Fifty Plus (50+) - Washington D.C. to Georgia to Oregon

Left D.C. October 31st and got to Georgia two weeks ago today. I'm enjoying a brief break here and will be doing the Christmas thingy with my daughter. Then in late Jan/early Feb continuing the trip to Oregon. You can read more about me at www.couchsurfing.com/people/janelson and more about this trip and the purpose of the trip at www.JourneyAmerica.org .

Anyone care to join me for either all or part of the trip? Just shoot me an email and we'll figure it out!

Jerry

Hey Jerry,
I recognised the name because you just recently signed on to my club's forum, http://www.mvillebikes.com/forum/ . Post something on the forum and see if we can find a way to do some riding together while you are in Georgia or as you head out toward Oregon.

Some of us are thinking about a Silver Comet ride on Dec. 27th if the weather is decent. Maybe we can hook up then.

Benny

Hey Jerry,
I recognised the name because you just recently signed on to my club's forum, http://www.mvillebikes.com/forum/ . Post something on the forum and see if we can find a way to do some riding together while you are in Georgia or as you head out toward Oregon.

Some of us are thinking about a Silver Comet ride on Dec. 27th if the weather is decent. Maybe we can hook up then.

Benny

Hey there!
I joined the mvillebikes.com forum 'cause I have a daughter that lives there and wanted to keep up with cycling news in an "adopted" hometown. For the two weeks I've been in Georgia, I've had lots of folks tell me about the Silver Comet Trail so it's really awesome to hear you folks are going to bike it.

I'd love to be able to hook up with you and join you for that...just tell me when and where! And yeah...if you'd like to come to Oregon with me (or even just a part of the way), you're more than welcome!

Jerry Nelson
www.JourneyAmerica.org
www.couchsurfing.com/people/janelson

Still looking for any brave souls who'd like to do all or part of a cross-country bicycle trip. I'll be leaving Gainesville GA in the next several weeks (weather determines a precise departure date).

All bikers are welcome...preference given to pretty ladies :)

Jerry,
Don't know if you've been keeping up with the postings at mvillbikes, but we are planning to come up and ride the Silver Comet tomorrow (12/27). We plan to start from Paulding Chamber of Commerce at 10am, ride to Rockmart for lunch at Frankie's Italian and ride back. About a 40 mile round trip. Some of us may ride a little past Rockmart to add another 15-20 miles. Join us if you can.
http://mvillebikes.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=209
http://www.trailexpress.com/map.php?trail_id=1

Are you allowed to bike on the interstate highways?
It seems to me, that at least in OR, there are signs that say motorized vehicles only???

Are you allowed to bike on the interstate highways?
It seems to me, that at least in OR, there are signs that say motorized vehicles only???

Nope...you're 100% right, can't ride on the Interstates. Also, coming from D.C. to Georgia (I rode 29 most of the way) they're several sections where even 29 is considered a controlled access road and you can't ride on that either!

Jerry
www.JourneyAmerica.org (http://www.JourneyAmerica.org)
www.couchsurfing.com/people/janelson (http://www.couchsurfing.com/people/janelson)

I just checked out your route and you are far north of Louisiana. Might be a little warmer if u went through Bama, Mississipi, Louisiana, and North Texas in February or early March. Just be safe and careful and pat them Oregon Ducks on the back when u get there!! LOL!!

I just checked out your route and you are far north of Louisiana. Might be a little warmer if u went through Bama, Mississipi, Louisiana, and North Texas in February or early March. Just be safe and careful and pat them Oregon Ducks on the back when u get there!! LOL!!

Yes sir...would be warmer...but American Legion has a ton of speaking engagements lined up for me in the states that I'll be travelling in. Also, I'm doing GPS mapping for Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Washington D.C. and unfortunately, I can't get them to move the trails for me...so I have to go to the trails. Anyways, by the time I get into TN and KY etc it'll be warming up. The only deadline I have on this trip is to be in Florence Oregon by Christmas 2008. Doesn't mean I'll be in Oregon in December, but as long as this next leg of the trip is done by then I'm in good shape.

I do appreciate the concern though and look forward to pedaling BACK through AZ, NM, TX, LA etc etc etc...

And let me put in a shameless plug for our veterans. Seems as though a stamp will be available in 2008 in support of veterans. So please keep a look out for this stamp http://images2.couchsurfing.com/images/3/2/6/img_t_1727552.jpg, and when you see it's available...buy it...it'll help raise $$$ for our veterans. And yes, if the picture looks familiar, it's one that's used in my profile. It was taken by Jennifer Kaleba the morning I left D.C. on this leg of the trip.

Jerry
www.JourneyAmerica.org
www.couchsurfing.com/people/janelson

In Colorado and other western states (and perhaps in other places in the US) one CAN ride on the Interstates if it is the only route available. For example, most of I-25 from Colorado Springs south to Trinidad is posted for bicycles, along with many other routes around here (I-70 west from west of Idaho Springs up to US 6 Loveland Pass, for example.)


Good luck on your trip, by the way. Going through Colorado?

Are you allowed to bike on the interstate highways?
It seems to me, that at least in OR, there are signs that say motorized vehicles only???


In Oregon, you can ride on the interstate except where it is specifically prohibited. There will be signs at the on ramp that say motorized vehicles only, mostly in urban areas. There are some places where the interstate is the only road.

"12. SELECTED OREGON ADMINISTRATIVE RULES (OAR) THAT PERTAIN TO BICYCLISTS & PEDESTRIANS:

Prohibition of Non-Motorized Vehicles on Freeways

734-20-0045 (1) Non-motorized vehicles are prohibited upon the following segments of freeways within the State of Oregon:

(a) Portland area:

(A)The Columbia River Highway No. 2 (Banfield/I-84) from its intersection with I-5, MP 0.00, to 122nd Avenue, MP 10.25, east bound, and to Sandy Boulevard, MP 15.14, west bound;

(B) The Sunset Highway No. 47 easterly of the Jefferson Street Interchange, MP 73.35;

(C) Interstate 5 (Hwy. No. 1) from the Beaverton-Tigard Highway Interchange, MP 292.20, to the Delta Park Interchange, MP 306.70;

(D) Interstate 205 (Hwy No. 64) northerly of the Overcrossing of the Oswego Highway No. 3, MP 8.82;

(E) Interstate 405 (Hwy. No. 81) in its entirety; and

(F) Lower Columbia Highway No. 2W from its intersection with I-405, MPE0.00, to 23rd Street, MP 1.99.

(b) Medford area: Interstate 5 (Pacific Highway No. 1) from the Barnet Road Interchange, MP 27.58, to the Crater Lake Highway Interchange, MP 30.29 (in Medford).

(2) The closure of the above sections to nonmotorized vehicles shall become effective following the erection of adequate signing."

The above quote is from Swanson Thomas and Coon (http://stc-law.com/freewayright.html)

Thanks everyone for the tips and the info...half of the fun though of riding on secondary roads as opposed to interstates is the small town and the people you meet along with way when you're on "blue highways"...Thanks again though!

Jerry Nelson
www.JourneyAmerica.org (http://www.JourneyAmerica.org)
www.couchsurfing.com/people/usa

Still looking for a couple of folks that might want to make some or all of the trip!

I wish I could join you, Jerry. But alas, I owe, I owe, so back to work I go.