Messages

151

Routes / Re: South Idaho to Boulder,Co.

« on: June 16, 2011, 06:33:17 am »

James -

I don't get it.  I live in Wyoming and have 100,000 miles of touring experience - most of it in the American and Canadian West.  The West isn't Yorkshire.  To get from Boise to Boulder you have to cross the Continental Divide.  By definition - that implies some mountains.  Yes, there are lower places - but the most prominent is already occupied by Interstate 80 - and although legal to ride - certainly no pleasure.  I-80 is a nonstop stream of traffic - a third of which are 18-wheeler trucks.  (Lorries in British speak)

I am guessing that one reason you have not yet received any replies is that you are asking the impossible.  Either you will have to ride long stretches on I-80 - or will have to chose smaller routes which involve more climbing.  I-84 is similar, but with less traffic.  There is not a continuous service road (Old US 30) along I-84 or I-86 and when there is, it can come to a dead-end with a high fence separating you from the interstate.  Also - you don't say when you are planning to do this trip.  Southern Idaho can be brutally hot in mid-summer with little to no shade for miles.  Doable, but no cakewalk.

There are a number of pleasant possibilities that avoid most interstate sections - but do involve some moderate climbing.  Let me know more about what your plans are and I will offer suggestions.

J

152

Routes / Re: A Bridge Too Far

« on: June 13, 2011, 11:21:15 am »

White's Ferry -
http://canal.mcmullans.org/whites_ferry.htm
50 cents for cyclists, I think.

Access by back roads in Maryland.
Have to get on US 15 for a short stretch north of Leesville.
Leesville had really developed in the past 10 years.
What used to be back roads are now busy.

153

General Discussion / Re: Astoria or Florence?

« on: June 02, 2011, 04:47:37 pm »

Let me be contrary and pick c) Other.

The Oregon coast is so spectacular - you really are losing out if you miss it entirely.
Maybe miss the stretch just south oF Astoria - which is inland and busy.
Inland and busy around Tillamook - also pretty tacky north of Newport.

But the very bestest stretch is around Yachats - between Newport and Florence.
Also, Newport is pretty easy to get to with public transportation.
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/PT/docs/INTERCITY/DOT-Folder-Summer2011.pdf?ga=t

There are a couple of good bike shops in the middle of town.
Plus a state park with hiker/biker campsites just south of town.
So why not consider starting in Newport?

154

Routes / Re: Gt Divide Snow

« on: May 31, 2011, 10:47:33 am »

Lowly -

We got another 1 foot + of snow in the Bighorns this weekend - and they got snow all over the Rocky Mountain region.  Even by June 21st, I would expect there to be a lot of snow remaining at higher elevations and extremely muddy conditions where it has melted.  The first half of the trip will be really, really tough.  A month ago I said it was bad - it has gotten worse since then.  If it were me, I would spend the extra $$$ and do south to north - - but that may also mean passport and visa stuff.  If you do north to south you should have detailed maps available in order to do frequent alternates.

J

155

Routes / Re: Long Beach to Long Island - Summer 2011

« on: May 20, 2011, 10:11:25 pm »

Dear World -

You may close with "Grace and Peace" but I still consider your insistence on cycling through the Mojave to be more than foolish.  And I also think that you have received some pooor advice in this thread.

Here's what I know about you and your plans:

1) You are a novice cycle tourer.
"..so I had this crazy idea (that must be how all first-time bike tours start) "

2) You are not aware of the geography or the climate of the Mojave.
Is there anything I can do to minimize the heat factor for that first week or so?  I was thinking of getting up before dawn and riding from say, 4am - 9am... and then pitching my tent (shade), and doing another push from 4pm to 7pm or so.  I would hopefully avoid riding in the most intense heat this way.  This is just an idea... has anyone tried doing this before?

