Where to go?

[Ti Designs]

I turn 29 again in May, so my girlfriend want to take me somewhere to go riding for a few days. Here's the thing, I have no sense of direction at all, so the area and the routes need to be simple. We're looking for something different than New England, road only.

I'm not looking for any sort of group tour 'cause they never have enough good riding, but if there's a good club ride, we would be interested.

Where would you go?

[livingminimal]

I turn 29 again in May, so my girlfriend want to take me somewhere to go riding for a few days. Here's the thing, I have no sense of direction at all, so the area and the routes need to be simple. We're looking for something different than New England, road only.

I'm not looking for any sort of group tour 'cause they never have enough good riding, but if there's a good club ride, we would be interested.

Where would you go?

Central Coast of California.

Im going when I turn 40 in May.

See you there.

[BobO]

http://www.arizonabikerides.com/rides/233/shootout-group-bike-ride-tucson-arizona/

[Matthew]

Come to west Michigan in the summer. A few good group rides, fairly decent roads (for Michigan standards!) and lots of nice scenery along Lake Michigan. Grand Haven, St. Joseph, Ludington, Traverse City, Petoskey, and Harbor Springs to name a few places of interest. Lots of nice hotels and Bed and Breakfast places to stay. Weather is usually nice and the sunsets on the lake rival any on the planet!

[Bradford]

Follow the advice Peter Mooney gave me when I bought my first touring bike...Cape Breton Island. It's drivable from Boston (via Ferry or it will be a bit of wet wheeling) and a beautiful mix of mountains and ocean.

If you feel like getting on a plane, do web searches of Ride the Rockies routes and look at the different options. You could follow one exactly and do a six day loop, or piece together legs from different rides to make your own tour. There really is nothing better than a classic pass in Colorado, unless you string together a bunch.

[djg21]

I turn 29 again in May, so my girlfriend want to take me somewhere to go riding for a few days. Here's the thing, I have no sense of direction at all, so the area and the routes need to be simple. We're looking for something different than New England, road only.

I'm not looking for any sort of group tour 'cause they never have enough good riding, but if there's a good club ride, we would be interested.

Where would you go?

Moab and Arches Nat'l Park might be an option. While it's an MTB Mecca, the road riding is great too. If you are driving, that obviously wouldn't be an option.

If you are driving, maybe you should consider coming up to Saratoga to ride Battenkill on May 21?

[11.4]

Texas Hill Country.

Petaluma and the Russian River area.

For pure gorgeous, ride Point Reyes and then from Inverness ride north and inland on a maze of rolling roads (don't recommend south or into Santa Rosa as much because of traffic and roads).

Nearby, how about northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, going up into Litchfield County and across into New York a bit?

Also nearby, Martha's Vineyard? No long rides but lots of loops and such.

You could hop down to Asheville as well.

These are all locations with attractions for her as well, and with things to do when you finish your riding.

[OtayBW]

Alpine/Terlingua/Big Bend area.

[Geeheeb]

West Michigan is great!

http://bicycletouringroutes.com/section.php?sectionid=5

[93legendti]

Come to west Michigan in the summer. A few good group rides, fairly decent roads (for Michigan standards!) and lots of nice scenery along Lake Michigan. Grand Haven, St. Joseph, Ludington, Traverse City, Petoskey, and Harbor Springs to name a few places of interest. Lots of nice hotels and Bed and Breakfast places to stay. Weather is usually nice and the sunsets on the lake rival any on the planet!

My Mom has a place outside of Harbor Springs. Lots of views of Lake Michigan and Little Travers Bay while riding.

M-119, Tunnel of Trees is spectacular. Harbor Springs to Mackinaw and back is 100 miles depending upon where you start. You can throw in the old State Championship Road course for fun up and down hills...Stustmanville to Robinson to Larks Lake to State and back up and over Stutsmanville, iirc...

When I am riding, I see as many cars in a minute in SE Michigan as I do in an hour Up North.

In summer, it stays light past 10:00-July 4th fireworks usually don't start till 10:20 or so.

Not sure if you can fly in from Massachusetts to the airport in town.

