Ride Suggestions while Driving Tucson to Chicago

[[email protected]]

I'm soon to take a month long vacation. My wife and I will be driving
from Tucson to Chicago, taking our time and seeing the country. (My
wife is a native San Diegan and has never been farther east than Las
Vegas).

So we are looking for ride suggestions along the way, something more
interesting than a ride around the area of the motel. We are from San
Diego so steep hills are not a problem. In fact, when combined with
low-traffic rural roads, they are preferred. Something from half hour
to two hours long would be ideal.

We plan on visiting Silver City N.M. and doing the Grand Illinois
Trail so I've got each end of the trip covered. Any suggestions in
between?

Thanks in advance,
Tom

 

[[email protected]]

On Jun 4, 12:32 pm, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> I'm soon to take a month long vacation. My wife and I will be driving
> from Tucson to Chicago, taking our time and seeing the country. (My
> wife is a native San Diegan and has never been farther east than Las
> Vegas).
>
> So we are looking for ride suggestions along the way, something more
> interesting than a ride around the area of the motel. We are from San
> Diego so steep hills are not a problem. In fact, when combined with
> low-traffic rural roads, they are preferred. Something from half hour
> to two hours long would be ideal.
>
> We plan on visiting Silver City N.M. and doing the Grand Illinois
> Trail so I've got each end of the trip covered. Any suggestions in
> between?

If you want steep hills try a few rides out of Boulder, CO, on your
way north. Try Four Mile Canyon-Gold Hill-Sunshine Canyon; Flagstaff-
Reservoir-Coal Creek; Lefthand Canyon.

Robert

 

[Chuck Anderson]

[email protected] wrote:
> I'm soon to take a month long vacation. My wife and I will be driving
> from Tucson to Chicago, taking our time and seeing the country. (My
> wife is a native San Diegan and has never been farther east than Las
> Vegas).
>
> So we are looking for ride suggestions along the way, something more
> interesting than a ride around the area of the motel. We are from San
> Diego so steep hills are not a problem. In fact, when combined with
> low-traffic rural roads, they are preferred. Something from half hour
> to two hours long would be ideal.
>
> We plan on visiting Silver City N.M. and doing the Grand Illinois
> Trail so I've got each end of the trip covered. Any suggestions in
> between?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Tom
>
>

.... ..... will you even be coming through Colorado?

--
*****************************
Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO
http://www.CycleTourist.com
*****************************

 

[Mike A Schwab]

On Jun 4, 1:32 pm, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> I'm soon to take a month long vacation. My wife and I will be driving
> from Tucson to Chicago, taking our time and seeing the country. (My
> wife is a native San Diegan and has never been farther east than Las
> Vegas).
>
> So we are looking for ride suggestions along the way, something more
> interesting than a ride around the area of the motel. We are from San
> Diego so steep hills are not a problem. In fact, when combined with
> low-traffic rural roads, they are preferred. Something from half hour
> to two hours long would be ideal.
>
> We plan on visiting Silver City N.M. and doing the Grand Illinois
> Trail so I've got each end of the trip covered. Any suggestions in
> between?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Tom

Route 66 http://www.historic66.com/ for the stops, a few days you
might try one riding and one visiting a spot then catch up and drive
together.

Springfield IL, has two nice trails http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/country/254/region/135/city/8329
and a bike club with multiple rides every day http://www.spfldcycling.org/
click on newsletters.

Madison County has several nice trails, so does the St. Louis Area.
http://trailnet.org/

Katy trail is 250 miles of hard packed gravel, but rideable by road
bikes with slightly larger tires (25mm, 23mm tricky). http://www.bikekatytrail.com/
with Bed and Breakfast inns and Wineries that cater to bicyclists.

 

[[email protected]]

On Jun 4, 8:08 pm, Chuck Anderson <[email protected]> wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> ... ..... will you even be coming through Colorado?
>
Yes, but on the return trip. The vacation is actually from San Diego -
> Tucson -> Chicago -> Denver -> Lake Tahoe -> San Diego.

I hope to ride the Rocky Mountain Cycling Club's Grand Loop on July
7th. I've been hearing about that for years. I've seen the RMCC
website of climbs. I'd like to try Mt Evens some time in the week
after, weather permitting. And I'll do the Markleville Death Ride the
following Saturday.

