Messages

1

Routes / Re: ACA North Star 2014

« on: November 27, 2013, 01:58:14 pm »

Hi Jerry!

Thanks for your note - details for the Adventure Cycling North Star tour are found on this web page: http://www.adventurecycling.org/guided-tours/self-contained-tours/2014-north-star-i/ We are taking 60 days to make our 2,725 mile journey.

if you go to the itinerary tab, you'll be able to suss out the roads we are using. To make it a little easier, here is the general routing:

Missoula -> Whitefish -> Eureka -> Icefields Parkway (not over Going to the Sun, but the west side of Glacier National Park)
Icefields Parkway
Yellowhead Highway
Stewart-Cassiar Highway
Alaska Highway (just a connector piece, about 20 miles on this highway)
Robert Campbell Highway (40% paved, 60% gravel, or  – 217 miles gravel)
Klondike Highway
Top of the World Highway (0% paved – 79 miles gravel)
Taylor Highway (60 miles paved, 36 miles gravel)
Alaska Highway
Richardson Highway
Parks Highway

There is approximately 332 miles of gravel on this set of roads (indicated above), which is mostly hardpacked surface. I would think your 32mm wide tires would be fine, but if it were my bike, I'd put as wide a tire on as I could fit - I know that 38mm wide tires fit on a LHT, and wider may fit too. The wider the better on gravel, in my experience.

I am riding this route this summer, and will be doing it on a bike with 50mm Marathon Supreme tires and panniers.

Wally

2

Routes / Re: ACA North Star 2014

« on: October 21, 2013, 01:07:01 pm »

Hi Cyclesafe -

The idea that the planners had of going through Fairbanks on the Richardson Highway rather than using the Denali Highway is to give a different view of the Alaska Arch mountain range. In theory, we should have a great view of the northern flank of the mountains, whereas the Denali Highway shows the southern slopes.

Yes, the trip officially ends at Denali National Park. Transportation via the train to Anchorage is included in the tour price, but if someone wants to ride back or go to Fairbanks or do something else, there is the flexibility to do that. So yes, a participant doesn't have to travel back to Anchorage with the group.

Wally

3

Routes / Re: ACA North Star 2014

« on: October 21, 2013, 12:01:12 pm »

Hi everyone - Wally here. I was involved in planning the North Star for 2014, and am also going to lead the first trip. 

Regarding the routing: the tour takes 60 days, and we really need to get to Denali by mid-August. So that means we need to leave Missoula by mid-June. With that timeframe, going over Going to the Sun road (Logan Pass) is hit-or-miss, and at best it is usually unpleasant.

We have a scheduled day off in Lake Louise, and it would be relatively simple to get to Banff from there if desired, or take a tour of a glacier.

We didn't include the Hyder detour as it seemed to be a day of climbing over a significant pass and then turning around and coming right back.  Yumadons, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts about the Hyder detour.

We chose to go up to Fairbanks for a couple of reasons: the Denali Adventure tour uses the Denali Highway, so there is an alternate tour to take if you want to experience that road. We wanted to go up to Fairbanks to get a different view of the mountains/glaciers and to check in to a big city after weeks of wilderness. And who knows, the group may decide to rent a car and drive to the Arctic Circle.

As to the train from Denali National Park to Anchorage, it has been our experience with the Denali Adventure that once folks get to Denali, they want various options. Some want to go into the park for an extended period, some want to explore other parts of Alaska, and some are ready to head for home. Using the train to get back to Anchorage gives participants maximum flexibility. Plus the train goes through some magnificent scenery that you can't see from the highway.

Hopefully this answers the questions you have about the 2014 tour. If you have other questions, please send them our way.

Thanks!
Wally

4

Classifieds / FS: Ibis Cousin It Tandem, 21" captain, 17" stoker

« on: March 04, 2012, 09:16:06 pm »

I have a rare Ibis Cousin It Tandem for sale. Read all about it, and view tons of photos, at this URL:

http://goo.gl/XcNcE

Asking $2,950. Bike is in mint condition.

Reply to me via the email on the left side.

Thanks!

5

Classifieds / Re: WTB: ACA-Branded Madden Trunk Bag

« on: December 31, 2011, 11:33:36 am »

Bump, for the new year ... Happy New Year, everyone!

6

Classifieds / Re: WTB: ACA-Branded Madden Trunk Bag

« on: May 28, 2011, 08:18:05 am »

Good idea, thanks very much!

7

Classifieds / Re: WTB: ACA-Branded Madden Trunk Bag

« on: May 27, 2011, 11:48:30 pm »

Hi - just another bump, to see if anyone has an Adventure Cycling Madden Trunk Bag they'd like to sell.

8

Classifieds / Re: WTB: ACA-Branded Madden Trunk Bag

« on: May 01, 2011, 12:24:58 am »

Giving this a bump ... does anyone have one of these that they'd like to part with?

