Messages

1

General Discussion / Re: Rumble Strip location

« on: October 21, 2021, 09:46:09 am »

IIRC, ACA was/is active on the matter of rumble strip placement.

Here is a great example I encountered while riding U.S. 287 north of Ennis, MT.

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5902471,-111.7088339,3a,90y,6.57h,43.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1suvVmtNHCw512e05bipzMLw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

As you can see, what little shoulder there is has been rendered useless for cycling.  Fortunately, traffic was very light the day I rode it, which was before heavy tourist season.  But I suspect that's not always the case because it is the direct route from Ennis to Three Forks.

2

Routes / Re: Pennsylvania S route

« on: October 20, 2021, 10:08:31 am »

but there are just too damn many people in the world.

Sounds like me complaining about traffic on those rare occasions when I am stuck in traffic.

3

Routes / Re: NT Alternative between Cut Bank and St Mary in MT

« on: October 20, 2021, 09:21:04 am »

Some images from Waterton Village and the surrounding area from 2009:

The edge of the towne campsite:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davez2007/3675812975/in/album-72157620763740044/


https://www.flickr.com/photos/davez2007/3676629146/in/album-72157620763740044/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davez2007/3675812329/in/album-72157620763740044/

Leaving the park:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davez2007/3676630222/in/album-72157620763740044/

Chief Mountain Highway:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davez2007/3676632284/in/album-72157620763740044/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davez2007/3675817099/in/album-72157620763740044/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davez2007/3675817685/in/album-72157620763740044/

4

Routes / Re: Pennsylvania S route

« on: October 20, 2021, 09:14:09 am »

Of the three W-E PA bike routes I have done good portions of (Y, V and S), the portions of Route S have been my least favorite overall.

5

Routes / Re: Pennsylvania S route

« on: October 19, 2021, 06:30:40 pm »

Haven’t done that part.

6

Routes / Re: Pennsylvania S route

« on: October 18, 2021, 08:54:37 pm »

No problem, but why did you ask?

7

Routes / Re: NT Alternative between Cut Bank and St Mary in MT

« on: October 18, 2021, 01:53:46 pm »

Anyone know of something special on that route into Canada that wouldn't be made up for by the Going-to-the-Sun Rd?

I have stayed in Waterton Village twice during tours. Nice place for a day off, though due to issues I never got to take a day off there. The town campsite is in a dramatic setting along the lake. And you have lots of services because, as mentioned, its a town.  There may still be the opportunity to take a combination boat ride/hike if you were to take a day off there.

The ride back to the U.S. via Chief Mountain to U.S. 89 is also quite nice, though not easy.  Knowing what I know now, if I were doing what you plan to and had the time (and assuming crossing the borders is possible), I would do the Canada option from Cut Bank, spend a couple of nights at Waterton Village, then hit up  Manny Glacier and/or St. Mary.

If that's not for you, what Jama said is good advice. I rode between St. Mary and E. Glacier via U.S. 89 and MT 49.  (Beautiful views from MT 49.) Logan Pass was not fully open yet, so traffic was lighter than normal on the U.S. 89 portion south of St. Mary, and even then it was quite "noticeable."  Seemed liked it would have been worse during high season.

8

Routes / Re: Pennsylvania S route

« on: October 18, 2021, 01:35:25 pm »

Much of it. From from where it joins the GAP to Rockwood.  Then from Bedford to Kimberton/Phoenixville area, with slight detours starting in the Blue Ball area for a much nicer stretch through the Conestoga Valley and in Morgantown to reach French Creek State Park.  Twice.  East from Breezewood I also rode the abandoned stretch of the PA Turnpike and picked up Route S again near the eastern end of that section. I think the abandoned turnpike is now officially part of the route. It was not in 2012, when I first did Route S as part of a cross-PA tour.

9

General Discussion / Re: Tents, locks, kickstands, gear protection, and hauling stuff

« on: October 17, 2021, 08:41:02 am »

Noting broken bungees seen on the road doesn’t take into account the loads they were securing and the forces they were subjected to that caused them to fail.