3) Your "research" is Google Maps.
I'm a little concerned about the 'routes' that Google maps provides.  A lot of them seem to be quite a bit from the main road (which doesn't seem very safe to me).  What is the best way to plan a route like this (where there is no ACA maps?)

The person who said this doesn't apparently know the Mojave:
I wouldn't worry too much about the heat. Deserts always cool down plenty at night. I have bicycle toured in 45 states and the hottest place I've been was Interior in the Badlands of South Dakota - 114 degrees. I just made it a short day. You can hit hot weather anytime, anywhere in the summer. Weather fronts are always rolling through and changing the temperatures and wind direction.

The average highs for Barstow and Needles in late July are 103 & 109.
The record highs for Barstow and Needles in late July are 115 & 120.
The average lows for Barstow and Needles in late July are only 70 & 85.
On warm nights it may not get below 80 near Barstow and 90 near Needles.
It ain't like South Dakota.

And it isn't like central Nevada, either.
For ex - Middlegate has an average high in late July of about 93 and low of 51.
The heat, heat index, and humidity are a geometric factor more severe in the Mojave.

You've never done this before.
It's all in your imagination.
Trust me - the reality is intense.

J

156

General Discussion / Re: Spring Snow in the West

« on: May 19, 2011, 06:29:08 am »

If you are on the TransAm in Wyoming, please consider a long delay.  Much of the state will be facing snow through this weekend.  The Wind River Mountains and the Bighorn Mountains may get anywhere from 1 to 3 feet of snow.  At first, NOAA thought snow would be limited to higher elevations, but it is already snowing in places like Evanston, Douglas, and most importantly for TransAm riders - - Jeffrey City.  This is not a situation to trifle with.

157

Routes / Re: Long Beach to Long Island - Summer 2011

« on: May 18, 2011, 06:05:22 am »

Jason -

If you are a first-time tourer, then your plan isn't the best in the world - - especially starting out with a crossing of the Mojave Desert in July.  The part where you mention dreams suggests that you are not from the West - but rather from the east coast.  The West is not to be trifled with.  We're talking about temperatures in the shade at more than 110 degrees and no shade anywhere to be found - unless you find a culvert.  No services for 50, 60, or 70+ miles.  I doubt you have any experience with anything remotely close to that.

Would you survive?  Most likely, but the start of your trip would be miserable - and others who have tried such a trip have had to quit because of heat exhaustion.  If you are a beginning tourer and want to do a trip such as this, I would strongly suggest starting in Oregon or Washington.  There is a Long Beach in Washington - just north of Astoria.  The Washington and Oregon coasts are stunning - plus they are a cyclist's paradise - with other riders and parks with hiker/biker campsites.

There are plenty of amazing places in the Northwest - the most amazing of all for a cyclist - Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park.  A July/August/half Sept ride from Long Beach, Wash to Long Island, NY would be way, way nicer.

158

General Discussion / Spring Snow in the West

« on: May 17, 2011, 06:15:50 pm »

First - warning - there is a big snow event centered over Wyoming - with a foot of snow predicted for higher elevations - two feet in places.  The TransAm in Wyoming negotiates stretches where it is 60 miles between services.  Even if it is not snowing in lower elevations, it will be raining with a high in the high 30s or low 40s and with high winds - hypothermia conditions.

I am always amazed at how many people plan cross-country or Rocky Mountain trips starting in the West in May.  (Even June can be tricky at times.)  This year it is especially unadvisable to start a trip in the West in May because 1) there continue to be major snow events every week and 2) there is a massive snowpack iin almost all parts of the West (with the exception of Ariz & NM) that is going to take weeks to melt out - - meaning that park and campground facilities will be opening later than normal.

I have rescued many a drenched and shivvering cyclist who was unaware of the fundamentally different climate patterns of the Rocky Mountain West.  May is not summer.  May can have some delicious days, but in the high country it is still late winter - with a winter's worth of snowpack.

Please use caution.  Be willing to stop and wait.  And consider delaying your trip if you have planned on starting soon.  You'll pay a little more $$, but you will enjoy it more.

