Messages

31

General Discussion / On-line Bike Touring game

« on: February 03, 2011, 08:21:47 am »

I've created an on-line bike touring game that I call Armchair Biketouring.

My goal in creating the game was to give people an idea of what bike touring is like without all that annoying bicycling!

I've included weather, terrain, scenery, calorie usage and consumption, bonking, places to sleep, flat tires, broken spokes, and road angels.  I wrote an article about the game on my website.

I'd be interested in any feedback on it.

To run the game, use the link in the first line or this direct link: www.biketouringtips.com/ArmchairBikeTouring.

Ray

32

Routes / Re: Road bike tour routes in Northern Spain?

« on: January 19, 2011, 08:14:09 am »

Here are 2 links to information about bike touring in Northern Spain.

Ray

33

Routes / Re: Routing between NT & Atl Coast Routes

« on: December 03, 2010, 09:01:05 am »

Don't assume that the thin lines with names on Google maps in Maine are paved roads.

In September, 2010, I rode from Conway, NH to Bar Harbor, ME and then down the ACA route to Boston (through Standish).  For the most part, the numbered roads in Maine will be two lanes without shoulders but not very busy, except around larger towns.  The major roads, often still two lanes, such as Highway 1 have good shoulders but lots of traffic.

I didn't ride the route you propose so don't know about the towns you list.  But, east of Conway, the towns were few and far between.

If you are interested, you can read about my ride here.  I assume the NT goes over the Kancamagus Pass.  If it doesn't, be sure to ride over it, anyway.

Ray

34

General Discussion / Re: Atlantic Coast Route

« on: December 03, 2010, 08:44:51 am »

In May 2010, I rode the Atlantic Coast Route from Charleston, SC to Lambertville, NJ (journal here).  In September, 2010, I rode from the Pocono Mountains in PA to Bar Harbor, ME and then back down to Boston, mostly on the ACA route (journal here).

What I remember most is that the first part was flat and the second part had virtually no flat parts.  So, from Norristown, PA to Maine, expect lots of up and down.  On many days in Maine, where there are no flat roads, I'd stay in my small ring most of the time.  I'd grind up an incline and then coast down all day.

In the New England section, I mostly stayed with couchsurfing hosts or motels.  I rode by towns with couchsurfing hosts most every day.  I was hosted close to half of the nights I was on tour.  I carried camping gear, but only camped once, in Acadia National Park.  Motels were more expensive in New England then in the Carolinas, but there are many more couchsurfing.org and warmshowers.org hosts (If you aren't a member, join both of these sites).

There weren't any black flies and the mosquitoes were not a problem, at least in September.  The trees were beautiful!

By the way, plan to spend a couple days in Acadia National Park.  It is worth it.

Ray

35

Routes / Re: Campground availability and car traffic on the Atlantic coastal route

« on: October 25, 2010, 08:23:25 am »

I rode from Charleston, SC to Bar Harbor, ME on much of the ACA route in May and September, 2010.

I carried camping equipment the entire way but rarely used it for two reasons: cost and couchsurfing.

Like Westinghouse said, the cost of camping versus motels was often as little as $10 and usually no more than $20.  Also, the campgrounds will be full of RVs, some using there generators all night.  The only time I camped was when there were no motel choices.  The motels (outside big cities) in South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland were in the $40-60/night range.  Also, I found motels to be better located than many of the campgrounds that were often next to a motorway.

The best solution, though, is to use the hospitality sites: couchsurfing.org and warmshowers.org.  With these, you get to stay for free in people's homes and usually get dinner and breakfast thrown in.  Far superior to both motels and camping.  In New England, there were enough hosts to find a place every night.  Further south, it got more difficult, but that is where the cheap motels kicked in.

As for the Southern Tier versus the AC, I have done portions of both and, for me, I'd rather ride through wooded areas than scrub.  That said, the AC route from below the Outer Banks to Charleston is pretty much pine trees 24x7.

You can read about and see lots of photos of my ride from Charleston, SC to Lambertville, NJ in my journal.

I am working on the journal for my New England trip.  You can view the work in progress here.

Good luck.

