Messages

1

Gear Talk / Re: Best tires for touring the US

« on: January 18, 2019, 11:42:10 pm »

How have other long-distance riders coped with the spare tire issue?

I gave up not carrying one and now just always take one. 
Don't like toting the spare but it is so potentially show stopping to lose a tire that I just find it easier to carry one along.

2

General Discussion / Re: Best tire width for TransAmerica (middle) route

« on: January 18, 2019, 11:32:35 pm »

What tire width do you suggest, that takes into consideration changing conditions across the country? Thanks:)

For me 1.8 to 1.9 inch width has worked optimally.

3

General Discussion / Re: Carrying a spare tire on tour?

« on: January 18, 2019, 11:26:43 pm »

Has anyone actually needed a spare tire on the road? Do you carry a spare? 

Never carried a spare (what a pain it is to do so :- ) until I had a good quality tire fail so badly I had to fully replace.
Because this occurred on the backside of no where, it was so disruptive that it nearly ended that tour.
Since that time I have always carried a spare tire.

4

South Atlantic / Cohutta-Cat N. GA Trail - Anyone tried it yet ? Thx.

« on: September 26, 2018, 08:03:01 pm »

Has anyone tried the Cohutta-Cat Trail (link below) in north Georgia?  Thx.
http://www.bikepacking.com/routes/cohutta-cat/

5

Gear Talk / Re: How many touring bicycles?

« on: September 26, 2018, 07:53:45 pm »

Do other adventure cyclists own multiple bicycles? Why or why not?

I own only one because one is all that I can afford.

6

General Discussion / Re: Cheap tires cost more than expensive tires.

« on: September 23, 2018, 03:14:33 pm »

I used to carry a spare tire. That was when I used less expensive tires.

"True Confession" Time :- ) ~
I am so chicken of how catastrophic the loss of a tire (aka, not just a flat) in the back side of a nowhere location can be to a tour/trek
(been there  )
that I can not not carry a spare tire + I use flat protection liners .... have t-r-i-e-d to quit and can't.

7

General Discussion / Re: Statistics on cross country tourers

« on: September 20, 2018, 09:40:07 am »

One receives a "2000-miler" certificate from the Appalachian trail Conservancy for registering your hike

Sort of similarly, The Blueridge Parkway Foundation provides their "End to Ender" certification for registering a trekker's completion of said 469 mile ridge ride,
albeit, the accomplishment can be by bike, car, foot, whatever, and it can be performed in multiple sections over time.
Here is the link for anyone who might wish to learn more specifically on how The Blueridge Parkway Foundation manages/promotes this / fyi:
https://www.brpfoundation.org/content/join-our-end-ender-club

8

General Discussion / Re: Statistics on cross country tourers

« on: September 19, 2018, 05:45:41 pm »

What makes it nice for the AT hiking and related registration of 'end to end
(i.e., full length e-v-e-n-t-u-a-l-l-y  accomplished in multiple sections)' or
'thru-hiking' is that it is one route.
With bicycling coast to/fro coast or north to/fro south it is, of course, the innumerable routes possible.
Simply an observation (of maybe the obvious :- ).
Where I suppose I am going with this is that it seems to me that Adventure Cycling would be the completely most common sense promoter, collector & manager of "statistics on cross country tourers." 
IF ACA, John, IS listening maybe they could give it to an intern or find someone who could legitimately make it some part of graduate study of some type.
Such stats would then be, of course, beneficial IF ACA wished to pursue obtaining Ivmelins's suggested Federal National Trails Systems Act designations for any of the ACA routes.

9

General Discussion / Re: Senior comeback

« on: September 18, 2018, 08:51:41 am »

I'm a 68-year-old, reasonably fit male who is making a return to cycling after a layoff of about 15 years.
...... I'd like to get to a  point where I could handle a week-long Erie Canal trip or GAP/C&O ride.

Would benefit from learning how you are progressing Scotty?
Hope your progress is more than the most that you anticipated  - Thx.

10

General Discussion / Re: Statistics on cross country tourers

« on: September 18, 2018, 08:30:56 am »

 
It is a simple question of how many people cross the US by bicycle each year.
[/quote]
A really, really worthy question Westinghouse & Hikerjer.
I have long wondered, as well as, long decided
that if ACA can't conservatively accurately estimate this figure then,
probably (? :-), no one can?
I'd love to see it estimated in some of these subsets:
1.  Atlantic - Pacific (either direction).
2.  Canada - Gulf or Mexico (either direction).
3.  End to end in one trip, aka non-stop.
4.  End to end via more than one trip (i.e., not non-stop).
5.  Has to be by year completed, or else the calculation could never arrive at your above 'each year.'

11

South / Suggestion(s) for safest route Anniston AL to ANYwhere on Gulf Coast? - Thx.

« on: November 16, 2017, 05:50:51 pm »

Thank you in advance for any of your time and thoughts on this matter.
The full route of which I am trying (with your advice on Anniston to Gulf Coast :- ) to formulate is actually Lake Lanier GA vicinity to the Gulf .... any where at all on the Gulf Coast !
My intent is to trek from the west side of Atlanta to Anniston via the Silver Comet Trail + Chief Ladiga Trail.
And, then .....  ..... I just do not have any knowledge of the safest route for beyond Anniston.
Your thoughts?

12

General Discussion / Re: Trying to get started

« on: May 09, 2016, 10:48:39 am »

When I was starting out as you are now I had vast numbers of questions, as well. 
The one source that provided the most accurate (as proved to be the case over miles of touring :- ) / well organized answers more than any other source + that answered more questions 'all from one source,' was the following text available for purchase via Adventure Cycling:
https://www.adventurecycling.org/cyclosource-store/everything-else/sp/essential-touring-cyclist/
- Wishing you a great time learning & touring.

13

Routes / Re: Texas to DC

« on: April 25, 2016, 11:52:37 am »

Hello TX2DC - If you go John's suggested route via The Skyline Drive expect to find the beauty breathtaking.  I hope you do conclude to include that in your itinerary.
Here is a text offered by Adventure Cycling that is wonderfully complete and clearly written on multi-day bike touring .... it was very, very helpful to me .... I even re-read it every few years to see how much I have forgotten :- ): 
https://www.adventurecycling.org/cyclosource-store/everything-else/sp/essential-touring-cyclist/
~ Wishing you a great tour.

14

Gear Talk / Re: Gear Inches for the Northern Tier

« on: April 09, 2016, 01:15:04 pm »

a symptom of overthinking while planning, but that's part of the fun, right?

Correct, at least for me anyway .... I have found 'overthinking' to be both fun and operationally beneficial (btw - just sent you a off-line email, belatedly, to one of your earlier Qs.).

15

General Discussion / Re: Paniers vs. Trailer

« on: April 09, 2016, 12:41:51 pm »

Have used both (i.e., single wheel trailer) for paved riding.
All factors, for me, considered, prefer panniers.