Touring - A Route to do.. before you die

Do you have a route that you dream of doing? that you keep looking at on the internet, or the web?

Mine is the Friendship Highway..... are the Silk Road.. etc etc

Seriously the Silk Road is one route I would love to do before I die.

What about you? What cycling route would you love to do before you die?

george

Hi,

the whole world on my personal route :D

I don't like these predefined route that connect point A to point B. There is a lot to see more beside the direct route. So the Panamericana is a terrible road (some call it dream road). If you head from North to South (or visversa ) in South America you should only use the Panam only when there is no other option...

For several years I have been dreaming about riding along the length of the pyrenees and the alp in a single trip and taking in all the climbs of the tour de france.

The good news is I am doing it this July / August.

I have some pretty elaborate, fantasy tours in the Rockies I wanna do. Also want to circumnavigate the Great Lakes. I'd love to do the Al-Can highway. So many I can't begin to imagine!

http://semio6.blogspot.com/2008/04/worlds-top-10-best-biking-trails.html#links

I don't like these predefined route that connect point A to point B. There is a lot to see more beside the direct route. So the Panamericana is a terrible road (some call it dream road). If you head from North to South (or visversa ) in South America you should only use the Panam only when there is no other option...
I largely agree with both sentiments expressed by JohnyW about predefined routes as well as the Panamerican Highway in South America (I would add Central America, too, for that matter). Nevertheless, there are a few routes which are either so logical, such as Highway 1, aka Pacific Coast Highway, in California, or where there are virtually no alternative roads, for example Carretera Austral in Chile, or Vientiane<-->Luang Prabang in Laos, that I can see citing them specifically. Perhaps the Silk Road is one of those.

I'm having a hard time finding cycling destinations remaining that I hope to get to someday. (I'm not complaining. I know I'm fortunate to have visited many of the places I've biked to) Among the countries or regions I haven't been to but would like to visit, I have a few doubts about their suitability for bike touring. Places I'm considering include: southern India, Guatemalan highlands, western Panama, South Africa. There are other places I'd definitely like to visit, but probably not by bike.

I think the National Geographic top ten list is bizarre. I've ridden some of them and they mostly wouldn't make my own top ten list.

Do you have a route that you dream of doing? that you keep looking at on the internet, or the web?

Mine is the Friendship Highway..... are the Silk Road.. etc etc

Seriously the Silk Road is one route I would love to do before I die.

What about you? What cycling route would you love to do before you die?

george


There are numerous 'silf roads,'; and in parts of mexico and central america the PanAm becomes more of a 'system' than just one road...but still, having done them both there is alot to be said for the history, and awe they inspire as you ride them. If you have ever read Kipling, the Grand Trunk road should be added to your list.

There are roads in Africa (especially along the upper nile) and Asia (from Lhasa to Khatmandu, etc) that still await me. But for now I am retracing old touring areas, seeing them again for the first time, as they say.

roughstuff

i spend lots of time on the internet looking at tour's other people have done and to me there all great ,but if im dreaming here ,well anywhere that has great weather ,super smooth roads,friendly people and great scenery.im really not into busting my ass over rough roads day after day ok im a wuss ,just give me sunshine give me smiles.sorry george..

The Karakoram Hwy/Kunjerab Pass from Pakistan to Tibet and China and Central Asia and Afghanistan.

While preparing for that trip in 1988 I was hit head on on my bike by a lovely legally blind 84 year old driver. Circumstances political, medical and financial since then have worked against doing that trip. I hope that this window of opportunity has not been closed for me.

Eastern Asia. I'm sure other parts of the world are just as interesting, but I'd be able to experience lots of different cultures (read: foods) in a small area, and it would feel totally foreign, unlike, I imagine, Europe.

Less exotic than some of the others, but for personal reasons...

My dreamride is to ride out of my parking lot in downtown Denver, CO, and make my way to San Francisco. That would put me in California, and I've never been to San Francisco. Hang out there for a few days, then ride down the pacific coast to San Diego, a road trip I took with my dad when I was little that's etched in to my mind, then from San Diego down Mexico 1 to Cabo San Lucas (another trip I've made by car a few times, which would go through my dad's last home of Loreto, BCS, where I could possibly catch up with some old friends of his.)

I love the desert.

Italy, mostly the mountains, the Stelvio in particular. Buddy of mine is going this summer and now I have to hate him.

And Cyprus, since I'd be nearby.

I could go on and on and on, but those are the ones I'd like to accomplish in the not to distant future.

Oh, and something equivalent to Trek Tours 40 day trip across the US.

where did I put that lottery ticket...

Alaska to Tierra del Fuego.

Italy, mostly the mountains, the Stelvio in particular. Buddy of mine is going this summer and now I have to hate him.

I wanted to do the Stelvio a few years ago but the pass was closed late into the season. But I am going back this July. Given my current level of fitness I am more than a little scared :-)

Panamerican highway, and wanderings along the way.

Hi,

the whole world on my personal route :D

I don't like these predefined route that connect point A to point B. There is a lot to see more beside the direct route.

What he said.

For me it's all about detours and side trips. I was lining up Land's End to John O Groats last year, but decided to focus on Scotland instead. That was a smart move, it allowed me to explore the west coast in greater detail, and some of the islands, as well as the Cairgorns and all sorts of other places. This year I'm looking at New Zealand's North Island, which is probably going to be a zig-zag route taking in the Coromandel Peninsula, the East Cape, Rotorua and whatever else I find. In 2009 I'm lining up Japan, but I haven't done much research there yet.

