Transamerica help - May 2022 start

[jamawani]

 Yellowstone to Glacier

I understand the appeal of hitting Missoula on an X-USA ride. Missoula is magical.
And the Big Hole and Bitterroot valleys are beautiful. But most of western Montana is.

There are, in my opinion, a few advantages of riding the US 89 route.

1. Whether riding westbound to Glacier or eastbound from Glacier -
    It puts you on the correct side of the park for riding Going to the Sun Road.
    And westbound lets you ride west-to-east with the morning light on the peaks.
2. The US 89 route is about 375 miles, via Missoula 500 miles - a savings of 125 miles.
    That's about two days' riding - which you can use hiking, esp. around Many Glacier.
3. The East Side Rd. has almost no traffic south of Livingston, US 89 north of there has very light traffic.
    Plus you have the Crazy Mountains on one side of you and the Bridgers on the other.
    US 89 north of Great Falls has less traffic and more shoulders than Hwy 83 north of Seeley Lake.
    The big plus is that you have wide open, stunning view of the Rocky Mountain Front.

I've ridden both, both are beautiful.
But for connecting Yellowstone to Glacier, it's definitely US 89 for me.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38720161

[DoodleUnited]

Hi Guys
I started the TransAm route E to W, solo, on 8th April starting in Williamsburg & have reached Murphysboro, IL today.   I am reading (on some older posts) that reaching the Rockies for a TransAm traverse in mid May is marginal that I’ll get over, because many of the passes are likely going to be closed.  Can anyone offer me some thoughts?  I’m from UK so did some research before I left but it seems maybe not enough!  Any assistance gratefully received.
Thanks

[canalligators]

Welcome Tcor -

Lots of people fly into DC and start in Yorktown.
Dulles is the inernational airport in DC.
The Silver Line Metro should be finished before May.
So, you can take the Metro straight from Dulles to Union Station.
(If there is a delay they will still be running Silver Line busses.)

From Union Station take Amtrak to Williamsburg, VA. (3.5 to 4 hours)
Right now there are two trains per day - morning and afternoon.
…

Be advised… Amtrak has temporarily cancelled one of those two trains from Washington to Williamsburg.  The one cancelled (#67) had baggage service.  As long as you have regular bikes and you’re using roll on service, the other train (#125) will work for you.  But if you have recumbents, a tandem or trike, your machines must be boxed, and you will have no way to bring your bikes.

[jamawani]

Hi Guys
I started the TransAm route E to W, solo, on 8th April starting in Williamsburg & have reached Murphysboro, IL today.   I am reading (on some older posts) that reaching the Rockies for a TransAm traverse in mid May is marginal that I’ll get over, because many of the passes are likely going to be closed.  Can anyone offer me some thoughts?  I’m from UK so did some research before I left but it seems maybe not enough!  Any assistance gratefully received.
Thanks

Doodle -

I've lived and biked in Wyoming for 30+ years.
1. You can expect a late snow and considerable snow still on the ground.
2. Mountain passes will all be open - unless immediately after a snowstorm.
3. The big thing is that many facilities do not open until June - esp. campgrounds.
Most seasonal restaurants and motels are open by May 1 or May 15 - but check.

You should plan and budget on having to stop for a day or two - preferably in a motel.
Then nice spring weather will return - but it will be crisp. Safe travels!

Jama

BTW - It's generally better to start your own thread rather than tag onto someone else's.

[zzzz]

DU:

You are flying! I pride myself on doing big days and I was averaging 100/day between Murhpysboro and eastern Va and and that stretch took me 12 or 13 days and you did in 10.

I believe the only pass that's flat-out closed in your near future is Independence Pass. Maybe Jama will get back on and give you some advice around that. Also at your pace Makenzie Pass in Oregon will still be closed as well. That's really a shame because Makenzie is one of the most  extraordinary stretches of road in the country but Santium Pass is an easy work around.

When I crossed the US I took the Western Express route between Pueblo Colorado and San Francisco and I enjoyed it thoroughly (the 2 routes intersect in Pueblo). The big passes on the WE (Monarch, Lizard Head, & Boulder) are all plowed year round. I love southern Utah and I think it's a fair trade off but you would miss the Tetons and Yellowstone.

Pete

[BikeFreak]

When I did the Transam arriving in Dulles I could not accept going "backwards" in the wrong direction by public transport to reach Yorktown. I looked at the map and did not find the first few stretches very interesting, so I did something else:

I jumped on the bike right out of Dulles and headed to Front Royal. From Front Royal straight onto the idyllic Skyline Drive. At Rockfish Gap (Afton) the Skyline Drive joins the Transam route again. I admit that the stretch from Dulles to Front Royal was a bit boring but trafic was still low. I would it any day again.

Lucas