"Werehatrack" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 17:00:21 -0800, "Jim"
wrote:

Wrong forum I know, but the other rec.bicycles forums are now inhabited
by
trolls...
Anyone here know a USA destination with well-paved mountain roads, thin
traffic & pleasant weather? I'm looking to buy a vacation/retirement home
fit for a bikie.
No pricey ski resorts needed, just good road riding.

Someone else already suggested central Texas, and that's an area with
pretty much whatever kind of mix you want, as long as the small-town
attitudes aren't a problem. If you like it dry, hot in the summer,
and artsy, then Marfa, TX might be a good choice. Much of northern
California might also fit the bill if you like it damper and cooler,
and Prescott in Arizona is pretty, on a mountain, and has fairly
decent weather though it gets cold in the winter. Not much flat
around it, though; unless you really like climbing, there are probably
better choices. Flagstaff has terrain and atmosphere, and the Grand
Canyon is just a looooong climb uphill through varying types of forest
and scrub. Santa Fe, NM is another potentially good choice IMO. A
lot depends on what kind of weather you consider pleasant. I like
what I've got here in Houston, but my SO considers the summers to be
unmitigated hell. (I grew up where they were worse, and longer.)


In Houston, our summer weather is really horrible. I have done too many
races at 6pm in the park when you could steam eggs (frying with high
humidity) on the top tube. Our rides start at 7am and you really need to be
off the road by 11. On the other hand, you can ride for most of the winter
in what most places consider summer jersey and shorts.

We have a number of really terrific bike clubs and there is always an
organized ride to do. In April we have a huge MS150 from Houston to Austin.
This year the herd is supposed to top 12,000. There are numerous organized
rides that lead up to the MS150. After that all of the corporate types hang
up the bike until next January. The serious riders are going all year long.
My daughter's race team used to come down here every winter vacation to
train with us. Most of them were from the upper Midwest. It was a real treat
for them.

If you like seriously fast rides, we have one that starts from Memorial Park
near downtown. It is called the Death Ride. We have a few seniors that do
it. Another one is called the Kirkwood ride on Saturday mornings. You could
be a child molester and try to beat up some cat 2 racer who is a third of
your age :-)

Northwest Cycling Club has a superb club ride setup every Saturday. There
are numerous groups sequenced by speed ability.

The roads are reasonable. but Houston is not a bike friendly town. Not like
Seattle or something like that. We went up there to work the bike expo last
February. They have a bike culture that is absolutely stunning. The Cascade
club has something like 5,500 members. The scenery is exquisite and the
roads are beautiful. After the show, we went to visit some of our dealers on
the Olympic Peninsula (I think that is what it is called). We took the ferry
and then drove to Sequim and Port Angeles. It was breathtaking. I could be
happy there...

I agree with wherehatrack, the Texas Hill country is really nice. Kerrville
and the general vicinity is wonderful. There is a NORBA race that we look
forward to working every year. There is a great organized ride called the
Easter Hill Country Tour that is worth doing. Another terrific ride is the
Piney Wood Purgatory in Lufkin. If you like a hot challenge check out the
Katy Flatland Century in July.

There I go rambling again, Sorry for the drivel. There are way too many
bottles and orders to fill and not enough time to ride...

Bruce