Roosevelt Lake Ride

Roosevelt Lake Ride...

The weather has finally broken from the unrelenting heat, and I for one, am sure glad! I did not get out to ride this past weekend because I had to go to a wedding of some friends of mine. Gary and Tracy are both riders. He rides an Indian Chief and she rides a Harley Fat Boy. I guess you could say the Harley and Indian rode happily ever after! A great wedding held out at Lake Pleasant.
On the way over there I noticed quite a few bikes out on the road, so I know you guys are riding—even in the rain showers we had—a good sign! This month’s ride is not a new one, but it is a good one. Head that bad puppy out of the east valley on Highway 87 toward Payson. It is 18 miles to the intersection and light at Fountain Hills. If you are near here on the hour you can see “the tallest fountain in the world” go off. Nice.

Keep heading north on Hwy. 87 over the Verde, past the Ft. McDowell casino, past the Saguaro Lake turn off for 49 miles to the intersection with State Highway 188 at Jakes Corners. Even though this is four lane, it is still a very pretty ride and the sweepers are just great, just look out for Smokey Bear and I don’t mean the four footed kind.

A few years ago the state put in some facilities at the Jakes Corner junction. You can stop here and stretch your legs or you can do what I do, and that is actually turn south on Hwy. 188 and go the two miles to the “actual” Jakes Corners saloon and stop there. I have not eaten here in a little while, but they used to have good food and sometimes on weekends they would have a BBQ, which was excellent.

Now it’s a 15 mile rumble down to Punkin Center, not pumpkin but punkin—you read that right. There is also a restaurant and bar here on your left if you go into “town”. Another 16 miles brings you down to the Roosevelt Lake dam. I remember years ago (dating myself again) when the road, which was very poor, used to travel over the dam itself with one lane. Ah, progress. For the new in town, the lake and dam were named after President Teddy Roosevelt who came out to Arizona in 1912 to dedicate the same. Because of conditions the lake is only 25% full—read that 75% empty! It still is very pretty, but I sure do wish the drought would end!

For the really adventurous—read short on gray matter—at the dam you CAN take Hwy 88 down the Apache Trail back to the valley. It however is dirt for 28 miles and one lane and steep some places to boot. Actually not recommended unless on a dirt bike. Very scenic however, and definitely recommend if you are in a cage.
14 miles on the main road south of the dam brings you to the intersection with Hwy. 288 to Young. This starts out paved but also soon is gravel and not recommended on a bike, but again recommended in a car. Not a lot of folks have ever been to Young, and there is not a lot there, but again, some great country if you are out adventuring. Stay on the main road for another 15 miles and you come into the Globe-Miami area. Here you can buzz into Globe if you like (turn left) or head back home down Hwy. 260 (turn right), which is a nice and scenic end to your day ride. Mileage is about 62 miles back into Mesa.

I might also mention a couple things I like to do in Superior (15 miles back home toward Mesa). A friendly bar/restaurant is Los Hermanos in Superior. Good food, cold beer and nice folks. Also, I enjoy the Boyce Thompson Arboretum a couple miles further back toward the valley. Recommended if you want to get off that shaker and mosey around for an hour or two.
Enjoy the ride, enjoy the cooler weather, and keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down. Catch you on the road!