TransAm Summer 2017

[litespeedlujak]

I am planning a trip for the Summer of 2017.  I am a teacher, so depending on snow days, I SHOULD get out of school (HOPEFULLY) no later than June 6.  Snow days might lengthen this.  I hope not.  I am a new rider, but I'm working hard.  I'd like to be able to ride fairly long miles.  I think it'd be great to be able to do an out & back, Yorktown to Astoria and back to Yorktown.  I'd have to have this completed within about 67 days.  That's 126 miles per day average.  It'd be ideal, for me, to ride closer to 145 to 150 per day, allowing one day off per week.  I'd like for my one day off per week to be Sunday.  This would allow for a visit to a local church and possibly see some of the community.  Nothing is set in stone, as yet.  Being a new rider, I'm not sure what my capabilities are.  Might be that I might struggle to ride to Astoria within the 67 day time frame.  That's an average of 64 miles per day.  I've been riding for about 4 months.  I'm about 60 pounds overweight.  Weight should be off by about October.  I'll have a better idea of how far I can ride.  I'm a 52 year old male.  This is not a fly by night deal.  I've been thinking of doing this over the past 8 years.  As well, I remember when I was 12 years old and looking at a Transamerica Trail brochure.  I thought it a kewl idea then.  I live in the western part of West Virginia, close to Huntington.  If interested, let me know. 

[John Nettles]

Not trying to sound rude but are you asking a question, looking for companions, or ?

If this will be your first real tour, I STRONGLY encourage you to do this as a one-way trip.  A 125 much less a 146 mile per day average, while possible, would be nothing but rising early, riding until late, and sleeping.  As a teacher, I would guess you would want to stop and look at some of the history, sights, etc.  That would be difficult at 125 a day.

I would suggest you do the TA, then when you hit the Pacific Coast, head south along the PCR until time runs out.  This way, you are not beholden to HAVING to do 125 miles a day.

I once met a guy on tour who did exactly what you are proposing but it was the Northern Tier (which is easier than the TA).  He said he hated touring (I met him in Grand Forks, ND on his return portion of Seattle/Boston/Seattle tour) cause all he did was ride.  He was averaging 115 or 125/day (can't remember) and was in his late 20s so was pretty strong.

I encouraged him to slow down and smell the roses but he just wanted to get it over with.

Do your first trip the way it is meant to be, an exploration of the country, not a speed ride across it.

I'll get off my soapbox now.  Whatever you do, I hope you enjoy the ride!  John

[Nyimbo]

I agree with John, plan to slow down and ride one way. For me I would  fly to Portland and travel home since you are departing around second week of June.  (Astoria to Yorktown)

[adventurepdx]

Yeah, I agree with John and Nyimbo.

To the OP, if you look at the travelogues of those who have toured cross country, you'll find few that average 100 or more miles a day. They are out there, but they are not the majority. And those that you find will be more on the low side, say 100 or 110 miles a day. Not many who would push 150 miles a day. I remember reading about someone who did, but he was like an ultramarathoner or something and also travelled light. Going fully loaded would be quite the burden going that speed.

And you'll find very few that did 100 or more miles a day AND did the tour as an out-and-back. In fact, the guy John mentions is the only one I ever heard that did it.

So what you are proposing isn't technically impossible, but you should realize that what you want to do is very tough. And while though you could train for it between now and next summer, realize that what you want to do is more in the realm of endurance athletes.

I've been commuting by bike each day for 15 years, and touring for over 10. I shoot for an average of 60 miles a day, which is what many folks do. I have pulled 100 mile days, but that's not every day.

[jamawani]

Profoundly unrealistic.

[RussSeaton]

I agree with everyone else who says this sounds bad.  Summer of 2017?  That is a year and a half away.  And you are planning for it now?  I'd suggest planning for the tour starting in early 2017.  Just ride your bike from now until then and not plan or spend any time thinking about summer 2017.  You may be dead by then.  52 and over weight.  Just ride your bike and get in better shape and hopefully you will still enjoy riding come summer 2017 and will want to take the tour.  As for training for a tour, hardly necessary at all.  Just get on the bike and ride.  Easy.  As for training for a ride of 150 miles every 6 days out of 7, you better start riding centuries yesterday.

I did a long tour a long time ago.  Rode about 4000 miles around Europe.  Middle May to end August.  100+ days.  So I averaged 40 or so miles a day.  Kind of low I guess.  My fondest memories of that epic tour are of the times I spent with people I met during the ride.  I still have a few memories of some of the riding and scenery I saw during the ride.  But those are fading as I age.  Argh.  But I clearly remember all the people I met and the days spent not riding with them.  The people I met were not riders.  I lived with them for a few days or more at various times over the summer.  Those are the best memories of my biking tour of Europe.  Biking was great but if I could redo history I'd spend more days with the people and less riding.

