Messages

61

Routes / Midwest Routes

« on: February 13, 2008, 09:41:58 pm »

Iowa has hundreds of miles of bike trails which are shown on the Transportation Map for Bicyclists mentioned by DU.  Several of the trails are incorporated into the portion of the America Discovery Trail (a cross-US trail) that crosses Iowa.  The ADT would make for a good tour or part of one.  The ADT website provides a description of what's along the trail in each state.

62

Routes / Yuma to Gila Bend,AZ

« on: February 02, 2008, 02:29:13 pm »

The following thoughts are based on roads I've biked and driven in SW Arizona.
I'd ride US-95 east out of Yuma to the secondary highway that goes through Dome, Wellton, and Tacna, to Mohawk.  At Mohawk, check if there is a paved road on the south side of I-8 to Dateland.  If not, ride I-10 the 13 miles to Dateland (the terrain is very flat, and the shoulder is wide).  From Dateland to Gila Bend there's a paved road (not on the map) on the south side of the interstate which I've ridden and recall goes virtually all the way to Gila Bend.  The paved road from Dateland to Sentinel that goes north of I-10 through Hyder adds about 15 miles.  I haven't ridden the dirt road west of Hyder.
AZ-85 from Gila Bend to Organ Pipe carries a lot of RV traffic, expecially south of Why.
An alternative route from Joshua Tree to Organ Pipe that passes through more scenic areas in Arizona would be CA-62 to Parker, AZ-72 to Hope, US-60 to Solaome, secondary highways to I-10 Exit 81, Wintersburg, and Arlington to Old Highway 85 that parallels the Gila River to Gila Bend.
All of the routes are through desert country, and many of the towns are just names on the map, so take plenty of water and sufficient food to make up for planned food stops that may not exist.
 

63

Routes / Big Sur - Mogollon Rim - Fredonyer Pass

« on: February 02, 2008, 09:39:56 pm »

Terry,

Quite a trip you've got planned.  I replied to your 2/2/07 inquiry before seeing this one, so I'll pass on some more thoughts.  I live in southeast Arizona and have ridden or driven the roads I'll mention.

There are no good routes eastwardly from Organ Pipe NM.  AZ-86 has heavy traffic, with many RVs.  I wouldn't ride on it east of east of Three Points.  Unless you have a particular reason to go to Organ Pipe (such as to reach the Mexico border) I would skip it.  The terrain and vegetation (except for the Organ Pipe Cactus) are the same as much of SW Arizona.  Also, I'd advise against steath camping anywhere south of I-8 or Tucson, because of extensive traffic of drug smugglers and illegal aliens.

If Organ Pipe is one of your objectives, here's the route I'd take from there to get to the Mogollon Rim: AZ-85 to Gila Bend, Maricopa Road (paved) through Maricopa to Casa Grande, secondary roads to Florence, AZ-79 to AZ-77 (I've ridden all those), and AZ-77 to Globe.  That roundabout route avoids the steep climb, very heavy traffic, and tunnel on narrow US-60 between Florence Junction and Globe.  I can't imagine why that route is on the Southern Tier.

There are two routes to the Rim from Globe -- (1) AZ-77 to Show Low and (2) AZ-88, AZ-188, and AZ-87 to Payson (which I've ridden).  AZ-77 is 87 miles of essentially no civilization, except a store at the bottom of the Salt River Canyon, a steep 2,000 foot down-and-up mini-Grand Canyon about midway.  That would test your "any hill is okay" statement.  You can Google the canyon for a description.

The other route, past Roosevelt Lake, has much less climbing and scattered points of civilization.

The gravel road along the Rim, all in pine forest, between Strawberry and Forest Lakes has a few National Forest campgrounds, some of which have drinking water.

