Nevada, Arizona, and Utah: Soaring Over the Southwest
The engines roar to life as my plane lifts above the Nevada desert early on a Saturday morning, leaving the still-sleeping Las Vegas behind. I’m exhausted, but not for the usual Vegas reasons. For the past week, I’ve been on a 2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide in Alpine Green with seven new friends and two guides from EagleRider. We’ve been exploring the stunning state and national parks of Arizona and Utah on the Southwest Canyon Country Tour.
We navigated more than 1,200 miles, crossed mountain passes, dodged donkeys on Route 66, and climbed treacherous gravel roads. In Monument Valley, a Navajo woman blessed our journey in an ancient rite learned from her father, a medicine man. But I should start at the beginning.
Oh Captain, My Captain
I arrived in Las Vegas on a Friday night, a couple of hours before our welcome dinner where I met the rest of the group. There was Davide from Italy; Oliver and Alex, a father-son duo from France; Christophe and Pascale, a husband and wife from Belgium; and Carlos and Diego, two lifelong friends from Argentina. Our two guides were Phil and Donna Nagel, seasoned EagleRider veterans.
Donna drove the support van. She carried our luggage, a spare bike and extra gas—we didn’t need either—and a cooler full of water that she restocked with ice at every gas stop. It was a lifesaver at the altitudes we were going to be riding. She also blocked traffic for us when we left each rest stop, gas stop, or lunch break. Our group was on the small side with eight bikes (Pascale rode pillion with Christophe) but some groups can go as large as 15 or 16. So, having someone help manage traffic is critical.
Motorcycle & Gear
2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide
Helmet: Sedici Sistema II
Jacket: Bohn Body Armor
Pants: REV’IT! Philly 2 Jeans
Boots: TCX Mood GTX Shoes
Gloves: Sedici Fillipo Waterproof gloves
And then there was Phil, our leader. The master storyteller, route planner extraordinaire, and timekeeper. He knew the secret spots, the most exciting rides, and the best spots for pictures. The trip would have been fun on my own, but with Phil and Donna leading our motley crew, it became a once-in-a-lifetime journey.
We spent the evening getting to know each other, going over the details of motorcycle pickup and plans for the first day of riding. Finally, we called it a night, excited for what the tour had in store.
A Trip of American Icons
After we had all settled on our Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Phil led us out of Las Vegas toward Hoover Dam for our first stop. It was a quick ride to get us acclimated to our new bikes and to show us one of the engineering wonders of America. As our Harleys rumbled across the top of the dam, I was fairly certain we made a few tourist TikToks and Instagram Stories based on the number of phones pointed at us. We didn’t stay long, because Route 66 was calling, beginning in a little town called Oatman, AZ.
Oatman was a mining town in the early 1900s, but all the mines closed by 1942. These days, it’s famous for its donkeys. Early prospectors used donkeys to haul equipment and supplies. After the mines closed, the animals were released, and their descendants still wander the roads today. They roam in and out of shops and walk up to tourists asking for food. Be careful, though. If provoked, they may bite.
The road out of Oatman to the west is called Sidewinder, the first great stretch of pavement on the trip. Part of the Oatman Highway, these eight miles of Route 66 come with 191 curves, many of them switchbacks. My inner rebel wanted to see what the Road Glide could do, but recent rains had washed gravel and dirt onto the road. Also, being Oatman, there were donkeys on the highway. So, I took it easy and enjoyed the scenery as much as the ride. Our day ended in Kingman, AZ, with a sunset at the Grand Canyon in my sights for the following night.