A SNOWBIRD IN ARIZONA • ADVENTURE RIDING IN THE DESERT SOUTHWEST

Frank Bartalotta is a US traveler and accomplished adventure motorcycle (ADV) rider.  Frank is not your typical “snowbird”.  There are no shuffleboard games in a 55+ Florida community on this guy’s plate.  No, Frank spends his winters riding the rugged terrain of the desert southwest aboard his 2017 BMW R1200GSA®; arguably the best of the breed in modern ADV bikes.  To further romanticize this traveler’s story we will tell you that he doesn’t reside in some fancy upscale vacation or retirement residence.  Frank’s home away from home is a rather impressive RV, behind which he tows his mobile garage; allowing him to choose and change his surroundings at will.  In this feature Roadcraft USA sits down with Frank to discuss his adventurous and enviable winter getaways.  Following are some of the highlights from that conversation.  We hope that the discussion may get some of you thinking about alternatives to conventional winter escapements, and provide you with the vital information you’ll need to make a “bucket list” experience such as this one a reality.

ROADCRAFT USA:  The first questions our readers are going to ask will probably revolve around how you can make a lifestyle like this work.  How do you just take off for three or four months a year…every year…to venture out on a journey like this?

FRANK B:  I consider myself very fortunate in that regard.  Following a few years of military service I enjoyed a 22 year long career as a Pennsylvania State Trooper.  Combined, those two positions gave me the ability to “retire” at the young age of 47 years old.  I spent some time thereafter working as a realtor and, to this day, do some freelance Private Investigative and security work.  I am also an FAA licensed drone pilot and accept choice commercial assignments near my Pennsylvania home.  I’ll be 57 years old this year and I am thoroughly enjoying my very flexible lifestyle.

ROADCRAFT USA:  Tell us a little about your home town and your motorcycling activities there.

FRANK B:  My permanent home is in the town of Pittson, in northeast Pennsylvania; roughly half way between the cities of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton.  In the spring, summer and autumn months you’ll find me riding predominantly in the Northeast United States, with occasional forays down to the mid-atlantic and Great Smoky Mountains; or north to locations in Canada.  The winters are cold and harsh in Pittson and I’m all about riding; so becoming a winter “snowbird” was my destiny. 

ROADCRAFT USA:  So tell us about your “home away from home”.

FRANK B:  My RV is a 25 foot class Coachman Prism® built on a Mercedes® diesel platform.  I purchased it new as a “leftover” 2017 model for an incredibly advantageous price…about 1/3 off the sticker price!  This was before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which, for many reasons, has resulted in skyrocketing prices for motorhomes and RVs.  Behind the RV I tow an Integrity 7’ X 14’ trailer with brakes.  It is my garage on the road; more than capable of carrying my BMW R1200GSA® and a small inventory of tools.  The trailer will easily accommodate two big bikes, and has done so on numerous occasions; but in the interest of fuel economy I try to keep its weight down to a bare minimum of what I consider necessities.

ROADCRAFT USA:  That brings up an obvious concern.  Talk to us a little bit about fuel economy.

FRANK B:  Well, it’s about a 2,500 mile trip from Pittson, PA to Phoenix, AZ and I average 12-14 MPG pulling the trailer.  Last year that cost about $450 in diesel fuel and this year it skyrocketed to around $800.  The way fuel prices are going now it could be double that in 2023!  Once I’m settled in Arizona though, it’s all about the bike.  The RV stays parked the entire time.

ROADCRAFT USA:  Where do you park it…and why?

FRANK B:  I’ve tried a few places over the years but the one favorite I’ve settled on is The Pioneer RV Resort which is located in Anthem, just north of Phoenix.  It’s a great basecamp for the type of riding I do…close to everything I want to experience.  RV resort spots in the area can range anywhere from $300-$1,500 per month in the prime winter months.  The disparity in pricing is a direct reflection of the amenities that the given resort offers.  The most expensive ones are like five star resorts with multiple swimming pools, fitness clubs, spas, restaurants, shopping and social gathering facilities.  The Pioneer prices have risen from $195 per month to $500 per month over the last four years.  Again, the rise in RV-ing popularity, due to the COVID-19 pandemic probably has had a lot to do with that.

ROADCRAFT USA:  What’s it like being a “resident” in an RV park…even for just a three month period?

