My Horizontal Everest : TA

[Muntasir]

Hi There,

This is Muntasir, writing for the first time here. I was planning to have a cross country across USA since last few years and finally I am here in NY to pack my stuff then to reach Seattle within next 12 days. I am just a bike enthusiast by nature and very slow on wheels as i am not really strong and I am from a country which is nearly 100% flat. So this is will be an opportunity to get to know about the route, weather and many more from all of you.

Route:
I have tried to read as much as i could and got the map from ACA. My plan is to start it from Seattle to DC. So it will be great to know how/which point will be my meet up point of TA map (as TA starts from Astoria and takes a different route). I tried but could not figure out. If any one could tell me the number of the ACA map (like TA is a set of 11 maps) or name of the route/point.

Mobile network and best mobile operator with Data service:
My ride will get along with a small research based of debris. I have developed a system (nothing but an Android app) to count number of debris (plastic  based) within my eye sight. My mobile will be connected with an website named www.trashmaniac.com . So i would need to have data service on my phone. Any suggestion regarding the network and provider (GSM)?

I will place more quarries since I am new comer and never ride such long in one go.

Looking forward to hear from you
Muntasir

Here is the link of my website www.trashmaniac.com

About me:
www.muntasirmamun.com

[John Nelson]

Whenever you adjust one of the standard ACA maps to conform to other starting or ending points or mid-trip stops, the options are almost limitless--there isn't just one way to do it. The best option for you depends on how much time you have. Are you in a hurry?

If I understand correctly, you want to go from Seattle to Washington, DC using much of the ACA TransAmerica Trail. Or by "TA" did you merely mean any cross-country route and not specifically the one known as the "TransAmerica Trail"?

Here's what I'd suggest if you have plenty of time. Take the ferry from Seattle out to Bremerton to pick up the Pacific Coast route and then follow section 1 of that route down to the TA start in Astoria. Once you get to Yorktown (the end of the TA), you can backtrack to pick up Section 3 of the Atlantic Coast Route to Washington DC.

Tell us your constraints and we can help you decide between the million or so other possibilities.

[staehpj1]

Here's what I'd suggest if you have plenty of time. Take the ferry from Seattle out to Bremerton to pick up the Pacific Coast route and then follow section 1 of that route down to the TA start in Astoria. Once you get to Yorktown (the end of the TA), you can backtrack to pick up Section 3 of the Atlantic Coast Route to Washington DC.

That would work fine.  I wasn't crazy about that section of the Pacific Coast route and decided to head to the coast more directly next time and then ride south to Astoria.  I think I hit Astoria on day 4 riding at a fairly "normal" pace.

Astoria is a great place to start.  We flew in to Portland and rented a car one way to the coast.  Split between the three of us the cost was reasonable enough.

There is also regional bus service between some cities there, but I do not recall the specifics.  I do seem to recall it was an option for us that we passed on because the buses had rack space for two bikes and there were three of us.

[indyfabz]

Another option:  from Seattle, take a ferry and get onto ACA Pacific Coast route. Take that to where it intersects with the Northern Tier route. Take the Northern Tier to Whitefish/Columbia Falls and get on ACA's Great Parks route to Missoula to join up with the Trans Am. Take the Trans Am to the Atlantic Coast route, which will take you to D.C.

Also, at Whitefish you can stay on the Northern Tier to Glacier National Park, ride up and back down the west side of Going to the Sun Road and then head back to Whitefish and pick up the Great Parks. Well worth the few extra days.

[Muntasir]

Thank you so much for your replies.

Yes actually it is Trans American Trail. As i have mentioned before, I have a set of ACA map starting from Astoria but as I will start from Seattle, i was looking up some tips to be on the ACA route from Seattle. I am sure if i could go to Astoria, trip would have been great since every one suggested me the same.

I have a time constrains as I have a travel visa. So I was thinking if i could join somewhere on ACA map from Seattle that would have cut my time and cost as well.

I have seen camping ground pointed on the ACA map. But may i know how much that might cost for 2 persons (we are two, having a Bike Friday Tandem) ? I will have camping and cooking arrangements. Is there anything that i need to do like booking in advance?


 

[John Nelson]

The ACA maps do not list camping fees, or even if there is a fee, but usually provide a phone number you can call to find out. Camping fees vary widely, from $5 to $45. Most public campgrounds (city, county, state, federal) are less expensive than most private campgrounds (in my experience). Most bicycle tourists either do not make camping reservations, or make them on fairly short notice. That's because it's hard to predict when you're going to be in any particular place. Having said that, you may need to book a very popular place early if you really want to camp there. For me personally, I never reserve. If a place happens to be full, I just move on.

Can you give us an idea of what your time constraint is? How many days do you have to get from Seattle to Washington?