10

Routes / Re: Interstate Alternatives

« on: October 13, 2021, 01:15:24 pm »

From what one can see on Street View, CR 139 looks like decent gravel.  The surface looks comparable to unpaved roads I suggested for the portion of the Tram Am route between Sheridan and Laurin, MT in order to avoid 8 miles of shoulderless MT 287 that has some sort of aggregates business that produces some trucks traffic.

Also, you have the Interstate close buy and there is not really anything out there on CR 139, so I would not expect much in the way of truck traffic, if any.

11

General Discussion / Re: Tents, locks, kickstands, gear protection, and hauling stuff

« on: October 11, 2021, 04:02:25 pm »

No kickstand. That's what trees, guar rails, rocks, benches, etc., are for.

Did two weeks on the road last moth. I carried my fairly light cable lock with a combination. Can count on fewer than 2 hands worth of fingers the number of times I used it. Only place in camp was in Burlington, VT because of its size and relative ease of public access to the municipal campground.  Even when grocery shopping I almost never used the lock. Wallet, phone and camera inside the tent with me every night.  In Burlington, I stashed the panniers and valuable stove behind my tent in the shelter so they were not readily visible.   All other nights my stuff gear stayed outside except when stored for bear purposes. A few years ago I was very exposed at a city park in a small Montana town. I was not super worried, but out of an abundance of caution I threads the cable lock through the bike and all four pannier carry hand straps and put my stove under my tent vestibule.

That's SOP for me. Situational awareness.  Make a realistic assessment of risk. Not what could happen (just about anything can happen), but what are the chances that something will happen? Why am I going to bother secreting gear and/or locking up my bike when I am, say, sharing a campground that is nowhere near a public road with a few seasonal campers who have their own trailers?  Same question when I am popping into some country store in a sparsely populated area for a couple of minutes. With all that said, do what feels comfortable to you.

I spent three nights in Adirondack shelters during my last trip and have stayed in others. I have also camped on other mad-made surfaces to escape the weather.  Having a semi-freestanding tent is helpful in situations like that.

12

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Atlantic Coast, Section 2, Lambertville, NJ

« on: October 08, 2021, 06:39:28 pm »

The D&L, where not flood damaged, was poorly maintained in many places. Lots of high growth. I got off at Riegelsville, NJ, and walked across the bridge to NJ to get back on the official route to Milford. About a half a mile later a cyclist came down the hill and told me the road was blocked by a downed wire. Had to turn back, go back into PA and get back on the D&L. Most frustrating. Oh well. Got some good pizza when I finally made it to Milford and had a nice night at Dogwood Haven. The owner of the campground is a really nice guy. $15 for cyclists. Unheard of in that area. Later that evening two touring cyclists heading north showed up. I gave them good intel.

13

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Atlantic Coast Section 2, map 24. D&R Feeder Canal Bridge closure 10/21

« on: October 08, 2021, 02:06:50 pm »

Sorry, but don't know the exact map number, but there is apparently a bridge on the D&R Feeder Canal path at the north end of Lambertville, NJ that was taken out by the flooding caused by Ida.  The detour is simple.

Heading south, just after the U.S. 202 overpass you usually make a left then quick rights to stay on the trail.  Cannot make that right anymore. (There was a trail closure sign when I was there late last month, and a local told me about the missing bridge.) Instead of making the right, continue straight through the parking lot to NJ 29. Make a right onto NJ 29, the first right onto Cherry St then a left at the T onto N. Union St.  The first traffic light you will come to is Bridge St.  Make a right and that will take you to the bridge to New Hope, PA.  Cherry and N. Union are generally quiet, safe riding.

