Messages

421

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Washington Parks Section 1, 2010

« on: August 09, 2010, 07:21:09 pm »

Going clockwise it is possible to rejoin the ACA route from Aberdeen and avoid a chunk of Hwy 101. Take Wishkah Rd north from Aberdeen which joins the route at the Wishkah Rd / Winoochie Wishkah Rd junction where you take a left. On map 10 this is the road that runs along Wishkah River. It's a rolling gradual climb on a quiet road. Head north from Aberdeen on N B St. and you'll find it. We did it last month.

422

General Discussion / Re: What to wear in the rain?

« on: May 09, 2010, 02:32:57 am »

Two years ago in the UK I bought a spendy Gore Bike Wear jacket for about $300. I didn't give it a real test until I rode the North Cascades highway in October 2009. The jacket was worse than useless, it leaked like a sieve and I got hypothermia. A couple of months ago I decided to email Gore Bike Wear customer support and tell them about this. They quickly replied saying their clothing was guaranteed not to leak and asking me to send the jacket back to them (in the US). I then got a phone call telling me they had tested the jacket, found it defective and I could have any new Gore Bike Wear jacket to replace it. (Bear in mind the jacket had been used quite a bit and had oil smudges on it) I asked for a ALP-X jacket, list price $279.99 which the sent me within a week. It's magic, I've done 25 miles in heavy rain since I got it and was dry as snuff. Morals: (a) Gore Bike Wear has first class customer service (b) if you can afford it get good stuff. The cheaper stuff "keeps everything out, keeps everything in" and you end up soaked anyway. When the temperature's warm this is no more than a nuisance but if it's cold it can be downright dangerous

423

General Discussion / Re: Money money money!

« on: March 18, 2010, 10:17:58 am »

A very rough rule of thumb is $1 per mile. If you do like a young man I met in Virginia and live out of dumpsters you can probably bring this down.

424

General Discussion / Lost from Bike Bits - 1940s tour

« on: March 08, 2010, 08:25:04 pm »

A past edition pf Bile Bits had as link of the week the diary of two young women who rode from the northeast to New Orleans in 1943. It was a marvelous look into the past, with two exceptional ladies. Unfortunately I didn't bookmark it. If anyone can give me the link I'd really appreciate it.

425

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Washington Parks Section 2 2009

« on: October 27, 2009, 11:49:35 pm »

Route 410 is now open to all traffic including bikes with a  gravel road diversion around the landslide (which you don't get to see). I did it last week.

426

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Lewis & Clark Section 6 2009

« on: July 23, 2009, 05:41:12 pm »

I was through these roadworks in June. From what locals told me "adding shoulders" would be more accurate than "adding lanes". The road has no shoulder at all westbound, the white line is no more than one foot from the crash barrier for many miles and eastbound, i.e. away from the river the shoulders are pretty slim but at least you can go into the ditch. It is a scary road that gets used by a lot of heavy vehicles. It seems there is no decent alternative for either cyclists or heavy vehicles. I was also told that they were going to extend the length of the original improvements so, fingers crossed.

427

General Discussion / Re: Flat Tire - Safety Alert

« on: March 10, 2009, 06:54:09 pm »

I've never done this but here's thought. If you don't have a rag or cotton ball an old sailor's trick for finding snags in wire rope is to wipe with toilet paper, something every well prepared cycle tourer should be toting. This may get a bit ugly in the wet mind you.

428

Routes / Pacific Coast Route Camping

« on: December 22, 2008, 02:36:42 pm »

I'll further add that I had no trouble taking my bike on the train to Mt Vernon last year. There is a baggage car: you have to unload your bike yourself when in Mt V.. The conductor was most helpful

429

Routes / Pacific Coast Route Camping

« on: December 22, 2008, 12:07:26 pm »

An alternative may be to take the train from Seattle to Mount Vernon and ride the ACA Washington Parks Section 1 route to PA. This is a lovely route along the north coast: you can camp at Deception Pass State Park, then get an early start, ride over Deception Pass and down Whidbey Island to Keystone, take the ferry to Port Townsend (worth a visit) thence to PA. This route has the advantages of (a) being scenic, including the lovely ferry ride (b)a big chunk is on a trail into PA and (c)you avoid the horrible Hood Canal Floating Bridge, a frenzied nightmare with no shoulder.