That said, the SH 6 between Wanaka and Nelson on the South Island is hard to beat. I also found Tasmania's Lyell Higway from Strahan back to Hobart to be very nice (even if I did detour through the central lakes, Mt Field and Strathgordon). Arguably the greatest of them all would be New Zealand's Milford Road, yet many cycletourists opt out of this and use the bus instead.

I am so boring... I just want to do one of the transamerica routes.

Speedo

I am so boring... I just want to do one of the transamerica routes.

Speedo
Not an unworthy ride as a goal. I dreamed about that for over 30 years and when I finally did it last year it was all that I had hoped and then some.

My problem is that I have already done the TA, and with my daughter no less. Now it is harder to have a big goal. I would like to do it again with my grandkids, but since I can't count on when my daughter will decide to have kids and how old I will be at the time I can't call it a must do.

Since I love touring in the US, I am not all that excited about going abroad. I probably will tour in europe at some point, but it isn't something I dream about.

I guess my "must do" isn't one specific ride, but to keep doing rides that are on my list like the Pacific Coast, the Northern Tier, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Glacier area, some routes in Colorado, maybe a US perimeter tour, and other rides I haven't even considered yet. I wouldn't mind doing the TA again either.

Lands End to John O-Groats and Paris to Prague, for starters.

For the past 8 years my dream route has been the Adventure Cyclist TranAm Trail. Yorktown, VA to Florence, OR. East to west.

After I retired in Sept of 2000, I began to plan in earnest. I would start out from Florence the middle of May 2001 and ride the route solo and unsupported to Yorktown, VA. At that time we lived within ten miles of Yorktown. I had the bike ready, I had a BOB trailer, I even had purchased the maps from Adventure Cyclists, and I had saved over $4k for the trip. I was ready!

Then my dearest wife decided to retire. Good for her! She said she wanted to ride with me! Cool! On the tandem...oh. OK cool!! But she needed more time to train. Eh...2002 dear? Yeah that should work. oh...OK let's do that then!! Cool.

Life is such that sometimes if you do not seize the moment you are overwhelmed with life’s other priorities. Parents passing away, mother's with Alzheimer’s, siblings who cannot raise their own kids, loving guardianship over my 5 year old niece (now she is 9). ETC ETC ETC. !

The moment is now approaching again! May 2009! Nine years late(r) we're able to go! We are going! Not on a single. Not on a tandem! We're able to do it on a Triplet!!! YAAAH!!!!!

So the planning goes on. The route broke down into days. Each day with an overnight stay. Possible places to camp! It is fun planning! And our plans as they mature are not binding. We can go further or shorter distances than the "PLAN" dictates. We're flexible.

My dream, her dream, Jessie's dream...our dream is coming to light!! We are all genuinely excited to get started!

For me US1, Maine to Key West - twice: Once on the Harley, once on the Bianchi.

I would start out from Florence the middle of May 2001 and ride the route solo and unsupported to Yorktown, VA. At that time we lived within ten miles of Yorktown. I had the bike ready, I had a BOB trailer, I even had purchased the maps from Adventure Cyclists, and I had saved over $4k for the trip. I was ready!

I'll be more than happy to help out on any information regarding roads in the Charles City/Hanover/Henrico/Louisa/Fluvanna County areas. Just let me know if you need anything.

The Karakoram Hwy/Kunjerab Pass from Pakistan to Tibet and China and Central Asia and Afghanistan.

While preparing for that trip in 1988 I was hit head on on my bike by a lovely legally blind 84 year old driver. Circumstances political, medical and financial since then have worked against doing that trip. I hope that this window of opportunity has not been closed for me.

I did the Karak highway both directions, up and down, during my two year wolr d tour 1998-2000. On the Karak your greatest threat is getting bonked on the head with a small boulder chucked by the 'Kohistan Kids,' so named because of Indus Kohistan, a central portion of the highway. There are cliffs adjacent to the road and while some of the rocks which fall on the road are a result of normal erosion, I can tell you by no means all of them are.

http://www.cyclingscholar.com/karak.html

There is one point on the road where you snake through an area where the Karakoram, the Hindu Kush, and the Himalayas blend together. A remarkable point.


roughstuff

I am so boring... I just want to do one of the transamerica routes.

Speedo
Yep, me too. Actually I can't wait until I'm in the position to be able to take that much time off. I keep hoping my children will fast track thru college in two or three years instead of four or more but they don't seem to be taking the hint.

I've never done a tour longer than 5 days, but this would be awesome: Seattle to Anchorage (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Seattle-to-Anchorage). (I was bored one day and idly playing in Bikely.)

I'll be more than happy to help out on any information regarding roads in the Charles City/Hanover/Henrico/Louisa/Fluvanna County areas. Just let me know if you need anything.


Thanks! :) You are a road Angel! :)

Hi Chris,


What he said.
In 2009 I'm lining up Japan, but I haven't done much research there yet.


You can ask me about Japan (Hokkaido) end of the year :D

Thomas

By the way: You should tour Cuba - before Fidel Castro dies (a bit complicated if you're US citzien)

That's may be closer than your own death...