Riding Weather where you are: April through June

[Rhodan]

It's a long shot but I'm going to see if I can get time off work and take a looong ride.  Cross country from Washington State to Florida and back.

I've looked online to see average temps and it looks like taking a Southern route across the country in late April and a northern route back in May is probably my best bet.
But the internet doesn't substitute for actual riding knowledge.  In your state, what's the riding weather like in April through June?  Temps, rain, wind, flood, pestilence ... 

[Guzzistajohn]

Here in the "middle" one thing you can count on during that time of year is it might rain and it might not. The temps should be ok but warmer the closer you get to June, May and June are my favorite riding months. It's said "if you don't like Missouri weather, hang around a couple of hours"

[oldbike54]

 Hmm , Cedar Vale maybe ?

 The weather there should be perfect .

 Dusty

[Huzo]

I'm clueless of course regarding the U.S. , but when I 'm going across Europe heading East, if it gets too hot I turn left and too cold I turn right..
Just remember to do the opposite on the way back Westwards.
One year I had 8 deg C for a week at extreme Northern Norway and 32 deg C South of Rome towards Sicily on the same trip.
Same thing on your trek, there's something for everyone..!

What bike will you take ?

[Rhodan]

Hmm , Cedar Vale maybe ?

 The weather there should be perfect .

 Dusty

May 9-12th?  That would definitely be in the right time frame and right location.  Let me see how well I make my case at work and I may be in touch.

[Rhodan]

I'm clueless of course regarding the U.S. , but when I 'm going across Europe heading East, if it gets too hot I turn left and too cold I turn right..
Just remember to do the opposite on the way back Westwards.

That's about how far my planning has gotten.    And a few mountain ranges thrown in just to keep it interesting.
I looked at a lot of bikes (currently bikeless after selling my Norge) and I think I'm buying a new V7iii this week.  Need to get some miles on it and me before hitting the open road.

[oldbike54]

May 9-12th?  That would definitely be in the right time frame and right location.  Let me see how well I make my case at work and I may be in touch.

 Yep . We would love to have you attend 

 Dusty

[twowheeladdict]

Thunderstorm and Tornado Season across the midwest and south.  You just have to be willing to adjust your course on a day to day basis.

[Rhodan]

Thunderstorm and Tornado Season across the midwest and south.  You just have to be willing to adjust your course on a day to day basis.

I thought it's always Thunderstorm season.  :D.  I remember visiting some family in Alabama around Thanksgiving one year.  Thunderstorm warnings.

Besides "check the weather in the morning" and "don't ride toward that dark column", any tips?   I've never lived places where tornadoes are common.  I will have my cell with me.

It's also a good reminder that I should put in plenty of padding for life (weather, interesting places that suddenly pop up, etc).

[oldbike54]

 Good morning Rhodan

 To answer a couple of questions and dispel a myth or two , yes , T-storms can happen almost anytime out here in the middle , we had one last evening triggered by a cold front bumping into warm moist air . Tornadoes however are pretty rare , it's why they are newsworthy . Just don't ride into a storm , most of them in Spring are moving really fast , normally a 30-45 minute stop will allow the storm to move out of your way . Most Spring storms are moving Easterly , it is a rare one that blows up and moves Westerly . Just watch for clouds that are expanding upward rapidly and contain lightening . A little caution will keep you safe , with modern weather reporting and smart phones , weather is easy enough to track .

 Dusty

[Rhodan]

   Exactly the kind of info I was looking for.  Thank you and Good Morning!

[old head]

South Louisiana,

will be humid.  Temperature in April can be moderate high 80-90's.  June will be high 90-low 100's, and humid.  It rains everyday for weeks on end, usually in the afternoon for a short period of time, 30 minutes or so is not uncommon, and sometimes several times a day.  bring your rain gear.

