Hello, I'm coming

[lucagoes]

Hello my new friends, first of all sorry for my really poor english
I'm writing from Italy, I'm 63 years old and at last, after three years of waiting, next may 26th I'll start for the trip of my life: an attempt to solo coast to coast from Asbury Park NY, to San Francisco.
I began to think about this trip since 2008, after my "Mille Miglia Italia", a thousand miles randonnee, but my job was too immersive :'( :'( and i had to put away my hope. In 2017 I decided I could do the big step in 2020, and at the beginning of that year everything was ready (included Aca inscription and Aca Maps ), but Covid 19 broken my dream.
Now I'm just retired and I'm ready to start, my flight will land in New York May 26th.
If it's not a disturb for you, in the next days I will write some questions, or doubts, or problems to solve, and if someone of you will have answers or ideas or suggestion, I'll be very grateful.

[jamawani]

Benvenuto, Luca -

If you take your time and stop to smell the roses (and the sagebrush)
you should have no problems and a wonderful trip.
Please, feel free to post your questions.

Jama

[canalligators]

Your English is better than my Italian.  Please ask away!

[lucagoes]

Hello, thanks for your welcome
My actual plan is to cycle about 3200 miles in 38/42 days on a road bike in a light mode, with only 10 kilos of baggage (no camp, only hostels or motels). I hope to have 33/35 cycling days and 4/5 resting days. I also hope to have one day to try the Mount Evans climb, from Idaho Springs.
My first question is about accomodation, I'm realizing there are very few hostels, and motel prices are getting higher, also because I'm alone in a room. My budget is 50/60 dollars per night, better less.
 There is an app or a website where I can find low cost accomodations? Now I'm using airb&b, google, booking and hostelworld. There is a place where I can ask for ospitality (ex churches, parishes, or other places)?
Second question is about interstate:  :-\I think it will be impossible avoid them in a few stretches: 5 miles in Colorado, from Glenwood Springs to Chacra, two 10 miles stretches in Utah, after Fruita-Loma and before Thompson Springs. At last 45 miles from Green River (always Utah) I think that stretches are not forbidden, but I'm afraid they could be dangerous. Which precautions I can have?
I also hope to cycle Us50, "the loneliest road in america". Other dangers there?

[BikeFreak]

1. If you follow the ACA maps everything is taken care of, also where you can bike on interstates. In general, if there are absolutely NO alternatives to an interstate you are allowed to bike on it - but many have some sort of service road just next to.
2. USA is not a hostel country like Europe - especially not in the middle.
3. If your budget is 50 to 60 USD pr day I would likely say that's impossible - especially including food. Motels in the middle of nowhere far from big cities where the competition is big, are expensive - can easily be 100 USD if im not mistaken.

The ACA maps take you through rural areas where motels/hotels to my opinion are expensive, however traffic volume is low which is good. I have a feeling that you could bike across USA with lots of traffic passing larger cities/town and that way reduce your costs.

If my budget was 50-60 USD pr day I would have to carry a tent and try to free camp as much as possible. Many many campgrounds in the USA charge a tent like a big RV, and you will have to pay in excess of 30 USD for a grass spot you will be using for 6-8 hours.

[canalligators]

It will be difficult to find low cost lodging.  Many places have no motels.

I have used Motelguide to find lower cost motels: http://www.motelguide.com/. This site only has independent motels, not the major chains.  To see all motels, I use Google Maps and search on “Lodging”.

There are one or two other websites like this one. I don’t remember their names.  It has been a long time since I used the website, I don’t know if it is still a good place to look.

Some campgrounds have cabins.  They will probably be expensive.

You might want to take a camping tarp or bivvy sack, in case you can’t find a room.

You may find free lodging on Warmshowers or Couchsurfing.

[lucagoes]

Thanks a lot for suggestions, anyway my budget is about 50/60 dollars for the room and 30 for food.
I will have a bivvy sack
I'll follow aca maps in the first three days and in the last week. In the middle I have a self made road book through little town or villages, and I'm building a motel road book, searching on google mile after mile
if you want I'm already on instagram: luca.cycling.in.usa but sorry, I write in italian

[John Nelson]

• Interstates have very wide shoulders, and thus are generally very safe. You will, however, get punctures from tire wires, and it will not be peaceful, or interesting.
• Mt Evans is a challenging ride, and the views are extraordinary. Be aware, however, that there is no water at the top, and the expansion gaps in the road will drive you nuts during the descent.
• Because of the cleaning fee, Airbnb is not normally feasible for one-night stays.
• ACA maps identify churches where you can stay. When off ACA routes, you can ask. You’ll probably have a 50/50 chance.

