Messages

1

Routes / Re: Recommendation

« on: March 18, 2022, 06:30:23 pm »

Tough set of criteria. Mountaintop views suggests the West, because there are too many trees in the East for great views. But mountains means that there aren’t as many roads (because roads are hard to build in the mountains). Fewer roads means more traffic on the roads that exist. That suggests a low-population mountainous state, like maybe Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, or maybe Colorado or Utah or Northern California or Oregon or Washington.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the Adirondack region in upstate NY and VT.  I'll never forget seeing the "tallest MT in New York, and how very different it was from the tallest in Oregon where I live!!

2

Routes / Re: Recommendation

« on: March 18, 2022, 06:29:03 pm »

Which month/months?

We were in the area in June, early July.    I'd lean into June, because it started to get brutal in July, and Michigan was getting a lot of thunder storms.   But these days, weather varies so much!   

3

Routes / Re: Recommendation

« on: March 17, 2022, 03:59:49 pm »

The two trips I have had snugged away for when I want to revisit them would be a loop around Minnesota/Wisconsin, and a loop around Michigan. Or a combination of the two. Some of the most stunning rail trails in existence, beautiful back-country roads (Wisconsin's are especially smooth, designed for hauling milk, I heard!), accessible services, excellent water (the pump-wells in Michigan parks, especially)...   
It doesn't include mountain views, really, but the rest is there....   I look forward to seeing what everyone posts, for inspiration, too. 

4

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Pacific Coast, Map 2 near Nehalem Road Closed, detour

« on: March 17, 2022, 01:51:13 am »

Southbound lane is now open.  Northbound restricted.
Expect 20 min delays. 

5

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Pacific Coast #2 map 15 & TransAm #1 map 2 - US 101 Closure - Mar. 2022

« on: March 16, 2022, 12:36:24 pm »

On Tuesday, Mar 15, a slide closed 101 both directions south of Wheeler at milepost 47.
Expected to open Wednesday 3-16, in afternoon/evening but this may change with conditions.
Traffic is being detoured over Miami-Foley Road, which is actually shorter in miles, but with traffic diverted there, it may be pretty congested, and it is narrow with no real shoulder.
https://www.tillamookheadlightherald.com/news_free/update-highway-101-remains-closed-south-of-wheeler-late-afternoon-opening-is-planned/article_6c38aca4-a472-11ec-8b7b-b77da72bd759.html

6

Connecting ACA Routes / Re: Crescent City, CA to Sierra Cascades Route

« on: March 14, 2022, 07:41:18 pm »

We are doing the Pacific Coast route from Bellingham to Santa Barbara (where Jay's daughter is in college) during this April/May. So I was reviewing posts about the route, and came across this thread!  I forgot to let you know I enjoyed your trip log and seeing your adventures from last year, after talking in the forum about routing. Thanks for sharing it! 
Will be wet, but going to be an adventure.  Has always been a dream to ride through my home town on my bike.
-Emily

7

Gear Talk / Re: Handlebar Light and Ortlieb Handlebar Bag

« on: March 14, 2022, 07:11:05 pm »

I just rigged a light bar on the underside of my handlebar bag (Arkel). 
Basically, a 3/4" white PVC pipe section, with holes drilled near the ends and a cord going through and tying to the plastic brackets on the sides where the handlebar bag shoulder strap would clip if you were using it. I have two lights on it (super strong light for night illumination, and running light for day time alerting drivers), they are hanging "upside down" from the way they are when I have them mounted on my handlebar sans bag.
Still working on perfecting it because it is difficult for me to take off to replace batteries or recharge, but the light is awesome, shines right on the road where I want it to, cars can see it, etc.   

8

Routes / Re: Florence Oregon TransAm route to Missoula then Northern Tier to Great Lakes.....

« on: March 14, 2022, 06:41:16 pm »

I agree that early May, with a plan to go on Northern Tier through MT, is chancy.  We left Bend, OR on May 15, and had to go through southern MT, which had its own issues (I just wrote about that on another post before I saw this one).  We were very fortunate, hit a perfect weather window for Lolo Pass (It snowed the week before and the week after, clear roads and  skies for us though).  If time is no worry, I would do the Peaks/Parks/Prairie route instead of Lewis & Clark.   It didn't exist when we went through, but so glad it does now!

9

Routes / Re: Lewis and Clark or Parks, Peaks, Prairies

« on: March 14, 2022, 06:37:23 pm »

We did the L&C route in 2018 on our x-country trip, to connect Missoula to North Dakota.  We left Oregon on May 15, so did not want to do the Going to the Sun/Northern Tier route.    We deeply regretted our selection of the L&C, but also look back fondly. Kind of the way you do when you've been through a harrowing experience.  Survival makes you grateful!  We met so many wonderful people, and benefited from the kindness of strangers when we got in over our heads (massive lightening/thunder storm between Lincoln and Augusta MT, which left us stranded near dark with lightening striking all around and 20 more miles to shelter.  Thank you Hutterite farmers for the ride!!!). 

Yes, there are some desolate stretches, you need to carry extra food, and remember that the rest stops in MT are amazing shelters with great water.   I would be concerned about what is left after the pandemic, because some little places were barely holding on when we went through.  If we were to do it again, we'd go Missoula down through the Peaks/Parks/Prairies route, then from Minnesota on the Northern Tier, the North Lakes, and back to the Northern Tier to the east coast.  The North Lakes route is a true gem.

10

Connecting ACA Routes / Re: Crescent City, CA to Sierra Cascades Route

« on: August 24, 2021, 08:25:21 pm »

Way cool!  Thanks for providing a status report of the route.  I am so glad it worked out for you, and you enjoyed it.  Especially glad you survived 199. That road scares me in a car!   I wish there was a shuttle. 
Did you do a travel journal or blog?

