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Good Place to Ride in Early March? - not too far from Wisconsin

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Good Place to Ride in Early March? - not too far from Wisconsin

Old 12-22-09, 02:45 PM
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Good Place to Ride in Early March? - not too far from Wisconsin

I have the first week of March off and am looking to drive to do some road riding. California, Arizona, and Florida are out because they are too far from Wisconsin. I would be willing to drive up to 15 hours. Any ideas on a good place to ride with decent weather and roads? Thanks!
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Old 12-22-09, 02:51 PM
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Your looking for someone to predict the weather 1,000 miles from your home in March?

Get some warm clothes and ride where you live.

Fly to a warmer area.

That is not much help, I know.
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Old 12-22-09, 02:55 PM
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Buy a jacket and some gloves.

Ride for 15 hours+ in Wisconsin and buy me a coffee next time for saving you all that time...
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Old 12-22-09, 03:53 PM
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Georgia, Kentucky, Arkansas should all provide some nice weather and nice roads within your 15 hour limit.
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Old 12-22-09, 03:55 PM
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South Carolina - beautiful, cheap, all terrains, fab weather and maybe within 15 hrs.
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Old 12-22-09, 03:57 PM
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Western North Carolina unless there is a cold front.
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Old 12-22-09, 04:11 PM
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I went down to North Carolina, North of Asheville the first week of March this year, it was great riding in the 70s for most of the week.
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Old 12-22-09, 04:26 PM
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Originally Posted by sced
South Carolina - beautiful, cheap, all terrains, fab weather and maybe within 15 hrs.
SC is pretty nice, though when I lived there I was scared just to drive on the roads, let alone ride. Not everyone there drives like an idiot but a good majority near Charleston do, and that was after I lived near LA so I have a good basis for knowing how idiots drive.
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Old 12-22-09, 04:44 PM
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Originally Posted by bretthammy
SC is pretty nice, though when I lived there I was scared just to drive on the roads, let alone ride. Not everyone there drives like an idiot but a good majority near Charleston do, and that was after I lived near LA so I have a good basis for knowing how idiots drive.
While not a native, I live in the Upstate and am pretty pleased with the courtesy shown towards riders out on country roads, of which there are lots. You do have to look out for teenagers, people backing out of driveways, and on cell phones, but that's pretty much everywhere. George Hincapie lives and trains here, and the US Pros are held here, so it is very much a biking community.

Did I forget to say we have great weather?
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Old 12-22-09, 06:09 PM
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My wife and I went camping/biking in the Ozarks in Missouri at the end of March last year. It was pretty nice -- some flowers and leaves starting to show, temperatures in the 50s-60s in the day (30s at night). Nice hills, good roads.
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Old 12-22-09, 07:14 PM
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Originally Posted by JohnDThompson
My wife and I went camping/biking in the Ozarks in Missouri at the end of March last year. It was pretty nice -- some flowers and leaves starting to show, temperatures in the 50s-60s in the day (30s at night). Nice hills, good roads.

This and/or southern Illinois. It's nicer weather than you'd think and more hills than you'd think. You won't find any epic mountains or anything, but for very little money you'll find reasonable hotels, good food and mostly open roads.
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Old 12-22-09, 07:54 PM
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Originally Posted by bretthammy
SC is pretty nice, though when I lived there I was scared just to drive on the roads, let alone ride. Not everyone there drives like an idiot but a good majority near Charleston do, and that was after I lived near LA so I have a good basis for knowing how idiots drive.
That's not my experience at all. I used to live in Mt Pleasant just across the Cooper River from Charleston, and I used to bike up US 17 sometimes almost to Myrtle Beach and back, and also out to the Isle of Palms, spend a day at the Windjammer - the old corrugated pre-Hugo tin shack - drinking beer, then bike back home. Never had any problem with drivers there.

Never had any problem with drivers in LA, either.

Rhode Island/Boston? That's another kettle of fish. Northern VA, too. Lots of really, really impatient drivers in those areas.

As for where you can drive to from Wisconsin, in 15 hours, in March, that will be warm? I can't see any "definitely warm" destinations within reach. Maybe you can get to Tennessee/Arkansas/northern Texas, but to guarantee warmth at that time of year you've probably got to get farther south than that.