Also, to the extent you are considering deviating from the route at Phillipsburg, NJ, by crossing into Easton, PA, and taking the D&L Trail south, don't.  At least not any time soon.  Stay on the nice roads on the NJ side of the river. Flooding from Ida caused extensive damage in places.  In one or two places some two feet of trail surface was washed away, leaving exposed rocks.  Had to walk the bike in numerous places, and the footing was bad.  There were also a couple of downed trees.  Don't know if they have been removed yet.  Then, maybe a mile north of Upper Black Eddy, PA, a vary large section of the trail is gone.  I confronted a chasm some 50'+ long and probably 15'+ deep.  It does not look like it is something that can/will be repaired any time soon. The only workaround for this spot is to backtrack a bit, go out to PA 32 and riding that to the bridge to Upper Black Eddy and the bridge to Milford, NJ.  PA 32 is a road you want to avoid, especially on weekends.

You can still access Dogwood Haven Campground from the D&L between Canal Ln. and Lodi Hill Road, but south of that point there was another trail closure sign and some heavy machinery blocking the trail.

14

Connecting ACA Routes / Re: Linking NYC/Chicago to Bicycle Route 66

« on: October 07, 2021, 02:38:00 pm »

Having contributed to the development of the PA portion of NYC to CHI (the northern part, not the PHL option, although I am familiar with much of that as well)....

Expect more summer traffic and crowds at campgrounds in August. That's just the nature of the beast.  People getting in vacations before Labor Day.  Reservations at state parks like Hickory Run (large campground) and Raymond B. Winter (decent, small place just east of a splendid Amish valley you will pass through) would be advisable, at least on weekends.  Worthington State Forest in NJ (highly recommended stop) will be tough to get a reservation for (probably impossible on weekends in August), although it supposedly has a no turn-away policy for people arriving by foot, bike or boat.  Was just there a couple of weeks ago during a tour and totally spaced on asking if that is still in place.  (You should call ahead and let them know you are coming.)

A couple of other places I stayed that were decent were the campground just south of U.S. 322 in Shippenville and Woodland Campground, a couple of miles off route north on PA 970 from U.S. 322 in Woodland. Gio's BBQ in Woodland has good food.  The climb up U.S. 322 from Clearfield heading west is a legit climb. Trucks heading east have to stop and test their brakes at the top of the hill before descending to Clearfield.

The campground in Rupert is dated and somewhat expensive for what it is, but there are not many options available, and it's close to Bloomsburg, where there is an excellent bike shop (the Dutch Wheelmen) if you need it and a large grocery store.

Weather-wise, while it should be cooler than the southern part of the state, there are no promises. Earlier this year (July, I believe it was), I did an overnight to Hickory Run State Park, which is directly on the route.  Heat index with the incredible humidity the first day was about 101 degrees.  Weather like that can result in heavy thunderstorms in the late afternoon/early evening, which happened that day.

15

Routes / Atlantic Coast Route Alternatives in NY

« on: September 30, 2021, 03:58:45 pm »

Recently finished a tour from St. Albans City, VT to Philly. Picked up the Atlantic Coast Route in Millerton, NY. From there heading south I took two alternatives, both of which I had ridden in the not-so-distant past.

1. From the Harlem Valley Trail in Wassaic, instead of continuing on the highway after leaving the station I made a right onto Deep Hollow Rd.  Deep Hollow is unpaved, but the surface is very good. Mostly hard pack dirt.  Encountered two cars on a weekday before noon. People drive slowly because of the road surface. Saves mileage on a busy highway and climbing. A map of the alternative from where you leave the official route to where you rejoin it:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37659291

2. From New Paltz I skipped the Wallkill Valley Trail, which was not a great experience back in 2018. Not that great a surface and not scenic. It then leaves you off sort of in the middle of nowhere, forcing you to head through Wallkill and then take Bruyn Turnpike. Both had a good amount of traffic back in 2018. Instead, I took what was the previous routing. Low traffic once you get onto Libertyville Rd./CR 7 and much more scenic, with better views of the Shawangunks.  Again, a map showing he alternative:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37659346