America coast to coast

[Dayvo]

BTFB! You have a pm from moi! :?:

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

...just looking at this Hurricane in New Orleans mate...me thinks a new tent is a must have for xmas!

 

[Dayvo]

...just looking at this Hurricane in New Orleans mate...me thinks a new tent is a must have for xmas!

Yeah, one like this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Bird's_Nest_stadium,_May_2008.jpg

 

[domtyler]

Just finished watching the Mark Beaumont thing last night. Looks like he had a great time cycling across the States, apart from being knocked over and being mugged anyway!

 

[xilios]

Yeah! Planning to do it in the summer (June, July, August) of 2010 (I'm 50 in Jan 2010 and want to do a few different things that year to 'celebrate' it!
quote]

Yep same here, we also turn 50 in 2010 and already been saving for a tour across Canada or Oz, to celebrate. I am hoping for Oz but early days yet. After talking to several like minded people around, going coast to coast US, Can. or Oz it would be a good idea to join warmshowers or couchsurfing as some of the distances can be great without any place to stay, also fun meeting some locals.
A lot of planning till 2010, now just focusing on next spring tour

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I have found some gps route files for the trans america route here:
http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/gps.cfm?rt=TransAmerica&s=470k&f=tagpsdata

I even managed to get them into my GPS but I dont have the american maps so I can tsee anything except thje line...I am going to need an american sd map card me thinks..or ..even the dvd...I am also thinking that a small lite laptop would be kool for such a trip....2010 I will be the wrong side of forty and th eright sid eof 50 still...I think east >west is best...why do you guys feel different?

 

[Dayvo]

I think east >west is best...why do you guys feel different?

Psychologically, it's all downhill, north west to south east (looking at a map) and riding towards 'home'!

Same if I ever did LEJOG, I'd do a north to south!

 

[Tim Bennet.]

There's no need to reinvent the wheel with this. Hundreds and hundreds of people do the crossing each year and millions of words have been written, (including all the precise details) about every conceivable way of doing it.

It's a big enough undertaking that to disregard other people's experiences would be silly.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

who's re inventing wheels?

 

[Tim Bennet.]

I think east >west is best...

.

 

[Cathryn]

There's a few of us who want to do this...we should do it as a group! Cyclechat Conquers America!

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

Maybe one team could start on the east coast and the on the ron the west and we could meet up in the middle....that way we wont have to re invent any wheels.

 

[friedel]

Hi Brock, most people advise doing Canada from west to east because of prevailing winds. I assume it's the same reason for the U.S. - a headwind across the praries = not much fun!

I think you can do this pretty cheaply if you're prepared to do some wild camping and cook your own food. My main concern for Canada, and again I think it's similar for the States, is picking roads that are as traffic free as possible. I hope I am wrong but I have the impression, from other cyclists as well as when I lived in Canada, that North Americans are not very cycle aware or respectful of bikes on the road.

Also, remember to use Warm Showers and Couchsurfing to meet great people!

 

[friedel]

For those of you wanting a bike tech course, we found the ones offered by CTUK very helpful. You have to get down to London though...

http://www.cycletraining.co.uk/training/individual_training.php#maintenance

We did the basic and intermediate courses. They'll cover pretty much anything you'll run into on the road and a bit more besides.

 

[Cathryn]

Edinburgh Bikes do maintenance courses as well.

Welcome back Friedel, by the way. Where are you guys?