Best S/W State/Area for Riding?

[bruinFJRguy]

Hey, All.

Looking for opinions here. What is your favorite area to ride? So Cal and Nor Cal are full of red and gold Butler roads. I think Utah and Colorado also look great.

What is your favorite part of the Southwestern US to ride?

Thanks!

 

[FJRay]

Most anywhere west of the Rockies and off the beaten path. First order of importance is to get the hell out of LA.

 

[Bugnatr]

All of it except an metro area, that's why we ride.

 

[NMRoadRunner]

I like southern Colorado and Southern Utah for a little change of scenery, but Newer Mexico isn't bad.

 

[SacramentoMike]

There are fun roads all over. The West, that is. But what are you looking for? Planning a trip? How much time will you have? What time of year? You can get a lot of great suggestions here for a 3-day loop, or a 2-week trip, etc., but if you only want a day ride it won't help you to mention a great ride in Washington. Ray said it best though. Start by crossing the LA County line.

 

[bruinFJRguy]

Most anywhere west of the Rockies and off the beaten path. First order of importance is to get the hell out of LA.

Sage advice. I live very close to Angeles Crest Highway, which is awesome. There are other good roads in LA County and surrounding areas. But, generally, you are on the mark. Housing prices are getting out of this world. Traffic sucks; lane splitting alleviates the burden.

I like southern Colorado and Southern Utah for a little change of scenery, but Newer Mexico isn't bad.

Still planning the National Forests of southern Utah and Colorado, hopefully in the next month or so. I was set to Denver in May via those areas, but Nevada to Denver basically got blanketed with snowstorms that weekend. Lol!

There are fun roads all over. The West, that is. But what are you looking for? Planning a trip? How much time will you have? What time of year? You can get a lot of great suggestions here for a 3-day loop, or a 2-week trip, etc., but if you only want a day ride it won't help you to mention a great ride in Washington. Ray said it best though. Start by crossing the LA County line.

To be honest, I'm tossing around the idea of relocation at some point. I think I want a change of lifestyle; someplace a little more rural (or at least less "urban"). I'd like to have a little land (even a small lot with a backyard), and a garage! I'm tired of apartment dwelling. L.A. is expensive and crowded.

Washington/Oregon might be a little wet for me. Arizona is an option, but maybe excessively hot and straight roads? We were up your way, in Vacaville, which we liked a lot, and then Santa Rosa. Both those places were good for riding, too. Denver might provide the right opportunities work-wise. Of course, this is all very abstract and in the initial stages of development. Good roads are important, though.

 

[FJRay]

Eastern Oregon or Wa. are the dry side. Lots of good riding and not as many people as the wet side. Where I am property is still affordable and Bend is close enough to provide anything you need. We also have the best Reuben on the planet.

 

[gregory]

Nor cal has some very tasty roads, but can be hotter then AZ. 110 today in Redding. As for relocation, there are lots of nice choices in the norther part as long as you stay away from the more populated areas. Still mighty expensive though as all the taxes and fees are the same here as they are there. Not sure about the expense of Washington, but I do know that OR is much cheaper to live. Ray is right about the eastern parts of those states, tho he does bitch about the snow

from time to time.

Here's a start.

https://goo.gl/maps/6uddEQfjFUm

 

[roger dodger]

Love the Western 2/3 of Colorado... esp Million Dollar Highway N of Durango... then east to the Black Canyon.... then over to Telluride and south back to Cortez.

 

[SacramentoMike]

Gregory's right about the heat in Northern California, but you can get a big jump on that problem by one simple expedient: STAY AWAY FROM REDDING! Sorry, Greg, but where we cool down pretty well at night, Redding often stays hotter than blazes all night long. My kid lives in Eureka, west of Redding on the north coast. It's in a time warp, but it sure is cool there--like all the time. Seldom hits 70. Pretty, though, and plenty of fun riding.

Another area to think about is Northern AZ. It's all on a big plateau called the "Mogollon Rim.". My other kid went to NAU in Flagstaff, elevation 7,000'. Summers are mild, but in the winter, believe it or not, they get more snow than almost anywhere--5th snowiest city in the US, according to Google. (My hometown, Syracuse, tops the list--I'm so proud.) But "Flag" is a pretty cool place, and hits a lot of your criteria. Definitely busts the image of Arizona, weather-wise.

