Southern Tier

[scott.laughlin]

Does anyone know of a bike shop in San Diego where one might ship a bike

[Peaks]

I gotta believe that the service directory on the applicable ACA maps would list the bike shops.  Can't believe there isn't a bike shop in San Diego

[scott.laughlin]

Funny I didn't think of that.  Thanks for the heads up.  :-)

[BentJay]

My son and I were planning on doing the Southern Tier Route from mid-June to mid-August.  Someone thought that was a bad idea as the temps and humidity are very high.  They mentioned that, even with a late March start they had encountered high, early-May temps.  
Anyone have a comment?  Is the Southern Tier only for Spring or Fall?

Jay

[don quixote]

Scott, I live in San Diego and might be of help. Call me at 619-223-8933 or email at olmsteads1@cox.net
George Olmstead
San Diego, CA
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[TheDaltonBoys]

BentJay - Does the phrase "hotter than than the hinges to hell" have significance??? Please, if you can, slide one way or the other your S.T. tour. Its not just the heat but the humidity that can truly kill. Not to say that it can't be done, but I would advise changing the dates at least a little so as to make the journey truly enjoyable. Whatever you end up doing....enjoy the voyage. Mark of the Dalton Boys (Austin, TX.)

[back-of-thepack]

I did it in Sept.  Temp's were generally in the low 100's in western Texas--definitely do-able, but if you can adjust to later Sept/or Oct, I would think that might be more enjoyable. . .in any case, I would do it again in a minute.  Great ride

[scott.laughlin]

You need to get Arizona's Sonoran Desert behind you by 15 April.  The rest of it is probably tolerable.  I was stationed in Boloxi, Mississippi, and Charlestonm SC in the late '50s and I don't recall the heat and humidity being too much.

There a few of us old fellers making the trip.  If you'd like to get into the email loop give me an email at: scott.laughlin@att.net.  We'll be traveling too slowly, no doubt, but we can visit.

[scott.laughlin]

Hey!

I'm about a hundred miles north of you--Allen.  It do get hot.  However, the fellow who engineered this idea can only get away March, April, and May, so we'll jsut suffer with him.  See who yells uncle first. :-)

[raybo]

I am thinking of riding from San Francisco to San Diego and then over to Phoenix on the Southern Tier.  I plan on doing this after April 15, most likely leaving San Francisco in early May.  That would put me between San Diego and Phoenix in mid- to late-May.  

My question is about the heat in the desert between San Diego and Phoenix (Mohave Desert?) at that time.  Will it be too hot to ride?

Thanks,

Ray

[wanderingwheel]

I did some touring out in the deserts of California, Arizona, and New Mexico this past summer.  No question, it was hot and the heat affected my riding, but it is possible.  

I'm not perfectly familiar with the route itself, but your biggest problem may be the distances between towns.  Take a lot of water with you and top it off whenever possible.  I carried three water bottles in addition to a large camelback.  

I would also suggest getting on the road early in the morning.  At lunch, either take a long break to let the heat pass, or simply call it a day there.  Also, be conservative on your mileage estimates.  I found it very difficult to reach my usual daily averages.

Sean

This message was edited by wanderingwheel on 11-14-05 @ 6:33 PM

[John Nettles]

Another option is to UPS it where you are staying the first night when you arrive, assuming you are not going to ride out as soon as you arrive.

If you are getting a hotel the first night, it gives you a quiet & private place to reassemble.  If possible, pick a hotel/motel close to a bike shop in case the "loving care" the airlines give you is not so loving.

TulsaJohn

Happy trails and may the wind be at your back!

TulsaJohn