So I've got the second half of the trip covered. I'm really looking
for some rides on the way to Chicago.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[[email protected]]

On Jun 4, 11:04 pm, Mike A Schwab <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Jun 4, 1:32 pm, "[email protected]"
> Route 66http://www.historic66.com/for the stops, a few days you
> might try one riding and one visiting a spot then catch up and drive
> together.
>
> Springfield IL, has two nice trails http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/country/254/region/135/city/8329
> and a bike club with multiple rides every dayhttp://www.spfldcycling.org/
> click on newsletters.
>
> Madison County has several nice trails, so does the St. Louis Area.http://trailnet.org/
>
> Katy trail is 250 miles of hard packed gravel, but rideable by road
> bikes with slightly larger tires (25mm, 23mm tricky). http://www.bikekatytrail.com/
> with Bed and Breakfast inns and Wineries that cater to bicyclists.

Thanks for the links. The Katy Trail looks especially interesting.
One of the bikes I'm taking is a Surly Cross Check with 700x42 tires
which will be perfect for that.

Tom

 

[Chuck Anderson]

[email protected] wrote:
> On Jun 4, 8:08 pm, Chuck Anderson <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> [email protected] wrote:
>> ... ..... will you even be coming through Colorado?
>>
>>
> Yes, but on the return trip. The vacation is actually from San Diego -
>
>> Tucson -> Chicago -> Denver -> Lake Tahoe -> San Diego.
>>
>
> I hope to ride the Rocky Mountain Cycling Club's Grand Loop on July
> 7th. I've been hearing about that for years. I've seen the RMCC
> website of climbs. I'd like to try Mt Evens some time in the week
> after, weather permitting. And I'll do the Markleville Death Ride the
> following Saturday.
>
> So I've got the second half of the trip covered. I'm really looking
> for some rides on the way to Chicago.
>

Note that the Grand Loop is being replaced this year due to road
construction.
<http://www.rmccrides.com/index.html>


--
*****************************
Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO
http://www.CycleTourist.com
*****************************

 

[Ron Wallenfang]

On Jun 4, 1:32 pm, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> I'm soon to take a month long vacation. My wife and I will be driving
> from Tucson to Chicago, taking our time and seeing the country. (My
> wife is a native San Diegan and has never been farther east than Las
> Vegas).
>
> So we are looking for ride suggestions along the way, something more
> interesting than a ride around the area of the motel. We are from San
> Diego so steep hills are not a problem. In fact, when combined with
> low-traffic rural roads, they are preferred. Something from half hour
> to two hours long would be ideal.
>
> We plan on visiting Silver City N.M. and doing the Grand Illinois
> Trail so I've got each end of the trip covered. Any suggestions in
> between?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Tom

Monument Valley, and the Taos NM area are two that I enjoyed on or LA-
Milwaukee trip in 1998. IIRC, there was a 2000 plus foot climb coming
east out of Taos.

 

[Ozark Bicycle]

On Jun 5, 4:04 am, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> On Jun 4, 11:04 pm, Mike A Schwab <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > On Jun 4, 1:32 pm, "[email protected]"
> > Route 66http://www.historic66.com/forthe stops, a few days you
> > might try one riding and one visiting a spot then catch up and drive
> > together.
>
> > Springfield IL, has two nice trails http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/country/254/region/135/city/8329
> > and a bike club with multiple rides every dayhttp://www.spfldcycling.org/
> > click on newsletters.
>
> > Madison County has several nice trails, so does the St. Louis Area.http://trailnet.org/
>
> > Katy trail is 250 miles of hard packed gravel, but rideable by road
> > bikes with slightly larger tires (25mm, 23mm tricky). http://www.bikekatytrail.com/
> > with Bed and Breakfast inns and Wineries that cater to bicyclists.
>
> Thanks for the links. The Katy Trail looks especially interesting.


IMO, the Katy Trail is best enjoyed in spring and autumn. Especially
with the high rainfall this spring, the river level will probably be
high, which usually means it will be pretty buggy (e.g., mosquito eggs
can stay in stasis for years; when the water levels rise, they all
hatch). In July/August, the area tends toward hot 'n' humid; the bugs
will not add to the joy. Just my $0.02 worth.


> One of the bikes I'm taking is a Surly Cross Check with 700x42 tires
> which will be perfect for that.

Yes, the bike and tires are well suited to a crushed limestone path
like the Katy.
>