Indiana to East Coast

[Gwen]

We are finishing our "bike across the U.S. "this fall.
We have up to 5weeks to ride this section. So far
we have pretty much followed the Northern tier
route but could drop down to the Transamerica
(which would be 700 miles versus 1500miles) or
we could take any other suggested  route - C & O
canal to D.C., Erie Canal?  We are now 65 years
old (started  this 10 yrs ago) so we want  the least
challenging route.  PLEASE  reply with advice.

[rootchopper]

I just finished riding across New York using the Erie Canal and NYS Bike Route 5. The canal towpath between Lockport and Rochester is very nice.  It is not paved however.  From Palmyra to Canajoharie there is no towpath so you have to ride the roads.  I took Bike Route 5.  It is amazingly flat except for a couple of respectable hills.  There is high speed traffic (50 mph or so) but the shoulders are wide, smooth, and debris free.  East of Canajoharie there is a paved rail trail that runs along the south bank of the Mohawk River pretty much all the way to the Hudson.  I suspect that the Northern Tier route is superior to Route 5 in that it is somewhat more remote.

The C&O is nice but it can be a muddy ride.  Getting there from the midwest can be done in part using the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail.  For more information on these routes you can read my journals at www.indc2003.crazyguyonabike.com and www.route5.crazyguyonabike.com.

Good luck.

[Peaks]

As I understand your question, you are looking for a less challenging route from Indiana to the East Coast.  

The Northern Tier route gets "challenging" after you leave the Erie Canal tow path and heads up into the Adirondacks.  Then comes the Green Mountains of Vermont and the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  Finally, western Maine has some good hills that don't really show up on the profile.  

So, alternatives to the Northern Tier would include continuing on the Erie Canal to Albany, and then either going down the Hudson to NYC or pick up Route 20 towards Boston.  You will need to cross the Berkshires on this one, but not nearly as tough as Vermont and New Hampshire.  

Another alternative would be to pick up the rail trail linking Pittsburg and Washington DC.  

I have done the Northern Tier, I haven't done route 20 in total, and did bike the C&O many years ago.