Summer heat on the TA

[jimbo]

I'll be on the TA  in MO, IL, KY and VA in July-Aug. How bad is it for heat & humidity? ( mosquitoes, gnats ?)

I am used to 80's in western NY and wonder how much I will suffer further south. I notice the "ave" temp for  most of the TA route is 90º, which could mean high 90's are not unusual.  We are primarily camping, but will use motels as needed.

What has been your experience?  Thanks.

[r2thekesh]

As someone that lives in Illinois but has not done the TA, I will say that you need to wear glasses/sunglasses because there are a lot of gnats and mosquitoes. If you travel at night, mosquitoes will get you. It gets pretty miserable but nowhere as bad as Memphis or New Orleans in the summer. I currently live in the Chicago southern suburbs but also have lived in central Illinois.

[John Nelson]

Temperatures vary from year to year, so it's hard to say in advance. But it's always a good idea to be carrying mosquito repellent--it can make the difference between a pleasant evening and a miserable one.

I seldom get very hot while riding because the constant breeze helps.

[VeloVeg]

Hi Jimbo. The potential for extreme heat and humidity in Kansas and Missouri is very real. In '06 we actually hit 100+ in Kansas and the humidity must have been at least that. The most uncomfortable night along the TA was in Cassoday, KS, camped in the pretty little town park. The humidity was so high that I couldn't stay dry. But, there's a little restaurant in the village that served great meals and pie!

I would rather endure 110 degrees in (dry) Utah than 90 degrees in the (humid) east in mid-west.

The main thing when riding in the summer heat is, hydrate often and avoid riding in the heat of the day. Oh, and yes, plan for mosquitoes.

Many safe journeys,

Ted

[PeteJack]

it's always a good idea to be carrying mosquito repellent

This is true and DEET works remarkably well. but remember DEET, or at least the REI version Jungle Juice, will dissolve your helmet if like me you get fed up and spray the stuff all over your head and neck. I found this out the hard way.

[Pat Lamb]

I would rather endure 110 degrees in (dry) Utah than 90 degrees in the (humid) east in mid-west.

The main thing when riding in the summer heat is, hydrate often and avoid riding in the heat of the day. Oh, and yes, plan for mosquitoes.

Same here as to preference, but it's going to be humid in Missouri and east. 

In the Appalachians (say, Berea to Charlottesville), my experience has been that it can get miserable (90-100) in the day, but MOST of the time it'll cool off at night (down into the 70s or maybe, if you're lucky and high enough, 60s).  If you're unlucky and the weather doesn't break the next day, you might look for a motel with A/C the second or third night.

The nice thing about cycling is that you can expect to get sweaty, and you can cool off when you get to a downhill!

[indyfabz]

Are you doing the entire TA or just the portion in those states?  If the former, don't discount the 'skeeters out west. We did a few days on the TA out of Missoula in late June/early July and they were insane in places.

[jimbo]

Thanks for the 'skeeter' heads up for the west. I was not aware of that.  The "group" is doing NT to Glacier; then south to Missoula to pick up the TA. Not sure which legs I am doing yet, but bug dope will be on my packing list no matter what.

[staehpj1]

Are you doing the entire TA or just the portion in those states?  If the former, don't discount the 'skeeters out west. We did a few days on the TA out of Missoula in late June/early July and they were insane in places.

Big Hole Valley, ~15 mph, mid afternoon, and the sun was out.  We were being bitten through two layers of clothes bu flies and skeeters.

[indyfabz]

Are you doing the entire TA or just the portion in those states?  If the former, don't discount the 'skeeters out west. We did a few days on the TA out of Missoula in late June/early July and they were insane in places.

Big Hole Valley, ~15 mph, mid afternoon, and the sun was out.  We were being bitten through two layers of clothes bu flies and skeeters.

According to the locals, last year was a really bad year due to the heavy snow and subsequent melt.  Five miles outside of Wisdom we hit a little rise that slowed us down to around 7 mph. We got swarmed. I could see at least a dozen on my GF's butt biting through her spandex. When we got to town she volunteered to wait outside with the bike while I went into the grocery store. She was inside within 3 minutes due to the 'skeeters. We stayed in a motel rather than camp at the infested American Legion park. We had to kill some 'skeeters in the room. Twin Bridges was so bad in the evening that we could not sit outside at the bike camp. Watched the 4th of July fireworks from inside the screened shelter.

Didn't have any problems with bugs on the NT until Sprague Creek Campground in Glaicer N.P., but both times I left Seattle in late May, so it may have been a bit early for them. Heading to Missoula from Columbia Falls they were pretty bad at Lake Alva in '99. Again, the winter had been very snowy.