XC Cycling and the Coronavirus .... is anyone riding XC ?

[hikerjer]

"I really ought to just be thankful that I am in relatively good health and decent shape for my age."

IMO, that's the only way to look at it.  The other thing about being this old and retired is I don't have to gt up and go to work each morning. Although, I guess there's a lot of people,unfortunately, in that situation right now for a different reason.

[jamawani]

Hey, there's a separate category entitled "Reminiscing Youth".

But the question on the table is - "When can you likely begin an X-USA trip?"
I said maybe July1. August 1 would be more likely. Sept 1 almost certain, but late.
A late summer into early fall trip is really a great time - -
Especially if you start in the Pacific Northwest where it is cooler.
In much of the nation, September is the sweetest month to tour.

[BikePacker]

As singer Toby Keith has crooned,
"I may not be as good as I once was, but I am as good once as I ever was.".....
or at least I'd like to think so. 
In reality, probably not even so : ) Hardy, Har, Har.
Meanwhile ... apologies for being somewhat off the original post thesis ... just could not help myself (mebbe due to degeneration!).

[staehpj1]

But the question on the table is - "When can you likely begin an X-USA trip?"
I said maybe July1. August 1 would be more likely. Sept 1 almost certain, but late.
A late summer into early fall trip is really a great time - -
Especially if you start in the Pacific Northwest where it is cooler.
In much of the nation, September is the sweetest month to tour.

I think that is all pretty uncertain.  Enough so that I am not making any plans until we know more about when conditions will be more favorable.  We really don't know when things will wind down or whether there will be a second wave.  I figure I will dust off some of my old plans or make new ones when we know more.  I really don't need to plan far ahead and often like to head out on short notice any way.

[hikerjer]

BikePacker and jamawani comments are probably the most realistic.  Really, no one knows about this situation for sure. Let's all hope and pray for the best and stay safe in the meantime.

[aggie]

Before all this started I made reservations for a trip starting in mid-June.  I haven't cancelled yet.  I'm waiting to see how things play out as it gets closer to the planned start.  If things are looking up I will go.  If not, I will cancel and try to reschedule for a late August -early September.

[staehpj1]

Before all this started I made reservations for a trip starting in mid-June.  I haven't cancelled yet.  I'm waiting to see how things play out as it gets closer to the planned start.  If things are looking up I will go.  If not, I will cancel and try to reschedule for a late August -early September.

I have a hard time relating to a trip like that.  I never plan ahead before the trip about where I will stay at least in the US locales where I have toured.  Heck I seldom plan ahead where I will stay during the trip.  I typically don't know where I will stop for the day until I am actually there.  My way obviously doesn't suit everyone, but you can go or change plans on short notice that way.  I find the lack of a rigid schedule to be liberating.

[hikerjer]

 "I typically don't know where I will stop for the day until I am actually there.  I find the lack of a rigid schedule to be liberating."

Typically, I'm pretty much like that. However,there are situations that change change it. For instance, when riding down the Pacific Coast, I loved taking advantage of the hiker/biker site campgrounds in state parks in WA, OR and CA. Cheap, clean and nicely spaced apart.  Typically, I would  plan ahead to stay at one of them.  If I didn't, ,I might pass one up and then it would be a while, sometimes a long while before I came across another nice site.   Similar situation in national parks where you're required to stay in designated campgrounds. Now when relying on stealth camping, it's a different story.  Then I just played it by ear.

[aggie]

My reservations are for transportation to my start point.  At which point I go day by day on where I will stay.

[Nyimbo]

I am planning Pacific Coast Trip end of August and September. So maybe the timing will work. But even though I am very carefully trying to avoid the virus, I’m sure I’ll be more comfortable touring if I have had and recovered from the virus and thus have immunity during my tour. I wouldn’t like to be out in the the unknown and in my tent while sick.


I realize we never want to be sick or injured on a tour, but thinking this is a bit different.

[staehpj1]

My reservations are for transportation to my start point.  At which point I go day by day on where I will stay.

I misunderstood.

I too often have a reservation for a flight to the start point, but I try very hard to avoid having a fixed date for the end point if at all possible.  That has meant a variety of things ranging from riding toward home so that the last leg of the trip was a short one, using various ground transportation to get home, and flying stand by to get home.

My trips are almost always point to point affairs so it would never be the typical round trip ticket any way, but I resist being tied to a fixed schedule and avoid it as much as possible.  On a shortish tour I could see sticking with a schedule, but I don't think I have ever really foreseen my pace very accurately on multi-week trips.  Some have tended to be much faster and some much slower than expected and I like to let the pace be what it wants to be.

[TCS]

The majority of the USA is currently under 'stay at home', 'shelter in place' or 'self-isolate' orders.  Clearly, XC cycletouring doesn't comply with that, although how local authorities might choose to interact with a cycletourist would surely be on a case by case, situation by situation basis.

Currently, various state shelter orders last from the end of April in some states to mid-June in others.  These time periods and the severity of travel restrictions will no doubt be adjusted as the situation evolves.

Several solons here have advised to not make XC plans before mid- to late summer.  Noting among other schedule changes that the Olympics have been postponed one year makes me think XC this summer is optimistic.

Yeah, the uncertainty sucks if you want to make plans.

But hey, if you're here, you're an Adventurer.

[Pat Lamb]

At least in my state, the stay at home order has an exemption for outdoor activities of groups of less than 10 people who maintain 6 foot isolation distance. 

That pretty much covers most of my touring, except for local restaurants, swimming pools, and convenience stores.

Of course if this pandemic continues to spread, we're likely to see a bifurcation between "clamp down harder" and "let the virus infect everyone, for the Lord will know His own."

[BikePacker]

But hey, if you're here, you're an Adventurer.

Amen.

[TCS]

Aaaaaand they've officially closed the State and National Parks, Corps of Engineers campgrounds, National Forests and Grasslands and camping on the beach in my neck of the woods, with no scheduled reopening date.   

To date, 16 USA states have full or partial restrictions/quarantines upon entrance.