Northern Tier to North Lakes route

[doughalonen]

Am planning to ride most of the Northern Tier route starting in Anacortes in late June. Last year, I brought both my hammock, which I prefer to sleep in, and a small tent along on a ride from VA to Bar Harbor via Pittsburgh and Erie and found that I used the hammock more than 90% of the time. This year, I am thinking of leaving the tent behind and maybe just bringing the hammock and a bivy bag for when I can't find a good spot to hang the hammock. Does that sound like it would work? Also, I am thinking about finishing the ride via part of the North Lakes route instead of riding through Illinois and Indiana. Any thoughts on that? Thanks!

[John Nelson]

Can't comment about the hammock, but the North Lakes and Lake Erie Connector are great complements to the Northern Tier.

[adventurepdx]

How did the bugs affect you on your last tour? And does your hammock and bivy have bug mesh?

There could be some pretty buggy spots on the NT/North Lakes route...

[doughalonen]

Yes, both the hammock and the bivy have noseeum netting. Thanks.

[KKTice]

I rode the Northern Tier, north lakes and the Lake Erie Connector last year-I was quite pleased with it.  I enjoyed the UP of michigan, as well as the west shore of the LP .  Ontario along Lake Erie was a pleasant, mostly rural ride which took us to the Canada side of Niagara Falls.   



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[jwrushman]

KKTice,

I assume you didn't use a hammock.  Did you do the Northern Tier in North Dakota?  Montana?  Do you think finding appropriately-spaced trees for a hammock would be a problem there? 

[canalligators]

As an alternative to taking a hammock plus a bivvy, rig up some way to suspend the ends of the hammock and use it as your bivvy.   I made a strap, pole and cord arrangement that can raise the ends of my Hennessey to sleep in.  You might also support one end with your bike and the other end with a pole, picnic table, etc.  I'd take some sort of ground sheet to protect the bottom of your hammock and provide waterproofing.

On the Northern Tier, in most of Montana and North Dakota, many places lack trees for hanging a hammock.  They can be scarce in the less wooded areas of Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana as well.  You're doing well to not rely on having trees.

[KKTice]

KKTice,

I assume you didn't use a hammock.  Did you do the Northern Tier in North Dakota?  Montana?  Do you think finding appropriately-spaced trees for a hammock would be a problem there?

We rode the Northern Tier through Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan; didn't use a hammock-as I recall all the campsites we stayed at had trees although I didn't look as to their spacing. .  Sorry I can't be more help there. 


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[doughalonen]

Thanks for the advice. Believe I'll start with the tent and hammock and see how that goes.
Also seeking recommendations on places to stay along the way, at least from Anacortes to Erie. I did the Erie to Bar Harbor section last year as part of a ride from the D.C. area. I thought the best places I stayed on that section were the Brown Barn in Boonville N.Y. and the White Mountains Hostel in Conway N.H. I liked those well enough that I did rest days there. Evangola State Park in NY was also quite nice.