Plenty of places to ethanol free gas if thats a concern to you.  Its all I run.  I use Pure Gas app to find stations.

the only issue if you come into Baton Rouge on I-10 heading East, don't try to cross Mississippi after 2pm.  The interstate runs from 3 lanes to 2 to 1 and the backup can be miles at certain times.   best to go north before Baton Rouge and pickup hwy 190.  Its a good road, 4 lanes, 65mph limit once you get closer to Baton Rouge.  You can pick I 10 east after you cross the river to pick up I 12 east.

Old Head

[travelingbyguzzi]

Rhodan, are you in Seattle? If so, you should come to our breakfast in Enumclaw the first Saturday of every month.
Regarding your trip, myself and a couple more are leaving Seattle in late April, going to the Arizona event in Cottonwood the first weekend in May, then the next weekend in Cedarvale KS. Back west from there for a Washington group camp out the next weekend near Dayton WA.
 
Bill Lovelady.    IS
Eskimo Spy

[Rhodan]

I am.  I'm currently bikeless but just bought a new one from the new Guzzi dealership.  They're doing prep and I'll likely pick it up today or sometime next week.  So far it's a thumbs-up experience.

I'll see how the February weather goes and may see you there.   Where do you guys meet up?  I seem to remember MI advertising it on their website but don't remember where.

[travelingbyguzzi]

Krain Corners restaraunt is at the junction of S. 400th st./SR169. 9 a.m.forecast is dry bit chilly. maybe 40°-45°

[Sheepdog]

I live in St Tammany Parish...North of New Orleans. Just to add to Old Head’s comments re S. Louisiana: the heat normally doesn’t settle in until the first weekend of May. Though May/June can be a little dry, lately we’ve had a great deal of rain all year long. Our best months for riding are April and October. Weather normally moves West to East.

[Rhodan]

Yep . We would love to have you attend 

 Dusty

Unfortunately I didn't make a good-enough case for all the time off I wanted.  But it looks like I'll be able to take a month off which is nothing to sneeze at.  They were making frowny noises about late April/early May but working dates. 

[Noguzznoglory]

i might not go as far south as I-10 unless you like riding a looong, flaaaat , straight interstate. if not pick a route just a little north between I-10 and I-20 and the ride will be a little more fun. weather won't be significantly different.

[Rhodan]

Good advice.  I'm hoping to avoid interstates as much as possible on whatever my trip turns out to be.   A lot more of the US to be seen taking different routes.  The trade-off is always distance.

[Daleroso]

I-40 & I-10 are BORING. I'd caddy-corner SE fm where you are, staying in lower elevations which will also maximize distance traveled rather than down then over.

[Lannis]

Good advice.  I'm hoping to avoid interstates as much as possible on whatever my trip turns out to be.   A lot more of the US to be seen taking different routes.  The trade-off is always distance.

I can give you a couple of tips based on our last trip.

Weather - nothing you can do about it except dress for it.   When the road is leading you right into the storm ....



you either stop and wait, or keep going and stop if it gets really bad.   We saw lightning strike the pavement about 1/2 mile ahead of us in Arizona once, and we IMMEDIATELY pulled off into a little church and sat under their little picnic area 'til it was safe.   Rain doesn't bother us unless it comes with 60 mph winds and zero visibility ....

We avoided interstates for all 7500 miles of the trip, except for about 20 miles where the only road was an interstate.   The old Federal, state, and county roads are great and are the ones with all the scenery and interesting people.   Just allow time.   A typical day for us was 350 miles if it was mostly riding.   Sightseeing changes things both ways.   One or two days we made 500 miles; sometimes 200.

Dress for it.   We chose full 'Stich and Rukka gear after a lot of good WG advice, intrinsically waterproof.   You pick your favorite.

Make sure before you go that your seat is comfy.   Do a couple long days - you may need beads, or a gel pad, or an airhawk, or something to make it tolerable.

Lannis

[xackley]

If camping might be in your future, check out this site. https://freecampsites.net/#!(47.07386,+-122.1405)

COE campground are the best, BLM and National Forest you never know until you pull in, but most are friendly and clean. Ican't remember any I didn't enjoy.
It is easier to get a shower east of the mississippi.
Edit: I would skip florida and head for the blue ridge parkway, and ride north.

