Touring - EMERGENCY! I need help fast!

I am currently 700 miles into the Trans America bicycle route and someone stole one of my maps - the one I need now to get any further. Does any one have section 10 Murphysboro, IL to Berea KY? I'm sitting in Berea college at the moment trying to work out a route, but if anyone has the actual map and would be able to scan, fax or even email any of the route description or maps (east to west direction) I would be eternally greatful. I have come over form the UK to the USA with a friend to do the ride and raise sponsorship money for charity. The American Adventure Cycling Association, the suppliers of the map are closed till monday and I really dont wanna have to hang around waiting for them to post me a new copy :( cos I am limited on time by my visa . If anyone thinks i'm just trying to blag a free map or route plan then check www.transamride.blogspot.com and you'll see we are in Kentucky and we are honestly in need of some kind person to help us. Please please please someone

Do you just need a route, or is it a specific, prescribed route you need? Would mapquest help? http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?searchtype=address&country=US&addtohistory=&searchtab=home&address=&city=berea+&state=KY&zipcode=

http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/images/transamerica_10.gif

This is the best I could find, I'll keep looking though.

-80s

Go to the bike shop at 105 Boone St
telephone 859-985-5579

They will be able to point you in the right direction, I hope!

Best wishes

The problem is finding places to camp - i have that thumbnail from the AACA website so i know the basic route, but we are talking about 450miles here so planning this safely knowing where i'm gonna be staying each night is a must really. The TransAm trail is a very specific route and a lot of the places to stay the night at are not marked anywhere but on the AACA maps (churches local fire stations and oddities like that) so you see my dilema....

Bike shop might direct you to all this information, or others in the area who knows.

I have a Southern Illinois bicycling map that has the Trans America but nothing for Kentucky. I scanned the Illinois map if you want it.

Dang, I only have the area one map. I am going to send him the link to IDOT. They may be able to help him, I think.

Koffee

Here is a link to the Kentucky DOT Bicycle program with maps. It's a big file . The TransAm is on pages 38 to 48.

http://transportation.ky.gov/Multimodal/pdf/bkgd.pdf

Best - J

Is there any particular reason why it is essential that you exactly follow the Trans-Am route? If I were in your bike shoes, I'd simply buy as detailed a map as I can find (any gas station or bookstore sells them, and state and local tourist offices usually give them away), select minor roads headed westward, and ride.

Here is a link to the Kentucky DOT Bicycle program with maps. It's a big file . The TransAm is on pages 38 to 48.

http://transportation.ky.gov/Multimodal/pdf/bkgd.pdf

Best - J


Go to his blogspot and post it there, could you?

Koffee

P.S. Losing the map is a good time to be more daring in your route - unless you absolutely have to be someplace at a certain time on a certain day. Why not freewheel a bit?? If you do decide to go off route and are on country roads - there are often fishing spots on the many creek and small rivers. Just a pull-out - maybe an outhouse if you are lucky - but you can usually pitch your tent and nobody will say anything. I'd avoid weekends when kids might be on the wild side - these places also can be drinking and making-out spots, as well. Also country churches are very good about letting you stay out back - sometimes even in the basement - just ask who the pastor is.

If you want to cut off the Bardstown loop (You'll miss the plantation house at My Old Kentucky Home) then you can continue on Hwy 152 west out of Springfield to Loretto - there's an abbey here so you should be able to be put up - plus the food is good. Then take the back road down to Raywick and take Hwy 84 to White City. Light traffic all the way.

Hwys 259, 79, and especially 54 (4000+ AADT near Fordsville) near Rough River Lake have far more traffic than is comfortable. From Sonora you can take Hwy 720 to Tar Hill to Hwy 920 to Leitchfield to Hwy 54 (traffic for 5 miles) to Hwy 878 - 5 miles past the county line you'll take a left onto Hwy 1164 thru Jingo to Hwy 69 into Hartford. US 231 north of twon is busy but you turn off on Hwy 136 to Livermore. You can take Hwy 136, Hwy 138 on the other side of the river, or best, the Old River Road to Calhoun. Routes 878 and 1164 are so quiet. It's been about 10 years since I was on them, but recent traffic data shows about 100 cars per day - so I doubt they built a nuclear plant since then.

I prefer Hwys 138 and 120 from Calhoun to Marion rather than TransAms Hwys 136 and 132 - - less traffic. Plan to stay at Cave-in-Rock - either the park on in the village. It's a wonderful place and gives you a feel for the river.

Have a great journey - John

seem to have some info on this site, sorry I didn't look at it very carefully since I'm in a hurry. Hopw this helps http://news.cn.edu/olivejr/touring/ktbt.html

I have merged the thread from the Road Cycling forum into this one.

Thanks a lot for all your help guys, we've decided were gonna use the maps that show the TransAm route through KY and try and find places to stay as we go. At least its gonna feel a bit more adventurous for the next few hundred miles. We'll update the blog soon if anyone is interested to see how we get on!

Mark, the AC maps are the TAKE THE adventure OUT OF cycling maps, as far as I'm concerned. I hope you enjoy your experience more because you lost one. It's not about the map, or the route, or what you tell someone you did afterwards... it's about what is happening to you NOW in the WORLD.

Look up.

Have fun.

Cheers,
Anna