Touring - TransAm trail alternatives

I'm researching some options to this summers TA ride that would include the C&O towpath/Great Allegheny Passage from DC to Pittsburgh, PA and the Katy Trail in Missouri. I'd like to start on the Atlantic near Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, head west to the C&O start in DC. Just south of Pittsburgh, start angling WSW thru Ohio, Indiana, Illinois to the Katy Trail start near St. Louis. After the trails end in Clinton, continue angling WSW and pick up the TA in Cassoday, Kansas.

My question to those who have ridden these trails is how are they set up for loaded touring? Can you expect to find the same types of touring related services you might find on any other ACA route?

Also, to those who might live in the area and/or have ridden the connecting portions of this route, is there anything special to see or maybe avoid?

I was thinking of using the 16 thru Delaware, 404 thru Maryland, modified as necessary, then something parallel to Ohio's Hwy 22 and the 50 thru Indiana and Illinois.

The Katy is a bit thin on grocery stores in spots,but otherwise is a fantastic ride!

On the C&O towpath shopping is a bit spotty, but there are free hiker/biker sites every 5 miles or so.
On the Great Allegheny Passage from DC to Pittsburgh, PA I think it is a bit less frequent, but check it out at: http://gaptrail.org/visit/camping.cfm

If you are riding from D.C. on the C&O, there are a couple small markets to stop along the way for food There is a general store at White's Ferry around the 20 mile point. Point of Rocks is about 45 miles outside of D.C. and has limited groceries. Harpers Ferry has plenty of options. After Harpers Ferry it gets a bit more spotty.

Check out http://bikewashington.org/canal/

404 from Delaware through MD is a major beach route. Heavy traffic. I wouldn't ride it. Take local/backroads.

the Katy is a great ride. Check out http://www.bikekatytrail.com for information about the trail services. It's a very comprehensive web site. You can probably find discussion on the forum about connecting to Cassoday.

the Katy is a great ride. Check out http://www.bikekatytrail.com for information about the trail services. It's a very comprehensive web site. You can probably find discussion on the forum about connecting to Cassoday.

I live in ElDorado Ks,about 20 miles south of Cassoday...so from Clinton Mo taks Mo13 south to US 54 West to Eldorado Ks, than KS 196 to just south of Newton,up to Newton and yer on yer way!! The Trans Am uses a lot of back roads here,a lot of Tourers use US 50 outta KCMO...WIDE sholders,lotsa camping and Fast across KS!

hohdadmike

Your trip sounds great.

I have ridden in the midwest a fair amount. I have some rough ideas you might wish to try.

When you get to Indiana leave the US 50 corridor and go up through Bloomington IN. The area around Brown County State Park is hilly but beautiful. This was the area where the classic cycling movie "Breaking Away" was filmed.

Then work your way west to cross over the Wabash River into Illinois near Graysville IN. This bridge has very low traffic. Once in Illinois use the Illinois Bike Map #7 and Illinois Bike Map #8 to aim for Grafton IL located at the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. Illinois Bike Maps are a great tool. Your get them free from the Illinois Dept. of Transportation (www.dot.state.il.us/bikemap/state)

Grafton is a good place to cross the Mississippi River on a toll ferry. I think a bike costs $2.00. By going to Grafton you can go north of the metro St. Louis area and its heavy traffic.

Once you cross the river at Grafton you are less then 10 mile from the east end of the Katy trail via quit secondary roads.

Have a great trip.

404 from Delaware through MD is a major beach route. Heavy traffic. I wouldn't ride it. Take local/backroads.

I stumbled upon this site while looking for a better way to get across Delaware and Maryland safely to the C&O start in D.C.
http://www.discoverytrail.org/states/maryland/index.html
and
http://www.discoverytrail.org/states/delaware/index.html

Looks like a map for the 2 states is $10, not bad, and I like it because it starts on the "true" Atlantic Coast, then heads directly to the C&O. Each link has a page of details, but nothing specific enough to make you skip buying their map, and that's OK.

Has anyone used this route or any other ADT trails?