Sedona/Monument Valley Gatherin' 2013

My riding buddy BigDawg (Brian) is on this Suzuki forum and they are planning this Gatherin in Sedona Az at the end of May to include riding the north rim of the Grand Canyon and Monument Vally.  Someone, it might of been me, suggested we go and you know how things just start coming together.  Anyway, it now looks like BigDawg and myself will be heading to Sedona for a 2 week road trip at the end of May. 

Our planned route to Sedona, Az

With only 33 days before we leave for Sedona Az the plan is coming together.  Here is the latest.

We plan to leave south Florida on Wednesday evening May 15th after work to make the 2200 + mile trip just to get to Sedona by Sunday May 19th and not kill ourselves. The Gatherin has rides planned to include a ride south from Sedona through Cottonwood to the ghost town of Jerome then through Prescott and further south on AZ 89A past Yarnell to ride a length of 89A that is suppose to be a fun stretch of road.

Tuesday is the ride up through the river canyon, as we head north to Marble Canyon and a BBQ dinner at the Marble Canyon Motel. This leg has been cut short due to a rock slide and some road closures. We had planned to raft the Colorado River and swim in Lake Powell.

Wednesday morning we depart Marble Canyon for the ride to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to ride the North Rim park roads before heading back north to Jacobs Lake for lunch. Then about a 2.5 hour ride to the motel in Cedar City Utah. On Thursday and Friday from Cedar City will be two separate rides through Zion Canyon one day and Bryce Canyon the next day.

Approaching Monument Valley

Then on Saturday we ride to Monument Valley, the eastern most portion and end of the organized ride. After Monument Valley a group of us hope to take in Four Corners Monument and ride into Cortez Co to stay at the White Eagle Inn in extreme SW Colorado for the night.

On Sunday morning the 26th we start working our way home. The plan now is to ride through Durango Co to Dodge City Ks then south into Oklahoma City from there or maybe east toward Missouri.

But you know what they say about plans,"It is never a plan until it is to late to change it"

Anyway, sounds like a fun trip to a lot of places I have never been. Since the furthest west I have every been is Harley-Davidson World in Oklahoma City last March, this is all new to me.

I will try to post some pictures along the way and provide updates.