My "Not Quite A Roadtrip" Motorcycle Roadtrip

[bfarmer]

Hello there!

I'm hoping for some advice. I'm driving my motorcycle from Los Angeles, CA to El Paso, TX this coming weekend. The reason I say this is not quite a roadtrip is because it is only two days long. I am splitting the trip into two days and stopping to see family in Phoenix. From what I understand this is a pretty boring ride through the desert, but if anybody has advice on cool roads I should ride, restaurants with food I shouldn't miss, I would really appreciate it.

I am not set in my route at all, other than the fact that I need to start from Los Angeles, stop in Phoenix, and end in El Paso. So any suggestions at all are welcome. Also, my tank is around 4.5 gallons, so it should let me go around 200 miles on the tank. If anybody knows of any long stretches of road on this route that I should watch out for, I would definitely appreciate that info too. For anyone curious, the bike is a brand new 2015 Ducati Monster 821.

Thanks in advance!

[Mark Sedenquist]

How and welcome to the Road Trip Advice forums. That 2015 Ducati Monster 821 is a very cool bike. But it's not really touring bike -- What is the longest ride you've taken thus far with it? Or will this be a maiden trip?

Oops -- gotta answer the phone -- back in a moment

[bfarmer]

Mark,

Unfortunately I didn't buy the bike with plans to tour on it. I'm from the states, living in Mexico City. I bought the bike in LA and am going to have it transported from El Paso to Mexico City. The bike was a demo bike, so while I am the first owner, it already has around 700 miles on it. For that reason I am relatively comfortable taking it on a long ride because I know it is already relatively well broken in. It also already had its first service.

Thanks!

[bfarmer]

I had first planned to have it shipped all the way from LA to Mexico City but I then realized that while the trip is a long one for this type of bike, it is doable. Plus I'm young and spry, so I've got that going for me.

Let me know what you think!

[Mark Sedenquist]

Makes my back ache thinking about 804 miles (by the most direct route) -- on that style of bike seat -- (but then again, I am neither young nor spry...) Nothing boring about the country you'll be riding through -- but you will have to hammer down pretty much all of the time to get there in two days.

Where in LA are you starting from? There are so many options of nice bike-riding roads.... along the way. By the way, a road trip is point of view -- if you are up for an adventure -- there is no criteria for how long a trip needs to be and be considered a "road trip."

But I could easily find enough curvy roads between these two places that such a trip could take 10 days -- not two. But if you left really early -- you could jump off I-10 at Palm Springs and take the Pines to Palms road (CA-Hwy 74) and zig zag your way to CA-78 through Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and eastward to Yuma picking up I-8. Take a break at the Historic Riverfront District. And then hammer down for the drive into Phoenix.

The next day -- Saguaro National Park is right next to Tucson. Of if you want to drive to the top of Mt. Lemmon -- pretty nice curves along the General Hitchcock Highway. And then you will have to get back on your iron steed and roll to reach El Paso that day!

Mark

[bfarmer]

This is exactly the kind of advice I was looking for. I am leaving from Agoura Hills, CA. Right by Malibu.

I like the idea of the Anza-Borrego Desert State park a lot, but does it make sense to get off I-10 earlier than Palm Springs? It looks like maybe I could get before Moreno Valley to get on the 215, connect to 74 until I hit 371, then highway 79, down to 78 like you said.

What do you think?

[Mark Sedenquist]

Well, if you are leaving from Agoura Hills, It's a bit of a detour to go to Palm Springs -- Save that road for another day. Too bad you've got to make some tracks -- lots of fun places to eat around Temecula.

Maybe zip down I-5 to Camp Pendleton and then county road 76 to CA-79 (Don't forget to stop for a bakery treat at Dudley's at Santa Ysabel )

Mark

[DonnaR57]

If there's a reason to go to Phoenix, great! Otherwise, it's a little out-of-the-way if you're trying to get to El Paso "quickly". You could take I-8 until it runs into I-10 again, overnight in the Toltec area (Sunland Gin Road exit has a few lodging possibilities), and then head for El Paso the next day.


Donna

[glc]

Donna.....

stopping to see family in Phoenix

[DonnaR57]

Oops, speed reading ... missed that little detail. :-)


Donna