Current road riding in Southern Colorado?

[pmac]

It's spring break next week, I'd like to get out of town for a change of scenery and my usual hotels in the Big Bend area are all full. Is it realistic to expect reasonable road riding conditions in southern Colorado? Hoping to get some feedback from people who live there or have been there very recently.

Thanks, Paul

[DRietz]

Haven't been recently but the weather in Durango should be pretty nice this time of year, and the road riding out there is nothing to shake a stick at!

[jchasse]

Roads are in pretty good shape in the Durango area. We're getting into prime training season for the Iron Horse Classic, so there are a lot of bikes out on the road. Sunny and getting close to 60 in the afternoons. You could easily ride North to Purgatory. Not sure what the passes north of there look like, but I'm pretty sure you could ride to Silverton. (It was looking OK 3 weeks ago, and I'd guess it's better now)

You could also head west toward Mesa Verde NP, or up the Dolores River Valley.

[dustyrider]

Spring is a fickle thing in Colorado! Just last week we got like 4-6 inches of snow and it was gone by 4pm. I'm in grand junction and today is absolutely perfect for riding while Monday was a complete wind fest the likes of which made just walking around unbearable.

My break is in 2 weeks and I'm hoping for sunny windless days, but realistically expecting anything! Worse case you can always head into Utah or a little further south to Arizona.

[pmac]

Thanks for the info. The weather is predicted to remain good, so I guess that's where I'm going.

[nate2351]

Durango is a great town for riding out of, plus it's a college town so it's got some life too it.

Lots of dirt road up in the mountains, but be ready for thick mud if they are wet.