Ray

36

Routes / Looking for route options in Vermont, New Hampshire and/or Maine

« on: July 23, 2010, 07:59:32 am »

I'm trying to plan a route through New England for a month-long tour in September.

I live in San Francisco, have never been to any of these areas, and have no specific knowledge of good routes, places to avoid, and things to see/do.

My tour will start in Lambertville, NJ and end in Boston.  My current plan is to ride the ACA Atlantic Coast trail up to Poughkeepsie, NY Bike Route 5 up the Hudson to Albany, NY Bike Route 9 along the Erie Canal to near Lake Oneida and then north to NY Route 3 (near Watertown) and then through the Adirondacks over to Lake Champlain.

What I have no clue about is how to get from Lake Champlain over to Boston.  The options I see are these:

1) Ride to Vermont Route 100, down to the Green Mountains, turn east, ride to New Hampshire's White Mountains and then, depending on time, either down to Boston or over to Maine and then down to Boston.

2) Ride across the top of Vermont over to the New Hampshire Border and then down the Connecticut River (border) using New Hampshire Biking Maps (here) and then ride around the lakes south of the White Mountains and the White Mountains, as well, and then, depending on time either down to Boston or over to Maine and then down to Boston

 3) Ride a more direct route to the White Mountains, ride around them, head over and explore Maine in a kind of loop and then head down to Boston via the ACA Atlantic Coast route.

4) Ride down to and around the Green Mountains and continue down through Massachusetts to Connecticut and then turn east aiming for Cape Cod and then up to Boston.

I'm sure there are lots of other options that I am unaware of but would like to hear about.

I have to be in Boston October 3.

I'd greatly appreciate any and all comments about the plans.

Thanks,

Ray

P.S. I've posted this in several bike touring forums.

37

General Discussion / Re: Novice coming to America !

« on: July 07, 2010, 06:46:28 am »

Check out biketouringtips.com.  It has hundreds of bike touring tips.

38

Routes / Re: San Francisco to San Diego

« on: July 02, 2010, 07:36:55 am »

I've ridden from SF to Laguna Beach half a dozen times, always in April.  In July, there will be much more traffic, fog and heavy afternoon winds (blowing you south).  You will need a mirror so that you can handle RVs, inattentive drivers (watching the view), and the narrow roads along the Big Sur Coast.  Frankly, I'd avoid weekends along the Big Sur coast, but many people have ridden during that time and had no problems.

While there aren't any high passes, the road undulates seriously and you will be using low gears every day.  There are two dangerous parts.  The first is just south of San Francisco is Devil's Slide, a 3 mile section of shoulderless, high speed road between Pacifica and Montera.  Since I live in SF, I get my wife to drive me past it.  Other ideas are a taxi in Pacifica, a bus that runs in the summer, or taking an alternative route down to, say, Half Moon Bay.  Many people ride that section of road, but I haven't and won't.  The second dangerous section is through Laguna Beach were there isn't enough asphalt between the parked cars and traffic for a loaded touring bike.  On that stretch of road, people have to be careful opening their doors!  You can get past some of it by going up a street and riding off PCH.

On my first trip (journal here), I did 70 mile days as it was too much.  I now plan for 50, which I find just right.

On my most recent trip (journal here), I rode to Santa Cruz, got driven to Carmel and rode south from there (only because I used to live in Santa Cruz and I have done that area extensively).

The LA bike path snakes along the beach and while it can be crowded with roller bladers, joggers, and every other kind of LAer, it is car-free!

You might have to ride on the freeway past Camp Pendleton Marine Base as it is closed to non-military personal.  The ride along Highway 5 will not be your favorite but there is a shoulder and it won't be any worse than the 20 miles north of Santa Barbara on the shoulder of Highway 101.

Since you won't be carrying much gear (are you planning on camping?), you will have to be careful in choosing the places you plan to spend the night, especially in Big Sur where the overnight options are camping or expensive and the eating options are limited and expensive.

You might consider couchsurfing.org and warmshowers.org for hosted places to spend the night.

This is one of the world's greatest bike ride.  Have a wonderful time.

