Eric Herrmann wrote, illustrated and published a book about riding in Arizona. It’s called Ride the Arizona Backroads and it’s a guidebook for bikers who want to ride hot, flat, desert, rattlesnake invested roads of Arizona.
I started to read it immediately, and if you plan to blast into Arizona, you might want to read the first nine pages, quick. They immediately give you serious life-saving do’s and don’ts around desert riding. A broke down biker without a jug of cool aqua could easily die on a 115 degree day by himself in sinking sand.
Several times I attempted to move to Arizona for open roads and wild adventures along the Mexican border. Arizona is still a frontier for the brave and rugged, who can carve out a way of life surrounded by blistering sand and cactus. Eric has lived in Cave Creek for a couple of decades and ridden dirt trails with his kids and every backroad with brothers numerous times. He knows Arizona, the road surfaces, the cops, the rest stops, bars and how far to the next gas stop.
Then, with his cool black and white line-drawing maps and illustrations he takes us on individual backroad rides. You will roll through 11 distinctive rides with complete descriptions and recommendations. “Beware of Toy Haulers on Carefree Hwy 74,” Eric wrote. “They camp in the desert and often make left turns into nowhere. Do not blow past several cars behind a toy hauler, as he may be slowing for a left.”
About Yarnell he wrote, “Somebody once told me Yarnell is made up of gays, greys and strays. Don’t know about that, but it’s a diamond in the rough as far as I’m concerned. Cool old buildings, good climate, beautiful country. I could check out and live there.”
Once he reaches his Patagonia Putt, his southern ride, he describes each destination in rider detail, including Patagonia, Nogales, Mexico, Tombstone, Bisbee, Davis Monthan AFB, Mount Lemmon, and Sedona.
Each description includes a difficulty rating with detailed skulls, miles, time, elevation and temperature swings. He documents warnings about cops, and where to watch for flash floods and sand drifts.
Just as he sold out ten books at little Mexican Anita’s Cocina in Wickenburg, Arizona, the state locked down all the bars and restaurants once more. He’s heading to Sturgis 2020 to get outta Dodge for awhile, or should I say Douglas. Just remember, if you get stranded in the desert, rattlesnake tastes just like fried chicken. As my pappy use to say, “You’ll be a long time starving if that’s all you have to eat.”
