Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Midwest to a Coast

Well I've committed to doing it! so it is happening... no retreat no surrender!

I will ride from Central Illinois to either L.A or NYC next year. Probably late Spring. Seeing that travel and Film/Video is my passion/profession i will be documenting it all and making something out of it.

My goal is to visit with Clydes/Athenas in every city, We may ride, hit the gym, or a Spa and get their perspective on wellness/fitness and cycling.

If anyone is interested in riding with me or meeting up that would be nice, I have the ticket back taken care of...courtesy of an excellent airline!

I'm working out the details on the exact path and places to visit/stay.

This trip will have the usual website,blog,videos,etc..

Are you headed through southwest Iowa???????

Well I've committed to doing it! so it is happening... no retreat no surrender!

I will ride from Central Illinois to either L.A or NYC next year. Probably late Spring. Seeing that travel and Film/Video is my passion/profession i will be documenting it all and making something out of it.

My goal is to visit with Clydes/Athenas in every city, We may ride, hit the gym, or a Spa and get their perspective on wellness/fitness and cycling.

If anyone is interested in riding with me or meeting up that would be nice, I have the ticket back taken care of...courtesy of an excellent airline!

I'm working out the details on the exact path and places to visit/stay.

This trip will have the usual website,blog,videos,etc..

I strongly suggest a couple of overnight or longer tours beforehand so you can get experience touring, and test your equipment/set-up.

Well I've committed to doing it! so it is happening... no retreat no surrender!

I will ride from Central Illinois to either L.A or NYC next year. Probably late Spring. Seeing that travel and Film/Video is my passion/profession i will be documenting it all and making something out of it.

My goal is to visit with Clydes/Athenas in every city, We may ride, hit the gym, or a Spa and get their perspective on wellness/fitness and cycling.

If anyone is interested in riding with me or meeting up that would be nice, I have the ticket back taken care of...courtesy of an excellent airline!

I'm working out the details on the exact path and places to visit/stay.

This trip will have the usual website,blog,videos,etc..

Hmm, you might find the ride to LA both longer and with easier climbs than a trip to NYC. The Rockies are not to be taken lightly (pun intended), but the roads are better graded than the Eastern switchbacks you will face in PA/VA/NY.

An alternative end point, if you are set on the East Coast, is DC. Crossing to near Pittsburgh lets you use the Great Allegheny Passage/C & O Canal Towpath to travel off-road for 335 miles, and avoid the monster climbs crossing the mountain range.

Also, if you decide on DC, President Obama - OK, it's a little premature, but I need to get used to saying it - has some connections to cycling and IL, and perhaps he could ride with you. :) Or at least you could get some statement from the White House. With health care a national issue, it's not too much of a stretch.

Hi Greg,

I think that is awesome. You have laid it out there. You are pretty much screwed now :-) You gotta do it :-o

I am a Clyde from Illinois as well. I live down near Carbondale. How about you?

My personal choice would be the SW run as I see it as being more mentally challenging as well as more exotic overall. Just my $.02.

Are you planning on going self sufficient, or the motel route? The self supported seems to me to be exponentially harder.

I now work from home with my own business and have actually thought about doing the same someday,(mostly a fantasy right now) as long as I could take the laptop. I would like to either go the motel route or figure out a support chain along the way.

Best of luck to you and I will be cheering you on.

Jay Boyd

flip18436572 (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=89258) = Sorry no Iowa, I'll be headed to the southwest route more than likely. Missouri,Ok,Texas,Nm,Arizona. I think you should go ahead and join me haha..

Historian- Thanks for the info, I've been doing quite a bit of riding and figure
65 min - 100 max a day. I'm in NO rush or race to finish its all about the
sights,people and journey.
I don't get involved in Politics at all.. haha.. Obama,Mcain,Jim Belushi,space aliens.. :)

Jay - Yeah i'm leaning toward the SW.. I'm planning on doing the Hotel plan.
I will carry as little as possible. Some Clothing,Bike Parts,Laptop and Camera Gear.

I'll be stopping and uploading video at different coffeeshops and hotels.
Your welcome to Join!! it would be a nice trip.