It's a long way from the Petrified Forest/Painted Desert to the Grand Canyon.  The Navaho Reservation contains vast distances between anything but very scattered dwellings and trading posts.  Most of the places named on the map have little or nothing.  Getting to the Grand Canyon from Cameron is a 32-mile, 3,000 foot climb.  For a less grueling and more scenic route, I suggest you consider skipping the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert and riding from the Rim to Flagstaff, via Mormon Lake, then take US-180 and AZ-64 to the canyon.  The time saved would enable you to take in Zion and Bryce Canyon NPs (both spectacular) in Utah enroute to Cedar City (and make the ride to Cameron downhill).  Getting to Kanab from Cameron is about 170 miles of desert on US-89, with services only at Page, or about the same distance and 4,000 feet of climbing to Jacob Lake, followed by a great downhill.

Once in Utah, US-89 is a great riding road all the way to Provo.  

I've gone on way too long.  If you've got any questions, e-mail me.
 

64

Routes / Seattle to Grand Canyon Route

« on: January 08, 2008, 10:14:04 pm »

Hi Deborah.  I've ridden portions of the route you outlined and can offer a few observations.  On an Oregon Trail tour, most of the route between Burley, ID, and Portland, OR, was on I-84 (which closely follows the Oregon Trail), except for occasional US or state highways that are near the interstate.  They include LaGrande to Baker City, OR; Ontario to Nyssa, OR, to Payma to Boise, ID.; and Gooding to Burley, ID.  There simply aren't many alternative roads.

From Brigham City, UT, to Salt Lake City, a highway, maybe US-89, east and parallel to I-15, has fairly heavy traffic.  UT-68 and US-89 from Salt Lake City to Provo is mostly through built up areas.  To go to the Grand Canyon from Salt Lake City, I highly recommend US-89 and Alt US-89.  They are 2-lane roads with light traffic running through scenic countryside with occasional small towns.  (Springfield to Fairview was the only exception, with nearly 50-miles with little civilization along the road.)  Much of the route follows broad valleys, with little climbing.  Campgrounds and motels are available.  Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks, both spectacular, are within 20 miles of US-89.  Alt US-89 goes from Kanab, UT, to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  Getting from the North Rim to the South Rim is almost 200 miles of mostly empty desert with a long coast down from Jacob Lake and some stiff climbs out of the Colorado River valley and up to the South Rim from Cameron, AZ.

65

Routes / Katy Trail, C&O/GAP or Natchez Trace

« on: December 20, 2007, 09:46:50 pm »

I've ridden all three routes you're considering.  DavePM gives a good overview of the Katy and Natchez Trace.  I found the C&O/GAP route the most appealing of the three.  In addition to the longer ride, there are many interesting and historic points of interest along the way -- D.C. monuments, C&O history, Civil War sites, and nice scenery. Towns are convienently spaced for lodging and food.  The only downside to the C&O is that much of the surface is plain dirt.  When wet it is passable but messy.  I recommend starting in D.C.; going west, all but the initial part of the GAP is downhill.
I had to travel to the area, so flew into the Baltimore airport, rode a rail-trail to Annapolis, visited the Naval Academy, then rode back roads and a rail-trail to D.C.  The Pittsburgh end of the GAP is near east end of the Montour Rail-Trail, which circles south and east of the metro area to the Pittsburgh airport.

66

Routes / Tuscon to Santa Fe

« on: October 04, 2007, 10:12:55 pm »

Here's a suggested route if you've got time for an indirect ride.  Any route heading northeast from Tucson towards Santa Fe will involve serious mountains and, in November, cold temperatures.  From Hatch, NM to Albuquerque (and on to Santa Fe) roads stay in the Rio Grande valley.  That was the route of El Camino Real, so makes for an interesting historic tour.  It is virtually all on secondary roads paralleling the Rio Grande, with towns, including several pueblos, at about 25-mile intervals.  I rode from Las Cruces to near Santa Fe in 2004.
The shortest way to Hatch from Tucson is I-10, which avoids mountains, but would involve about 200 miles of less-than-enjoyable interstate riding.  I'd go via Sierra Vista (my hometown); Bisbee; and Douglas, AZ, to Rodeo, NM, pick up I-10 between Lordsburg and Deming, then to Hatch.  The highways weave between mountain ranges, and the weather on that route should be great in November.  My wife and I would put you up for the night here.  If that routing sounds interesting, e-mail me with any questions.  I've got a journal of the El Camino Real tour I could send you.

