LA to Phoenix

[Rob F.]

I heard this is a boring ride. Any recommendations to make it more interesting?

[mrduck]

 

 

Try this

 

 

 

[AZgman]

REALLY boring...

 

You could do it by going through the NW corner of AZ, but that will add a few miles...

[EffBee]

Last time I did it was on a KLR650 with knobby tires, huge aluminum panniers, a 25mph headwind, and lots of 18-wheelers.

 

Boring? Are you kidding me?

[Bruce C]

I ride SoCal-Phoenix every other month or so. Calling it boring is being kind.

 

Riding at night during a full moon is best. There is lighter truck traffic and no "bear in the air". Also there is no truck lane restrictions in Arizona! If you are going during the week. Commuter traffic into Phoenix starts to pack up in Buckeye around 5:30am. MST.

[keithb]

From L.A. you don't really have a lot of choice other than taking Rt. 62 east thru 29 Palms to Parker and Rt. 95 back to I-10. This is based on your not minding going around your elbow to get to your arse. Another option is to take 111 thru Palm Springs, Indian Wells, etc. and sight see a bit (hee, hee).

[cjhixon]

My last trip to Phoenix from San Diego was years ago. I-10 is boring, except when you run into a freakish hail storm with 30mph cross winds gusting to 50mph. Then its a white knuckle affair; hail stones hitting your hands, getting blown out of your lane, and constantly wondering what the coefficient of friction is on a wet tire riding over hail stones...

[azkaisr]

We do all we can to keep you California people out.

 

Best way to do it is at night really this time of year. Where are you ending up in Phoenix? The west side or east? That makes a difference in determining alternative routes. There are 2 ways that make it a little more fun.

 

Kaisr

[OlGeezer]

This is my favorite route to Phoenix:

As you can see, I have an allergy to the Interstate.

[Marty Hill]

Bill,

 

The ride down 60 is no picnic either.

[AZgman]

Bill,

 

The ride down 60 is no picnic either.

 

I agree!

[PhillyFlash]

Instead of taking 60 into Phoenix, when you get to Wickenburg, head south (acutally, I think it's considered east) on 60 for about 10 miles and cut over to I-17 on SR 74. Better than 60, very little traffic until you get near I-17, and a bit more scenic. Of course, when you get to I-17 that's another nightmare.

 

But back to the original question, normally the best way to get from L.A. to Phoenix is to get there as fast as possible. There are no exciting routes. Now if you do want to make it more exciting you can take lessons from Hunter S. Thompson when describing his drive from LA to Vegas in Fear and Loathing. Other than riding at 100+ mph, going through hail storms and other bad weather, and/or doing all of it at night, Thompson's technique is probably the most exciting. Not that I would recommend it, though.

[OlGeezer]

Bill,

 

The ride down 60 is no picnic either.

 

You're right. If I had taken the time to lay in 74 and a piece of I-17 to the 101 loop around Scottsdale (smiling for the camera with my smoke face shield), I would have done that.