Touring - Toronto To California

Hello everyone,

I will be planning a trip from Toronto to California ASAP. If anyone is interested in cycling the entire distance or even for part of the trip, please E-mail or MSG me.

I am also open to ALL suggestions regarding routes etc.

Thanks!

Ummmmmm-
You do like headwinds and heat, eh?

I've heard variable things about the headwinds, that there is not a terriby large number of headwind/days difference going either way, notwithstanding the wind directions at 30 000 feet. If one wanted to avoid the heat one could go across Canada, and down the coast, though the distance would not be as the crow flies.

Winds -

Most people who talk about winds have done the TransAm - which is a slightly diagonal northwest to southeast crossing. Prevailing summer winds are southwesterly - so the result is often a side wind in either direction. Not if you are headed southwest. In places like Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona there is a high probability of southwest winds - not always - but often. In the Great Plains the winds are strong and southerly.

As for temps - the Great Plains are brutal in late July / August as is the Southwest. Anybody notice the numbers this week in Arizona and Nevada? I agree, for temperatures, I'd recommend heading due west from Toronto to Yellowstone - maybe across the Sawtooth Mtns in Idaho to the TransAm crossing of Oregon - then down the coast.

Winds -

As for temps - the Great Plains are brutal in late July / August as is the Southwest. Anybody notice the numbers this week in Arizona and Nevada? I agree, for temperatures, I'd recommend heading due west from Toronto to Yellowstone - maybe across the Sawtooth Mtns in Idaho to the TransAm crossing of Oregon - then down the coast.


Thank-you for your replies. I have been keeping an eye on the weather and reading the forum regarding the Western Express Route during the summer. I had not even thought about researching the wind effects. Regardless of the obstacles, a part of me still wants to do it. Perhaps I may consider going across Canada and then South. I will post more questions this week.

Due West -

Really - you can head west to Sarnia then across Michigan to Ludington where there is a ferry across the middle of Lake Michigan to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. From Manitowoc you can head due west to the Black Hills, Yellowstone, the Sawtooths, and to Oregon. The Black Hills make this one of the most pleasant ways of Crossing the Great Plains - and are much cooler/shaded than surrounding states and provinces.

Not sure where you want to end up in in California.
Of course, the Pac Coast Route goes all the way to the Mexican border.