Back to Arizona

August 31st, 2026

Arizona

We woke and got ready as usual.  

Loaded the bike and checked out of the room.

We then stopped at the fuel station next door and filled the tank before hitting the Interstate westbound for the CA-AZ line.

This stretch of I-10 is pretty sparse.  Not much once you get out of the Palm Springs metro area until you reach the border.

Made good time, with a fair amount of wind, but temps were a bit cooler today due to some clouds moving in.

Reached the border and crossed into Arizona.

We stopped about 8 miles in at a truck stop to fill the tank and get a small bite to eat as I was hungry at this point.

Back on the Interstate for another 40 minutes took us over the small mountains and through Quartzite to reach the interchange with US60.

We got a short sprinkle of rain about this time as well.

Clouds stayed in place for a bit once we got on US60, so helped keep temps in the high 90s for the ride.

US60 is mostly open space and mountains in distance, few small passes and a handful of small towns with very little in them, though most have at least 1 cafe or restaurant, though many were closed today.

Reached the turn for AZ highway 71 and turned off.

Never been on this road before, so was a nice change, though not that scenic.

This cuts straight across the desert to Congress and avoids the need to ride into and through Wickenburg if you are going northward toward Prescott.

Once in Congress, we joined up with AZ highway 89 which runs up Yarnell Hill and then across more open space and small towns before going over the mountain and down into Prescott.

Made decent time here as well, and temps cooled down into the mid 80s once we reached top of Yarnell.

In Prescott, we let the GPS take us on a local residential road that circled around the southeast corner of town and avoided the need to drive into the downtown area and its congestion.

Once back on AZ 89, we followed it to the junction with AZ69 to start heading back east and a bit south toward home.

Stopped in Prescott Valley for fuel as I was getting close, and while I could have made it, just wanted to have the option of riding faster if I needed. 

Temps stayed cool all the way home.

Reached the small town my relative lives in and pulled up to the house.

Took a few things inside, then proceeded to do a full unloading of the bike.

Spent the rest of the night relaxing and having dinner at Arbys before turning in.

Wrote this up, but will upload it later.

Will put a final entry together later as well.

More stories to come as I am only home for 2 weeks before hitting the road again, this time overseas.

Catch ya down the road.