We used to go out there in January for a BMW gathering and I ran into the guy and his group. Like he said, he has been going out there 35 years in a row. For me, 3 times was enough. Last time, we left DV at 5pm, pulled into Amarillo the next afternoon around 1 or 2. It was a cold trip too. We called ahead to check road conditions in Flagstaff, clear and 7 degrees. Amazing what you can do with the right gear. I had on fleece long johns under leather riding pants (the kind where your boots are on the outside), a tee shirt, a sweat shirt, a Gerbing's heated liner, and an Aerostitch Roadcrafter jacket, battery powered electric socks, two weights of glove liners, leather gauntlet gloves, a baklava, and a full face, with heated grips. I'm not going to tell you I didn't get cold, but it was rideable. Of course I was younger then, I'm older and way smarter now.