Touring 4 weeks in Californa/Arizona!Help me for routes,tips etc.
 

Hi guys

I´m going to fly to LA next Friday. Ive got 4 weeks to make a nice trip.
?Because of the winter here in europe i hope to find some sun in the south.
I wanted to ride to San Diego, then a couple of days to mexico, then east to phoenix and heading north to find some nice nature.. then back to LA.

Can you give me some ideas,some routes?some routes without that much traffic!some off trips,too!

What maps do you recommend and where can i get them?

thank you very much in advance,

alex

Here's a map of Arizona with some useful bicycle information...

http://www.azbikeped.org/images/Map2...0409_side1.pdf

Great resource BWF.

As I noted in a previous post about your tour Alex, if you want to stay out of freezing weather and snow, you best not go too far north of Phoenix. Stay in Southern Arizona. Even then, be prepared for temps in the low 30's F at night in the mountains. Consider the Apache Trail and then south toward Tombstone and Bisbee, both interesting western towns.

OTOH, if you don't mind the cold and snow, head on up to the Grand Canyon. Beautiful when covered with snow, which it is now. The major highways will most likely be clear. Day's in the 40's, nights in the 20's or lower.

A popular cross country cycling route, known as the Southern Tier, runs from San Diego through Brawley, Blythe, and Wickenburg to Phoenix.

Use California and Arizona state maps to plot your routing. Except in urban areas you can ride on the interstates(autobahns)in Arizona if they are the only reasonable way to get somewhere.

Can't help you with Mexico.

This article on Southern California/Arizona routes was written by forum member Jamawani. Should be very helpful.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/4968

Referencing Jamawani's article, I plotted a route from Del Mar, just north of San Diego, to Phoenix. It is indeed very remote, but also very scenic from satellite views. One 4000 ft climb that goes on for 40 miles. Runs near the Salton Sea, a place worth exploring. Traffic would be quite sparse. So would water sources. Not to be done in the summer.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...enix-400-miles

Howdy -

California is having a pretty wet winter - so be advised.
Also, elevation is a big issue in the Southwest.
Higher areas get snow - often lots of it.
Stay low - north of Phoenix get high really fast.

Because of all the moisture - the desert should be gorgeous this year.
You should really consider some of the desert parks -
Anza Borrego Regional Park is east of San Diego -
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is on the Ariz / Mexico border.
Both should be at their peak in late February.

By March the Mojave National Monument, Joshua Tree National Park,
and Antelope Valley Preserve should be stunning.
Antelope Valley Preserve is a carpet of orange poppies in good years.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...a_Poppies1.jpg

From Antelope Valley you can continue out to Ventura
And take a ferry out to the Channel Islands - not the English ones.
Again - they should be lovely in late March - if the weather is good.

I have a post at Crazyguy about some possible routes -
On the return -
I might suggest Organ Pipe to Ajo to Gila Bend to Buckeye -
Then west northwest to Parker - then Hwy 62 in Calif.
You can loop north into Mojave and south into Joshua Tree.