What is Your Favorite ACA Route & Why

[John Nettles]

 We are in a Joyous time of the year so I thought about bringing something lighter into the current conversations going on. You can select up to 5 choices.
 
If you have ridden or would like to ride all or part of an ACA Route, which one & why?
 
Because I don't want to type out all the names, I am just going to use the abbreviations in the poll.  See https://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/interactive-network-map/ for the full names.  NOTE:  BR66 is at the bottom as I forgot to add it and the poll won't let me re-sort it.
 
Tailwinds, John 
 
P.S. Sorry the Poll choice is so long but that is a good problem to have!

[John Nettles]

My favorite is the TA by far.  First, it was my first ACA tour (not my first tour).  I love how the scenery, topography, and weather change about every 7-10 days so it doesn't get boring.  If you have the time, I highly recommend it.

I like anything in the Inland Northwest area so that is why parts of the NT, L&C, GPs, etc. are great.  I like parts of the ECC but prefer an alternate between St. Louis and Pittsburgh primarily do to too much traffic on the ACA Route.

I also like the PP&P area as it offers some unique scenery (Mt. Rushmore/Black Hills/Custer SP) and the wide open spaces of the plains in South Dakota. 

My least favorite is probably the greater NYC area of the AC as it just had too much traffic but then I did it many many moons ago and the route has, I think, changed. 

All in all, the vast majority of ACA route are excellent and are wonderful to ride. 

Tailwinds, John

[jamawani]

John -

The TransAm is the first I clicked because of its meaning.
Anyone riding the TransAm is automatically linked to thousands of others before them,

The Northern Tier is great on both ends but has a big, sometimes-endless, middle.
Bar Harbor and Anacortes are the best endpoints of any x-USA route.

The Western Express has a remoteness and expansiveness that no other route offers.
It has lots of climbing and few services, so its not for the inexperienced rider.

The Great Parks route offers the creme de la creme of western scenery.
It is more accessible than the GDMBR, but can have a good deal of tourist traffic.

The Parks, Peaks, and Prairies route offers the less-visited Bighorn Mountains.
The Black Hills and Badlands can be pretty busy, though nothing like Yellowstone.

>> I think more people might respond if you put the actual route names.
Most people don't know them automatically by the abbreviations.

Pic - June Wildflower Meadow in the Bighorns

[John Nettles]

I think more people might respond if you put the actual route names.
Most people don't know them automatically by the abbreviations.

Probably, but typing all that out is a pain.  I started to do it but gave up after "DelMarVa".  That is why I included the link and if they scroll down past the map, the abbreviations become fairly clear.  Maybe after this poll is over, I will start a new one and maybe ACA can make it a sticky for others to read why people like each route. 
BTW, you did not vote    (only 1 vote so far and that is mine)
Tailwinds, John

[jamawani]

It must not have registered.
I'll try again.

[John Nelson]

The TransAmerica is the best, because it has such incredible support for the cyclotourist. It takes a lot of years to develop this infrastructure, and the TA has been around the longest. It also has wonderful small-town charm.

Route 66 is my second favorite, because it’s just so dang fun to see all those old bridges, drive-in, restaurants, motels, gas stations and murals.

For scenery, the Pacific Coast can’t be beat. And it has plentiful and inexpensive campgrounds.

Lewis and Clark has the most interesting history, Chicago to New York has great cities and the wonderful C&O/GAP, PPP has some beautiful National Parks, and UGRR is very educational.

The Northern Tier is my least favorite, despite Going To The Sun Road being the best cycling road in the country. Eastern Montana and North Dakota are too desolate.

[Ty0604]

Tough question! I’ll start off by saying that my least favorite is Bicycle Route 66. Long stretches of nothingness, a lot of interstate riding, terrible roads, dogs. The history was cool but I wouldn’t do it again.
 
My favorite though? I would go with DelMarVa. Philadelphia is one of my favorite cities to cycle in and then the ride down the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia coast is incredible. In Currituck, you can catch the Outer Banks Alternate of the Atlantic Coast Route, which I was unable to do due to a Nor’Easter slamming the east coast when I arrived into Virginia Beach but it’s on my list. From there the possibilities are endless.

The Great Rivers South is also amazing. I start in Nashville and ride the Natchez Trace Parkway to Tupelo where it follows the same route as the GRS so Natchez, where the NTP terminates and the GRS continues onto to New Orleans via Baton Rouge.

On my next ride, I intend to ride the NTP again to Tupelo, head north on the GRS to its terminus in Muscatine, Iowa where it intersects the Northern Tier route. Follow the NTR to its terminus in Bar Habor, Maine where it intersects with the ACR. Follow the ACR to at least Boston. Time and money will decide where I go then. Probably won’t happen until 2027 though. Life is happening right now.

Merry Christmas John!

[jamawani]

I’ll start off by saying that my least favorite is Bicycle Route 66. Long stretches of nothingness, a lot of interstate riding, terrible roads, dogs.

I agree. Who wants to ride on an Interstate or on a service right next to an Interstate?
Actually, you can approximate the feel of Historic Route 66 by riding nearby rural routes that were never Route 66,
but gives the the feel of early-day highway travel.

Boise City - Raton - Taos - Abiquiu - Cuba - Crownpoint - Gallup - Window Rock - Tuba City - Grand Canyon

[ray b]

All depends on mood and goals.
For variety in weather, terrain, landscape, personalities and roads, it has to be GDMBR.

[canalligators]

I’ve only ridden two long ones (TA and NT) and two short ones (Vermont and Adirondacks). And I’ve ridden short stretches of a few more. I liked the route of the Trans Am, but my ride wasn’t an ideal circumstance; with a group, and too many miles per day. MyNorthern Tier was done with family members, and was overall a more pleasant experience. I like the Vermont Islands tour and I’d ride it again, but they haven’t offered it in a couple of years. I’d probably ride the Adirondacks again also; I rode it alone, but I’d probably ride that again if they offered it as a group ride.

If I had to pick a favorite, it’s probably the GAP; I’ve ridden that three times over the years, and I’d probably ride it again.

Conversely, there are parts of otherwise good routes that I would refuse to ride again, like US 95 west of Whitefish, or Hoosier Pass on a busy rainy day.  Let’s skip all those western highways, too, where there’s no shoulder and the drivers refused to move over - and they damn well expected you to be over on the edge

[BikeliciousBabe]

Conversely, there are parts of otherwise good routes that I would refuse to ride again, like US 95 west of Whitefish....

I you mean U.S. 93 north of Whitefish to Eureka, I am with you 100%.  And it's a shame because I really like going off the NT and Troy, MT and heading up to "The Yaak" for a couple of days.  But the only practical was to get to Whitefish from there is to head to Rexford and Eureka and then ride 93.  Last time I did that (2019), the ride was terrifying in places, and that is coming from someone who lives and rides in a one of the largest cities in the U.S.

[davidbonn]

US 93 is especially scary around Whitefish, but as you go further north it becomes almost tolerable.  You can bypass quite a bit of it on quiet forest roads N of Whitefish and then pick up the Tobacco road S of Eureka.  So if you do that you only are on 93 for about 10 miles between Stryker and Fortine.  And even then you can skip a lot of it if you desire.

I rode through here in May of 2019 and then connected on Pipe Creek Road over to the Yaak Valley.  There was still snow and downed trees over that section.