Biking in Arizona

By Dave Reiter

Some of my friends came to Arizona for a winter vacation this year. A three-day bike ride in Patagonia (Southern Arizona) seemed to be just the thing to chase away winter blahs. Arizona has been experiencing a 10-year drought, and March temperatures range from 40 to 74 degrees. Not so good for vegetation, but perfect weather for biking. 

Two of us rented brand-new Masi bikes for less than $100 for a four-day stay from a bike shop in Green Valley, AZ. Green Valley is about twenty-five miles from the airport due south on I-19, and it is bikable using the old Nogales Highway. Another rider brought his own new carbon road GT bike, and I rode my Legend Ti Serrota. We loaded all four bikes into the back of my Chevy pickup, along with some luggage and left Tucson. 

First stop was the town of Tubac, which served as a Presidio (fort) in Spanish Colonial Times, and like any Army base, was surrounded by shops. Today, the fort is an Arizona State Park, and still surrounded by shops, which are filled with wonderful Southwestern Art. Our next stop, an easy four miles away was Tumacacori National Park. I gave the group my guided tour, since I’m a docent for the park. The Tumacacori Mission was founded by Father Kino, a Jesuit Priest, who is honored in the Sonoran Desert region of Mexico and the United States for creating 23 missions for the Tonoho O’Odham and other Pima tribes. Tumacacori has not been an active mission since it was deserted in 1848. It is looked after today by the National Park maintenance staff. It does, however, still invoke awe and wonder from the visitors. A completely restored mission church, San Xavier del Bac, can be found close to Green Valley on the O’Odham reservation. It is open for viewing, and the north wall of this church contains the statuary from Tumacacori.

We made one short stop across from Tumacacori at the Santa Cruz Spice and Chili Company. The smells are heavenly and the small packets of spices and chili make great gifts. The packets are small enough to carry on the bike.

We left the mission and drove to the little red schoolhouse in Nogales, AZ. If you bike this part, the I-19 outer road dead ends and you are forced to bike the interstate for a few miles. The visitors’ center can provide you with a map that avoids Nogales traffic. 

Three of us took off on the bikes from the schoolhouse and rode 19 miles into the town of Patagonia. This eclectic town has several great little restaurants. We ate pizza and Greek salad outside at the Velvet Elvis. From there, we took a detour to the Pattons’ home. This locally well-known couple lives on the Sonoita Creek, and they have been feeding birds for years. There are usually four to 20 birders present with spotting scopes and binoculars. One birder told us he spotted over four hundred different species that day. 

From Patagonia, we biked about 10 miles into Sonoita, and stayed at the Sonoita Inn. Each room at the Inn is named for a different ranch in the area, and the history of that ranch is on the wall outside. We discovered that we were staying there along with several other bikers, tandem riders from all over the country. We compared notes, and found out that the tandem folks had biked directly from the Tucson Airport utilizing the Old Nogales Highway, then headed east on the Sahuarita Road, then south on Highway 80 into Sonoita. 

After a great breakfast furnished by the Inn, we rode to Fort Huachuca, then toured the museum on the base. This army base has a long history of training black soldiers, and they proudly display their successes. Leaving the museum we drove into Bisbee, but our morning sag driver rode her bike to the Bisbee School House Bed & Breakfast. The B & B owner recommended a great restaurant for dinner, and a good time was had by all. 

From Bisbee, we rode to Tombstone, and although tourist-y, it still provides a flavor of an old western town. We made a special trip out to Boot Hill to see the graves of various outlaws and lawmen. From Tombstone, we finished our ride at the ruins of Fairbanks, an early mining town, on the San Pedro River, and drove back to Tucson.

If you are looking for a winter biking getaway with some friends, this trip is a good choice. Even though we used a vehicle, you don’t need one, and you can extend the trip for another three days by riding around Tucson, which was voted the number one biking city in the United States. Don’t miss the Desert Museum, a gem of a park. If you like caves Kartchner Caverns is a must, but make reservations long in advance. This is also true of Kitts Peak observatory. You can get bike maps of the area by visiting local bike shops, or by contacting GABA (Greater Arizona Bike Association).