Messages

1

Routes / Re: Southern Tier: Apache Trail vs. through Superior?

« on: June 28, 2011, 11:21:26 pm »

I rode the Apache Trail 16 years ago and it was incredible.  Highly recommended.  The dirt portion is 22 miles and it was hard packed and very smooth, from what I remember.  I drove the route a couple of years ago and it didn't seem to have changed other than more traffic.  I think there was water at Tortilla Flat and Roosevelt Lake.  There is a creek or two along the dirt portion of the trail as well, if you have a filter, but we found plenty of water without having to filter.   Regarding traffic, I remember most of it being snowbirds so there could be a lot of it even midweek.  Probably still better than the weekend though.  The Anasazi ruins (cliff dwellings) are pretty cool too.

My journal from that trip:  http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/lazylewis1995

The route:  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/169095

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Routes / Southern Tier W to E in mid-January?

« on: December 09, 2006, 03:36:45 pm »

I can only comment on a small portion of the route.  I rode from Phoenix to Tucson following the southern tier as far as Globe, then headed south from there to Tucson.  This was early February in the mid 1990s.  The weather varied from beautiful (60s to 70s) to stormy and windy over some of the mountain passes.  It was never what I'd call cold, although it did get wet part of the time.  I think January would be a great time to ride it - however I can't comment on anything east of there.  Good luck.