Messages

31

General Discussion / Re: Wisconsin Hiker Biker sites

« on: June 06, 2024, 11:12:13 pm »

What one person tells you would theoretically happen in the future is almost irrelevant. People get their own policies wrong all the time, and the person you talk to today may not be the same person there when you get there. Whenever you can find an official policy in writing, carry a copy with you.

32

Gear Talk / Re: Tools / parts to carry on tour

« on: May 11, 2024, 01:48:49 am »

There have been other threads here on what tools and parts to carry. Some of these threads have gone on a long time. There's a wide range of opinions. Here's one such thread that has 44 posts.

https://forums.adventurecycling.org/index.php?topic=17607.0

I tend to think about things that might go wrong that would stop you dead in your tracks, vs things that will need attention within the next few days. E.g., a ripped tire needs immediate attention, but a bottom bracket that's going bad or a broken spoke can usually wait a few days.

Think about where you are going to tour. Is it in a remote area with few bike shops (e.g., South Dakota)? Or a more populated area with lots of bike shops? You might want to carry more in the former areas than the later areas. In some places, you can go more than 500 miles without seeing a bike shop.

A tight schedule is also a factor. Can you afford to take a few days to get something fixed? Remember that the nearest bike shop may not have the part you need in stock, or you may have to order something off the web and wait for it to arrive. For lesser used parts and tools, I like to leave them in a box at home and have the family send them to me should the need arise.

Also think about how much satisfaction you get out of being self-reliant. Are you the kind that likes to depend only on yourself? Do you consider hitching a ride to be failure? It's usually possible to find a generous and kind person to give you a ride to the nearest bike shop.

33

Routes / Re: Oregon Coast — Astoria to Crescent City, CA

« on: April 23, 2024, 01:09:31 am »

Some State Parks have gone to full online registration.  Unfortunately there isn’t a way to register for hiker/biker campsites online.  Hopefully they will fix that.

Isn’t that the whole point of H/B sites? Reservations neither required nor possible. Just show up.

34

General Discussion / Re: What difference can the weather cause on a long ride?

« on: April 16, 2024, 07:30:15 pm »

Sounds like the makings of an article for the ACA magazine. Just add, "it was a dark and stormy night" in front of it.

35

Routes / Re: Backside of Glacier??

« on: April 16, 2024, 06:56:39 pm »

Then down the Going to the Sun Road.

I realize that what goes up must come down, but it still sounds funny to me to hear someone talk about going "down" the Going to the Sun Road. There's just so much "up" before the "down" that it's hard to focus on the down.

36

Routes / Re: Backside of Glacier??

« on: April 16, 2024, 04:43:38 pm »

Restrictions change in different seasons, but the following rules  apply when the road is open. You should always check the NPS website, however, for current conditions and restrictions. The following (somewhat contradictory) statements are direct quotes from (different) NPS Glacier web pages, as of today. No guarantees about what you might read tomorrow.

From Apgar turnoff to Logan Pass, bicycles are prohibited going both eastbound and westbound between 3 pm and 6 pm.

From June 15 through Labor Day, the following sections of the Going-to-the-Sun Road are closed to bicycle use between 11 am and 4 pm:

• From Apgar turnoff (at the south end of Lake McDonald) to Sprague Creek Campground, both directions
• Eastbound from Logan Creek to Logan Pass

37

Gear Talk / Re: What's your rain riding plan?

« on: April 03, 2024, 11:26:30 am »

On tour, I ride regardless of weather. For me, riding in the rain is no worse than sitting around all day.

38

Gear Talk / Re: How warm should your sleepingbag be?

« on: March 31, 2024, 12:09:58 am »

It is no longer as warm as it was when we purchased it.

I’ve been surprised at how much warmth is restored to a down bag by a good washing.

39

Routes / Re: Western states TransAm- any big bridges?

« on: March 07, 2024, 11:36:03 pm »

When I'm riding across a bridge, I'm so worried about getting across before the cars behind me kill me, I don't have any time to pay attention to what's over the railing.

If you hate high bridges, be sure to avoid the Pacific Coast route.

40

Routes / Re: Amboy to Henderson to Kingman

« on: February 17, 2024, 01:45:34 pm »

I’ve found that RideWithGps avoids busy highways, even those with good shoulders. Once you use street view to verify the shoulder, it’s best to switch from cycling to driving so RideWithGps won’t route you off the highway at every opportunity.

41

Great Lakes / Re: Central U P road bike routes

« on: February 13, 2024, 01:40:39 pm »

There is of course the North Lakes Route, which follows the north shore of Lake Michigan.

https://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/north-lakes/

42

General Discussion / Re: Trade offs

« on: February 11, 2024, 12:17:45 am »

I have a schedule, but that doesn't mean that I'm in a hurry.

43

GPS & Digital Data Discussion / Re: Downloading GPX files

« on: February 09, 2024, 07:39:47 pm »

The phrase "it worked" is very ambiguous. In fact, the word "worked" is almost always vague. Can you explain what "worked" means to you.

Let me try to recreate what you did.

I downloaded the sample GPX files from AC

So you went to:

https://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/gpx-data/

and you clicked on "free sample". Right?

When I did this just now, I got a file named TA_Sample_20160405.zip. Is that what you got?

So then I assume that you unzipped the file. It contains two HTML files and three GPX files. The three GPX files are: TA_EMainSample_2016.gpx, TS_ServicesSample_2016.gpx, and TA_WMainSample_2016.gpx.

Is that what you got?

I'll wait for answers to those before continuing. We'll take this step by step.

44

General Discussion / Re: Help for ideas wanted

« on: February 09, 2024, 12:59:00 am »

April is Colorado’s second snowiest month.

45

General Discussion / Re: Documenting my maiden TransAm voyage - Suggestions?

« on: February 01, 2024, 08:52:33 pm »

I understand the advantages of waiting until you get home to document the trip, but that’s not my preference.

It is important to me to write up the day on the same day it occurred. I take great pleasure in reliving the day at its conclusion. It prevents me from forgetting memorable  details, and cements the day in my mind. It’s very satisfying. I only wish it didn’t take so long.