Northern Tier motels

[ondowntheroad]

I am thinking about a Northern Tier Ride West to East. Is it possible to complete the ride without camping? Or are the distaces between accomodations too great?

[FredHiltz]

It depends on many factors. Start with this extensive discussion:
http://www.adventurecycling.org/forums/index.php?topic=5521.0

Fred

[Pat Lamb]

We ran into a couple on a tandem last summer who were doing just that (west to east, motels only).  I think you have a slight advantage in that, with only a minimal load, you can pull longer distances each day than if you were hauling camping (and cooking) gear.

They used the AC maps, and had spent a fair bit of time getting the reservations lined up.  Started in mid-July, IIRC, so reservations were particularly critical for the weekends in the northwest.  They had both trained to make the long rides possible. 

I envied them, because they were making such good time.  I was horrified at the idea of planning ALL the days, and ALL the days off, and HAVING to stick to those plans!

[indyfabz]

When making your plans, keep in mind that some campgrounds (KOAs in particular) have cabins, cottages and similar types of indoor accomodations.  You'll still have to use the common bathrooms and showers, but you will be sleeping inside.

[MaryK]

I rode the Northern Tier in 2007 and camped for only a few days.  There were times when we couldn't find accommodations or there were motels but they were full.  I would not want to do this route without at least a tent and sleeping bag.

If you're trying to save weight, skip any of the cooking gear.  If you think you're going to camp, find something for dinner and breakfast before you hit your end point for the day.  It's not too hard to find a sandwich or some place you can eat before hitting a campground. 

At a minimum, I always carried a jar of peanut butter, crackers, nuts and gatorade. You'd be surprised how far this can take you.

  -Mary