Looking for tips on building a route not on ACA network (DC to Alabama)

[hon_cho]

My riding partner and I want to do the TA in the future but I would like to do a ride from the Washington DC are to N. Alabama.  It's 700 miles driving between DC and Alabama.  I'm looking for ideas on building a route that can be cycled.  Any tips beyond using an atlas, Google Maps / Earth?   

[John Nelson]

See http://www.adventurecycling.org/resources/blog/how-to-create-your-own-route/

In addition to those tips, I like to look at Google maps driving directions with the "avoid highways" option.

[greenbubba]

Might be quite the undertaking, but you could piece together other folks rides from ridewithgps and the likes. I've had good luck finding routes that way. You can email the ride creator too. Most people will email you back and offer advise. opencyclemap.org is another source and bikeovernights.org (an ACA blog) has good resources.

[Pat Lamb]

Where in Alabama?  From the south you have your choice of coastal plains or mountains,  From the northern part of the state your choice is how many mountains.

[pmac]

You might want to check out the Appalachian Cycleways Network maps which start north of Atlanta and head northeast past DC to west of NYC.  See the link below.   


https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=tS&doc_id=14765&v=RP

[Patco]

What I do when developing a bike route is the following: I select a destination. I draw a line from where I will start to the destination. I then obtain bicycle maps from the states the line intersects (most states have a map that can be obtained from either their bicycle coordinator or the related department of transportation If they do not have a bike map, I then obtain their state road map since the individual state maps generally have more detail then, say, maps you would obtain from AAA). I then begin formulating a route using the maps and seeing what places of interest are along the line (or near the line). I then use google maps (street view) to see what the route looks like (shoulders, etc.,) although many of the bike maps will indicate shoulder width, grades, traffic volume.

Yes, this can be time consuming, but I like to plan so for me, it is fun. When a route is determined, it is still open to changes when I am on the road. Stuff happens.

[reed523]

I had very good luck building a cross country route by mapping one based on my best guess and then asking people in the regional section of bikeforums.net for their advice on what I had proposed.  It paid off big time.  Even made a couple friends out of the deal.  Good luck!