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kamzcab86
Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008
Posts: 7923
Location: Arizona
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 Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 12:30 am Post subject: Re: Planning a trip from Central CA to Payson Arizona - cool ideas?? |
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| TopBud wrote: |
| When you get to hoover dam take 93 to 66, drive east on 66 through kingman to Ashfork. Check out Seligman, the grand canyon caverns are an awesome place to camp and a great tour. Continue to 40, go through Flagstaff. Stop by say Hi. I may have a spot for you in the driveway or can tell you local spots to camp. Drive FR3 from Flagstaff to Clints well, go south on 87. |
They're going from Payson to Hoover Dam  :
| Walty87 wrote: |
| On the way home I want to see the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon |
But I do concur: After seeing the South Rim, get off of I-40 in/near Ash Fork and take Route 66.
When arriving in Kingman, be extra vigilant at the I-40/93 interchange area... a lot of semi's and tourists driving in that area (if you're into wild animals, Bearizona in Williams, and/or Keepers of the Wild in Valentine, between Peach Springs and Kingman are worthy stops). Also, out on 93, be extra careful between Chloride and the gas stations around Rosie's (stop in at Rosie's if you're hungry... good eats)... some really bad accidents have occurred in this section thanks to idiot, impatient crossover traffic. If you see "Skywalk - Grand Canyon West" signs, keep driving... not worth the extra time and expense.
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~Kamz 
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
 1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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johny__utah
Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2008
Posts: 426
Location: Arizona/California
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| Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 8:19 am Post subject: Re: Planning a trip from Central CA to Payson Arizona - cool ideas?? |
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If you get a chance checkout Jerome Arizona. Historic Ghost Town
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1956 L31
1961 L346 L347
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DanHoug
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 4798
Location: Bemidji, MN
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| Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 8:45 am Post subject: Re: Planning a trip from Central CA to Payson Arizona - cool ideas?? |
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also, be aware that pulling into the Hoover Dam parking lot to tour, you'll go thru a border crossing like security check. we had a pickup full of test equipment for radio broadcast and got thoroughly searched including running a dog thru the cab as well as a pat down. two old, fat, bald, gray farts but now that fits a profile for domestic terrorism!
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.
'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd
Past projects can be found at--
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Walty87
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2020
Posts: 172
Location: Central Valley
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| Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 9:05 am Post subject: Re: Planning a trip from Central CA to Payson Arizona - cool ideas?? |
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Thank you everyone for this great info! There’s so much to do! Makes me wish we were taking a longer trip… I say that now, we’ll see how I feel after being on the road with my kiddos hahaha
I’m hoping to do a trip report after! |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50352
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| Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 9:08 am Post subject: Re: Planning a trip from Central CA to Payson Arizona - cool ideas?? |
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| DanHoug wrote: |
| also, be aware that pulling into the Hoover Dam parking lot to tour, you'll go thru a border crossing like security check. we had a pickup full of test equipment for radio broadcast and got thoroughly searched including running a dog thru the cab as well as a pat down. two old, fat, bald, gray farts but now that fits a profile for domestic terrorism! |
I got turned around there once and wasn't allowed to enter. Don't remember why at this point, something pretty innocuous. |
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Walty87
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2020
Posts: 172
Location: Central Valley
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| Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 1:02 pm Post subject: Re: Planning a trip from Central CA to Payson Arizona - cool ideas?? |
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| 4Gears4Tires wrote: |
Drive across the mountains! I drove through Yosemite on 120 and it was a beautiful drive. Driving down 395 in the valley to Lone Pine was really cool. Seeing all the massive mountains on both sides was awesome. Death Valley is also really cool to drive though. I did not believe the signs about the engine overheating if the AC is on in a modern car, but it is true in July when the temps are 117F. Seeing the jets buzz the cars on 190 through Death Valley was also pretty cool.
