full time travelers

[urbanflow]

how many of you guys on here travel full time? where do you guys spend the colder season? the south east is pretty damn cold, unless you head to south florida. im planning on headed south and i was wondering if anyone had any input. i guess the desert might be a warmer place to be but, riding the sunset route is pretty dumb for a novice rider like myself.

whatever, so where do yall spend the colder months?

 

[dharma bum]

You must have never been in the desert at night..

 

[urchin]

It can get bone-chilling in a desert.

 

[Deleted member 125]

if the southeast is to cold for you ide suggest housing up for winter. i wouldnt recommend south florida, its a pretty crummy place. i spend my winters with my partner foaming and working to save money for spring.

 

[urchin]

I wouldn't recommend the southeast. It's getting ready to hit freezing here for at least a few days. My friend and I are hitting up Fort Lauderdale for a job this Monday.

 

[urbanflow]

nah i know the desert is cold at night. its just not so bad having a cold night when you can look forward to a warm day. i was actually headed to ft. lauderdale myself. i was just wondering what most of yall do in the colder seasons. with the way the weather patterns have been georgia aint much better than philly. seems like a strange winter to me.

 

[urchin]

Most definitely man. I've spent time in Philly with family and the weather here makes me think of it minus the snow. I'm almost afraid to step outside right now.

 

[travelin]

granted i travel a little differently from most here, but my wife and i usually try to be in some place like phoenix or no further north in texas than san antonio by october.

two years we wintered in las vegas and there it was not very bad.

this year i let her talk me into san francisco bay region but we wound up out by martinez which gets colder than shit at night lately. get up in the morning and ice is all over everything but the days get pretty warm out there.

in san francisco itself it seems to be running dawns in the mid forties with days up as high as 60 most days.

i wintered one year at pismo beach and that was great. it never did get close to freezing, but then again it didnt get very warm either.

overall id have to say desert, specifically phoenix or tucson, perhaps yuma for winter. phoenix does have below freezing some monrings but by 9 am it will be in the fifties and by noon in the sixties most winter days. we have not actually spent a winter in tucson or yuma, but was well aware of conditions there as much of my desert rockhounding took place out around those areas.

even in the desert winter id suggest artic sleeping gear good to down about 0 degrees and point out that in the desert at night its all about elevation. you get up a couple thousand feet and its cold as a witches tit at night.

good luck.

 

[urbanflow]

good tips man, im pretty unfamiliar with the desert. you think a 15 degree bag, gi bivy and a wool blanket would do the trick? haha might even be over kill, i just like having the three options.

 

[travelin]

yeah, the ensemble you describe should do you very well in southwest desert winter.

i recommend having a couple of space blankets as emergency backup. they are pretty much short use items.

 

[Dishka8643]

With the exception of a few select areas, the cold is generally unavoidable. All you can do is prepare for it. Even desert regions like south west texas, Arizona, and NM get cold in the winter. Granted, they don't get as cold as Idaho or North dakota, but they still regularly experience temps around 30' f at night. What makes them good places to winter up is the fact that they rarely get precipitation. Dry cold is easier to deal with than wet cold. Also, Temperatures in these places usually climb to the 50's during the day, so It's still better than being up north.

Your sleep system (15deg bag + bivy) should be perfect.

 

[urbanflow]

id really like to do it with two wool blankets and a bivy. as heavy as they are i much prefer the rugged, adaptability of a blanket over a sleeping bag any day. the warmth thing sucks though, great for three seasons but, winter is a bitch.

 

[travelin]

now south eastern texas winter can go to raining and do it day after day after day for up to two weeks solid. temps in the 40's for highs and nights just below freezing.

it aint a great place to spend winter out in the elements.