This is my first online tour journal but I'm an experienced bicycle tourist.

I did a lot of research to determine the best time of year to do this tour. The elevations range from 3000 feet to 8000 feet. I chose early May hoping that nights would be above freezing at high elevations and days would be below 90 degrees at low elevations. May is a dry month in the Arizona mountains - well after the winter rain/snow, and well before the summer monsoons begin.

Before this tour I had done tours in 37 U.S. states but had never toured in Arizona. I started planning this trip more than 6 months in advance (winter is a good time to dream about and plan my next tour). I researched a route that meets my personal interests of challenging mountains, day hikes, hot springs, a variety of terrain, and the occasional historical site. I planned the itinerary in detail but it did change a bit after I got on the road.