Topics

16

General Discussion / Canada / U.S. Border

« on: July 27, 2021, 10:44:11 am »

Many of us were hoping that the Canada / U.S. border would reopen on August 9th.
Although Canada announced it would reopen the border on August 9th,
the U.S. just announced that its border would remained closed until at least Aug. 21st.

Canada will only allow in U.S. citizens/nationals with proof of immunization.
The U.S. still only permits American citizens/nationals already overseas to enter.
So, it appears that vaccinated Americans may be able to travel to Canada and get back
- after Aug. 9th - but there may be restrictions or quarantine, esp. with the Delta variant.
There is also the risk that Canada will not open its border if the U.S. does not reciprocate.

I wouldn't make any plans to bike cross-border in August.
There are still too many variables.

Pic - BC Ferry Queen of the North in the Inside Passage

17

Routes / TA #3 and L&C #6. Lolo Pass US 12 Potential Closure. July 2021

« on: July 19, 2021, 09:23:10 pm »

The Granite Complex / Lolo Creek fire is approaching US 12 near Lolo Pass.
According to the USFS:

Lolo Creek fire: Expected to impact highway 12 at any time. Will continue to move towards Wagon Mtn to the east when it crosses the hwy. BM hill fire: will continue to move NE in granite creek, and up-canyon to the East and west. Shotgun fire: continued roll out, isolated torching and short range spotting into boulder creek towards the boulder fire scar. Potential for slope-driven runs. Primarily fuels and terrain driven fire behavior unless instability or outflow winds.

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7653/

The language of the warning suggests that the event may not be a long-term closure.
The Lolo Creek fire is separate from and smaller than the main Granite Complex fire.
However, TransAm and Lewis & Clark riders should prepare for a closure soon.
Any detour would be quite long.

18

General Discussion / Yosemite - Tioga Road - Bikes Only

« on: May 19, 2021, 12:28:42 pm »

Yosemite National Park has announced that Tioga Road will be opened May 21 thru May 23 for bicyclists and pedestrians only.
This is an incredible chance to ride one of the most beautiful ride in the world - in a lovely season.
Park Entrance Pass and fees required if you drive in and start at Crane Flat.
If you can find a place to park just east of Tioga Pass, then no Entrance Pass is required, just fee.

The Entrance Passes are a new thing this year and are fairly limited.
The idea is to reduce visitation because of Covid - 
but the NPS has been wanting to reduce visitation for years, now.
(Not a big fan of NPS admin - tough job, but they often wiggle the truth.)

Wish I were in California, because I would sure get this ride in.
No services - bring all food, water, clothing necessary.
46 miles one-way; 92 miles r.t.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tioga.htm

19

Rocky Mountain / What's Your Favorite Campground in Yellowstone

« on: February 22, 2021, 10:06:04 pm »

I'm guessing I've cycled Yellowstone two dozen times or more.
My first trip was back in 1987 when I was a North Carolina boy.
I was amazed - - - and I just happen to live in Wyoming now.
Yes, it can be busy, but if you ride super early, it's not.
And you get to see all the wildlife.

Note to those unfamiliar with Yellowstone NP:
All of the campgrounds except Slough Creek have hiker/biker campsites.
Which means you can ride in in the late afternoon/evening and still get a site.
(Fishing Bridge is for RVs only.)

A) My favorite large campground is Canyon - right in the middle of the park.
The hiker/biker campsites are ona loop with a few down in the ravine - isolated.
Isolated is good, unless you get nervous about grizzlies, but there are bear boxes.
There are showers and a laundrymat, a cafeteria, a camp store, and a visitors center.
Great ranger programs every evening.

And some of the bst hiking along the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
98% of visitors don't go more than 100 yards away from pavement.
Be sure to hike out from Artist Point of the South Rim.

B) My favorite small campground is Pebble Creek - near the Northeast Entrance.
Very, very few cyclists come this way, but it's worth it.
About 15 years ago the camp hosts created the hiker/biker site.
It's close to the host site and has one tree.
The hosts have always been especially nice to cyclists.
This is a basic campground with pump water and vault toilets.
The hiking in the Lamar Valley is exquisite - more open terrain.
Wildlife, wildflowers, and wolf howls in the evening if you are lucky.

Pix -
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Soda Butte Creek near the Pebble Creek

20

Routes / Lower Columbia - Washington or Oregon Side?

