This year sometime, and I don't know when, I want to take a trip to Arizona and go mountain biking through the whole state. I can't say why I chose Arizona over other places, but I know I'd like to see the steppe canyons and deserts up close, not just in pictures on the web. So my plan is to fly to Tuscon and start riding north, all the way to the Grand Canyon.

I had no problem finding a company that offers organized bike tours, but the fact is I don't have $2000 - $3000 to spend on one, so that won't be happening. So here are the details that I have to work out: Make sure I have a passport, buy a plane ticket, make arrangements to ship my bike there and home again later, and plan a route through the state. That last one is the biggie -- I have to have enough stops along the way for all the food and accommodations I might need. Finally I have to figure out what I'm going to carry with me and how. Will I take any camping gear? Extra food? Will I need to pull a trailer behind my bike for all the stuff?

The one thing I can say is that I'm in good physical shape and not daunted by the thought of riding a hundred miles a day, although this is more about sightseeing than athletics. But I've never planned out a long trip like this, especially not in foreign territory.

Any advice?

you can tour in arizona without resorting to pulling a trailer full of stuff in order to safely cross uninhabited areas with no services.

Advice? Yeah cruise this forum and this forum. A lot. Go here and get a visitor's guide package. Join Warmshowers for possible overnighting with cycling peers. Contact locals for specific route info.

A trailer might be the way to go, especially if the mtb isn't already rack equipped. You could buy that after you get here and resell. Make arrangements through a Tucson bike shop.

I'd be prepared to tent camp. Lots of wilderness. national forest, to roll through. Being so equipped will take the pressure off for unreasonable daily mileage.

Check out the Mogollon Rim. Off your route, but might be worth the climb to the top and a fast ride back down to Payson. There is a campground at the top, and a beautiful alpine lake, with a store.

Be careful out there

That warning applies to desert along the Mexico-Arizona border and has a big element of right wing political hype. Nothing to be concerned about where the op will be riding.

That crazyguyonbike website looks interesting. This type of thing has been done a million times, and there's no lack of available material for me to read. I just know that I'm going to get to Arizona and realize I forgot some really important detail.

I'd prefer to pack light, and just how much I need would depend on how long I plan on being away from cities and towns. I'm still looking over a map of Arizona, pondering mileage and working out a route to follow, so that part hasn't been nailed down yet.

And if I can join up with a handful of other people on the same trip that will definitely be better than going it alone.

Arizona has a thriving commerce. you'll have ample opportunity after arriving to purchase whatever you think you need.

What time of year are you planning this? Tuscson is very hot in the summer, and then gets even worse once the monsoon sets in sometime in July, then it's a tiny bit cooler but very muggy. There are mountains around Tuscon, but they are isolated "sky islands" surrounded by desert.

If you flew into Phoenix, you would have the option of immediately heading north and climbing up onto the Colorado Plateau. That is still a very hot climb, but you also have the option of taking the Amtrak train north toward Flagstaff (7000 ft el.) until you get high enough to make riding enjoyable, instead of a fight against death.

Unfortunately there is no Amtrak service northbound from Phoenix to Flagstaff. The Sunset Limited runs E & W between Benson and Yuma. The Southwest Chief runs E & W between Winslow, Flagstaff and Kingman. Probably have to take a bus north from Phoenix, unless the OP is coming from a direction to board the Southwest Chief directly to Flagstaff. Or just fly on to there from Phoenix.

Better yet. Start the bike trip as planned at Tucson and go in the Spring or Fall.

Actually I've tenatively worked out a route, starting at Tucson where I would arrive by air, then riding southeast to Tombstone. Then a northward trip with five legs: Tombstone to Globe, Globe to Payson, Payson to Sedona, Sedona to Flagstaff, and Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon. Then I would just get a ride back to an airport from the canyon.

This route isn't set in stone, and I'm looking on the web to find sights to see in Arizona. Its easy to find stunning pictures of mountains, steppe canyons, and vast open deserts. But mapping out a route to those places is another thing entirely. The Red Rock Crossing near Sedona is definitely one thing I have to see up close. I hope there's a trail up those mountains.

While you're in Tucson, try to visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. It's a world-class natural history museum, art museum, zoo, botanical garden, and aquarium all rolled into one. I also recommend stopping for lunch and a frozen fruit slush at any of several Eegee's sandwich shops (they're a Tucson fixture). I'm not too big on the Phoenix area in general (too crowded, and too much like L.A.). As for other places, Tombstone has its O.K. Corral-based tourism industry, Globe is kind of a tiny little place, Sedona is gorgeous, with some top-notch mountain biking (and lots and lots of new-age hippie nonsense), and Flagstaff is a cool university town up in the forested mountains (if you like a good burger, try Diablo Burger there). Mt. Humphreys is in the Flagstaff area, and it's the tallest mountain in Arizona. Then, of course, there's the Grand Canyon (a must-see!). The Vermillion Cliffs area near the Arizona-Utah border is also quite nice. Best of luck to you in planning out your trip! I sure hope that I can get back home to Arizona one of these years...

