Arizona Road Bike Ride
Sedona-Jerome-Sedona Ride
Sedona, Arizona

Ride Synopsis:

Description:

The ride from Sedona over to Jerome and back is a really nice road ride with all the requisite fun and games. Wide open Arizona landscape, beautiful views,challenging mountain climb. The ride (at least the way we did it) started over on the west side of Sedona at the only McDonald's in town. You can park in the strip mall parking lot right next door and launch from there. Hit highway 89 and head west. The shoulders here are a mile wide and the pavement is smooth as a baby's butt. You can really cruise all the way down into Cottonwood. When we did the ride, I was a little surprised at the drop from Sedona down to Cottonwood as I'd sort of had it in my head that it was mostly flat over there. Not the case, as you can see from the ride profile below.

Cruise down the hill, then do a little climbing back up to reach Cottonwood. You just follow your nose and signs for highway 89 through town and out the other side. Watch the traffic. Continue climbing up to a 90-degree left turn (if you go right, you end up in Clarkdale) at a convenience store (bring some $$$ for snaks and to refill on water on the way back) and head up the hill to Jerome. The switchbacks into Jerome are challenging enough, but then you tack on some really steep digging once you get into town to head up to Main Street where you can take a break before heading back. If you're really into some serious suffering, continue on through town and keep going up the multiple switchbacks on the other side that climb to the top of Mingus Mountain (7726 feet). Be forewarned, this adds miles and another 2500 feet of climbing to the ride, and you have a long way to go to get back to Sedona. One possibility is to do what we did in the early 90's and just start in Cottonwood and ride to the top of Mingus and back.

Anyways, after a nice break hanging out on the main drag in Jerome, you head back down the hill (if you put the hammer down, you can push 60 mph down this hill - WATCH FOR TRAFFIC!!!) and reverse your course back to Sedona. The ride back out from Cottonwood up the long hill isn't too bad, but there are a couple grunt climbs getting back into town.

Get yourself a chocolate shake at McDonald's and toast a fine ride!!