Mountain - Plains - bike tour from red rocks colorado to bend oregon

hey rockies riders, i am looking for tips/advice/routes about cycling from denver to bend, oregon. anyone gone that way or somewhere close? experiences? route taken? length of time? miles a day? terrain? I will be leaving denver say around 15th of june and need to be in bend by 8th of july? is 3 weeks possible? all thoughts are truly appreciated. thanks!

You're talking about June-July 2009, right?

Anyway, try pm'ing bf member cyccommute. I believe he has experience w/ multi state rides of epic proportions.

You should also post this in the touring forum, lot's of great advice there. What you want is the Bike Centinial route, picking it up in Kremmling CO, maybe over Trail Ridge Road, Frazer.

hey rockies riders, i am looking for tips/advice/routes about cycling from denver to bend, oregon. anyone gone that way or somewhere close? experiences? route taken? length of time? miles a day? terrain? I will be leaving denver say around 15th of june and need to be in bend by 8th of july? is 3 weeks possible? all thoughts are truly appreciated. thanks!

If you follow the TransAmerica after picking it up in North Park Colorado, the whole trip would be 1500 miles. Here's a route (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=Ship+Rock+Rd+%4039.662090,+-105.205600&daddr=US-40+%4039.771250,+-105.806040+to:US-40+%4039.940390,+-105.803620+to:US-40+%4040.227440,+-106.436700+to:CO-14+%4040.504250,+-106.424570+to:US-287+%4042.011881,+-107.369261+to:US-287+%4042.467760,+-107.595704+to:US-287+%4042.698349,+-108.527819+to:Grand+Loop+Rd%2FUS-191%2FUS-287+%4044.448660,+-110.690980+to:US-20+%4044.638634,+-111.321436+to:US-287+%4045.339480,+-111.710120+to:MT-287+%4045.431289,+-112.178834+to:MT-278+%4045.610220,+-113.453650+to:US-93+%4045.920760,+-114.109610+to:US-12+%4046.428370,+-115.121130+to:ID-13+%4045.925570,+-116.108250+to:44.770137,-117.828369+to:bend+or&hl=en&geocode=209340677476079727,39.662090,-105.205600%3B17276898991837775717,39.771250,-105.806040%3B11517121352987271140,39.940390,-105.803620%3B1874752576063538415,40.227440,-106.436700%3B16672089275015287348,40.504250,-106.424570%3B8991878700330625582,42.011881,-107.369261%3B2627371420568122562,42.467760,-107.595704%3B12830928701051780966,42.698349,-108.527819%3B1210272271878487809,44.448660,-110.690980%3B7879717870620498929,44.638634,-111.321436%3B1754970340071401480,45.339480,-111.710120%3B7951059775948654916,45.431289,-112.178834%3B12744546725778395664,45.610220,-113.453650%3B4282485200968088944,45.920760,-114.109610%3B4548408993541545576,46.428370,-115.121130%3B3452736684803640801,45.925570,-116.108250&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=16&sz=8&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16&sll=44.000718,-117.004395&sspn=3.682665,6.075439&ie=UTF8&ll=44.672559,-119.388428&spn=3.64074,6.075439&t=h&z=8). 1500 miles in 3 weeks is pushing pretty hard. Taking 3 rest days (one in every 7), you'd have to ride 80 to 85 miles a day. Not impossible but not leisurely either. And this is going to be a mountainous ride. Get the maps from Adventure Cycling (http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/transamerica.cfm) and start planning. If you could swing another week, you could have time to see Yellowstone. You might be able to cut some distance by not following the TransAmerica exactly but that makes finding food and lodging a little harder.

Thanks for your advice and knowledge. I figured I would have to push it pretty hard to make it and that it wouldn't be the most enjoyable ride ever but I like to be optimistic.