US Coast to Coast

[gyraffoclops]

I cycled the whole Pacific Coast this summer and am thinking about tackling Coast to Coast next summer.  Anyone experienced on many different route of doing it? which is the most scenic/easiest? I only plan on doing this once so i want to get it right.  Also are there any good guide books on doing it  much like Kirkendall and Spring's Bycicling the Pacific Coast?? How about weather, hills, sleeping, and just general fun of the routes. Thanks a ton! -Ben

[aggie]

I do not recommend the Southern Tier for the Summer.  It is hot and dry in the west, the roads in Texas are like an 800 mile rumble strip, and it is hot and humid (like soaking wet with sweat in 1 hr) in the east. 

[runner_runnered]

hi,

i'm doing coast to coast on around 1st of March next year. We want to finish up in New York though, and have been advised that a lot of the Mid/Northern routes will be too cold at that time.

We have been advised to do the Southern Tier route from San Diego, however somewhere around El Paso we aim to begin heading North Eastern towards New York.

From what i've been told on here, the Southern Tier route won't be too hot in March / April, and then as we head into April / May time, we aim to have reached somewhere more Northern so that the temperature won't be as hot as it would be on the remainder of the Southern Tier route.

Basically, we just want to avoid being anywhere when it is too hot as we are English and would therefore die a painful death if the sun was to come out! This seems to be the best route that we can come up with, so depending on when you are planning on leaving, it MIGHT sound decent to you to.

However we are still open to suggestions of better routes that avoid the heat / mountains so if you have any better ideas then I am all ears!

Graeme

[valygrl]

I cycled the whole Pacific Coast this summer and am thinking about tackling Coast to Coast next summer.  Anyone experienced on many different route of doing it? which is the most scenic/easiest? I only plan on doing this once so i want to get it right.  Also are there any good guide books on doing it  much like Kirkendall and Spring's Bycicling the Pacific Coast?? How about weather, hills, sleeping, and just general fun of the routes. Thanks a ton! -Ben

Er, you know they sell cycling maps right here at www.AdventureCycling.org, right?     I've only crossed once, so have no comparative info, but I really liked the Lewis and Clark from OR to MT, then did my own thing from there.  I would recommend Northern Tier or Transamerica route maps from Adv. Cyc.  Those are the good summer routes.  If you are on the shoulder season in the west, Western Express (I've only driven it) is very scenic & remote, but not easy. 

[elcole]

My wife and I did a Lewis and Clark/Northern Tier/Lake Connector combined route from Astoria to Boston.  We used mostly ACA maps except for a few places including the Eire Canal (which is a great way to get across a big part of NY).  We did it in June-July of 06 and it was blazing hot all the way to Michigan.  Then it rained.  We camped mainly in the west, but we didn't find that many opportunities in the East.  It was tough, but we were monsters when we got to Boston.  Good luck and have fun.