Bicycle Travel > Routes

Southern Tier in March of 2013

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Mark Baker:
HI to all, I am planning to leave home (Sun City, Az) and drive to San Diego to start my Southern Tier ride in early March. I know I could just leave from home and go East as I 'm on the ACA route. Also a Warm Shower Host. But I want to ride from "pond to pond". I would appreciate any advice regarding camping sites as I'll be using Warm Showers whenever possible and maybe a motel or two. Also what is the advice in regards to fenders? My ride is a Novaro Randonee with Ortlieb ft and rear.BTW,I just finished the Oregon Coast in August and would highly recommend it to anyone.

Thanks
Mark

staehpj1:
I did most of the ST in Feb-Mar of this year (San Diego to Sarasota).  I found that the AC maps listed a lot of camping opportunities, but since I improvised the route a good bit of the way I also improvised some of the camping.  It was pretty easy to just throw down a sleeping bag in the roadside picnic areas especially in Texas.  I also chose to sleep in a few other improvised campsites in places like under a bridge.

I normally avoid RV parks but on the ST a number of them let cyclists camp on a patch of grass for $10.  I also stayed at a casino campsite once.  It was nice because the casino had excellent good food.

I did get a room quite a few times on that trip, overall it was mostly pretty easy to find places to camp.

I didn't use fenders and didn't miss them.

Westinghouse:
I've cycled the ST a number of times summer and winter. Nearly all my camping was in wooded areas, and hardly ever in camp grounds.  Showers can be had. I'd just go dirty a few days, and find a motel for one or two full days of rest, and carry on.

Bike Hermit:
Not sure why you would event think about not using full coverage fenders. They are light and cheap and make things much more pleasant when the roads are wet (which they will be at some point). Two things I can almost guarantee is that you will be caught out in the wet and that you will get caught out in the dark....use good lights too!

staehpj1:

--- Quote from: Bike Hermit on November 06, 2012, 09:34:54 am ---Not sure why you would event think about not using full coverage fenders. They are light and cheap and make things much more pleasant when the roads are wet (which they will be at some point). Two things I can almost guarantee is that you will be caught out in the wet and that you will get caught out in the dark....use good lights too!

--- End quote ---

FWIW, I did the Southern Tier without fenders and with only a minimal blinkie light and was well satisfied with those choices.  Not knocking those who do otherwise, but it is a matter of personal preference and IMO neither fenders or more elaborate lighting systems are a slam dunk.  For me the lighter the packing style the less likely I am to use fenders or more than just a $5 blinkie.

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