Careful with that Southwest route: there are immense stretches of serious desert out there between towns. For example, Needles, California (an entry point into Cali from southwest): ouch!! Hell on earth.

flip18436572 (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=89258) = Sorry no Iowa, I'll be headed to the southwest route more than likely. Missouri,Ok,Texas,Nm,Arizona. I think you should go ahead and join me haha..

Historian- Thanks for the info, I've been doing quite a bit of riding and figure
65 min - 100 max a day. I'm in NO rush or race to finish its all about the
sights,people and journey.
I don't get involved in Politics at all.. haha.. Obama,Mcain,Jim Belushi,space aliens.. :)

Jay - Yeah i'm leaning toward the SW.. I'm planning on doing the Hotel plan.
I will carry as little as possible. Some Clothing,Bike Parts,Laptop and Camera Gear.

I'll be stopping and uploading video at different coffeeshops and hotels.
Your welcome to Join!! it would be a nice trip.


Well, when the time comes and you end up in, or near, Texas let me know. If your not going to pass close by, I would be happy to meet you on the road and at least spend some time sharing the road.

If you decide on NYC, stop through Columbus, OH and we'll hook up.

Well I've committed to doing it! so it is happening... no retreat no surrender!

I will ride from Central Illinois to either L.A or NYC next year. You folks back East may think of yourselves as "Mid West", but a trip to the West Coast is about three times as far as one to the East Coast.

If you come through Colorado let me know!

Do you prefer head wind or tail wind?

I'll for sure let you guys know on the final route, My goal isnt the quickest way but the most scenic and enjoyable way. The more Clydes/Athenas we can meetup with the bigger the message we can make :)

mkadam68 (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=70012) - Thanks for the pointers, I lived in Las Vegas and Dallas so i spent alot of time driving that pathway and your right... Looong stretches of nothing!! so we'll for sure try and plan around that.

Bill Kapaun - Do you even have to ask? lol :) (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=78399)

It'll be rough but i'm looking forward to the experience.

Remember about the locater map in my sig, Chris.....it has quite a few Clydes on it now.m ;)


I'll for sure let you guys know on the final route, My goal isnt the quickest way but the most scenic and enjoyable way. The more Clydes/Athenas we can meetup with the bigger the message we can make :)

mkadam68 (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=70012) - Thanks for the pointers, I lived in Las Vegas and Dallas so i spent alot of time driving that pathway and your right... Looong stretches of nothing!! so we'll for sure try and plan around that.

So I've decided the southwest it is! I have also already got a Hotel chain that has many routes on the current path to hook us up.

So far so good...!! big bucks no wammies! forward into the breach!

Should have come to Florida. Once you past Orlando is all down hill after that. And you could have stayed at the hotel near my home and then I would ride to the Keys w/you to the southern most point of the US. Good place to finish off an historic ride. Maybe I'll do one and start from there and head north!!!:speedy::speedy::speedy::speedy:

When is this gonna kick off?

If your planning on Missouri, stay on I-44. Do not, repeat DO NOT cut south on 65 out of Springfield. Last month the European riders on the Tour of Missouri said that was the worst terrain they had ever rode on. The hills are total killers.

Let me know if you get around Springfield, I'll at least buy ya dinner.

Karma

Another Illinoisian here going to SIUC. Another direction you may want to consider is south. Like riding to Mississippi or Louisiana. That could become a cool ride. It wouldn't be quite as long but cool nonetheless.

nobull60 - I'd love to ride that route but i'm looking forward to the southwest views. oh and why!! do you have a motorsport link on your sig...your killin me! i've been fighting getting a cruiser!! just tempting me! :)

Badkarma62 - I'm kicking off early to mid may, i'll for sure be going thru springfield so i'll let you know.

Austin in So IL - I've drove that way and its quite scenic if i remember correctly. Perhaps another time thou maybe we could do that route.

OK - I am in Chicago for the rest of the year - Mon - Thursday -so if we want a Clyde get together for say a Spa :) lunch let me know. Your trip sounds awesome!!!

Miss Bumble - Pm'd you but i'll use this a a bump also. So how about it anyone up for a Clyde/Athena social meetup in Chicago? We'll figure out the exact dates and go from there.