Don’t despair when snow is in the air. Head south!
Migrate. That is the best solution if you really want to avoid cold temps and slick roads. It’s not like this is some genius advice—birds, animals, and retirees having been doing this since the beginning of recorded history. No, we’re not saying you have to move somewhere warm, we’re just saying it might be in your best interest to temporarily locate, even if it’s just for a few days!
The northern hemisphere is cold this time of year, so why not head south? Like really south. Australia, South Africa, South America, California or anywhere near the equator. There are lots of great places to ride. Some of them—if you are lucky—might not be that far off, so why not set up a rental and make a bikecation out of it. Just ask the snowbird set, there is logic to the seasonal migration.
If you live in any of these places, you’re probably wondering what all the fuss is about. But for those of us that are snowlocked, warm-weather riding seems like a distant memory.
Here are a handful of great rides in destinations exotic, warm, and/or a little of both, and some that might just be in your neck of the woods.
Ensenada to Coyote Cals: Baja California, Mexico
Famous to fans of the Baja racing, this beach side watering hole is always a fun place to visit. Head south out of Ensenada on Highway 1, before heading into the hills at Santo Tomas and onto sections of the Baja 1000 course. Follow the coast road south along the Pacific to Coyote Cal’s. www.coyotecals.com
Palomar Mountain Loop, San Diego County
Easily accessible from Los Angeles, Orange, or San Diego counties, the riding in this area is about as good as it gets from an entertaining-road perspective. If you do happen to wander out this way on the weekends, be prepared for a lot of traffic as there are a bunch of casinos in the area that get car traffic. Palomar Mountain Road can get very busy with motorcyclists on the weekends, too.
Homestead to Key West, Florida
If you really want a unique ride with epic views, the ride from Miami to Key West offers both. The one-way trip down is around 125 miles with most of it over water. It’s about as tropical a journey as can be had on the mainland US.
South Africa: Stellenbosch to Cape Agulhas
This route starts out in the beautiful town of Stellenbosch (in SA’s wine region) and heads over an amazing pass that you would swear was in the Alps, through Franshhoek and then down to Gordons Bay, along the edge of False Bay, around the point and along some fast dirt road before arriving at Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa.
Southwestern Perth Loop, Australia
This ride takes you south out of Perth before crossing back and forth over the Darling Range. First heading east from Pinjarra toward Williams and then back to Bunbury through Collie. Then take Caves Rd. down to Augusta and its lighthouse before heading east to Albany and then north through the Stirling Range National Park. Then its north along the Great Southern Highway.
Bocaina Mountains: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
This route takes about three days, and measures over 500 miles with some intense motorcycle trails. After starting in Rio, it heads south into the Serra da Bocaína region on trails in the frontier between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.
Christchurch to Puponga: New Zealand
This route heads north out of Christchurch and heads up the east coast to the northern-most point of the south island at Puponga. Highlights include the section near Kaikoura with great scenery along the coastline combined with fantastic winding roads. The route between Richmond to Collingwood is very popular, take caution of other vehicles around the busy tourist times especially in summer.
Mexico City to Taxco Loop
This loop starts and ends in the Federal District and then heads into the mountains and the awesome town of Taxco. The loop is around 225 miles in total.
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