Messages

16

Routes / Re: Feedback on planned route (Oregon to Virginia) appreciated! WA/MT/ID especially

« on: March 02, 2023, 09:34:56 pm »

Jama offers good advice.  However, I will differ from him in that I personally enjoyed the section between Spokane (actually Cheney) and Coeur d'Alene.  I would suggest that if time permits to do both the Palouse region (as it is really wonderful on) on your way to Spokane.

I would also strongly encourage you to ride the Route of the Hiwatha (assuming it is open as you really are taking off early in the season) followed by a ride along the St. Joe River.  See this similar Forum thread for the route I rode and enjoyed very much.  It is similar to your route between Spokane and Missoula but differs substantially between Missoula and Butte.  https://forums.adventurecycling.org/index.php?topic=17591.0 

Also, I personally would stick with the GAP between Pittsburgh and Cumberland. 

Otherwise the route look good overall after factoring in what Jama has indicated.

Tailwinds, John

Thank you for your feedback John! I know you had the same reservation on my last post about the timing of the trip. If I can make it a bit later I will. I know you said even a week or two may help. It's just one of those things I may have one opportunity and if I don't take it, it might not come again for a while. Hiwatha looks amazing! Based on their website I may arrive too early but I'm going to keep this one asterisk. I will also have a closer look at PA. I actually didn't notice the GAP until just a few days ago and totally forgot about re-routing that section. Thank you for the feedback and the review! Let me know if you think of anything else.

Hood River to The Dalles
Seriously, it is some of the sweetest cycling out there.
It's worth begging, borrowing, or stealing your way across the HRB. Uber?
Also, there are lots of eclectic brew pubs and WarmShowers people in Hood River.
Didn't you mention brew pubs?? Hood River is a Mecca.
Of course, don't get too sloshed or you won't appreciate the ride the next day.

Hah! Well ok then - I will see what I can do to make that section happen! It does look amazing and I had already planned to stop at the Dallas anyhow so that would work out way better! It looks like if push came to shove I could ride 84 a bit where there is no other option to avoid HRB and stay on the Oregon side. Thoughts there? I do love a good brewery and that is a big part of this trip! "Too sloshed" of course will probably be relative lol.

PS -
You may want to segment your route on RWGPS.
I have found that anything over 400-500 can lock up, esp. on mobile devices.
There are a number of ways to do this - but make sure to save your master copy.

Ya I've definitely noticed. Oddly - pulling it up on the web seems way better than using the app. In the end I'm really going to be looking at each segment between hotels so that is probably how I'll break it down once I finalize the route (which honestly sounds like I'm close to!)

Thank you all again! Cannot tell you how much I appreciate it.

17

Routes / Re: Feedback on planned route (Oregon to Virginia) appreciated! WA/MT/ID especially

« on: March 01, 2023, 11:22:05 pm »

I don't know your touring experience level or what you will be riding.
Gravel bikes are pretty good - I've toured 30+ years on a mountain bike.
But touring on gravel can be anywhere from pleasant to grueling.
Plus, weather can change an unpaved road from nice to awful in short order.
(I use a 33% reduction in miles on gravel - i.e. 30 miles paved = 20 miles unpaved.)

You are leaving from the west coast pretty damn early.
You may be dealing with rain in the lower elevations and snow in the higher.
It's already been a doozy of a winter in much of the West - cold & wet.
Your crossing of the Rockies is pretty low - still facilities may open late this year.

OR 22 is very busy - esp. on weekends. Good shoulders, except a couple of narrow bridges.
Hwy 99W sux. Why downtown Portland? If no need then go via the Wheatland ferry and Oregon City.
The Historic Columbia River Highway east of Portland bike route is gorgeous. Some kick-ass climbs.
The most spectacular section is from Hood River to the Dalles.  SO WORTH IT.
But . . . The section between Cascade Locks and Hood River is still incomplete.
And you cannot ride a bike across the Hood River Bridge.

I've ridden WA 14 many times - in 1987 it wasn't too bad. Now???
Narrow, mostly no shoulders, fast & fairly heavy traffic.
East of The Dalles WA 14 isn't bad.
MP 273.3 to MP 287.5    RideWithGPS is not always your friend.
Mostly unpaved - may not be public. Not terribly scenic either.
Why not stay on WA 14 to Plymouth and north on Plymouth Rd?

