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Routes / Re: Suggestions for route from Vancouver, Canada to join Trans-Am Please?

« on: December 14, 2012, 04:58:03 am »

Neil at CGOAB kindly gave me a fix for the linky dinks.  It was due to a disagreement atwix Internet Explorer 8 and the journals.  Simple removal of the "s" in https and all was fixed.  Glad to get that sorted as your blog was the one I have "clicked" best with so far irc, so thanks very much for sharing. 

After reading it, I decided that I would likely follow your route IF I have a time limit OR the Kettle route if no limit.  Perhaps a journal named "fattest man on a Transam" or "fatter man on a Transam" would suit my trip.

And about time limits, the board met yesterday and declined my application for time off.  This is tragic as I really really enjoy my job.  It led to alot or arguments (which I wasn't even involved in!) but who said this was going to be easy?  I phoned a very similar organisation in anticipation of the boards outcome and without hesitation; they said that taking that time off would not be a problem and they would work around it!  So interview on Tuesday and possibly a move of house, business and job to a different county shortly after.

The only other thought I had was to resign from my old job as close as possible to trip departure and then re-apply for it when its advertised (obviously mentioning on the application that I would not be available from JUN-SEP)  That way, there would be no policy breach for "sabbatical" requests, which is the reason the board used for not giving the time off.

At the very least, this has confirmed to me that I AM going to do this one way or another.

 

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Routes / Re: Suggestions for route from Vancouver, Canada to join Trans-Am Please?

« on: November 29, 2012, 07:51:25 am »

Time off? Yes I'm going to be asking for 8 weeks time off soon as well.  Always interesting

Still get the same thing with that link (and every other blog link from that website), might email the web chap and ask about it.

Hope you have more luck than my time off request, once owed holibobs are removed I was effectively asking for 6 weeks off which has now been denied.  So this has taken on a whole new perspective as looking for a new job would also involve moving, suddenly this trip has alot of knock on implications.  Ughh.

The plan now is to make the same request to directors (though I am certain it will have the same outcome) and I will carry on making loose trip plans and see if I can find some way around this dilemma.

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Routes / Re: Suggestions for route from Vancouver, Canada to join Trans-Am Please?

« on: November 28, 2012, 03:58:16 pm »

irc, thanks for the detailed info on your route out of Vancouver and waiver info.

I have tried to click your blog but get a website security error, although it will let me visit the main website fine.  Do you get this warning also?

As far as "time off" for this trip:  I emailed my request for time off!  Radio silence has ensued.......

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Routes / Re: Suggestions for route from Vancouver, Canada to join Trans-Am Please?

« on: November 24, 2012, 02:58:00 pm »

Thanks, been looking at the KATY trail too, its on the long and growing list!  Would be great to hear how you managed from landing in Vancouver to sorting out bike and finding ferries etc irc, do you have a blog or oubt?

Slightly off topic but since you are here irc, did you have any problems crossing from Canada to USA?

The research I have done so far suggests, no special requirements and no need for the ESTA visa waiver form entering the US as that applies to air or sea entry.  Does that sound about right, I can go straight to the border and sort it out there?

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Routes / Re: Suggestions for route from Vancouver, Canada to join Trans-Am Please?

« on: November 23, 2012, 04:41:29 pm »

Continued thanks for all of the suggestions.  Mindblowing number of choices!

Thanks for the trail info irc, since I am (said with confidence!) going on an old mountain bike it would be rude not to do the odd trail.  I have been looking at the website (found in a post here on ACA) that lists some of the offroad options. The C&O goes directly past the only place I have ever been in the states, where the only people I know in the states live,  near Harpers Ferry, so would be great to put that in there somewhere.  Also quite keen on the Kettle Trail as a route out of Vancouver but the other options sound great too!

Need to work out exactly what links with what and start being more organised in my research but the next step on Monday is going to be approaching boss #2 with a theoretical situation where an employee might disappear for say a month...or three. Wish me luck. 

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Routes / Re: Suggestions for route from Vancouver, Canada to join Trans-Am Please?

