JohnTex
Junior Member
Yes, I am planning early (sorry, its an enginerd thing), and am after some input from y'all on a long trip this summer. I plan to spend a week in Aspen this summer, riding bicycles with some teammates. Given that airfare is $400, plus $600 to bring the bicycle (I'm not kidding!), I am considering shipping the bicycle UPS ($50) and riding the FZ6 up. The problem is I must make it a quick trip on the road, to maximize pedaling time, and make best use of limited vacation. So, here is what I have:
Friday in mid-July: leave work at 4pm and ride to Dallas (250 flat, straight, HOT, HUMID, boring miles).
Saturday, early start, ride to Pueblo, CO: 700mi, hot & dry across the Texas panhandle & New Mexico. At least the roads are more interesting past Amarillo.
Sunday: head West into the mountains on smaller roads, 250 mi of twisties up & over the COntinental Divide (over 12k ft at Independence Pass).
The return would be more brutal:
Saturday: 650mi to Amarillo, TX (stay on "straighter" roads through the mtns, to make better time
Sunday: 650 home to Houston. The last 80 would be the most dangerous, as I would be hot, tired, and faced with crossing Houston.
What do you think, will I be too wasted after 650-700 mi in the mid-summer heat? I am over 6', so even with the Puig screen, I still catch quite a bit of wind at highway speeds.
I have a good friend & lifetime rider who did a similar trip to Denver on his FJR last year. He said even with a camelback, he was fighting dehydration & hurting the last 100mi. I know from cycling how the cumulative discomfort can cause focus & attention problems at the end of a long ride, and at both ends of this trip I will need full attention in the last 150 or so of each ride (Dallas, Raton Pass, Independence Pass, Houston).
What do you think? Make the trip on the FZ6, or just drive the SVT cage this time (which still fun in the mtns!), and wait for another opportunity when I can take my time going each way?
Friday in mid-July: leave work at 4pm and ride to Dallas (250 flat, straight, HOT, HUMID, boring miles).
Saturday, early start, ride to Pueblo, CO: 700mi, hot & dry across the Texas panhandle & New Mexico. At least the roads are more interesting past Amarillo.
Sunday: head West into the mountains on smaller roads, 250 mi of twisties up & over the COntinental Divide (over 12k ft at Independence Pass).
The return would be more brutal:
Saturday: 650mi to Amarillo, TX (stay on "straighter" roads through the mtns, to make better time
Sunday: 650 home to Houston. The last 80 would be the most dangerous, as I would be hot, tired, and faced with crossing Houston.
What do you think, will I be too wasted after 650-700 mi in the mid-summer heat? I am over 6', so even with the Puig screen, I still catch quite a bit of wind at highway speeds.
I have a good friend & lifetime rider who did a similar trip to Denver on his FJR last year. He said even with a camelback, he was fighting dehydration & hurting the last 100mi. I know from cycling how the cumulative discomfort can cause focus & attention problems at the end of a long ride, and at both ends of this trip I will need full attention in the last 150 or so of each ride (Dallas, Raton Pass, Independence Pass, Houston).
What do you think? Make the trip on the FZ6, or just drive the SVT cage this time (which still fun in the mtns!), and wait for another opportunity when I can take my time going each way?