Training & Nutrition - Ideal exercise/training area in the USA???...

I'm in need of some valued opinions from all the wonderful US residents that post on these boards...

I'm a professional soccer player in England looking to train in the USA during the off-season.

Where is the ideal place in America for me to setup camp & go riding in your opinion???. I have already singled out The Catskill Mountains in New York State & The Pocono Mountains region located in northeastern Pennsylvania as possible training venues.

If you guys had to choose (US Residents) where would your ideal training spot be on your great land???...

Maui - Can't beat it. You've got the long climb up Haleakala to 10,001 feet (32 miles if you start at sea level). You can camp at the 7,000 foot level if you want altitude training. The Road to Hana is a whole bunch of climbs in and out of valleys along the coast, same with the back road to Lahaina. Nice network of roads in Upcountry as well. The back road to Hana is nice if you want to ride cyclecross type conditions. There are places in the saddle region where you can get a major workout against headwinds. If you're really tough you can ride the back road up Haleakala from Polipoli state park (where you can also camp at the 6,000 foot level) - doable on a cyclecross bike but I wouldn't take a road bike this way. On top of this it is some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere. Period. Oh, did I mention the nice weather? And did I mention the nice beaches?

I miss Colorado's Front Range, specifically Boulder. Lots of outdoor culture. Lots of riding.

It depends on what you like. There are quite a few places that are excellent. Also it depends on the time of year. I mean Madison WI and a great place but unless you are doing cross country skiing, January is not the time to go there.

Actually, much of Florida is good for the Nov - March time frame. I have heard good things about San Diego CA, Boulder Co, Durango Co, Sante Fe, NM, Madison WI, Traverse City MI, Athens GA, and many others. It is a big country and there are many excellent places.

When is the off season? What sort of training do you have in mind? If we're talking winter, we're talking South. You need
to pick the place very carefully in the South, road riding can be quite dangerous in some places.

You might want to also look at Spain and the Carribean, Guadalupe perhaps.

Oakland/San Fransisco area is good. Marin County. Easy to get off the main roads and there are a lot of riders on the hilly ones, which is a big help because cars are used to them. The culture should seem reasonable to a European.

New Mexico? High altitude and lots of mountains.