I'm going to be riding from WI to NM in mid-May. I was thing about swinging out through the Black Hills on the way and then to NM via the Million Dollar Highway. Is that idea not good since it's mid-May. I know the likelihood of bad weather at elevation is higher but being from WI I don't know when things turn in that area. Any insight would be great. If it's a no go then I will just plan a different route.

Thanks,
Les

 

There will still be snow on the ground in mid-May, but the roads should be clear unless a late storm blows through. It will be cool in the higher elevations, and you are going to be over 10,000 ft. on Red Mountain Pass, Coal Bank Pass and Molas Pass.

Watch the weather and dress for it and you should be fine. We often ride to Silverton in mid-May if the weather permits.

Bill

 

Roads should be clear but keep an eye on the weather as you get close. It could snow in mid-May.

It's a great ride! Here are pics from a trip last year the second week of June.

http://s471.photobucket.com/user/gtm...ay%2004?sort=9

 

That's encouraging. What can I expect for a temp range through the mountains?

 

You could see 30's at altitude and 60's maybe 70's lower. I can tell you 60mph in the 30's is bit nippy. Just saw you were in WI - you already know that!

Check the temp forecast before your trip and it should give you an idea of what to expect.

 

If you're going to swing down the million dollar into NM, you might take a look at going thru Angle Fire, New Mexico. It has always been on my bucket list to go to the Vietnam Memorial there. Google it. I think it would be worth a look see.

 

We did it this year in May and we got caught in snow in NM mountains and going over the mountains in Colorado was cold but OK with leather jacket and good gloves.

Be careful in the shady area since the snow melt will re freeze during the day and at night. The only other issue was being two days behind a storm storm there was a lot off sand and small gravel on the road and you could feel the tires slide in down hill turns

 

The problem you've got is the rest of Colorado you have to travel over to get to Ouray.
I-70, US 50 or CO 13 all go through some potentially rough roads and you will have to travel one of them to logically get to that part of the state. About all you can be sure of is cold. Any traverse of Colorado will be worth the trip but look at lower elevation routes as alternatives.

 

That Million Dollar run is great. May at that elevation could get sketchy.
I did it this summer, was outstanding this time around,whereas the first time I did it a few years ago I had to go with a sniveling asshat and his drama Queen of a wife.
I purposely tried to ditch them then after a couple failed attempts, finally I managed to give them both the slip forever.
Riding has been a dream ever since.

 

Thanks for all the replies. If the weather is good I'll head straight west from WI to the Black Hills and then decide from there. If things aren't looking so good out west then I'll just head south and then to NM from there. Maybe the weather will be better on the way back.