Transamerica ride

[Flyingsuper7]

Hello All, from the UK.
I've completed two Transamerica cycle rides, North, South and now plan on the middle: San Francisco to Washington DC. To avoid the Nevada heat I am thinking of starting in SF in mid March next year. I'm thinking that by the time I get through Colarado the weather should be improving in the East.

Any advice or views regarding weather at this time would be most appreciated.

Many thanks in anticipation.

[John Nelson]

You’ll be trading heat for cold. Some people would think this is a good trade—others not. Allow some extra time to wait out late snowstorms. Be sure to cross the Rockies over one of the passes that’s open year-round (e.g., Monarch).

For me, I’d rather endure some heat to get better weather elsewhere.

[Pat Lamb]

I think you're going in the wrong direction.  Even though some Sierra and Rocky passes are kept open, they're going to be unpleasant to ride: all the traffic takes those open passes, they're subject to late snowstorms, and the shoulders you would be counting on riding may not have been cleared.

You can start from the east in March (Appalachian Trail through-hikers traditionally start around March 1, and only a few hundred miles south of the TransAm as the bird flies).  Late snowstorms in the southern Appalachians are less common than in the Sierras, and they'll probably be melted in a couple days.  With that early a start, you've got a good chance of seeing snowpack left in the Rockies when you get there.  The Great Basin will be hot, but not as bad as Kansas to Virginia if you ride eastbound (it's the humidity, not just the heat!).

Go west, young man!

[jamawani]

I've got 100,000 miles experience.
Including many x-USA trips and all of the West.

SFO to WDC
West-to-East - best time, autumn, depart late Aug, arrive end of Oct.
East-to-West - best time, late spring, depart early May, arrive mid July.

The summer heat is in the East - - with high humidity, too.
Central Nevada is tolerable even in mid-summer. June & Sept are not bad at all.
Especially if you get your riding in early in the day.

[Flyingsuper7]

Thanks for the very informative response. My recent Transamerica was through last October taking me through Arizona and along the South to Florida. This was a very pleasant ride in tolerable temperatures and little humidity in Texas only.
Later start next spring is the order of the day.
Cheers.

[Flyingsuper7]

I think you're going in the wrong direction.  Even though some Sierra and Rocky passes are kept open, they're going to be unpleasant to ride: all the traffic takes those open passes, they're subject to late snowstorms, and the shoulders you would be counting on riding may not have been cleared.

You can start from the east in March (Appalachian Trail through-hikers traditionally start around March 1, and only a few hundred miles south of the TransAm as the bird flies).  Late snowstorms in the southern Appalachians are less common than in the Sierras, and they'll probably be melted in a couple days.  With that early a start, you've got a good chance of seeing snowpack left in the Rockies when you get there.  The Great Basin will be hot, but not as bad as Kansas to Virginia if you ride eastbound (it's the humidity, not just the heat!).

Go west, young man!

Thanks for the advice.........hadn’t really considered East to West, but I will now!!!