Cross Country Trip planning - weather, routes

[rjamesohio]

Hi everyone -

Considering a long overdue cross country jaunt - westward from Ohio to Cal and back. Southern route out, Northern back.

I'd like to plan it so I hit optimum weather, knowing full well that anything can happen weatherwise but hoping not to BROIL in the West/Southwest because I'll be camping much of the way.

To get things started - I plan on leaving as early as June, and as late as August. Likely take 3-4 weeks for the whole thing, taking it slow and visiting some folks along the way.

Any thoughts on the weather to be expected on those proximate routes? For example, is leaving in August just inviting a hot old time and a miserable trip? Likewise, leaving too early could find one freezing their cajones off in the mountains so...

All ideas welcome, as well as routes. I may use a trip planning system such as Bunk a Biker to try and keep things friendly along the way rather than  throwing a mat down in the unknown....

[Scout63]

More experienced riders will surely follow.  I went across and back a long time ago with camping gear and a Rand McNally road atlas.  I loved the Gulf states and the Southwest, but really want to see the Rockies.  The California coast is great.  Sorry to be so general.

[Dr. Enzo Toma]

Weather.gov and Weather Underground let you navigate past weather data, IMO Weather Underground is easier to navigate and it's what I use to check temperatures and rainfall at different times of year for trip planning. https://www.wunderground.com/history

Haven't used Bunk-a-biker, but I've had good luck with CouchSurfing

[blackbuell]

Ron,

I've done many xcountry trips on bikes. Weather is a major consideration. A few trips were in April and May, and even though I kept to the south, I encountered some very cold weather, even snow, when I went through higher elevations such as Flagstaff. The wind in the great plains can also be tough to handle in the Spring. If you want to ride on some famous routes (like Beartooth Highway) up north, they will likely be closed until June. Mid-June to early September is the best window. Out west, many campgrounds close as early as mid-September. True, it can be pretty hot in the southwest in the summer, but if you camp in National Forest campgrounds, it can be very pleasant; stay at relatively high elevations. Another thing to consider: monsoon season is July and August in the southwest; you can expect intense thunderstorms most afternoons; very brief events, though.

Keep us posted about your plans, and good luck,

Jon

[Navydad]

I have pulled this off a couple of times from Ohio. If you want to see the southwest then the earlier the better because by mid May or so it can be HOT. I take a southern route west and then come back on a northern route as the weather warms. Last trip a buddy and I left Ohio and rode across Ky. on Rt. 62. Dropped down between the Land on the Lakes in western Ky. and the rode the Natchez Trace Parkway. Crossed the Big River at Natchez and then just ran various two lanes across the south. Made sure we went through hill country in Texas too. I'm not going into great detail on routes as there are so many options and most are great. We avoid big cities, but maybe you like them so you judge your route. You are going to hit weather extremes on this trip. There is no avoiding some heat, cold, or rain/snow. What to look for is to keep the worst to a minimum. Several years ago it was the last week of July and the wife and I were in the northern Colorado Rockies. Stopped to put on raingear since it just started raining. within ten miles it was snowing and snowing HARD. Dropped six inches of snow before you could say the word snow. Miserable? Yes, but short lived and by the end of the day it was sunshine and mesh jackets. I can take cool better than hot and once it gets hot in the west it stays hot in most places. Cold snaps tend to be shorter as summer progresses in the mountains. I can deal with cold snaps better than prolonged heat. The last time I made a trek west I left at the end of September and spent eight weeks on the road. Stayed to the southwest and came back across the gulf states to Florida. It was a great trip. Heading back north to Ohio in late November got a bit chilly, but that was okay because the weather had been perfect all across the south for me. I plan for heat more than I do cold on a trip like that. Don't struggle to pack everything warm or cool that you own either. Take the necessities and pick something up along the way if you have too. Much easier to hit Walmart and grab a sweatshirt for the day than it is to try and pack a few that you may not even need. As far as camping goes we camp two or three nights and then get a room for a night. Most state parks have decent camping for a good price. DON'T be afraid to ask about a camping spot if the sign says full. More often than not if you are on a bike with a small tent they will have someplace you can set up. Not always, but I have been admitted more than I have been turned away. This type of travel is addictive. By the end of the second week I don't ever want to go home. As far as northern routes I prefer going across the Dakotas over going through Kansas or Nebraska although I did fine state route 2 across Nebraska rather nice. There again we got snowed on in Sturgis the last week of August, but as before is was short lived. Next time I am going to break it into two trips instead of making a big loop through the west. I'm going to do a northern loop and see things I missed before and next year do the same with a southern loop. Leave the end of May or first of June for the northern trip and end of September for the southern loop.

[twowheeladdict]

Pick up a Farmers Almanac.  South; spring storms.  West; Summer Fires.  Mountain Passes; some don't open till late June. 

I recommend coming up with your dream route first, then figure out time of year. 

