Day 9 – Sunday

Day 9 – Sunday
Out of the Rodeway motel in Cortez, CO by 9:00 am. We all agree that staying in a motel makes the departing much faster: no sleeping bags to rollup, not tents to breakdown and pack, no strapping down gear. It’s kind of difficult finding a ‘reasonably’ priced room for three, but some negotiation skills help. We’ve been able to get a better price almost everywhere we’ve been.
Temp is still pretty cool this morning. Back to wearing leather jackets, fleece and gloves. But, it definitely beats the heat, humidity and wind.
Breakfast at the Ute coffee shop. Food is good and portions are plentiful.
9:30 4-corners. Lots of native American outdoor merchants selling jewelry, blankets, pottery, sandstone art and ‘archery’ items.
We ride the bikes around the circle so we can say we were in all four states – Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.
11:25 – Mexican Water Trading Post.
2.29 gals, 3142 ODO
1:50 Cameron, AZ. 3845 ODO. 3.09 gals.
Grand Canyon. Our original plan was visit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and then head toward Las Vegas. But with the cold weather in the area, we opt for the South Rim and then head toward Flagstaff, Phoenix and warmer nights. The temps during the day are in the 70’s to upper 80’s. I asked a park manager if there were available camp sites at the South Rim, he told me there were 50 sites and only ½ occupied. No reservations, first-come, first-served. He also told me the temp was expected to drop into the 30’s that night with the probability of snow. Phoenix is sounding better.
4:56 somewhere north of Flagstaff. 2.5 gals. 3393 on the ODO.
Ray has fallen a ways behind Dan and Chris. He told us that he was going to take some pictures with his handlebar mounted video camera, so don’t wait or turn back for him. It turns out that his tent came off the bike and he had to go back to get it and re-secure it to the bike.
Flagstaff is at an elevation of about 7,400 feet. We find out how much impact elevation has on temperature. 2,000 feet makes a difference of 10 to 15 degrees.
We change destinations and head toward Sedona, AZ. As we take the switchbacks and drop down into the canyon, the temp definitely rises. We get about 2 miles from the town and traffic comes to a standstill. Good thing is that we are heading downhill, so we can shut the bikes down and roll/coast into town. The only camping available around Sedona is the State and National forest campgrounds. We decide to find dinner first and get our ‘ground crew’ to find us accommodations.
Dinner at the Cowboy Club restaurant. Probably the fanciest place we’ve been to on the trip. 20 minute wait, huge portions.
Karen makes us a reservation at the Little Daisy motel in Cottonwood, AZ, about 10 miles south of Sedona. Arrive at 9:30 pm. Room has one bed and a roll-away. Chris gets his air mattress out, Dan is on the roll-away and Ray gets the bed.