I live in Spokanistan now and the riding is pretty darn good around here. I lived in the Black Hills for a few years and liked it too but, I felt like I was on an island since virtually every direction you travel has vast nothingness for miles.
The thing I really did like about the Black Hills (and I assume the same for Colorado, Wyoming and Utah) was if it wasn't snowing it was sunny. Here in Washington and North Idaho it can be gray for long periods of time with no precipitation. That tends to get your spirits down after a while.
If I could pick a spot it would have to be on the west side of the divide because the wind coming down the east slopes are a bit too much for my tastes (I know, b!tch about gray and now b!tch about wind). I would think all of Utah, western Wyoming and western Montana ( I like the SW corner) and Idaho (I love central Idaho) or North Eastern Oregon would be awesome.
I also like riding in areas with at least some open areas. The ideal picture in my mind would be riding between snow covered mountains through Aspen groves in the sunshine with nothing to guide my path but the terrain. So, I guess Utah and Colorado really appeal to me with their dry powder and sunshine. Did I mention I like sunshine?
I do really like Bend. It's the place where it seems the loggers and hippies meet. A little "green" for my tastes but, what a spot! There are certainly interesting human interaction dynamics to watch there.
How about McCall? What a fine place!
Now you have me thinking about looking at annual snowfall depths and days of sunshine. Which makes me think of Chelan Washington with it's 300 days of sunshine a year and right at the foot of the Cascades.
I must stop myself................................ next thing I know I'll have the atlas out and be studying the subject myself.
Great Topic!
