Darren's Rides: Western Arizona Tour

Took a Western Arizona Tour today July 2, 2009 with Mike from Southwest Bikes

So I decided to just head up to Prescott Az the back way but also drive through different towns along the way check out what they were all about.

The first town was Wickenburg Az stopped off at the Filberto’s for breakfast and ate in down town at a park behind the City Hall and Police Station. After breakfast we checked out the town as we drove through we did see that they are building a new By-pass for I-93 that swings you north be for town. Now that’s just wrong in a few a years they will be hating that move. Instead of people driving through town like they use to they will never see the town on the by-pass.

On the way north on I-93 to SR89 that takes us up through Congress Az we didn’t much of Congress SR89 takes you through the east side of town so you don’t get to see much but some homes.

Staying on SR89 went through Yarnell Az a small town then through Peeples Valley Az also a small town seen that they had a one room school house. Still on SR89 we took a left onto SR96 at Kirkland Junction headed over to Kirkland Az.

So we were going to head up to Skull Valley but decided that we never been to Bagdad.

Staying on SR96 we headed over to Bagdad Az stopping on the way to take some photos. Seen this old car on the side of the road and a hawk flying over looking for dinner also seen a trail heading up a boulder mountain. I found an old rusty wheelbarrow thought it would look good in the front yard.

Made it into Bagdad AZ a mining town that they sill mine cooper. Not a bad town they had a Bashes, a base ball field and a golf course. Seen that all the homes were the same and the garages were all in front and separate from the houses. All the people in Bagdad were all real friendly and they were setting up for the fourth of July party at the park.

But since SR96 dead ends into the mine and you can‘t go any farther we headed back to Kirkland.

Stopping off at Hillside Az a sign on the road said that the Hillside store was open and in need of a drink we stopped by. But the sign on the porch said they were closed and there were only a church and homes in town.

On the way back to Kirkland seen this rock some one painted to look like a chicken. I have heard of this rocks painted like different things but the chicken was the only one we found.

Made back to Kirkland Az the headed up to Skull Valley AZ. A nice little town had a feed store a bar and a grocery store I could live here some day it was that nice. Every thing was green the tree were huge and they had a train the went through town.

We made into the Prescott out town limits stopped off at the Granite Basin Recreation area to check out the lake. We just set up to shoot some photo’s of the lake and it started to rain. The last time I was here a few months ago every thing was dry and brittle. But now every thing was green and lush there were a few people fishing but other than that we were the only ones there.

So after the rain we headed through Prescott and was going to head over to Jerome Az.

I was driving down 89A when another rain storm hit us I made a wrong turn that took us the wrong way around Prescott Valley and back to I-17.

So till next time Darren…….

WickenBurg AZ