Messages

1

General Discussion / Re: Picking up the Trans America from DC

« on: June 09, 2023, 01:49:38 pm »

I would suggest taking the W&OD rail trail to Purcellville, Virginia. From Purcellville it is about a thirty-five mile distance to Front Royal, VA, the northern end of the Skyline Drive. You would need to come up with your own route between Purcellville and Front Royal, but there are plenty of tracks on sights such as Ride With GPS where people have ridden between the two.

In Front Royal you can take the Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park, a distance of 105 miles. The southern end of the Skyline Drives is the northern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Trans-America trail intersects the Blue Ridge Parkway there at Afton, Va.

2

Routes / Re: Richmond VA to near Salisbury NC

« on: March 17, 2023, 12:43:50 pm »

I would suggest using US Bike Route 1 from Richmond to Raleigh. Routing information is on the ACA page: https://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/us-bicycle-route-system/maps-and-route-resources/

The East Coast Greenway could also be used, that will take you to Durham: https://map.greenway.org/?loc=9,36.64639,-77.59369

You can catch the same Amtrak train in Raleigh or Durham that goes to Salisbury.

3

Routes / Re: Info on Route from Boone NC to Chicago Ill.

« on: February 22, 2023, 05:11:41 pm »

Here is a Ride With GPS route from Boone to Damascus.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39159086

4

Routes / Re: Camping on the outer banks?

« on: November 07, 2022, 04:04:50 pm »

I don't know where you are in your trip but if all went to plan you should be approaching the Outer Banks about now.

The National Park Service issued this warning concerning the Outer Banks today with concerns about this upcoming week.
https://www.nps.gov/caha/learn/news/cape-hatteras-national-seashore-expects-impacts-from-two-weather-systems.htm

Good luck with your trip.

5

Routes / Re: Camping on the outer banks?

« on: June 30, 2022, 01:31:55 pm »

Two of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore campgrounds are open year round, the other two close at the end of November. The campgrounds are large to provide for the summer tourist season. In November, you only have fishing going on. Hurricane closure is your biggest threat.

https://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm

It usually only takes two days to ride the Outer Banks so only one overnight is needed. So, one night on the road say at either Frisco or Cape Point. Maybe a second night at Ocracoke before you take the Cedar Island ferry.

You should take the Outer Banks option if you have the chance. This is one of the most unique sea coasts in the country and probably the most threatened by rising sea levels. Keeping NC 12 open seems to be a constant battle by NCDOT. I think you will be fine.

6

General Discussion / Re: The road is flat. It's what?

« on: June 25, 2022, 06:56:14 pm »

My theory is that if the name of the place up ahead has a name from the Bible (Mt. Olive, Mt Sinai, etc.) there is no need for worry, it is just named for the Bible. However, something like Chapel Hill is probably an accurate description of the place up ahead.

7

GPS & Digital Data Discussion / Re: Elevations on ACA GPX Data maps

« on: May 24, 2022, 03:41:17 pm »

Basecamp is powerful and confusing. I have never used any of the purchased ACA gps data files so I am going to make some assumptions about those.

First, select the imported gpx file in Basecamp which will be in the left hand column of the screen with your map showing on the greater portion of the screen. Right click with your mouse and select show graph. This should bring an elevation vs. distance graph up as a separate window. If you do not get such a graph my guess is that neither the gpx file or the map you are using in Basecamp contains elevation data.

The default map which comes with Basecamp is called Global Map. This map is almost worthless and only consists of major highways, cities and no elevation data. I think Garmin includes it so that you will not be viewing a blank screen when you start Basecamp. You will need to install a map which contains routing and elevation data. The Garmin City Navigator maps which they will sell you contains this information but probably most people will use some variety of OpenStreetMap.

The map which I prefer to use on my Garmin can be downloaded from here: http://www.gmaptool.eu/en/content/usa-osm-topo-routable

There is a web page at that site with instructions for installing maps as well. You will need two free Garmin programs to work with maps. Mapmanager will let you install downloaded maps into Basecamp. MapInstall will let you install the map on your Garmin device. There are YouTube tutorials on how to do this if you search there.

There are other sources which provide an OpenStreetMap extraction also.

Once you have installed a better map on Basecamp and your Garmin you should see an elevation profile when you right click and choose Show Graph.

An excellent YouTube series on how to use Basecamp to create routes can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/c/JosephByrne/playlists

This is oriented to motorcycle touring, but it's all the same.

8

General Discussion / Re: Transamerica help - May 2022 start

« on: March 05, 2022, 07:11:40 pm »

Since you expressed a desire to ride the Appalachian mountains, I am going to suggest a different start. Rather than travel to Yorktown, just start in Washington. You can use the Washington & Old Dominion Trail to travel from Washington to its end at Purcellville, VA. From there it is less than forty miles to Front Royal, VA and the northern end of the Skyline Drive. You will need to find your own route for this, but there are plenty of tracks where others have done this on sites such as ridewithgps.com. This is one for example: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/16466154.

