Phoenix to Tucson, not on I-10

mwolff · 12-17-2012, 10:51 PM

I'm riding the new-to-me Street Triple from Phoenix to Oro Valley tomorrow and would like a more interesting and less high traffic road than I-10. Google maps routed me on 87 to 79 to 77. Any other paved routes that would get me there in 3-4 hours which might be more interesting?

My stay in Tucson will be for 8-10 days before scootin' back to NorCal. What are some good day rides around Tucson? Any other ST riders out there who'd want to compare notes on this neat little bike?

Hope the weather cooperates for the next week or so.

seabee1 · 12-18-2012, 06:22 AM

You could take the 60 to Florence junction (79) to oro valley.
Or Ellsworth rd off the 60 to hunt hwy to Florence to oro valley.

DOD · 12-18-2012, 06:38 AM

Somewhere along that route is a monument to Tom Mix. It's a fun stop. Evidently he got drunk and piled his car into a wash along that road.

Be aware that the route from Oracle to Benson along the San Pedro is dirt. It's not marked that way on some maps. Pretty ride but maybe not on a tripple.

-dod

edit: 60 to Globe to 77 down to 79 will get you there. A very nice ride. The Tom Mix thing is between Oracle and Florence on 79.

RWAZ · 12-18-2012, 12:22 PM

Take the 60 to Superior then the 177 right there in Superior to Winkelman. When you come to the T that will be the 77, take a right and that will take you right into Oro Valley. You will like the road

stretchmoney · 12-18-2012, 05:31 PM

Rides within Tucson, I lived there for ten years , but only rode for the last one or two.
Mt Lemon highway, get up top, grab a slice of pie. Some of the roads west out of town via Speedway or Grant to Gate's pass is pretty great. The pass itself is a bit stomach churning, some fun spots out there, then it goes flat and straight.
Or you could take some road to Tombstone and Bisbee, think some of that can get twisty.

mwolff · 12-18-2012, 06:45 PM

OK, thanks for the replies....unfortunately, I as delayed, and did not leave Phoenix till after 3 and had to take I-10 to beat the rain. A chilly ride. I am staying at a sublet in Tucson but will frequent Oro Valley as my friends live there. Later this week looks to be warmer and dryer, so I'll head up toward Mt. Lemon and maybe in the direction of Bisbee, or Organ Pipe?

swimmer · 12-19-2012, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwolff

OK, thanks for the replies....unfortunately, I as delayed, and did not leave Phoenix till after 3 and had to take I-10 to beat the rain. A chilly ride. I am staying at a sublet in Tucson but will frequent Oro Valley as my friends live there. Later this week looks to be warmer and dryer, so I'll head up toward Mt. Lemon and maybe in the direction of Bisbee, or Organ Pipe?

Going in the direction of Bisbee (Sonoita, patagonia, etc..) will be much better than Organ Pipe. I don't think there is much out there. You could ride down the 19 and go to Arivaca then up whatever road that is that takes you to three points. Other than that heading southeast is probably better.

Kevinsterner · 12-19-2012, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwolff

I'm riding the new-to-me Street Triple from Phoenix to Oro Valley tomorrow and would like a more interesting and less high traffic road than I-10. Google maps routed me on 87 to 79 to 77. Any other paved routes that would get me there in 3-4 hours which might be more interesting?

My stay in Tucson will be for 8-10 days before scootin' back to NorCal. What are some good day rides around Tucson? Any other ST riders out there who'd want to compare notes on this neat little bike?

Hope the weather cooperates for the next week or so.

Watch your speed in Oro Valley. A big part of their income is from speeding tickets.

HoosierTrailmaster · 12-20-2012, 06:05 AM

Mt Lemon has major snow up there right now. There is a great YouTube video of a guy on a Victory (like brand spanking new) hitting a patch of black ice up there and doing a turtle down the road. He had a video camera on himself. You can hear he knocked the wind out of himself and he is in a total daze. Picking up pieces of his bike on the road until someone comes along and helps him pick up his bike. Perhaps the most telling thing is the guy is wearing penny loafers and from what I remember not wearing gloves or fingerless gloves...what a Noob.

mwolff · 12-20-2012, 11:09 AM

Since arriving in Tucson I've been advised against Mt. Lemon for now anyway. I will head toward Sonoita tomorrow, but today I'm going to Oro VAlley to use my buddies tools to get to know the bike better. Look at all the electric connections, etc. as the Triumph does not want to start in the mornings

. Once jump started, runs like a champ and has always re-started throughout the day, but then the next morning, click, click, nada. The local Triumph shop has ordered the R/R and will do that swap, hopefully either before Christmas, or the day after. And, fingers crossed, that will solve the issue. Nice weather now for riding!

HoosierTrailmaster · 12-20-2012, 11:26 AM

Just for you Mr. Wolf (love your NSX).

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mD3MuL99r9U. (Boy this video went viral).

AirCommando · 12-31-2012, 06:48 AM

Yup, looked like a brand new bike. The penny loafers looked new also. How does the saying go, "I dress for the crash, not the ride."

