Where in the states can I go riding... Seriously

[Chillwabbitt]

Right, I'm trying to plan a riding vacation in the USA (next 6 months to a year); I've never been there and I know less than anything about the place except for what I see on the news which like any other country is to sell papers and makes for a good story.

Right so here it is, I would like to plan a week maybe 2, that will take me along some serious riding terrain and will take the wife and kids past some wine farms, kiddie activities etc.

I'm really looking forward to these insights and please if you can mention bike rental - cause my KX450F will not fit into hand luggage, and what's involved in rental. The last thing I need is some guy trying to give my a half day of riding lessons before he leads the way (at a snails pace - aaaaaargh).

I want rocks, sharp faced ledges, hard terrain and all enduro/WFO no MX tracks pls; also loooong out rides like leave at 5am and get back by 6/7pm (I'd like to fit in some family time too on ride days).

I'd like to keep a route or at least some options (nothing like once you done in Cali come to Canada - it's not going to work for me)

I can tell this is going top be a good thread, let the experienced boys and girls speak up and post pictures if you can that would be awesome - Dwight I'd like to see you out on the trail while I'm there if it's possible (if you willing and able). (I'm planning on convincing you that the roof of Africa race is easy as pie and bringing you over in a few years...(Don't worry most of it is flat and fast (? - yeah right)))

[makKX250]

Go to Idaho. Waterpark and such in Boise for the wife and kids.

llamaface - can you hook him up?

[SHRacing]

I've heard of KTM adventures being a good way to do what you are wanting to do. Only thing is that they are wide open areas. Another thing is try magaize websites Dirt Bike.com and/or Dirt Rider.com for hook ups.

Good Luck:thumbsup:

[NorCal]

California has it all. That's all I got to say!

[Motolizard]

There is a lot of great riding in South Dakota plus tons of things to do as a family. Great around the Badlands and Rapid City.

[porterdog]

Michigan has some of the best riding in the world. Check these guys: http://www.cycleconservationclub.org/

...and also in the Where to Ride forum.

[magicfunk]

Here in Georgia which is sorta close to dwight

we have

highlandparkresort.com

and

durhamtown.com

both have rentals.

you could go to Hatfield Mccoy www.trailsheaven.com in west Virginia they have all the rocks you could ever want. and at least one side of every trail is a cliff. not sure about rentals there.

[Plushpuppy]

I'd say talk to Llamaface too, for Idaho.

Though you'd also prolly like Gifford Pinchot stuff in WA, and there's wine stuff on the east side of the Cascades.

Yup, PNW fer sure!

[kinada423]

I guess you want to pick what types of terrain you want to ride...or what you don't have locally. For example you might want to avoid desert rocky type stuff since you likely ride that normally in the outback?

Try some florida type sand, alabama or red georgia clay, east tn, nc, michigan singletrack, socal desert and norcal and maybe some colorado goat type stuff. That's about the whole gamut that I can think of?

I have only really ridden in the East Tn w/ NC and Georgia area but everytime i see videos those are the types of terrain I think of riding and I live here! LOL

Hope to hear more about your trip and see pics after it all goes down ?

[Chillwabbitt]

I guess you want to pick what types of terrain you want to ride...or what you don't have locally. For example you might want to avoid desert rocky type stuff since you likely ride that normally in the outback?

Try some florida type sand, alabama or red georgia clay, east tn, nc, michigan singletrack, socal desert and norcal and maybe some colorado goat type stuff. That's about the whole gamut that I can think of?

I have only really ridden in the East Tn w/ NC and Georgia area but everytime i see videos those are the types of terrain I think of riding and I live here! LOL

Hope to hear more about your trip and see pics after it all goes down

The outback is in Australia, I'm in Africa ? but yes we do have deserts but I almost never see them, we have a whole host of terrain in our country from forest to desert and everything in between.

What I really want is to ride somewhere new, that can cater for my family as well - if it were just me I would go to Romania; some awesome riding country but now I'm getting off topic.

Thanks for the info guys, please keep it coming.

[OldSkoo11]

You could do a NorCal trip spend a few days in Napa. World renowned for wine. Also some awesome riding in the area. Rugged, rocky and steep. There's enough single track,dual trails to please anyone. Also you could always head south and check out the So Cal scene. Disneyland, Seaworld in San Diego. California has a ton to offer your whole family. So far as someone to show you the ropes I'm sure someone could show you around the area. Hope this helps..................Oldskoo11

Check out the California regional thread and see any topic that deals with Middlecreek or Cow Mountain. Might give you an idea of what type of riding goes on around the area.

[llamaface]

Go to Idaho. Waterpark and such in Boise for the wife and kids.

llamaface - can you hook him up?

There's no good riding in idaho. All of us here go to california for our riding vacations because idaho trails are too narrow. You can only ride here in late june through september-ish anyway.

