Topics

1

General Discussion / Natchez trace open?

« on: October 01, 2013, 02:46:11 pm »

Does anyone know if the Natchez trace is open while the government is shut down?

2

Routes / Here's some Green Mountain Loop tips

« on: September 09, 2012, 11:35:27 am »

I just did the Green Mountain loop last week (and it was incredible), so I though I'd share a few tips from the route:

• We left our car at the Lake Champlain Visitor Center, just on the NY side of the Champlain Bridge - on route 903 on map#10. They were very friendly, had a lot of info/maps for the area, and had no problem with leaving a car there (even over a holiday weekend)
• Map 11 - Grab a ferry schedule and adjust your timing/plans for the day with it in mind. The first ferry from Port Kent to Burlington was at 9:30 am and took an hour to cross the lake.
• Map 3 - The Prouty Beach Campground in Newport was super convenient to stores and restaurants (it was down town), but very expensive ($29). The tent sites were just a patch of grass with a table and water...no trees for privacy or shading.  There was a paved bike trail from downtown to the campground (not shown on the ACA map), nice way to avoid car traffic.
• Map 4 - In East Burk, the Kingdom Trails are a mountain bike mecca...if you mountain bike, do yourself a favor and rent a bike at the shop there and take a day and ride the trails. With that being said, plan ahead on lodging there and in Lyndonville since mountain bikers book a lot of the rooms in the area on weekends/holidays
• Map 6 - The Pastures campground had a cyclist rate of $10
• As the addenda suggests - the Champlain Bridge on map 10 is bike friendly.  A good way to cross the lake from Middlebury is to ride WayBridge Rd (rt 23), then turn left on rt 17( although there is currently1 mile of construction on 17 - e.g. rough gravel road)  to the bridge, then follow 903 to the main route
• Anything we came across that was listed as a gravel road was actually a hard-packed dirt road...good for riding...rolled pretty fast wet or dry
• Cell phone coverage was iffy, don't depend on it

3

Routes / Burlington, Vt

« on: July 08, 2012, 10:55:00 pm »

Anyone have a suggestion of a secure place to leave a car for a week in Burlington VT?  I'm going to be doing the Green Mtns Loop in early Sept and I am trying to figure out the details.

thanks

4

Gear Talk / free standing?

« on: June 10, 2012, 08:27:37 pm »

do y'all think a free standing tent  important to have, or one that you stake down is fine?

5

Gear Talk / I need a new disc wheel

« on: May 21, 2012, 07:17:56 pm »

I need to get a new rear wheel for my bike and I need help!

any suggestions on a disc hub?
any suggestions for a disc rim?

it needs to be 700c, disc brake compatible and very durable (for a 170lb rider carrying 50lb).
any suggestions? 

thanks a bunch

Jon

6

Routes / Allegheny Mtns Loop is wonderful!

« on: June 04, 2011, 03:51:47 pm »

 Just got back from riding (most of) the AML. It's really a great short tour to do...I highly recommend it. Great scenery, natural and man made, good roads with nice climbs/descents and very little traffic (some days, maybe we'd get maybe a car per hour passing us).  Here are some notes from the trip they may help out some riders:

-You can leave you car at Tangent Outfitters in Pembroke - friendly people, and they have ice cream for a post ride treat

-White Rocks CG off of 613 is up a gravel road - its cheap $4, water and bathrooms, but no showers.

-Morris Hill CG (on lake Moomaw) is almost 2 miles up a steep road, the non-reservation sites are pretty close together. If your staying here try to get a reservation and get one of the more spaced out sites. They do have showers ($16)

- The Bath County Pump Reservoir CG ($10) was very clean, had swimming in the lake, nice showers and we had the whole place to ourselves...only thing it needed was a few more trees to shade it better

-At Durbin, make sure you turn on 250/11, rather than staying on 250...else you'll be climbing more than you have to. (just pay attention to you maps)

-The National Radio telescope Observatory is pretty cool, its free and you can ride your bike to the telescopes

-The Dirt Bean cafe/coffee shop/bike shop in Marlinton has great fresh/healthy style food - highly recommend it

- The Greenbrier -off route in White Sulphur Springs is a good side trip - good diner in WSS also (Diner on the Green?? its a tiny white building)

-Didn't go to Lewisburg (off route), but locals said its a cool town.

- Gap Mills had a great little grocery store (great fresh deli sandwiches) and bakery near just east on SR3 from Zenith road, be sure to stop at both

- Humpback Bridge is a cool place to stop and eat & wade in the river.

-Campsites on the Greenbriar Rvr Trl were nice and clean - many of them had water, I think all of them had pit toilets (they were very clean), and two of the northern ones had 3 sided shelters to stay in (great if rain were in the forecast)

We rode touring bikes with 32 width tires - they were fine on the gravel roads/Greenbrier Trail.  We did not ride the top loop up to Glady nor the West Fork Trl, and we took 311 & 159 (minimal traffic on Memorial day) rather than the gravel section NE of Sweet Chalybeate.

Be prepared on this route....as food selection is somewhat limited - especially in the VA section. Plenty of water.

enjoy

7

Classifieds / SOLD: Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 Sleeping bag NWT

« on: April 02, 2011, 06:51:58 pm »

Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 -


-Left zip - long length - fits up to someone 6'6" tall
-super light- (MH says 1pound 7oz) -make those uphills easier!!
-800 fill DOWN!!! - so it compresses down a lot - saves room in your panniers
-stuff sack and storage sack included

NEW WITH TAGS - this bag is in perfect condition - there are no rips tears or any issues with this bag. Brand New!
Comes from a non-smoking, no pet home - stored in its storage bag
This is a nice sleeping bag!
more info here http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Phantom%E2%84%A2-32-%28Long%29/OU8440_L,default,pd.html

MSRP $305.00 Get it from me for only $185 plus $10 shipping

click below link for a picture
http://s835.photobucket.com/albums/zz278/humunukujon/?action=view&current=DSC01735.jpg


PM me if interested.

8

General Discussion / State flag stickers?

« on: March 26, 2011, 03:34:32 pm »

Anyone know of a source for small WATERPROOF state flag stickers/decals? I thought it might be kinda cool to add a flag sticker to my bike for each state i ride thru.
I found some almost perfect ones (1"x1.5") on the internet, but they aren't waterproof.

thanks

jon

9

General Discussion / Camping in the east

« on: November 15, 2010, 10:50:57 pm »

Hello

I'm just starting to plan for a cross country tour and I'm wondering about camping on the eastern half of the country.  In order to keep costs down, I'd really like to camp out as much as possible (for free if possible)-which seem like its pretty doable out west, but seems a little more tricky in the more crowded east coast.

So, my question is, is it possible to camp for free on the east coast on a regular basis? Or is it going to be more trouble than its worth to find a spot?

10

South Atlantic / NC Routes...WOW

« on: September 11, 2010, 06:43:45 pm »

NCDOT has it going on. http://www.ncdot.gov/travel/mappubs/bikemaps/default.html

bunches of touring routes and maps.

11

General Discussion / Camping in NP

« on: March 25, 2010, 09:51:23 pm »

I was reading on of the metal cowboy books, he he mentions that in national parks that people who come in under their own power (eg hikers and bikers) can camp at campgrounds even if they're full ( like a special reserved section). Is this true, anyone know anything about this? is it only certain parks (he stayed in yellowstone).