Need help planning a ride...mid October??

[kmac]

My daughter is getting married Sept. 21, 2014. It has been a CRAZY few months since the kids decided they want to keep life simple and mobile and live in an Airstream trailer.
We bought one together and set at remodeling it from frame up...wow what a job. I and the kids are working day and night top try and get it finished by the time they get home from their honeymoon on Oct 3...lots of work left and I am beat....really beat.

Anyway, that is the back story reason for my question...when all of this is over I will be taking a week or 2 off to just regroup and rest my body, but then I will need to clear my head. You all know what that involves....SEAT time and wind in my face.

So mid October ish I will be heading out for a week or so +/- to just blow the dust out.
I know most, if not all, good rides in So Cal and the weather patterns, bored a bit with them for a longer trip.
I am looking for 1500-2000k miles of as many great miles as I can get in good weather during mid Oct.

Anyone have a dream ride they have been planning that you may suggest to a guy looking to get out on a nice adventure?

I can always do Lake Elsinore {home base here} to La Paz/ Cabo San Lucas since I know the weather will be good usually, but that is a bit sketchy going solo...I may still do that but would not mind a US ride for solo.

Throw up your ideas and lets see what sticks !!!!

Criteria,
-Mid October so weather is a factor, not likely high altitude or too cold
-Beautiful country
-Low interstate time..more country road time
-National parks along the way would be a plus.

 

[TXTenere]

My daughter is getting married Sept. 21, 2014. It has been a CRAZY few months since the kids decided they want to keep life simple and mobile and live in an Airstream trailer.
We bought one together and set at remodeling it from frame up...wow what a job. I and the kids are working day and night top try and get it finished by the time they get home from their honeymoon on Oct 3...lots of work left and I am beat....really beat.

Anyway, that is the back story reason for my question...when all of this is over I will be taking a week or 2 off to just regroup and rest my body, but then I will need to clear my head. You all know what that involves....SEAT time and wind in my face.

So mid October ish I will be heading out for a week or so +/- to just blow the dust out.
I know most, if not all, good rides in So Cal and the weather patterns, bored a bit with them for a longer trip.
I am looking for 1500-2000k miles of as many great miles as I can get in good weather during mid Oct.

Anyone have a dream ride they have been planning that you may suggest to a guy looking to get out on a nice adventure?

I can always do Lake Elsinore {home base here} to La Paz/ Cabo San Lucas since I know the weather will be good usually, but that is a bit sketchy going solo...I may still do that but would not mind a US ride for solo.

Throw up your ideas and lets see what sticks !!!!

Criteria,
-Mid October so weather is a factor, not likely high altitude or too cold
-Beautiful country
-Low interstate time..more country road time
-National parks along the way would be a plus.

This is a no brainier for me. Suggest doing the Sierra passes! Include Yosemite. Five days from where we live and GREAT riding.

 

[kmac]

Last Oct I did some of the passes on my BMW with the Tioga being the last leg of the trip before heading home...BMW took a big ol dump on....only good thing about that is it was the last straw that made me buy my S-10...great decision.

My only fear with that trip is last year when I did it I hit some snow and really cold temps and the Tioga closed the week after I made my attempt. My attempt was the first few days of Oct and this trip will have to be mid Oct...
If it were in Sept or into the first bit of Oct...that would be the trip for sure, but mid to late Oct....I want to enjoy this trip not freeze or be stressed on weather.

Good start to the suggestions though and if weather looks good as the trip approaches I may opt for that ride.

 

[TXTenere]

Last Oct I did some of the passes on my BMW with the Tioga being the last leg of the trip before heading home...BMW took a big ol dump on....only good thing about that is it was the last straw that made me buy my S-10...great decision.

My only fear with that trip is last year when I did it I hit some snow and really cold temps and the Tioga closed the week after I made my attempt. My attempt was the first few days of Oct and this trip will have to be mid Oct...
If it were in Sept or into the first bit of Oct...that would be the trip for sure, but mid to late Oct....I want to enjoy this trip not freeze or be stressed on weather.

Good start to the suggestions though and if weather looks good as the trip approaches I may opt for that ride.

OK then .. how about a ride centered around Moab, and western Colorado? Tons of great riding there.

 

[Tippo]

Mid October is getting pretty fallish (leaves generally gone, very cool in the morning, could snow at night) in the mountains of western Colorado. That's when I like to head to southern Utah. Capital Reef, Bryce, and Zion are connected by wonderful paved and dirt roads. About a day + on the slab from southern CA.

Jeff

 

[Bug Dr.]

Im thinking about southern Utah in early October too. Shouldnt be too hot.......I hope.
Mike

 

[kmac]

That is what I was hoping for...Moab was sounding great, just gotta watch the weather. I am ok riding in the rain and have even ridden in the snow, just not my favorite for a recreational head clearing ride. Would prefer a good weather ride.

Colorado is definitely on my short list of future rides, but not in mid Oct... ::005::

 

[kmac]

BTW, I do not want to skew anyone who may have a alternative idea...Moab was on my short list, but any other ideas? Anything in lower elevation Colorado, New Mexico, Az. or even Tejas?

 

[Bigbore4]

Bryce Canyon, Moki Dugway, Muley Point. All southern UT, be fine in October, Aint been to Moab myself yet, but that would fit nice too.