Seriously tho, what time of year do you want to travel and what kinda stuff would the family be interested in? If you travel in september or october, and the family would enjoy stunning national parks and stuff, Moab might be worthwhile. OTOH, if they want to go to disneyland, you're pretty much stuck in socal or some other smoggy trafficky hellhole.

Northern california has plenty of stuff to do (unbelievable # of wineries in sonoma and napa counties, some decent semi-woods riding at middle creek/stonyford, plus the tahoe area and some very good riding near tahoe and downieville and chico, and of courese SF and alcatraz and the golden gate bridge and the castro and the north beach strip joints and chinatown and so forth. Late spring through early summer are my favorite times to ride in cali, or else fall after the first rains.

Idaho has better (and more) technical mountain singletrack than anywhere else, but I don't know if there is anything else here. Don't much care either. ?

[String94]

Here in Georgia which is sorta close to dwight

we have

highlandparkresort.com

and

durhamtown.com

both have rentals.

you could go to Hatfield Mccoy www.trailsheaven.com in west Virginia they have all the rocks you could ever want. and at least one side of every trail is a cliff. not sure about rentals there.

Wayne National Forest in southern Ohio is all so great

[Hawker665]

As long as the family would enjoy seeing the American Southwest, I can't think of any better place than Moab, UT. Plenty of lodging, bike rentals are possible (not the case in much of the rest of the country), and at least a week worth of truly epic riding. Try to go in the Spring or Fall, as summers are brutal.

Family stuff would consist mostly of sight-seeing, but there are all kinds of 'adventure' activities for them to enjoy (white water rafting, offroad tours, national parks).

Here are some pictures from my trip last year :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/94594657@N00/sets/72157604338085454/

And 2007 (it's nice to have a brother with spair bikes Fly'n Ride FTW!) :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/94594657@N00/sets/72157594572975529/

[ORrooster]

Seriously tho, what time of year do you want to travel and what kinda stuff would the family be interested in?

Those two things would be key to us giving you any recomendations for travel locations.

[kinada423]

Moab is a cornicopia of sandpaper rock. Always always impressed with pictures from there. I have several friends who have been on 4x4 trips up there and loved it and always heard good stuff about riding there. It's definately famous and memorable and lots of other activities in the area.

If you hit ohio you could get some good riding in, go to cedar point amusement part etc. Just steer clear of cleveland...it's lame. ?

[Soul Man]

+1 for Moab.

Several places to rent bikes and they can do trailhead drop off/pick up.

Family can go to Arches natl park, Bryce Canyon etc. Ton's of fantastic scenery around there. More trails than you can ride in a month, with the trailheads within 10-30 min of town.

[Dwight_Rudder]

Right, I'm trying to plan a riding vacation in the USA (next 6 months to a year); I've never been there and I know less than anything about the place except for what I see on the news which like any other country is to sell papers and makes for a good story.

Right so here it is, I would like to plan a week maybe 2, that will take me along some serious riding terrain and will take the wife and kids past some wine farms, kiddie activities etc.

I'm really looking forward to these insights and please if you can mention bike rental - cause my KX450F will not fit into hand luggage, and what's involved in rental. The last thing I need is some guy trying to give my a half day of riding lessons before he leads the way (at a snails pace - aaaaaargh).

I want rocks, sharp faced ledges, hard terrain and all enduro/WFO no MX tracks pls; also loooong out rides like leave at 5am and get back by 6/7pm (I'd like to fit in some family time too on ride days).

I'd like to keep a route or at least some options (nothing like once you done in Cali come to Canada - it's not going to work for me)

I can tell this is going top be a good thread, let the experienced boys and girls speak up and post pictures if you can that would be awesome - Dwight I'd like to see you out on the trail while I'm there if it's possible (if you willing and able). (I'm planning on convincing you that the roof of Africa race is easy as pie and bringing you over in a few years...(Don't worry most of it is flat and fast (? - yeah right)))

A friend of mine from SA is coming to the ISDT Reunion ride. A 2 day Qualifier type Vintage bike event. David Haines comes to the USA to ride the ISDTR most every year. He is a member of the VINDURO Group on Yahoogroups.

The ISDTR will be held in early Oct at McArthur, Ohio, a couple weeks after the AHRMA 2 Day Vintage Qualifier type event held in West Point, Tennessee.

Both are good areas to ride.

Dwight

[WardKTM]

I had good luck with these guys riding in Nevada, outside Las Vegas. The guides were Paris-Dakar vets and will ride to your level. They have tour and bike rentals all over. http://www.admotours.com/

[Sicko]

You might be interested in North Texas. There is Muenster (last man standing) and just east is Barnwell Mountain park. Both of these parks are as tough as you want them to be.

As far as just taking out for hours and hours not to sure about that but you can ride all day at these places and not hit every trail. Just google both and you will find info on them

Don't know about any bike rental around but I am sure that there are some around. Check out smsracing.net they might work out something with you.

something you might consider.

North Texas has amusement parks for the kids and historical places. coast is a few hours away and San Antonio down south is nice.

Texas can get hot come the summer months.