FRANK B:  The RV park is laid out very logically.  There is a section for folks that stay short term…say a week or so…vacationers.  Then there’s a separate section for longer term residents like myself.  It really has a great community feel to it.  You get to know all of your neighbors and develop friendships that last for months…even years.  The boom in RV life has made moving around to different locations more difficult in recent years.  Getting reservations during the prime winter months is getting more challenging every year.

ROADCRAFT USA:  Speaking of challenges, tell us a little about the riding experiences you enjoy in the desert southwest.

FRANK B:  I estimate that about 70% of my riding is done on the beautiful, paved scenic highways in Arizona.  My RV base is located approximately 200 miles from The Grand Canyon and 90 miles from Sedona…both destinations that I’ve visited; and easily reached in a day’s ride.  A lot of people think that Arizona is just flat, barren desert with long, boring, straight roads.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Check out the map and photos of the area around Salt River if you have any doubts.  

The other 30% of the mileage I accumulate is done in the off road environment.  The desert offers great riding experiences for adventure riders with an unlimited amount of graded dirt roads that run throughout the area.  On some of these roads you can leave the paved byways behind and ride 40 miles or more, into the desert, before you reach your next sign of civilization.  These are perfect roads for riders on adventure bikes traveling alone…affording the opportunity to explore the undeveloped desert, while still being reasonably safely traversed.

Rarely do you encounter any stretches with difficult mud conditions.  Heck, it only rains once every two or three weeks out there.  Some of my riding is highly technical and extremely challenging off road exploration; but I only engage in that kind of stuff when I’m riding with at least one other rider.  Too much can go wrong in the real rugged rough stuff that you wouldn’t be able to handle on your own.  You could bury your wheels in deep sand, encounter rugged rock fields to traverse, or experience a downhill tip-over that requires the strength of two people to right a fallen, heavyweight ADV bike.

ROADCRAFT USA:  Who do you find to ride with out there?

FRANK B:  It’s not hard making riding friends out there.  Arizona is a very popular area for motorcyclists; especially because the temperate climate offers year-round riding opportunities.  Throughout the winter I am visited by friends from back east.  One has purchased his retirement home about 20 miles from where I stay and he, also, has a BMW GS® ADV bike.  When he comes out to visit we’ll take on some of the real tricky off road challenges.  Other friends fly in to town and rent motorcycles from Eagleriders® in Scottsdale.  In addition to the lineup of Harley-Davidson® motorcycles that they offer, this desert location also offers rentals of the big BMW GS® adventure bikes.

ROADCRAFT USA:  Speaking of climate, what do you encounter when you’re out there?

FRANK B:  I usually spend three to four months in Arizona, starting around New Year’s day.  The average high temperature in January is around 65 degrees with average lows of about 45.  By March those numbers shift to around 75 and 55.  Of course there are always exceptions to the averages and I’ve experienced them both; 90 degree highs during the day and even low 30’s at night.  Be prepared for anything.  Keep your cold weather gear with you on the bike.  You never know when you might become stranded in the desert.  Be prepared for any contingency.

ROADCRAFT USA:  Any final thoughts for our readers?

FRANK B:  Well, they say a picture is worth a thousand words.  If that’s truly the case then a video is worth a million.  I document all of my adventures with multiple action cameras and a drone.  I have an extensive collection of videos which you can find on my YouTube Channel and my Rumble Channel.  In addition to the riding videos I also do video reviews of motorcycle gear and other motorcycle-related products.  All of the gear that I test and use is listed with the videos and linked to places where you can purchase it.  I ask that viewers use these links when making a purchase.  There is no premium in price using these links, and in some cases you will actually find strong discounts.  I make a few bucks when you use these links which enables me to keep posting this video content for others to benefit from.  I am not compensated for any of my product reviews, so the opinions I offer are totally unbiased.  I request that viewers hit the “Like” button on the videos that they enjoy, and that they subscribe to my channels.

ROADCRAFT USA:  How can our readers reach out to you personally?

FRANK B:  I monitor all of the comments that are left on my public videos, and respond to any and all inquiries that viewers might have.  They can also feel free to reach out to me personally via email to: Psptpr98@gmail.com   

So there you have it, Folks.  Some great information from a guy that is out there living the dream every winter.  We hope you enjoyed Frank’s insights into the life of a two-wheeled “Snowbird”.  Let us know in the comments below, bookmark this site and be sure to subscribe to Roadcraft USA for breaking news and special offers.