67

Routes / Oregon Trail - Extended 8-)

« on: August 14, 2007, 10:14:15 pm »

I rode the Oregon Trail route from Kansas City to Portland in 2001 as a self-supported tour with one buddy.  It's a great tour for scenery and the many historic sites along the route.  I'd be happy to e-mail you my journal if you pass on an e-mail address.

A terrific reference for the history of the trail and following the route as closely as can be done on public roads is the Falcon Guide book "Traveling the Oregon Trail" by Julie Fanselow.  The book is intended for motorists, but works as well for cyclists.  My copy was copywrited in 1997.  The book has listings by state of lodging, camping opportunities, and restaurants along the route.  I'm sure the book is available on Amazon.

We rode the route on roads, except for crossing South Pass.  The original trail is still present as a rough 4WD track over "Rocky Ridge," considered the roughest part of the entire trail by the original travelers.

You should check average weather conditions on  www.weather.com if you're planning to travel in November.  I'm sure it must get very chilly in the higher elevations.  Several Mormon handcart companies were stranded in Wyoming by winter storms, with disasterous results.

68

Routes / Michigan's Upper Peninsula

« on: May 23, 2007, 11:33:26 pm »

After living there for 17 years (before getting enough practice shoveling snow and moving to Arizona), I highly recommend the Keweenaw Peninsula as the best riding in the U.P.  The Keweenaw offers low-traffic roads, small towns, scenic Lake Superior shorelines, forests, wildlife, and historic sites.  The peninsula is about 100 miles long, with the adjoining towns of Houghton and Hancock in the center.  Those towns are at the intersection of a figure-8 route route that encompasses the peninsula.  A suggested route from Houghton-Hancock (there's a nice campground in Hancock) is west along Portage Lake to McClain State Park, north through Calumet, Eagle River, and Eagle Harbor to Copper Harbor (Fort Wilkins State Park), then through Lac la Belle, Gay, Lake Linden and back to Hancock.  The souther half of the figure 8 is from Houghton to Baraga (Baraga State Park), west on M-38 to M-26 to Twin Lakes State Park, and on to Houghton.  That entire route is paved.  With mountain bikes, much of route can be done on railtrails, and one can continue past Copper Harbor on logging roads to the tip of the peninsula (wild camping available) and on to Lac La Belle.
Bicycling Magazine's 10th Anniversary issue rated the Keweenaw as one of the 10 best riding areas in the U.S.
The best time to tour is August or early September.  Before then, the bugs can be hungry.  Snow can come by late September.  There are websites for the Keweenaw.

69

Routes / First Bike Trip

« on: May 08, 2007, 12:23:38 am »

There are long stretches through the Navaho reservation with no services (or anything else but scenery), so bring lots of water, snacks, and sunscreen.  Getting to Desert View at the Grand Canyon from Cameron is 30 miles of stiff climbing, so stock up at Cameron.

Arizon has been getting hammered recently with strong westerly wind, therefore, be prepared for the possibility of headwinds (and pray they don't appear) when you approach Aguila.

Enjoy the screaming decent down Yarnell Hill just south of Yarnell, AZ.

70

Routes / Riding the Mogollon Rim?

« on: May 08, 2007, 12:02:49 am »

The road you're considering is very scenic, offering some spectacular views from the "Rim" and ridable with reasonably wide tires.  I suggest at least 35 mm or 1-1/2 inch.  Google "General Crook Trail" to find several websites that describe the area, road, and adjacent hiking trails.  There are several Forest Service campgrounds near the road in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.  Some of the campgrounds have water.  Approaching the road from the east, the small communities of Heber and Overgaard would provide grub for camping.  The Rim area all along Highway 260 from NM and HIghway 87 to Flagstaff passes through Ponderosa Pine forest and offers great riding with little traffic.

71

Routes / DC to Central Ohio

« on: May 03, 2006, 10:12:28 pm »

I've been out of town and off the net for a while, so this response is a bit late.  I hope you're still checking the forum.