« on: November 20, 2012, 10:24:43 am »

Thanks again guys.  I am definitely thinking of some form of Northern shuffling to get to the Trans-Am in Missoula.

Whilst perusing the maps today, I noticed there seems to be a route from Vancouver, staying in Canada and then pops out around the Colville area too, the Kettle Valley Trail (KVT).  Any idea what that is like?

I am at least reassured that a route out of Vancouver is not going to be an issue now, just alot of choices and variations, brilliant.  An unexpected advantage of starting in Vancouver is that my 90 days US visitors limit will only start once I have crossed the border into the US.  So if my bike ends up somewhere else, or there are other issues I will get a chance to sort them without adding time pressures (other than some explaining when I get back to work).

 

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Routes / Re: Suggestions for route from Vancouver, Canada to join Trans-Am Please?

« on: November 20, 2012, 05:06:56 am »

Haa thanks pdlamb, downhill, the robust cyclists friend. 

I could fill out of few details of some very nice but somewhat obscure roads we found if you are interested.

That sounds excellent, if you have the time to do that it would be great. 

I really enjoy smaller trails and obscureness.  That looks like an excellent route which I will spend some more time investigating.  Thank you for sharing it.

I hate to break this to you, but there are no easy routes.

Thats good, I would like it to be a challenge and most look forward to the changes in scenery, temperature, altitude, road conditions etc, if it was all the same and easy it wouldn't be such a wonderful adventure.

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Routes / Re: Suggestions for route from Vancouver, Canada to join Trans-Am Please?

« on: November 19, 2012, 01:38:00 pm »

Thank you so much for the rapid and extremely helpful answers, as I have noticed is the norm on this forum.

If you're flying with your bike, I don't think I'd favor taking three separate planes as it just increases the chances of damage to your bike in transit.

Thanks John, after reading a few threads and links to other sites about the handling of "luggage" and knowing how stuff can accidentally end up on the wrong flight, I wanted to make the flight bit of the trip as uncomplicated as possible. This left me with the option of either Vancouver or San Fransisco.

PK, how much time do you have to play with?

At the moment, none.  I have 2 jobs, one boss who is a bit of an eejit (I'm self employed).  Hopefully the other boss will be sympathetic and give me 90days (the max for us without a visa) or unsympathetic and give me a lifetime vacation!  The plan is to approach them with a basic plan outlined so they can see that I am not on an almighty skive.

The glacier route sounds brilliant, though I am not exactly a svelt or accomplished cyclist.  4 passes in 4 days might leave me crying into my cup of tea but this is supposed to be an adventure so appeals greatly.  I will leave that thought whirling around my noggin whilst I investigate all of the many other alternatives suggested.

Thanks again for all of the suggestions, they have got me out of by wondering rutt.  I will no doubt be back with further questions if you can stand it.

Cheers
PK

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Routes / Suggestions for route from Vancouver, Canada to join Trans-Am Please?

« on: November 19, 2012, 11:39:25 am »

Hello there,

I am based in the UK and have this aggravating thought that won't leave me alone: crossing the US on my bicycle!  There was some hope that this thought would exit my noggin but after finding this site, reading the forum and following a long and winding trail of blogs, it was time to surrender, register and post.

At such an early stage of wondering, the more I read, the longer the list of questions grow.  The most complicated bit so far is finding a practical way of getting from West to East across the UK to get to an airport that will fly to the US, a problem that I see a fellow Devonian has mentioned on the forum before.

My first question that I would be grateful for advice on is: 

Have any of you started a crossing from Vancouver, Canada and do you have a suggestion for a route from there to join the Trans-Am please and thank you (ok, that was two questions)?   Having looked at the ACA overview, there are obviously options but would appreciate further info and recommendations.  I am finding it really hard to find a direct flight to anywhere else without changing aircraft one or more times (Seattle/Portland etc).

Another option would be to fly to San Francisco and start from there or via three seperate planes, start in Seattle!

I am thinking of starting on 15/16 June 2013.

There are a million more questions but above are the ones that are stopping further wondering at the moment, any help or general mocking will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
PK