Messages

1

General Discussion / About trailering one's pet dog while touring?

« on: November 18, 2021, 07:41:28 am »

Any thoughts (pro and con : ), tips and/or true life adventure accounts of
trailering one's pet dog while touring?
I thank you.

2

General Discussion / Re: Do u have favorite cycling sounds (i.e, not music : ) ???

« on: November 11, 2021, 09:01:34 am »

Oh yeah .... with fall having arrived ....
here is another of my fav.s ...
fallen leaves from time to time crunching under the tires.
Also, hearing the squirrels scampering about those fallen leaves,
as they are accumulating their food stores for the coming winter.

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General Discussion / Do u have favorite cycling sounds (i.e, not music : ) ???

« on: November 11, 2021, 07:50:46 am »

Was out on a spin yesterday and began asking myself what are the 'sounds' i hear
(i.e., not from earbuds : )
while cycling
that i don't hear when not & that i really like.
For example, a favorite for me, absolutely,
is sand & gravel crunching under fat tires.
What are your fav.s?

4

General Discussion / Re: Best book you've read on bicycle travel

« on: October 25, 2021, 07:56:14 am »

What's your favorite bicycle touring book and WHY?

Though not a story or journal about touring ....
a thoroughly detailed* & well organized 'how to text.'
Why is it my favorite?
Cause it, more than any other information source,
enabled me to fully appreciate touring with the minimal self-inflicted : ) trials & errors.
I relish re-reading quickly thru it about once every 5 years to remind myself
of how much I have forgotten &/or still never knew!
Available from the Adventure Cycling Store:
https://www.adventurecycling.org/cyclosource-store/search-results/sp/essential-touring-cyclist/
*Full dislosure ~ It does not address current digital/internet-dependent gear.

5

General Discussion / Re: Best book you've read on bicycle travel

« on: October 25, 2021, 07:39:20 am »

I also enjoyed Miles From Nowhere, but I would have a hard time saying exactly why it is so good. Perhaps the tragic fate of its author adds to its mystique.

Does the book have a sad kind of an ending John? 
I am ready to grab a copy but have gotta refrain from doing so if the ending is sad.
Thanks in advance for your hoped for update.

6

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

« on: October 16, 2021, 07:30:05 am »

... bungies ...  Look at all the broken ones you see on the road. 

: ) a most worthy point.

7

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

« on: October 15, 2021, 07:18:18 am »

attaching with bungee cords

While bungee cords are a modern convenience miracle,
if one breaks as you are in motion and entangles in your spokes
it may not be good.
I'd encourage you to consider good straps
in lieu of bungees?

8

Routes / Re: US bike route 21 Atlanta to Chatanooga

« on: October 04, 2021, 09:31:36 pm »

Oops , I screwed up. my destination host posted Asheville by mistake .

No prob at all ... lots of us (i include myself : ) enjoy dreaming about routes as much as we doing riding 'em !!!
You helped me recall about the previous fun times i have had on the Cherokee to Asheville slab
and, as said, you got me dreaming about the next time i'll be able to give the Blue Ridge Parkway my next spin !!!

9

Routes / Re: US bike route 21 Atlanta to Chatanooga

« on: October 04, 2021, 10:20:06 am »

... Blue Ridge Parkway from Cherokee into Asheville.  Take lots of water!...

Pat does knoweth that of which he speaketh.

10

Routes / Re: US bike route 21 Atlanta to Chatanooga

« on: October 04, 2021, 07:43:39 am »

\
I just have to figure out a safe route from Chattanooga to Asheville.

You are developing a great adventure that i hope you will document, by which many might well benefit.

My 2 cents, IknowU ..... re. 'safe route' to Asheville...
IF you can find a 'safe route' from Chattanooga to Cherokee, NC,
then, the rest is very safe from Cherokee to Asheville via The Blue Ridge Parkway

(i.e., commercial traffic not even permitted, unless 'local' ... posted speed limit is 45mph which is not even possible alotta the time due to the curves... no paved shoulders but typically well maintained grassy shoulders .... you would need 1.5", or better, wide tires.... 1/2 dozen unlit tunnels, hence, you need great front AND rear lighting .... please Private Message me IF you'd care to know stuff about the Blue Ridge Parkway / Skyline Drive .... have done it all  ... love it / my most favorite 600 miles stretch of pavement ... won't take up your time further mumbling allllllll about it here, when your Original Post is not focused on it. : ).