[Ken Robb]

Finger Lakes, NY. For fun, flat cruising from town-to-town The Erie Canal Tow Path is fun. There are some good climbs around Cannandaigua and other nearby areas.

[berserk87]

I hear good things about the Natchez Trace. It's a national park/road that is rolling, scenic, and mostly traffic-free.

[Saint Vitus]

I turn 29 again in May, so my girlfriend want to take me somewhere to go riding for a few days. Here's the thing, I have no sense of direction at all, so the area and the routes need to be simple. We're looking for something different than New England, road only.

I'm not looking for any sort of group tour 'cause they never have enough good riding, but if there's a good club ride, we would be interested.

Where would you go?

France.

[Climb01742]

Someplace in California. Healdsburg has great riding and food. As 11.4 said, Russian River area is beautiful too.

[makoti]

I hear good things about the Natchez Trace. It's a national park/road that is rolling, scenic, and mostly traffic-free.

Real hard to get lost on it, too.

[Ken Robb]

I hear good things about the Natchez Trace. It's a national park/road that is rolling, scenic, and mostly traffic-free.
True, but there are no places to eat/stay on the Trace. There are towns with all normal services nearby but at each place I got off the trace was higher in elevation and therefore required a pretty tough climb to get back up to the Trace. Does your GF like to climb?

[leftyfreak]

Follow the advice Peter Mooney gave me when I bought my first touring bike...Cape Breton Island. It's drivable from Boston (via Ferry or it will be a bit of wet wheeling) and a beautiful mix of mountains and ocean.

Cape Breton could be a little chilly in early May, with the North Atlantic winds. But for Ti's sake, it does have the advantage of being an island, albeit a big one. And the fact that the island has a lake could put a wrench in his usual navigation strategy--as long as the water is on the left, everything will be just fine. The Cabot Trail is considered one of the most beautiful roads in North America though!

Prince Edward Island would also be a good option in that region. You could even take the ferry from Cape Breton to PEI, and then the "fixed link"--that's Canadian for really, really long bridge--from PEI back to the mainland.

What about North Carolina, Asheville area, and into the Great Smokey Mtns?

You know, there is one other locale that I think would be a great place for you visit...how about Acadia NP?

[monkeypants]

Gaspé Peninsula (eastern region of Quebec) has mountains, oceans, tourtières and poutine. It's a pretty simple clockwise loop. A little French would help, though.

[gdw]

Finger Lakes/Upstate NY if you want to drive.
Natchez Trace/Mississippi if you want to explore the south.
Moab/Arches/Islands in the Sky for a landscape unlike anything in New England.

[Ti Designs]

You know, there is one other locale that I think would be a great place for you visit...how about Acadia NP?

My last dozen vacations were there - impossible to get lost on the park loop.

We just went to the wine expo where we sampled a number of New York wines, so the finger lakes are certainly in the running. Any good club rides in that area?

Meghan was ripping my legs off last time we went for a ride, I'm not too worried about her climbing...

[djg21]

Gaspé Peninsula (eastern region of Quebec) has mountains, oceans, tourtières and poutine. It's a pretty simple clockwise loop. A little French would help, though.

Isn't it still ski season on the Gaspe in May?

[oldpotatoe]

I turn 29 again in May, so my girlfriend want to take me somewhere to go riding for a few days. Here's the thing, I have no sense of direction at all, so the area and the routes need to be simple. We're looking for something different than New England, road only.

I'm not looking for any sort of group tour 'cause they never have enough good riding, but if there's a good club ride, we would be interested.

Where would you go?

Get off your bike and hike up the river at Zion. Don't even take your bike. Stay at the motel at the entrance, Rubys, go to the rodeo across the street. Drink beer, eat meat.

[pinkshogun]

we had 40 degree weather and hail in mid April about 8 years ago..eventually it did warm up

[Tandem Rider]

The most fun that Mrs TR and I have ever had on a bike was a week touring on a tandem. B&B every night, no camping, tiny pannier for each of us. We rode from our front door, had a pickup rented at our destination for the trip home. After a 1/2 day you are on roads you probably haven't ridden before, easy to do 100 - 125 miles every day. Eat, ride, drink nice wines, repeat.