11

Routes / Re: Northern Tier through Montana

« on: April 21, 2021, 09:42:11 pm »

I did the entire NT back in '99. In '06 or '07 I went back for CANDISC, which was a supported, one-week loop tour from/to Garrison. Really liked riding in the state for the reasons you mention. And there sure was wind. One memorable day in '99 we had a strong tail wind heading towards Page except when we had to turn right a couple of time. When that happened, we had to lean sideways to stay upright.

During CANDISC we left the lunch stop town one day and had 18 gently rolling miles until the next rest stop. During that stretch there was a woman with her daughter parked by the side of the road with water and Gatorade for riders. I and my friend pulled up and asked how far until the next stop. She told us 9 miles. I couldn't believe we had only come 9 miles since lunch. "I feel like we've been riding for an hour." I said. My firend looked at her watch and said "We have been riding for an hour." Remember that we were riding road bikes wth no gear. Going down one gentle descent I was in a tuck but only able to hit 12 mph coasting due to a massive headwind.
[/quote]

So glad someone else enjoyed ND, wind and all!  In North Dakota we decided that one day, when we are retired and don't have anywhere we need to be, we want to plunk ourselves down in the middle of somewhere, and proceed with a "tailwind tour."  Each morning, we wake up, and find out what direction the wind is blowing towards, and then we'd ride in that direction.  See where the wind takes us.  maybe we'd go back and forth across a state, or maybe we'd eventually go everywhere. 

12

Routes / Re: Weiser River Trail

« on: April 20, 2021, 10:03:40 pm »

It is worth checking out the info and reviews on AllTrails and Traillink to see what other users have said and compare to your comfort level.  Goatheads take out many a tire on that trail.   We ride on Schwalbe Marathon tires (the 1.4 or 35c) and had zero flats in over 8,000 miles before we replaced them because they were worn out, in case you are looking for new tires. 

After watching the videos posted on the Weiser River Trail page, and reading reviews, we decided not to risk the section from Cambridge through the river canyon and back to 95.  Too isolated, and if we got into trouble, it was a long hike back or out.   Would love to go back someday with mountain bikes to ride the whole thing..

The trail goes along 95 from just south of Council, all the way to New Meadows, and that is the section we got to see and try out, which was not doable for us with our loaded touring bikes. But you could hop on or off easily due to close proximity to 95.  Keep in mind the trail was specifically developed for horses and mountain bikers and the terrain is very variable if not downright unpredictable. 

Enjoy Idaho, and be sure to stop in Council, which had a beautiful little park in town with a huge cannon, and excellent public restrooms.

13

Routes / Re: Weiser River Trail

« on: April 14, 2021, 08:36:54 pm »

We checked out the Weiser River Trail in summer 2018. It was not useable with our touring bikes on 28 x 1.4 tires.   Loose rock, big gravel, just not passable w/out wide gravel tires.
That said, the route from Cambridge to New Meadows wasn't too bad, in our experience.  It was a road with a lot of logging truck traffic until Tamarack, where the lumber mill is located.  So it was exhausting due to the constant monitoring of the road.  But pretty good visibility.    Limited water from Council to Pine Ridge (the Huckleberry Store in Pine Ridge is a great stop).  The campgrounds in that stretch were dry in 2018.
Hope that helps.

14

Routes / Re: Northern Tier through Montana

« on: April 14, 2021, 09:19:24 am »

Sounds like a grand adventure!
Yes, we followed the ACA route through ND, with a slight detour on the eastern border. We wanted to go through the Sheyenne National Grasslands, and jigged South to do that, and navigated our way through small towns of Colfax and Abercrombie and back to the route in MN at Fergus Falls.

ND was one of our favorite states for the incredibly kind/polite drivers, the tiny towns with incredibly kind/polite people, and the pristine prairie potholes with more waterfowl than you can imagine.   Lots of wind (In ND, the question isn't "will there be wind today" but "which way is the wind howling from today?).  There was just something about it that was truly wonderful.  I read a lot of stories about how people skip over ND, or think it is the worst state ever.   For us, it was truly special. Now, truthfully, part of that had to do with how difficult our journey across MT was!

If you want to read about our trip, from west to east, just to see the terrain and what it was like, this is our travel journal:  http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/bend2boston

15

Connecting ACA Routes / Re: Crescent City, CA to Sierra Cascades Route

« on: April 14, 2021, 01:58:57 am »

This is a tough question, because the roads west-east in this area are either super rural with few services, or major roads with high traffic volume, especially in the summer. I'm originally from northern California.  I would not want to ride from Crescent City to Grants Pass, but mostly due to the section from Crescent City to Collier Tunnel.  LOTS of RV traffic and big trucks, with very little to negative shoulder on curvy roads wrapping around giant trees.    But if your tolerance for traffic is high, it is gorgeous.      96 is beautiful, VERY rural, so you'd want to check services and plan accordingly.  Does the route you are taking go from O'Brien to Happy Camp on Grayback Rd?  Or where do you drop onto 96?    If it is to Happy Camp, that section is beyond rural, so plan accordingly. You won't run into much traffic.  Lots of no cell service areas out there.

We are doing a loop this summer, combining Sierra Cascade and Pacific Coast, too, July and August.     Bend, OR north to Sedro-Woolley, then South on Pacific Coast to SF, then east to Truckee and back North on the Sierra Cascades. So maybe we'll cross paths!

-Emily
P.S., If you are flexible in direction, I recommend doing the coast section from north to south, due to prevailing winds on the coast.   So north on Sierra Cascades and south on Pacific Coast.....