Messages

31

GPS & Digital Data Discussion / Re: Buy now or later?

« on: December 05, 2024, 08:51:40 pm »

I have purchased paper maps alone. I have purchased GPX alone. I have purchased both. My current preference, which I have done several times, is buy the paper maps and create my own GPX files from them. I create one file for each day, and route it directly to my hotel, host or campground.

I did R66 east to west and measured the wind each day with a wind meter. Overall, the wind hurt me, but I would still do it in the same direction anyway. After all, that’s the way the original Route 66 travelers did it. Be sure to watch two movies before you start: “Grapes of Wrath” and “Cars”.

32

General Discussion / Re: Great Rivers South

« on: December 04, 2024, 04:36:04 pm »

How did you determine that this was illegal?

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General Discussion / Re: ACA Donation Requests

« on: November 25, 2024, 05:13:03 pm »

Also, did the annual membership take a big jump? If memory serves, I paid $65 for a two-year (senior) membership the last time. Now they want $100 for one year of the same benefits (e.g., to get the paper magazine), and there is no senior membership.

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General Discussion / Re: Updated ACA website and 5 year plan

« on: October 14, 2024, 05:15:26 pm »

What GPS unit do you use?

Garmin Edge

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General Discussion / Re: Updated ACA website and 5 year plan

« on: October 14, 2024, 03:09:57 pm »

For me personally, I love digital, although I will also take paper maps if available. When I have only paper, especially on a route with a lot of turns, I find myself stopping way too often to make sure I know where the next turn is.

I only use digital that doesn’t rely on cell service, and has very long battery life (i.e., not my phone).

36

Routes / Re: Parks, Peaks, Prarie

« on: August 26, 2024, 10:55:14 pm »

I can confirm what John said about the people who run the bar in Leiter being very nice folks. As I said before, I didn't stay in the cabins because they weren't open when I was there.

And since John posted a picture of this stretch, I'll post a few too from my ride through there last year.

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Routes / Re: Parks, Peaks, Prarie

« on: August 26, 2024, 05:34:10 pm »

I called them before posting to confirm they had cabins (and camping) available and she said yes, that they were around $65 a night

Good news. Thanks for the update. I should have known that you wouldn't post something without verifying.

Leiter to Gillette on US 14 is 8 miles shorter than Buffalo to Gillette on I-90, but hillier. Both routes are pretty desolate. Don't rely too much on the Spotted Horse Bar being open when you pass (it was closed when I got there on a Saturday morning). It has unpredictable hours. Be sure to carry plenty of water.

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Routes / Re: Parks, Peaks, Prarie

« on: August 26, 2024, 04:56:02 pm »

In case you did not know, there are cabins available at the Leiter, WY Bar & Grill

In 2023, the cabins were closed. They had some water issues. They hoped to fix them, but it’s just one guy with a full time job, so progress was very slow.

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Routes / Re: Parks, Peaks, Prarie

« on: August 26, 2024, 04:51:59 pm »

Not dumb. Here’s a journal of someone who did it in September, 2020.

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=3iQ&page_id=606808&v=1h

40

General Discussion / Re: How to pitch a tent in USA?

« on: August 23, 2024, 03:03:19 am »

Very rarely do I find ground so hard that I can’t get stakes in if I can find a big enough rock. Be sure to carry stakes that don’t bend. These are rarely the stakes that came with your tent. I’m a fan of MSR Groundhog stakes.

But if I can’t get them in (e.g., pitching on concrete), my first preference is to tie the tent to picnic tables. If that’s not possible, I sometimes tie my tent to rocks.

41

General Discussion / Re: Florida criminalizes sleeping on public land.

« on: August 14, 2024, 12:38:14 am »

If they roust you out of a sound and well-earned sleep at 1am and tell you to move you won't be sleeping much that night, one way or the other.

The police did once roust me out of a sound sleep at 2am, but after talking with him a while, he agreed to let me finish out the night where I was.

42

Routes / Re: Route 66 thru Chicago Safety

« on: August 12, 2024, 01:29:29 pm »

The route out of Chicago on Bicycle Route 66 doesn’t really follow the original Route 66. That’s because it’s not really feasible to ride a bike on what are now quite busy roads.

Bicycle Route 66 out of Chicago uses a dozen different bike paths connected together by some street riding. There are many turns, so navigating by the paper maps alone requires frequent stops to study the map. I would recommend that you supplement the paper map with a GPS to make the navigation easier.

But nothing about the route seems dangerous.

43

Routes / Re: Oregon fires

« on: July 31, 2024, 06:03:03 pm »

I still don't see how affect can be a noun since I "think" a noun is a thing and a verb is an action.  So the sentence "the heat has an effect on you" to me is saying "the (thing) has an (action) on you.

"Action" is a noun.

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Routes / Re: Oregon fires

« on: July 31, 2024, 04:39:17 pm »

the heat now affects/effects me (never get that right)

The heat affects you, or has an effect on you. "Affect" is a verb. "Effect" is a noun.

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General Discussion / Re: Bike 'friendliness' of US hotels?

« on: July 31, 2024, 04:35:57 pm »

I've never been refused. I don't ask. I leave my bike outside when registering. Then I wheel my bike in through the front door directly to the elevator (if there is an elevator). If they say anything to me at all, it's usually an offer of help.