[lucagoes]

Thank you very much for all your suggestion, I'm noting everything. In this period I'm testing myself with 500 miles in 5 days, and so I'm not so present here, sorry...
What about weather forecast and tornado-alert?, on my phone I have Windy app, do I need something else?
About lock and chains I don't think to carry anything like these. I will be aware when I'll stop in supermarket or bar-restaurant, What do you think about?

[jamawani]

Luca -

Parlo spagnolo, ma non italiano.
Spero che la grammatica sia simile.

No.
Semplicemente non puoi trovare una stanza in un motel per 50 o 60 dollari.
Saranno 100 dollari o più.

C'è un'organizzazione ciclistica e un sito web chiamato WarmShowers.
I ciclisti offrono gratuitamente le loro case ai ciclisti in viaggio.
https://www.warmshowers.org/

Sfortunatamente, la maggior parte dei membri vive in grandi aree metropolitane.
Non ce ne sono molti nelle piccole città lungo la strada.
Comunque... mi unirei subito.

Puoi andare in bicicletta sulle Interstate in Occidente, ma perché?
Di solito ci sono scelte molto migliori.
Se - - sei disposto a fare qualche miglia in più.

Ci sono una serie di sfide nei tuoi piani.
Non sei più giovane come una volta. Nemmeno io.
Non hai molti giorni per questo viaggio.
E il tuo bilancio sembra piccolo - - Mi dispiace.

Possiamo parlare delle opzioni di percorso e del tempo più tardi.
Sì, ci sono tempeste molto forti nelle Grandi Pianure a giugno.
Chiedi a Dorotea.

Ecco la mia e-mail:
jamawan@gmail.com
Se posso esserti d'aiuto.

Jama

PS - C'è stata una forte nevicata in Occidente quest'inverno.
Non credo che sarai in grado di scalare il Monte Evans a giugno.
L'anno scorso la strada è stata aperta il 10 giugno.
Quest'anno - 20 giugno? O più tardi?

[lucagoes]

Thanks a lot Jamawani, for your suggestions, I'll surely write to you by email in the next days.
Il tuo italiano è molto buono, ma qui preferisco scrivere in inglese per esercitarmi e per farmi capire da tutti...

Now I know my budget is understimated, but this is the trip of my life, if I will have to spend more, I will do.
In my road-book Mount Evans day will be about june 20th, I only can hope the best, but, first of all, I hope to really arrive in Idaho Springs, not easy to do.
About storms, I hope to have a good weather forecast service. If motels are so expensive I hope they also can resist to a strong storm.
I know my dream has a lot of challenges and it's not easy to realize, I'm coming just to try. If you don't try, you don't know...
But, who is Dorotea?

[jamawani]

Dorotea - - - o Dorothy.

[jamawani]

Please look into WarmShowers.
You will be pleasantly surprised and meet great people.

https://www.warmshowers.org/
My page -
https://www.warmshowers.org/user/267903

[zzzz]

Hi Luca:

I have toured here in the US as you intend to tour. No camping, packing light, 90-100 miles a day.

As you’ve gathered by now, your budget is light. I don’t mean to scare you as I’m treating myself when I’m on tour, so if there’s a couple motels or restaurants in town I always pick the nicer one, but my burn rate always seemed to average out to $200/day for food and shelter. That said, in a lot of the small towns that are not resort towns, hotels and restaurants were actually pretty cheap. It’s been 4 years since my last tour and I don’t know about prices today but there have been many hotels in modest little rural towns that were close to your budget. What made my costs go way up was when I passed thru towns like Banff or Whitefish or Crested Butte. Avoid overnighting in towns that cater to the wealthy as best you can.

Also, on my 1st tour, which was a coast to coast ride, I only packed a bivy. On all subsequent rides I carried the lightest tent,pad, and sleeping bag I could find (less than 2kg total). Out of a total of 220+- days I’ve spent on the road touring I have camped a total of 2 nights. Nonetheless, the piece of mind that you won’t spend the night freezing when the night time temperatures drop 40d out west is worth the small weight penalty.

Good luck and have a great ride!

[BikeFreak]

Last summer I did a 14 day trip with a bivvy bag. Never again. It weighs 600 gr and my 2 person tent weighs 2000 gr. I will accept the +1400 gr any day due to the comfort it gives me. If you have to set up camp when it's raining everything gets wet and you have to try to organize all your stuff OUTSIDE the bivvy - when its raining. With a 2 person tent you can throw everything in the tent vestibule where it can drip off. You can put your muddy shoes there and feel less worried about someone stealing your stuff. When you are not in bear country you can eat dinner and breakfast in peace inside the tent while the mosquitos are jumping on the inner mosquito fabric trying to suck your blood.

For me, a bivvy is more like an emergency shelter.