159

Routes / Re: Gt Divide Snow

« on: May 06, 2011, 01:13:17 pm »

Peter Lougheed Center Staff reports:
403-591-6322

Record to near-record snow depths.
Almost certain that Elk Pass will not be melted out by mid June.
Highwood Pass is required by law to be open by June 15
But will be difficult because of avalanche danger.

Current packed depth at Highwood 120 cm - 4 feet.
Other areas have 150 cm and more - 5+ feet.

Smith Dorien/ Spray Lakes Road is plowed from Canmore.
You will most likely have to take the Livingstone/Oldman option.

JE

160

Routes / Re: Gt Divide Snow

« on: May 06, 2011, 04:01:14 am »

And -
Near-record snow pack.
http://www.globaltvedmonton.com/Alberta+snowpack+deepest+been+over+decade/4726517/story.html

And -
http://www.ifyouski.com/more-home/more/news/11-05-05/05_May_-_April_s_150-cm_snowfall_sets_41-year_record.aspx

Please call ahead to Peter Lougheed Park.

161

Routes / Re: Gt Divide Snow

« on: May 06, 2011, 03:37:09 am »

I have ridden Elk Pass four times - all later in the summer.  It is not a particularly high pass - just a saddle between the mountain ranges, but given that it is at the summit of two valleys, its elevation exceeds 1900 meters.

The road over the top is a two-track that has no maintenance or snow removal during the winter - I do not know if there is any clearing in the spring, but this rarely happens on fire roads unless there is an emergency need for access.

Furthermore, this has been a heavy snow year throughout the West.  Many mountain areas of the Pacific Northwest received another foot of snow last weekend.  The years 2003 to 2007 were low snowfall years - snow fall increased in 2008 to 2010.  I suspect that riders last year had to negotiate some snow - esp. in Elk Pass.

I do not have any detailed data.  Your best bet would be to contact the main warden's station at Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in Alberta.  Elk Lakes Provincial Park in BC has minimal staffing.  (Sometimes none even in summer)
Think about it - a provincial park that does not even have one warden even in summer.  That should tell you how remote and unpopulated some areas of the Rockies are.

My guess is that the Divide racers are in for a cold awakening this year.
YMMV.

162

Routes / Re: Gt Divide Snow

« on: May 04, 2011, 05:18:55 am »

I Know I'm on an ACA blog -
But I really cannot understand why they suggest a north to south direction -
Especially since they are in Missoula, Montana.
Maybe when they developed it in the late 1990s and early 2000s there were low-snow years.
But moderate to heavy snow years make the northern sections tough to use until July.

I've lived in Wyoming for 20 years and have hiked/biked the high country a lot.
July may seem crazy to people unfamiliar with the Northern Rockies -
But if you hike in the national forests, you know to expect snow banks.

Think about it -
You can easily get 10 to 20 feet of snow over the winter.
You definitely get snow into May - although snow melt starts in April.
Short June snow events are not unusual, either.

Even if the snow is gone - the dirt roads are often mudholes.
All of that moisture has to go somewhere.

Here's a link to last year's opening of Glacier National Park's Going to the Sun Road.
It can be used as a proxy for how long it takes to clear out the winter's snow.
And remember, GTTS is plowed - most forest roads simply melt out.
http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_791a1b26-7f48-11df-b37a-001cc4c002e0.html

Then there's the precipitation patterns.
As I stated before - May/June is the peak precipitation period in the Northern Rockies / High Plains.
May places see half of their annual rainfall in those two months.
By contrast, July/August is the peak precip period for New Mexico - again, maybe half.
When you are riding dirt roads, it generally is a good idea to plan for less rather than more precip.

http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/pcpn/west.frac.aprmayjun.gif
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/pcpn/west.frac.julaug.gif

I've ridden most of the Canadian section.
I really don't see how you will be able to get over Elk Pass. (on the border of AB / BC)
You can follow the Paved route from Peter Lougheed to Highwood Junction
And then take the Forestry Trunk Road (dirt) to Hwy 3.
It generally follows the Livingstone and Oldman Rivers and is lovely.
Highwood Pass - on pavement - may still be closed.
The store at Highwood Jct may not yet be open.
Another store is at the Hwy 22 Jct.

