Route 66 a visual Tour. Page 8. (Arizona part 2) Grand Canyon through Oatman. Best part of the Route 66 ride.

 Into the Grand Canyon NP and on through Oatman Az.

Back to Arizona
Back to New Mexico:
Back to Texas:
Back to Oklahoma:
Back to Kansas:
Back to Missouri:
Back to Illinois:
Back to Intro:

 

Day 10. Grand Canyon through Oatman to Topock. Around 260 Miles

As this was I think the most scenic ride, I'm giving it it's own page for the day. (Lots to show)

Grand Canyon NP

 

 

 Williams - Great era town for Route 66 travelers. Worth stopping for a beer or ice cream, even if you're not doing R66.

Yeah, that's a dead end.
Sometimes random things like this happen on the trip.  I guess they painted the road just to help keep weary travelers sane and navigators alive?

 

Ash Fork

Picture courtesy http://cvphoto.blogspot.com

Patridge Creek Petroglyphs I'm really sad I didn't get to see these.  I missed the turn off and, as usual, was running behind time.

This photo was what allowed all the previous photos to exist for you.

I stopped to get this picture just before Seligman and realized my phone wasn't in the holder on my handlebars any more.
I'd hit a pothole a mile or so back and so turned around and went back to find it.
I passed a car going the opposite direction and then another which was going the way I was before I found the phone, scattered across the road... case in one lane, phone in the other.  But it was un-hit and fine!  Just had one corner shattered. 
If I'd not stopped for this picture, I could've been looking for a crushed phone over miles and for hours.  The pictures on it weren't backed up, as I'd not had wifi all trip.
I came back and took this shot, now with a camera, as my memorial of gratitude.
Needless to say, I'm kind of partial to this random, pretty boring photo.

Seligman - One of the quirkiest cities in Arizona.  (Which really is saying something.)

Grand Canyon Caverns - Dinosaurs
I'm sure it's cool.  But it was all closed up with Covid.  And I'd already seen caverns on this trip.  But I'd never seen anything close to Hackberry, Az, which was coming up.

Peach Springs - Met The Resourceful Mechanic, a super interesting guy living here.  Worth checking out!

 

Hackberry.  The place is a trip.

Giganticus Headicus - Random and hot.

Kingman - Hotel Brunswick

This next section of road is spectacular.

I don't want to spoil it too much, but at the same time, I want to give you a little glimpse into the road over the infamous Black Mountains, which caused so much strife for so many travelers over the years.
By far the greatest stretch for me on Route 66.

Oatman

 

 

Topock -

There wasn't much to this town, but an air conditioned pub where I could get a well earned beer and a steak at 7:40pm made it feel like heaven. It didn't cool down much while I did though sadly. Stocked up on water in prep for the Mojave Desert tomorrow and then tried to sleep in the 104 degree heat. (40C)

A few basic tips for hot riding without fancy gear:

Yeah, it was boiling and I'm not going to pretend it wasn't uncomfortable.  Especially trying to sleep in a tent in 100 degree heat.

However, there were a few things I did which helped and I'll pass them on for those who want to know.

    1.  Wear a long sleave tshirt under your jacket and get it wet before you put your jacket on.  Keep it wet if you can when you stop.  It acts like AC. As it slowly evaporates under your jacket, it cools you.  Without this either your jacket will turn in to a furnace, or you'll get cooked by the sun if you ride without a jacket.  Your sweat will evaporate almost before it leaves your pores and you'll dry up like a raisin.
It seems counter intuitive to wear the jacket, but trust me, it works. 
    2. Soaking your helmet is also worthwhile for the same reasons.

    3. Wear a camel-back (With iced water if you can get it) and suck on that thing any time you feel slightly thirsty.  You're sweating enough that it won't make you pee every 5 minutes, like some people worry about.

Everything else is kind of intuitive.  But those are my tips. 
Stay wet. 
Cover what's wet to slow the evaporation process. 
Drink lots.

Carrying extra water in your saddle bags is highly recommended.  I had two extra gallon bottles, and only ever cracked one, but if I'd broken down for any reason out there, I'd have been grateful I'd not skimped on the extra weight.

Up before the temperatures reach triple digits again and on into the desert.

Click here to continue Jump to California: