Best place for vacation week + cycling in March?

[capybaras]

Moab sounds too cold. Where would you go the second week of March for scenery, mild weather, riding, etc.?

[Ray]

Moab sounds too cold. Where would you go the second week of March for scenery, mild weather, riding, etc.?
Southern Arizona, between Tucson and the border, taking in Bisbee, Tombstone, Sierra Vista, etc. Not all of it is scenic, but plenty is, and the weather should be pretty nice in mid-March. You might still get a cold morning and you might already get a scorching mid-day, but pretty nice in general if I remember my seasons correctly down there. By mid-April it's getting HOT by my current standards, but mid March should be OK.

-Ray

[sw3759]

Texas Hell Week is the original, and is now looking at its 18th anniversary in 2008 (March 15-22). Located in Fredericksburg TX, over 325 riders have been coming to this German hamlet for some of the best rural riding this side of Eden.


Scott

[DarrenCT]

Texas Hell Week is the original, and is now looking at its 18th anniversary in 2008 (March 15-22). Located in Fredericksburg TX, over 325 riders have been coming to this German hamlet for some of the best rural riding this side of Eden.


Scott

im interested. have u done this before?

[sw3759]

DarranCT,
not personally but several members on this board have i think.hopefully they will chime in,great area to ride.weather could go either way that time of year.i hope to do it this year though..

Scott

[mso]

Mid March should be nice in Southern AZ. We'll be heading down in March for 3 weeks. If you like to climb take in Mt. Lemmon and Kitt Peak. Possibly Southern New Mexico the Silver City area is another option, however, March might be a little early.

[Brendan Quirk]

+1 for Fredricksburg. The riding around there is outstanding. The drivers are courteous. You're close enough to San Antonio, Austin, + Houston to do some great sight-seeing. And how much do you love great mexican food?

And last time i checked vrbo.com has plenty of houses you can rent. Lots of B&B's too.

Also, the Nimitz museum rocks. How crazy is it that one of the greatest American admirals came from Hill Country?

Highly recommended choice.

[97CSI]

Cloudcroft, NM. Great area for riding (very scenic in the mountains with wonderful valleys) and terrific food.

[Jeff N.]

Solvang, California. Jeff N.

[aLexis]

im interested. have u done this before?

I've never done hell week, but can second all the great comments about the riding in that area. Narrow country roads w/ few if any cars. Cows lying on the side of the road. Lots of climbing, not mountain pass type stuff, but overall feet of climbing rack up quick out there.

And like Brendan said, be sure to check out the museum.
http://www.nimitz-museum.org/

[DarrenCT]

I've never done hell week, but can second all the great comments about the riding in that area. Narrow country roads w/ few if any cars. Cows lying on the side of the road. Lots of climbing, not mountain pass type stuff, but overall feet of climbing rack up quick out there.

And like Brendan said, be sure to check out the museum.
http://www.nimitz-museum.org/

wowzaa!

sounds good to me!

[bzbvh5]

First, the good: Great riding on country roads. Enough hills to satisfy any desires you may have for them as well. Go eat at the Hilltop Cafe, the food is better than what you would expect when you see the converted store and gas station.

Now the bad: Bring a friend. By the fourth day, no one shows up at the starting location and you'll more than likely end up riding alone. It's pretty much, pay the money, get the maps and do your own thing. You cell phone will not always have reception.

[Ken Robb]

it will probably be lovely in San Diego then. You can spend some time near the coast then drive 1.5 hours east and be in Borrego Springs for the real desert experience.

[Bob Ross]

+1 (or wait, I guess we're up to +2 already) for Tucson AZ. For the past two years my wife & I have gone to Tucson for a week of cyling in mid/late February, and it has been fabulous for jump-starting our cycling fitness as well as our overall enthusiasm for riding.

Fabulous weather, fabulous scenery, fabulous terrain (you want climbing, they've got 27-mile-long Mt Lemmon; you want flats, they've got 100 mile loops of the city w/ less than 500' elevation gain), & the city is filled with hundreds of fabulously friendly cyclists who will all, without fail, wave to you.

We're going again in exactly 4 weeks!

[superunleaded]

Solvang, California. Jeff N.

+1

and if you decide to go a week earlier, you might as well ride the Solvang Century... and you better book your room now if you plan to go

[mso]

Cloudcroft, NM. Great area for riding (very scenic in the mountains with wonderful valleys) and terrific food.


Tell me about Cloudcraft.

I saw a good climb listed in the area and spending a month in Silver City in April. Going to be in Sliver for the Gila Classic Stage Race. Then heading north. Is Cloudcraft a place to spend sometime? We love hiking and biking :)

[Fixed]

swoops crib imho
cheers

[Climb01742]

santa barbara. solvang. los olivos.

[Crazy Chris]

Tucson and points south will be quite windy in spring, as it is here in SW Colorado. The ride from Bisbee to Sonoita can be quite a chore as you head west. Warmish, but windy. It's all in your mind. Sure.

[Fixed]

Tucson and points south will be quite windy in spring, as it is here in SW Colorado. The ride from Bisbee to Sonoita can be quite a chore as you head west. Warmish, but windy. It's all in your mind. Sure.


bro you can catch the stage for yuma in bisbee but be there around 3
cheers imho

[Pete Serotta]

Steve has the answer and it is wonderful (but sold out this year.) I liked it so much that two other guys from RALEIGH are going.... I told them there are NO hills and the elevation is all down hill... (BUT PLENTY OF WINE and GOOD COMPANY)
Moab sounds too cold. Where would you go the second week of March for scenery, mild weather, riding, etc.?

[97CSI]

Tell me about Cloudcraft.

I saw a good climb listed in the area and spending a month in Silver City in April. Going to be in Sliver for the Gila Classic Stage Race. Then heading north. Is Cloudcraft a place to spend sometime? We love hiking and biking :)

Here is their official website. http://www.cloudcroft.net/

Is a nice small town in the mountains. The local roads are in decent shape and not very busy. One of them (132?) is my favorite Porsche road. Winds through one of the wide valleys along a river and plenty of ups and downs. Keeps you busy with heel-&-toe driving and arms busy turning the wheel and shifting gears. Just as nice on a bike, but a bit less of an adrenaline rush. Great hiking, many unpaved roads that are ideal for MTB riding, Carlsbad Caverns is a short drive away. And Guadaloupe mountain is a great view from the south side if you feel like a day in El Paso, which is also a city with lots to offer in the way of getting a feel for another country. Ruidoso is just a short ride north of Cloudcroft and is the local 'big city'. Lots of restaurants and whatever as it is the local 'snowbird' capital. If you are looking for a nice place to stay, the Apache hotel/casino/resort outside of Ruidoso is very nice. Stunning setting along a small river and quite well done. If I could get my wife away from the grandkids we would retire to the area. But, will have to settle for our week in Taos in March, for now.

[capybaras]

Thanks for all the great suggestions! You people are cool.

[fiamme red]

The name "Hell Week" turns me off. Stupid name.