David Barker
New Member
I am beginning my planning for a 50CC ride. Planning on doing the Jacksonville, Fla to San Diego Ca route. I'd like to get some opinions on the best time of year to do the ride. Any advice is appreciated.
Best time of year to do the 50CC
- Thread starter David Barker
- Start date
TXBootScoot
Active Member
I rode it in mid-September. There was a lot of stress the week before due to hurricanes. I ride in a lot of rain (because of said hurricanes—ruined my iPhone and had to buy a new one in Cali.
However, once I passed into AL, the weather was beautiful for the rest of the trip. Funny enough, I most have just had a great week because the drive home the following weekend was HOT!
However, once I passed into AL, the weather was beautiful for the rest of the trip. Funny enough, I most have just had a great week because the drive home the following weekend was HOT!
Hey David, you've been a member since August 2018 and this is your first post? Good to see you taking your time to thoroughly plan the ride.
"Best time" of the year? Best in what way?
Best for weather (hot/cold/just right)? Rain vs dry? Prevailing winds?
Best for traffic (too busy/too lonely/just right)? Holidays vs weekends vs known commuter peaks?
Best for daylight hours (too long/too short/just right)? Summer solstice vs winter solstice vs equinox?
I'm a foreigner who did the ride before the wall went up. I rode an I10 LAX-JAX-LAX in April. I flew in, hopped on a strange and stock hire bike, rode east for 40-odd hours through lovely conditions, freezing cold, rain and heat. When I reached the Atlantic Ocean (Ocean of America on today's maps) I turned around and rode west for 40-odd hours through lovely conditions, heat, rain, standstill traffic around El Paso, more heat, cold and wild commuter traffic before reaching LA at the Pacific Ocean (American Ocean on today's maps). I had a great time and gave the bike back to the hire shop.
I thought April was an ok time to do the ride.
p.s I was running an Australian body clock on 0400am when local time in LA was 1100am. On I10 it didn't seem to matter much apart from the traffic around Houston, El Paso and LA. You and other members here may be able to draw on local knowledge to avoid those headaches.
Mine (JAX-SDO) was in mid-October. I had to delay a week-ish, due to a hurricane that went in fairly close proximity to Jacksonville that season.
I left about two hours too early...and cranked out a BBG in the process, which was baked into my plan. The riding days were quite uneventful, to be honest.
In fact, I made a video of the ride, knowing that I'd probably only do it one time.
Luck to you on your planning efforts.
EDIT: Written ride report starts here: https://kwthom.blogspot.com/2016/10/bunburner-gold-and-50cc-part-1-of-2.html
I left about two hours too early...and cranked out a BBG in the process, which was baked into my plan. The riding days were quite uneventful, to be honest.
In fact, I made a video of the ride, knowing that I'd probably only do it one time.
Luck to you on your planning efforts.
EDIT: Written ride report starts here: https://kwthom.blogspot.com/2016/10/bunburner-gold-and-50cc-part-1-of-2.html
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I started one the end of March (24th) from Kings Bay Ga to SD, and actually finished one going back on the 26th of April. Weather was unremarkable both directions. I had an unpluggable flat on the way west and by the time I got towed fixed an back to were I was picked up there was not enough time to finish. I was able to make a couple SaddleSore's out of it. It can be chilly in the high elevations and I assume in the desert at night but not not bone chilling. I had left New Hampshire so my ride to the start was more of a challenge weatherwise (rain with some snow and low thirty's temps). For long term planning I would look to the spring as you shouldn't have the Hurricane concerns but as we've seen lately there can be thunderstorms and tornado's in the spring, so whenever you decide keep an eye on whatever weather there actually is.
I saw 18 different answers to your same question in the IBA Motorcycle Riders Facebook group as well.
Probably best to just make a decision and commit to it. At the end of the day, all you can do is make your best educated guess and go for it. There is no "best" time, you're going to come across some manner of adversity no matter when you go, and dealing with the adversities and soldiering on anyway is part and parcel of the whole experience. So pick a date you like, prepare accordingly, and have your adventure!
Probably best to just make a decision and commit to it. At the end of the day, all you can do is make your best educated guess and go for it. There is no "best" time, you're going to come across some manner of adversity no matter when you go, and dealing with the adversities and soldiering on anyway is part and parcel of the whole experience. So pick a date you like, prepare accordingly, and have your adventure!
February is marginal. I hit snow storms in New Mexico, but past that was fine. The end of Dec is iffy too. Got caught in Fort Stockton, TX one time with the interstate closed by snowstorm for 2 days.
Look at the weather forecast and what conditions you are prepared to ride in. Then just go!
Look at the weather forecast and what conditions you are prepared to ride in. Then just go!
Bill Lumberg
Premier Member
I always worried about slippery conditions in the mountains, and typically have only had the time in the winter months.
It’s on my bucket list. Bike security while sleeping off the ride in San Diego has been a recurrent thought…
It’s on my bucket list. Bike security while sleeping off the ride in San Diego has been a recurrent thought…
Yup. Plenty of places there at Hotel Circle, but I seemed to recall that (since my wife was with me at the end of the ride), I paid up a bit and was off the beaten path a bit for our overnight lodging.
I think in my blog might be a pic of my Wing after that ride - pretty crusty.
TXBootScoot
Active Member
There is a great Hilton in La Jolla with a garage that is right on the water. I never worried about my bike… but it wasn’t cheap.