9

Classifieds / WTB: ACA-Branded Madden Trunk Bag

« on: March 29, 2011, 10:58:57 am »

Hello!
I'm interested in buying your old Madden trunk bag - the one with the yellow straps and Adventure Cycling Association patch sewed on.

If you have one you'd like to part with, please reply to this post, or send a private message.
Thanks!
Wally

The bag looks like this: http://tinyurl.com/47tqguc

10

Routes / Re: Leadville to Minturn to Vail pass to Breckenridge???

« on: February 25, 2011, 11:36:41 pm »

Hi!  It sounds as if you are organizing a group ride.  Please tell us more if you can.

11

Colorado / Re: Kenosha Pass

« on: July 01, 2009, 07:00:43 pm »

Hi!

Did you end up doing this ride? If so, how did it go?

Wally

12

Colorado / Re: Weather in May

« on: March 09, 2009, 06:25:42 pm »

Excellent - my thought, then, is that you will be fine, as long as you aren't planning on camping at the top of Monarch Pass. If you go from Gunnison to Salida (66 miles or so), you should have a nice ride. Do check the weather before you leave Gunnison, though, just in case there was a snowstorm. This would be unusual, but it could happen.

Have a great trip!

p.s.: In case it is super-cold at the top, you can enjoy the public hot springs in Salida. For $11, you can't beat it! Details are here: http://salidapool.com/

13

Colorado / Re: Weather in May

« on: March 09, 2009, 12:41:18 am »

This is a very tricky question - in May, in the mountains, anything can happen weather-wise. Generally speaking, you'll be looking at highs in the 50's or maybe low 60's. It will probably be be below freezing at night, at altitude.  You are a little early in the season. There will definitely be snow on the ground as you go over the pass, but the roads will be clear.

It sounds like you'll be coming across US 50, perhaps from Gunnison to Salida - can you provide some details about your route, and we'll do our best to give better guidance.

We all ride our bikes in the mountains in May. We hope for the best, and bring lots of layers of clothing.

At least, in my case, I do after I learn: my worst cycling experience ever was a return down Berthoud Pass. I rode from Idaho Springs to the top, and when I turned around, the weather decided to greet me with a windy rain-snow mix. I have never been so cold, nor so happy to finally make it down to the small coffee shop in Empire, where I huddled next to the stove for an hour, trying to see if my extremities were still attached. After that experience, I always bring appropriate rain gear, a hat, something to cover my feet (baggies work), and maybe a fleece vest. That day, I did not. 

Wally

14

Gear Talk / Rack and Panniers for T2000?

« on: March 22, 2007, 12:22:51 am »

Jandd also makes a nice front rack. http://www.jandd.com for the general site, and http://www.jandd.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FRLOW for their low-mount front rack.

15

General Discussion / Information needed

« on: February 06, 2007, 01:33:12 am »

I did it last year. Here's how I did it:

Exit the airport (carefully) on the same exit road as everyone else, but rather than go up the ramp to the overpass, you go under the ramp, bearing right. (This is the most confusing part of the ride. On my first attempt to exit the airport, I went up this ramp. Bad idea. Cars, trucks, freeway, yikes!) On your right is the airport itself, on your left are a thousand cars. This road T's into Old Bayshore Highway. Turn right, and follow it past the airport itself. You're going north at this point.

The first major intersection is San Bruno, which you want to turn left on. However, you have to first go right, following the street, and you can then go left. You'll understand what I mean when you get there. You cross 101 immediately, and then are doing city riding at its best (worst?). You're going west.

Go for about a mile, crossing railroad tracks and then coming to El Camino Real (CA 82), where you will turn right (north). This is a fairly major north-south artery, but it wasn't too bad riding.

Ride for a long ways (about 8 miles) until you come to John Daly Blvd (in Daly City). Turn left here.

Now, you're heading west again. You're going to go about 3 miles on Daly Blvd, following it until it dead-ends into CA 35. Turn right (north). Now you're on the Adventure Cycling Pacific Coast route.

At this point, I recommend following the ACA map's directions. They make good sense, and work well.

An alternate way would be to continue north on CA 35. This will climb up to the "Cliff House", where it turns right and the name changes into Point Lobos Ave.

Look for El Camino Del Mar on your left in about 1/2 mile. Turn left there.  

Follow El Camino Del Mar as it twists and turns, changes its name to Lincoln Blvd, and eventually takes you right to Golden Gate Bridge.

You can use Google Maps to see these roads to get a sense for where you are going. (Go to http://maps.google.com, type "sfo" in the search text box, hit enter, and you'll see an overview of the route I describe. You'll also note that the suggestion of taking San Bruno Blvd over to Skyline Dr, turning right, and heading north also works well.)

Drop me an email if I can be of further help. Enjoy your ride!

Wally