« on: January 17, 2021, 09:08:23 pm »

On my first cross-country tour back in 1987, I started out at Fort Stevens State Park in Oregon -
Then rode US 30 to Westport, crossed the Columbia on the Cathlamet Ferry -
Then cycled WA Hwy 4 along the river's edge to Longview.
It was exhilarating - first day of the first big tour.

Since then I have ridden both sides of the river many times -
And I'm planning a trip this year starting in June.
But, more than likely, I will be doing the exact opposite of my first trip.
I'll ride from Cape Disappointment on the Washington side, catch the ferry,
Then pedal the Oregon side thru Clatskanie towards Rainier.

The ferry is the last one on the Columbia below Grand Coulee - a treat.
(The Longview Bridge is another story - it will take years off your life.)
But doing one side and switching to the other is always nice.
I'm curious how others view the route choices.

West of the Ferry:

Oregon - US 30 is so-so, at best. Fairly heavy traffic, but good shoulders.
There's one overlook, but otherwise not many river views.
Some big hills to climb. A number of stretches of alternate old highway.

Washington - Hwy 401 & Hwy 4 are sweet. Light traffic, but narrower shoulders.
Hwy 401 runs right on the edge of the river east of the Astoria Bridge with huge views.
Hwy 4 even less traffic with back roads thru Grays River Valley.
Spectacular camping at Skamokawa on the river & a ride thru the refuge to Cathlamet.

East of the Ferry:

Oregon - Again, US 30 is so-so. Even more traffic. Good shoulders.
But you can avoid most of US 30 with back roads - either the old highway -
Better yet, ride out to the river on dike roads and wind your way to Clatskanie.
Then there is the old highway via Beaver Falls and Hudson Park all the way to Rainier.

Washington - Hwy 4 is pretty narrow, but has amazing Columbia views most of the way.
There's camping at the County Line Park. Longview is meh.
If you're heading north to Castle Rock, you can bypass Longview on back roads.

<<<>>>

Getting to Portland is another story - and may impact your second segment choice.
On the Washington side, the Old Pacific Hwy is often squeezed right up against I-5.
Plus, there is a missing segment where you have to climb over a big ridge on county roads.

But, US 30 on the Oregon side is no cup of tea either. Even more traffic.
There are good shoulders and a couple of short old road segments. But it's mostly US 30.
Apiary Road from Hudson Park & connections will take you almost to St. Helens.
Or you can head all the way over to Pittsburg and ride the Crown Zee trail to Scappoose.

Is there ever the 100% perfect route?

21

General Discussion / A musty item -

« on: August 24, 2020, 06:20:21 pm »

What item did you find at the bottom of your pannier
that elicited an "Ewwwwww!" from everyone within 100 yards?

22

General Discussion / "Least amount of car traffic"

« on: May 20, 2020, 12:35:44 am »

It was recently stated here that a person was sure to hate a route that had the "least amount of car traffic".
I politely beg to disagree. There are many routes with little or zero traffic that people love.

Let's start with rail trails:

The Great Allegheny Passage in Pennsylvania and Maryland has become a cycling destination.
Many of the little towns along the way have camping, lodging, and dining geared to cyclists.

Same goes for the Katy Trail in Missouri - people love car-free cycling.
Not to mention that it is beautiful riding under the tall bluffs and along the river.

If paved trails are more your cup of tea, then there's the Raccoon River Valley Trail in Iowa.
Or the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes in Idaho - with a bridge across Lake Coeur d'Alene.

Low-traffic roads are low-traffic because they tend to have few towns along the way.
So services may be a little on the thin side. Granted.

But many times there is the old highway - like Old U.S. 87 in northern Wyoming.
The Interstate has all the traffic and the old road has none - plus mountain views.

Or what about the Old U.S. 50 option on the Western Express between Middlegate and Austin?
So little traffic you can change your shorts in the middle of the road.

All things being equal - - and they rarely are - -
I'll take an empty road over a busy highway any day.

Pic - Magical Riding in the Palouse Hills

23

General Discussion / Going to the Sun Road - Snow Closure, 9-28-2019

« on: September 28, 2019, 01:16:31 pm »

Going to the Sun Road is currently closed.
due to an early, severe winter storm.
Snow amounts in higher elevations may top 2 feet.

Part of GTTS was closed for the past two weeks for construction.
It was supposed to reopen on Sept. 29th, but that will be delayed.
The fall closure date for 2019 was Oct 21; however,
If there is significant snowfall it may not be plowed this late.

Folks who are not from the Intermountain West
may be surprised that park roads close this early.
The can  - - - and they do.

