Touring - Days Off on the Transamerica

I am wondering where we need to plan stops on our East to West Transamerica tour. I am thinking that Yellowstone (edit: I mistakenly said Yosemite originally) is probably worth a few days. Otherwise I am thinking that we will take a day off only where we feel like we need a break.

My wife wants to fly out and rent a car to hang out with us for a few days. We are thinking Yosemite might be a good place for this. Any suggestions on the possible logistics of this? Is somewhere else a better choice for this?

Does this sound like a reasonable plan or are there other places we should plan on taking one or more days off to sight see off the bike

Pete.

Yes.

Your body requires time to recover. So does your mind.

If you do not allow for adequate recovery time, your muscles will not optimally develop and you increase the chance of some type of injury. If you really, really, really didn't want to stop, you could just plan a for easy days -- e.g. short days with minimal effort.

And how often do you get a chance to hang out in Yosemite?

I'd plan one rest day per week, and to spend as much time in Yosemite as you want.

Remember to stop at the Cookie Lady's on your way through Virginia just past the Blue Ridge Trail.

I am wondering where we need to plan stops on our East to West Transamerica tour. I am thinking that Yosemite is probably worth a few days. Otherwise I am thinking that we will take a day off only where we feel like we need a break.

My wife wants to fly out and rent a car to hang out with us for a few days. We are thinking Yosemite might be a good place for this. Any suggestions on the possible logistics of this? Is somewhere else a better choice for this?

Does this sound like a reasonable plan or are there other places we should plan on taking one or more days off to sight see off the bike

Pete.
Good idea. Play it by ear...you'll suddenly come to a charming town ya want to rest in..or be near a city you might want to visit and go to a fancy restaurant.

roughstuff

I am thinking that Yosemite is probably worth a few days. ... We are thinking Yosemite might be a good place for this.

Yosemite or Yellowstone? They are quite some distance apart.
If your wife flies to Yosemite and you end up in Yellowstone, there will be some explaining to do.

Yellowstone is on the TransAm in Wyoming.
Yosemite is well off of the Western Express option in California.

There are lots of nice places to take the day off all along the Transam, but if I had to pick a place for family to fly into, it would be Missoula Montana. Very nice town to see, have french toast at the Raven Cafe on E Broadway, rent a car and drive to Glacier National park. That would be my pick.

Don't leave out rest days on any tour this long, or if you feel that you just have to keep on moving (that happens on tour for some reason) do short, 20/30 miles days once or twice a week.

Yosemite or Yellowstone? They are quite some distance apart.
If your wife flies to Yosemite and you end up in Yellowstone, there will be some explaining to do.
Yes, I imagine there would :)


Yellowstone is what I should have typed. Sorry for the confusion.

Yes, I imagine there would :)


Yellowstone is what I should have typed. Sorry for the confusion.

Generally, I try to take one day in 7 off. On the Lewis and Clark trip I did with my daughter, we had to do 9 days before we found someplace to take a day off and that was way too far. Also, don't be afraid to take a few days and rent a car for some off route sightseeing. I've found Enterprise Car Rental to be the best. They will drive out and get you. This is a vacation. You are supposed to have fun! It shouldn't be a death march.

For example, when you get to Pueblo, you are at about the half way point. But Pueblo is not exactly the most touristy town. But north of you is Colorado Springs. The Springs has Pike's Peak, Garden of the Gods, Cave of the Winds, Cheyenne Canyon, etc. which are worth the side trip. You could also go over to Royal Gorge (but you might want to do that on your bike...it's on the route;) ). Or you could take a day and raft the Arkansas River near Buena Vista. Or take a day and go over to the Great Sand Dunes (and the alligator farm). Colorado (and many other states) have lots of stuff to see but getting to them by bike would take several days.

I'd also suggest taking something other than just the Adventure Cycle maps. They are detailed and have good directions but, often, they don't have many details for things off the map. I take AAA guide books for things off the route or at least look at them before I go.

There are lots of nice places to take the day off all along the Transam, but if I had to pick a place for family to fly into, it would be Missoula Montana. Very nice town to see, have french toast at the Raven Cafe on E Broadway, rent a car and drive to Glacier National park. That would be my pick.

Don't leave out rest days on any tour this long, or if you feel that you just have to keep on moving (that happens on tour for some reason) do short, 20/30 miles days once or twice a week.

+ 1 on Missoula and the french toast at the raven. When my wife and I did the transam, we took several days off (total of 11 I think), some planned, some not.

I'd also suggest taking something other than just the Adventure Cycle maps. They are detailed and have good directions but, often, they don't have many details for things off the map. I take AAA guide books for things off the route or at least look at them before I go.
I am curious about what will be available as we go. I was thinking that I would pick up maps as I enter each state to supplement the AC maps. Many states on the east cost offer free maps that can be picked up at visitor centers as you enter the state.

Since the route doesn't follow the main interstates and since I don't know how typical this is I wonder if I am likely to be able to pick up these usually free maps. If not, I assume that I can buy maps as I go along rather than carry all of them the whole way.

What have other's typically found along the way map-wise? Do I need to start out with a set of maps to supplement the Adventure Cycling ones?

What about a handheld GPS? Or does that take all the fun out of a TransAm route? :D

+ 1 on Missoula and the french toast at the raven. When my wife and I did the transam, we took several days off (total of 11 I think), some planned, some not.

Missoula is nice but the raven is gone.

Not Yellowstone NP - rather Grand Teton NP - in fact, you can do both.
Jackson, Wyoming has good air service during the summer months.
Delta has connections from their Salt Lake hub.
United from Denver hub. Maybe San Fran or L.A.?
American from Dallas and Chicago.

If you and your wife haven't been to Jackson, Wyoming it is superb!
Also, if your wife would rather do other things - there's plenty of that, too.
(Read - shopping - galleries - hey, you're doing your thing.)
Excellent dining - Off Broadway much better than Cadillac
Or you can eat on the deck at Dornan's at Moose - unforgettable.

I don't know how much you plan to fork out,
And reservations for mid-summer are essential -
But if you spend a couple of nights at Jenny Lake Lodge -
Your wife - and you,too - will be in seventh heaven.
(And will immediately forgive you this nonsense that you are up to.)
I think both of you would prefer staying in the park than in town.
Other lodges are Jackson Lake Lodge - 50s "Moderne" classic -
With views from the dining room that are breathtaking.
Signal Mountain Lodge.

Your wife can fly into Jackson airport and rent a car right there.
Then you can visit museums in town or Teton Village.
You can also visit Yellowstone by car from Jackson Hole.
(It's 50 miles to the south entrance - 11/4 hours minimum.)
So you need to leave as early as possible - also to avoid traffic.

I would suggest a counter-clockwise loop.
You will need to decide whether to do the lower loop or both.
But you can do it in one day if you leave early enough.

I can offer more info if you wish.

J