Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Anyone want to plan a 5 Day tour in 08?

I was inspired by this http://web.tampabay.rr.com/johnrichard/bikeadventure.html

While we won't be going across America it could be great fun!! If we pick a exciting start and destination..

I'll leave it wide open to develop.. i figure the more the merrier!

I know RAGBRI was on the list but i was thinking unsupported.. or use couch surfing like this guy did. Could be an adventure and i need one!

As much as I'd love to do a 5-day tour, I can't commit to anything past the New Year. However, the Natchez Trace seems like a good place to ride a 5-day tour. The National Park Service even has cyclist only camp sites along the route!

I might could do a 5-day trip, but not if it takes 3 days to drive there and 3 days to drive back. So it would be highly dependent on where it was.

How many miles and how many hills would be other big factors for me. I'm not planning to tour the Ozarks or Hill Country on a bicycle.

Yeah...I'm in Central Illinois. I would like to keep the start somewhat close driving wise (0-6 hours). I don't mind some hills but i'd like the main point to be adventure and a goodtime, Not so much an competition or race.

What if we do something like a Hot springs destination or vineyard?

DieselDan - I'll have to lookup more on the Natchez Trace but it looks like it has a start in Tennesse then heads south. I'm a little leary of the backroads in the south especially on a bike but hey! i'll do my research before jumping to conclusions.

Natchez Trace is a safe tour, CHris. Heavy trucks and large RV's are barred, for example. It starts in Nashville and ends in MIssissippi. We could look at a down and back. In a group, there wouldn't be any "Redneck" issues.


Yeah...I'm in Central Illinois. I would like to keep the start somewhat close driving wise (0-6 hours). I don't mind some hills but i'd like the main point to be adventure and a goodtime, Not so much an competition or race.

What if we do something like a Hot springs destination or vineyard?

DieselDan - I'll have to lookup more on the Natchez Trace but it looks like it has a start in Tennesse then heads south. I'm a little leary of the backroads in the south especially on a bike but hey! i'll do my research before jumping to conclusions.

Cool, then that sounds like a viable path....i checked out the website and it appears to be a very taken care of trail. I have a friend in Nashville we could probably use as a staging point.

I'm in Central Illinois too ... (Peoria Area) ... and I'd be interested in a 4 or 5 day tour. Parts of the Grand Illinois Trail (mostly on country roads, not trails) ... and the Katy Trail in Missouri could be good for "semi-off-road".

Let me know if you want to do this and we can get it planned.

Natchez Trace is a safe tour, CHris. Heavy trucks and large RV's are barred, for example. It starts in Nashville and ends in Mississippi. We could look at a down and back. In a group, there wouldn't be any "Redneck" issues.

While the Trucks and RV's are barred, my in laws, who live in Tupelo, were almost killed on this road about 2 months ago. Some dude decided he wanted to end his life and thought if he crossed into the other lane to hit a car, or in their case a van, and it would hurt less than running into a concrete bridge support. :eek::mad:. He is now in the Mississippi mental health hospital as he really wants to take someone else out with him. They will not ride on it again. Just be careful. If they still live there, I might see if I can join you as I have family in Nashville as well.

Talk about buzzkill. The Natchez Trace is more a linear park then a road. Redneck issues in the South are the same as anywhere else. Get 30 miles outside any city and you're dealing with them.

MikeLD - Sent you a e-mail :)

I'm pretty flexible.. I like the Milwaukee area perhaps we could find a destination headed that way... we'll see..

I would love to go, but I don't think I could find five days off next year due to work/school. We'll see how it goes. I have always wanted to do a tour on Route 66.
Natchez Trace looked to have good shoulders when I was working around Grand Gulf Nuke plant last summer. As far as rednecks go, I live in the middle of them. I did a solo 110 mile through the some isolated places (my house to the inlaws), never had any issues and I was in lycra. I think you only have problems when 2 or more are drinking together otherwise we (I mean they) are decent people and will help if needed.

