THE
LAUGHLIN LOOP
LAS
VEGAS - LAKE MEAD - HOOVER DAM - LAUGHLIN RIVER RUN – LAS VEGAS
A
Little Bit of Everything for Everyone…
The
Strip, The Lake, The Dam, The Desert,
The
Laughlin River Run (Largest Motorcycle Gathering in The West)
Historic
Sites and Open Roads & Highways
ALL
DAY RIDE
Full
Loop The Long Way approx. 275 - 300 miles
(actually,
all mileages are estimates…don’t quote me…)
|
FIRST
THINGS FIRST:
I
know it sounds kinda basic and “oh, doh!, Lumpy, any
idiot…”
BUT,
remember to always
take DRINKING WATER
when riding out into
the desert…
Being
the quintessential “any idiot” and caught up in the
Adventure of Riding Out Into The Vast Unknown Desert on an
Unfamiliar Motorcycle (Rented Sportster and Knowing My
Propensity to Get Lost,
not
to mention The Immutable Law of Lumpy Karma, etc. ,
I
did forget last year when I did the Las Vegas - Lake Mead -
Hoover Dam - Las Vegas segment of this ride and it
was a BIG MISTAKE…got very lucky and found drinking fountain
at a boat harbor halfway
through Lake Mead Rec Area leg of ride…bought 2 bottles at
Hoover Dam to get me back to Vegas and drank both before I was
even halfway back…the air is VERY dry even when it's not
hot…desert riding will definitely dry you out!!!! |
LEG
1: Las Vegas to Boulder
City via LAKE MEAD @ 45 miles
Leaving
Las Vegas VIA The Strip...
North
on The Strip (604) through town to W. Lake Mead Blvd (147)
East
on W. Lake Mead Blvd to Lake Mead Blvd to
Lake
Mead Nat'l Recreation Area
(NOTE:
1 week use pass motorcycle = $3 to $5
can’t remember exactly)
South
to E. Lake Mead Blvd (146) to Hwy 93
and
Short Jog West on 93 to
Boulder City
GAS
STOP: Boulder City Historic Site and on to
Hoover Dam @ 10 miles
Leaving
Boulder City Back East on 93 to
Hoover
Dam
Modern
Techno Marvel
LUNCH
- REST STOP - PHOTO OPS – FOOD – GIFT SHOPS – MUSEUM – ETC.
NOTE:
Parking in
Covered Parking Facility is expensive…don’t remember exact amount
but remember it was unexpectedly high…
however,
there IS a motorcycle parking section and it’s very good to be in the
cool shade…
(go left up ramp into parking building, turn
right…motorcycle parking on the immediate right and attendant booth is
right there for security
…attendant
usually will come over to you and take your money and give you stub…
attendants
were reaaal nice folk when I was there last year…very friendly…)
LEG
2: OPTIONS
A)
SKIP LAUGHLIN … Mileage to be determined…
For
those who want to skip Laughlin – return via either Boulder City &
93 North…
or…repeat
Lake Mead Ride in Reverse…or…go exploring…get lost…have fun
finding way back…
B)
HOOVER DAM TO LAUGHLIN SHORT WAY @80 miles
Leaving
Boulder City take 95 South to 163 East to So. Casino Dr, Laughlin…
(Please
Note: Veteran’s of
Laughlin Run suggest you enter town from the North East side if at all
possible
–
continue on 163 to 68 and THEN turn south and into town from that
direction…
traffic
coming in on main exits from 95/163
is MOTORCYCLE HELL ON WHEELS
…stop
go/stop go…lotsa law enforcement…bike & temper destroying heat…NOT FUN!!!
C)
HOOVER DAM TO LAUGHLIN THE LOOOOOOOOOOONG WAY @ 120 miles
Continue
from Hoover Dam East and South on 93 (you’re now riding in Arizona)
via
Dolan Springs, AZ (GAS STOP?), Grasshopper Junction, AZ (GAS STOP?)
and
Santa Claus, AZ (yep, Santa Claus…no joke)
to
Kingman, AZ = GAS/REST STOP
Leaving
Kingman go West on 68 to So. Casino Drive, Laughlin…and yer on yer
own…
Laughlin
River Run
Largest
Motorcycle Gathering in The West….
LEG
3) BACK TO LAS VEGAS @120 Miles
Via
163 West to 95 North to 515
North/West to E. Tropicana and back to The Strip
