which route is best?

[giantrider]

I am planning a crossing of the USA. I would like to hear some pros and cons of the trans america,the northern and the southern routes and when is best time of year.I live in Pennsylvania. Thanks.

[Peaks]

Well, so many choices.  I guess one thing to look at is the season.  Check out the ACA schedule of cross country tours.  Southern route is best done in the spring and fall.  Northern Tier needs to have the Continental Divide open, usually early June to late September.  

Myself, we considered the Trans-America route.  But, we choice the Northern Tier because mid-America did not appeal to us in July.  Plus, we finished in Maine which is fairly close to home for us.  We also took the North Lakes route through the UP and avoided going around Chicago.  We took the Lake Erie connector to avoid the rust belt around Cleveland.  

Next time, maybe a different route.

[canalligators]

Re. Northern Tier, the few cyclists I spoke to (including the AC group) are all using one of the North Lakes and Lake Erie Connecter routes.  I think that the SS Badger alternate (L. Michigan Ferry) is the most popular.  They're certainly shorter than going south to Iowa.  

I particularly enjoyed the ride on the Badger.  From Luddington, I used local roads and trails near the w. shore of Michigan, plus the North Lakes to Monroeville, then the NT main to Clyde OH.  I went off route to visit family, then reconnected to the NT Main just W. of Cleveland.  I didn't think it was a bad route, in fact in the east 'burbs the roads are well set up for cycling with generous bike lanes.  Follow the AC route through Erie, NOT the local "bike route", it's a glorified sidewalk and is unsafe IMHO.