Which route do I take across the country? How do I decide? I have so little time in life for a big adventure, and this feels like my one shot. How do I make the most of it?
Dear Epic Adventurer,
Itβs easy to be overwhelmed by all the possibilities for a big bike adventure. At the same time, what a great problem to have! It sounds like while time is not limitless, youβve carved out a few months for an epic journey. Youβve probably done a fair bit of research already, but letβs review some top-notch resources for molding your dream into concrete plans.
Adventure Cyclingβs Interactive Network Map is an amazing place to start because it will show you loads of routes of varying distances all together. Once youβve taken some time to ponder all those colorful lines crisscrossing the country, I recommend unchecking the βComplete Adventure Cycling Route Networkβ box and start clicking into some individual routes. You can view multiple routes at a time, so maybe you want a quick visual comparison of the Northern Tier versus the TransAmerica Trail. You can then ask yourself, βDo I want to battle headwinds across North Dakota or across Kansas?β Just kidding. Kind of.
You donβt have to pick a single route either. You can use this tool to mix and match Adventure Cycling routes for a βChoose Your Own Adventure,β well, adventure. Maybe you want to start on the Northern Tier in Anacortes, Washington, and follow it all the way to Indiana where youβll switch over to the Chicago to New York City route and end your journey in the Big Apple. Or take Bicycle Route 66 from Santa Monica, California, to Odell, Illinois, where you jump on the Northern Tier all the way to Bar Harbor, Maine. The possibilities are β quite literally β endless.
Hopefully, this interactive tool will help you start seeing what most appeals to you. Are there certain states that youβve always wanted to visit? Or places youβve been before, but wished you were on your bike when you did? Do you have friends or relatives you could see along the way? Maybe you want to pass through places of personal or historical significance. If so, plot them all on a map and think about how best to make a meaningful trip for you.
And remember, a cross-country tour doesnβt only mean riding coast to coast. Crossing the country may mean North to South or South to North, opening popular routes like the Pacific Coast, Atlantic Coast, and Great Divide. Not to mention the Underground Railroad or the Sierra Cascades, the latter of which is perfect if you like big climbs and big descents.
Time of year and weather should be the next element you take into account. The feasibility, not to mention enjoyability, of many routes is entirely season dependent. If you have a specific time period in which to make this trip work, it could help determine your route. Please donβt try to ride the Southern Tier in summer!
Everything that Iβve mentioned so far is 100 percent free to use. Pretty amazing, right? Once youβre serious about a particular route or combination of routes, itβs time to drill into the details, including riding conditions, terrain, logistics, and additional resources. And the best way to do that is to put your money where your mouth is. Because theyβre packed with so much information, Adventure Cyclingβs digital and paper maps are broken into sections. You can purchase them individually or buy the whole route as a set (10 percent off for Adventure Cycling members). If youβre questioning the cost, I can assure you that Adventure Cycling maps are above and beyond what youβll find anywhere else, both in terms of the route design and for critical information about services like stores and places to stay.
If you like to navigate digitally, Adventure Cyclingβs new partnership with Ride with GPS is a game-changer. Once you buy the digital route, you can navigate it straight away with the Ride with GPS app on your smart phone. Or you can export it from the Experience Portal to your own Ride with GPS account, so you can break the route down into individual days and personalize your waypoints and destinations. From there, you can transfer your routes to a bike computer, so you can save your phone battery for all those great pictures youβre going to take.
Getting back to the research phase of things, itβs helpful to read some accounts from other touring cyclists, including what they did and didnβt like about their routes. Travelogues and memoirs are great for this, but they are often a retrospective of the journey. For a real-time look at life on the road, check out the journals on Crazy Guy on a Bike (includes crazy gals, too) and Track My Tour. Adventure Cyclingβs forum can also be a great resource.
Even if youβre planning to camp most nights, an indoor stay from time to time will be appreciated for getting clean, charged up, and rejuvenated. Just thinking about rolling into a basic motel after roughing it outdoors for multiple nights makes me smile. Many touring cyclists like to plan an indoor stay once every 7 to 10 days, perhaps in combination with a layover/non-biking day. It can be a great excuse to explore a bigger city or place with lots to see without having to sacrifice a cycling day.
Another amazing resource is Warmshowers. You can join for life for a nominal fee and enjoy humanity at its best by staying with folks who open their homes to touring cyclists. For free! Sometimes itβs a campsite in their yard and use of a shower, but itβs often an indoor stay, a conversation, and a hearty meal or two, as well. The icing on the cake is the incredible people youβll meet, with local knowledge and their own bike adventures to share.
So far, this discussion presumes that youβre planning this trip either self-supported or with your own arrangements for help from adventurous friends or partners. But donβt dismiss the guided tours offered by Adventure Cycling. Youβll still have to pick which route speaks to you the most, but the logistics are mostly sorted for you. Youβll also have instant companionship for your epic journey. For many folks, that all sounds great, while others really like the flexibility that comes from independent touring. Just another thing to consider as you plan.
The last part of your question, regarding how to make the most of your trip requires letting go of any sense of FOMO and truly taking in all the sights, terrain, and people youβll meet along the way. No matter which route you choose or how far you go, seeing the country from the seat of your bicycle will undoubtably be the experience of a lifetime. Wishing you tailwinds all the way.
The post Ask an Adventure Cycling Tour Leader: How to Pick Your Dream Route appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.
