Messages

31

Routes / Trans Am vs. Northern Tier

« on: October 27, 2008, 01:33:27 pm »

If you go to Crazy Guy On A Bike website, you will find hundreds of journals re crossing the US.

Read the two journals by Mike Risica. He rode the TransAM and then the NT two years later. They will give you some useful insights.

I rode the NT, (quite a few years ago now), but the closest I came to any big cities was the southern outskirts of Cleveland. The ACA maps do a great job of keeping you away from cities. However, I have no first hand knowledge of the TransAM.

Whichever ride you do, enjoy the experience. It will last you a lifetime.

Good Cycling
Dennis

32

Routes / Boston to LA

« on: March 08, 2008, 03:35:36 pm »

If time is not an issue, you could ride the Northern Tier and then head south along the Pacific Coast route, using ACA maps.

Good Cycling
Dennis

33

Routes / Northern Tier Route Length - Days Wise

« on: January 29, 2008, 02:09:33 am »

Peter, my own experience was that it took me 71 days of cycling and an additional 7 rest days. That gave me an average of 60 miles per riding day. I was completely new to self supported touring.

You don't say how fit and strong you are as riders, but nonetheless, I would advise against risking it becoming a chore and a grind.

I would also advise to allow time off, not only for sight-seeing, but for contingencies, such as mechanical failure and illness to any one of the riders.

Enjoy the tour.

Good Cycling
Dennis Schluter

34

Routes / Which Route?

« on: September 28, 2007, 06:23:47 pm »

Ken, I am an Aussie who has cycled the Northern Tier in the USA, and like yourselves, have done a number of 1,000kms plus rides in Australia.

I never had any problems with getting water along the Northern Tier, but did carry three bottles on the bike each day. The eastern states have any number of towns only a few miles apart. Along the Mississippi River it is much the same. Once you're in say Nth Dakota and Montana, then the towns are much more spread out but,  with possibly a couple of exceptions, still easily manageable, and within your budgeted daily milage.

However, you won't come across too many coffee shops/cafes like the ones I know you are talking about, in rural USA. What you will come across is heaps of friendly small town people, who will be genuinely interested in you and your trip, and will make sure that you don't go hungry.

Whichever route(s) you decide upon, invest in the Adventure Cycling maps. They are a must.

If you would like some more detailed info, private message me with your details, and I will be in touch.  

Good Cycling
Dennis Schluter

35

Routes / Alternate Route Thru Glacier?

« on: July 27, 2007, 01:04:25 am »

Mary,

Hello, hope your ride is going well. How is the wrist holding up?

The alternative you are considering is the way I went when I cycled the Northern Tier. Although it was some time ago now, I don't imagine that too much has changed. Highway 89 into St Marys is quite scenic, and it gives you a good sense of commencing being in the Rockies. You should notice a lovely fragrance if the wild flowers are in bloom.

There are (or at least were) a couple of intersting Museums in Browning. One is the Indian Plains Museum and the other is a Wildlife of Montana Museum.

From Browning,it is a comfortable day's ride to St Marys where there is an excellent camping ground. From St Marys, it is up and over the big hill.

Take care
Dennis

Good Cycling
Dennis Schluter

36

Routes / Northern Tier - East to West vs. West to East

« on: June 03, 2007, 04:16:45 pm »

Mary,

I'd like to wish you and your husband a wonderful and safe trip. The memories will stay with you forever.

Best regards
Dennis

Good Cycling
Dennis Schluter

37

Routes / Northern Tier - East to West vs. West to East

« on: May 12, 2007, 07:38:28 pm »

Mary, I'm sorry to hear about your wrist. Hopefully it's on the mend.

I'm the Aussie who responded to your previous post, and perhaps am responsible for putting the idea of an East to West crossing into your thinking.

My own personal rationale for an East to West crossing was primarily because I do the bulk of my cycling, either when I am touring or cycling for relaxation, early in the day. By early, I mean as the sun is coming up. For that reason, I chose to head west, so that I would not be riding, and glaring into a rising sun. That would also mean that motorists, approaching me from behind, would also not be glaring into a rising sun.

A second consideration for me, was that psychologically, I set the crossing of the Rockies and the Cascades as a target, something to aim for. I did not want to be climbing the Cascades in only the 2nd or 3rd day of my tour. I was also expecting that my fitness level by the time I reached the mountains, would be fairly high (and it was).

I was concerned about head winds, but took the gamble anyway. And I did have a few days of soul destroying head winds, but also a number of days of tailwinds. In fact, the most common complaint I heard from cyclists with whom I spoke, heading east, was that they were severely disgruntled at the fact that the winds were not behaving as they had been hoping. In other words, they were telling me that the whole reason that they had decided to cycle east, was the expectation of tailwinds and they'd been disappointed. But, as any cyclist knows only too well, winds can be fluky. And maybe it was just that particular year.

Just one point about you wrist to remember, is that climbing also puts a certain amount of stress on the wrist; not just braking when descending.

Importantly, cylce touring is all about setting your own agenda. I've just set out what were my own reasons for heading west. I guess in a way I also was cycling in a homeward direction.

Good riding

Good Cycling
Dennis Schluter

38

Routes / Northern Tier May 1 Departure

« on: April 05, 2007, 12:57:25 am »

Hello Mary,

Unless your heart is truly set upon riding from west to east, have you considered the alternative?

Riding east to west has a few of advantages:-

1. The sun is mostly at your back and you are not riding into it. (Drivers behind you are also not glaring into it).

2. By the time you get to the Rockies and Northern Cascades, you are so fit that the climbs are relatively straight-forward.

4. You are not restricted timewise, when crossing the Continental Divide on Going-to-the-Sun highway, from the eastern side, as you are from the western side (or at least used to be, it may have changed)

3. Also, by that time, the passes over these mountains should be free of snow, unless there has been some exceptional weather.

I know that conventional wisdom says that you will get more headwinds by cycling west, but I didn't find that to be true. You will however, definitely get headwinds.

Anyway, just my thoughts. I hope you have a lovely ride. I know that you will enjoy it.

Good Cycling
Dennis Schluter

39

General Discussion / Training for transam tour 09

« on: March 04, 2008, 12:30:00 am »

Daniel,

You really don't need to do a massive amount of training to do a cross country ride. Some training rides with a touring load with either panniers or a trailer (whichever you are planning to use on your ride) to experiment with what is going to work best for you, are worth while.

Start your cross country tour steadily for the first two weeks, and the fitness will take care of itself.

The biggest hurdle you are likely to face will be of the mind.  Especially if you are doing the ride solo, there will be times of self doubt and it's important to understand that even the most experienced cycle tourists face these doubts from time to time, and that they will not last more than a day or two.

As Pete said, it will be your determination that will get you through.

 Have a good tour.

Good Cycling
Dennis

40

General Discussion / Maps: opinion on ACA maps

« on: January 30, 2008, 01:58:56 pm »

Doug,

Whilst I found the ACA maps to be excellent for detail, to get a perspective of where I was in relation to borders and cities, I also used the various state maps as I passed through. When I had cycled through a state and had finished with the map I simply mailed it back home, as a keepsake. It didn't matter to me which brand or scale of map, I just needed to know where I was in the state of the nation.

Good Cycling
Dennis