Motorcycle Day Trips: Phoenix to Bellemont, Arizona

A motorcycle day trip is a great way to get into the wind and see a new area, especially for riders short on free time. We chose our routes with destination and scenery in mind and a Phoenix vacation gave us many options for a motorcycle day trip.

The Phoenix climate offers almost year-round riding, but weather can be a concern when planning a motorcycle day trip. We were in Phoenix in early May and decided on a northern route for our ride. It does get cooler at higher elevations, so day trippers should be sure to pack a jacket in the saddlebags.

Our destination was Bellemont, AZ, just west of Flagstaff. At 165 miles from our hotel in the heart of Scottsdale, Bellemont was an easy ride for a day trip and mid-week traffic along I-17 north of Phoenix is light. There are few great stopovers along the way for anyone who isn't ready to ride two and a half hours non-stop. A motorcycle ride from Phoenix to Flagstaff along I-17 will feature a change in terrain and landscape. The rocky desert gives way to mountains and the saguaro cactus surrender to the piney woods near Flagstaff. The descent into Camp Verde features a few of a lush, green valley.

Cliff Castle Casino, Camp Verde, AZ

We enjoy gambling and Cliff Castle Casino is a great spot for a stretching and restroom break an hour and fifteen minutes north of Phoenix at Exit 289. After about an hour of slot machine play, we chose Johnny Rockets for fast lunch service.

It was still warm, but Camp Verde is a good place to add a layer or two of clothing before heading north to Flagstaff. The elevations quickly increase and the temperature did drop. We continued north on I-17 toward our day trip destination and headed west on I-40 from Flagstaff.

Grand Canyon Harley-Davidson, Bellemont, AZ

The Bellemont location of Grand Canyon H-D at I-40's Exit 185 is the chain's first and isn't a chrome and glass monstrosity that's becoming so familiar. The shop is actually kind of small but we had no problem finding the shirts we buy at every H-D shop we visit.

Across the parking lot from Grand Canyon Harley-Davidson is the Route 66 Roadhouse Bar & Grill, filled with a lot of H-D and Route 66 memorabilia. I'm a memorabilia geek and enjoyed wandering around the watering hole that offers grill-your-own entrees. The ultimate purpose of our journey to Bellemont was represented in the collection at Route 66 Roadhouse Bar and Grill.

Hanging near the front of the bar is the "No Vacancy" sign from the Pine Breeze Inn featured in the 1969 classic Easy Rider. We had read that the Pine Breeze Inn was still standing and wanted to see it. The bartender wasn't impressed with our curiosity and I can't help but wonder if she intentionally sent us west on Old Route 66. We rode on the old pavement until it disappeared almost two miles later but never found the Pine Breeze Inn. We turned around and stopped at the entrance to Camp Navajo and I was told there was nothing standing in the old town of Bellemont. Dejected, we headed to I-40 to start our trip back to Phoenix.

A recent conversation with David Wickline, author of "Images of 66" taught us that our bartender didn't know her east from her west. The Pine Breeze Inn is still standing and this recent blog post by Mr.Zip66 has many photos. From the parking lot of Grand Canyon H-D, turn east on Old 66 and the deserted town of Bellemont is just a half mile away.

Sunset Point Rest Area, Exit 252, I-17

On my first road trip to Phoenix, I stopped at Sunset Point for a break from the Labor Day traffic and found an amazing scenic desert view. Sunset Point is a good place to stretch your legs and I took that opportunity to peel off the extra layers that I had needed in the higher elevations. The temperatures were warmer and I was comfortable in just a T-shirt for the remainder of the ride to Scottsdale.

Being on a motorcycle with no walls to impede my view, I was treated to all phases of a desert sunset just by turning my head. To my right, I watched the ball of flame descend behind the mountains and traced the fingers of light across the sky stretching from red and orange to whispers of pink and purple. As I looked to my left, I could see the ends of the brilliant colors turn to black and the first twinkling of the night stars.

Timing is everything and it was a perfect ending to our motorcycle day trip.