 

[TellurideFJR]

I like the 13 western states, but mostly Colorado's western slope.

 

[Pterodactyl]

For God's sake stay away from Montana!! It is a nightmare.

 

[gregory]

Gregory's right about the heat in Northern California, but you can get a big jump on that problem by one simple expedient: STAY AWAY FROM REDDING! Sorry, Greg, but where we cool down pretty well at night, Redding often stays hotter than blazes all night long. My kid lives in Eureka, west of Redding on the north coast. It's in a time warp, but it sure is cool there--like all the time. Seldom hits 70. Pretty, though, and plenty of fun riding.
Another area to think about is Northern AZ. It's all on a big plateau called the "Mogollon Rim.". My other kid went to NAU in Flagstaff, elevation 7,000'. Summers are mild, but in the winter, believe it or not, they get more snow than almost anywhere--5th snowiest city in the US, according to Google. (My hometown, Syracuse, tops the list--I'm so proud.) But "Flag" is a pretty cool place, and hits a lot of your criteria. Definitely busts the image of Arizona, weather-wise.

HEY! we get down to 70 something at night

 

[bruinFJRguy]

For God's sake stay away from Montana!! It is a nightmare.

Seriously? I woulda thought wide open, with beautiful terrain!

 

[SacramentoMike]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

*ahem* sorry, bruin. It was about Angelenos, I think. But only cuz there are so damn many of ya.

 

[FTL900]

Most anywhere west of the Rockies and off the beaten path. First order of importance is to get the hell out of LA.

Sage advice. I live very close to Angeles Crest Highway, which is awesome. There are other good roads in LA County and surrounding areas. But, generally, you are on the mark.

Housing prices are getting out of this world. Traffic sucks; lane splitting alleviates the burden.

I like southern Colorado and Southern Utah for a little change of scenery, but Newer Mexico isn't bad.

Still planning the National Forests of southern Utah and Colorado, hopefully in the next month or so. I was set to Denver in May via those areas, but Nevada to Denver basically got blanketed with snowstorms that weekend. Lol!

Washington/Oregon might be a little wet for me. Arizona is an option, but maybe excessively hot and straight roads? We were up your way, in Vacaville, which we liked a lot, and then Santa Rosa. Both those places were good for riding, too. Denver might provide the right opportunities work-wise. Of course, this is all very abstract and in the initial stages of development. Good roads are important, though.

The entire Seattle/Tacoma area is horribly crowded and very expensive. if you want to sell your house there, you'll get more than asking price as most houses are sold in a bidding war. But then you have to buy another one, and prices are skyrocketing. taxes are horrible, and politics are bleeding liberal. I've heard Portland is the same way.

If you get away from the big cities, you'll fare better, but big cities is where the jobs are.

I moved up to the Seattle/Tacoma area for almost a year, and just moved back to Las Vegas a month ago, with a new-found appreciation for this area.

We drove to Phoenix over the weekend and picked up a new to me 2011 FJR, Phoenix is nice, bigger than I expected, and greener than I remembered. Much greener there than the southern Nevada area, and with a few mountains around, there's some pretty good riding, altho I'm not the expert on that area.

 

[bruinFJRguy]

Las Vegas/Henderson has been on our radar for a while. I'm actually driving through Vegas in a little while on my FJR!!! Heading for Utah/Co to cruise through the parks!

 

[FTL900]

The interesting thing about living in Las Vegas is that it's only a few hours to... several places- as you said, southern Utah is 2 hours northeast with loads of National parks and great riding there, Arizona starts on the south side of town at the Hoover Dam, and the California coast is still only 4 hours away (I've done it in 3).

Mt Charleston is less than an hour north,a and it snows there every winter. That's a fun but limited day ride, it's always 10-20 degrees cooler up there.

Cost of living is good in Las Vegas, no state income tax, there are jobs, and plenty of things to do when you're not riding.

I'm on the very southwest corner of town, as defined by the 215 freeway. Oh,and traffic here is loads better than LA or Seattle. We have traffic jams and slow commutes.. They're usually very local and over in an hour or so, and then the traffic picks back up.

For an even quieter area, some folks like Pahrump, 60 miles west of Las Vegas but it's not my cup of tea. A little too undeveloped for my taste.