Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Long distacne Maps?

Hi guys I'm new here and i was wondering if somebody would be able to help me out. A friend of mine and I were wanting to go on a long distance bike ride from Romulus Michigan to Gaylord Michigan but we don't know what the best way would be to get there. What i was wondering is if there was any web site or anything that would be able to give us a route all the way there. You know like a map quest for bikes or something. If anybody could help me out i would really appreciate it

bikeroutetoaster.com
mapmyride.com

There's a shortage in that department. You can find routes easily enough, but no way to tell how busy the roads are, etc. On Google maps, you can select a "non highway" option that may help. Getting a good state atlas may help.

I like Bikely (http://www.bikely.com). You really need to know a basic route when using bikely. If I need help with basic route finding and mileage determination I use Google Maps. Just type in the start and finish locations, let it give you back a route, and then edit the route on the fly. Look around on some of the recommended sites to see if others have posted routes in your area. You can cherry pick route ideas from them.

Many states have bicycle "suitability" maps - these can be used as a supplement to search out established bike travel routes or safer, alternative urban streets.

To become an expert in bicycling a particular area, you need to investigate established bicycle clubs or shops of a given location. Go the "local" Internet links for a club's message board, or for instance the localized sub-groups of this board for more accurate, locally known information.

There are plenty of "gotchas" - I recently ran in to a "bridge out" - that has never shown up on any of the Internet map services - even as it is 6 months old.

Hi guys I'm new here and i was wondering if somebody would be able to help me out. A friend of mine and I were wanting to go on a long distance bike ride from Romulus Michigan to Gaylord Michigan but we don't know what the best way would be to get there. What i was wondering is if there was any web site or anything that would be able to give us a route all the way there. You know like a map quest for bikes or something. If anybody could help me out i would really appreciate it

I used to tour in Michigan in the 1970's and I found state highway maps pretty adequate. I like AAA Metroplitan maps for cities, where you really want to avoid the main thorougfares. The routing sites like mapmyride.com and bikeroutetoaster.com do allow you to really hone down on a area, but then you have to fit those details into the longer intended route. The main thing is look for the most local roads, according to the map legend, often depicted as thin blue or gray lines.

One thing nice about route finding in Michigan in contrast to Massachusetts is that roads are pretty straight and well marked in Michigan. In the Boston area the roads are crazy and you have to ride an area quite a bit to learn it.

On Google maps, you can select a "non highway" option that may help.

I've used the Google "walking" directions (that's not the same thing as "non-highway," is it?), in conjunction with Microsoft Streets & Trips software, a few times, that has worked out okay for the most part. (I've also used the Google satellite view on chunks of a route I've considered -- zooming in close enough to see if there's a shoulder.)

As I think others have posted, I'd also try the state-run transportation Web sites -- some of them have sections on bicycling. They may not have much posted on-line, but if you have time, you might be able to order some paper maps from them.

maybe us trails.com