Around the US

[3781miles]

Does anyone have any info about traveling around the US? I was thinking of going pacific coast, to the southern tier, to the atlantic coast, to the Northern. I know it will be difficult in regards to weather and timing, but I know there has to be some way. Again if anyone has any info please let me know

Thanks
Kevin

[John Nelson]

This has been discussed here many times. The prevailing wisdom is that it is much better done counterclockwise than clockwise. Ride E-to-W across the Northern Tier in the summer, N-to-S down the Pacific Coast in the autumn, W-to-E across the Southern Tier in the winter, and up the Atlantic coast in the spring. One big motivator for this direction is the desire to get the favorable winds on the Pacific coast by going N-to-S.

If you're going to do this like your WE/TA with 100+ mile days, you're going to get ahead of this schedule, but that may subject you to unfriendly weather.

[litespeed]

I recommend you go across the northern US in the summer or mid-to-late spring and south down the Pacific coast before October and after April. You don't make it clear where you are starting from. Deep winter (Jan.-Feb.) is no fun anywhere. I have hit freezing temperatures in Mobile AL in December.

[3781miles]

I will be starting in San Fran around April...hit Florida around late may May to miss that lovely season that starts in june

[John Nelson]

How long do you expect the full trip to take you? Depending on your route, it's about 10,000 to 11,000 miles.

[litespeed]

Your schedule sounds fine. You should be going up the east coast and back across the country in the summer and down to San Francisco before the rains hit in October. Six months to circumnavigate the 48 is easy. I did it in 7 months but I did it in five stages - flying home for 2 weeks after each one-month stage (I get free plane tickets). So I actually bicycled for 5 months. The stages were: (1)Florida - Lebanon, NH (2)NH - Casper, WY (3)WY - Florence OR - San Francisco (4)SF - San Antonio, TX (5) TX - Florida. In each stage I arrived at my destination with days to spare and enjoy the sights and catch my flight.

[3781miles]

Litespeed I have so many questions, but  where do I start? I am estimating the trip to cost around $20,000 is that about right?

[litespeed]

$20,000 would give you well over $100 a day even if you take 6 months for the circumnavigation. If you camp in the wild (or town parks or people's yards) and do your own camp cooking you should spend a small fraction of that. If you do as I do - campgrounds (I'm a fan of KOA) and cheap motels and eat in cheap diners and restaurants - you will spend maybe $50-70 a day. You can reduce that by $10-20/day if you camp in state and federal parks. A favorite trick of mine is to buy a footlong at Subway in the early afternoon, eat half of it and save the other half for supper. I'm not much of a cook. Also, if you are a gregarious person you will meet people from time to time and enjoy money saving hospitality.

These figures are averages, of course. Some days you will get by spending nothing or very little. Other days you will have unexpected expenses.

[rvklassen]

Litespeed I have so many questions, but  where do I start? I am estimating the trip to cost around $20,000 is that about right?

There is substantial discussion of the costs of riding in other threads.  One of which was a Brit trying to understand the cost of riding in the USA.  Also on this site go to "register your ride" and down near the bottom is "where are the numbers"  which has statistics (or it did, and should soon) about lots of things, including costs.
As a couple riding on a tandem, we budget $70 per day, and get a mix of camping, cooking, restaurants and motels.  As well as WarmShowers.org

[staehpj1]

Litespeed I have so many questions, but  where do I start? I am estimating the trip to cost around $20,000 is that about right?

I personally can't imagine myself spending that much for the trip.  If you plan to go first class, eat lots of nice restaurant meals, get rooms often, drink lots of alcoholic beverages in bars or clubs, and so on you could possibly spend that much, but the way I travel I'd expect to be at or under $5,000.  I'd budget more ($7-10K maybe?) just so the budget wouldn't be a worry.

All that said I am sure it could be done for $2k and that someone might spend $20k.

Whatever way you go have a great trip.

[3781miles]

7-10k? really? Well I guess I shouldve said I am going supported. Which means gas, insurance, oil changes. Then you gotta factor in a new bike. I got this never mind sorry for the money trouble.. I got the numbers in my head figured out. I guess I am just looking for who did it advice. Sorry guys

[popeyespal]

I apologize if this starts a war of some kind but I just have to say it.

Supported? Yes..this is a way to do it and it does seem beneficial for group rides.

Just my opinion here but I believe a supported trip severely inhibits your ability to do things on the spur of the moment and this ability can make or break the "adventure" aspect of a trip. You also will be traveling with your people and therefor have much less reason to interact with folks along the way.

Unless your goal is to bike from point to point as fast as possible then I would at least consider doing the trip solo.

Also I think you had some gear questions in another thread. Those answers are all moot. If you are going supported you don't need to carry anything except water. That's what the vehicle is for.

Let the war begin...

[staehpj1]

Just my opinion here but I believe a supported trip severely inhibits your ability to do things on the spur of the moment and this ability can make or break the "adventure" aspect of a trip. You also will be traveling with your people and therefor have much less reason to interact with folks along the way.

Everyone can and should do their tour the way they want, but  I have to agree that having a car, van motor home, or what ever along very seriously impacts the experience.  For me it sucks much of the joy out of the trip.  There are a number of drawbacks including:

• Greatly lessened feeling of self reliance.
• And on the flip side greatly lessened opportunities to be the recipient of hospitality.
• Lessened contact with local folks.
• Much greater temptation to take rides.
• A boring time for the driver. Who winds up with tons of time to kill in towns with a population of something like 50 and when they do have something to do it is shopping, running errands, and doing laundry.  I know that the spouses I have met who were driving the camper felt VERY stressed at times.
• You won't be able to use hiker biker sites.
• You won't get invites to stay in churches and peoples homes.
• You will need reservations much more often in parks that are full in peak season.
• Staying in town parks will be less likely to work.

Do it the way you want but consider those points before deciding and be sure that your driver realizes what they are getting themselves into.  Driving on a tour might sound like fun, but it is likely to be a real grind by the time the trip is over.  If your driver is a close friend or spouse consider the strain this might be on the relationship.

[3781miles]

I already did the solo ride by myself across country via WE to TA. WAYYYYY OVER RATED <in my opinion>. Happiness is only real when shared with others. Who wants to take pictures of their bike in front of everything anyways. Biggest regret of the solo trip is not enough pictures were taken.

Let the war continue

[John Nelson]

Solo isn't the same thing as self-supported. You don't need support to have companionship.

You've already tried solo and didn't like it (although in my opinion, you didn't help by rushing it). So find a partner.

Personally, I prefer solo and self-supported. The sense of freedom is incredible, and a solo cyclist is a magnet for locals who come out of everywhere to engage you (assuming you pause long enough to let that happen). But there's room for all tastes.