TA in May..looking for company

[Chris Dowling]

Hi everyone!
I bought my maps last year and didn't allocate enough time, so I am planning on riding West-East sometime around mid-late may.  I live in St. Louis, Missouri and will be flying to Portland.  What is the best way to find other people planning to ride at the same time?  Are there a lot of others on the trail that I will cross paths with?
Lemme know,
Chris

[John Nelson]

Starting in Oregon in May might set you up for some cold, wet weather. Late May will be better than mid-May. Yes, you will cross paths with lots of riders, increasing in frequency as you get closer to the middle of the country. Don't worry about getting lonely.

[staehpj1]

You will meet people on the way.

Mid May sounds a little early for W-E to me.  It varies year to year, but we went early June and that was borderline too early iMO.  If you have the option I'd either go later or go E-W, in which case you could even go a bit earlier.  I think you would be likely to have better weather with one of those choices.

[indyfabz]

Another vote for E-W based on your starting date. You probably won't get to enjoy McKenzie Pass in OR due to snow if you go W-E starting in May. Having climbed both sides, IMO it's a "must see." You might very well have some cold, wet weather in MT in early June. I have tentative plans to fly to Missoula on June 19th for 10 days of riding. Thinking of pushing it back a week based on my experience in '11. That year, I flew out near the end of June. The week before, snow showers had been forecast for one area. I also came across a CGOB jounral of a rider who was riding west from Ennis, MT on the TransAm in mid-June. He ended up getting a ride over the pass due a heavy snow storm.

And if you are interested in riding with others, I think you are far more likely to encounter people if you go E-W starting in mid-May. I was on a portion of the TransAm at the end of June of '11. In 2.5 days east from Missoula I encountered at least 12 people heading west. The 8 who I talked to had all started in VA in May. Only met one person heading east. He had ridden out west and was returning to his home in MN. It wasn't until July 6th that I met other people heading east, but they were not on the TransAm.