Tycho Brahe 

Just looked at my company calendar and noticed that both Xmas and NYE are four day weekends since the actual occur on Sunday. That leaves 3 days of work between the two weekends. Definitely taking that time off.

Just spent two weeks with family and they are very far away, so I probably will not be seeing them if I can make other plans. I have also no interesting single friends, so I am looking to get out of town by myself. I love cycling, so I am looking into how can I create a vacation around it.

I live in Los Angeles. Would love to keep my total travel time under 12 hours if possible, but would definitely increase it for the right place place. I hate the cold, which is why I moved to California years ago. Do not need hot climates, just nothing cold. I have not seen snow in years and would like to keep it that way.

One of my goals is to do Alto de Letras, but not this trip. Cannot train for it and organizing it solo is difficult.

I wanted to get into touring, but have not yet. Perhaps too optimistic to start now. The idea is somewhere where I can do day trips, preferably big climbs. Some place where I can rent bikes would be ideal. Perhaps a road bike one day, a casual bike another.

I love adventure. Been to every continent except Antartica (and not because of the cold, but because of the high cost). Traveled Africa on public buses, so nothing is too scary.

To recap:
Live in Los Angeles
Traveling solo
Highly prefer day trips over touring
11 days off, but does not need to be the entire time
Do not need to cycle every day
Bonus for a place with a lively New Years Eve party

Thank you if you reached this far and endured my rambling!

caloso

Maui? It's a 5.5 hour flight from LAX. You can rent road bikes and casual bikes. It has not just a big climb, but probably the biggest climb any of us will ever do. I'd imagine you could find a pretty rocking NYE party there too.

Seattle Forrest

Not here. It'll be 40 to 45 F and drizzling. You can ride here, it just won't be very pleasant. I'll be getting back from a cross country ski trip.

Tycho Brahe 

Haleakala is also on my list. The climb itself is not the problem (well, it is, but a different one), but I do not feel like tackling it by myself. Maui is not a good place for a single person. I rather be in Oahu. Plus Hawaii is very expensive during the holidays. But I will do Haleakala some day. Alto de Letras is a bigger climb, but also a lot harder to organize.

black_box 

Just curious as I've considered a solo trip out there for cycling, why not Maui?

a94501er

https://www.backroads.com/award-winning-tours/biking

https://www.rei.com/adventures/trips/cycling

SpiceRoads Cycling Adventures in Asia - bicycle tours throughout Southeast and East Asia

Cycling holidays | Exodus

...

Google is your friend

Machka 

Well ... it's summer in Australia then.

Tycho Brahe 

I feel that Maui is better suited for couples. Gorgeous place, but not many opportunities to meet others. Then again, I was in a large hotel on the west side while I was there. Perhaps Paia would be better, but Hawaii is still expensive. I will return someday to climb Haleakala, but with others.

NYE in Sydney? Been there, done that. If I had to return to Oceania, I would go to New Zealand, but I would want more than 10 days. Found a decent flight to Fiji and some hostels are only $8 a night. Tempting.

Organized tours? No thank you. I do not need someone to hold my hand. Perhaps something like the rallies organized by The Adventurists would be interesting. Over $4K for 14 days in Vietnam? That country is cheap! I traversed the entire country in 6 weeks with a motorcycle I purchased in Saigon for $220. I doubt I spent $400, let alone $4K. Beer as cheap as $0.15 on tap (more like $1-$1.5 down south since they do not do tap beer).

a94501er

Enjoy!

San Pedro

Okinawa, Japan. Not too hot not too cold. Has mountains and oceans, but pricey.

TheLibrarian

Qotopaxi state park in Ecuador, cheap and warm. can ride a bike down a volcano or cruise around on trails. Most likely more off road. Can stay in a hacienda next to the park that rents mtn bikes and even has a few lodgings in the park itself, might have to be part of their tour for that though. Can do day trips and ride a horse another day or something. On my list cause I havn't been to SA. Would be cool to ride around most any city or rural area though. Was just in Philly, hated it but thought it'd be cool to ride a bike around. Wide streets, lots of bikes and not horrible traffic. Bikes a great way to see a city. You go slower so can see more and can turn off down paths and alleys. Be cold though in Dec-Jan. Colorado and just below there has some world famous mtn biking stuff, Moab etc. I'm also liking Sedona, never been there they say its nice. Mostly just cause the song. It's mtn biking but looks like a nice town you could cruise the streets and some trails look like they cut through town seeing as you dont want to out and out tour. Think it gets cold around Moab and the Grand Canyon. I don't think Sedona, AZ gets too cold but idk.

Tycho Brahe 

After re-reading my reply, I am sorry if I sounded a bit dismissive of your suggestion. I appreciate any feedback. Do not require an organized tours, especially since the biking ones are incredibly expensive. I still do not see how 14 days in Vietnam can be $4K. $285 a day? Granted, I travel cheap, but wow.

I rarely travel around the holidays. Flight prices are insane. Rethinking my approach. Maybe I will get into touring, but I never travel in the US because hotels are too expensive (and hostels non-existent).

DXchulo

Tenerife

It's far, but worth it. I went in January and had a lot of fun. Tons of climbing and a surprising variety of routes for an island. You could easily stay in the same hotel or switch from the south to the north midway through.

As an added bonus, bike rental is cheap there.

AlexCyclistRoch

I remember one year when we got a 24" snowfall on New Year's Eve......

scott967

Which is why my wife says we're not leaving Hawaii. She says Rochester is beautiful 3 months of the year.

As far as Maui, I don't know New Years but Halloween in Lahaina is a big deal.

scott s.
.

Velo Vol 

Fargo

f4rrest

Heck, I'd just stay home and ride every day. Mountains, Santa Barbara, San Diego.

diphthong

death valley national park and/or mojave national preserve 3-6 hour drive from los angeles. both have plenty of scenery and wide open spaces. death valley will have the harder climbs (both sides of towne pass, the climb to dante's view). mornings will be a little brisk but daily temps should top out in the low to mid 70's. could always add a ride in the las vegas area (red rocks, valley of fire, lake mead western shore) if you wanted someplace to celebrate nye.

as mentioned above, there's also the santa ynez valley/santa barbara/san luis obispo/paso robles area with a variety of terrain.

tucson has saguaro national park, "the loop," and nearby kitt peak and mt lemmon.