End of May/first of June is when I did mine. Weather was great. Hit a few thunderstorms around Houston and again in West Texas, but that's to be expected. The heat across the Sonoran Desert wasn't unbearable yet, but the mountains East of SD were surprisingly cold when I hit them at night.
If I had to do it again, I'd choose the same time of year. The route home was back through Vegas and the Southern Rockies of Colorado, Route 555, etc. Worked out great for me.
If you finish at the Shell on Voltaire, Roberto's Tacos is right next door for a celebratory taco and churro. I stayed at the Comfort Inn San Diego Airport at the Harbor and it was inexpensive, nice inside, and bike parking was right outside my window. And it's only a couple of miles from the Shell on Voltaire.
Dog Beach is a little sketchy depending on what time you go get your Pacific water/sand. I went just before midnight and a dude dressed in a full red jump suit covered head to toe in beach sand told me he was the angel Gabriel and also God, and that Armageddon was just 10 years away. He invited me to sit and chat at his bonfire, but I didn't want to become a future Dateline episode, so I got on the bike and went to the hotel.
If I had to do it again, I'd choose the same time of year. The route home was back through Vegas and the Southern Rockies of Colorado, Route 555, etc. Worked out great for me.
If you finish at the Shell on Voltaire, Roberto's Tacos is right next door for a celebratory taco and churro. I stayed at the Comfort Inn San Diego Airport at the Harbor and it was inexpensive, nice inside, and bike parking was right outside my window. And it's only a couple of miles from the Shell on Voltaire.
Dog Beach is a little sketchy depending on what time you go get your Pacific water/sand. I went just before midnight and a dude dressed in a full red jump suit covered head to toe in beach sand told me he was the angel Gabriel and also God, and that Armageddon was just 10 years away. He invited me to sit and chat at his bonfire, but I didn't want to become a future Dateline episode, so I got on the bike and went to the hotel.
We are starting one April 25th, Jacksonville Beach to San Diego and back....
TXBootScoot
Active Member
There's a wall blocking the ride????
I did my 50CC ride the end of July. I didn't do the typical I-10, instead I rode from the Isle of Palms, SC to San Diego cutting across SC and GA on I-20, joining with I-10 in Kent, Texas. I also did a 100CCC... that one was done in early September... same route out, and then nested a "Why? WhyNot?" ride on the way back. I don't recall anything particularly bad about either time of year. Enjoy your ride... make good choices.
Years ago the Motorcycle Touring Forum ran 50CC and 100CC rides in late March San Diego -Jax-San Diego
The first time I rode the 101 CCC (which turned into a pair of 50CCs.) The first ride was in 2002 and the follow up was 2003
when I went back and managed to ride a 100CC
The thing that really surprised me was the number of Deer in Florida and the awful traffic in Houston,
It will really help you if you run a fuel cell, eliminating fuel stops gives you more time to sleep.
Both my rides were WEW rides.
A more interesting combination ride I did the following year was a Trans Canada Gold W-E and I did the return on a Sunrise to Sunset Insanity (US Ride)
The IBA rides that will give you the best lifetime memories are the National Parks Rides (Master Traveller)
If you want to find an interesting cross continent route that few people have done my pal Bob St. George figures these things out
Historic US-50 Coast to Coast GOLD Finishers (CA to MD via US-50 3,073 miles less than 3 days):
Name Hometown Date Motorcycle Route
Thomas Southwood Westfield, IN 08/14 H-D Road King Ocean City > Sacramento
Bob St. George Easthampton, MA 06/09 Yamaha FJR1300 Sacramento > Ocean City
Ride Safe
Bill Watt IBA 310
The first time I rode the 101 CCC (which turned into a pair of 50CCs.) The first ride was in 2002 and the follow up was 2003
when I went back and managed to ride a 100CC
The thing that really surprised me was the number of Deer in Florida and the awful traffic in Houston,
It will really help you if you run a fuel cell, eliminating fuel stops gives you more time to sleep.
Both my rides were WEW rides.
A more interesting combination ride I did the following year was a Trans Canada Gold W-E and I did the return on a Sunrise to Sunset Insanity (US Ride)
The IBA rides that will give you the best lifetime memories are the National Parks Rides (Master Traveller)
If you want to find an interesting cross continent route that few people have done my pal Bob St. George figures these things out
Historic US-50 Coast to Coast GOLD Finishers (CA to MD via US-50 3,073 miles less than 3 days):
Name Hometown Date Motorcycle Route
Thomas Southwood Westfield, IN 08/14 H-D Road King Ocean City > Sacramento
Bob St. George Easthampton, MA 06/09 Yamaha FJR1300 Sacramento > Ocean City
Ride Safe
Bill Watt IBA 310
Still a semi-active group. http://www.mctourer.com/pastevents.html Not many LD rides, though.
There was something posted on the original IBA Forum that I recall way back when, which was to try and hit Houston late morning, local time. Light(er) traffic...and lo and behold, it worked out - based on a sample of *one* ride, anyway.
A 50CC is one that makes you appreciate you and your bike's ergonomics to be able to be out on the road for a few weeks, cranking out miles, states, parks and stamps (old school...). I'm *really* glad I was able to do that NPT ride with my wife.
The ride went great!! A couple of traffic stops in Houston, four lanes into one, ugh!!
A truck on fire and they let it burn all the way down before we could move, ugh!!
We actually did 2460 miles in 44 hours!!