[Pat Lamb]

Might I suggest a 1-2 week trip this year, before you embark on an epic adventure?  You're kind of in the middle of the Underground Railroad, Northern Tier, Atlantic Coast, and TransAm.  Pick one of those, ride a week or two, and have a friend come pick you up.  Berea, KY towards Springfield, MO would be one option -- easy driving along I-64 and I-44 for the return.  Or drive up to Pittsburgh, ride to D.C. along the GAP/C&O, and take the train back (unless you're going to ride skinny tires unloaded!).  Or pick a supported tour for a week or so.  Ride easy (it gets to be harder than you think!) and enjoy talking to people from all different walks of life.

[litespeedlujak]

Great advice, for the most part.  The biggest part of this possible debacle is the mileage.  I don't disagree with that.  Thanks for getting off the soap box, John.  I was worried that sucker was gonna crack on you.  Next time, use a milk crate.  Much more sturdy.  I'm just really limited on time.  I kinda think it's a stretch to do an out and back as well.  Might forgo that thought and try something a bit more local.  Pretty sure I could assemble a local tour.  Really not crazy about flying out & riding back.  I'd prefer to ride west.  And John, inference should dictate, when I said, "If interested, let me know," that I was looking for a partner.  Might save the ride for another day.  I should add, as far as planning now, I was just trying to figure out how viable this ride would be.  Still pretty sure I could do it.  I tend to have great heart and a never say die attitude.  Thanks for the great advice.  And John, watch that crate.  The wooden ones tend to crack fairly easily. 

[adventurepdx]

To the OP: I think two months is plenty of time to do a really good (and far!) tour at a 60 mile a day pace (plus a break day at least once a week.) You could head west from your home and hook up with the Northern Tier, which is a bit faster than the Trans-Am. And the scenery in the mountains is no slouch, either!

I think the concern shared with myself is others is: We want you to have a good time. A bike tour in itself is hard enough, so there's really no need to make it even harder than it should be. If anything, we want to make sure you enjoy yourself, and come back again at some point for another tour. Trying to do about 150 miles a day may mean you ride a few days, get frustrated, then go home, vowing never to tour again. I don't want that. I want you to get out there and see stuff by bike! 

[litespeedlujak]

Thanks Adventure, I appreciate your respectful comment.  As well, I pretty much agree with it.  Good thoughts.  Regardless, someday, it'll happen.  Most likely, I would be pushing a bit too much to roll at what I believe to be, not reasonable, but possible and likely.  I do want to have fun doing it.  I imagine the lower mileage would be better.  The reason I thought an out and back would be better was due to cost.  For the cost of a plane ticket for me and my bike to fly back, I could ride back.  I've also checked into rental cars.  Incredibly high.  So I guess my reasoning has as much to do with finances as it has to do with anything else. 

[staehpj1]

The reason I thought an out and back would be better was due to cost.  For the cost of a plane ticket for me and my bike to fly back, I could ride back.

Given that you can get a flight on Southwest from Columbus,OH to the Portland, OR for $205 plus $75 for the bike, you really can't expect to save much money.  Also you are planning a long way in the future, so putting aside $280 for air travel should be pretty easy.

If you were doing it only for the challenge of doing the miles in that time, I could maybe see it, but to save money?  That sounds like a bad idea.

I'll add that it was kind of a grind doing the TA one way in 73 days.  It was fun but it wasn't like we felt like we were taking it especially easy.  I mat a few people on the TA who had planned to do 100+ mile day average and all of them eventually settled into something more like 80 MPD.

My advice, put aside a few bucks enjoy the ride and fly one way.

[litespeedlujak]

So far as the thought of saving money, I guess I was looking for a reason to ride back.  That was my excuse.  I was kinda looking at this as MY version of RAAM, albeit, a slow one. 

[staehpj1]

So far as the thought of saving money, I guess I was looking for a reason to ride back.  That was my excuse.  I was kinda looking at this as MY version of RAAM, albeit, a slow one.

I suggest you either check out http://transambikerace.com/ or consider doing it as more of a tour.  Personally I would advise the tour unless you really want to be competitive.

[litespeedlujak]

ha ha.  I'm 51 with a left knee that's crap.  But at least it feels better when I ride.  Almost as though someone has shot it full of WD-40.  I can't walk very well.  I certainly can't run.  But I can ride.  In reality, and to be truthful to myself, I'd likely have to do it one way.  The out & back is the dream of a healthy young man.  When I retire........................................

[staehpj1]

ha ha.  I'm 51 with a left knee that's crap.  But at least it feels better when I ride.  Almost as though someone has shot it full of WD-40.  I can't walk very well.  I certainly can't run.  But I can ride.  In reality, and to be truthful to myself, I'd likely have to do it one way.  The out & back is the dream of a healthy young man.  When I retire........................................

My suggestion is to allow more time and more money than you need.  Then just ride the miles you feel like each day.  IMO, nothing sucks the joy out of a tour more than a rigid schedule.  Too tight budgets can be joy killers as well.  I am not saying you need to take a long time or spend a lot, but it will be more fun if neither of those is too limiting of a factor.