Touring - What is your favorite US tour you have been on?

What is your favorite place you have toured on a bike in the US and what advice would you give someone taking the same route?

My favourite is the west coast. My advice is to get the book Bicycling the Pacific Coast by Kirkendall and Spring.

I haven't done many tours, but I can highly recommend the Trans America. It was a wonderful experience to really see the country and meet the people in a way that few folks ever do.

I have only ridden a bit of it, but agree that the Pacific Coast is great riding too.

I am hoping that I will find the Sierra Cascades route even nicer, but you'll have to ask me in mid July about that one.

Advice? Pack light and be prepared to mail stuff home anyway.

Edit: If you want to see smaller areas than the whole TA, Oregon and Colorado were probably my favorites. That said every part of the TA has it's own charm.

What is your favorite place you have toured on a bike in the US and what advice would you give someone taking the same route?

So far, it's been Delmarva. Get the appropriate state maps and start planning.

So far, it's been Delmarva. Get the appropriate state maps and start planning.

It is 'The Land of Pleasant Living,' no? Sorry you got the map that says Rt 50 is an official bike route. What were they thinking? Glad ya had fun.

My "real" touring has only been the TA and a jaunt from NJ down the Delmarva Peninsula, otherwise it's been bike camping/bikepacking in the Poconos or to the shore for a few days at a time. On the TA I enjoyed Missouri and Kansas the most, but as staehpj1 said, it was all real nice.

Depends on how long of a tour we are talking about.... A week? A month or multiple months.

For a shorter tour you would be hard pressed to find a better tour the the Washington Parks Route.

Longer tours? Northern Tier is pretty amazing. Is it the best? I don't have enough data to say one way or the other.

NE Texas to my daughter's in Phoenix. 1200 miles. This was my first long tour and nothing will ever top the experiences and impressions, though I keep trying. Three weeks of mental and physical fun. Three weeks of meeting interesting people, camping in memorable spots, and rolling through unforgettable scenery. Three weeks of being one with the environment of the moment.

All my tours have been great fun. But none have topped the first long one for shear pleasure. None will.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=RrzKj&doc_id=1168&v=sJ

It is 'The Land of Pleasant Living,' no? Sorry you got the map that says Rt 50 is an official bike route. What were they thinking? Glad ya had fun.

My "real" touring has only been the TA and a jaunt from NJ down the Delmarva Peninsula, otherwise it's been bike camping/bikepacking in the Poconos or to the shore for a few days at a time. On the TA I enjoyed Missouri and Kansas the most, but as staehpj1 said, it was all real nice.

Aside from Cambridge and the bridge over the Choptank, I didn't think Rt. 50 was bad.

If I have to pick only one, wandering around Colorado trying to cross all the paved Continental Divide passes.

Pacific Coast:

Beautiful the whole way (except for LA)
Lots of variety
Lots of cyclists
Cheap camping
A bit hilly in spots

We have done three tours in the US - the C&O+GAP, across Alaska and the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR). Out of this three the GDMBR wins hands down (also beats out my tours in Australia, parts of Canada, Mexico and Central America). Simply amazing, remote, few cars, magnificent scenery and wonderful people.... See the CGOAB journal below for information on the GDMBR section of our recent tour.

Although I really enjoyed the Pacific Coast, I think I liked the southern Utah/northern Arizona area better. You can't go wrong with any roads in that whole region! Tip: go in spring or fall; summer is too hot.

edited to add: I also really enjoyed the Dalton Highway from the Arctic Ocean down to Fairbanks. Very remote, but so cool!

I've got a few nominations:

In the northwest: Dalton Highway and the loop from Haines to Skagway.
In the far west: Pacific Coast between Astoria and Pismo Beach
In west: Death Valley and also a number of the Colorado passes.
In the Northeast: Maine beyond Bangor
In the South East: Natchez Trace Parkway
In the winter: Christmas Ride by HI-AYH up above San Diego

If I have to narrow it further, I'd favor the Klondike loop from Haines to Skagway.

Pacific Coast:

Beautiful the whole way (except for LA)
Lots of variety
Lots of cyclists
Cheap camping
A bit hilly in spots

+1
So much variety and beauty. The Big Sur area was probably my favorite.

Are we talking about self-supported tours, or with a group?

Are we talking about self-supported tours, or with a group?

Whatever you enjoyed the most, alone, group, however.
I think it helps to hear individuals personal opinions.
Right now I am leaning toward touring part of the Natchez Trace for my first tour and going on my own.

On the TA I enjoyed Missouri and Kansas the most

I do like dry senses of humor.

Right now I am leaning toward touring part of the Natchez Trace for my first tour and going on my own.

I did the Trace in middle of April this year. Had beautiful weather for the trip, mid 50 to 80 each day(before the bad rains). It was a enjoyable trip with very little traffic and no stop sign for 444 miles.. Well organized for biking and camping. Road had no shoulder but you really didn't need one. It is by no means a flat ride
but would work well for someone doing their first or second self supported tour. I will do it again someday. Send me a private message if you would like more information.

I do like dry senses of humor.

I don't believe he is kidding. It wasn't my favorite part of the country, but the people were super nice, the traffic light, and the roads in good repair. Each part of the TA has it's own charm and we all have different preferences.

I don't believe he is kidding. It wasn't my favorite part of the country, but the people were super nice, the traffic light, and the roads in good repair. Each part of the TA has it's own charm and we all have different preferences.

No experience there myself, but all I ever hear in Kansas is dust and headwinds.

No one mentions the Blue Ridge Parkway?

No experience there myself, but all I ever hear in Kansas is dust and headwinds.


While it didn't make my top list, I've long said that Kansas and Nebraska are best traveled either (a) in excess of 100mph or (b) at 10mph. The latter refers to cycle touring of course. I have found a certain beauty of touring both states. There is a pretty big transition in landscape and topography as one passes that historical dividing line (~100th meridian) between east and west and how the amount of water, elevation etc make for subtle but significant changes. There are also reasonable roads and many small roads and towns. An extra bonus if you find your way into a place like Peabody KS for 4th of July where they put on a grand show and you get a mix of small town atmosphere along with one of the largest events of the year. A bicycle is one of the better ways to get a sense or feel...