Ray
This is a great bike ride.  Have

39

General Discussion / Routing suggestions for a month-long tour in New England

« on: July 01, 2010, 12:49:26 pm »

I just finished riding up the Atlantic Coast, starting at Charlestong, SC and stopping at my in-laws' house in Lambertville, NJ. It turns out that my wife and I and much of her family will be meeting there in August allowing me to plan another East Coast tour leaving Lambertville around Sept. 1. My wife is flying out to Burlington, VT October 3, where I plan to meet her for several days of leaf peeping.

From Lambertville to Burlington is a few hundred miles, so I have to ride somewhere else before ending at Burlington. One idea is to continue on the ACA Atlantic Coast up to Maine. Just north of Portland, ME the Northern Tier meets the Atlantic Coast route. I could switch to the Northern Tier, ride west toward Lake Champlain and then detour up to Burlington. This is closer to the 1000 miles I typically do on a month-long tour. If I have more time and desire, I can go around the Lake, head north to Montreal, or find some other place to ride near there.

This is one obvious option but I am open to any and all other suggestions. Since I've never been to this part of the world, I'd be interested in the best way to spend a month on a bike there.

Thanks,

Ray

40

General Discussion / Re: losing weight and touring weight

« on: May 01, 2010, 06:41:41 am »

I recently wrote an on-line article about taking less weight on tour.

My first suggestion was losing weight yourself!

Why do you want to take more gear?  Are there things that you haven't taken in the past because they weighed too much?

While it would be nice to take less weight, I find that after a few tours, my gear list remained pretty constant.  The easiest way for me to reduce touring weight is not to take camping gear, which for me is around 13 pounds, but that limits the kinds of tours I can take.

Ray

41

General Discussion / Re: Rest Days vs "half" days

« on: May 01, 2010, 06:31:31 am »

I plan to take one whole rest day for every 4 on the bike. 

I do this for two reasons.  First, I want to make sure there is extra time in my schedule in case something goes wrong and I need a bit more time.  Second, I find that a day off the bike lets me rest all parts of my body, which I find valuable.

While watching TV isn't very interesting, reading books, working on-line, or visiting local sites is not usually a problem for me. 

I usually stop at towns/areas that have something of interest to do for a day so spending the time there isn't a problem.  In fact, I don't know that I would want to tour in a place where every 4 or 5 days I couldn't find a place worth spending a day in!

I often spend a day being hosted by someone I found at a hospitality site, as well.

Ray

42

Routes / Re: Seeking advice, Yosemite to SF

« on: April 19, 2010, 07:36:55 am »

Check this thread at crazyguyonabike.com: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/forum/board/message/?thread_id=69808

It has a few SF to Yosemite routes that you could probably reverse.

Ray

43

General Discussion / Re: New Bike touring site

« on: March 16, 2010, 07:16:35 am »

This is an update on this site (www.biketouringtips.com).

It now has over 1500 entries on 95 countries.

There is an entirely new interface and the site now has articles and touring journals.

Ray

44

Routes / Re: From Chicago to San Francisco

« on: March 14, 2010, 07:29:22 am »

When you say you want to "cross Wyoming" does that mean "all the way across" or just "ride a bit" in Wyoming?

If you want to see Wyoming, why not fly into Wyoming, ride around there, ride to the Oregon Coast and then down the Pacific Coast to San Francisco?  The US Pacific Coast is a world class bike ride and would be much preferred to riding through Nevada's deserts to get to San Francisco (the Western Express Trail).

Another idea is to fly into Montana (north of Wyoming), do a loop into/around Wyoming, and then back to the TransAmerica Trail to Eugene, Oregon, then the coast and down to San Francisco.

In July, 2009, I rode from Portland, Oregon to Jackson, WY (just south of Yellowstone), about half on the TransAm and the rest on my own route.  You can read my tour journal here.

Good luck and have a great ride.

Ray

45

General Discussion / Re: Self-contained bike trip through desert

« on: March 09, 2010, 08:21:12 am »

This page has 10 links to information about water while bike touring.

A few of them are specific to places you aren't interested in but others will be help answer your question.

Good luck,

Ray