Getting to your start with all your stuff

[BikeliciousBabe]

I'm hoping that by late July, when I'm ready to return from Boston, Amtrak package express will be up and running again and I can just ride the thing into South Station, put it in the box, fly home, and pick it up a few days later at the Amtrak station that's a 20 minute commuter train ride from my house.

Also look into ShipBikes.com and Bikeflights.com. Both are basically discount sellers/brokers of bike shipping. The former uses FedEx. The latter, UPS. I have used Bikeflights several times. The last time I used it (2019) I discovered that it had switched from using FedEx to UPS. The rates went up and service went down. I am not the only one who thinks so. I will be looking into Shipbikes next time. If you don't mind the extra expense, you can make arrangements with a local shop at the end of your tour, pay them to box the bike, hand them the shipping documents you get from one of the above-services and go have a beer. You will have earned it.

[Westinghouse]

Why's that?

1. Woman overdoses in back of bus.
2. Aisle floor like flypaper from beverage spills.
3. Mentally ill person talking loudly to nobody and everybody.
4. Homeland Security empties bus on side of highway in the middle of the night.
5. Terrified young Chinese couple with toddler sitting on front row.
6. Filthy bus stations in major cities.
7. Baggage charges almost as bad as airlines.
8. Long delay when driver quits mid-route.
9. And more.

(Because I have toured for 33 years, I've done way too much Greyhound.)

Greyhound is a dog, a dirty sick dog. It is tolerable short distances. Cross country it is not the way to go. If you need to go very far, it is better to hitch hike to trucks with your gear than to use the dog. If Greyhound is the best the USA provides for transcontinental bus service, it speaks poorly for the country. Not advised.

[TCS]

Greyhound...Cross country it is not the way to go....If Greyhound is the best the USA provides for transcontinental bus service, it speaks poorly for the country.

AFAIK, Greyhound is the only ~transcontinental~ bus service in the USA.  But seriously, if one is going all the way between the oceans, put a pencil to paper and figure how much will be spent on several days' food for bus (or rail) travel, and take another look for cheap air flights. 

BTW, air, train and intercity bus travel modes:  guess which of these got no zilch nada dedicated pandemic disruption assistance money from the American government?  Now guess which one serves the most American communities?  Aaaand finally guess which one creates the least greenhouse gas per passenger mile?  Hint:  it's the one that Adventure Cycling has no partnerships or programs with and doesn't promote.

But anyhoo Greyhound is not as good as bus service gets in the USA.  (That would be Vonlane.     )  Things are still unsettled because of the pandemic (it's not like the government helped bus companies out, remember) but as things vector to normal, here's an idea.  If your bicycle adventures are in the Seattle-San Diego-Phoenix-Salt Lake tetragon or in the Boston-Miami-San Antonio triangle, check out FlixBus.  They're a fairly recent entrant to the US intercity bus scene from Germany.  Yeah, they're experimenting with battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses to become greener in the future, but the exciting thing for cycle tourists right now is many of their buses have bike racks.  Yeah, actual bike racks.  They'll haul your bike and you don't even have to box it.  You reserve a spot for your bike when you buy your ticket.  Unlike Amtrak, you can put your bike on or get it off anywhere they stop.  If demand is there, FlixBus says in the future they could haul bikes on a rack plus up to 5 unboxed bikes in the luggage hold.

Another option.  Options are good.  Check it out.  It might work for you.