Touring - Riding through Arizona and New Mexico in July?

I'm back with another question about my summer route across the country. My trip starts in San Francisco the 2nd week of June and I am riding down the coast to Los Angeles for the first leg of trip (copying the Aids Ride route). I then plan on riding to San Diego to begin my east bound trek across the country eventually ending up in New York City. My question: In July, am I nuts to think I can ride the early mornings in places like El Centro, CA, Welton AZ, Gilabend, AZ, Apache Junction AZ (avoiding the Anza-Borrego Dessert State Park) My goal is to slowly make my way north and hook up with the old route 66 heading east. I am going solo and staying in motels along the way. Can somebody give me a reality check? (P.S. I love my new Trek520)

Well I toured the Keys during July and the interior of south Florida during June with 100+ temps and most say the humid heat is worse than dry heat.The key is I live and ride in So. Fl. so become acclimated to the heat.Still avoiding the midday heat with predawn starts is a good strategy as is staying hydrated.Is a more direct northerly route an option? You can still get you kicks in Idaho I would imagine.

My question: In July, am I nuts to think I can ride the early mornings in places like El Centro, CA, Welton AZ, Gilabend, AZ, Apache Junction AZ

I don't think you'll enjoy that ride much, with the sun in your face as you travel early to beat the heat. At least you'll have high elevation and low humidity through much of AZ and NM. But face it: Albuquerque NM, even at 5000 ft, still averages in the 90s in July. Somewhere along the way, that adage "It's not the heat, it's the humidity" starts to lose significance. And then, when you're past New Mexico and drop into the midwest, you'll find that the weather is "No more Mr. Nice Guy", because you'll still be riding in 90s temps but with drenching humidity added in.

You probably have a good reason to go south to San Diego first, but for comfort, I think you'd be much better off heading to higher latitudes straightaway. Compared to Albuquerque, Cheyenne, Wyoming averages in the 80s in July, and you have more than ½ hour extra daylight that far north. Starting before daybreak, you have a fighting chance to ride comfortably. In the midwest and east the humidity is unavoidable, so be prepared to sweat. Still, do try to get north as soon as possible once you're east of the Rockies. Route 66 does accomplish that, but I'd rather see you well north of that slab before you hit the midwest.

reality check: as long as you're properly trained and acclimated
to the heat, you should have no problem with this route.
sunscreen, helmet, and staying hydrated are most important.

The heat will be really hard on you. You're going to need to think your water supply situation real good. I would stay north!

I wouldn't do it, but as another poster said, the important thing is to get trained/acclimatised... for it.

You need to train your body, but you also need to try a few self-contained outings to know how prepared your equipment is. How much water should you carry around? Have you enough water to stay on even if you are delayed by technical problems, etc.

I would also get a good generator-based lighting system + LED-based headlight and taillights and be prepared to ride at the wee hours. Riding from 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. would feel like the "less horrible" alternative.

thanks for all the tips! sounds like being well trained and acclimated to the heat is my best option. No, I know I have not picked the best route, but I am somewhat already locked into heading south from San Francisco. Once past San Diego, I will try to get north as quickly as possible to either hook up with Route 66 or Adventure Cycyling's transamerica route--where is picks up in Kansas I suppose. I am also trying to recruit a friend or two that could possibly be my support vehicle through the ruff spots in Arizona and New Mexico. I will also looking into the generator-based lighting system for the early morning rides--but how fun is is to ride in the dark?
As for simulating heat and humidity I'm not sure how my gym would approve of me bringing my bike trainer into the sauna. How does one train for something like this in the spring in Manhattan?

If you begin at first light (~5am), riding the desert should be glorious. You could put in a day's ride by 10am and beat most of the heat. I agree, you'd miss what you came to see if you ride in the dark, and fixing a flat at night isn't a fun thing. Neither would coming up on a rattlesnake without more than a headlight's worth of advance warning.

(Question for anyone here: by morning, has the pavement's warmth dissipated so that the rattlers attracted to it earlier are no longer congregated there?)

i've done lots of desert riding, 100-mile days in 105+ heat.
once you're used to the heat, you'll feel like you're freezing
early in the morning, riding in a chilly 65-70 degrees.
never considered riding at night. even with lights, drivers are
not likely to see you. and you miss the scenery which is the
point of cycling. might as well go greyhound.

from cycling in oz, i found snakes appear on the road in
the mornings, as the blacktop heats up quicker than
the surrounding areas. they remain until it gets too hot
for comfort, usually 9am-ish.

I'm not trying to discourage you but I have to echo some thoughts on your chosen route. Saddlesores has got the right idea. Riding at the early am hours in the desert is extremely dangerous in Southern California and Arizona. Drivers are going way past the speed limit and at those hours, their reaction time is bound to be slower. I ride summer mornings here in inland SoCal and it's tough after 10:00 am. There is only one way to beat the heat and that's to get used to riding in it which takes some time.

