Canyonlands

After reluctantly departing Moab, we’ll continue cycling past red and brown rock formations of every shape imaginable on Utah’s Highways 191 & 163, stopping to shop for silver and turquoise Navajo jewelry. At iconic Monument Valley riders can explore the buttes and mesas featured in many a western movie, before hopping back on their saddles bound for the Grand Canyon, one of the world’s natural wonders.

After a rest day in the Route 66 university and winter sports town of Flagstaff we’ll descend down the Oak Creek Canyon to the red rock vistas of trendy Sedona. Then it’s a stiff climb up Mingus Mountain through the historic mining town of Jerome with its fascinating bars and tasty ice cream and BBQ. After camping on the top we’ll cruise downhill and ride a beautiful bike trail into the small city of Prescott.

Yarnell marks the start of the downhill into the heat of the Arizonan desert where temperatures will approach 45 degrees Celsius and refreshments in the few small communities will be de rigeur. The last day from Quartzsite to Yuma will be a particularly tough 130 km gauntlet through the middle of nowhere and a US military desert training base, but anyone and everyone who completes this stage will be aptly rewarded by a dip in the pool at our hotel and a frosty margarita across the street at Texas Longhorn’s.

The Canyonlands section of the North American Epic will first amaze you with its stunning vistas, and then daze you with desert heat. Its harsh environment and welcome watering holes will give us a glimpse of how tough life was in the Old West as we spin on our 21st century 2 wheeled steeds across lands that covered wagons once struggled mightily to cross.

Highlights

• Monument Valley
• Navajo jewelry trading posts
• The Grand Canyon
• Restored mining town of Jerome Arizona