SouthWest Part II - where to go?

[BeastieGirl]

I know I'm not the only one here whose toured parts of the southwest. Last June I went out via I-80 and hit Denver about noon on day 3, then from Golden I ran the Peak-to-Peak Highway up to Estes Park, day 4 - from Estes Park I rode Trail Ridge Road, down to Granby, back up to Steamboat Springs, over to Dinosaur, then down to Grand Junction. Day 5 - Grand Junction to Utah, ran Scenic Route 128 to Arches, toured Arches then stayed in Ridgefield, Day 5 - to Bryce Canyon then down 89 to Flagstaff - then stayed put for 4 days in Arizona touring the region. Home through New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, then boring states I can't remember the order of - crossing back into Canada via Sarnia

With a little finagling I've managed to score 12 consecutive vacation days, working around a long weekend and tagging 2 extra days. I wanted to see the parts I missed out on round 1 - but damn, there's just too much and again I'm going to have to make some tough choices.

Originally my plan was simple and non-stressfull - San Juan Skyway in Co was my biggest regret in not seeing, so it was tops on my list to visit, spend a couple of days there - hit the "4 corners" - then into New Mexico and explore there for several days - then home.

But now I'm thinking I don't want to do the same route out there and back and have been seduced by the Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota - and have taken a fancy to climbing Pikes Peak in Colorado. So if I add in Pikes Peak before San Juan Skyway - then run up through Utah to Wyoming and back through South Dakota - I just can't see anyway of adding in New Mexico.

I want my second trip to be to the Cabot Trail, so going back out is not really an option
All I saw of New Mexico coming back was the view from the Interstate - but it was beautiful - on the other hand running back through SD I could catch either the beginning or end of Sturgis bike week - which could be interesting?


So - either New Mexico or South Dakota are going to have to be eliminated - I can do a few 1,000 k days but I can't do 12 of them in a row. Anyone been to either or both?

[MacDoc]

Not sure when you are going but have you thought about Yellowstone area instead? Not really the Southwest but stunning and lots in range from there including Missoula and Mt. Rainer and Hwy 1/101 on the west coast. Bit shorter to get there. Oddly we are doing a western US ( 7,000km 3 weeks ) by car in a big loop ( lax, grand canyon, Yellowstone then across to Rainer and back down the entire coast on 1/101. Then a Cabot Trail/ Newfoundland - not sure in what order. GF is Aussie and wants to see the sights

[BeastieGirl]

Not sure when you are going but have you thought about Yellowstone area instead?

Actually I have thought about Yellowstone. I'm planning on leaving on Friday, July 27th and home for Tuesday, August 7th - back to work on the 8th. Its weird timing, but my boss this year is in a panic about me taking two full work weeks off - last year we had the okay to get in a temp to cover my desk, but this year he'll have to scrounge with the other legal assistants. Anyway - I did consider Yellowstone and doing a loop through Grand Tetons - but I'm a little put off by the amount of wildlife I hear is on the road in Yellowstone and also I would be hitting peak tourist season.

Mainly I want to break up the topography - I don't want to do all mountains - much as I love the mountains. Last year was such an interesting mix - one day I'm standing beside 6 foot snow banks on a mountain pass - then I'm standing in a desert - looking at hoodoos, through the mesas - just ever changing scenery.

[Wheelieboy]

Here were some of my favourite scenic/twisty roads...

Grand Junction 141,CO:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=CO-...sz=10&t=m&z=10

Highway 50/550,CO:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=US-...&via=1&t=m&z=9

Black Hills, SD:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=W+R...m&z=10&vpsrc=6

Monument Valley, UT:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=US-...sz=10&t=m&z=10

Highway 88, AZ:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=AZ-...sz=11&t=m&z=12

[BeastieGirl]

Here were some of my favourite scenic/twisty roads...

Interesting - I was thinking of camping in Custer National Park in SD - I thought it might be a nice place to make a 2 night stop and giving myself 3 easy days to get home (via I-90).

[MacDoc]

Mainly I want to break up the topography - I don't want to do all mountains - much as I love the mountains. Last year was such an interesting mix - one day I'm standing beside 6 foot snow banks on a mountain pass - then I'm standing in a desert - looking at hoodoos, through the mesas - just ever changing scenery.

Trip across tho through some northern states certainly not all mountains and give a eye to temperatures .....there were weeks and weeks of 100 plus in the SW last year and not likely to change this year.

In my view april may is the time to do the South west - just before the May 24th long weekend hits.

South Dakota and Wyoming would be much cooler and Yosemite high enough to not be bad.
Wildlife is always some risk - but in tourist season you have lots of deer catchers ahead of you.

