Topics

1

Connecting ACA Routes / North West Arkansas best asphalt route to Southern Tier Route? (no Mississippi)

« on: March 07, 2023, 12:31:11 pm »

I am not eager to cycle the hill Country Arkansas route to the Mississippi route to connect with the southern Tier route.

 I rather cycle mostly straight south from North West Arkansas to New Orleans to connect to the Southern Tier East West Route and ride to the Florida Keys.

What route would you recommend that is somewhat straight to New Orleans From Fayetteville, Arkansas?

Thanks!

2

Routes / Two Not Hard-Ball trails - Great American Rail-Trail or the Transamtrail

« on: September 29, 2020, 11:55:41 am »

Rail-toTrail:

https://youtu.be/OYIWyotllZ0

https://www.railstotrails.org/greatamericanrailtrail/


Anyone planning on this railway to trail path? - familiar/traversed some of the route? It looks like it would be a lot of those awful powdery stone gear-eating paths. It follows the transamerica route around Colorado- maybe? It parallels the Transamerica except it is about 100-200 miles north. I would theorize it is less isolated and goes through more built-up populated areas than the Transamerica- so better chance to get hit with a bat and robbed but almost zero chance of getting hit by a RV like on the transamerica.


I think I might even opt to get overtaken by adult hillbillies on 4 wheelers on the:

Transamtrail

https://www.transamtrail.com/

rather than by town kids on the Rail-toTrail route where I would get hit by a group of teenagers on bikes who want to get into my cool bikepacking bags when they see a lone spandex rider to target.

I was thinking of doing a mostly dreadful gravel path journey and avoiding 80 mile an hour reckless cars and RVs in the Western States this time when I cross America again.

What path do you think is better?

3

General Discussion / Amazing Transamerica Pictures And my Enlightened Terrible Verdict on the Route

« on: October 24, 2018, 05:20:55 pm »

I completed the Transamerica from Yorktown, Virginia to Florence, Oregon in 57 days. I disliked the route in the Western states so much I was doing sets of century+ days in a row. Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, and much of Missouri had palatable roads with low traffic that were NOT the main highway routes. On the other end Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon were often highly trafficked highways with constant streams of traffic going by at 80+ an hour. I wish I had taken a different route across America because the Western States roads were 60-80 percent horrible to travel on with a bicycle. This is due to: lack of a shoulder, fast moving traffic going by every half-minute, reckless trucks and RV drivers and often boring roads. I could recommend some of the backroads of Virginia-Missouri but overall the transamerica was a tedious constant passing bother in the western states. Yes- there were gaps in the western states where there was little traffic- but once into Colorado you may as well put a flattened road kill target on your back. The great thing about the route was all the fire stations, churches, private homes, and campgrounds along it. But, I only finished Kansas-Oregon because I am stubborn and there were some beautiful scenes.

I cut across Idaho and stopped in Florence because of my disillusionment with the tour.


https://www.instagram.com/p/BnCzTtuA22G/?hl=en&taken-by=bikecoasttocoast

Feel free to contact me for more experienced expert advice about the transamerica route or questions about touring overseas.

4

Routes / New Meadows to West Idaho shortcut - is it viable?

« on: August 15, 2018, 12:23:31 am »

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?page_id=51477

The above link is from a cyclist who went from New Meadows to West Yellowstone. He sort of did a straight line rather then going up and down. I have never been to Idaho or Montana. I would be very pleased to hear some trip advice on some cutoff like that someone tried. I assume the offical route would have less traffic then again Idaho is not densely populated. Any cyclists advice on their trip would be great.

5

Routes / What is another low traffic route between Newton &Hutchinson Kansas @Transam

« on: August 06, 2018, 12:03:58 pm »

I was wondering if anyone had tried or knew a nearly as ideal route as the set Transamerica one that goes from Newton Kansas to Hutchinson Kansas...

 Google maps bicycle route directs me to go along some roads that parallel 50.


 (I am not a must stick to the path type A purest although the times I strayed before I got the bicycle navigator cell app were usually worse than the set route).

6

Routes / Wretched road Missouri 221 transamerica route options

« on: July 31, 2018, 11:11:38 am »

Missouri 221 has2 Much 70mph  traffic. There has got to be a better transparency route.

Shoulder has rumbles and road kills all over it

Drivers still buzz you on shoulders. Ironic as it is just past the best biker hostel I've seen.

7

Gear Talk / Stan's NoTubes Grail Disc Road Wheelset

« on: May 31, 2018, 06:51:06 am »

I just got the Stan's NoTubes Grail Disc Road Wheelset for my transamerica tour I'm going on June 10.

https://wordpress.com/read/blogs/146531580/posts/45

I could try and do the Fulcrum 2009 carbon hub striaght pull blade spoke wheels I had rebuilt with knew rims and spokes in 2016:

https://www.google.com.mm/search?biw=1685&bih=785&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=P9EPW5zEG9v5rQHouIT4Bw&q=fulcrum+racing+zero+2009+carbon+hub+wheels&oq=fulcrum+racing+zero+2009+carbon+hub+wheels&gs_l=img.3...45489.48946.0.50523.12.12.0.0.0.0.296.1460.2-6.6.0....0...1c.1.64.img..6.0.0....0.M4gbLSxdBSg#imgrc=zZa2zLwKDo_I3M:
 

but that is a logistics problem and hard to work on even with extra spokes. I figure I will get a gravel/tour bike sometime in the future with disc brakes so it makes sense to have some disc wheels I can use with it later.  I was told by an touring expert I could go with a road bike as long as I keep the weight under 20 kilograms / TEN KILOGRAMS 22 pounds. But, I thought it would be wise to go with 32 spoke wheels that are designed to take more damage points on the road before the die.  Did any of you all ride with Stan wheels for a long time? All the reviews I read say they are quality wheels.

8

General Discussion / I need the TransAmerica Map section 3: Baker City, OR - Missoula, MT

« on: May 24, 2018, 11:41:20 pm »

I am leaving in early June on the TransAmerica route. The Adventure Cycling store is out of the:

TransAmerica Map Section 3

Baker City, OR - Missoula, MT (419.0 miles)

https://www.adventurecycling.org/cyclosource-store/route-maps/transamerica-bicycle-trail/sp/transamerica-section-3/

If any of you happen to have the map I would be grateful if you could mail it to me! Send me a private message for details.

I could even mail you a section 1 or 2 in trade! Or another section(s) AFTER I have gone over them and no longer need them. I already bought all the rest of the maps from the Adventure Cycling store. (Did anyone find a good substitute map for this section?)

I would be very grateful! Thanks!