163

Routes / Re: Gt Divide Snow

« on: May 03, 2011, 05:00:42 am »

Hi - I'm from Wyoming and follow snow levels fairly closely - although I am not a professional hydrologist or anything.  In Wyoming the snow in most high elevations is anywhere from 125% to 150% of normal.

Here is a map of snow pack in the West:
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/snotelanom/basinswe.html

As you can see - with the exception of Arizona and New Mexico - most of the West has significantly higher than normal snow this season.  Southern Colorado is about normal.

June is still an iffy month anywhere north of Monarch Pass/US 50.  June snows are the norm in the Central and Northern Rockies.  Plus you have all that winter snow to melt out.  That is why I have always suggested a south to north direction for the Great Divide Route.  (Also June is the end of the dry season in New Mexico, while August is much drier than June in Montana.)

A number of years ago I navigated Schofield Pass north of Crested Butte when there was still moderate snowpack.  I had to chisel my way through - should have had crampons - was rather foolish.  And that was in a relatively light snow year.

If a person were to leave from the Mexican border in mid June, then there should be ideal conditions for the GDMBR.  Don't think a departure from the Canadian border is advisable before mid July.

164

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: TransAmerica Sec. 10 & Great Rivers Sec. 2 - Cave in Rock Ferry

« on: April 23, 2011, 05:48:52 am »

Isn't using the Shawneetown Bridge more direct and less dangerous?  Granted that it is relatively narrow and traffic is higher than ideal, but the Brookport Bridge near Paducah is a nightmare and the Paducah detour is way out of the way.  Plus the Paducah detour means you have to get across the Tennessee River and the Cumberland River on narrow bridges, as well.

If you take the Shawneetown Bridge it is on Illinois Highway 13 / Kentucky Highway 56 - but you should stay off these roads, using back roads, until just before the bridge.

From Dixon, KY, possibly -
KY 132 to Springer Curry Rd to KY 270 to KY 130 to KY 109 to KY 56.
From Old Shawneetown, IL, possibly -
IL 13 ** to IL 1 to Cave in Rock. 
(Hwy 13 has a small shoulder but moderate+ traffic)

**There are backroad options from Shawneetown to Hwy 1 but with some gravel.

http://www.planning.kytc.ky.gov/maps/count_maps/count_maps.asp

http://wrc.dot.il.gov/bikemaps/vwmap.aspx?region=9&ExtentLeft=2436896.1106024073%20&ExtentRight=2914799.5574933696%20&ExtentBottom=112027.38818140308%20&ExtentTop=565909.791142891
(ILL DOT's interactive mapping tool leaves much to be desired.)

165

Connecting ACA Routes / Re: Portland, OR to Northern Tier

« on: March 30, 2011, 01:06:43 pm »

Unless you really want to see Missoula - which is a great town BTW - you can take Wash 14 to I-82 - cross the Columbia River at Umatilla - then continue along the south bank via US 730 and US 12.  There's a nice, quiet back road through Juniper Dunes to Washtucna.  Then you head up to Ritzville and take back roads through Sprague to Cheney.

Two options from Cheney -

A) Via the incredible, paved Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes from Plummer, ID to Enaville and then over Thompson Pass to Thompson Falls.  From Thompson Falls you can either follow the Thompson River on dirt to US 2 or follow Hwy 200, Hwy 28, and US 93 to Kalispell and up to the NT.

B) Via Spokane and the Centennial Trail into Idaho - then up back roads west of US 95 to Sandpoint and the NT.