For my birthday every year I like to go riding solo in the US, it’s become a tradition and one of the things I love the most. Unlike previous years, I wasn’t set on a destination so I called my good friends at EagleRider as I knew they would be able to help. As the biggest motorbike rental and tour service in America and Europe, EagleRider offers a range of solo winter escapes and guided tours in the so-called “Sun Belt”, a region that comprises most states from southwest to southeast. I opted for a three-day tour of Arizona, intrigued by the myth of the Wild West I’ve seen in countless movies.

I went to pick up my bike just outside of Phoenix, where the EagleRider team had a full itinerary mapped out for me; it was exactly what I was looking for. As for the motorbike, I’ve been wanting to try the Harley-Davidson Pan America – its first adventure bike – since it came out in 2021 and, boy, I was in for a treat.

This motorcycle looks like it’s come back from the future to show its rivals what American cool is really all about: there is nothing like it. The main front headlight reminds you of a muscle car mixed with a Harley Road Glide (one of its bestselling cruisers) and its overall rugged aesthetic is unique. I was a bit disappointed when I started the bike – I was expecting the classic “potato, potato” Harley sound but I should have done my research. The engine is a completely new 1250 cc 60-degree V-twin dubbed Revolution Max and it punches hard, with 150hp and 94lb-ft of torque and 6750rpm.

As I was leaving Phoenix on State Route 87, I was reminded of how varied deserts can be, one minute I’m speeding through the cactuses of the Tonto National Forest and the next I’m surrounded by pine trees around Payson, known as the “Heart of Arizona” due to its vicinity to the geographical center of Arizona. Payson is the typical American desert town built around the main road, with shops, restaurants and gun stores (yes) on each side. My next stop for a quick lunch was Winslow, name-checked in the 1972 Eagles song Take It Easy. There are more gift shops than restaurants, you can buy “take it easy” everything – a not-so-subtle lesson in playing to your strengths.

Monument Valley is only a three-hour ride away from Winslow, inside Navajo Nation, the largest reservation in the United States, occupying parts or Arizona, New Mexico and Utah and home to 400,000 tribal members. The stands on the side of the road are the best place to buy original Navajo art made by the locals and where to learn about how their stones are linked to their spiritual practice.

Entering Monument Valley as the sun went down is an experience I will never forget; I lowered the speed to take in all the majestic sandstone buttes that make this national park a worldwide destination, and I felt very excited about visiting the park at sunrise the day after. I stayed at The View Hotel, the only hotel inside the park with every room facing the West and East Mitten Buttes – the largest and most famous rocks so called because of their shapes. The Merrick Butte is the other well-known rock, and I was among the dozens of travellers up at 7am to witness the sun coming up behind these natural wonders. The valley’s trademark red colouration comes from iron oxide in the ground. I learned some interesting facts from Steven, my Navajo guide. They call themselves Dine, meaning “the people”, Navajo being a term given to them by the Spanish and they have a clan system that defines the relationship between individuals and families: there are still nine families living in Monument Valley, the oldest, dating back to the 17th century.

Next up was the city of Sedona, famous for being surrounded by an array of sandstone formations that appear in turn red and orange, depending on how they are hit by the sun. For this reason, the city is popular with hikers and mountain bikers but not only, since Sedona is also known for its vortexes, thought to be swirling centres of energy that are conducive to healing and meditation. A visit to the Chapel of the Holy Cross is a must, nowhere else you will find a church built inside the mountain. Local rancher and sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude was inspired by the Empire State Building and initially wanted to build the church in Budapest with the help of Lloyd Wright, son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. World War II got in the way and the church ended up being built in in 1958 in Arizona by architect August K Strotz. If architecture is not your thing and you want a hint of 1950s Hollywood nostalgia you can visit the Cowboy Club, where the likes of John Wayne, Robert Mitchum and Joan Crawford liked to drink after long days of shooting in the desert.

On the last day, my plans changed when a taxi driver told me about the biker town of Jerome, only 40 minutes away. The last 10 miles before Jerome was the best riding of my trip, sharp bends followed by long stretches of straight road, with incredible views and very low traffic.

Dubbed Arizona’s largest “Ghost Town”, Jerome was once a prosperous mining town but following the Great Depression it almost completely disappeared and by the late 40s its population fell to 100, compared to the 10,000 of the early 20s. Legend has it that a group of hippies from California fell in love with the town and worked hard to bring it back to life, focusing on tourism and retail. Nowadays, Jerome boasts a multitude of quirky independent shops, restaurants and art galleries and some of the coolest places I’ve seen in my travels: I recommend Paul and Jerry’s Saloon, the oldest family-owned bar in Arizona and a true local hangout.

And just like that, I was back in Phoenix thanking Stacey and Bob at EagleRider for the perfect trip. I’m typing this in cold and rainy London and my mind is on my next winter getaway with EagleRider – maybe Florida?

For more information and to see the range of winter itineraries available, visit eaglerider.co.uk