It's who you're with and what you're doing that counts:)

[parris]

I also encourage the finger lakes region. Tioga Velo Club is based in the Southerntier, Mohawk Valley Bicycle Club is based a few hours North in the Utica area. Both clubs may have some info.

[daker13]

Gaspé Peninsula (eastern region of Quebec) has mountains, oceans, tourtières and poutine. It's a pretty simple clockwise loop. A little French would help, though.

This was my answer on the other thread.. I got by fine with very little (and very bad) French.

One other advantage to the Gaspe, a Bostonian can get to Quebec City in about six hours (not too bad), spend a night or two in that city and then get to the riding in another couple hours east (if I'm remembering right). Whereas Cape Breton and similar places are a good twelve hours away.

Quebec City is supposed to have good riding too, and I know it has a bike path. Anyone know about the biking there?

[OtayBW]

Does your GF like to climb?
Are you kidding??? I can only imagine that she has been exposed to long-term rigorous, mandatory glute isolation training for some time now........;)

[Plum Hill]

Go where the girlfriend wants to go.

[beeatnik]

Petaluma and the Russian River area.

For pure gorgeous, ride Point Reyes and then from Inverness ride north and inland on a maze of rolling roads (don't recommend south or into Santa Rosa as much because of traffic and roads).


Yep, and I'd add Yosemite Valley/Mariposa Co.

[Jcgill]

Denver area: Golden, Boulder, and Colorado Springs have awesome riding and all are 30-60 minutes drive from Denver International Airport.

[rounder]

I would go somewhere different...like California.

I have been there a few times. Would not go where you have to ride in bike lanes. I would go to Marin County north of San Francisco and just ride around. I have been there in a car but not on a bike. But I would go there.

[oddsaabs]

The guys at KindHuman do a weekend camp based out of Ellicotville (EVL) NY. It's a really lovely area in western NY south of Buffalo.

http://www.kindhuman.cc/shop/us/events

Even if their weekend doesn't fit your schedule, it's still a great place to ride.

[Bob Ross]

Denver area: Golden, Boulder, and Colorado Springs have awesome riding and all are 30-60 minutes drive from Denver International Airport.

I spent a week cycling in Keystone CO last year. That's maybe 60-70 minutes west of Denver. Stunning, absolutely gorgeous views & terrain, the riding was great, smooth roads and polite car drivers, and I don't think any of our routes (which ranged from 35-65 miles) had more than a half dozen turns total.

[oldpotatoe]

Denver area: Golden, Boulder, and Colorado Springs have awesome riding and all are 30-60 minutes drive from Denver International Airport.

Errr, Colorado Springs is a more than 60 minutes from DIA, small point. Even Golden is 'about' an hour..

[soulspinner]

Live in the fingerlakes so Im biased but since your lady can climb do the Highlander route or Keuka lake. Slow ups, screaming downs and plenty of wine and bed and breakfasts.......

[Ti Designs]

The finger lakes it is! Being within driving distance we can take the tandem as well as single bikes. We'll be on the west side of lake Senica about half way up for the first week of may - anyone want to ride?

We're in the process of planning the other details. We hit the Boston wine expo a week ago and went to the wines of New York tasting. We're picking out vineyards we need to visit, mostly on 414 between Watkins Glen and Lodi.

[soulspinner]

The finger lakes it is! Being within driving distance we can take the tandem as well as single bikes. We'll be on the west side of lake Senica about half way up for the first week of may - anyone want to ride?

We're in the process of planning the other details. We hit the Boston wine expo a week ago and went to the wines of New York tasting. We're picking out vineyards we need to visit, mostly on 414 between Watkins Glen and Lodi.

Cool!:beer:

[Ken Robb]

In Canandaigua we stayed at Oliver Phelps Inn and loved it. The "new" part of the house was built in 1832 and it is charming throughout. Jack and Donna were the perfect hosts offering good advice, pleasant company, bike storage, getting us into a "fully booked" restaurant and serving outstanding full breakfasts. There is a charming gazebo in the yard with a Jacuzzi too.

If you can fit in a day or two there you can also enjoy a fine meal with good wines at The California Culinary Institute. It has very reasonable prices and lake views too.