The Skyline Drive runs from Front Royal south through the Shenandoah National Park for about 105 miles. At the southern end of the Skyline Drive it connects with the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Afton, VA which is where the Trans Am route arrives from the east to connect to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

It would take you a day to take the train to Williamsburg before you even started the bike ride. You could ride from Washington and certainly be in Front Royal or on the Skyline Drive by day two. Two or three days on the Skyline Drive and you would connect to the Trans Am route and would be there in about the same time or perhaps a day ahead of when you would arrive there if you started in Yorktown.

The Skyline Drive will also let you ride the best of the Appalachian mountains.

Besides, as a Brit why go to Yorktown where your army was defeated when you could start in Washington and know that your army burned that city.

9

General Discussion / Re: The Letha Store

« on: February 15, 2022, 10:17:21 am »

North Carolina resident here as well. I don't think riding in the summer heat would be possible without country stores. Attached image of my favorite store to visit. This store stocks every item possibly needed for rural life.

10

Routes / Re: Outer Banks Route (North Carolina) -- Is there a bike shuttle?

« on: February 12, 2022, 06:58:41 pm »

I have always ridden the Outer Banks by doing it as a loop ride. Day 1 is driving to Swan Quarter, parking the car there at the ferry terminal and boarding the ferry to Ocracoke. Ride the Outer Banks going north taking however much time you want to take. Then return to Swan Quarter using US 264 on the mainland, which is a very remote ride. Kitty Hawk to Swan Quarter might be a long riding day, but Manteo to Swan Quarter is certainly doable. The one thing about the Outer Banks is that there is no navigation since there is only one road.

https://www.komoot.com/tour/464877490

11

Classifieds / Re: STOLEN Co-Motion Americano

« on: January 31, 2022, 10:19:20 am »

Go to http://bikeregistry.com and register your bicycle as being stolen. This is a database which bicycle shops can check and see if a bicycle has been reported stolen. A bicycle shop is likely to check if they have a suspicion that the person who walked into their shop and requested service is not compatible with the bicycle. I guarantee your bicycle is unique enough that they will have suspicions if a homeless guy walks into a shop and tries to sell it.

12

Gear Talk / Re: Broken Bottom Bracket

« on: January 27, 2022, 09:41:45 am »

I don't know if any of you have been to your local bike shop lately, but converting a bike to a 1x right now is probably going to be a real challenge. My shop guy told me just this week that he can get zero Shimano individual components right now and SRAM is not much better. Your shop might be better depending on how well connected they are to their supplier. The easiest way to probably get a 1x is most likely going to be to buy a brand new bicycle. The OP has a very nice Trek 920 currently. The easiest solution is to fix that bike as it probably just needs new bearings. Finding one BB bearing set is going to be easier than finding a bunch of components to change to a 1x. My shop also has a six week backup on repairs. That is for getting such things as new cables and a chain put on. Do you think a shop is going to be excited to chase down a bunch of components they probably can't get to switch out. They could do a dozen tune ups that people are standing in line for in the same amount of time to do this. Perhaps if you are well connected to your shop they would be willing to do this. Once again, they would probably be willing to sell you a new bicycle. I think this season is going to be about riding what you got and keeping it going for now and wait for another time for your bike projects.

13

Gear Talk / Re: Need STRONG 135mm hub for Surly long haul trucker.

« on: December 29, 2021, 10:55:34 am »

I would recommend reading this article about Leonard Zinn building a bicycle that would hold up to a 350lb rider. Then I would contact Zinn Cycles and get them to build your wheels.

https://www.velonews.com/gear/road-gear/how-lennard-zinn-and-ian-thompson-built-an-unbreakable-road-bike-for-heavy-riders/

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Gear Talk / Re: brooks c19 vs b17?

« on: December 29, 2021, 10:39:05 am »

I ride both. The C-17 is firmer and the firmness never changes. The B-17 is firm to start but is more pliable once you are through the break in period.

15

General Discussion / Re: About trailering one's pet dog while touring?

« on: November 20, 2021, 10:32:17 am »

This comes up from time to time.

The most famous person to do this was Svein Tuft, a now former pro cyclist from Canada.
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/sports/othersports/08cycling.html

Another is Jasmine Reese, who I believe sought advice here in the ACA forums before she went out on tour with her dog.
https://www.bicycling.com/culture/a25309187/jasmine-reese-cross-country-road-trip-bike/
https://www.oliviaround.org/the-blog?tag=jasmine%20reese&category=Interviews
https://forums.adventurecycling.org/index.php?topic=11380.0