My little brother is flying in from NC Wednesday 3/21. We are leaving Monument Thursday morning and plan on arriving in Phoenix late Thursday.

Should I take 25 South through Santa Fe to Albuquerque, then 40 West to PHX? Or US 160 West through Durango and the southern CO mountains? Thoughts on the route(s)? Any must-see places/things along the way?

We have golf lined up at TPC Scottsdale on Friday, then Lookout Mountain on Saturday, before leaving Sunday morning to get back to CO.

Pizza Bianco is on tap for either Friday or Saturday night - need another restaurant for the other night - suggestions please.

Steve

 

Check the weather in terms of choosing the route. Through Durango is an awesome scenic drive, but the storms can come up fast and hard. As far as restaurants in PHX area, try Tarbell's at 32nd and Camelback, or a little closer to Scottsdale try Beckett's Table.
Cool to see in Scottsdale is the Porsche dealership (among a string of high-end marque dealerships on Scottsdale Road)...they have a number of cars on display including the number 7 RS Spyder...and it's not far from the In-n-Out Burger!

 

At this time of year I would hesitate to recommend anything other than the usual 25 south over the Raton Pass to NM and then take I40 west.

There are so many incredible drives to the west along southern Colorado, but you are at high risk still until May.

 

The Porsche dealership has David Beckams 911 turbo can matte black... But better then that it's connected to a cool little museum Penske , it has Donhue's white racing 911 and I think his Can Am car as well... Has a neat little cafe to grab lunch. The used car dealer that sits in the middle had a couple Astons, Ferrari California and really my favorite that I've never seen in person a limited edition all carbon fibre Koneggsegg ..amazing looking automobile . I was in town for my little ones gymnastic meet and was able to sneek away to walk the grounds of truly one of the coolest dealerships I've ever seen. . And the customer service/ sales reps were great let us take pics.. Just not of the racing Marlbroro cars.. Some tabacco law.. Enjoy

 

I'm flying to CO tomorrow (Wed.) morning and will be heading to Monument to visit a customer, so I checked the weather. It's a pretty great weather forecast (Denver close to 70, up the hill colder), but I'd suggest the scenic route since it's your brother riding with you, and you might as well have a blast getting to PHX.
For seafood, try the Salt Cellar on Hayden, steaks, I like Durants downtown, or Mastro's if you want to stay in Scottsdale. Bravo Bistro on Scottsdale Rd. is pretty good and right in the thick of things.
Supposed to cool off quite a bit here over the weekend, though, so you may want to take interstates on the way back.
Be safe!

 

With the current great weather in CO - suggest you take a better route than I-25 to I-40 (boring!!!).

I would cut across to I-70 W at Grand Junction, take 128 into Moab and down through the Painted Desert and Monument Valley. Mountain weather on Sunday looks iffy, so take I-17 to I-40 to I-25 for the trip home.

It can be done in 1 day - but you will wish you hadn't (I drive 128 at least 3 times EVERY time I go down that route).

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Co...ia=1,2&t=m&z=8

 

Hi neighbors.

I'll be doing the same drive a week later, starting in Castle Rock.. My wife is driving down tomorrow in our Rover. She's gonna' do the I25/I40 route. I'll drive down in the 997 the following week.

Honestly, make your decision the day of the trip, based on weather along the way.

My favorite route is to cut across from Colorado Springs to US50, then over Monarch Pass. I go through Gunnison and Montrose, then to Silverton and into Durango that way. Overnight in Durango with a steak at Sweelers, then US160 to US163, into Kayenta, Flagstaff and Scottsdale.

 

don't take I40 to Flagstaff. Cut off !40 at 377 and go down through Holbrook and Heber. It's much more scenic and actually a lot quicker

 

ANYTHING but 25 and 40, might as well be in a vw bus

 

My bad. That was Sweeney's, not Sweeler's. Wrong state.

Be prepared for a trip back to the 70's.

 

Hope we didn't jinx it...storm moving in to sw colorado this weekend, scottsdale is only going to be 61 and showers on sunday

 

Thanks all for the comments and suggestions.
Having made a Monument to Moab trip and a Monument to Vegas trip in the last 6 months, I will pass on taking 70 west then down to PHX.
If weather is favorable, we will take US160 west through Durango then the shortcut/scenic drive that bypasses Flagstaff into PHX. Bad weather =25 south to 40 west.
Tarbell's looks great - never pass up an opportunity to enjoy a meal from a James Beard winner.
The Porsche dealer and adjoining museum is on tap for Friday afternoon.
I will mount the GoPro and take some video footage of our trip.
The only remaining concern is that I still have winter shoes on, and am hoping the roads aren't so warm that the ride gets too squishy.
Should I put my summer shoes back on? Weather is looking pretty good for the most part.

 

PHX - what type of work do you do that gives you clients in Monument? That's where I live - small town.

 

Red carrera and paddyh - are either of you doing DE at PPIR in mid-April?

 

Coloradoheel, afraid not. I'll be in Scottsdale the whole month. I usually do a day at Bondurant while I'm in AZ though. It's fun to flog someone else's Z06 for a change of pace.