Touring - Coast to Coast USA

In October 2006, I set off from Jacksonville, Florida on a solo unsupported ride to San Diego, California.

I'm currently in Big Spring, Texas, hiding from some nasty weather thats been forcast for tomorrow.

For anyone with Google Earth, I have attached a track of my progress so far:

http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/download.php?Number=702003

Paul

Congrats--You're over half way there. How goes it?? How was Austin? Never been through there, but it seems like it would be a cycle friendly town. I liked Texas--good shoulders.

What Gps are you using and how do you like it? Enjoy the rest of your trip. John

I'm over half way through my time as well! I've got another four or five weeks to finish, with mountains and winter in the way.

Austin itself is a nice town, but I wouldn't ride the roads around it again for any money - hell on earth! No shoulder and idiotic drivers. West of Llano is a different story - good shoulders and good drivers.

It's my first really long tour - the longest up to now was 350 miles back in England. I made the all time number one mistake of packing too much gear but have gotten rid of most of that now!

I'm not using a GPS. I recreated the path manually.

If you're heading for the 10, you'll make good time to Tucson--the cold weather will keep you moving. I took

too much on my first XC----sent home a box of junk from Kansas City. Have you hit a lot of bad weather?

Not fun if you're camping at night. Nothing like waking up in a dripping tent then hauling all that water down

the road. Did you take a laptop? I've wondered how that would work--as far as not breaking it.

Quite a trip you've made so far - congrats...

As for heading west out of Big Spring, I've driven (not cycled) from B.S. west on SH 176 through Andrews and over to Carlsbad several times in preference to the bleak distances of I-10. There are more small towns and friendly folks by taking the north side of the Guadalupe Mts. You'd still have to go through the Sacramentos to get to Las Cruces but it is pretty interesting geography and more resort communities and settlements (comparatively).

IMO, staying north to cross through southern New Mexico would be my choice, crossing the Pecos at Carlsbad rather than I-10. The interstate distances are so long out there that the speed limits have essentially been removed and you can travel at 75-85 mph in a vehicle. This will not improve your cycling experience along the road because there are long stretches without feeder roads.

The bad weather you're experiencing has come all the way through the state - our temps in the Brazos Valley are hovering in the upper 30's all day compared to 78 yesterday! Be careful: the saying goes that the only thing separating the Canadian blue northers from west Texas is a barbed wire fence...:D