Messages

1

Routes / Re: Golden Gravel questions

« on: May 13, 2026, 08:04:35 pm »

Colorado and much of the Intermountain West face unprecedented fire risk this summer.
The past six months have broken records for high temperatures and lack of precipitation.
People in their 90s have never seen such conditions.
It looks like August - in May - in many places.

You should be aware that National Forests in the West implement Stage 3 closures -
closed to all entry - when fire risk is extreme. These closures are expected this summer.

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/06052026/colorado-severe-fire-risk-resources/

Here's a current first risk map of Colorado - for mid-May which is the peak precipitation month btw -
https://co-pub.coloradoforestatlas.org/#/

2

Building Sale Discussion Area / Re: ACA financials

« on: May 12, 2026, 07:15:15 pm »

"Got a mailing or two asking for contributions"

So did I.

And Max said that the "Plan B" was for us to come up with the moolah.
That is not my "Plan B" - nor do I think it is the "Plan B" of many remaining members.

What I have not seen - which I believe has not taken place -
is a thorough retrospective analysis of what went wrong over the past 5 years.
Any good business or nonprofit should do this regularly -
especially one which has lost 2/3s of its members.

Instead, we get upbeat messaging - which seems to be a trend everywhere -
when an honest assessment is needed to avoid simply pouring more money down the drain.
The best source of additional revenue for a membership organization is - - - more members.
And the best place to find new members is among the 32,000 who have left.
ACA is not Sam's Club, its potential members are an extremely small segment of society.
Tossing aside 32,000 seems a poor business model indeed.

I'm waiting, without much confidence, to see a clear report addressing the past 5 years.
I do not expect to see one. Just more happy talk.
Which is likely not to serve ACA well.

PS - Did you notice the expressions of ACA staff and board members during the online meeting?
You would think that the peasants knew better ....

3

General Discussion / Re: Forum is dead.

« on: April 29, 2026, 01:22:27 am »

Westy -

I fear that a lot more than this forum is dead.

4

Alaska/Hawaii / Re: Alaska touring - need advice

« on: April 26, 2026, 02:12:06 pm »

Website wasn't taking photos a couple of days ago.
Nadahini Hilton -

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10238795164050946&set=a.1058641559541

5

Alaska/Hawaii / Re: Alaska touring - need advice

« on: April 22, 2026, 01:13:48 pm »

May I suggest basing out of Juneau instead?
(If you have a passport for travel into Canada)

There is a great scenic triangle to ride.

Ferry Juneau to Skagway - eye-popping scenery
Skagway to Whitehorse to Haines Junction to Haines
Ferry Haines back to Juneau - eye-popping again

Kluane National Park is magnificent

Far nicer riding scenery - way better than north of Anchorage.
The Richardson and Parks Highways have lots and lots of trees.

Rains increase in July near the coast of the Gulf of Alaska.
Much drier in the interior.

All paved.
Great camping and hiking at Kluane.

If you overnight at the Nadahini Hilton there will be zero overnight traffic,
because the border station closes at night.

6

Building Sale Discussion Area / Re: So, now what?

« on: April 07, 2026, 01:20:55 pm »

I do not find what little has taken place since January very encouraging.
There was a window of attention and focus that may have been lost.
Or, some people may have wished for everything simply to blow over.

7

Pacific Northwest / Re: Sierra Cascades in Washington -- St Helens to Hood River FR25

« on: April 03, 2026, 04:38:33 pm »

If you have a RideWithGPS link I could see your route better.
But the main north-south route via FR 25 is 95% paved.
Just one short 4 mile unpaved section, MP 24-28.
There could be other sections with construction.
The surface is quite good for the most part.
But because it's paved, it's not an empty road, either.

YMMV - With severe cuts to forest service budgets
annual road repairs may have been delayed.

Given the traffic - even on weekdays -
you shouldn't have any problem even if you have a breakdown.
I understand that it is riskier for women to accept help.
Wait for women or a couple to help, if you need to.
Cars will be passing by every few minutes.

Can't speak on the issue of cell service.
I turn mine off - intentionally.
Ridgetops have the best service.

8

Pacific Northwest / Re: Sierra Cascades in Washington -- St Helens to Hood River FR25

« on: April 03, 2026, 12:31:58 pm »

Depends on when you do it.
Depends on what you call remote.

I've been caught in a late snowstorm in early June.
Had cold steady rain in mid-August - which is freaky.
But usually from mid-June to mid-Sept conditions are good.
Also, the route you propose stays lower - i.e. warmer.

FR 25 is a main thoroughfare thru the GPNF.
During the summer there will be pretty steady traffic.
There are no cafes or motels - campgrounds have water.
Iron Creek appears to be closed this year.
Eagle Cliff Campground has a camp store.

Campgrounds fill quickly in summer.
Not sure if GPNF has a "No turn away" policy for cyclists.
If you know your overnights for sure, get a reservation.
Otherwise, you can often beg a spot if the campground is full.

Does that sound remote to you?

PS - Takhlakh Lake and Mount Adams are spectacular.
Certainly worth it. Reservations strongly advised.

9

Routes / Re: GDMBR - snow depth Indiana Pass (CO)

« on: March 25, 2026, 10:58:56 am »

Bill -

You could probably start May 1 as bad as the winter has been with almost no snow and little rain further south.
I expect it will be a brutal year for forest fires in the West this year.
Of course, in the Southwest, the monsoon could come early and change things.
On the GDMBR, the monsoon turns the desert caliche clays into sticky cement
(It's always something, isn't it?)

