How to Return to Start on one way tour?

[mikep]

Hello everyone. 

I'm a new member, but long time rider just getting around to touring. Long time coming! 

I'm in the planning stages for a Pacific Coast tour later this year and was wondering how to pull off a one way ride?  From Astoria to San Francisco for example.  Probably shorter, but that's a good place to begin.  I've tried a few searches, but couldn't hit the right key words for a satisfactory answer. 

What sort of transport/shipping methods would you suggest to get bike and self back to my starting point?  I'll probably be flying in with bike box and other gear that would have to stay at my starting location. I'm assuming it would be easier to fly in and out of the same airport, but maybe not. 

Any suggestions and info is greatly appreciated. 

Thanks

MikeP

[cgarch]

Most folks have successfully used Amtrak to complete that loop. You would have to get over to Emeryville (BART or otherwise) to pick up the Coast Starlight to Portland. You might have to ride back to Astoria unless that's part of starting plan. That portion of the route has been extensively discussed by others. I've no experience flying with a bike but have done the Amtrak thing several times and highly recommend it (at least out here on the left coast). YMMV.

Craig
Santa Rosa, CA

[John Nelson]

I don't see any reason to have three transportation legs (home to start, finish to start, start to home) rather than just two (home to start, finish to home). I don't know what exactly you mean by "bike box and other gear that would have to stay at my starting location", but I would try to eliminate all that so that you leave nothing at the starting location. Perhaps you have a hard-shell case you would rather use, but I'd suggest you make do with a disposable box.

Because of high airline bike costs (except on a few airlines), I would generally prefer to ship my bike via FedEx or UPS to the start and home from the end rather than try to fly with it. Most bike shops provide a "pack and ship" service, and this is often quite convenient from your ending location. In many cases, this is a cheaper alternative than flying with your bike. Even if you feel you must use a hard case and fly with your bike, (as ridiculous as this sounds!!) you may find it cheaper to throw your hard case away at the start and buy a new one at the finish rather than pay the airline's bike charge three times.

Do you have some constraints you haven't mentioned yet?

[johnsondasw]

Most folks have successfully used Amtrak to complete that loop. You would have to get over to Emeryville (BART or otherwise) to pick up the Coast Starlight to Portland. You might have to ride back to Astoria unless that's part of starting plan. That portion of the route has been extensively discussed by others. I've no experience flying with a bike but have done the Amtrak thing several times and highly recommend it (at least out here on the left coast). YMMV.

Craig
Santa Rosa, CA

I have had horrible experiences twice with long distance Amtrak rides, one LA to Seattle following the Pacific Coast ride.  Maybe I just had bad luck.  Schedules were a joke (got in almost a day late on 2.5 day ride), rude employees on the train, endless lies about when we'd get places, etc.  I hope to never use the train again.  I know others have had better experiences. 

[mikep]

Thanks for the info guys.  As a novice at this touring thing, all of your ideas are appreciated.  I've considered most of the options mentioned, but having never done any of it, I just don't know what will work best for me.  I'm not an Amtrak fan either, maybe if I lived in the area that would be an option. 

I was considering a hard case, but John's input seems the simplest and I'm a simple guy.  In the coming months I'll have to nail down a start and finish and make contact with bike shops for shipping and packing.  Ok, progress!!

Until I think of something else...

Thanks

MikeP