Our main objective was to ride on the pavement portion of the Senator Highway into the Bradshaw Mountains to the south of Prescott. I'm finding out that many paved roads turn to dirt as they enter the mountains, and the same thing happens with the Senator Highway. It was originally built in the late 1800's to connect mining towns to Prescott, and with the end of mining the road outlived its use. We plan to ride the entire Senator Highway, dirt road and all, but not today.
The two-lane paved road hairpins its way into the pine forests, and we saw signs for camps, lakes, and private roads along the way. The Senator Highway passes through Groom Creek with numerous hiking trails and national camping areas. When the pavement turned to dirt, we turned around, saving the rest of the road for another day.
Back in Prescott, Senator Highway becomes Mt. Vernon street, part of the national historic district that surrounds the downtown area, and lined with cute cottages and imposing Victorian homes. This area looks more like the midwest than the southwest, complete with grass lawns and leafy shade trees.
We've been past the Yavapai casino many times, and today we rode up the steep road to the top of the bluff where the casino sits to check out the view.
One of the reasons we moved to Arizona is for new roads to ride, different landscapes to explore, and many more days of fun on the BMW. We're making a great start!
Sure looks like a pretty area.
ReplyDeleteI've never been to Arizona so I am looking forward to the pictures and posts. I've been living vicariously through pics posted on the Tucson Bonnie motorcycle blog.
You'll have to schedule a trip to the Southwest to ride these roads yourself. The photos are beautiful, but seeing everything in person is even better.
ReplyDelete