+1 What Roadrunner said. Except for Hwy 62 in California, I've ridden all of that route--pretty nice, actually. I've driven most of the 62 stretch in CA. You'll find things pretty busy with mostly an OK shoulder between Joshua Tree and 29 Palms, but traffic can be quite heavy, so this won't be the greatest riding. East of 29 Palms, traffic dies off considerably but so does the shoulder. The country is super beautiful, wide-open desert with very long stretches of no services. This is some of the most remote riding one can do in the lower 48 states, so you must plan accordingly. I rode from my home in the southern Sierras to Prescott, AZ, in the middle of winter and had a great time. Chilly nights but days were in the low 60's. Unless you're an artist of suffering, pick your season very carefully. Do record searches for average temperatures and make your decision accordingly. From Parker, AZ, the stretch down 95 was a little busy with not always a great shoulder, but I didn't have a bad time of it. Hwy 72 was better, and you can get some basic supplies at a little store in Bouse (rhymes with house). In fact, I got water and supplies at the store there and pedaled off into the desert to the south a ways on a paved road and found a nice camping spot off the grid. Stealth camping, very quite, not a soul to bother me. So 72 is pretty mellow. Hwy 60 is on the Southern Tier and is a good ride with good shoulder virtually the entire way if I recall--very light traffic, too. Hwy 71 and 89 are both excellent! The Yarnell grade may be big, but it is not very steep. There's a nice cafe in Yarnell. The stretch from Yarnell to Prescott has some tougher riding, in my opinion, but it's all so beautiful. I loved that whole stretch. Go ride it!
Scott
