Texas - Dallas to Mineola

I was planning to pedal out past Mineola and had come up with this route:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2214778
And yes, it will be my first century :)


We were heading out there this past weekend so we decided to drive it and see how the roads looked. The first part of the trip was good, but at about mile 21, the roads turned to crap. It was all washboard and gravel. We gave up the route at about mile 40, because we couldn't even drive a car over 25 on some of these roads.

From Wills Point (about mile 53) and beyond looks fine, but I'm trying to find a way to get from Rockwall to Wills Point with chipseal or better.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Ride a cyclocross bike?;)

Mountain bike? Use Hwy 80?

No, it's a touring, road bike. I'd rather stay off the main highways as much as possible.

Also, if I take Hwy 80, I'm going to be hard pressed to stretch it out to 100 miles.:)

I wonder if it would be worth trying 205 down to 80, then 429 up to Quinlan and back down 751/3815. I've ridden on 205 without issue. There is a pretty wide shoulder there. That route might actually make it longer than 100, but it might be worth it.

Or you could even take 276 over to 751 and cut out 205 entirely. I've ridden 276 as well, just not that far East.

One thing to note, you've listed 66 over the bridge into Rockwall. Depending on when you do this, it's better to use the walking path on the North side of the bridge to get accross. But be wary of glass. Sometimes it's fairly clear, other's it's like a minefield.

Steve

I've driven a lot of that over the past year going back and forth to our new church camp in Hawkins. Some of those back roads turn into a mess. They start out nice but once you change counties, or sometimes cities the pavement stops and turns into gravel with hard pack and bad washboard. Google earth has some good satellite that might help. With a good bike it's not too bad.
I would not recommend 80, it has a good shoulder most of the way, but most of it's new chip seal....and I leard the hardway to aviod that at all cost.

Get a cyclocross bike. Maybe I'll join you on mine!

No, it's a touring, road bike.

Can you fit some wider tires on this bike like some 32's or larger? When I ride a route like this where the terain changes I will let a little air out of the tires when road gets rough and ride the drops more which seems to take a lot of the edge of the bumps. Then add a little more air when it gets smooth again.

Thanks for the replies. I'm going keep my touring bike, my 700/28 tires and try this route:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2237800

I'll probably drive this route the next time we go out and then plan on riding it in October or early November.

Thanks again.