riding east/south/west/north routes

[bigwayne3000]

Hello all. I dont know how I did it but for whatever reason I started thinking about bicycling. I stumbled upon the TransAtlantic route and am interested in doing this at some point in my life. After research of this route I came across the Atlantic, South, Pacific, and Northern routes on the Adventure Cycling website. I was just curious if there is anyone whose ever done these simultaniously. In other words has anyone ever riden the routes along the outside of the US? Hopefully this makes sense. I look forward to talking to you guys, for something as random as this I am actually very interested in one day doing this. Hopefully as soon as I'm done with school. Thanks for any help you guys can provide. Take care.

[Westinghouse]

I have done the perimeter of the US except for the portion between Bar Harbor Maine and near Davenport Iowa. I have done the Atlantic coast three times, the southern tier a number of times, and the Pacific coast once, and 2600 miles of the northern tier.

What kinds of questions do you have about these routes?

[bigwayne3000]

I guess the mai question is what did you do to prepare for these adventures? I never rode a bike for distance or touring or anything. As a kid I'd ride around the block etc all the time but since havent really touched a bike. I stumbled upon the TransAtlantic route by accident and since Ive wanted to do it as I think itd be an amazing experience. Ive recruited a buddy of mine whose interested in doing it as well. Im stilla yr or 2 out from doing it so Id like to get prepared for this. I was thinking of doing the Atlantic route before I did the TransAtlantic route. What did you do to prepare for this? Any tips you could provide me is greatly appreciated.

email: bigwayne3000

thanks!
---wayne

[CMajernik]

Wayne:
On the ACA website there is a page of resources and articles about
preparing for a tour. Here's the link:

http://adventurecycling.org/features/howto.cfm


 

[Westinghouse]

Google bicycle touring or transcontinental bicycle touring. Here is a website: www.crazyguyonabike.com. There is plenty of information on how to prepare for a long bicycle tour.

The main things are shelter, the bike itself, a sleeping bag, maps, money, plus the will and the drive to go the distance. Most any normally fit person can hit the road and cross the continent, but compared to the total number of persons able to do so, only a small minority ever commit.

[Westinghouse]

Bigwayne3000:

In my opinion, and I have never done the Transam by bicycle, your best bet for beautiful scenery and staying away from those big cities would be the northern tier. Not that it is all away from cities, but cities can be gotten around.

Get books on bicycle touring. Study them. Go to www.crazyguyonabike.com and read about people who have cycled on those routes, and who may be cycling them right now. There are plenty of cycling web pages that may have information on those routes. The Atlantic coast has plenty of cities, but there is a route around NYC. The Pacific coast is advised for great scenery. However, for a first time tour it is kind of tough with all those steep hills, and if you pull into a state campground with a car and tent they might charge you much more than in a hiker-biker campsite.

[Peaks]

yes, as we were finishing up the Norther Tier, we caught up with a man who was doing the perimeter of the US.  He started on the Southern Tier in Louisanna, went north on the Pacific Coast, east on the Northern Tier.  After leaving him in Bar Harbor, his plans was south on the Atlantic Coast, and then Southern Tier back to Louisanna.

[judyrans]

Changing Gears: Bicycling America's Perimeter
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0962611204/acrtheusbybik

It's a bit dated now, but you can get an idea about what it will be like

Check your local library and interlibrary loan if you'd rather not buy.

[Westinghouse]

I just read six opinions on the book "Changing Gears."
If I had it, I would read it. Sounds pretty good.

[bikeparts]

I have done TranAm, Northern Tier and part of Eastern US.There is so much beauty in all parts of US and doing it on a Bike is simply Great .Meeting Great People on the Road, keeping your Heart going,taking a bath in Hot Springs.Seeing Antelope,Armindilo,snakes,Deer,Moose,and then there is an odd Dog chaseing you.Then you have the senery BlueRidge Mountains,Grand Titons,Yellowstone,Cascades,Bar Harbor, and this is only a Few of the Beautifull Places that I have seen.  ACA does have the maps for you to see all these places and I am Glad  that a Special Person got me started in Cycling.Some People Dream other People DO.Good luck in Your indevers................................

[Westinghouse]

The southern tier will take you into the heart of the south, the new south that is, and it will take you across great geographical contrasts. The pacific route will take you through cities, and along really great scenic areas; very clean air. The northern tier will take you up into the rockies, down to the foothills, along the Mississippi, and into the NE. The Atlantic route is mostly flat, relatively flat that is. It goes from Maine to Key West. A lot of it is along the oceanside, but it is not as great as the pacific route.

[MaryK]

There's an issue here that no one has addressed - Bigwayne3000 says, "I never rode a bike for distance or touring or anything," and goes on to say that he hasn't been on a bicycle since he was a kid.  Now he's talking about circling the US. 

Bigwayne3000 - get a bike now.  Ride it for the summer.  Try some back to back long days.  Do a century.  Load it and do a weekend tour.  Ride on a really rainy day.  Change a flat tire.  See if you like it.  If you do, you can research routes while you're doing all of this.

I hope you discover, as many of us have, the joy of cycling.  I do 3000 - 4000 miles a season and did the Northern Tier in 2007.  It was an adventure I'll never forget. 

Best of luck to you.

  -Mary

[shepherdhike]

I never toured before. My longest ride of any type was about 65 miles. I am now on my first ever loaded bicycle tour, and I'm doing the perimeter. I'm 4,266 miles in and getting ready to set out on the second half next week. I'm solo and self-supported. It just depends on what you want to do and how much time you have.

The northern tier was good from Ohio until Montana. The wind was horrible (don't go westbound). The Pacific Coast was awesome, but lots of climbing. My mileage really dropped there. I skipped LA and San Diego and found my own route across the desert to Arizona. That was a challenge...long miles between towns. Can't comment on the rest of the southern tier or Atlantic Coast yet, as I haven't been there yet.

Nancy

[Westinghouse]

I just posted on your thread about pepper spray and dogs. That is biting off a large chunk for a first tour. If you are motivated, you can do it. The Atlantic coast will be a piece of cake for you going south to north that time of year. Highway 90 in North Florida is rolling. In late April of 2007 I was doing 65-70 miles on 90 some days and less others. The coastal route in FL in the north is relatively flat in some places, and quite level in many places. In late April in N. Fl one day the temperature was 91 F. Highway 90 in N. FL has many very nice wooded areas for stealth camping which I mean as a place to sleep for the night, and not actually camping; no fire, no sign left that anyone was there; leaving the site exactly as it was found.

[shepherdhike]

I'm glad to hear I have some easy riding coming up. I feel like I have been battling wind and mountains forever. I normally do try to stealth camp. It's hard to do in the desert...nothing to hide behind, but I've managed to do it.

The motivation that is getting me around the country is my 50th birthday. This ride is my birthday celebration. If you want to read more about it: www.squidoo.com/bike50

Nancy