Although there will be a few more weeks of nice weather,
cyclists should be aware of rapidly changing weather in the fall.
Almost every year there are instances of the weather changing
From sunny and 75 to blizzard conditions - - in 24 hours or less.

I've ridden Going to the Sun dozens of time -
Including this summer.
It is a jewel.
But one that requires great care.

24

General Discussion / Ocean to Ocean? Or Just Kinda Close??

« on: September 06, 2019, 07:13:06 pm »

The ocean is important to me.

This summer I did a loop of the West - 3500 miles.
Started on water's edge just north of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Finished on the Oregon coast after hitting all 11 western states.
On my 2016 cross-country ride it was Pacific Ocean to Atlantic Ocean.
Westport, Washington to Sandy Hook, New Jersey.

But the actual start/end may not be that important to other folks.
The west end of the Northern Tier is in Anacortes, not on the Pacific.
The east end of the TransAm is at Yorktown, not on the Atlantic.

People are always posting about how to start at Virginia Beach.
Fewer folks seem to want to get all the way out to Cape Flattery.

<<<>>>

So, I'm curious ...
Whether you have ridden cross-country or simply thinking about it,
How important is it to start and end on the ocean shore?

One issue is the extra time and hassle it takes to get to the ocean.
Although New York and Los Angeles are a bus/subway ride from the beach,
other coastal cities - D.C., Seattle, Portland - are a hundred miles away.
Flying in (or Amtrak) and connecting means an extra day or two.

Of course, if you have a good friend in Federal Way
who will take you all the way out to Neah Bay -
then all the better.

So on your cross-country trip ...
Does it have to be ocean to ocean?
Or is "close enough" good enough?

25

General Discussion / Touring Cyclist, Johann Astner, Killed

« on: April 15, 2019, 06:26:05 pm »

On Monday, April 8, Johann Astner was hit while riding and killed just north of Portales, NM.
New Mexico State Police initially released erroneous information about his nationality.
At present, there is very little information available about him.


If you know him or met him while he was touring in the U.S., your assistance would be appreciated.
Please contact either:
John Egan
jamawani@gmail.com
David Grieder, Eastern New Mexico News
dgrieder@thenews.email

Thanks

26

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Lewis & Clark Flooding - Spring 2019

« on: March 16, 2019, 10:29:17 pm »

Much of the Lewis & Clark Route east of the Continental Divide is likely to be impacted by serious flooding this spring and summer. The Upper Missouri River Basin has received near-record snowfall this winter and areas to the south of the snow line have received extensive rains, as well. Soils are saturated and flooding has already become devastating in Nebraska and Iowa.

See attached image of 3-month "Percent of Normal" precipitation for U.S.

The northern Great Plains have received anywhere from two to five times normal precipitation, much of that as snow, which is just beginning to melt. The flooding is likely to be as serious at the floods of 2011 - which were called a "once in a century" event. Only 8 years later massive flooding is  on the horizon - and could be worse than 2011 if spring rains are excessive. Bear in mind that the region gets nearly half its annual rainfall in May and June.

Here are a couple of links to the current flooding in Nebraska - with bridges and roads washed away.

http://newschannelnebraska.com/local-news/highway-13-bridge-near-hadar-collapses/
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/midwest-flooding-prompts-rescues-evacuations-n984086

Although Nebraska Highway 13 is not on the Lewis & Clark, damage to primary roads in the region will take precedence in repairs. Any major damage to secondary roads that are part of the L&C is likely to face significant delays in repair - quite possibly not until next year.

Although flooding will occur later along the Lower Missouri, it is highly unlikely that any part of the Missouri Valley will escape significant flooding. The worst months will be May and June in the Upper Missouri, with flooding extending into July on the Lower Missouri.

In addition to the Lewis & Clark, other ACA routes likely to be impacted are:

Northern Tier - Eastern Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota.
Great Rivers - The Mississippi Valley is likely to have at least moderate flooding, as well.
Katy Trail - The eastern 2/3s is likely to be closed for extended periods.

<<<>>>

Even if roadways are open many park and camping areas are likely to be disproportionately impacted as they are often located on lakes and waterways. In addition, parklands are frequently sacrificed to flooding to focus protection on developed areas.

27

General Discussion / How Do You Respond to People Asking for Advice Who Already Know Everything?

« on: October 27, 2018, 12:30:02 pm »

It's one of the most irritating things about touring blogs.
Somebody who has never been to Montana asks about riding Going to the Sun Road in May.
When you tell them it is closed in May, they respond, "I don't believe you."
Or similar stuff.

Yes, I know the best response is simply to walk away.