Don

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

generally wet, occasionally stormy, and cool & foggy at elevation thru the blue ridge & smokies at that time of year

[cliffrod]

We live in northwestern SC, near the intersection of I-26 & I-85  just south of NC state line.  We usually go camping at the very beginning of April- whenever spring break hits- somewhere here in the southeast ranging down into Okefonokee and Jacksonville FL.  Sometimes it's cold (like 40's) during the day, usually it's not.  Frost date here is mid April.  Pretty normal to get some nice warm weather late Mar-early April to bud out all the peach trees, than have a freeze into the 20's in mid-late april that wrecks the peach crops.  It's usually cold enough that there aren't any bugs until late April-May, which is a big plus in my book.   Whether you're camping or not, Okefonokee on GA-FL line is really worth seeing.

Tornados are more likely when hot & cold weather meet quickly.  Watch the weather in general and radar those things are happening.  In general, they're pretty sporadic and unlikely.   Increasing humidity and Rain are the biggest drag in April-May and are pretty common.  Tough to plan events or outings around it.  You just get wet, sometimes rather cold as well, or don't do it.

If you go Blue Ridge Parkway, 129 (the dragon) along NC-TN border, etc, it can still be much cooler (wet or dry) up in the mountains when it's not sunny all through April. I crossed the mountains between here and Knoxville area regularly for years.  As long as you watch weather radar stuff and have decent riding gear just in case, it's not bad.

Ride safe.

[Carlo DeSantis]

I'm in Chicago and have ridden to the West Coast in early May.  My experience suggests that the only weather problems you might have will be crossing the mountains into the Great Plains and back again.  Plan your route with the lowest elevation passes possible and be ready to "hole up" or find alternate routes as necessary.  Lots of micro climates on the mountains, and they sometimes do crazy things -- especially in Spring.

As previously mentioned, tornadoes are rare.  Thunderstorms not so much, but easy to maneuver around.

I'm an Aerostitch fan, allowing me to layer as necessary and just keep going.  Also, waterproof boots and a heated jacket liner are worth their weight in gold.  Be sure you have a pair of warm gloves in your kit.

And I completely agree with your plan to avoid Interstates.  Much more fun to be had off the slab.  Our country is populated with mostly wonderful people, and a true joy is interacting with them in small restaurants, diners, motels, etc.  the journey is the thing, not the arriving, no?

Have fun.

Best,

Carlo

[s1120]

if your thinking of heading to the northeast, just be warned that April can really still be winter up here...  Sometimes its nice, but more times then not its pretty cold, and good chance of rain, and or snow.. By the end of april, and into may spring is normaly here, and alls good.. Really IMHO May, and June are really some nice riding months!  Really May, and June, and Sept and oct are the nicest up here.. 

[blu guzz]

if last year was an indicator of weather to come, Kentucky has become Rain-tucky, so dress accordingly.  Even in summer last year, I can't remember a one week period without rain.

[Rick in WNY]

Having lived in the NY Finger Lakes region for my entire 42 years and counting... I can heartily agree with s1120 in that you can't be sure what the weather in NY will be in April and May. Last year it warmed up enough the last week of March to be "riding weather" - it was 60 degrees and sunny. But a week later it went back to winter... we got a foot of snow the first week of April. Was cold, wet and miserable until Mothers Day weekend. I recall that one clearly because that was the first ride of the year for my wife and I.

That said, I've also seen it get to sunny and 70 in April and stay there all month.

You never know...

[larrys]

Many moons ago a bunch of us local riders started going to the first motorcycle hillclimb of the season in Monson, MA every year. It used to be the third weekend in April. Haven't put a ride together to go there in 15-16 years. Called some of the fellas, those still alive and riding, to do it this year. I see that its May 5th this year. http://www.monsonmonster.com/
The weather can be spotty here in the spring. Some years it was a warm sunny ride, I remember one year being borderline hypothermic on the way home. Gonna make a go of it.
Larry

[aschem]

We still receive snow here in SE Idaho and in the western part of Wyoming