dannwilliams

Last year I spent the "winterVortex" trapped in Wisconsin. This year I hope to get away to a warmer locale for a few days of riding mid-winter. I have gone to Tucson in the past and enjoy the weather, and Mt. Lemmon. This year I am torn between going back there, or going to Texas Hill country. Which has me asking the question if you were to go anywhere warm this winter where would it be?

Biker395 

Not as warm as Tucson (winter high temperatures are typically in the 60s), but check this out ... this is in my backyard:

https://www.cyclingescapes.com/bicycl...p/roadbike.pdf

Trust me ... if you love to climb, you'd love the Santa Monicas.

zonatandem

Been living/riding in Tucson since 1978. A good place for winter riding.
Next time instead of Mt. Lemmon climb KItt Peak, just outside of Tucson.
TX hill country we are familiar with; by far the pretties part of TX but colder than Tucson.
Have ridden WI in the summer . . . a bit cooler (but much more humid) than Tucson summer riding!

rgc52

After 62 years at the Jersey Shore my wife and I are relocating to sunny southwest Florida(Estero). WE have been going there on vacation for years an love it there. my goal is to never touch a snow shovel again

Zinger

I liked San Diego when I lived there.

Kingpcgeek

I go outside. It was about 80 today here in the Valley of the Sun. Looking forward to turning off the home A/C this week.

Monoborracho

I live in the northern Hill Country of Texas and cycle all year long. We usually "go south" to Fredericksburg the week after Christmas.

bruised

I'll be watching this thread very closely...

It's been my ambition the escape the WI winter for several years, so far it hasn't happened...

I'm determined NOT to become the guy I saw who was shoveling his driveway wearing shorts.

tcs

That's the story we put out for Yankees. Keeps 'em all concentrated in one spot and prevents crowding and running up prices in our many other nice areas. Hill Country. Yep. Warm. Scenic. Charming. A web of fun little back roads. You'll love riding there.

cfcdjb

Man, we are so blessed! We have a home in Estero Florida where we will be going next week until March 2015, then we return to the frozen Indiana tundra. Cannot wait to go riding again in the 60's and 70's in the morning!

dbf73

Scottsdale and the Valley - visit my family and bike for the combo platter. Always ride by for a moment of silence at the site of my alma matter, the no-longer-existing Scottsdale HS.

trekmogul 

Right after Christmas we head off to the lovely island of Sri lanka in the indian ocean that lies only 2 degrees north of the equator. It is hot and humid all year round..Love that place..

Garfield Cat

Depending on your location, a significant factor is the airfare. Coming out to Southern California especially Los Angeles area is expensive in many ways unless you have accommodations that is practically free (a close relative).

Then there is the local travel time to get to those mountains. Yeah, Los Angeles is for those with deeper pockets.

JTGraphics

I'd agree depends on were you are, I'm in So. Cal. so winter is not really an issue just put a few more layers on and ride my normal routes.

Biker395 

Under $50/night at the Motel6 in Thousand Oaks (right where you want to be) with your AARP discount.

capejohn

I have been mixing it up alternating Eco Venao, Panama, and the Vina del Mar area of Chile. Both are inexpensive get away destinations. The winters are pretty mild on the south coast of Massachusetts usually only lasting from late January through February. About 5 weeks. A one or two week getaway annually is ideal.

Chile



Panama

ModeratedUser150120149

Front Range of Colorado. Miles of "trails" that actually are paved highways. Then, more miles of real trails. Nice crisp air with none of that need to be half fish due to humidity. Bike shops everywhere to support a bike friendly culture. Can live very cheaply or very expensively, depending on your taste and bank account.

Yes, it may snow for a day. But it is gone the next. All that hype about heavy snow is mainly in the mountains or further north.

DEN and CLS airports and Interstate highways make access relatively easy and inexpensive.

StephenH

Texas tends to be reasonably warm, at least rideable all winter, but you can't really guarantee any particular day. So if you come down on short notice, you can check the 10-day forecast and see what you're getting into. If you plan the trip out 6 months in advance, you may leave the frozen northlands only to wind up in the frozen southlands. Or the rainy southlands. Or the freezing rainy southlands.

I'm planning to try a brevet down in Brownsville this winter, for what that's worth.

Rick@OCRR

I live in SoCal, so once the chill of the morning warms up, it's pretty darn warm here year round. Plus, lots of good cycling opportunities, pretty much whatever type of riding you like.

Yes, the motor-traffic is bad (okay, not bad, it's horrible) . . . so stay off the freeways during rush hour. But, other than that, it's a great place for cycling. And, if you time it right, you can miss most of the really grid-locked traffic.

Still, it's nice to have a car (truck, etc.) here to get you up into the mountains to start road or off-road rides at altitude.

Rick / OCRR

John_V 

If you want warm and big hills, So. Cal but if you want warm and nice pleasant riding, Central Florida around the Orlando area. Lots of nice rollers in that area. Yes! It's November and we still have the A/C on.

Timtruro

Renting a house on Manasota Key in Florida for January through the first week in March. Then a few days in Fort Lauderdale and several in New Orleans, hope to get a jump on 2015 miles!

fietsbob

Unaffordable, fortunately its more wet than cold Here. last winter , separated by a few weeks, it only was cold enough to snow twice..


My 50th year, before I moved here, Touring, home dissolved to a storage bundle, of boxes and a musical instrument babysitter,

I met a fellow taking his winter off in Scotland , then end of the summer returned to his job, a back country guide in Ushuaia Argentina,
lived out of his backpack, I out of my panniers ..

theoretical, Australia and southern south america, ,but I have to control chronic Glaucoma and i'd rather not lose my eyesight.

smalltalk

Personally, I head right out my front driveway. But then I live in Southern California.

That said, I just got back from a quick trip to my native Midwest for a funeral, and do know the challenges of winter riding...

tcs

There's a reason the South Texas Valley more than doubles its population every winter. Average daily high in Dec-Jan-Feb is low- to mid-70s, avg. daily low is low- to mid-50s. I loved the palm trees blowing in the breeze and the green parrots on the telephone poles. It's dead flat. I was not there long enough, however, to discover which of the myriad of small agricultural lanes linked into pleasant cycling routes.

Oh, one last thing! Take your passport, if you have one, because you will be stopped (in Texas) and questioned by the Border Patrol at some point and the better USA ID you have the less time it takes.

StephenH

Several years ago, I did a ride from Alice, Texas, at the winter break. The day I rode, it was about 80 degrees, fairly humid, and I sweated about two gallons. I got to my motel, went to bed early. Next morning, I opened the motel door, it was about 40 degrees with a hard north wind. So one day can make a big difference! Later in the day, I was in Kingsville, it was in the upper 50's, but everyone in the fast food place had their big winter coats on.