 

[AVGeek]

The northern part of Arizona has a bit of elevation (Flagstaff is at 7000 feet), but maybe you'd like to try the AZBDR? You could ride it southbound, so that as it gets later in the month, you loose elevation. Roadrunner Magazine did an article on the route; they rode it northbound...

 

[Ramseybella]

Was up in Ouray Colorado this past Wednesday it was nice but could tell Fall is knocking on the door Aspens getting droopy, Sunflowers are wilting and the sun has that look to it in the late afternoon, it was around lower 50's at night.
Heading north to Grand junction I did notice the temp and rain.
Moab was still hot but not unbearable, La Sal Mountains along with all the higher elevations Telluride, Durango and Pagosa springs had lots of Rain and cloud cover over them.
Most of Souther Utah Northern New Mexico should be OK I head south NM when I can't go north I would like to do some riding in Arizona as well before November.
Thats why I watch the weather and tote a portable hand held weather radio when I travel up high, I like enjoying my ride not making an endurance test out of it.
But if it ain't snowing I'm going.. ::012::

 

[kmac]

I just did Northern Az and southern Utah in March. Amazing country and a great ride for sure. Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff, Paige, Lake Powell, Kanab, Bryce Canyon, back down through Zion and home via I-15.

Looking for a similar type of ride, just somewhere new.

Some great ideas so far, and I do not mind passing through some of my previous rides, I would just like some new destinations.

Is there any nice rides in New Mexico that are not up at elevation?

I am considering a coastal ride up to Oregon, Hiway 1/101 through Carmel, Big Sur, Frisco, Redwoods....always a great ride and fair weather usually. Been quite a few years since I have done that ride. Still like to find all new to me. ::008::

 

[AVGeek]

I just did Northern Az and southern Utah in March. Amazing country and a great ride for sure. Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff, Paige, Lake Powell, Kanab, Bryce Canyon, back down through Zion and home via I-15.

Looking for a similar type of ride, just somewhere new.

Some great ideas so far, and I do not mind passing through some of my previous rides, I would just like some new destinations.

Is there any nice rides in New Mexico that are not up at elevation?

I am considering a coastal ride up to Oregon, Hiway 1/101 through Carmel, Big Sur, Frisco, Redwoods....always a great ride and fair weather usually. Been quite a few years since I have done that ride. Still like to find all new to me. ::008::

Then the southern portion of the AZBDR might be right up your alley. You could ride it, then swing east through NM (stay low though!) and into Texas, maybe down to Big Bend?

 

[Ramseybella]

State highway 666 now 191 in eastern Arizona is a blast left on 78 to New Mexico 180 right south to Silver City left east on New Mexico 152 this road has some serious twisties fish hook turns Lots of Pro bicyclist train on this road.

Stop for Breakfast any place at this point and have a plate of huevos rancheros Green Chile just been harvested get it smothered Freaking Yum!! ::013::
Head to I-25 go south to Las Cruces get on 70 east to white sands and Alamogordo If your ready to camp go to Oliver Lee Memorial state park it's nice in October fantastic views and has free showers $10.00 per bike they are strict on this one..
I base camp at this park and head north on 70 to 82 east to Cloudcroft another fantastic ride make a left on 244 this is a must one of the most awesome roads for speed and huge sweeper turns and Beautiful country views that I found in this part of NM seriously.
Turn right on 70 to Ruidoso cool place get some lunch stay on 70 east to Roswell.
This is a lot of road and zig zag but worth it if you want to do south west, from Roswell it's up to you where you want to go..

And as always Watch for Deer and Elk in these parts.

 

[kmac]

The northern part of Arizona has a bit of elevation (Flagstaff is at 7000 feet), but maybe you'd like to try the AZBDR? You could ride it southbound, so that as it gets later in the month, you loose elevation. Roadrunner Magazine did an article on the route; they rode it northbound...

Wow Geek, GREAT Idea. I love the look of that ride.
Do the GPS tracks work good going North to South?

I have seen a lot of reports and even a TV show on some of the BDR rides and had forgotten about them. That is exactly what I would like to do. I was not planning a majority dirt ride since I will be solo, but it looks doable.

Anyone who has done the AZBDR, is the sand it mentions in section 1 really bad? I can ride sand well, but this bike loaded is pretty nasty in the sand for a solo ride. It mentions a bail out, maybe I will need to do that. I do not mind firmer sand, but deep and powdery sand is tough on the great white elephant.

 

[AVGeek]

Wow Geek, GREAT Idea. I love the look of that ride.
Do the GPS tracks work good going North to South?

I have seen a lot of reports and even a TV show on some of the BDR rides and had forgotten about them. That is exactly what I would like to do. I was not planning a majority dirt ride since I will be solo, but it looks doable.

Anyone who has done the AZBDR, is the sand it mentions in section 1 really bad? I can ride sand well, but this bike loaded is pretty nasty in the sand for a solo ride. It mentions a bail out, maybe I will need to do that. I do not mind firmer sand, but deep and powdery sand is tough on the great white elephant.

I haven't done the AZBDR yet...but I know the guys over at GOAZ (goaz.com) did a lot of the work on the trail, as did some of the AZ Beemers guys. Might want to drop them a line about doing the route southbound...

 

[Derekj]

Seeing as though it has not been mentioned ..... How about heading though Idaho east all the way to Colorado then dropping down a bit and east to northern Arkansas for the 2014 Tenere Rally that starts on the 20th through to the 24th. That way you can get to meet a few of us and enjoy a few trail rides etc.