[Muntasir]

Yes I think thats fine. I am not looking or thinking of booking any camp ground in advance. In fact i will be on shoe string, so i will try out lowest every time. I have no priorities to camp any particular location. Still it will help me to have a budget in mind. I did cross New Zealand and camped. Cost was varied from 5-15$ and i am expecting the same here.

I have 80+ days to complete the course. As I said I not a very hard rider and up hills are always hard for me.

Thanks for your information. Please advise/ suggest if you think that might help me.

[John Nelson]

80 days is about average for the TA, but there are two complicating factors in your case: (1) you're not starting or finishing on the TA, and (2) you are a self-described very slow and not good with hills. So you indeed must choose a route with no wasted motions to meet your goals.

I'd plan to pick up the TA in Missoula. There are various routes to get from Seattle to Missoula. Then I'd plan to split off from the TA in Richmond, following the Atlantic Coast route up to DC. It's about 3,340 miles from Missoula to Richmond on the TA. You can get from Seattle to Missoula via several reasonable routes in about 580 miles, and from Richmond to DC in about 120 miles. So that's about 4,040 miles total. If you have 80 days to do it, that's about 50 miles a day (if no rest days). That's probably doable, even for a slow guy.

I don't know how slow is your "very slow" but you can always use a bus to jump ahead if you find yourself falling behind schedule.

[Muntasir]

Thank you for your suggestion. these are the maps i have (below). I will study more about your route. Since Missoula to Richmond will cover the most of TransAm, after that we can follow your suggestion too. But we will have time in between to work on that.

I am slow like, i can ride average 60-70 Miles a day on a flat land. But When I was crossing Bhutan, it was more like 25-30 miles a day since i had to climb total (9 ups+ 8 downs) 45000 ft in 11 days. if the road is flat its not impossible to get an average of 60-70 miles and that's my max. 

 1. Astoria, OR, to Coburg, OR
 2. Coburg, OR, to Baker City, OR
 3. Baker City, OR, to Missoula, MT
 4. Missoula, MT, to West Yellowstone, MT
 5. West Yellowstone, MT, to Rawlins, WY
 6. Rawlins, WY, to Pueblo, CO
 7. Pueblo, CO, to Alexander, KS
 8. Alexander, KS, to Girard, KS
 9. Girard, KS, to Murphysboro, IL
 10. Murphysboro, IL, to Berea, KY
 11. Berea, KY, to Christiansburg, VA
 12. Christiansburg, VA, to Yorktown, VA

[Muntasir]

It will be great to get any route plan from Seattle to Missoula since i am thanking of taking it. any map/blog/camping ground information will be very helpful.

Thanks
Muntasir

[indyfabz]

It will be great to get any route plan from Seattle to Missoula since i am thanking of taking it. any map/blog/camping ground information will be very helpful.

Thanks
Muntasir

As I noted above, and if time allows, get the following maps from Adventure Cycling:

1.  Pacific Coast Section 1: Take a ferry from Seattle to pick up the route. I believe there is a ferry to Bremerton, WA which is on the route. Follow this to just east of Anacortes, WA.

2.  Northern Tier Sections 1 & 2:  Take this route from just east of Anacortes where it intersects with the Pacific Coast route mentioned immediately above. Stay on this to Columbia Falls, MT.

3.  Great Parks Route Section 2: Pick up this route in Columbia Falls, MT and take it south to Missoula.

At a moderate pace  with a few short days you would be in Missoula in about 16 days w/o rest days. That will leave you roughly 64 days to make it the roughly 3,250 miles from Missoula to Yorktown, which is around 51 miles/day w/o rest days. The scenery in the mountains of Washington is terrific, and except for one, the mountain passes are not that difficult. Found cheap camping in lots of places along this route. Camping will, of course, be shown on the maps.

Or, for a speedier option, get just the Pacific Coast Section 1. Take a ferry from Seattle and get on the route at Bremerton and follow it south to Astoria.

[John Nelson]

I had previously concluded that he doesn't seem to have enough time to follow ACA routes the whole way. If he can't find a way to get more time, I would recommend that Muntasir go to Google Maps and ask for "avoid highways" driving directions from Seattle to Missoula. It may not be the best route, but it'll be good enough--we all have constraints to live within and we do the best we can with them. When I do it, it gives me US2 across most of Washington and then ID200, MT200 and US93 the rest of the way. Maybe somebody with local knowledge could suggest a better route that isn't any longer.

[Muntasir]

Thanks for both.

Yes I was googling and found a direction on google map from Seattle to Missoula. and other ACA map would have been great to follow but that will increase total riding days.

Still I will try be on ACA route/map.

Thanks again
Muntasir

[Muntasir]

I have started and well could come upto Othello in 4 Days. Last day was hard and we have got lost. We took Iron Horse Trail and some other small roads and very few miles on I90. Its going alright.

thanks
Muntasir