MotoVermont

ITINERARY:

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Arrival day

Arrive at Tucson International airport

Transfer to Tucson East (10 mi) 

 

 

Day 1

Tucson - Oracle.  95 miles

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Breakfast on site. Riders meeting.

Heading east, we climb toward Mt Lemmon and the Santa Catalina Mountains.  The unpaved mountain road quickly turns to two track and heads down into our first wash(dry river)of the trip. Rocky canyon roads lead to beautiful grassy two tracks and the variety is endless.   We end the day on a dirt road, heading into Oracle. Our lodge for the night is a Spanish-styled inn with a lush landscape with cozy rooms and casitas.

The grill will be out, coolers will be stocked with cold drinks and we will dine in the courtyard.  

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Day 2

Oracle - Globe.  125 miles

 

Breakfast at the Oracle cafe and right into the canyon roads. Spectacular views of snow-capped mountains as we drop into a wash with a small stream crossing back and forth.  With the river melt, small fields of yellow, orange and purple wildflowers dot the landscape.  9 miles of pavement for fuel and lunch at Marias in Winkelman before heading back toward the Pinal mountains. Evidence of mining is everywhere along a challenging mountain pass. Some very small mines the size of a crawl space, some larger. Most abandoned and hastily buttoned up. The afternoon scenery is spectacular as we ride the spine of a mountain range before dropping into a spectacular wash.

As we approach Globe, the bright orange poppies begin to appear. Dinner on the grill in Globe as we relax and prepare for the next day.

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Day 3

Globe - Globe.  100 miles

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Day 3 is a loop day so we can roll out of bed and roll on the throttle.  Fresh burritos will be loaded into the tank bags as we head out of Globe on pavement but soon cut off on a sandy, high altitude two track through bright sage fields. Some washes, a bit of ranch land and lots of beautiful views.

More wildflowers.  Several technical trails.   A few water crossings, some that may need assistance from a spotter.  Dinner on your own (several options in Globe).

 

 

Day 4

Globe - Willcox.  160 miles

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Heading south out of Globe, the mountains get fairly jagged. Saguaro cacti, some exciting tight canyon trails and more beautiful views, but its difficult not to focus on the trail, as it's a bit more technical with 4-8" rocks that love to shuffle around underneath.  Second half of the day is a bit more mellow with about 50 miles of wide dirt road to bring us into the cool old whistle stop town of Willcox, AZ.

We're staying right downtown and will be enjoying a great southwestern meal 2 blocks away.

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Day 5

Willcox - Bisbee.  100 miles

 

Fresh breakfast prepared by our Inn.  Out of town on dirt, through the Willcox Playa, along the old Southern Pacific train line and several defunct train cars.  A bit of pavement before turning into the historic lands once defended by Apache leader Cochise.  We pass just below the actual Apache stronghold, where Cochise resided for over 15 years.

Turning off the mostly maintained mountain road, we drop into the Tombstone valley on a washed out two track.   

The town of Tombstone is touristic and mostly fabricated, but we do make a quick stop downtown for a coffee and to check out the 3 original buildings, one of which is the Birdcage theatre, where 16 gunfights left 140 bullet holes in its original 50 years of operation.

Once refreshed, we buzz down into Bisbee, the last 10 or 15 miles being pavement. 

Bisbee is one of our favorite towns.  The incredible history, topography, and architecture combined with its obscure location make this town an Oasis for the Adventure Traveler.

Lucky for us, our friend Sterling owns an Inn right in town (overflow hotel just across the street). We'll plan to get in early to explore.  

Dinner in the courtyard at the Jonquil Motel. 

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Day 6

Bisbee - Patagonia.  115 miles

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Breakfast at the Jonquil before heading west on pavement, over and through Montezuma canyon.

We drop south on a lovely 2-track through the beautiful, flowing Arizona grassland conservation area.  Eventually, arriving at the US/Mexico border where we ride directly along the border for several miles.  Rolling hills allow for a commanding view of both sides of the border.

More beautiful 2-track and 2 unmaintained mountain pass roads that are incredibly fun, round out the day as we roll into the town of Patagonia.   Part ranch town, part mountain bike mecca, Patagonia has a fun vibe and a few shops and pubs. We'll cook a nice meal for our last evening together.

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Day 7

Patagonia - Tucson.  100 miles

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Right onto a small dirt road, we meander north along a network of winding roads and trails, nothing too rugged, but fun stuff through a beautiful area.  

We stick to small roads coming into Tucson, but eventually roads open up a bit and group riding may become difficult. Physical and verbal directions will be provided in case of group split.  Our destination is an airport hotel in Southern Tucson.

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A Trailer will be awaiting our arrival. Bikes and gear will be loaded.   Customers are encouraged to book flights that evening or the following morning.  Shuttle provided to storage area in order to retrieve customer vehicles.

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