Hi, I'm a relatively new cyclist (bought my road bike last summer) and am planning a week of solo riding at the end of September - thinking about riding one way from Boston to Portland ME and then taking the train back. Last fall I did a weeklong tour along the Empire State Trail with my friend, but this time I will be solo - so hoping to get some tips from more seasoned riders!
1) For anyone who's ridden this specific route / segments of it - does anyone have route links to share or tips on what sources they use to plan a route? I've been using the East Coast Greenway map tool, looking up routes others have done on Ride with GPS and Strava, but curious what other sources people typically use.
2) Does anyone have more general bike touring tips for less experienced riders? I'm planning on staying in hotels so don't have to worry about camping, but in terms of safety tips, things you wish you knew earlier, etc - would love to know what the watch-outs are!
Thanks for any and all advice!
And for more context:
- What is your timeframe for riding this route? Include at least beginning and ending months.
Last week of September - I think have ~6 days max of riding - but may not need all those days
- How many miles a day do you intend to ride?
I'm thinking about averaging ~50 miles a day, probably fewer on day 1 (closer to 40), and increasing mileage as time goes on.
- What kind of riding do you like? Dislike? Consider things like scenery, hills, urban settings.
I mainly cycle on road - for this trip I'm interested in fall foliage and scenery - I don't mind hills but am not actively seeking out hillier routes.
- Are you interested in taking in historic or cultural sites? Or are you on the fast track?
Yes, I'm interested!
- What are your overnight preferences? Camping in campgrounds, stealth camping, hotels, Warmshowers, a combination?
I think I will do a combination of hotels and Warmshowers
- What is your plan for eating? Restaurants or cooking in camp?
Not going to pack any cooking supplies so restaurants it is..
