bikerjp

Looking for a place to do some riding the last week of March. No money or time to go too far but was thinking there might be some good rides near the four corners area. Anyone done any good rides in this area? Looking for something in the 50 mile range obviously on paved roads. Saw some info on Mesa Verde area but looks like mostly mtb rides.

valygrl

Moab is great.

On the drive out or back, ride the Colorado National Monument (Nat'l park fee applies) in Grand Junction.

Around Moab:

Arches National Park - From Moab, out and back, lots of climbing, amazing scenery. (Nat'l park fee applies) DO all the out-and-back side roads to add more.

Canyonland National park/Dead Horse POint - park near 191 and 313, ride out and back up 313. You can do this from Moab if you want it to be longer. Pretty good amount of climbing, not steep. depending on if you go all the way, the park fee applies, or if you go to Dead Horse it's the state park fee.

From Moab, for a flat ride go west on Potash Road just north of town. Great scenery, totally flat, next to the river. Going east on 128 is possible too, but isn't that safe, it carries a bit of traffic, there's no shoulder and it's twisty.

For a big loop with a big climb (but only if the weather is good) ride the La Sal Mountain Loop - look up the route for the moab skinny tire century for a map.

South of town, for a rolling ride through amazing scenery (duh) with no services and little traffic, go to Neeles District / Indian Creek. Drive south of moab about 45 minutes, turn right on Hwy 211. You can park at Newspaper ROck parking lot (pit toilet, no services) and ride out to the end of the road at the park (Nat'l park entry fee applies at the very end), there's a visitor center out there with water. If you want longer, park before you get to newspaper rock, depending on where you park you will either drive down in to the valley or ride down into it, which means riding back up out at the end.

There's low budget pay camp sites on Potash Road, a few cheap motels in town, or for free camping there's BLM land around of Hwy 313 and south in the Needles district (Indian Creek).

All the park fees except Dead Horse are the National Park entry fee, save your receipt for the ones around Moab, I think they all use the same one (Arches, Canyonlands) and the receipt is good for a week.

Mesa Verde monument is great, but there's not much else around the Durango area that will be good in March. The four corners area itself has some spectacular desert scenery but it's really open and windswept and not really that ideal of a place for cycling. I think that's better explored by car.

bikerjp

Thanks for the suggestions. I never rode Moab but always thought it was mostly a mtb haven. Looks like the weather there is pretty average in March so might be my best, low budget option. That hwy 211 ride sounds pretty nice and looks like there are some campgrounds in the area.

eofelis 

Lots of good road rides in the Grand Junction area.

bikerjp

Thanks. Looks like I could spend a few fun days there. Any thoughts on what traffic is like? Friendly? Sparse? Is the Monument ride generally full of tourists looking everywhere but the road? That kind of stuff.

bikerjp

Duplicate.

eofelis 

I'm not sure what part of CO you are from, but compared to the front range area, traffic will be pretty light on most of road ride routes around Grand Junction. There will be some tourists driving the road on the Monument, but you will probably barely notice them. I've never had a problem riding that road.

Shifty

The Park Service requires that you use lights in the several tunnels in Colorado National Monument. Check rules before your ride and have proper equipment. It's a beautiful ride, don't miss it.

bikerjp

Grew up in CS but now live in Fort Collins. I don't like cars and do my best to avoid them. Around here I have a familiarity that make it a bit easier to enjoy a ride. Someplace where I don't know the drivers adds an element of stress for me - particularly tourists who seem the most clueless and on a scenic drive are watching everything BUT the road.

Anyway, thanks for the info. Sounds pretty stress-free out there and therefore perfect.

Completely OT, but how do you like your Gunnar Sport. I've come close to buying one a few times and then bail as seems a bit expensive for a steel frame (although I know it's cheap compared to others).

eofelis 

First, a follow up to Shifty's comment above, the Colorado National Monument is quite strict about lights on bikes, both front and rear. You don't need a big light, I have a set of tiny Spok lights and they work fine. But if you get caught above the tunnels without them it's $75 fine per light ($150 total). All the LBS here carry plenty of lights as they know this rule. The park entrance stations sometimes have loaner lights, but don't count on them.

On the Gunnar Sport: I really like mine. It's a tiny one, 41cm, and was a custom geometry frame. I think it's the OX Platunim tubing. It was a custom that was done for someone else but fits me pretty well. I got it on ebay - really cheap (~$200). I have a steel fork from a Surly Pacer on it. It's got a *sweet sweet* all day ride on it. Maybe not as quick as my carbon bike. I've done several centuries and big passes on it. Watch ebay, you can probably find one pretty cheap there.

bikerjp

Thanks for the tip on the lights. I read that and was planning to bring my lights. They are basic "get caught at dusk" lights but should work.

Also thanks for the info on the gunnar. I've got a steel bike in my future and just not sure yet what. Probably going to have to be a cheaper Soma or Surly type bike unless I can find a good deal.

eofelis 

I had a 42cm Surly Pacer before I got the Gunnar. Since my Pacer was so tiny my experience may be different than with a larger frame size, but it was a great little bike for all day rides. Not light and fast but very comfortable, stable and bombproof. Excellent for a $400 frame.

bikerjp

A 42? Wish I could ride a smaller frame. Might be able to squeeze into a 56 but I'm not that flexible anymore

I looked at a Cross-check locally but didn't care for the build. Thought about ordering just a frame and the price is certainly reasonable. Lately I've been really looking at Soma frames. The ES looks pretty nice. Still a Gunnar (or better yet a Waterford or Rivendell) would be great.