Is Spokane a must?
There are much better ways to bike thru the Palouse Hills.
Spring is gorgeous - although you may be a bit early.
(I think your start date is definitely a week too soon, probably 2 weeks.)
Heading out of the Tri Cities, the Columbia Plateau Trail is brutal - chunky clinker rock.
Pasco-Kahlotus Road has very little traffic - desert scenery, then you can cut dwon to Winddust.
MP 365 to MP 385 is a WRF section - RWGPS imagination - rough dirt/gravel.
When nearby paved roads are almost traffic free and sweet riding.

I'll stop before getting to Idaho.
If Spokane is not a must, then you can cur over to Plummer and the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes.

Jama

Pic - Palouse in early June

Hi Jama,

First and foremost: sincerely appreciate your feedback! This is exactly what I'm hoping to hear - acknowledging RWGPS and other mapping tools don't always have the full picture.

Fail on my part not to mention equipment. I will be taking a gravel bike across - a Felt Broam 30. My background is a bit unique. I don't have nearly your experience on a bike. I do however have a background of let's call it 15ish years of extreme adventure running (for example 7 Marathons on 7 Continents in 7 Days), with a comfortable amount of saddle time and several centuries both unsupported and supported like the Triple Bypass, Pikes Peak and Mt Evans summits. I feel confident I can handle the discomfort and challenges of the ride itself - fully expecting things are going against me at some point. I live in Colorado Springs so I've definitely experienced how unusual this Winter has been! I know it's early and that comes with risks. If I have to wait things out somewhere because of that I'm fully prepared to. But I'd almost rather get on the road sooner and take that chance due to some life constraints. A calculated risk if you will. My hope is this will lead to better experiences the further east I go - avoiding extreme heat.

Now more specifically: I adjusted the Portland section based on your feedback. No need to go through Portland! That is purely how it took me. I am not quite sure what to do (if anything) about the section of 14 after Cascade Locks you refer to which I assume is why it's taking me over Hood into Washington. I know I can't cross the HRB which sucks but I figure I can stop at the Dallas overnight. I adjusted the 14 section to go north on Plymouth - I'm guessing it was just trying to keep me near 82. Adjusted to take Pasco-Kahlotus Road. I take it you're suggesting 260 versus the CPT at what is now roughly MM 360-368? Spokane is not a must! The bigger deal is going through the Couer d'alene area so I can stick around that route down to Missoula.

Again, many thanks! The same link should reflect the changes you recommended?

18

Routes / Feedback on planned route (Oregon to Virginia) appreciated! WA/MT/ID especially

« on: March 01, 2023, 01:43:46 pm »

Hi,

A few months ago I posted about my intent to do a West to East crossing starting in May. I've spent a lot of time researching and playing and I think I've gotten reasonably close to route that I'd love to toss it out there for feedback. A couple of quick notes before I share the link:

1) I know this doesn't necessarily follow all known or conventional routes. Parts of it mirror parts of the ACA routes, others steer away a bit either because I'm on a slightly different trajectory (for example Wisconsin there are certain planned visits I will make) or for safety reasons.

2) On safety: especially in Washington/Idaho/Montana where I'm hoping for the most feedback as I think they present the most risk, I've opted to stick closer to the interstates. I may even be on them at times but I'm largely hoping to use feeder roads or other roads close by. This is really so if I find myself in a bind I'm not terribly far away from support and was the recommendation from both WSDOT and MDT.

3) On support - this is a largely planned solo ride with the intent to end up in towns with motels/hotels. That is also part of the reason for some of the indirect routing and sticking closer to interstates as well. I know I could shorten the trip a bit but I'm ok with a little extra distance for convenience/safety.

4) The route is mostly for general planning - between segments (once I decide on those but they'll be on average every 70-100 miles) I'll break those down a bit more granularly. Should end up pretty close though.

5) A final note on advice of the last post I've made, I'm intentionally staying away from Yellowstone due to the earlier start. So that is why I've not included it in the route.

Any and all advice is appreciated! Like I mentioned above I think I'm mostly concerned about Washington/Idaho/Montana but I'm open to feedback in any state (except VA - I lived there most of my life so I have that one under control lol!)

