So we have a family event in Livingston Montana on the 16th of July and thought we would continue on with a road trip from there. We are bringing unis and bikes with us. I am bringing an Oregon, my nine year old will have a 19 trials (or a 24 muni if I can find one on the trading post or UDC has them on sale on time), my 7 year old will be on a 20" bke, and my wife will be on a mountain bke.
I thought I would ask for some suggestions on places to go, places to ride, places to stay on our summer road trip.
We need to be in Livingston on the 16th and have a nephew in Boulder, CO that we are tentatively staying with on the 18-19th. We also are thinking of going to the four corners but we are flexible. We like to tent camp sometimes but showers are a must. We also like to nerd up a vacation (museums, historical sites, archeology, geology, ect.) This is not a muni trip but more of a family vacation with some muni rides.
We are on the novice side of riding. The longest ride the boys and I have done was seven miles on a flat bike path with lots of stops for street crossings with the oldest on a 26" road uni cut down. The last 2-3 miles the oldest complained of saddle soreness and the youngest of tired legs. At this age the kids seem to have lots of short bursts of energy. So lots of short hills work well. Ride hard up hill until you stop, push to the top, regroup and ride a little then ride down and regroup. Everyone likes downhill. The boys and I are not used to the heat so places that are naturally cooler would be good (I know we are going to the southwest in July).
One route we considered was Livingston, Mt (family)/ Thermopolis, Wy (dinosaur dig site)/ Boulder, Co (family)/ Taos or Albuquerque or Durango, NM / Four Corners / Moab, Ut / Salt Lake City, Ut / Boise, Id / home. I haven’t been to any of these places except Livingston and Boise so they are just names on a map at this point. I have seen the videos of uni riding in Moab but I just checked tomorrow’s weather there is supposed to be 106 degrees. So maybe high elevation with trees would be cooler?
Any ideas from the group, uni or otherwise?
Matt