I ride in the Arizona Desert and the hours between 4:00 AM and 10:00 AM are wonderful riding. No one is out in my experience and if they are I can see them in my rearview miles away. I have done 80 mile rides in July and August before without a problem. Starting at 9:00 the heat starts to get pretty fierce and by 10:00 you better be looking for a place to hunker down that has water. Waterstops are the problem I would think with summer touring as many of the old gas stations out in the middle of nowhere are not there anymore. There can be very long distances between water sources better call ahead and make sure all your oasis is still there and open at the time you will be there. I drink about 1.5 to 2 quarts an hour when the temp goes up. Many of the stores in Apache Jct. don't open until later in the morning (8:00 AM) so you would need to plan on that. The desert is alive from 4:00 AM (sunrise is 4:30 in summer) to when it gets hot. After the heat sets in all you can hear are the cicadas. Anyway, the key to desert heat riding is just to be very careful, plan conservatively and chug the water down (remembering your electrolytes of course). I know somepeople who ride in the early evening but I like the quiet roads of the early mornings plus it can still be over 100 at 9:00 PM here so morning is definitely my time. I once heard of someone who overdressed on their bike to simulate heat training. Never had the need of extra clothes to heat train here! In August Arizona has a weather pattern we call the Monsoons. If you happen to have one of the big thunderstorms sweep your way it can drop the temperature 20 degrees in minutes and if you don't mind riding in rain then you could make some miles then too (The puddles on the road are the temperature of warm bath water). Just be careful of the dust storms which can drop visibility to 0 in seconds.

In Apache Jct. in the summer you can expect 4:00 AM temps to be in the upper 80s to 90s depending on the weather system. I have seen it in the 70's on occasion but that is rare. At least we get winter riding as an exchange for the summer inconvenience!

My general rule of thumb is that I won't ride more than an hour in 105+ heat.

Can somebody give me a reality check? (P.S. I love my new Trek520)

I think most people who don't cycle will call anyone riding bikes crazy. My wife and I will be following your Pacific coast line into the area you are asking about later in the year (November-December). We intend to start in Alberta in July and head South South West. We'll be towing our daughter, too. You should hear what our colleagues are saying. And guess what? We'll love every hot, cold, windy, rainy, rattlesnake threatening, cougar attacking, bandito mugging, mosquito infested minute of it. Just do it!
(P.S. I just ordered a Cannondale T2000 for the trip. It had the things the Marinoni Turismo did not, especially the low gearing and Brooks Professional seat. Now I have to wait 'till June to pick it up! I can't wait!) Greetings!

Sounds like you will have to adjust to the heat on the trip as you ride south and then into the desert.Just don't try to push too far too fast as I beleve it will take several weeks to fully adjust to riding in those conditions.Perhaps you could take some time in San Diego to get use to the heat and as I'm not real familiar with the west coast I don't know if that will even prepare you fully for the desert.My concern is if you need to gradually increase your milage while guarding against overheating you may need to stop before a convenient motel etc. so it would seem to me having the camping option would be nice if not having your friends help out would seem a good idea.Like I said I haven't riden in the desert but I have ridden in a hot muggy vast ecosystem extensively (the everglades)and I really like starting a hour or so before dawn and experience the dawn breaking on the bike.I will usu. then ride until the midday heat starts becoming too much and trying to find a shady or indoor stop to rest and recuperate ideally with plenty of food and water .I like to get on the bike again later in the day and ride until near sunset when I find a place to stay and pretty well crash out for the night soon after.Like Paul said around sunrise and sunset are when things seem really alive but like artic says just plan smartly and do it you will quickly find what works best for you.

Sounds like you will have to adjust to the heat on the trip as you ride south and then into the desert.Just don't try to push too far too fast as I beleve it will take several weeks to fully adjust to riding in those conditions.Perhaps you could take some time in San Diego to get use to the heat and as I'm not real familiar with the west coast I don't know if that will even prepare you fully for the desert.My concern is if you need to gradually increase your milage while guarding against overheating you may need to stop before a convenient motel etc. so it would seem to me having the camping option would be nice if not having your friends help out would seem a good idea.Like I said I haven't riden in the desert but I have ridden in a hot muggy vast ecosystem extensively (the everglades)and I really like starting a hour or so before dawn and experience the dawn breaking on the bike.I will usu. then ride until the midday heat starts becoming too much and trying to find a shady or indoor stop to rest and recuperate ideally with plenty of food and water .I like to get on the bike again later in the day and ride until near sunset when I find a place to stay and pretty well crash out for the night soon after.Like Paul said around sunrise and sunset are when things seem really alive but like artic says just plan smartly and do it you will quickly find what works best for you.