[revrandy]

Actually April is NOT the time to travel in the U.S., it is tornado season. Better to wait until May if you can - less storms.

As for your trip. Personally I would go to South Dakota and area. I have been through there, as well as Colorado, New Mexico etc. and the SD is vastly underrated. Montana is also stunning. Why not a trip to the pacific north west - hit Oregon, Washington State and maybe come back through the Canadian Rockies?

[BeastieGirl]

Actually April is NOT the time to travel in the U.S., it is tornado season. Better to wait until May if you can - less storms.

Apparently its already tornado season in the U.S., or at least in Alabama. Not a good portent - hopefully they won't get slammed like last April

Anyway, its not my plan to head out in the spring. I don't mind riding in the heat, I just keep hydrated. I don't even take the liners out of leathers until about 25 centigrade because I get chilled faster than I get overheated.

But yeah - I'm thinking SD over New Mexico - with limited time available I may just go to Sturgis and then see where (if anywhere) the spirit takes me. If I bump the trip a few weeks into September - maybe I will do a Yellowstone run. With the shorter distances, 12 hours of daylight will work and I'm an expert at pitching my tent in the dark.

[Wheelieboy]

I agree with the above posts about April not being a good time to travel through US as I've learned.

There was a snowstorm I had to go through Mid May in Colorado/Wyoming as well as Tornadoes in Nebraska.

[Moggs]

Bad idea to go to Wyoming (Yellowstone), South Dakota (Custer National PK, Sturgis) in April it is COLD!!! Elevation is high and you can run into sleet/snow storms. I know I have been there in early June.
Would keep nice and toasty in Southern Colorado (4 Corners, Monument Valley, Mesa Verde) A lot of the great rides like the Million Dollar Highway (AZ 191) are again at a high elevation and will be cold (was last September when I was there). The older section of Santa Fe is my favourite U.S. City. Texas is worth a shot with the ride through Big Bend National Park. Most of the State Tourist Agencies will send you free of charge their tour guide and that can be valuable. Another warmer suggestion would be Shenandoah Parkway, Blue Ridge Parkway, Deals Gap area (Tail of the Dragon), Natchez/Trace Parkway, Smoky Mtns, Mississippi, Louisiana.

So many places to go so little time!

[MacDoc]

Ummm do keep up with the thread

BG wrote

I'm planning on leaving on Friday, July 27th and home for Tuesday, August 7th - back to work on the 8th.

The suggestion was for the South Western US in April/May just before the May long weekend- not many tornadoes in New Mexico
and cooler than later in year when the OP is actually riding.

BG I think your South Dakota et al makes more sense both for the time you have and that time of year.

Then go where the wind blows you.....boogie it home with the westerlies behind you on the slab once you run out of time. Sounds like fun.

Nice getting another riding season here in Australia - putting on 150-300 km a day and lots of interesting roads. KLR is hard on the butt tho.

[BeastieGirl]

Ummm do keep up with the thread

Nice getting another riding season here in Australia - putting on 150-300 km a day and lots of interesting roads. KLR is hard on the butt tho.

Hey MacDoc - my heart bleeds for you

Well my boss is putting the pressure on the executive here to get a fill-in for my vacation times, so I might be able to get a two week jaunt in after all - will have to wait and see. I do get 4 weeks in total - its just the timing of two consecutive weeks without me that's freaking them out.

[MacDoc]

What the hell good is single week vacations.....
You really need 3 straight to get some decent R&R.

Had fun splashing through some streams on the KLR today - hit one a little fast and got drenched - felt good in +30 weather.

[BeastieGirl]

What the hell good is single week vacations.....
You really need 3 straight to get some decent R&R.

I like that idea - but we can't all work for ourselves ya know

Our firm policy is no more than 2 weeks in a row, without "special permission".

Anyway - as it turns out things are falling into place nicely. One of my friends wants to go for Sturgis bikeweek and since she only has one free week, we'll do that in August.

And my boss said take your vacation weeks whenever you want - so I'm moving my 12 days back to the end of June - and touring New Mexico - possibly Southern Colorado, but NM has taken my fancy.

[MacDoc]

Much better time of year for the southwest tho still will be hot but it's dry.
IF you happen to go by Tempe Arizona treat yourself to a sailplane ride at Estrella - an experience you will never regret
Fantastic place.

http://www.azsoaring.com/


June always the best to get away in the Northern hemisphere.

[BeastieGirl]

Well I’ve pretty finalized my itinerary – 12 ¼ days, leaving Wednesday, June 21 after work and home sometime on Monday, July 2.
I’m trying not to duplicate too much from my route of last year. Also, I’m also trying to make this year a little more about the journey, as opposed to just being hell-bent for the destination. This means Utah is not on the agenda this trip and since I’m going to Sturgis with my friend in August anyway, South Dakota has been crossed off as well.

