Author Topic: Southern Tier this Fall--departure date?  (Read 4960 times)

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Offline Figaro

Southern Tier this Fall--departure date?
« on: July 17, 2020, 06:34:13 pm »
The southern tier is looking like a go for me this fall. I have the option of leaving pretty much anytime from 1 sep to 1 nov. I'm planning East to West and taking 25 to 30 days. I'll be staying in motels/hotels most of the time, but will probably camp a few times. I can handle heat better than cold. If you were doing this, when would you start? I'm thinking around mid Sep.

Offline Pat Lamb

Re: Southern Tier this Fall--departure date?
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2020, 03:17:53 pm »
I have more trouble with the heat, so I'd try to push it back a month.  Leaving around October 1 might be better for a few reasons. 

First, you've probably got until mid to late November on the ST before you need to start worrying about frost in the mountains of Arizona.  If you can finish in 30 days, you've likely got a buffer.

Second, at least in Arizona, a lot of businesses are closed until the snowbirds come south.  Later is better.

Finally, delaying looks like a wise move for the politicians to start listening to the doctors and epidemiologists and start implementing productive protective measures.  No guarantees -- who ever heard of smart politicians? -- but there are a lot of dumb ones blathering on right now.  It would suck to come down with a nasty case in the middle of a tour, and suck big time if you ended up in a parking lot because the local hospitals were full.

Offline Figaro

Re: Southern Tier this Fall--departure date?
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2020, 06:44:46 pm »
Quote from: Pat Lamb link=topic=16568.msg86305#
Finally, delaying looks like a wise move for the politicians to start listening to the doctors and epidemiologists and start implementing productive protective measures.  No guarantees -- who ever heard of smart politicians? -- but there are a lot of dumb ones blathering on right now.  It would suck to come down with a nasty case in the middle of a tour, and suck big time if you ended up in a parking lot because the local hospitals were full.

Didn’t think about some businesses being closed earlier...thanks for that.
As for the state of affairs with Covid and how “open or closed” things are, that could still be the one thing that causes me to not do it this fall. Last time I checked ACA still has a sold out Southern Tier tour scheduled to leave in Mid Sep heading East. If that gets canceled the it may influence my decision as well.

Offline staehpj1

Re: Southern Tier this Fall--departure date?
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2020, 08:04:06 pm »
I would suggest that you consider the length of daylight hours.  They get pretty short in the late fall and early winter.  I much prefer cooler weather so I went in mid February W-E.  The daylight hours were much longer than when temps were similar in late fall early winter.

I found the scenery pretty dreary and the main attraction to the route for me was that it could be done in winter.  The various cuisines and hanging out with the interesting mix of misfits who were mostly transplants from somewhere else were also a plus.

Offline TCS

Re: Southern Tier this Fall--departure date?
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2020, 03:17:06 pm »
Adventure Cycling's 3023-mile Southern Tier in 25 days = 121 miles/day.

Ambitious!   :)
"My name is Pither.  I am at present on a cycling tour of the North Cornwall area taking in Bude and..."