That sounds like such an amazing trip, I am seriously thinking of doing it within the next couple of years. Hopefully without all the snow though!
What was the weight of the gear on your bike do you think?
I never once weighed it...there is a photo of the gear i packed on my blog before i flew to portland...And how much did your bike weigh?
...again no idea mate...but it is a64cm steel frame dawes galaxt tourer so its heavy as bikes go...but it was still lighter than the surley long haul truckers i saw out there I can't imagine doing all those climbs with all that gear!
Well you get used to it...also the bike has a triple chainset...but still i had to use the lowest gear a LOT. Actually th ebike is much more stable loaded than unloaded.
Sorry about the Yank truck drivers, they aren't great. I see what you mean about riding a little more into the road. I do that here, especially if there is any chance of me getting doored!
I met american riders who were to a man afraid of riding left of the line...they seemed to believe the cars had more road rights than they did...european riders i met had no such fear.
I guess in some respect you were lucky in that it was a really dry summer, but the flipside is that you were riding into a headwind the entire time, I bet there's some connection between the two!
A couple of other questions: was it easy to meet people on the road? I would fear creeping loneliness and turning into Tom Hanks from Castaway after awhile!
I was never lonely, not one second. I met many many people off the bike, and several riders going west...also i rode with a couple of east bound riders for a couple of days...when i was alone though i was still not lonely, i do being alone, there is always something that needs doing so bordom never sets in. I had a droid phone with me so i could e mail etc when i found wifi which is easy enough...except out west in areas. Phone signal in the states is appalling compared to europe...i went for days and days with no mobile/cell phone signal...at&t should be ashamed of themselves....verizon seemed better.
Also, why did you choose to end where you did and not New York or Boston?
Because that is where the trans american cycle route ends...i was following the aca maps.
Are you still riding a lot in the UK? I would imagine that after the trip your fitness levels were astronomical! I suppose with the change of terrain (I think it gets easier as you go east
? erm....dont bet on it ! The appalachion mountains are steep hard climbs in virginia...) and the fact you were getting fitter probably meant the ride got physically easier as you went
? yep i did get fitter and i lost 24lbs in weight in 87 days whilst eating anything i liked[/quote]