Ok guys, here's the plan for the drive:
This is going to be a beautiful, scenic, leisurely drive with LOTS of stopping points for folks who have never gone through these areas to soak in the sights and sounds.
Meet up in Phoenix area around 8am (hopefully this gives the Tucson area folks enough time to drive up). Then drive up I-17 to the major points:
high level overview of route
0. meet in Phoenix CostCo (I-17 & 101) ~8 - 8:15am
1. I-17 up to
Prescott Valley (about 1.5 ~ 2 hours, arrive around 9:30 ~ 10am)
2. drive up some very nice twisties up to
Jerome (arrive about ~45 minutes, about 11am after stopping on the mountain side scenic stops for rest, photos)
3. drive to
Sedona (arrive about ~40 minutes, 12pm or 1pm after enjoying some time in Jerome), eat lunch in Sedona
4. return to Phoenix around ~2pm / 3pm, back to Tucson around ~3pm / 4pm.
Total trip time will be around ~5 to 6 hours, depending on how long one wishes to stay in Jerome/Sedona and enjoy the scenery.
I have done this drive in my SUV before, while heading up for the Verde Canyon Railway, and the stopping points are plenty and most excellent. :biggrin:
Bring fresh batteries for cameras, as it will be really nice, cool, and truly beautiful up there.
Meeting points:
In Phoenix, I will be at the CostCo parking lot at I-17 & 101.
http://www.costco.com/Warehouse/LocationTemplate.aspx?Warehouse=490&lang=en-US
19001 N. 27th Ave
Phoenix, Arizona 85027
You can fill up on gas there if you need fuel. There will be an In-N-Out Burger as well if you want to get breakfast there (if so get there earlier like around 7:45am to enjoy bkfst).
Tucscon folks / east side Phoenix folks can arrange to meet at other points, but please arrive at the CostCo location by 8am.
We will wait until ~8:15am, and plan to leave up to I-17.
Those who are interested please let me know via PM, and I'll provide you my telephone # so that we can sync up on Sunday morning of the 14th to ensure you are in the caravan.
PS - bring walkie talkies with fresh batteries so we can chat car to car as we decide to take rest stops or gas, etc.
PPS - it has been suggested to possibly take the back road through Wickenburg /89 up to Prescott. This is the route we took for NSXPO 2005, and it is a nice drive. Only concern is it will add another ~1 - 1.5 hours to the route. But this is something we can decide Sunday morning. If the majority wants to go that way, we certainly can.
