Print Article
Northern Arizona
Grand Canyon Country
I awake in Flagstaff to a dusting of snow on the trees and bushes. More of the same is heaped upon the naked rock that crowns Humprey's Peak, the highest point in Arizona. This sharp summit, stretching 12,633 feet above this old railroad town, tears holes in the fast-moving storm clouds, and I'll come to use it like the North Star to navigate in Northern Arizona.
The bird's eye view from the pinnacle takes in the Mogollon Rim to the southeast, the Hopi and Navajo Nations to the east and north, and the Grand Canyon to the north. I know the ride to these destinations rolls through some of the world's most famous scenery – and to top it off, I'm lucky enough to be trying out the Gold Wing 1800.
Flagstaff
For the time being, though, I've spent two days holed up in Flagstaff, waiting out a late-April snowstorm that has kept the streets covered. I arrived the day before from Phoenix, where it was 85 degrees. The Arizona weather this time of year can be so fickle from one hour and one elevation to the next that snapping the liner in and out of my jacket becomes as common as a gas refill. From the look of things, a chilly wind blowing and dark clouds forming above, I'll have to bide my time at least one more day.
On the other hand, Flagstaff is not such a bad place to be sidelined. The city stretches right up to the feet of the San Francisco Peaks, and Humphrey's Peak is a postcard backdrop for the town of artists, students, and outdoor adventurers. Grateful Dead stickers adorn decayed station wagons and shiny SUVs alike. Dreadlocks are as ubiquitous as fleece jackets here, and I even heard one guy refer to the town as "The Flag, man."
...
For the complete touring article, including facts & information and the map(s), click on the "Buy Article" button below.
Recommended Literature