sorry for the long delay in getting back to everbody. it seems the concensus is that this route can be done provided that I acclimate myself to the temperature, and train accordingly (perhaps by training a few days in San Diego before hitting AZ and NM) I am trying to convince a buddy of mine in AZ to drive with me in exchange for free food and lodging (however, I'm not too sure how exciting that will be for him driving 15 miles per hour in the dessert). It sounds like riding at 4am is a spectacular experience and that I could conceivable get 4-5 hours of riding (60-80miles) in before it gets too hot--I suppose that leaves me with an entire day to lay low, recuperate, and explore the towns that I stay in. I will certainly be cautious of the early morning drivers and ride accordingly. As for preparing myself here in New York City, I will try to wear extra clothes while training and see how that goes but I don't think there is any way to recreate dessert conditions in the spring in NYC. Can anybody recommend any bike clubs in AX, NM, or Southern California, that may give me further advice or even possibly hook me up with other riders who are planning trips in July in these areas?

San Diego never gets hot enough to help you out. You'll have to head inland a ways. But other than that you've got about the best plan. BTW your buddy wouldn't have to drive 15 mph. He could give you a head start and then catch up - you don't need him shadowing you. You could ride for a couple of hours meet someplace and restock your food & water he could look at stuff while you start off and he'd catch you again in a couple of hours - just a thought.

Joe

What you should do is go to Anza Borrego and ride on the roads around there. On the 56.

What you should do is go to Anza Borrego and ride on the roads around there. On the 56.

A friend who has done this route told me to ride South of Anza Borrego since I might be doing this unsupported and I would need to plan a route that has me in a town every 60-80 miles. Have you ridden alone through the Anza in July?

Can anybody recommend any bike clubs in AX, NM, or Southern California, that may give me further advice or even possibly hook me up with other riders who are planning trips in July in these areas?

I don't know if I'll be riding anywhere in July (probably not), but if I am close to your route I'd be happy to track you down bringing cold beers. I live in Tucson, about an hour or so (by car) off of the southern tier route.

I'm back with another question about my summer route across the country. My question: In July, am I nuts to think I can ride the early mornings in places like El Centro...

Hello Sommers. :)

I am sorry if I will repeat something already said before. I think riding in Arizona and New Mexico in the summer can be a wonderful experience. I wouldn't be afraid to do so. Riding in the end of July through Mojave Desert and Block Rock desert in Nevada, showed me that the heat is not at all unhandable... compared to the cold weather.

The way I dealed with sun is with using plenty of sun block screen on the exposed parts of the skin (holes in sandals, arms) :D, and wearing BRIGHT clothes. That is one major thing that is necessary. I also had a bright color silver helmet that had a sun screen which kept the face in the shade.

The riding will be different, you may not have as much power, but at the same time you enjoy the cooler evening and showers more.

So, I would say, great route and should nothing discourage you from riding in those wonderful places.

Good luck.

Sommers as to NYC training I would just try to get in as good shape as possible because the heat really drains your energy.I actually use an loose unbuttoned light colored synthetic dress shirt when I ride in the sun over a lightweight tank jersey(again loose fitting).The collared shirt while warm keeps the sun off my arms and neck and I hold it in place with a fannypack.I also sometimes drape a bandana around my helmet to hang down around the sides of my face as a sunblocking measure(I soak this with water at every opportunity).And a large pair of sunglasses shade much of the rest of my face.
As to the adjusting at least you will be gradually heading south to start so this will help.And remember the adjustment to the heat takes place both on and off the bike.I think one thing you can do is avoid air- conditioning as much as possible up to and also during your ride.Its really funny here in Florida people turn up the ac during summer and drive around in air-conditioned cars and the moment the step outside they endlessly complain about the unbearable heat which they never become acclimated to. Also pay attention to your diet in particular the importance of hydration and electrolyte minerals during strenuous heat-related activities. Good luck and you can do it(actually I wish I was doing it lol)

Have you ridden alone through the Anza in July?

I haven't. There are roads that will help you train on The 56 might be a good start, There are some routes in a book called Cycling San Diego

Sommers as to NYC training I would just try to get in as good shape as possible because the heat really drains your energy.I actually use an loose unbuttoned light colored synthetic dress shirt when I ride in the sun over a lightweight tank jersey(again loose fitting).The collared shirt while warm keeps the sun off my arms and neck and I hold it in place with a fannypack.I also sometimes drape a bandana around my helmet to hang down around the sides of my face as a sunblocking measure(I soak this with water at every opportunity).And a large pair of sunglasses shade much of the rest of my face.
As to the adjusting at least you will be gradually heading south to start so this will help.And remember the adjustment to the heat takes place both on and off the bike.I think one thing you can do is avoid air- conditioning as much as possible up to and also during your ride.Its really funny here in Florida people turn up the ac during summer and drive around in air-conditioned cars and the moment the step outside they endlessly complain about the unbearable heat which they never become acclimated to. Also pay attention to your diet in particular the importance of hydration and electrolyte minerals during strenuous heat-related activities. Good luck and you can do it(actually I wish I was doing it lol)

