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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Riding family vacation mid March - mid April

    Taking a month to take the family on the road from mid March through mid April. Was originally looking at Moab/Fruita, but realizing that temps might be lower than ideal for getting the kids outside (3, 5, 7). Starting looking instead at Sedona (and Flagstaff, although also cold there).

    We are starting in Montana and heading south and have 30 days to spend south living out of a travel trailer. What are some good locations where the kids can ride mellow, flat greens circles and there is some challenging riding for the wife and I to ride solo occasionally?

    Bonus points if there are also museums, water parks, hiking, etc. that we can also take advantage of so they kids don't get bored.

    The 3yo will be on my Mac-ride with me, but the other two have pedal bikes. Any value in those tow rope bungees I've seen online?

    Seth

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2012
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    Every time I've been to Moab/Fruita end of April or earlier I've gotten snowed on. Aside from seasonal weather the daytime temps are usually good. But the place is also a shit show now and could be hard to find camping. Maybe stop off there mid week on the way down or home?

    Sedona should be prime weather then, and Prescott getting nice. Sedona has more dispersed camping which has also been kind of a shit show lately. Definitely easier than Moab though. Phoenix/Tucson would be starting to warm up by April but should be pretty nice. You could easily move around a bit and have a week in each of Sedona, Tucson, Phx, Vegas. That should provide tons of different options to keep things interested.

    Are you looking for campground camping or dispersed camping? Each area has some, but it could affect suggestions.


    Another option is Socal - seriously. You could spend a bunch of time in Anza Borrego Desert State park, Palm Springs area, Joshua Tree, Santa Monicas, SLO, Death Valley, maybe make a side trip into San Diego. There are some RV parks here that aren't great but offer decent access to the city.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    Hell Track
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    Agreed with Evdog. Moab is do-able, but weather is hit or miss. Guaranteed it'll be pretty chilly at night.

    The St. George / Hurricane area should be on the list. Easy to hit on the way to / from other places. There's 3-4 days of riding there, and lots of mellow options for kids. As long as you're in the neighborhood, there's also some fun riding around Las Vegas. And, of course, the kids will love the strip clubs.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    I would suggest St. George / Hurricane.

    Sedona good idea too if weather looks good, but make sure not to camp in the campgrounds north of town along the creek, all the cold air from Flagstaff flows down overnight. Seems like there are fewer kid options.

    San Diego is not a bad idea for a ~week, if you can get reservations for one of the beach side State campgrounds. A few riding areas are nearby good for couple hour long rides. Take the kids to Sea World and/or lego land. Several museums. Just be prepared to plan around traffic, don't be like my sister and drive from Vegas to SD on a Sunday night :-). Plus, we have a bike park now!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2012
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    Quote Originally Posted by 406 View Post
    Plus, we have a bike park now!
    And Sweetwater Reginal Park campground is right there nearby it, with access to MTB trail network as well. https://www.facebook.com/bonitabikepark/
    https://www.google.com/maps/dir/32.6...32.6782792!3e0

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
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    Are you trying to stay in the same spot for the whole month? Personally, I wouldn't want to do that, especially considering you'll be traveling during peak Spring Break times. I'd start in SoCal, then move on to Sedona/Prescott, then head over to St. George/Hurricane, and maybe pop through Fruita/GJ/Moab on the way home (or some combination of those locations). Just try to avoid the bike festivals and Moab/Sedona during Spring Break, and you'll be fine.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    Ogden
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    ^^^ Also Hurricane Bike Festival March 27-29.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
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    Michigan, Ohio, Colorado
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    Id also say St. George. Lots of mellow hiking around too. Sedona is great, but pretty pricey to do things.

    As for the tow rope things, they just look like a good way to have a child nunchuck. If you are on smooth paths and your kid talks to you a lot, probably fine, on anyhting else it seems like an injury to you or your kid waiting to happen. Ive used something similar in team races to get slower climbers up hills utilizing the work horses, so they do work as intended. But, if youre pulling little weight, seems like it could get jerky for the kid.
    Sent via care package with protective strafe run

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Thanks all.

    Planning on spending time in 3-4 places on the trip. The 3yo gets a little restless in the car if spending too much time at one shot, but it would seem like if we made a big push toward SoCal or did that in reverse, we might be able to keep the rest of the trips short(er).

    I think I saw pictures somewhere of a bike mount that you would drop a kid's front wheel into and ride more like a tandem. I'm trying to remember where I saw that. Anybody know what I'm talking about?

    Seth

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    463
    IMO Sedona does not have much easy riding, although there is plenty of thrilling riding. Overall it's slow going, especially so with kids and the traffic during Spring Break gives me a headache.

    Prescott has a ton of easy riding, including some areas right in town, plus a Trader Joes and a Costco. There is dispersed camping south of town in the forest. Nearby are plenty of ruins like Montezume Castle and the downtown is nice.

    Flagstaff also has a lot of fun easy riding and a killer skills park though it will be on the cold side in March, and may be covered in snow.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Eugenio Oregón
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    For kids stuff in St George - the petroglyph trail above the Santa Clara river on the northwest side of town would be great for kids. And the Dinosaur Discovery site at Johnson Farm has thousands of well preserved dinosaur tracks that were discovered right there on site. And of course Zion midweek will be a hoot and is day trippable from St G.

    Snow Canyon SP is a great (so beautiful) established campground in St G and the scrambling opportunities for kids are endless!
    _______________________________________________
    "Strapping myself to a sitski built with 30lb of metal and fibreglass then trying to water ski in it sounds like a stupid idea to me.

    I'll be there."
    ... Andy Campbell

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    Goulder
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    891
    18rd at Fruita has some chill rides for youngsters, and they are shuttles (start em out the right way), camping is still free for now. Loma has Wranglers loop, built for kids.
    BarM loops in Moab has some cool kid loops. Lazy and EZ, and ghetto camping is close.

    Worth a few days anyway.
    the drugs made me realize it's not about the drugs

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    Live Free or Die
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    Quote Originally Posted by sethschmautz View Post

    I think I saw pictures somewhere of a bike mount that you would drop a kid's front wheel into and ride more like a tandem. I'm trying to remember where I saw that. Anybody know what I'm talking about?

    Seth
    I've seen someone riding with something like that around here. Looks like it is a Follow Me Tandem https://www.clevercycles.com/followm...-coupling.html

  14. #14
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    x2 for snow canyon state park.

    That is a good point about Prescott over Sedona that cloud cult made.

    If you are considering San Diego and can get away for a full day, the April 4th SDMBA Archipelago ride is always a good time: https://archride.sdmba.com/

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