Southern Tier starting in April

[Hans]

I'm a traveller from germany and want to make the Southern Tier from the West to the East. Because my work here didn't let me take the needed time for the trip earlier I will start the trip at 1st of April with a road bike equipped with panniers and follow the ACA route. As usual I'll travel alone, use my tent a lot and take a room once or twice a week. I know that already march is said to be late to do the trip. For me it is a dream since several years to do it and I only have the time now. The flight is already booked.

So what I wanna ask is: are there any really problematic parts of the route? As far as I am informed the temparture will be quite high already, in general I didn't have any problems on my past tours in Europe at 80 to 90 °F (I am 29 years now and quite sporty). Also I may cross parts of the country on the second half of the trip with a high possibility of tornadoes and thunderstorms. What is also bothering me: I don't have experience with snakes and scorpions, but already read a lot about them. Is it really a big deal on the trip?

I read several journals and other ressources until now, but it would be great to hear some thoughts from this great board here. As you can see, I just have some ideas what will await me in the US and expanding my knowledge would be really great. What I'm also interested in: because of the sweating in the heat it would be perfect to get a shower each or every second day, how is the "shower-situation" in the us? is it usual for example to find showers or bathrooms at petrol stations like in many other countries?

looking forward to your responses!

[Pat Lamb]

Since you're headed east, you should miss the worst of the desert heat later in the spring.  It may get toasty, though, and rather humid along the Gulf coast.  But if you've got the time to do it, I'd say go for it!

If your tent has mosquito netting, I think you'll probably be OK with the snakes and scorpions.  I'd suggest you bring your clothes inside the tent with you as much as possible, especially your shoes.

As you chat with people in stores and cafes, they'll be happy to tell you about impending storms and weather watches.  For storms and tornados, well, those are good nights to get a room.

I don't know about the Southern Tier.  My impression on the TransAm was that there were a lot more showers for campers out west (where it's so dry you don't necessarily need one daily).  Many truck stops have coin operated showers, but at least on the TA there weren't a lot of truck stops.  I've never seen a shower at a gas station that wasn't also a truck stop.  If you can find a friendly fireman at a fire station, you might find showers there.  Sponge baths had to do some days.

[staehpj1]

+1 to Patrick's comments.

I will add that you are unlikely to have trouble with snakes or scorpions even without a tent or bivy with netting, but netting is a must on the gulf coast.  The mosquitoes will eat you alive in Louisiana without it.

[Tom Lilley]

Hans,
     I did the southern Tier W-E two years ago starting the first week in April. Getting over the California mountains was cold find a motel neat the top, once over and on the East side there is a 13 mile down hill at 6 percent grade and windy. The deserts were not a problem. I stayed in a lot of motels as the camp grounds sucked. I didn't have any problems other than 6 flats the whole trip.

[Hans]

Thank you very much for your responses! I also read some stuff in the past time about the route and feel way less insecure about it now. I'm still thinking about the best way from LA to the Southern Tier Route. I think of two options: leaving LA to the South/East and meet the Route in Brawley or going South to Start the Route in San Diego. What do you think?

[staehpj1]

Thank you very much for your responses! I also read some stuff in the past time about the route and feel way less insecure about it now. I'm still thinking about the best way from LA to the Southern Tier Route. I think of two options: leaving LA to the South/East and meet the Route in Brawley or going South to Start the Route in San Diego. What do you think?

If it was me, unless I wanted to ride that section of the coast, I'd probably just hop on a train or bus and start in San Diego.

[Cyclesafe]

San Diego resident here.

Forget about scorpions and snakes.  You might not see any, especially the former.  If you see a rattlesnake on the road, just leave it alone.  Anti-venom costs about $10K for a course of treatment.  Most bites around here are on the hands of drunken young men.  Not something to worry about if you have no plans to pet them.

The heat will be bearable, but bring PLENTY of water and don't be shy about flagging someone down for a ride if you are in trouble.

Plan to take a shower when you are at camp.  Most campgrounds listed on the ACA maps have facilities.

Hopping on a train from LA to San Diego isn't so easy as LA's Union Station is about 15 very sketchy (and probably dangerous) miles northeast of LAX.  Instead, assemble your bike at the airport and ride south along the ocean to Palos Verdes Drive East, turn left, continue to Anaheim St, turn right on Pine and take the bike path south to Pacific Coast Highway.  Take Pacific Coast Highway to San Diego, where you can join up with the Southern Tier.  About 140 miles give or take.  The last ACA Pacific Coast Route map is useful, but I'd just google map it. Other than about 5 miles through industrial Long Beach, it is a very nice ride through generally affluent neighborhoods.  Make sure you do not go inland in south Los Angeles!  Lots of other cyclists to ride with and lots of services.  If the Camp Pendleton sentry thinks you might be a terrorist and denies you permission to transit the base, you can legally ride on the freeway which is actually more direct and my preferred route.

Cutting the course to Brawley is a bad idea for a number of reasons.  First it will require you to traverse the very worst of LA.  Second if you are planning to take a direct route though the mountains you will be faced with very steep grades on heavily car-infested roads.  Third, in any scenario, you will be taking a dog-leg right instead of a dog-leg left yielding similar mileage, but exposing yourself to the parade of horrors I have already described. 

 

[Hans]

Hey, sorry for my late reply. Thank you again very much for all the info! I am now already in Buckhorn, New Mexico. The Tour went very well so far, the dessert was no problem, besides the fact that I had strong headwinds, started late and didn't make it through it in one day. But it was easy to spend a night in the dessert, only the cojotes scarred the shit out of me. I carried 2 gallons of water with me, but had nearly a complete gallon left after I left the dessert the following day. btw: the cola dispenser at the closed glamis store stole 1,50 dollars from me by attracting me with fresh cola, but it was empty and the coin dispenser didn't give the money back I threw in.

There was one very unpleasant surprise on the tour so far: the campground in San Diego. They wanted 71 Dollars for one night in a tent, 71 dollars! I know the ACA says that they don't guarantee cheap prices for the campgrounds listed on their maps, but hey, that is insane and they should take this campground off the maps. I was lucky: a local cyclist picked me up and brought me to a cheap hostel where I could stay for 28 bucks a night.

Also, the climb to Alpine is not as bad as many seem to say. The climbs after Superior and Safford to Threeway are way steeper and way more dangerous, because there are no shoulders on many parts.

Los Angeles to San Diego was very beautiful, a lot of neighbourhoods on the coast are insanely rich. The route is easy to find. Only the industrial Irving was a bit nasty and chaotic. By the way: the soldiers at camp peddleton didn't let me through because I am no US-citizen. So no foreigners are allowed to drive through the camp. I was pissed off at first but saw then that it is allowed to use the freeway to get on the other side of the military area.