thanks for the encouragement and tips! Despite the fact that all my friends think I have gone of the deep end for subjecting myself to a southern route in July, I agree that I think it is doable. I am bit concerned that I might have been overly optimistic with the distances I hope to cover each day (I have to be in D.C on a certain date to finish the trip with a group of riders) during my ride. There is not much AC to aviod just yet in NYC but I will stay clear of it in June when the heat starts to kick in. I am training reasonably hard now, riding about 150-200 miles a week and cross training--running and weights, and will start increasing my mileage as I move closer to my departure date in mid-June. What is the recommended training regimen for miles/week to prepare for a cross country trip? Everyone is telling me that there is no real way to recreate riding 80-100 consecutive days when you can't take that much time off work. The best I can do is maybe take a Monday off and ride Saturday, Sunday, and Monday averaging 75 a day, I suppose.

Sounds to me like your on the right track training I don't think you need to recreate the ride just build a good base at perhaps 50-60% of your intended daily milage with a few larger rides approaching your intended daily milages thrown in.As your fitness improves you can gradually extend the distance of both your base and distance rides.And perhaps a shakeout short tour or two if you haven't toured before to get the feel for things.You are probably doing more than most crosscountry riders training wise now as is.But keep in mind in your training/planning the heat will affect the milages you can cover daily as well as the days off for recovery you may need.

Sounds to me like your on the right track training I don't think you need to recreate the ride just build a good base at perhaps 50-60% of your intended daily milage with a few larger rides approaching your intended daily milages thrown in.As your fitness improves you can gradually extend the distance of both your base and distance rides.And perhaps a shakeout short tour or two if you haven't toured before to get the feel for things.You are probably doing more than most crosscountry riders training wise now as is.But keep in mind in your training/planning the heat will affect the milages you can cover daily as well as the days off for recovery you may need.

I feel good about my training so far and I am getting more confident each week. I intend to buy my rear paniers next week to begin getting used to panniers. I am also taking a bike repair class at my LBS in two weeks. I have given myself 52 days to go from San Francisco to New York leaving SF on June 18th and arriving in New York on August 8th. I intend to average about 75-100 miles a day with single rest days falling every 4-5 days. Since I plan on riding mostly in the early mornings I am hoping to recuperate for the next days ride in the downtime I will have in the afternoons of each days ride. Based on other cross country rides I have researched on the web, it seems people have crossed the country anywhere from 42-60 days depending on the route and support. Since I am taking a slight detour at the start by going south to LA I might have to add some days to take account of the shorter rides I will inevitably have to ride through Souther CAL, AZ and NM because of the heat. I decided against riding through Nevada and Utah alone and unsupported. However, there is a chance the LA ride may fall through and I can consider heading north from San Francisco into Oregon to connect with Adventure Cycling Transamerica route as it descends from Seattle--but I'm not sure how much time that would save me since I will have the Rockies to contend with.

you'll be staying in motels each night, so you won't be carrying tent, cooking gear, etc.
as you won't be carrying all that extra weight, you should be able to average at least 15mph -
in terms of a day's ride leaving at 7am, you'll have covered 75 miles by noon.

you'll have extra water weight, but that disappears quickly. remember the sunscreen. you can
get a large bottle of 45 spf at wally world for under $7.

not a lot of rain out here, and with low population density, roads are not cleaned often.
county dot picks up large debris and dead critters, but you may find lotsa small road hazards
on the shoulder. especially bits of wire from auto steel belts.

on tours, i hate to fix flats. if running for example 700x35, i'll take an old set of thinner tires,
700x32, cut off the wire bead and slip into the larger tire. then take old inner tubes, cut
off stems and slit the inner circumference, wrap 'em around the new tubes. adds a small
amount of weight, worth it in flat prevention.

have fun! stop and say howdy if in nm/az you come across a bob trailer with a yellow skunk flag.

thanks to everybody for your advice about traveling this Southern route in the summer. In then end, my SF and LA plans fell through, and I have decided to go with Adventure Cycling's Transamerica route but leaving out of Seattle instead of Astoria, Oregon. I figure for my first tour ever on a bike I'd rather not have to worry about 110 degree weather if I don't have to--don't worry, I know I will encounter plenty of hot days in the midwest and the east. From Seattle, it looks like I will be taking route 90 over the Cascade Mountains to hook up with the Transamerica route in Pendleton, Oregon. I wish I could do the Oregon coast but I need to be in NY on certain date and I don't think I will have the time. Once again, thanks for all the tips on desert riding--I will certainly keep it in mind for when I brave the South West in the future.