Appreciate it very much!

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42120608

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Routes / Re: West to East US crossing beginning in May

« on: January 10, 2023, 01:07:15 am »

Ya that's a good call. I distinctly remember driving western South Dakota and eastern Wyoming last year after visiting Rushmore saying to myself multiple times I don't understand how people live out there! So maybe I need to consider I'm going to be dealing with that no matter which way I go.

Perhaps do the ride with an exploring mind as to what you will discover (that is what I LOVE about traveling, what you discover).  I rode from Amarillo back to home in Tulsa a few years ago and honestly thought it would be boring but a riding buddy wanted me to go along.  I was very pleasantly surprised at the subtle beauty of the area. Again, driving the route sort of IS boring but at a bike's speed, you see a lot more detail which, to me, makes it much more interesting. 

Of course, it will be hard to cross the country without finding a stretch that any rider finds boring.  After all, 3,500+ miles is a pretty big distance to cover without being bored at some point.

For sure. I'm confident every state state has some undesirable stretch. I do enjoy seeing new things. It's one reason I love Marathoning - you get to see places in unique ways. Appreciate the advice!

20

Routes / Re: West to East US crossing beginning in May

« on: January 10, 2023, 01:05:07 am »

I think that the risks, and there are many, have been laid out well here. Changing the timing would improve your odds considerably. But hey, if this is the hand that you are dealt, and a different timeframe isn’t feasible, why not give it a try. It’s not the end of the world if you are cold, wet, delayed, or forced to abandon. Just make sure that you bring the right gear so that you are safe, and don’t take unreasonable  chances. You certainly won’t be the first to start a west-to-east crossing in early May.

Thank you!

21

Routes / Re: West to East US crossing beginning in May

« on: January 10, 2023, 01:04:18 am »

Some people who live in Wyoming are grateful they live nowhere else.
Far away from the traffic and crime and high rents and smog.
Then again, each to their own.

I can tell you one thing, the cycling is sweet - both road & trail.

Just to be clear - I wasn't referring to Wyoming as a whole! Just the extreme eastern section coming from South Dakota. I would tell you the exact same thing about Eastern Colorado (the state I live). It is incredibly desolate and I've driven through many of towns that don't even have a functioning gas station. Certainly - to each their own.

22

Routes / Re: West to East US crossing beginning in May

« on: January 02, 2023, 09:41:58 pm »

Looking at the map, I could easily be convinced to stay above Yellowstone and you're not the first to tell me it's would be problematic. Interesting about the lodging and Memorial Day - can you perhaps expand a bit on where I may run into the most problems with that? Or is that only on a route that would go through Yellowstone?

The time probably isn't quite as much of an issue as it would be the extra expense due to the time. But that isn't necessarily a dealbreaker. I'm keeping all options on the table. I'd consider a more middle of the country route if I had to - it's just not the ideal scenario because I absolutely loathe the thought of biking through Kansas! I hate driving through it lol.

It is mainly west of the Rockies since not as many tourists are out there that time of year.  Hopefully, one of the Wyoming locals will chime in on this thread as he is more knowledgeable about the weather & tourist openings than I. The big thing is to plan/confirm a few days in advance.  Since you are only staying indoors, you are more limited though not much because a lot of campgrounds are definitely closed before mid-May.  The issue is if nothing is open say 4 days ahead and you have to re-route.  That is OK if you know about it but would royally suck if you just rode 100 miles and found out you have to ride another 50 with only 2 hours of daylight left.

Riding across Kansas is much better than driving across.  Eastern Colorado can be trying  .  But if you do not like Kansas, you may not like eastern Montana/North Dakota.  South Dakota only has a few days (may 1.5 in your case) of "Kansas" sameness.

Tailwinds, John

Ya that's a good call. I distinctly remember driving western South Dakota and eastern Wyoming last year after visiting Rushmore saying to myself multiple times I don't understand how people live out there! So maybe I need to consider I'm going to be dealing with that no matter which way I go.

23

Routes / Re: West to East US crossing beginning in May

« on: January 02, 2023, 08:51:16 pm »

Welcome to the ACA's forums!

