Your favorite February/early March US road cycling destination?

[stuckinthecity]

My GF and I usually take a 4 or 5 day winter trip to somewhere warm to combat cabin fever. I'd love to have a few cycling options to present. San Diego / South California seems like an obvious option. Anyone have any favorites? We're flying out of the Northeast.

[joosttx]

with all this rain in the bay area the wild flowers are going to be epic come march. so I suggest coming to san francisco.

[JStonebarger]

We visited Tuscon a few years back, and I'd love to again. My wife grew up in AZ, but I had never been. Different world and lots of great rides. Mt. Lemmon is the most obvious, but a week wasn't long enough to do them all.

[GregL]

Tucson

[joev]

Got to say Tucson! We've been here 15 yr from upstate NY. I can't think of a better spot to cycle in Feb/early March. Mid-Feb there is a chance of rain every so often and that makes it kind of exciting. Just this past Sunday I was trying to outrun a shower. Just splatter the frame a bit on the run back to the house. You can usually see the rain coming. I'd say early March is a little dryer. I've had friends come out in early March and we did catch a cold snap...40's.

Everyone focuses on Mt Lemmon but that goes to 9000' so you get back to the cold you want to avoid! If it does snow up there and you wait till it warms up, you fight the cars who rush to play in the snow. Folks mention wanting to go to Kitt Peak. That is high/cold too. Here, though, you don't get the crowds.

There are other great rides down in valley - Pistol Hill, Kinney through Saguaro West and McCain Loop, and Gates Pass. Even riding the Shoot-out route, minus the Shoot-out, is a great ride to the south on Mission Road to Green Valley. You can get a 70 mile ride on roads w/o too much traffic.

Got to come to Tucson in Feb/early March.

[HenryA]

Tucson!

Went last year and going back again this February, although I'll be riding the MTB.

[Tickdoc]

with all this rain in the bay area the wild flowers are going to be epic come march. so I suggest coming to san francisco.

I'm tempted to borrow a bike travel box and cash in some southwest points to do this. I'm way over due for as trip to the bay area and this year could be epic, with all the rain.

[Jgrooms]

Too much traffic in SoCal! Az, again.


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[carpediemracing]

My GF and I usually take a 4 or 5 day winter trip to somewhere warm to combat cabin fever. I'd love to have a few cycling options to present. San Diego / South California seems like an obvious option. Anyone have any favorites? We're flying out of the Northeast.

From 2004-2011 I went every year to the Carlsbad area for 10-26? days. It's North County, basically between San Diego and LA. I have a good friend there (my best man, former leadout teammate, and he even worked for me, so a good friend) and I stayed with him and his family.

Group rides all over the place - most are a bit fast for me to hang with since they go uphill here and there, but 40-50-100-whatever riders on a ride. Moderately wide shoulders on a lot of roads with specific bike marked shoulders. Races, even, by Feb. My big rides each trip were to Palomar Mountain (95-115mi round trip and lots of scenic stuff if that's your thing - it's not mine but even I stopped to look at stuff) or doing 5 hour rides up and down the PCH with some exploration loops thrown in there.

Temps range from freezing (top of Palomar) to 85-90 deg, once that was the range of temps on one ride. Bring all your gear.

Would fly to San Diego airport from Hartford.

Had the HD helmet cam for just one trip, 2011.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_o8CFeGG_g

[oldpotatoe]

My GF and I usually take a 4 or 5 day winter trip to somewhere warm to combat cabin fever. I'd love to have a few cycling options to present. San Diego / South California seems like an obvious option. Anyone have any favorites? We're flying out of the Northeast.

Tucson.

[NeauDL]

Texas Hellweek, March 11-18, Fredericksburg TX. www.hellweek.com.

[stuckinthecity]

Lots of Tucson recs! How does it compare to say, Sedona and areas north in the state as far as traffic goes and competition vs cars on the road?

[weisan]

Texas Hellweek, March 11-18, Fredericksburg TX. www.hellweek.com.

As some of you may already know, I am also planning a trip during that time. This is one of the rides I always wanted to do and it would be far more easier and closer to drive from Austin than to Tucson...but when I saw the picture on their website of cyclists all wrapped up in their warmers, cold, wet and windy, I thought to myself, I might as well stay home and ride in my usual hangouts in the Liberty Hills area, which is really not much different from the Hill Country area.

At the moment, Tucson is the leading contender on my list...

[HenryA]

Lots of Tucson recs! How does it compare to say, Sedona and areas north in the state as far as traffic goes and competition vs cars on the road?

Not a native, but generally it will be cooler both the farther north and higher in elevation you go. Last February I comfortably swam in an outdoor pool in Tucson, floating on my back looking up at palm trees and deep blue sky. Actually got sweaty riding. What a huge difference from shivering in snow and ice at home. And I don't even live in a place with bad winters.

These might help:

http://tucsonbikerentals.org/best-tucson-roadbike-rides/

https://www.visittucson.org/things-to-do/biking/road

http://www.bicycletucson.com/

[zmudshark]

Tucson is too cold, Phoenix is better, and likely easier to fly to.

Lodging is more in PHX, though.