US-89. Return Trip Day 7. "On to Prescott"

Thursday, July 28th 2016. The goal for today is to ride from Bandalier, New Mexico to a camp spot on the other side of Prescott Arizona, which is about 525 miles away. 

I leave the campground in good time around 7:00 AM after seeing Sue and her chihuahua out on their morning walk. 

I turned left at the park gate on the road toward Los Alamos.  The road almost immediately turned into a very tight and twisty mountain road, with the very first turn at 10 MPH.  Coming toward me continuously were Los Alamos employees in their small commuter cars.  I had no traffic on my side of the road.  The temperature takes a dip to 49 degrees as I clime in elevation. I pass through Jamez Springs, which looked most interesting and rustic. 

I eventually connect up with the I-25 South and then connect with I-40 West, where I just hunker down for several hours of driving. 

Just before the town of Grant I turn South on US-117.  I then enter El Malpais National Conservation Area.  I had not heard of Malpais, so I take the opportunity to stop at the visitors center where I review the indian and lava flow pictures. I continue on the 117 and encountered some really great views and road. I am glad I selected the 117.  

I eventually hook up with US-60 going West. Once again it was simply a case of hunkering down and doing some miles. I get past Show Low, then things start to happen.  I encounter a fairly substantial rain storm. I decide not to put on my rain gear since I was already getting hot. I eventually got almost too cold from the storm.  

From Show Low to Prescott the temperature, elevation and air quality changed many times. First it was cold, then it would get to 101 degrees, then back to cold. I sew many storms and I also encounter three fires. I am having a hard time differentiating between the smoke and the rain falling from storms. I think sometimes it is both smoke and rain that I was seeing. 

My plan B is to camp before Prescott, but the camp sites to be way too hot. So 11 hours into the ride I decide to push on and get past Prescott. After I  grind my way through the “Prescott Valley” and the millions of nu-syncronized stop lights I finally get past Prescott. Right after Prescott the National Forest starts on I-8, and about 1 mile after the forest service sign is the While Spar Campground. I am very relieved to get a decent site at the campground. 

Betsy, the campground host wants to let me know that a bear had been spotted about 50 miles away some 3 weeks ago. I told her that I was not concerned after just coming from Yellowstone, Glacier and Rocky mountain national parks.  Betsy was very nice and very glad to see more people coming to her campground.  The campgrounds were in excellent shape and I let her know. 

I setup camp, head back to Safeway which was only 5 miles away and grab some groceries for that night and next morning. The campground was nice and quiet that night.