poprad

I managed to do L'Eroica twice and the Alp D'Huez with several other alps peaks when I was living in Europe over the last 3 years. Needless to say I heartily second (third, fourth?) those choices mentioned earlier, the Alps are stunningly magnificent and heartbreakingly difficult. Tuscany was on a whole other plane.

When I manage to find a way to go back, my "white whale" is to manage the Marmotte:

Marmotte grandfondo 2015 | Bike Oisans

And then hit the Dolomites and the Ventoux. My capper would be the Raid Pyrennean, from the Atlantic to the Med, via the peaks:

Home - Raid Pyrenees

thinktubes 

I would love to ride the McKenzie Pass between Eugene and Bend in Oregon. It's 130 miles part of which goes through a lava field.

I've driven up and it's Fantastic!

poprad

That is a great climb, I recommend starting at the ranger station where 242 begins and take that up the climb to Sisters. That way you avoid the main highway and start on the wonderful 2 lane through the trees. I usually do that route early in the morning before the cars will be on that section.

An oft-missed but just as awesome ride in the same area is the Aufderheide; around 60 miles or so and once in mid summer I only had 3 cars go by the entire trip:

Oakridge to Rainbow (Aufderheide Memorial Drive) - Ride Oregon Ride

downtube42

I'm going to unsubscribe from this thread. I don't have time to ride all these great rides, and that's making me sad.

pastorbobnlnh 

I've been contemplating a ride from my house in NH, through Quebec, to St. John's, Newfoundland. Then maybe fly home, or take a ferry to Prince Edward Isalnd or Nova Scotia, ride on to New Brunswick, into Maine and then back home. It would be long stretches of wilderness through Quebec and Newfoundland.

By leaving in late May the days would grow to be pretty long so you could easily pedal 10-12 hours each day.

Sir_Name 

I have an open invitation to join a few coworkers May 2015 for a cyclist's trip to Italy to “ride the Giro mountain passes, past and present.”

Historically, the group tops 29k+ feet of climbing and brushes with the Giro throughout the trip. My plans to attend are not definite, but man is it an exciting and intimidating prospect.

Pompiere

This year, my wife and I took a trip to Alaska, including Denali National Park. The bus driver in Denali told us about their summer solstice tradition of taking their bikes on the bus to the end of the park road (92 miles) and riding back to the park entrance. To avoid vehicle traffic, they start at midnight, and try to be done when the park opens again in the morning. I would love to join them on one of these gravel adventures. I got a taste of it when I rented a Salsa Fargo in Skagway and rode the 10 miles over to Dyea. I am ready to go back, so maybe when I retire in a few years, I can get a summer job.

SvenMN 

iab: Thanks for the Firehouse 50 route pictures! Very nice to see what I missed while I was having fun suffering. I need to do an easy recon ride before I race it again. Several of the up-the-road pictures raised my heart rate (Lake Own road, road into finish). And thanks for a great thread... I am adding to my list!!

@Pompiere My wife and I are planning an Alaska trip in the next few years, including Denali. Now I will need to figure a way to get gravel tires on her Fuji SL-1 (or build her a vintage gravel bike ) Thanks for sharing.

scozim 

Got confirmation from my wife that we'll be in Maui for my father-in-laws 80th birthday celebration in August. I already have permission to rent a bike - good news #1 and plan on riding up the Haleakala volcano (bucket list ride) - great news #2 . Sea level to 10,000+ ft in 36 miles or so. @northbend has done it and I loved his photos from a couple of years ago. That gives me some reason to really start hitting the hills again now that the problematic nerve in my foot is gone.

rhm

A few years ago my family took a trip to the Lake of Constance region that included a lot of low-key cycling and an overnight expedition to the Fuela Pass over Davos, Switzerland. Our goal was to climb the Schwartzhorn, so no bikes on that. But I couldn't believe the number of road cyclists on the road up from Davos. Driving up, we were constantly waiting for a chance to pass individual cyclists and groups of all sizes. Coming back down, the cyclists were constantly passing us. It's a fabulous road, great surface, incredible scenery, but I'd be terrified to do it on a bike. Especially with the other road traffic. Honestly, I don't know whether I'd be more scared of the cars or the other bikes.

Google turned up this image, that is, I think, on that road. If not that one, one much like it:




But then again, I'm a wimp on descents. Coming down off Hawk Mountain in PA earlier this year, @nlerner said he could smell my burning brake pads the whole way down.

iab

If gravel is your thing, there are plenty of fire roads in the area. Go south of the race start 5-6 miles on hwy D. Go east on Pioneer Rd. In about a mile or two you will be in gravel heaven.

-holiday76

I'd like to ride across the USA, with my son and my father. The window for doing that is small and closing in the next 10 years or so most likely.

Here's a pic for you:



there are some other places I would like to ride as well. I'm not really into large organized rides, but I would ideally like to do some ride with perhaps 3-5 people that I like and have a bit of a roaming bike party.

Wildwood 

Beautiful buckets you guys can dream (and share), thanks! -- but for some of us, '5 rides a week' is all the bucket we can handle these days.

bici_mania

Natchez Trace, From Nashville to Natchez and back.
RAGBRAI
Galveston TX to Washington D.C.
Alpe d'huez
San Remo, Italy

whatwolf

Oregon Outback! Maybe 2016

D2R2 is planned for this August as well.

jimmuller 

I'd like to do a night circuit of ANP's Park Loop Road. Probably on the tandem. Maybe next September.

mechanicmatt

Truth is, anywhere with my brother. They've always been the most memorable.

* Anywhere in the Rockies in New Mexico and Colorado
* Going to the sun road in Glacier National Park, preferably off-season and early in the morning
* Seattle to Portland or vise versa.
* Col du Galibier, Alp d'Huez, Mont Ventoux
* Anywhere with that Andy Hampsten tour in Italy