Now THIS is why I posted here. I just know that there are Arizona natives who know where the good sights are, and this is much more than I could get from a tourism website. I may not make it as far north as Utah, but I'll see what my time limit allows.

I actually had a tough choice to make. One options was to fly to Bakersfield, CA, and ride east through Death Valley, then around Las Vegas, and on to the Grand Canyon. But I'm thinking I'll start in southern AZ instead, and ride north. Stops like Globe and Payson are more for the sake of food and rest -- each leg of my trip should be 1-2 days between towns, depending on how many miles I cover each day. Just for comparison, my mom lives about 200km (or around 130 miles) west of me, and I can ride from here to there in 5 hours in good conditions. Just this February it was almost nine hours with high winds and blowing snow. Never been to the desert, though.

Just be sure to keep in mind the climate, particularly if you're planning to go in a warmer time of year. The desert can be very hot during the day (nice 'n' dry, at least), but then get a tad chilly at night. Pack accordingly, and carry plenty of water! Sometimes there's a nice breeze, though it doesn't often get very windy (there is the odd dust storm now and then). The monsoon season is usually around the end of summer, and enough rain will drop all at once to cause flash flooding in lower areas of the desert valley. If you're going from southern Arizona towards Flagstaff, you'll also be going through quite an increase in elevation. Flagstaff is at around 7000 ft (2.13km) altitude, as well, so the air can be a bit thinner.

Oh, and cactus! Puncture-resistant tires are your friends.

Edit: I forgot to mention my favorite Mexican restaurants in Tucson, if you like good Mexican food. My top three are Molina's Midway, Rosa's, and Los Betos (which is a chain of fast-food taco stands, but still good stuff!). I'm making myself hungry...

Hmmmm.....again, about when are you planning this? And what kind of training level will you be at?

I'm looking at the second half of July, or possibly early August, depending on when I can get a flight and what vacation time I can work out with my employer. So it'll be mid-summer and hotter than hell. Just how I like it.

Training level? I admit I haven't dealt with high elevation before. But I can ride a hundred miles a day at a moderate pace, and I have difficult terrain right in my own backyard. I'm going to plan my trip around half that mileage, giving me time to see the sights and take some detours. Like those mexican restaurants.

Two things just occurred to me as I was looking at a map. One is that I don't know how to deal with desert wildlife. Should I expect to be bothered by snakes or scorpions? Or perhaps a coyote attack? Actually, coyotes in Ontario are becoming more brazen as habitat and food disappear, and there are occasional reports of attacks on people or pets.

The other is that I wonder how good my cell phone coverage will be once I get away from cities and into the countryside. I have my phone with Rogers, and their american partner is AT&T. I definitely have to watch how much roaming data I use, or I'll be paying for this vacation over the next 20 years. Edit: I just looked at a coverage map for the 4G network, and it looks pretty solid all over the whole state, even away from towns and cities.

I live in flagstaff and just recently did a tour of northern AZ. From sedona to the grand canyon. The cell service is ok in most areas but i find its not that great at the rim of the grand canyon or in sedona. Also, the switch backs coming up out of sedona towards flagstaff can get a little bit scary. Not a very big shoulder but totally worth the ride. One of the best views in AZ. For wild life, just make sure you check rocks for snakes or scorpions and you should be fine. They are not as big of a deal as a lot of people think. Coyotes aren't a problem at all, I've never heard of anyone being attacked by them here and when ever i come across one while riding they just run away. Also, if you plan on going in the fall make sure you don't go to late in the year because in Northern AZ we start getting snow around october.

P.S. Monsoon season is late summer for Northern AZ as well so early fall is probably the best time to go. You also get to see the trees changing color that time of year as well.

P.P.S. I would love to join you from Sedona to the Grand Canyon!

I'm looking tenativley at July 20th to arrive in Tucson, but I won't know until I see a travel agent and get everything arranged. And I wouldn't mind the company when I arrive in Sedona a week later.

Its funny, I haven't been to the Canadian Shield, which is only a few hours north, but I'm flying all the way south to see Arizona. Ever since I was a child, I've always had a fascination with deserts. They strike me as the most beautiful, mysterious places in the world, and even the most desolate badlands are teeming with life -- if you know where to look. I may like it so much down there I start applying for a green card. And the AZ government website says that it is rated as one of the "top ten bicycle friendly states...". Have you ever taken a bicycle through Toronto?