to Fountain Hills, Arizona where we will go through the back woods on surface roads to Carefree and Cave Creek, Arizona, the epicenter of motorcycle activity in the Phoenix Valley.  This area is the home of both Sonny Barger and Vaughn Beals.  Sonny is widely known as the founder of the Hells Angels.  Vaughn is less well known but was the leader of the group of twelve Harley executives who purchased Harley-Davidson from AMF and set it on the road to becoming what it is today. 

Continuing northwest in Arizona, we will go through Wickenburg and on to Prescott, the historic old western territorial capital of Arizona and then on to Jerome, a former mining community now a tourist and art colony.  Jerome is truly a vertical town built on the side of an impressive mountain.  From Jerome we will travel through Sedona and on north to Flagstaff by way of Oak Creek Canyon.  The roads into Prescott, Jerome and Oak Creek Canyon are really great, highly technical motorcycle roads with some impressive vistas.  Departing Flagstaff, we will go northwest toward the Grand Canyon on surface roads and then back south to join I-40 west for a brief distance.  We then turn onto a segment of Old Route 66, which still exists, and still has historic buildings and signage along its route.  We will go through Peach Springs on route 66 which was the town which inspired the fictional town of Radiator Springs in the movie Cars.  A town the interstate bypassed which still struggles to exist.

Coming into Kingman on Route 66, we will turn north and cross Boulder (Hoover) Dam into Nevada.  This may be one of the last rides across this historic dam as a new bridge is replacing the road across the top of the dam and this historic access will likely be closed for all time.  From Boulder Dam we will go into Las Vegas and Las Vegas Harley-Davidson, our first check point.  

And that folks is your first stretch of the challenge!! 

Stay posted for more details of the next leg of the route!It only gets better!!

5 comments:

  1. Gonna be ridin right through my neighborhood. Gonna have to see if I can get a cheering section organized to give me an early boost before we head up Mingus Mountian to Oak Creek Canyon. Cant' wait!!

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  2. This is awesome! I plan on sending my application in this week. Can't wait to see these places for real! I'm so stoked!!

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  3. Just sent mine in a couple of weeks ago. Headed for AZ from Madison, WI on the 1st of Aug. I expect the saddle to be warmed up by the time it get there and will be ready to turn around & head back north again!

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  4. New Mexico is behind our girl, Carla. She's very determined to do this ride and looking forward to the experience. GO CARLA!!!

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  5. Would so LOVE to cheer ALL along again but being way down here in Naples, Fl. "they" are not going this way again............so ride to Nove Scotia!!!

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