Need Help with Short Rides- Phoenix, Scottsdale Area

[BigAl]

I'm heading to a work retreat in Scottsdale tomorrow through Friday, and would appreciate any ideas on short rides I could do on a couple of those days.

Tomorrow, I'm picking the bike up at around 10am at Arizona Sportbike Rentals at 15810 N. Cave Creek Rd in Phoenix, and need to be back to Scottsdale by around 6PM to check into the hotel and get ready for a dinner. Then on Friday, I thought I'd get up early and try to be on the road by around 5-6 am, and would want to drop the bike back off in Phoenix by around 1PM.

The rental place gave me a couple of ideas- Apache Trail/ Canyon Lake, Vulture Mine, etc, but I thought I'd see if anyone had any rides they might suggest.

Thanks

 

[shuttle1988]

You might consider going up through Prescott to Jerome and perhaps Sedona if time allows.

From where you pick up your bike, take Cave Creek north to Carefree Highway (Rt. 74) then west on Rt. 60/93 through Wickenburg to Rt.89 north to Prescott. From there Rt.89A to Jerome and Sedona. Depending on time you can either come back on Interstate 17 or retrace your route.

It's pretty flat up through Wickenburg, but after that you get some nice sections of road.

Another nice ride is up to Payson on Rt. 87 and beyond to Pine/Strawberry or east on Rt. 260 (in Payson) to Heber and Show Low.

Good time of year to ride around here and it will be cool in the mountains

 

[BigAl]

Thanks for the ideas. I'm looking forward to exploring!

 

[SkooterG]

Hmmmm...........

Hard to get to the really good areas with the limited time you have IMHO.

Bartlett Lake would be a good short (couple hours) ride. Maybe that would be a good one for tomorrow after picking up the bike. Go north on Cave Creek Road and go through Cave Creek, which is kind of a cool little western town, and continue east to Lake Pleasant road.

My all time favorite is US60 through the Salt River Canyon to Show Low, but it doesn't sound like you have time for that.

Where's your hotel in Scottsdale?

 

[Huck Fonda]

Apache trail is great as far as Tortilla Flats, then is unpaved for the next 28 miles.

I like the ride out to Bartlett, just not much there once you get there.

Oh, Yarnell Hill. I've done a few fun passes up there and across the valleys, the white spars...but agree that it might take more time than you have.

 

[Kevin Daly]

No really get in I 10 and head to LA!

Seriously I vote for Sedona, Carefree is a nice town, neat little shopping mall up there but your on a bike trip now right? As I recall there is a lot of traffic up there.