advice needed - colo to ariz in winter. possible?

[sn0winSaskatoon]

Hi, I'm wondering if I can get any advice. I've stashed my bike in a buddy's garage in Fort Collins, Colo. So it's already more than 2000 km south of me as I write this. I'm planning to spend about 6 or 8 weeksin arizona (tempe) Jan & Feb of 2012. So I figured I would take advantage of the fact that it's always warm there (at least by my standards) and use my bike as my wheels while I'm down there. So in late august, I left my bike in a buddy's garage in Colorado.

So my question is this. Assuming I'm smart enough not to try to head west through the colorado mountains in January, will it be possible to ride my bike more or less straight south (perhaps detouring to the east a bit into oklohoma and texas to avoid the raton pass?) untill I get far enough south that I can head west through new-mexico and into ariz ??

Any advice about that ? Obviously, I'll watch the weather and be ready to stop.... A few years back I took a bonneville across canada in early april... I just had to wear some warm gear and stop ocassionally for hot coffee or soup! So I don't mind if it's cold, I'm just a bit leery about ice and snow. I guess my backup can be to rent a truck or something and stage the bike south a few hundred miles...

thanks for any advice

Ian Fleming
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

[Bob Bernstein]

Ian,
I am watching the Dec weather in Colorado for a similar reason. Colorado weather in Jan/Feb can be crazy but you might get a sunny break in the weather. If you are stuck, I think you could rent a one way "UHAUL" trailer/truck in Colorado and drop it in Arizonia. I am trailering two motorcycles to California
from Illinois and also wonder it the weather in the mountains in Colorado is going to strand me somelace.
My alternative is to detour several hundred miles further south and make it a much longer trip, but safer. I would not even think about it Jan-Feb.

[Conteacher]

Seeing as it can snow in Colorado in August, I would be leery.

[krglorioso]

I've driven (as in "car") from the San Diego area to San Antonio and back in January several times with nary a problem. It is very important to assess (via Internet extended weather forecasts) the weather along your route. You are going to cross through some very high altitude areas where the temps will be quite frigid. Once down to I-10 (I would only go I-10) as soon as you can get on it, you will have a bit of altitude in New Mexico. Once in Arizona, you should be home free. Remember, there are long stretches of absolutely NOTHING along the way. The trip you are contemplating has enough hazards in a "cage". On a bike, you open an entirely more perilous equation. Cover as many miles as you can early in each day. I would not extend a day's riding beyond the last settlement you can reach by 3p.m.

God is said to protect fools and drunks, but don't count on it. I would deem your trip "possible", not advisable.

Ralph