Bicycle Travel > Routes

Eastbound from Washington/Oregon

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ewoodwarde:
Planning a cross-country ride starting June 1, 2013, choosing a northern route. Our question: opinions/recommendations starting on the West Coast through Oregon and/or Washington comparing the Northern Tier, Lewis and Clark and Transamerica.
We are husband and wife 59 and 60 years, experienced touring bicyclists but never more than 10 days duration. Usually motels and inns but have done one week also camping. Medium fitness, but know the first few weeks may be tough. Never spent time in the Northwest.
So comparing those three routes balancing factors like safety, difficulty, and scenic potential advice is welcomed.  Which route has closer spaced towns? (coffee and tea stops!)Also, we hope to find places to stay as we go, maybe calling for reservations one or two days in advance -- is it possible that so many people start Transamerica in June that camping and motels may already be booked before we arrive?
Then, once we get to Montana same question about crossing Montana on north middle or southern route?
Last, we have read about the difficulties biking through North Dakota; is anybody using an alternate route up through Canada instead of the Bismarck reroute?
Looking forward to the feedback, Eric and Hilary

pdlamb:
I'm like most of the people posting here in that I've only done one route, but I expect you'll hear from the handfull who've done more in the northwest soon.

Northern Tier to Glacier: the towns are spaced such that you'll be able to motel it most nights.  Rainy Pass and Washington Pass in the Cascades are the exception -- it's a very long day from motel to motel.  You may be able to find a B&B near Concrete, and there's an expensive lodge near Mazama.  The rest of the route you should be able to find motels within 60 miles or so.

The difficult part of the TransAm east of Missoula is the stretch east of West Yellowstone, going through the park.  There's lodges and motels in Yellowstone NP, but the tour operators normally snap those up the second or third week in January.  For that reason, many people recommend planning your trip, with appropriate rest days, early enough to get into a room.  West Thumb is centrally located between West Yellowstone and Jackson Lake in the Tetons, but Old Faithful has more to see and do.  There's a couple of options within 10-15 miles of the east side of Moran Junction in the Tetons, though they're pricy.  If you want to plan on the fly, start a week or two before you'll hit the park, and keep calling (whenever you have cell service!), and you may get lucky and one will open up the night or so you need it.

In general, you should be able to reserve rooms a day or so ahead of time.  Exceptions include special events (like a softball or soccer tournament, or a parade), and weekends often book earlier.  If you take the TransAm, booking will be much easier east of Pueblo, although I'm told the Kansas motels fill up during wheat harvest, usually a couple weeks around the first of July.

John Nelson:
I've done the TA and the NT, but not the L&C. And I almost always camped. The TA will be easier for the first week starting in the West. The NT has those famous five passes in four days in Washington.

Doing either route is possible with all motels, especially if you're willing to put in a long day occasionally and nail down your schedule ahead of time. The national parks (Yellowstone and Grand Teton on the TA and Glacier on the NT) are the toughest reservations, and absolutely must be make well in advance (like now!). There's a very helpful journal over at CGOAB of a couple who motelled it the whole way and documented every place they stayed and what it cost with a web link and/or phone number. They did deviate from the TA after Kansas.

http://bicyclelife.topicwise.com/doc/Yumadons1

If you take camping gear, your flexibility increases significantly, although it's a heavy price to carry camping gear if you're only going to use it one day our of ten.

staehpj1:
Of your three choices, I have only done the TA.  I have to say I liked it quite well.  We started in early June and had absolutely no trouble finding places to camp.  Motels, I expect may be full in some places like Yellowstone.  Not sure about motels though since we mostly camped in our 73 days on that trip with only one motel stay on a chilly rainy night and a few stays where hosts invited us to stay with them.

johnsondasw:

--- Quote from: John Nelson on December 06, 2012, 07:33:12 pm ---I've done the TA and the NT, but not the L&C. And I almost always camped. The TA will be easier for the first week starting in the West. The NT has those famous five passes in four days in Washington.



--- End quote ---

And those five passes can be brutal starting off on a trip.

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