BigBadTikiDaddy road trippin to Arizona next Monday

I'm taking a road trip to Arizona next Monday from Santa Rosa, California.
I'm checkin out the scenery & the job situation. If I like it, possibly move out there.
I'll be a month or so in Scottsdale.
I'm just wondering if there are any stops I need to make along the way? I've never driven this far without a co-pilot. I'm lookin forward to taking my time & having some fun on the way.
Any suggestions for cool stops along the way would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
Jon

It depends on how much time you'll have to do the drive. If you have limited time you could take old Hwy 99 to Bakersfield, then Hwy 58 over to Barstow, then I-40 / Rte. 66 (which exists in small bits except for in western AZ) to old Hwy. 89 through Prescott, Wickenberg, and Phoenix. There are many good roadside attractions along this route. If you have more time I would skip the central valley and take hwy. 50 East to Hwy. 395 South through the beautiful Owens Valley to Hwy. 190 through Death Valley (perfect time of year to see it), to Hwy. 95 through Las Vegas and Hoover Dam, to Hwy. 93 to Kingman and continue on Rte. 66 / I-40 to Flagstaff (possible detour to the Grand Canyon), and down Hwy. 89 to Phoenix.

Once you decide on a route, I can give you some suggested stops.

On 2006-03-20 12:51, thejab wrote:
It depends on how much time you'll have to do the drive. If you have limited time you could take old Hwy 99 to Bakersfield, then Hwy 58 over to Barstow, then I-40 / Rte. 66 (which exists in small bits except for in western AZ) to old Hwy. 89 through Prescott, Wickenberg, and Phoenix. There are many good roadside attractions along this route. If you have more time I would skip the central valley and take hwy. 50 East to Hwy. 395 South through the beautiful Owens Valley to Hwy. 190 through Death Valley (perfect time of year to see it), to Hwy. 95 through Las Vegas and Hoover Dam, to Hwy. 93 to Kingman and continue on Rte. 66 / I-40 to Flagstaff (possible detour to the Grand Canyon), and down Hwy. 89 to Phoenix.

Once you decide on a route, I can give you some suggested stops.

Thanks Dean, I appreciate it!
I'm still working out the route to take since I'm driving the Miata. This car is powerfully uncomfortable on long trips, especially with a couple blown discs in my lower back. I may be cripple by the time I reach my destination!
I need to break out the maps. Once I figure it all out, I'll let you know.

hey bigbadtikidaddy,

I don't have any input on your route, but I would like to suggest swinging down to Tucson at some point during your stay. We'll try and show you a good time. Will you be in town April 22nd for the grand rededication party at the Kon Tiki?

cheeky half

so...YOU'LL drive to ARIZONA, but will rarely make the trip to SF on Traver Vic's Mondays where everyone arrives thirsty!?!?! Have fun. I thought Phoenix was a souless pit, but other parts of AZ rocked(like Tucson!).

Hiya Cheeky-
I'll be leaving Monday 3/27, so, sadly, it looks like I'm gonna miss the re-dedication party at the Kon Tiki by a few days.
I wish I could make it. It looks like an amazing spot!
However, I definitely will pay a visit to Tuscon while I'm there. Hopefully we can meet up at the Kon Tiki sometime?
While I'm there I want to soak up all the tiki possible & loot your local thrift/antique stores to boot!
I will be there 4-5 weeks, so hopefully we can coordinate something.
stay tuned...
Cheers,
Jon

aw shucks Dr. Smiley, I didn't know you cared :wink:
I don't mind the drive to SF, it's that sloshy ride home that always worries me.

um . . . . . .

VEGAS BABY!!

On 2006-03-20 13:25, bigbadtikidaddy wrote:
I'm still working out the route to take since I'm driving the Miata.

YES!

To maximize your storage space, you need these:
http://www.miatamania.com/Shop/SearchResults.aspx?SearchText=luggage&WebCatalogID=0
I love my vintage-style luggage rack.

Be sure to stop in downtown Fresno and Bakersfield and check out all the shuttered old movie palaces. :(

Also in downtown Bakersfield is an old Woolworth store (with a still-operating lunch counter!) that's been turned into a rockin' antique mall.

ok, clearly I need to get off the glue. I was confused on some dates.
The Kon Tiki party is APRIL 22, not March 22. I kept thinking it was this month, today in fact. I wondered why it would be on a Wednesday. Yep, I'm a daft bastard.
But hooooly crap, the good news is I'm gonna be able top make this Kon Tiki gig!! I'm there!!
Miss Cynner, thanks for the tips. Sorry to disappoint, but I just now decided to take the Jeep instead.
Without your handy dandy luggage rack, I'd be hard pressed to fit more than a months worth of clothes in the Miata. I'll have more hauling room in the jeep & alot more room to stretch during the long ride. It'll defintely be a bit more gas $$ though!

BBTD, here are my recommendations.
First off, there's THE THING? - Mystery of the Desert

It's about 25 miles or so east of Tuscon on I-10, info here, map here. They even have a Dairy Queen on the premises.

After you visit then you can head over to Tombstone Arizona. I thought it was cool in a cheesy kinda way, but I definitely enjoyed my time there. You can check out the Mummified Merman that is in the original Bird Cage Theater. Or check out the World's Largest Rosebush. Every day at high noon, they have the shoot-out at the O.K. Corral. And they have a mexican restaurant that made the best enchiladas I've ever eaten! I don't remember the name, but I'm sure it's the only mexican restaurant in town.

When you leave Tombstone, if you head south instead of north on the road that takes you back to the interstate, you will hit the town of Bisbee, where you will find the Shady Dell RV Park and Dot's Diner. They have all kinds of cool airstream type trailers from the 1940's and '50's, and they are restored to original, and decorated as such on the inside. And they rent them out like motel rooms, so you can stay in one for the night! They do book up in advance, so you might want to make a reservation if you're interested. Dot's Diner is a restored ten stool 1957 Valentine originally from Los Angeles, and the food is supposed to be great there as well. I haven't been to Bisbee (yet), but my cousin swears by this place, and he's been there a few times. So blame him if it sucks!!!

Another place in Tuscon is the Wild West Town Movie set on 201 South Kinney Rd.

In Scottsdale, there is the Museum Of Pawn, and just a couple of miles north of Scottsdale is the World's largest Kachina Doll in Carefree, AZ.

If you come home on I-40, make sure to check out Meteor Crater, which is east of Flagstaff on I-40 at exit 233. And of course there's Flintstones Bedrock City, just northwest of Flagstaff in Valle, AZ, near the Grand Canyon, where you can hang out with Fred, Barney, Wilma, Betty, and Dino.

Have fun on your trip!

Holy crap Mai Tai, that's quite the list!
I've really been wanting to check out the Shady Dell RV Park for a while now. I don't know if I need to stay there this time but I would love a tour.
I've hung out in scottsdale a couple times before, but never heard of the Pawn Museum. I think I'll have to see that.
I'm pretty zazzed to be making it to the Kon Tiki re-dedication party in Tuscon.
Thanks alot for taking the time to post that info, I truly appreciate it!