Touring - For my first cross country tour should I...

...plan my own route using maps and or software?

Or join Adventure Cycling or a organization like them and purchase their maps and or software and take one of the routes they already have planned out. Not a tour, that is to expensive, but just the maps. Of course the route would be slightly altered to fit my needs because I would start from home and join the route ASAP and not start from the beginning of the route but at least follow the route to its end.

Suggestions please.

depends.... Ive done both used the AC maps and did my own route planning. Both have advantages and disadvantages. The AC maps really ae loaded with good usable info however they only show about a 5 mile wide swath along the route so you will also pick up state maps along the way. You can take side triips off the route and rejoin later. Its nice knowing ahead of time that there is a 75 mile stretch of no services so you dont start that stretch late inthe day unprepared, but if you are adventourous it wouldnt make a differnce.

These maps will also let you know about bike shops, camp grounds both pay and free and cheep for bikers, showers pools road info on traffic nar row bridges heavy truck usage and some history of the areas you are biking through you have more chance of meeting other cycists using these routes.

On the other hand it is kind of exciteing to just look at a map and pick a place and go. You will have to ask more people more questions about roads and such. a few times i got bad info from people and ended up on roads that were good for cars but death traps for cycleists.

Ive been happy with teh A C maps and also making my own way, Touring is a way of life not so much about the destination but rather moe about what happens to you along the way.

as soon as i finish up a current project I am headed out again for part 3 where are you thinking of going and when ?
catfish

Catfish thanks for the info. Your right in saying touring is a way of lfe and not so much about the destination. The reason I am going to ride a tour in the first place is for the experience. This will be my first one though.

As far as when, well it will not be for at least a year or 2 from now. But I want to start planning it now and ride several smaller 2 day tours first.

I have ridden RAGBRAI before. As fun as it was I do not think it is the same as planning out and riding a tour solo.

From what you have stated it sounds like I will be using both AC maps and purchased Rand McNally maps as well. The AC maps for the bike shop, route and camp ground info. The RM maps for alternate routes and a wider variety of area to travel in. Do the AC maps only have specific routes planned out or do they have info on all areas of the country no matter where you live as long as there is a good sized city near by? If the AC maps do not offer much in the way of more flexable route options like info on my local area for example, I could always contact each states tourism dept. and request info from them and maybe even the chamber of commerce for each area that has one for info on the local areas. Typically this info is free and the tourism depts. and chambers of commerce are more then happy to give the info out because they want you to come to their area to visit. And maybe even contact each states dept. of transportation as well. They will certainly have more and better upsates on road conditions and construction.

I have plenty of time to figure it all out, as I said this won't happen for at least 2 years.

Again thank you.

Lumpy
Go to the A C web site www.adventurecycling.org or maybe it is .com cant remember, but you will find a ton of info there to many of your questions. they have a northern route , a route through the center of the country the trans am is the original route .there is a southern route, also one that fololows the mississippi river, one arround lake michegan and a western express route and the new one the lewis and clark route I was on part of the
Lewis and Clark route last fall.

using A C maps and your own resources is a good way to travel. Contacting each state Chamber is very good and the transportation dept can give you traffic per hour reports on any road they have THe cyclist yellow ages is a great resource that covers every state available through A C

you have plenty of time to get ready start to accurie your cycling and camping gear buy the best and strongest you can afford read the journals of touring cyclists to gain insight on what they are learning as they travel,about how the equipment they choose holds up and about life on the road in general.

The crazy guy on a bike web site has many journals of bike tourists and interesting reading the A C web site also hosts on line journals of touring cyclists you can learn much fromreading what others have to say as they were doing it.

one last word since you have the time , unless you are a good bike machanic allready then get into a 2 day park tool school class this winter and you will save your self many headaches as your bike will need occasional repairs on the road many times in the middle of no where. the knowledge and experiance you gain is priceless.
catfish

Where are you planning on touring?

Koffee