I'm not sure you can take a not scenic view from Central CA to AZ. Everything is just awesome to look at out there. |
I'm pretty sure Sonora Pass will still be closed in April. We've gone over it and back in the vanagon when we went to Mammoth Lakes |
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Xevin 
Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2014
Posts: 7635
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| Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2023 4:46 pm Post subject: Re: Planning a trip from Central CA to Payson Arizona - cool ideas?? |
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Avoid Stockton, CA if you come across it. If you live in Stockton, don’t go back.
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Keep on Busin'
| 67rustavenger wrote: |
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!  |
| Clatter wrote: |
| Damn that Xevin... |
| skills@eurocarsplus wrote: |
I respect Xevin and he's a turd  |
| SGKent wrote: |
My God! Xevin and I 100% agree  |
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Walty87
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2020
Posts: 172
Location: Central Valley
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| Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2023 5:36 pm Post subject: Re: Planning a trip from Central CA to Payson Arizona - cool ideas?? |
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| Xevin wrote: |
| Avoid Stockton, CA if you come across it. If you live in Stockton, don’t go back. |
Hahaha! We live about 45 mins away from Stockton closer to the foothills.
I've honestly had no issues in Stockton myself, but I wouldn't want to live there. |
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Stinky123
Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2022
Posts: 132
Location: Grand Junction, CO
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| Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2023 10:34 pm Post subject: Re: Planning a trip from Central CA to Payson Arizona - cool ideas?? |
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Hoover Dam
Walk across the Tillman-? bridge
The Grand Canyon Walkway that extends out into the canyon....I think that it is on the expensive side.
Jerome
Sedona
Grand Canyon takes a day
Winslow (it is on the way). Don't expect much, but you have to go see the place that the Eagles sang about...Give you a hint...."Standing on....Flat-bed Ford"
Ashfork is not outa duh-way, and is a US66 main street berg.
You could take 66 from CA to Winslow and then south to Payson
Stay the heck away from Phoenix...you've seen big ugly cities.
BTW, if you cross the river at Needles....gas is like $1 cheaper 10 miles east of there. If you are going west there, get gas in AZ. |
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kamzcab86
Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008
Posts: 7923
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2023 11:11 pm Post subject: Re: Planning a trip from Central CA to Payson Arizona - cool ideas?? |
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| Stinky123 wrote: |
The Grand Canyon Walkway that extends out into the canyon....I think that it is on the expensive side. |
Top of the page:
| kamzcab86 wrote: |
| If you see "Skywalk - Grand Canyon West" signs, keep driving... not worth the extra time and expense. |
No offense to the Hualapai, but the Skywalk is a waste of time, gas, and money.
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~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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DuncanS
Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2013
Posts: 4583
Location: New Hampshire
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| Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2023 11:32 pm Post subject: Re: Planning a trip from Central CA to Payson Arizona - cool ideas?? |
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As everyone says--Jerome. However only get there from the south. Go to Prescott Valley and then north on 89a. Check out the antelope in the valley and then a spectacular climb up and through the mountain into Jerome on a road they had no business building. North out of Jerome to Flag and the GC is nothing to write home about, but 89a south of Jerome definitely is.
Touristy, but Tlaquepaque in Sedona has great replica architecture and interesting shops. It was built as an artist colony. The artists were to live above their shops. The buildings, stairs and courtyards and stone work were done right.
Duncan |
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GreggK
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2008
Posts: 898
Location: Colorado/Philidelphia
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| Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 6:02 am Post subject: Re: Planning a trip from Central CA to Payson Arizona - cool ideas?? |
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I agree with all the other guys, visit Jerome, AZ. I used to ride a loaded bicycle over Mingus Mtn almost every summer, in both directions. Duncan is right, no business building that road.
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fxr
Samba Member
Joined: December 07, 2014
Posts: 2325
Location: Bay area CA
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| Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 9:30 am Post subject: Re: Planning a trip from Central CA to Payson Arizona - cool ideas?? |
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| Stinky123 wrote: |
| BTW, if you cross the river at Needles....gas is like $1 cheaper 10 miles east of there. If you are going west there, get gas in AZ. |
Three weeks ago it was exactly $3 cheaper! $5.99 in CA, $2.99 in AZ.
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1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
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