Further north, there could be good spring moisture,
but every indication is that the severe drought will continue.
Many areas of the northern Rockies already are under high fire danger.
Even if you don't have fires in your area, the smoke can be bad.

There have already been some big fires in the West. In March?!?!
And a huge fire in the Nebraska Sandhills.
This year could be a really difficult year.

If you don't have to stick to every single mile of the GDMBR
and are willing to detour - even to pavement (!!!!!) -
then you could do it with only minor to moderate disruptions.

That is my best guess in late March from Wyoming.

Best - J

10

South / Re: Weather extremes on the southern tier.

« on: March 17, 2026, 07:33:03 pm »

Not sure where you are from, Westie,
but extreme weather is just another day throughout much of the West.
People from Atlanta and Boston, Amsterdam and Berlin are not even remotely aware.

Just this past week we had 100+ mph winds in Wyoming.
Not ideal cycling weather. That's when you stop and take a day off.

This year, there are already massive fires in Nebraska.
Much of the West has had the warmest and driest winter in history.
And that was after a warm and dry fall.
The fire season is likely to be brutal. Think 1988 on steroids.
People riding cross-country - esp. east to west -
are likely to encounter significant closures and heavy smoke.

11

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Northern Tier Section 3 maps 44-46 - 2026-27

« on: March 17, 2026, 08:27:18 am »

I taught in Miles City for three years.  Highway 59 is very challenging.
Not only is there the distance and lack of services,
but the speed limit is 70 mph with most people going 80.
Yes, the traffic is light, but that causes drivers' attention to wander.
Also, there are limited to no shoulders most of the way.

12

Routes / Re: Southern Tier Pearl River Alternate

« on: March 14, 2026, 10:11:39 am »

Kinda tough to get a straight answer around here, eh?

Here's a RWGPS posted by ACA -
The turnoff is in Bay St. Louis, not Gulfport.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48417784

Here's one of the few people last year who used it on Crazyguy.
He choose to do the old Southern Tier route north of Lake Ponchatrain, skipping New Orleans.

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=3d2&page_id=686498&v=GR&src=page_next

13

Routes / Re: GDMBR - snow depth Indiana Pass (CO)

« on: March 12, 2026, 01:48:53 pm »

Sorry about the link.

Yes, this year is the warmest and driest winter on record in huge areas of the West.
100+ years for most.
The issue will not be snow, but fire.
We had our first fire in the Bighorn foothills in late February.
Normal fire season doesn't start until late July or August.
It is beyond insane.

I'm guessing you might be from the Netherlands.
(You used "de" instead of "the" in one of your posts - - just once I think.)
Also, I'm guessing from your many posts that you intend to do the GDMBR with a few variations.
I have been caught in the Backcountry by fires during the Yellowstone Fires year - 1988.
I ended up helping the caterer serve meals to the fire crews. Change of plans for sure.

Unless we get some intense spring snows in the mountains and rain in late spring
it may be the worst fire year in history - the Canadian West has had bad fires the past few years.
Inciweb is the U.S. govt. website for fire reporting.

https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/

The fires showing up now are prescribed burns - but I hope they stop soon.
There was a huge prescribed burn that got out of hand at Yosemite a few years ago.
When there is high fire risk - large sections of national forest are closed to entry.

Two of the challenges of long tours in the West are snow in late spring and fires in late summer.
Not to mention the remoteness & lack of services. Europeans sometimes find it hard to believe.
Also, cell phone service is hardly guaranteed. In fact, coverage is limited.

I know you have to make final plans and purchase tickets, get tourist visa, etc.
My bet would be mid-May to mid-July - if you are planning 8 weeks for the GDMBR.
That would put you in Southern Colorado in the first week of June.

14

Routes / Re: GDMBR - snow depth Indiana Pass (CO)

« on: March 12, 2026, 09:08:47 am »

Here's the USDA website -

https://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/nwcc/site?sitenum=946

In most years, mid June would be way too early.
I've had to dig thru deep snowbanks in late June on lower passes.
But this winter has been one of record low snowfall and record high temps.

Right now the gauge indicates 57 inches or just under 5 feet.
They got  another foot of snow this week.
All of us out west are hoping for a snowy spring. Who knows?

Most years there is still 2-3 feet of snow in early June but it melts out fast.
Usually by mid June the gauging station shows no snow, but the ground is saturated.
Meaning mud, ice at night, and standing water in daytime.
Also, areas of shade approaching the pass will have snow well after mid June.
I have found the worst snow just below the passes - even when the pass is snow-free.
(In my younger years I did some ridiculous high pass routes in the early season.)

I suspect you would like to know, now.
But spring snow will determine the final situation.
Precipitation in the Southern Rockies increases dramatically in spring.
Most of Colorado's biggest snowstorms occur in spring.
Flexibility is the key to planning.

15

Building Sale Discussion Area / Re: So, now what?

« on: March 11, 2026, 07:41:31 am »

It seems to me that everything has simply ground to a halt.
Yes, after all the energy expended, everyone is worn out.
But, now is the time to move forward.

I understand that the current leadership may be depressed.
With the second vote defeat and Andy's resignation, the situation is challenging.
I have asked and would like to know whether or not there have been other resignations.

It's now been a month since the Feb. newsletter - which was pretty limited.
Has an interim executive director been approved?
Has there been outreach to former members?
Has membership dropped further since the second vote?

For the past few years, I've gotten fundraising emails every week.
Not only is it essential to keep current members informed,
but it will also act as a way to resolve recent disagreements.

Retreat and silence will only cause further harm.