TransAmerica Bike route breakdown

[cerepakp]

I am trying to plan a bike route for this summer, but I am unsure with how much it is going to cost.  I was wondering if there is anyone who has done it and is willing to share how long it took them and how much everything was.

[FredHiltz]

Yes, hundreds of thousands of people have planned bike routes. No one can answer your other questions until you choose to reveal what part of the world interests you, how long you plan to ride, what kind of lodging you like, whether you will share expenses with someone else, etc.

You might do better to browse http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/, where you will find many journals.

Fred

[staehpj1]

Actually Fred, it looks like he did.  The subject says "TransAmerica Bike route breakdown".  That would usually mean the Adventure Cycling Trans America route.

With that in mind...
Lots of folks have recorded their TA experiences in journals.  Tons of them are on the Crazy Guy on a Bike site.  You can start with ours at:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/staehling2007

Cost is WIDELY variable.  If you camp and cook most of the time you can go pretty cheaply.

We averaged under $5 per night for campsites and motel rooms, but we very seldom got a room and stayed in city parks, churches, and other free places whenever possible.  The AC maps were a great help in finding these places, but we also seeked out others on our own.  We got some invites from generous hosts, which also helped a lot.

I don't have an exact accounting, but spent around $2k including airfare (one way only since we were picked up by family at the end)and everything I spent during the trip.  This included shopping stops at the Patagonia outlet and the Pearl Izumi outlet. It also included quite a few restaurant meals and things like a rafting trip on the Salmon river.

I actually think I would have spent more if I were at home.

While we were on the frugal side, a true cheapskate could get by cheaper and some who want to stay in motels and eat in more expensive places will spent several times that much.

[Westinghouse]

I have not cycled ACA's Transam route, but I have cycled across the USA, east to west. Telling you how much money it would cost you is impossible. Within certain limits such a journey can cost about as little or as much as one is willing to pay. It is possible to pay as little as $10.00 a day for food, not that I would want to. Free camping is a no cost factor. Another person and I went 3700 miles by bicycle across the USA and part of Mexico too. The total on the road
cost was $1600.00. The trip lasted 66 days. However, that was way back in the winter of 1984-85. Prices have been rising ever since.

At the low end you could get by on $20.00 a day. As for the high end it is whatever it is.

This message was edited by Westinghouse on 10-23-08 @ 9:48 AM

[MrBent]

I'm with Westinghouse on this one: hard to estimate.  I spent, typically, about $15/day on food and usually nothing on camping.  I stayed in only a handful of pay campgrounds--like three or four--and maybe four motels, the most expensive being about $60+ in Troy, Missouri.  But my goal was go cheap and maximize adventure.  I was on the road for 99 days, so cumulative expenses would really start to stack up.  How low-end are you willing or wanting to go?  Having some extra cash for the occasional motel is REALLY nice, especially on those days when you just want to shower and crash and not bother with anything.  An air conditioned room for a night can be a real blessing.

Re. food: I rarely ate out.  Cooked and carried mostly.

Scott