12-17-2012, 10:51 PM	#1
mwolff ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2004 Location: Mendocino Oddometer: 215	Phoenix to Tucson, not on I-10 I'm riding the new-to-me Street Triple from Phoenix to Oro Valley tomorrow and would like a more interesting and less high traffic road than I-10. Google maps routed me on 87 to 79 to 77. Any other paved routes that would get me there in 3-4 hours which might be more interesting? My stay in Tucson will be for 8-10 days before scootin' back to NorCal. What are some good day rides around Tucson? Any other ST riders out there who'd want to compare notes on this neat little bike? Hope the weather cooperates for the next week or so. __________________ "Watch out where the huskies go, and don't you eat that yellow snow." F. Zappa

12-18-2012, 06:22 AM	#2
seabee1 we build, we fight Joined: Aug 2008 Location: Scottsdale, Arizona Oddometer: 1,736	You could take the 60 to Florence junction (79) to oro valley. Or Ellsworth rd off the 60 to hunt hwy to Florence to oro valley. __________________ calling an illegal alien an "undocumented immigrant" is like calling a drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist" "If guns cause crime, then all of mine are defective." Ted Nugent

12-18-2012, 06:38 AM	#3
DOD idiot dirt rider Joined: Aug 2005 Location: Phoenix Oddometer: 1,917	Somewhere along that route is a monument to Tom Mix. It's a fun stop. Evidently he got drunk and piled his car into a wash along that road. Be aware that the route from Oracle to Benson along the San Pedro is dirt. It's not marked that way on some maps. Pretty ride but maybe not on a tripple. -dod edit: 60 to Globe to 77 down to 79 will get you there. A very nice ride. The Tom Mix thing is between Oracle and Florence on 79. __________________ This is my only chance to assemble a disreputable past

12-18-2012, 06:45 PM	#6
mwolff ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2004 Location: Mendocino Oddometer: 215	OK, thanks for the replies....unfortunately, I as delayed, and did not leave Phoenix till after 3 and had to take I-10 to beat the rain. A chilly ride. I am staying at a sublet in Tucson but will frequent Oro Valley as my friends live there. Later this week looks to be warmer and dryer, so I'll head up toward Mt. Lemon and maybe in the direction of Bisbee, or Organ Pipe? __________________ "Watch out where the huskies go, and don't you eat that yellow snow." F. Zappa

12-20-2012, 06:05 AM	#9
HoosierTrailmaster Just an Old Grizzly Joined: Apr 2008 Location: Under the Tucson Sun Oddometer: 2,095	Mt Lemon has major snow up there right now. There is a great YouTube video of a guy on a Victory (like brand spanking new) hitting a patch of black ice up there and doing a turtle down the road. He had a video camera on himself. You can hear he knocked the wind out of himself and he is in a total daze. Picking up pieces of his bike on the road until someone comes along and helps him pick up his bike. Perhaps the most telling thing is the guy is wearing penny loafers and from what I remember not wearing gloves or fingerless gloves...what a Noob. __________________ '06 Beta RR 525 "Red KTM" '02 GasGas EC 300..."The Smoke" '10 KTM 990 ADV R "Brutus Beefcakes"

12-18-2012, 12:22 PM	#4
RWAZ Adventurer Joined: Apr 2008 Oddometer: 46	Take the 60 to Superior then the 177 right there in Superior to Winkelman. When you come to the T that will be the 77, take a right and that will take you right into Oro Valley. You will like the road

12-18-2012, 05:31 PM	#5
stretchmoney Adventurer Joined: Nov 2006 Oddometer: 75	Rides within Tucson, I lived there for ten years , but only rode for the last one or two. Mt Lemon highway, get up top, grab a slice of pie. Some of the roads west out of town via Speedway or Grant to Gate's pass is pretty great. The pass itself is a bit stomach churning, some fun spots out there, then it goes flat and straight. Or you could take some road to Tombstone and Bisbee, think some of that can get twisty.

12-20-2012, 11:09 AM	#10
mwolff ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2004 Location: Mendocino Oddometer: 215	Since arriving in Tucson I've been advised against Mt. Lemon for now anyway. I will head toward Sonoita tomorrow, but today I'm going to Oro VAlley to use my buddies tools to get to know the bike better. Look at all the electric connections, etc. as the Triumph does not want to start in the mornings. Once jump started, runs like a champ and has always re-started throughout the day, but then the next morning, click, click, nada. The local Triumph shop has ordered the R/R and will do that swap, hopefully either before Christmas, or the day after. And, fingers crossed, that will solve the issue. Nice weather now for riding! __________________ "Watch out where the huskies go, and don't you eat that yellow snow." F. Zappa

12-20-2012, 11:26 AM	#11
HoosierTrailmaster Just an Old Grizzly Joined: Apr 2008 Location: Under the Tucson Sun Oddometer: 2,095	Just for you Mr. Wolf (love your NSX). http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mD3MuL99r9U. (Boy this video went viral). __________________ '06 Beta RR 525 "Red KTM" '02 GasGas EC 300..."The Smoke" '10 KTM 990 ADV R "Brutus Beefcakes"

12-31-2012, 06:48 AM	#12
AirCommando Adventurer Joined: Feb 2010 Location: Tucson, AZ Oddometer: 39	Mt Lemon dump Yup, looked like a brand new bike. The penny loafers looked new also. How does the saying go, "I dress for the crash, not the ride." __________________ RJ Nelson '09 R1200GSA 01' XR650R

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