I've dealt with smoke obscuring the night sky, 110 degrees, PCH fogged in, 19 degrees at the top of passes, Thunderstorms, remnants of hurricanes, etc.

I still plan to do some long rides, but also mix that up with "shamrock" tours, as Roadrunner Magazine calls them.

[Sykestone8886]

I don’t think I’d ever ride in the south west again in the summer, it was so hot I thought I was going to melt, I can handle the cold much easier.

[travelingbyguzzi]

Keep in mind that mid to late summer is forest fire season in the west. Last Summer didn't seem too bad, but overall the last 10 years have seen lots of campfire bans, road closures and general smokey unpleasant conditions.
I would recommend starting mid to late may. Some mountain passes may not be open but most will.

[usedtobefast]

Can you flip it around where you go northern out and southern back? 

If you could leave like mid September, do northern route then, all mountain passes would be open and clean, tourist crowds are gone, hotel rates are lower, mountains not too cold then.  That would put you into early oct for returning on the southern route, stifling heat gone.  I did a late Oct trip, southern route, and it was wonderful riding through the desert areas at 65-70 ish degrees.

But if you are stuck with a southern route in June-August, I guess I would pick early June for southern route, and be prepared to be hot.  Then hope all the places you want to see in mountains are open in late June, and most likely they would be unless they get crazy snow amounts in the spring.

I would not do a southern route in July/August if I could avoid it.  But I guess it depends.  If you like hot weather, if you have a reliable bike that will not break down (hanging around in 100+ heat on the side of the road for a few hours would not be fun), if you don't have to knock out big miles each day, if you are ok riding in a vented jersey without a full protection jacket on ... you could certainly do it.  And you could do something like on the road around 5-6 am, knock out miles until noon time, hit a nice restaurant, have a long lunch, do an early check in at a hotel.  That would be if the way you need to go is super hot and bothering you. 

Also, the "northern" route might also be hot as heck!  I did a "northern" route in early August once, Missoula, MT to San Francisco area.  Was super hot.  I should have realized that ... one of the places I was going to check out was Hell's Canyon (northern Idaho/Eastern Oregon) ... when I was there it was like 105 degrees!  Duh, that is why it is called Hell's Canyon!  :)    For me, I have a hard time riding in that ~2pm - 5pm point of the day ... it was already warm by 9am ... lunch break is nice ... but if you need/want to ride in the hot afternoon I find it kind of draining.

One other thing to consider, I carry a Garmin InReach device on long solo trips ... it allows you to send/receive text messages via satellite system and has an SOS button to press in you have a crash or other life threatening situation.  When you text someone, it gives them the GPS coordinates of where you are ... so a wife/buddy could arrange a tow for you if you are in a non cell coverage area.

Or ... you could rent a Sat phone for the trip.  That way you can call and talk vs. texting over the satellite system.

[LongRanger]

All good tips.

Two things I would add:

Extreme heat + loaded bike + freeway speeds = rapidly wearing rear tire. Keep an eye on your tires and be prepared to replace them before you start seeing cord. Dealerships are often quite a distance apart and the size you need may not be available for hundreds of miles. Same thing with gas stations - the next opportunity for gas may be over a hundred miles away. Stop and tank up before you need it.

Wearing perforated riding gear in the hot, dry western U.S. will leave you dehydrated in no time. It’s more important to stay hydrated and keep the airflow off your skin than it is for the perceived comfort of wearing vented gear.

[Tkelly]

In August you will be lucky to find anywhere that isn’t hot,lastJuly we rode across northern Montana in hundred degree heat.I wore a Tourmaster suit without the rain liner and soaked my T-shirt every couple hours at gas rest stops.We did 1700 miles in 3 long days and it was bearable and I hope to do it again this summer.Drank a bottle of Gatorade at rest stops which helped.

[twowheeladdict]

In August you will be lucky to find anywhere that isn’t hot,lastJuly we rode across northern Montana in hundred degree heat.I wore a Tourmaster suit without the rain liner and soaked my T-shirt every couple hours at gas rest stops.We did 1700 miles in 3 long days and it was bearable and I hope to do it again this summer.Drank a bottle of Gatorade at rest stops which helped.

You drank more than one bottle of Gatorade in 24 hours?  You must have really needed those electrolytes because most people would have been ready for the colonoscopy after drinking a bottle of Gatorade at each rest stop!  LOL!

[Tkelly]

Other than caffeine I felt no ill effects,ie,I was able to keep riding through the obvious discomfort from the heat.Is there some scientific basis for your claim?

[PeteS]

Leaving early June you might be OK weather wise if you stick to northern Arizona and New Mexico. The elevations will be cooler than if you run closer to Mexico. US 64 is a good place to start. Also southern Colorado and Utah. When we travel we check out the weather forecasts each morning and try and get around the storms. Just have a direction in mind, not necessarily bound to specific destinations.

Pete