2020 Tours Where and when?

[oker288]

Hi everyone! I%u2019m new here.
I've been off the internet most of the year so this thread is a bit late but....

Where and when will you all be touring in 2020?

I've decided to take a break from long distance touring in 2020 after 3 straight years of cross country rides and instead will be focusing on a few long distance backpacking trips.

I do have one short tour planned this year though. We'll spend 10 days this September bicycling the Black Hills of South Dakota. We'll start at the southern terminus of the Mickelson Trail and then head north to Wind Cave NP, Keystone (Mt. Rushmore), then east to Badlands NP via the southern route, back west to Rapid City via the northern route, and then back onto the Mickelson Trail with a final destination of Spearfish.

Happy Touring and please be safe out there!

Thank in advance.

[staehpj1]

I am old enough to be in a higher risk age group for the Covid pandemic, so I am probably not going anywhere this year.  I'll reevaluate as things change, but it doesn't look promising to me at this point.  When I do get out next it may be a bike tour or backpacking.  I also hope to do some car or rv travel with my wife who doesn't ride or backpack any more, but that isn't in the plan for this year either.

[John Nettles]

We keep changing our plans but currently we are riding from Green Bay, doing 3-4 days in Door County, then south to Milwaukee before heading toward La Crosse, WI.  Easy days with several sight seeing days, about 15 days/500 miles or so total.  Camping mostly, very few restaurants due to virus.  Probably the easiest tour I have done in decades.  After that, I will continue solo to Sioux Falls, SD, so I can complete another segment of my next cross-country route.  This will add another 5-6 days and 300+ miles. However, since the virus is ramping up again, who knows what we will do, if anything.

May do a Buffalo, WY, to Rapid City, SD, in September but unlikely.

Tailwinds, John

[TCS]

Esperanto - that means 'I am hopeful'.  23 different pharmaceutical companies are working on Covid-19 vaccines and a couple have cleared successful Phase 2 trials and are entering Phase 3.  First vaccines ~might~ be available as soon as October, and perhaps the preponderance of folks in the USA and UK can be vaccinated by Spring 2021.  Hang in there; we'll tour together soon!

So anyway I'm not cycletouring anywhere in 2020.  I'm taking long solo day rides locally.

We'll see how 2021 shapes up.  Maybe Omaha to Missoula?  Maybe the Orkney Islands?

[DarrenBnYYC]

No touring for me this year. I'll stick closer to home and do some multi-day, solo (or socially distanced, small-group) backcountry backpacking. The risk of spreading COVID around from community to community weighs too heavily on my mind, especially since I have some very vulnerable family members at home.

[hikerjer]

Still hoping to take a x-country tour starting in mid-July but I'm not terribly optimistic.- virus and all that. If it doesn't work out,  I'll concentrate on extended backpacking trips in the local mountains. Not a bad alternative but still, I'd rather be touring

We'll see.

[smm7144]

I just got furloughed at the beginning of this month, but I've been trying to quickly plan a cross country trip from Oregon to NYC using the Lewis and Clark, the TA, the new PPP, and the Chicago to NYC routes. Buttoning up a few more logistical and life things, but also seeing the climate on how the COVID is spreading but hoping to roll out starting the end of this month.

[staehpj1]

I just got furloughed at the beginning of this month, but I've been trying to quickly plan a cross country trip from Oregon to NYC using the Lewis and Clark, the TA, the new PPP, and the Chicago to NYC routes. Buttoning up a few more logistical and life things, but also seeing the climate on how the COVID is spreading but hoping to roll out starting the end of this month.

Good luck.  I hope you have a great trip.  Keep us posted since on how things are on tour these days.

[aggie]

Even though I am also in the more vulnerable age group I am planning to do the Ohio to Erie trail starting in Cincinnati at the end of July.  I will then head south to Pittsburgh to catch the GAP/C&O trails to Wash DC.  Planning a mostly credit card trip but carrying camping gear just in case.  It will be interesting to see if hotels, restaurants, and attractions are open by then.

[BikeliciousBabe]

I should be riding to from Salmon, ID to Leadore, ID today as part of a two-week loop from/to Missoula, but I am not. Hoping to do some long weekend trips next month and eventually a cross-PA tour in September.

[ega]

On the road now.  BR 66 in AZ. First thing on and last thing off each day (around neck, ready to be pulled up over nose/mouth) is the bandanna. Hand sanitizer bottle strapped to stem. Camping supplies along and a few selected hotels - laundry... 

Not high risk group, but really not wanting to provide potential spread.  Missing some of the meeting and social aspects of being on the (typical) trail.

[jcostanz]

I plan on doing a loop starting with the Ohio - Erie trail from Celveland to Cincinatti then north along the border with Indianna then back to Cleveland.  Leaving on July 1st.  trip is about 1/3 Hotel, 1/3 Air B&B and 1/3 Camping due to available overnights.  This is the first time in 5 years that my yearly trip has not involved Canada, but with the border between the US and Canada still closed and not reopening until late July, if then.  A trip into Canada is not an option.  Doing a trip in New York is not practical currently as tent camping is only scheduled to open this comming weekend and most state park campgrounds are already fully booked.  Depending on the area resturants have only been allowed to open for indoor dining at 50% capacity and min 6' distance as of last Tuesday (western NY).  Further east some areas are further behind on opening.

[driftlessregion]

Ten days in Montana in three weeks. Hopefully. Some campgrounds not open yet and may not be.

John, I'm curious about your route from Milwaukee to La Crosse. Are  you doing the 3 contiguous trails past Madison or braving the beautiful  hills of the Driftless Area?

[John Nettles]

Both trails and roads.  I have ridden the La Crosse to Elroy to Sparta to Reedsburg trails in the past. 

This one goes through the your namesake's (driftless) region of Wisconsin (to me it is super nice).  Basically I use smaller county roads in a meandering fashion to go from La Crosse, Stoddard, Westby (mom born and raised there), Viroqua, Richland Center, Loganville, Baraboo, Merrimac, to Madison before getting on the 3 trails to Milwaukee. 

While I definitely prefer the roads, my wonderful wife prefers the trails so we compromised and did both. 

Some year I would like to just do a month wandering around in the driftless region.

Tailwinds, John

[driftlessregion]

Some of the best cycling anywhere! If you put your routes in ridewithgps or mapmyride I'd love to see them.
We just cancelled our Montana trip so now deciding what to do. Madison to Door County last year was a bit boring. Maybe up The River this year to Trempealeau. Could spend a few days just riding out from La Crosse.