Heck, I wouldn't even bet that South Carolina on the coast will be "warm" without a solid definition of what you want "warm" to be.
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Old 12-23-09, 07:34 AM
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Define "warm"

It all depends upon your definition of "warm" and when you're travelling. By March, from about mid US down, you'll see nice spring weather (30-60 temp range and, of course, possibility of rain). I used to routinely fly from Milwaukee to Nashville. I always looked at that area as about a month extension--they got spring 4-6 weeks earlier than us and winter cold hit about 4-6 wks later.

I biked Louiville this October and it was cold (30-50), but it was unusual for them. Got back to Milwaukee and had 5 more, warmer weeks of riding, but it was unusual for us.

Heck, I've been in Tucson in March where the temp was in the 100's; other years, I stood shivering in a car port until the hail stopped. Winter is, at best, unpredictable.

Pick a spot you want to ride that is 15 hours and southerly and take your chances. Mother Nature may or may not assist.
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Old 12-23-09, 08:44 AM
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Slacker. Real Wizconsinites embrace the cold.....year round.

In march we're usually racing in spotty weather but youcould easily don some arm warmers and such and hit some of the great riding in Southern Cheeselandia. Mt. Horeb/Blue Mounds - glacial area. Keep in mind that if Chicago had landed the olympics that the road race was going to be on those roads - and was to be considered the most difficult course to date.
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Old 12-23-09, 08:53 AM
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Originally Posted by Thorn
I biked Louiville this October and it was cold (30-50), but it was unusual for them. Got back to Milwaukee and had 5 more, warmer weeks of riding, but it was unusual for us.

Heck, I've been in Tucson in March where the temp was in the 100's; other years, I stood shivering in a car port until the hail stopped. Winter is, at best, unpredictable.

Pick a spot you want to ride that is 15 hours and southerly and take your chances. Mother Nature may or may not assist.
I wouldn't consider 30-50 cold.
10-20 is cold and what I have to look forward to until probably February.
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Old 12-23-09, 09:13 AM
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Originally Posted by Psimet2001
Slacker. Real Wizconsinites embrace the cold.....year round.
True. I embrace it with frozen arms and the eight fingers I have left after the frostbite of '02.

OP- just drive south until the weather suits you. Hopefully you're hitting the trainer now so you can handle some saddle time when you reach your new warm haven.
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Old 12-23-09, 09:28 AM
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Arkansas. Devil's Den State Park
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Old 12-23-09, 11:32 AM
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Originally Posted by 10 Wheels
Your looking for someone to predict the weather 1,000 miles from your home in March?

Get some warm clothes and ride where you live.
I suspect you haven't ridden in Wisconsin in late winter. There's ice and puddles all over the pavement, and many of the roads have narrowed a lot from all the snow piled along the sides, making them more dangerous than usual. It can be done, but it isn't often much fun.
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Old 12-23-09, 11:33 AM
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I have been to GreenBay.
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Old 12-23-09, 04:21 PM
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Originally Posted by BarryJo
I wouldn't consider 30-50 cold.
10-20 is cold and what I have to look forward to until probably February.
Totally agree...for Louisville, "cold"; for me, "pleasant"; for the people riding with us from Texas, "bitterly cold". All a matter of perspective.

I usually get out a couple of times a month even in Jan. and Feb. But, I don't call that year round riding--it is more of a sanity escape from the trainer.
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Old 12-23-09, 09:50 PM
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Florida, California not to far from Wisconsin. Is this some kind of trick question or something. Wisconsin to California in 15 hours? Heck head for Costa Rica right now. If you drive fast enough you could do it in 15 hours.
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Old 12-25-09, 08:51 AM
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Pack your gear. Jump into the car. Pick a highway heading south, and drive 15 hrs, or until something looks interesting. Find a hotel, check in, and go explore. You can also use map-my-rides search feature to see if there are any rides posted for the area you stop.

I've actually always wanted to try this myself. Maybe this will be the year.

Merry Christmas,

Denny
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Old 12-25-09, 09:16 AM
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Lexington KY.

Sweet paved roads that go for miles amid the gorgeous horse farms.
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Old 12-25-09, 10:14 AM
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In 15 hours you can make it to FL, AZ or even CA........if you drive fast enough.
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Old 12-25-09, 01:05 PM
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Sorry to steal your thread OP, but I'm putting this on my list.
Lot of map-my-ride info available as well.

Thanks ES

Originally Posted by EventServices
Lexington KY.

Sweet paved roads that go for miles amid the gorgeous horse farms.
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