Messages

1

Routes / Re: Flooding in Texas Hill Country?

« on: November 01, 2018, 02:43:02 am »

Thanks! Will do.

2

Routes / Flooding in Texas Hill Country?

« on: October 29, 2018, 10:09:35 pm »

Anybody with first or second hand knowledge concerning the Texas Hill Country? I know there was some terrible flooding in areas. I've got a friend who has asked me to come along for some riding out of Fredericksburg, but I question how "ridable" the area is.

3

GPS & Digital Data Discussion / Re: Having trouble downloading a digital map on iPhone 6

« on: May 02, 2017, 11:08:50 pm »

Thanks for the help! 

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GPS & Digital Data Discussion / Having trouble downloading a digital map on iPhone 6

« on: May 02, 2017, 01:06:07 pm »

I attempted to download section 8 of the TA trail onto my iPhone. Call me stupid, but I can't get it.    I did the purchase and got the sales order confirmation email.  When I select the "TransAmerican bicycle Trail Digital Section 8" in the email body, I get the zip file which has a "open in" prompt.  Selecting that, I get the option of opening it as a text, email, note or iCloud drive. Neither are successful and ultimately lead me to a screen that has "TA08_20160405  Zip archive 118 KB".  Just a dead end screen, that doesn't respond in no way shape or fashion. All of these activites/attempts have been on my iPhone.  Any help would be appreciated.

5

General Discussion / Re: Eating the Transam Trail

« on: March 27, 2017, 10:07:23 am »

If you don't want to be carrying the cooking gear and extra food ALL the time, you could use a bounce box.  Send your gear ahead of you to a post office to pick up before services get scarce.  When you get out of those areas, send the gear ahead again, or back home if you won't need it again.  I used such on my last tour for clothing items that I thought would not be needed (forecast included terrible headwinds and I wanted to be as light as possible).  It's a little bit of a pain, in that small town PO's probably won't be open on weekends and many close by 4-4:30.   But it is a viable option.

6

General Discussion / Re: Eating the Transam Trail

« on: March 08, 2017, 04:49:45 am »

I've done most of the western half of the TA, so take this for what it's worth. Question to OP?  What will be your estimated daily mileage?  I know that will vary a bit, but can you do 60 mile days?  80 mile days?  If you are in that range or better, I don't think you have to be concerned.  If you have room in your pack for a little food to get you through the day, you will be fine.  It may be a mix of fast food, convenience store, restaurant and grocery, but you won't starve.  Rawlins Wyoming to/from Lander stands out to me as the most challenging in the west that I have rode as far as food stops.  Muddy Gap (convenience store) and Jeffers City (Restaurant) are maybe the only reliable stops between (125 miles).  Maybe the cafe in Lamont, but sounds like that may or may not be open.  If you are worried about cost, I assume that you would prefer the grocery store options.  That will probably be a little more difficult, if not impossible in stretches.  Doable in more populated area, but will take some navigating, as a previous poster has pointed out.   

7

General Discussion / Re: Application for keeping a journal

« on: March 02, 2017, 12:25:07 am »

Crazy guy is what I have used for my 6 short tours.  It does take some work, but it has been well worth it.  Friends, family and others, can follow along.  And most important, I have a great record of the experience for years to come.  You can fudge a little on the time commitment while on the ride by putting in the basics and adding to it after the ride.  I currently ride with an iPhone 6s plus.  It takes  pretty good pics and I can do the CGOAB journal with it.  A good feature also is the ability to create voice memos.  Much faster than scribbling a note.  On a rest day or after the ride, I can go through my voice memos (they have a date attached) and eventually create a detailed journal.  So really, I can do as much or as little as I want during the ride.  One additional cool note:  The guestbook portion of the journal is neat to look at to see who is following you.  I have met people from many places around the globe during a tour, who have accessed my journal and communicated with me afterwards.  I think that is pretty neat and convenient.

8

General Discussion / Re: Cycling Around the World, but.........

« on: April 24, 2015, 05:20:50 am »

Just sharing from my short tours.  When you are in the Mt. Rushmore/Black hills area, be sure to ride the Mickelson Trail, if limestone doesn't bother you.  I had an awesome time on it.  I'm sure you have enough to read, but my journal for this tour is https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=Sh&doc_id=11208&v=GL
Going towards Yellowstone, if you stop in Cody Wyoming, be sure to stop at the Irma and ask for John and Karen.  Lots of history in that town.  Yellowstone was great, but just a tad south, the Tetons are majestic. I ended and started tours in that area.
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=Sh&doc_id=13035&v=g5
and
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=Sh&doc_id=14905&v=LI

9

General Discussion / Re: Help me decide on this last minute tour.

« on: August 30, 2014, 04:45:46 am »

Well, I couldn't get Glacier out of my mind.  Especially when zzzz sent me some beautiful pics.  So I'm using my free ride and traveling to Billings MT on Sept. 8.  If the forecast for Glacier area looks bad, I will have him drop me off in Cody and I will bike to Grant Village in Yellowstone to continue my cross country tour.  If all looks a go, I will grab a rental car and get a little closer to the park.  At this point looking at Great Falls.  The car will cut a couple hundred miles off the ride and get me a couple days away.  So should start the Going to the sun road on Sept. 11 or 12.  Road closure for construction doesn't begin until Sept. 22 I believe, so should be ok there.   I have the Great Parks map #2, which I will follow from St. Mary  to the TA.  Just hoping the weather holds!