Chattanooga (to Cherokee, NC, & then on) to Asheville, NC ~
As i am certain that you already know, Google by Bicycle wants to take you via US 74.  Could be treacherous for cycling? .....
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Chattanooga,+Tennessee/Cherokee,+NC/@35.0872724,-84.8768185,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x886060408a83e785:0x2471261f898728aa!2m2!1d-85.3096801!2d35.0456297!1m5!1m1!1s0x8859431093d68437:0xa39957b8c6be1696!2m2!1d-83.3205859!2d35.4770574!3e1

Will say this with certainty about a nearby section of road that IS a suicide ride ....
know that US 441 between Cherokee, NC and Gatlinburg, TN is, so sadly, not built for bikes ...
if there are any shoulders, it is by accident ...
RVs passing by each other in opposite directions on the curves leave little to no room even for themselves,
e.g./i.e.  I say sadly, cause it does have lotsa beautiful scenery when one has a chance to take a gander.

11

Routes / Re: US bike route 21 Atlanta to Chatanooga

« on: October 03, 2021, 09:46:39 am »

Is the campground on the Silver Comet Trail any good? (no food/water, I got that)
Thanks, God Bless*.

IKnow - IF : ) you are referring to The Rock Campground, which is a few miles east of Rockmart and about 3/4 mile just south of / adjacent and easily accessible from the Silver Comet Trail ( https://therockrvpark.com/tents )....
i highly recommend it ....
have camped there at least 2 times over the last 5 years. 
The owner / manager John Hitchcock is a fine gentleman (you will see his profile on the above website).
It may be that you are referring to different campground, cause you mention 'no water,' and The Rock had potable water.
Regarding the Bike Route 21 in general, in my humble view, you will likely find the beauty and wonder of *God's great outdoors in this route thru northwest Georgia fairly inspiring. Full disclosure: i have not cycled this specific route; however, have camped and traveled throughout it over the years.
Regarding your question "Any noteworthy stops and services?" - Rockmart has all services and that which i have found to be a most friendly town the 8 or so times i have had the pleasure of stopping there. 
Hope you will send along updates of your ride.

12

Routes / Re: going up north from Atlanta into Tennessee

« on: September 17, 2021, 07:35:55 am »

You may already have full awareness of this...
but on the outside chance, no.....
Bicycle Ride Across Georgia (BRAG.org) does an Atlanta to or from Chattanooga every year.
They typically do US.BikeRt.21 as you will see here:
https://www.brag.org/21-2/
They may well be a source of information (?) for you.
This year's ride is in a week, 9/24-26.
The Route/Que data is here:
https://www.brag.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-USBR21-Ride-Guide-web.pdf

13

General Discussion / Re: The Big American Bike Ride

« on: September 15, 2021, 08:46:26 am »

Let freedom ring....
for me, one of motivational elements of biking is
the freedom to ride when, where and how i want.
Let biking be biking for cryin' out loud
when, where & how any & all want.
Nobody is stopping anyone from riding both.
Not to mention that both will promote biking
more than just one ride, even if one or the other doesn't materialize.

14

South Atlantic / Re: Road Trip Suggestions

« on: September 14, 2021, 07:52:21 am »

We will be taking a road trip at the end of September. Going from GA to Maine.
I am looking for any recommendations or suggestions as to some trails, bike parks, riding in general that I can find along the way.

The Blue Ridge Parkway and the Skyline Drive (commercial traffic free) will be following along your itinerary (for 597 miles of it anyway : ) and there are about 500 documented (used to be, anyways* ) trails off of the Parkway.
Take a look and see if it offers the type of riding opportunities in which you might have an interest...
https://www.blueridgeparkway.org/
https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/maps.htm
Adv.Cycling used to sell this book for years ... don't see it on the site at present,
hence, here it is on Amazon ( covers both Blue Ridge and Skyline )
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=blueridge+skinner&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss
* Best i could find on trails radiating off the The Blue Ridge Parkway -
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=blueridge+parkway+trails&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
~ Best wishes for a great trip (from a 'Georgia boy' : )

15

General Discussion / Re: Shout Out

« on: September 11, 2021, 07:18:14 am »

Yo Mike ~ Happy for you having completed your enjoyable passage coast to coast. 
Should you at some point choose to trek north/south whereby you wend your way thru the southeastern U.S.A. ....
know that there is a free cup of coffee in your future awaiting you anytime in Georgia.