Has anyone bike toured the desert?

[rideitlikeyoustoleit]

The more I think about it the more I am starting to think this will be a bad idea, but I just thought I would ask and see if anyone on here has bike toured through the southwest before. I've been thinking about bike touring the south in the colder months ahead, but am pretty unsure.

 

[dime]

i've thought about it and thought against it shortly after

 

[wartomods]

if you plan your rout...

 

[rideitlikeyoustoleit]

i've thought about it and thought against it shortly after

This is pretty much what I did too, but I figure there has to be people out there that have done it.

 

[dime]

most problably had a van or something following too. with food and water and shit

 

[dirtyfacedan]

Just watch out for prickly pear cactus on the road, it blows onto it, and you can get a few flats a day. MrTuffy tire liner helps a lot. Lots, and lots of water!!!! the nights are cool in the early fall.

 

[Matt Derrick]

i don't think it's impossible, just kinda hard. you'd have to pack a lot of water. ive done two long trip bike rides, but not in the desert... just plan your route and be careful not to over do it!

 

[gangleri]

I actually met up with some folks who were doing a trip across Arizona and into southern California this past January. When we came up on them on the road, one of them was biking with a bike trailer and the other was running, pushing a jogging stroller with their old dog in it. Both the stroller and the trailer had gear and some supplies. They seemed to be having a great time, with their gear just a little worse for wear, but this was in the winter, too. They had some good sleeping gear for the colder nights that time of year, but aside from that, just jugs and jugs of water, a little food, a small amount of clothes.

I guess I couldn't say exactly how it was, as I was not doing it, but they were having fun, their dogs were having fun, and they were taking backroads through some incredible areas. For me, I'd be sure to take more water than I thought I'd need, some sunblock (unless you have a dark tan/complexion), and maybe a pay-as-you-go cellphone in case something comes up in the middle of the desert and you can't ride on.

 

[rideitlikeyoustoleit]

Wow, thats really cool those folks were doing that. I think I might keep the idea in mind for future reference, but right now I've decided to put my efforts towards a sacramento collective house/infoshop, since we are really lacking in that department right now.

 

[roadbike]

Might be an idea to ride evening/night into the early morning and stop through the day to hole up. Tonnes of water, salty things, and, as stupid as it may sound, one of those reflective emergency blankets may help. Went into shock when I was touring in a particularly hot/dry area a couple summers back (it was hitting 43 C in the shade when I woke up hours latter and stumbled off into some farmer's yard after waking up with their dogs licking me) and that night I crashed out in the open and wrapped myself in the emergency bivvy I brought 'cause I was shivering like mad for some reason. Dunno if it actually helped, but they're lighter and smaller than sleeping bags, cheep as all fuck, and reflect your body heat well.

 

[rideitlikeyoustoleit]

Holy cow, it's a good thing your okay!

 

[Matt Derrick]

Wow, thats really cool those folks were doing that. I think I might keep the idea in mind for future reference, but right now I've decided to put my efforts towards a sacramento collective house/infoshop, since we are really lacking in that department right now.

make sure to add it to the wiki (shameless plug)

 

[rideitlikeyoustoleit]

I definatly will once I get things going.

 

[panik]

I actually met up with some folks who were doing a trip across Arizona and into southern California this past January. When we came up on them on the road, one of them was biking with a bike trailer and the other was running, pushing a jogging stroller with their old dog in it. Both the stroller and the trailer had gear and some supplies. They seemed to be having a great time, with their gear just a little worse for wear, but this was in the winter, too. They had some good sleeping gear for the colder nights that time of year, but aside from that, just jugs and jugs of water, a little food, a small amount of clothes.

I guess I couldn't say exactly how it was, as I was not doing it, but they were having fun, their dogs were having fun, and they were taking backroads through some incredible areas. For me, I'd be sure to take more water than I thought I'd need, some sunblock (unless you have a dark tan/complexion), and maybe a pay-as-you-go cellphone in case something comes up in the middle of the desert and you can't ride on.

haha that was my buddy nikki and her boyfriend! they had quite the set-up!