I was inspired by this http://web.tampabay.rr.com/johnrichard/bikeadventure.html

While we won't be going across America it could be great fun!! If we pick a exciting start and destination..

I'll leave it wide open to develop.. i figure the more the merrier!

I know RAGBRI was on the list but i was thinking unsupported.. or use couch surfing like this guy did. Could be an adventure and i need one!

I know a clydesdale riding across the US this summer. He's passing through Indiana and Illinois. Hint hint. :-)

Sounds like fun, but I'm going to have to stick to RAGBRAI for my tour.

Sounds awesome, if it was on the East Coast prior to July I would be all up for it. Minnesota is just a tad out of the way for me :(.

Caincando1 - RAGBRAI is still on my list as well this will be an early spring ride.

Bautueri - PA is beautiful to ride thru! (but super hilly right?) That could potentially be an option.

Caincando1 - RAGBRAI is still on my list as well this will be an early spring ride.

Bautueri - PA is beautiful to ride thru! (but super hilly right?) That could potentially be an option.

Depending on where you go, the hills are climbable. See below, my ride yesterday - 15 hundred feet of climbing in 30 miles:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/88591

Bautueri - PA is beautiful to ride thru! (but super hilly right?) That could potentially be an option.

I'm sure there are places with more hills but yes, PA is quite hilly. It's not so much that we have really high elevations so much as a lack of grading. Our roads just go up and over for the most part.

My plan: http://www.bicycletourcolorado.com/

I'm in SE Michigan and would be up for a 5 day tour if it wasn't too far away.

If there are some that are interested in the Nashville 5 day ride, let me know. I can help coordinate. I am not sure what was meant by the 30 miles and redneck comment though. We also have a bike ride across TN (BRAT) that is a week long if someone is interested. Steve

I was considering doing Georgia's version - B.R.A.G - June 7 -14. (www.brag.org).

I was going to have to do it solo, but would be more than happy join/form a group.

Why not just plan 4-5 long rides across the country? They could be set up by region. Any thoughts?

Why not set up a series of 5 day rides from one side of the country to the other.....I would like to start off in the east in the spring and travel west to the west coast by fall, just think I could ride all summer with fellow clydes.

Why not set up a series of 5 day rides from one side of the country to the other.....I would like to start off in the east in the spring and travel west to the west coast by fall, just think I could ride all summer with fellow clydes.

It sounds like a difficult task. I'm having a hard enough time arranging my cross-country ride, and I only have one route and block of time to handle.

I am not sure why this would be that hard...we need a spreadsheet built. Thomas? Divide the country into regions. Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Northweast, and Midwest. Everyone would then add the long rides that they know about along with the dates. We could then select the rides that would work in the grand scheme of things....sound like a plan?

I am not sure why this would be that hard...we need a spreadsheet built. Thomas? Divide the country into regions. Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Northweast, and Midwest. Everyone would then add the long rides that they know about along with the dates. We could then select the rides that would work in the grand scheme of things....sound like a plan?

Sorry, I was thinking in terms of an individual riding multiple or all rides. As you describe, the plan is very workable.

Not a problem sir. I dont know how to create the Google spreadsheets though. Anyone care to take this on?:o

I dont know how to organize squat...but I was thinking if we plan on about a 70 miles per day average ... should be doable by most or maybe even 50 or 60 which would be fine for all start somewhere warm in early spring map out a 250 or 300 mile week with Sunday off.... Monday moring a new or contiued ride starts

Break the country up into a continous string of 1 week rides finishing somewhere in the west in the fall. Open the ride to all, camp, hotel, whatever it should be easy enough to do. I love the adventure cycling maps we could meander from the south east or follow the southern teir, or trans am or make our own route.

As far as organizing a tour for yourself its simple get your list, get a bike, start off and pedal pedal pedal....I tour every summer for at least a month and in the last ten years its been for 2 months or so...if I can be of any assistance contact me offline. I love to tour but I seem to love to eat too hence I am and always we be a clyde who loves to bike.

Having a clyde tour would be great good food, good rides, good fun ....