If you get in some riding before summer to get your butt and legs in shape, a ride from D.C. to central Ohio is very doable.  Most of it (from D.C. to the Ohio border) can be done by riding canal trails and rail trails that avoid both hills and traffic.  I'll be taking the following route this fall on a tour from Annapolis to the Mississippi:  The C&O Canal trail from D.C. to Cumberland, MD (187 miles).  Ride, shuttle or scenic train from Cumberland to Frostburg, PA (16 miles). The Greater Allegheny Passage rail trails from Frostburg to McKeesport, PA (119 miles).  The Montour Trail (rail trail)from McKeesport to McDonald, PA (30 miles bypasses Pittsburgh).  The Panhandle Trail (rail trail)from McDonald to Weirton, WV on the WV-OH border (18 miles).  The remainder of the route to your destination would be on roads; hilly in eastern OH and flattening out as you go west.

The trails not only avoid hills and traffic, the C&O and Allegheny Passage are very scenic. All the trails have websites.

72

Routes / Snow really?

« on: December 08, 2004, 02:36:46 am »

Here's some information on Arizona winter weather, from a resident.  The temperatures vary with elevation (lower elevations have warmer temperatures), and there is generally about a 35° difference between the daily high and low temperatures.  The average high/low temperatures in December and January for Tucson (elevation 2,400'): 65/39 and 64/38; for Phoenox (elevation 1,100')f: 67/42 and 66/41.  February is a bit warmer than January.  Of course, the actual temperatures will vary; a few days ago they were about 10° below normal.  Camping would be quite chilly, but daytime temperatures are fine for riding.

The previous advice to avoid the higher elevations in New Mexico by dropping south to I-10 at Lordsburg (and continuing on it to El Paso) is wise.  Riding on the interstate is okay when there are no alternate roads.

73

General Discussion / Desert travel

« on: December 21, 2007, 10:40:03 pm »

Here are some things I've learned from riding in Arizona desert areas:
Take more water than you think you'll need.  Hauling a little more weight beats running out too soon.
Using a Camelback for water is highly recommended -- they hold a lot, make frequent sipping easy, and keep water much cooler longer than any bottle.
Use high SPF sunscreen and re-apply after a few hours.
Take a wide brim hat for off-bike breaks.
Colored synthetic fabrics provide much more sun protection than cotton, especially white cotton which equals about SPF5.
Take some high energy food I take Fig Newtons or peanut butter & bagels, others use energy bars.
Start riding about sunrise (which is early in the summer) to beat the hottest part of the day.  I don't ride at night, except on rare roads with virtually no traffic.
Headsweats or other do-rags keep sweat from running into one's eyes.
Have the tools, parts, and knowledge to fix problems llikely to occur (flats, lost bolts, etc.).
Riding in deserts isn't something to be dreaded; most provide beautiful scenery and relative isolation.  Just be prepared for the conditions

74

General Discussion / Is there a good all-in-one clothes/body wash?

« on: November 06, 2007, 04:24:45 pm »

I take a simple approach for carrying soap for body, shampoo, laundry, and dishes -- I fill a small (2 oz.) squeeze bottle with whatever liquid dish soap my wife has under the kitchen sink.  It works well for me for all purposes.  It that runs out, I refill the bottle with liquid hand soap in a restaurant/convience store restroom.  Perhaps being bald makes me less picky about shampoo.

75

General Discussion / Transam rt or Northern tier ?

« on: September 26, 2007, 09:42:30 pm »

Hi Fred,

I rode the C&O Canal Trail and GAP to Pittsburgh last fall as part of a Chesapeke Bay to Mississippi River tour -- they are great trails.  If you'll be looking to avoid riding through Pittsburgh, the Montour Rail Trail runs from near the end of the GAP, through suburbs south and west of the city, and ends at the airport. There is a website for the Montour Trail.

We rode the Panhandle Trail west from the Montour Trail to Weirton, WV, then took roads across Ohio.  Going north from Pittsburgh to flatter terrain could be a better route -- the first couple of days in eastern Ohio west of Pittsburgh were very hilly.

Have a good time planning -- I find it half the fun of doing a ride.