10

General Discussion / Re: Riding on the US Interstates

« on: August 30, 2014, 04:31:51 am »

I agree that it is good to have a choice.  However in my home state of Nebraska IMHO the powers that be are doing all a favor in not allowing Interstate cycling.  Safety wise, I would not ride I-80.  The highways close by are usually less dangerous.  For me it boils down to the two reasons I tour.   To see interesting places and meet interesting people.  The interstate system in Nebraska is not the place to do either.

11

General Discussion / Re: Help me decide on this last minute tour.

« on: August 25, 2014, 07:04:53 am »

Still looking at it from all angles zzzz, but the logistics and it fitting into the timetable of the rest of the ride is not looking good.  To make it work, I really need to be getting up there by Labor Day or shortly after.  With my free ride and a car rental to get closer, it looks to add a week and a half to that.   Alternate plan would be to nix the free ride and spend $400+ on rental vehicle to get me there earlier.  Still on the table but barely.

12

General Discussion / Re: Help me decide on this last minute tour.

« on: August 24, 2014, 02:34:51 pm »

With help from you all, I have virtually eliminated Glacier (weather, road construction).  If I could get an earlier start, like arriving there the end of August, it would be doable IMO.  With my schedule, it will have to be the starting place for the trip, not a destination.   If and when, it looks like an awesome ride! Missouri, on the other hand, can wait until October.  Looks to be pretty warm for a September ride.

So I'm torn between continuing my TA route and just enjoying the beauty of Colorado.  (Or adjusting the schedule and finding a quick ride to Glacier?)

13

General Discussion / Help me decide on this last minute tour.

« on: August 23, 2014, 12:21:53 pm »

I've taken a September tour each of the last 3 years and have a chance to do it again this year. Problem is, I have not decided where to go. Background info: I live in SC Nebraska. Tour #1 in 2011 was from home to Breck CO. ( https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/..._id=10146&v=87). Tour #2 in '12 was to the Black Hills and back (https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/..._id=11208&v=GL ), and last year I started on the west coast and pedaled to Yellowstone ( https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/..._id=13035&v=g1 ).

1...This year I have a free ride to Billings MT, on Sept. 8, if I choose to take it. From there, I could go North to Glacier, south to Yellowstone and pick up where I left off last year.

2...Or go directly to Yellowstone from Billings and pick up where I left off. Then pedal the TA as far as Breck and go easterly to home.

3...Or I could just pedal toward CO (and leave a week earlier) and hit all the mountain passes and such that I can in 3 weeks or so. Like Trail Ridge, Rabbit ears, Mt. Evans (If I physically can!), and points in Western CO that a friend living out there has suggested.

4...Or take off for Missouri and the Katy Trail.

I'm sitting here pondering and decided I would throw all this info out to the knowledgeable people on AC. Your thoughts please!

14

General Discussion / Re: Credit card camping on the Sierra Cascades route?

« on: June 03, 2014, 01:16:57 pm »

Man, that is some light weight cargo!  I appreciate you going "all in".  I could see myself making compromises with each component, and have the final pack weight be more than I want.   Up till now, I have chosen to go "all out", aka credit card camping.  Granted, a $1000 is a chunk of change.  OTOH, each time the gear is used, it is a possible $$ benefit of 5-10% of the  purchase price.  Have you used or at least set-up the gear yet? 

15

General Discussion / Re: Credit card camping on the Sierra Cascades route?

« on: June 01, 2014, 03:11:12 pm »

OP, I take it when you say "Credit Card Camping", you mean staying indoors at hotels and the like, not actually camping. (Though I would love to see someone tour by actually taking a credit card camping tour and set up tents inside motel rooms each night.  )

I looked over a couple sections of the Sierra Cascade Route, namely sections 1 and 2, from Sumas WA to Crater Lake. Yeah, it looks like you can do it for that length, but there will be those long stretches sans service like zzzz mentioned. And you'd probably have to book space far in advance, as the lodging options are either small, or in a touristy area, or both. So you would be "locked" into a schedule. Still, it would be safe to have a camping setup as back-up, just like zzzz plans to do.

I've done parts of the northern part of the Sierra Cascades, and it is definitely a beautiful route, but challenging.

Yes Adv pdx.  It is my favorite type of camping!  Although I'm slowly warming up.  Did most of last years BRAN ride stays in a tent.  Course this was a supported tour, so much easier.    Baby steps I guess.   You make a very good point on not being locked into a schedule.  A bummer sometimes, good motivation othertimes.  Most people have some sort of timetable, but I hate to miss "smelling the roses".  I need to re-check my "free" transportation to the west coast. (Nephew with some business meetings in the NW)  If that is still available, I will probably secure the maps and start the planning in earnest!