First Tour: Portland Maine to NYC

[Bill56]

I've been riding road, mountain, beach (fat tire!) with varying degrees of seriousness for 40+ years and have collected a few hundred miles on the LHT in New York (great city bike!). So I retired and now I got to do some touring. Been riding a couple hundred miles a week all summer to get the legs and lungs in shape. Bought the requisite rack and panniers, flashing lights, ACA maps, and second bottle holder. Booked my one-way flight and most of my hotel rooms.  I'm ready!

My goals are to have fun and stay safe. I'm not in a hurry and plan to average 50 miles a day.

I'm open to any suggestions you've got.

[John Nettles]

Due to the heavy congestion of the area you are talking about, I would seriously consider just using ACA's Atlantic Coast Route and/or the last section of the Chicago to NYC Route.  They have done all the research so it makes your ride a lot easier.  Hope you have a great tour!  John

[jwrushman]

Are you northbound? Southbound?  When's the start? Where are you starting?  Where in NY?

[Bill56]

Are you northbound? Southbound?  When's the start? Where are you starting?  Where in NY?

Starting in Portland on August 6th, and ending on west 16th street!

[BikeliciousBabe]

In another thread you wrote that you are doing a New England tour.

[Bill56]

In another thread you wrote that you are doing a New England tour.

That's right Babe.

I'm riding through the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and NY.

Does riding in NY and missing Vermont disqualify me?

[BikeliciousBabe]

Does riding in NY and missing Vermont disqualify me?

From what?

[Bill56]

Due to the heavy congestion of the area you are talking about, I would seriously consider just using ACA's Atlantic Coast Route and/or the last section of the Chicago to NYC Route.  They have done all the research so it makes your ride a lot easier.  Hope you have a great tour!  John

Mission accomplished! Quite a challenge, but worth it.

I did use the ACA iPhone maps for about 2/3rds of the ride, from Portland to Millerton NY, and then took the easy way to the city, mostly on Route 22 and county trails.

This was a real learning experience as I encountered much more hilly terrain than my usual rides and rode for a day and a half in rain. That builds character...

Can't wait for tour #2.

[Ty0604]

Due to the heavy congestion of the area you are talking about, I would seriously consider just using ACA's Atlantic Coast Route and/or the last section of the Chicago to NYC Route.  They have done all the research so it makes your ride a lot easier.  Hope you have a great tour!  John

Mission accomplished! Quite a challenge, but worth it.

I did use the ACA iPhone maps for about 2/3rds of the ride, from Portland to Millerton NY, and then took the easy way to the city, mostly on Route 22 and county trails.

This was a real learning experience as I encountered much more hilly terrain than my usual rides and rode for a day and a half in rain. That builds character...

Can't wait for tour #2.

Congrats. The hills out east tend to be steeper but not as long as the ones out west in my opinion. The route I took in 2016 to reach Portland went through all the states you went through and also Vermont although via a different route...

I went north in New York (from Pennsylvania) into the Adirondacks over into Vermont's Green Mountains then south into Massachusetts, south into Connecticut, east into Rhode Island, back north into Massachusetts, and then up the eastern seaboard into New Hampshire and Maine.

https://www.travellerspoint.com/member_map.cfm#/tripid/893835

[BikeliciousBabe]

NW Connecticut has some good hills. That climb out of Salisbury on U.S. 44 is one of them. It's not long, but there is something about it. The fact that it stairs you right in the face doesn't help.

[John Nettles]

Congrats on a successful trip!