Trans Am Oregon to Wyoming/ Narrow Roads?

[prstone50]

Hello all.  I hope to do my first long distance solo tour this summer.  After recieving my maps from Adventure Cycle, I noticed alot of Narrow Roads and no shoulders listed.  Well, this has me a bit worried as I am used to lots of shoulder where I live.  

Questions:
1. How Narrow and scary/hairy are the roads?
2. My short wheel base Recumbent likes to have at least a foot of 'wiggle room', will this get me squashed?
3. I had planned on using a 2 wheel trailer, are they too wide?

Any info would be great, to ease my worries about becoming a hood ornament.

Bent rider

[FredHiltz]

Hi PR,

For the most part, narrow roads = low traffic and quiet countryside. They won't be scary/hairy; cyclists chose and scouted all of them.

That said, when trucks are coming both ways, you may want to get off the pavement. It has happened to me once or twice. I recall seeing a wave of thanks from the drivers. If your hearing is not impaired, you get plenty of warning.

Are you comfortable on two-lane roads with no shoulders and light traffic at home? These are no different. Relax, stay alert, and enjoy the scenery.

Fred

[prstone50]

Thanks for the reply.  It is nice to hear from someone who has traveled the road that they are low traveled.  And yes, being a 'Bus driver' I understand to get off the roads for the big boys, lol.  Happy travels.
Paul

[JimF]

I did this route last year(Portland to coast, then ACA to Grand Teton). I agree with Fred about the shoulder question. If you've settled on a two-wheeled trailer... However, I rode the year before (TA from VA to GTNP) with a rider using a two-wheel. If you're concerned about shoulder width, you may want to look at an alternative. He had a number of one-wheel drops on those narrow/no shoulder roads when traffic got close. I used a Bob (single wheel), which tracked exactly; panniers work, albeit they may not be suitable for some cumbies. Good luck. The route was spectacular.