I remember a time back 10 years ago - two young guys were biking the Northern Tier in October.
I remember telling them that they were really pushing the envelope and they blew me off.
That is - - until October snowstorms hit - - which are normal for the Northern Rockies.
And, not surprisingly, campgrounds and motels were closed for the season.
They ended up arguing with each other and splitting up - and I helped each one find routes and places to stay.
I don't know if I would do it again - probably so, but.

Yes, I know the best response is simply to walk away.

I remember, more recently, a guy who planned to ride thru Yellowstone in April.
Again, I said that Craig Pass would be closed and overall conditions would be difficult.
Again, he said that I didn't know what I was talking about.
What's more, he said that he had gotten special permission to ride and camp in closed areas.
Well, I knew that was total BS, but I contacted rangers in Yellowstone to confirm.
They assured me that no such permission was granted and the cyclist would be arrested.
(The area is closed for grizzly protection as they wake from winter hibernation.)

As it is, cyclists many times violate camping and entry restrictions in national parks.
To the point that such infractions may impact access for the broader cycling public.

Yes, I know the best response is simply to walk away.

People from Atlanta and L.A. - let along Japan and Britain - have no clue about the Northern Rockies.
They think that May means bluebirds singing when much of Glacier N.P. is still under 6 feet of snow.
A professor from the University of Louisville died in an early snowstorm in 2017 in the Bighorn Mountains.
And it really wasn't that bad of a snowstorm - but it can be if you are unprepared.

So, I struggle with walking away, but I will for the most part.
I certainly don't want to see people place themselves in danger.
I also don't want to see people head out at a time or in a place where they will likely be miserable.
But I will call out anyone who feels they have a right to violate NPS or USFS policies.

Pic - Early October Snow, Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming

28

General Discussion / Cyclists Aren't the Only Folks on the Road

« on: October 20, 2018, 04:56:29 pm »

I just got back from a three-day ride in the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming.
Absolutely glorious! Sapphire skies. Snow-capped mountains.
(Of course, the first two weeks of October were frigid, so fair payback.)

The roads I rode on normally have very little traffic - even in summer.
But right now, they are harvesting sugar beets - trying to get the crop in.
So there were beet haulers out on the road - moving fast. One every half hour.
I prefer to call them "turnip trucks" - even though they're loaded with beets.

Here's the deal - they have to get in as many runs as possible each day.
Winter is coming fast and unharvested beets will freeze in the ground.

I have the privilege of riding on glorious Wyoming autumn days.
So, I kept an eye peeled for them - waving them past -
And made sure they were not delayed by a cyclist moseying down the road.

It's a beautiful time of year for cyclists.
And turnip trucks, too.

29

General Discussion / Going to the Sun Unlikely to Open Before July 4th

« on: May 26, 2018, 07:37:10 am »

200-300 inches of snow. (5-7.5 meters for metric-heads)
Massive snow drifts and sheer drop-offs.

Video of recent plowing:
https://www.facebook.com/GlacierNPS/videos/10155811973194912/?hc_ref=ARSoVrydKJ3MvOu_efXmRBER9Uj5UwUMym29w4Z6Fy4T7N2r2XFF_VtSCmlh17yGugI&fref=nf

30

Routes / Planing a Trip on the Northern Tier or GDMBR This Summer?

« on: February 15, 2018, 11:36:53 am »

If you are planning a summer trip on the Northern Tier, the GDMBR, the Great Parks North, or even the Lewis & Clark - -
you had better give serious consideration to the massive amounts of snow in the Northern Rockies of Montana.

1. Going to the Sun Road may not open this year until July 4th. Yep, July 4th.
2. Forest service roads may remain impassable until mid-July - and very muddy afterwards.
3. Park roads in the Canadian national parks, in Kananaskis, and as far south as Yellowstone will open late.
4. Some of the dirt road alternate sections of the Lewis & Clark may be impacted in the Bitterroot Mtns.

http://www.ktvh.com/2017/02/pictures-of-the-historic-record-breaking-snow-near-glacier-national-park

For people who live in California, the East Coast, or Europe this might sound crazy.
The middle of June is summer, right? Wrong.

The Northern Rockies have seen record snowfall this winter - and it keeps snowing.
The early February storm dropped 5 feet - 1.6 meters for you Europeans - in some locales.
Even if it warms up quickly in May - it will take weeks for the snow pack to melt out.
And a heavy snow pack tends to keep things cooler well into spring.

Plan accordingly, now, and you won't encounter a chilly surprise on your trip.