I would say that your plan is a bit ambitious as to the timing.  My guess is that if you ride the Northern Tier west of the Rockies, some or all of the major passes may still be snowed in, especially since you are cranking out 100 mile days.  If Colorado can be iffy on the weather, think about what Idaho and Wyoming will be like in May.  Once you get east of the Rockies, you are good to go (but cool perhaps). Also, the Going-to-the-Sun Road will most likely still be closed. 

However, if you are riding the TransAm to Missoula then connecting to the Northern Tier route via a section of the Lewis & Clark route, it "probably" is doable.  Worst case is you have a day or two holed up in a hotel and wait out a late season snow storm.  If you choose to do the TransAm to Yellowstone then switch to the Peaks, Parks, and Prairie route, you definitely may have some issues in Yellowstone and in the Big Horn Mountains west of Buffalo, WY.

How much time do you have?  Have you considered riding the Pacific Coast up to the route of your choice then heading east.  This would give you one to two more weeks for things to thaw out some. If you do this, please note that you will most likely have headwinds everyday along the coast (at least until Oregon).  I did the S>N ride in my early 20s and it was doable but I definitely had a harder time than those coasting with the wind southbound.
Another thing to consider is that due to the early season, don't be surprise if hotels are not open until Memorial Day weekend so you definitely want to plan your stops 3-4 days in advance (call them) in case you have to take some shorter days or plan a longer one.

Finally, you will definitely want to take some decent rain gear that WILL keep you dry.  Being wet and cold is not a good combination. 

Whatever route you choose, I would encourage you to check out WeatherSpark.com and review the historical climate data for the route(s) you are considering.  Remember these are averages so the temps can easily be off by 10*.

Have a great ride (and run, but we won't talk about "runners"  ).  Tailwinds, John

Thank you for the excellent thoughts, John! Looking at the map, I could easily be convinced to stay above Yellowstone and you're not the first to tell me it's would be problematic. Interesting about the lodging and Memorial Day - can you perhaps expand a bit on where I may run into the most problems with that? Or is that only on a route that would go through Yellowstone?

The time probably isn't quite as much of an issue as it would be the extra expense due to the time. But that isn't necessarily a dealbreaker. I'm keeping all options on the table. I'd consider a more middle of the country route if I had to - it's just not the ideal scenario because I absolutely loathe the thought of biking through Kansas! I hate driving through it lol.

I will definitely make sure I have gear for keeping waterproof. If a day should arrive where it looks like it would be a washout I'd probably opt just to not go but I know there will be plenty of times being potentially caught out in storms and such. I had that experience in New Mexico last year where a storm hit while we were going up a pass and I've never been so cold in my life!

Thank you again!

24

Routes / West to East US crossing beginning in May

« on: January 02, 2023, 07:57:22 pm »

Hi,

I have been contemplating a West to East crossing for a while now and since I'm going to be on the West coast pacing a half marathon in May I figured it might be a good opportunity. I'm looking at launching around May 8th and I want to finish in Virginia Beach (where I moved from before moving to Colorado Springs.)

I'm contemplating a higher route - starting in Oregon ideally I'd stay high enough where I can pass through Minnesota/Wisconsin (places I've never been) and then making my way Southeast from that point. Main driver here is just because I think there will be more natural beauty this route and it'll generally be cooler. I am open to suggestions though. I'll actually be in California for the half marathon but I also know that if I choose Cali I'm bound to more mid to southern routes (unless I add a bunch of miles.)

I am thinking I can handle 100ish miles a day give or take, I'd probably mostly rely on hotels/motels for lodging and establishments for eating (this one isn't as important I can always survive off pb&j or sandwiches or something) and in an ideal world I'm near breweries 90+% of the trip (I'd actually like to theme the ride around that.) I know the further East I go the easier that'll get.

My main concern would be launching in May the conditions I may encounter getting over the Rockies. I know living here in Colorado May can go either way. But I'm also looking for any other advice or route information (aside from the ones published by the ACA as I can following some of that but I'll have to deviate a bit to get down to Virginia Beach.) Pokes holes in my plan please!

If the equipment situation matters, I plan to pack fairly light but I have a Felt Broam 30 I'll be outfitting with front and rear racks, Ortlieb panniers and then a few bottle carriers.

Appreciate any advice as I begin planning!