"Nonster" (noahnic)
12/02/2015 at 16:00 • Filed to: None
2
14|
"Nonster" (noahnic)
12/02/2015 at 16:00 • Filed to: None | 2
| 14 |
I’m going on a little motorcycle trip with a buddy in week and I want to get Oppo’s opinion. We’re flying to Las Vegas, renting a pair of Triumph Explorers, and riding out to the Grand Canyon.
I’ve been to Vegas several times, but never to the Grand Canyon so I’m not very familiar with the areas outside of Vegas. I realize it’s December so it’ll be pretty chilly, but we’ll be on bikes with hand guards and windshields so it’ll be a lot better than how it is riding in Ohio this time of year with no windshield or hand guards. Anyways, here’s the plan.
We’re picking up the bikes at 9am on Saturday and have to return them 6pm Sunday. So not a lot of time, but I want to try to cover as much as possible. That said, I hate being rushed on trips so I usually like to include time for meandering, wandering, and general spontaneity.
Google tells me that sunrise out there is 6:30 am and sunset is about 4:30 pm. So here’s what I’m thinking
Day 1: Vegas to Grand Canyon Village
The bike shop opens at 9am so I’m hoping we can get on the road by 9:30 but we’ll see. Google says its about a 4.5 hour drive to get to Grand Canyon village so we should be able to hit Hoover Dam, stop for a late lunch in Seligman, then make it to the campsite or hotel (still undecided on where we’re sleeping) before sunset.
Day 2: Back to Vegas
The bikes have to be back by 6pm so we have all day to ride. Ideally I want to go around the north side of the Canyon and hit the Vermillion Cliffs and then eventually cut through the Valley of Fire.
So the issue I have is while I think this leg is doable if we get up and going at the crack of dawn, its quite a haul. Especially with so many sights to see I feel like we might be rushed a bit.
So what do you guys think? Anything that I should check out or forget about? Option B for the second day would probably be spend the morning exploring the south rim on foot and/or bike then go back the same route as day 1.
JR1
> Nonster
12/02/2015 at 16:03 |
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Option B is twister and therefore better
Also it is closer to one of the prettiest and most secluded national parks in the country. Grand Basin
HammerheadFistpunch
> Nonster
12/02/2015 at 16:06 |
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Long days but fast roads...if...It’s good weather. I hope it is but you have a good chance of getting caught in lots of snow
Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
> Nonster
12/02/2015 at 16:12 |
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Zion and Bryce Canyon are both in those areas, check ‘em out if you have time!
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HammerheadFistpunch
> Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
12/02/2015 at 16:19 |
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A drive through Zion is a must. 20 bucks a bike but so worth it.
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HammerheadFistpunch
> JR1
12/02/2015 at 16:21 |
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Great basin, I assume. Yeah I really like Great basin though its a little out of the way for this trip it looks like
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Nonster
> HammerheadFistpunch
12/02/2015 at 16:25 |
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Yep we’ll see. Right now the forecast seems to be okay, but we’ll have to play it by ear. I can ride in the cold, the snow is another matter....
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Nonster
> Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
12/02/2015 at 16:27 |
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I don’t think we’ll have time, but a lot of this is weather dependent so we’ll see!
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HammerheadFistpunch
> Nonster
12/02/2015 at 16:28 |
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Not sure how familiar you are with this area and I don’t want to sound like a pessimist but this time of year has a tendency for cold and unexpected weather. Just be prepared for it and have a backup plan in case it goes south. Its all relatively high elevations and the pressure patterns are somewhat unpredictable.
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HammerheadFistpunch
> Nonster
12/02/2015 at 16:32 |
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Its worth the 45 extra minutes. (Just zion, no way you’ll have time for both)
El Rocko
> Nonster
12/02/2015 at 16:54 |
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Not sure if you have experience camping in snow or sub freezing. I’ve camped at GC in below freezing and it was pretty terrible. But, being an AZ native, I’m not too fond of anything under 40 degrees. If you have the right equipment, you’ll be fine. Otherwise, I’d recommend a hotel. Flagstaff is a really cool college town with good restaurants and bars and really cheap motor lodges. It’s about 1.5-2 hours from the GC Village. Pray for no snow!
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JR1
> HammerheadFistpunch
12/02/2015 at 18:28 |
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Great not Grand. Unfortunate that it is out of the way but I feel like it would be worth a pit stop
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HammerheadFistpunch
> JR1
12/02/2015 at 18:49 |
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Yeah, its was one of my wife and my favorite trips, we’ll get back there, if not this year than soon.
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Nonster
> HammerheadFistpunch
12/03/2015 at 08:26 |
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Thanks for all the advice, hopefully snow and really cold weather stays away, but if it does we’ll probably stay closer to vegas and spend more time in the valley of fire or head somewhere further south where it should be warmer
brianbrannon
> Nonster
12/04/2015 at 08:14 |
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I just got back to Ohio from riding out there. The elevation makes it super cold so don’t skimp on the gear. I had a full suit and heated boots and grips.
Also seems to be very little speed enforcement compared to Ohio ;)