I’ve done a little more research on things to see on the way there and back. Instead of the interstates, Thursday and Friday I’ll run mostly US-36 through Missouri and Kansas. It adds a couple of hours to the estimated “Google” travel time, but in the grand scheme of things, 2 hours isn’t much on a 9 - 10,000 k trip. It should be a pretty easy run, and more scenic (though still flat) and less traffic than taking the interstate route. I hope to make the Kansas/Colorado state lines by Friday night –targeting Limon, CO.

Then the real fun begins. I have scheduled two days for Colorado and three days for New Mexico. Saturday and Sunday I’m staying in a KOA in Ouray, CO, which is on US-550 on the stretch known as the Million Dollar Highway. I missed this last year because of time restrictions, but all the local riders I talked to Colorado raved about it, and it’s the main reason I’m heading back west.

Monday morning I’m turning south-east to Bernalillo, NM which is just north Albuquerque. Against I’m making this a 2 night “base camp” to explore the area. This area is jammed with things to see and do, so I’ll let weather and inclination be my guide. Even a micromanager like me has to schedule in some time for spontaneity.

Wednesday further south into the New Mexican desert. I’m planning on riding to Las Cruces, NM, then east on 70 to White Sand Dunes NP, continuing over to my Carlsbad KOA. Since I’m on my own I can do crazy things like leave at 3:00 a.m. in the morning so I’m not traipsing around the desert in the midday sun . This is actually 6:00 a.m. our time, so it’s not as crazy as it sounds. As long as I can get out of camp before the lynch mob can form (unfortunately my bike is carbed and gets a little throaty starting it with the choke open – maybe I can get a cabin close enough to roll the bike out to the entrance). Then I can take a siesta or lounge at the pool at my KOA in Carlsbad, and do more sightseeing as the evening cools down.

Thursday is Carlsbad to Amarillo, via Palo Duro Canyon in Texas, with possibly a stopover at Roswell to pick up a souvenir for my grandson. Then in the evening I can hit the historic “Route 66” area of Amarillo, check out Cadillac Ranch. Amarillo was only a lunch and gas stop (not necessarily in that order) last year.

Friday still working my way home, I’ll have to blend a little “make time” with “scenic time”. So I’ll duplicate a little of last year and start off on I-40 and possibly stay there as far as Oklahoma City. Once you get out of the Texas “panhandle” its not a bad run. But after rounding Oklahoma City, I’m thinking its time to hit the mountains again, so I’m going to head back a little south and catch the Talimena Scenic Byway (OK-1), which runs from Talihina, OK to Mena, Arkansas. Most of Saturday I’ll spend exploring the Ozarks in Arkansas, in particular I’d like to run 7 from Hot Springs to Harrison, then I’ll continue on east on US-412 to Poplar Bluff, MO for my Saturday night stop.
This leaves me with two days and approximately 1,400 k’s to get back home. I do have the option of adding one more vacation day (Tues, July 3rd) and I might just do that.

So trip planned, vacation fund topped up, bike just had new tires, chain and sprocket last year, so just a spring tune up and oil change should have it top shape – and only three months to go.

Now I have to start planning Sturgis trip  - August will be here before you know it.

[MacDoc]

+1

sounds great - hopefully not a repeat of last years record wave tho .....will boiled BG if it is. Is there a gallon sized camel back?

Ozarks are an area I'd dearly love to visit on mycycle - travelled through numerous times with parents

[BeastieGirl]

+1

sounds great - hopefully not a repeat of last years record wave tho .....will boiled BG if it is. Is there a gallon sized camel back?

Ozarks are an area I'd dearly love to visit on mycycle - travelled through numerous times with parents

Yeah MacD - but what do you do?? The weather will be what the weather will be. Last year the heatwave broke just as I hit New Mexico the 3rd week in June - but I was riding in snow in the Rockies in Colorado - so roll the dice. Even with the heat wave "breaking" - it was still hot in NM and Texas. So I'm operating on the assumption it will be hot - no 1,000 km days for those states

[MacDoc]

That was a tad off the charts tho last year - glad it broke for you
You could have a twofer - plot out a middle route out then an alternative to the north if the south is too hot. Pick your poison when you get to the decision point.
I'd rather ride in rain than brutal heat for any distance....find a cooler mountain somewhere

Are you/ have caught Sequoia on your jaunts - nice escape and what a ride up from Death Valley.

[omnivore]

Death Valley.
Redwood Forest.
Grand Canyon.
Hwy 1