Messages

1

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: TransAmerica Trail - Section 10 - Ohio River ferry ceasing weekend operations

« on: May 11, 2025, 06:59:55 pm »

Ferry seems to be operating on weekends again, possibly on a reduced schedule of 6am-6pm

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Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Transamerica Section 11 road closure

« on: May 05, 2025, 06:34:37 am »

KY 80 is closed as you approach Hazard. I did not attempt to go through the closure, so potentially still passable by bike. I turned right onto 451 (crosses a highway interchange to Hal Rogers Parkway) and then left onto 15, which takes you past the grocery store. Turn right on 15 business and right again on 476 to get back on route.

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Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Northern Tier, Section 1 2024 intermittent fire closure

« on: July 31, 2024, 10:39:53 am »

I am over 4,000 miles into this tour. I started from Chicago and went south to catch the Transam in Carbondale. Went east into KY to rock climb and then started back west through cities to connect to underground railroad. Went a bit north to take the Katy trail across MO and then the Eastern Express to get back to the Transam until Missoula. In Missoula I made the mistake of buying into the idea that it is reasonable to bike straight across MT, ID & WA on a good amount of bike infrastructure and ended up doing at least 100 miles of I90 including a couple narrow bridges along with a number of narrow shoulderless roads across WA. In the past, I have done 4 shorter tours, around 800 miles each, all originating and ending in Chicago. Cycling is also my main form of transportation, so I regularly ride throughout northern IL to get places. This is my first time using ACA routes, hence posts being recent.

WA has easily been the least bikable state I've been through. I wish they would stop advertising it as being oh so bike friendly because it definitely influenced my choice to bike through the state instead of taking L&C on the way in.

I understand the need to wait for gaps at pinch points and have gotten off the road my fair share of times.

Does route 2 continue to be high stress riding all the way through?  Up to say 120 miles of high stress riding sounds like a reasonable option, but if the full 300+ stays high traffic no shoulder I think that would be more than I want to head into.

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Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Northern Tier, Section 1 2024 intermittent fire closure

« on: July 30, 2024, 11:43:46 pm »

Thanks so much for these options! I think I am going to head on the route Jama suggested. It seems like the lowest risk given there are also fires nearish L&C.

I did take one of the best sections of the Palouse to Cascades on my way here and it was rough. One stretch was closed due to a fire and the only way around was a very large gravel road for around 10 miles. From reading other people's accounts, the trail is very difficult to ride even on a gravel bike and has many, many detours to roads of various qualities. I would advise against taking this trail if one has not planned for it in advance

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Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Northern Tier, Section 1 2024 intermittent fire closure

« on: July 30, 2024, 02:56:22 pm »

Highway 20 has been closed a couple times due to the easy pass fire about 17 miles west of Mazama. It is currently open, but at risk of closing again. I am about to head from Seattle to connect to the Northern Tier and would love any suggestions on route alternatives that are not so close to active fire. I'm not seeing any good alternative...

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Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Eastern Express Section 1 2024 Kansas bridge down

« on: June 15, 2024, 10:40:54 am »

I'm not sure the exact location where the bridge is out, you can probably find out through Kansas DOT, but I found their website hard to use on my phone. There are road signs for the official detour. The main issue is planning for so much additional millage. BAK's map can be downloaded here: https://bak.org/maps/

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Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Eastern Express Section 1 2024 Kansas bridge down

« on: June 15, 2024, 05:20:18 am »

Route 9 has a bridge down between Corning & Netawaka KS. The official detour is bikeable but adds at least 20 miles of riding. There may be a way to take unpaved side streets around. Bike Across Kansas used the detour route and you can follow their route for Friday, June 14 from the PDF on their website.