Transamerica/Northern Tier link

[thomasmmoran]

I'm planning an eastbound Transamerican trip this summer but would prefer to finish in New England instead of the Mid-Atlantic states. Can anyone suggest any routes for either (a) jumping from the Transamerica trail to the Northern Tier trail somewhere east of Missouri, or (b) cutting off from Transamerica and ending up in Cape Cod, Mass.?

[daveM]

You might consider turning notheastward in eastern Kansas (EUREKA or there abouts) and travel off AD. Cyc. maps for a bit.  Kansas roads north and east to Missouri and then to the western most point of the Katy Trail in Missouri.  I believe it begins in Clinton, Mo., about 40 - 50 miles from Kansas.  It goes all the way to St. Louis.  You could hook up with the Great Rivers route going north and then hook up to Muscatine, Ia and there pick up the Northern Teir route.  The Katy is a great rails to trails and you can very nearly travel across the entire state with no traffic at all.  Hope this helps.

[Turk]

It looks like you could use parts of the proposed Underground Railroad Route that is being developed by Adventure Cycling to connect the two. It looks like you'd pick it up in Kentucky and go north through Ohio. Here's a link to the URR page:

http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/undergroundrailroad.cfm

[10thgear]

Another possibility if you want to ride along the Miss. River is to ride ACA Transamerica to Chester, IL. Ride north along the river to St. Louis. From St. Louis there is a nice road that takes you through Centralia, IL into southern Indiana. Crossing Indiana in the south you end in Madison, IN (beautiful). Then north of cincinnati pick up the bike trail that runs north to Fairborn, OH. Make a way west in southern OH (lots of hills) into southern PA. Along RT 30 (hilly) to Gettysburg and a little history. Head to Jim Thorpe, PA and the Delaware Water Gap. You can pick up the Atlantic Coast Route from there and follow it to Sutton, MA. From Sutton, MA I have a very nice route to the Cape that I could email you if you want it.

Hope this helps. I would be happy to provide more info if you want this sort of route.