Camilo

Probably true regarding total annual rain compared to other cities. It's been mentioned to me many times about Seattle and DC. But the way the rain falls makes a big difference. A lot of sprinkling or gentle raining days vs. a lot of dry days with less frequent hard rains. Also the temperatures at which it rains: Winter in the PNW - lots of cool rainy days, whereas I wonder if most of the rain in the mid-Atlantic area falls in summer when it's warmer and takes less time to fall. It certainly has been my experience in Florida - it seems most of the rain falls in the evening, rains hard and then goes away.

Anyway, I prefer the high, inland desert of the PNW, the Rockies, etc. to the wetter PNW or other states I've cycled in.

ColonelJLloyd 

Are you familiar with the Schwalbe Big One? Light, fast, supple. But, around 60mm. Extremely low rolling resistance.

repechage

Those persistent grey skies do strange things to folk.
Arson capital, or used to be. A friend barely escaped a fire set to the house he was renting.

mongol777

Yes, very familiar - had them, great tires, very fast, weren't very durable for me on gravel roads here, had couple of sidewall cuts. I replaced them with G-One as aside from rough gravel I needed to fit the fenders on that particular bike and with 2.35 I had no space.
I also have Big Apples, Fat franks (both 26 and 700) and many others.
But - tan sidewall, sweet sweet look and Compass reputation for silky smooth ride is what I am after here :-). I have at least 3 frames which will fit them.
I am also not opposed to Rat Trap in 26 but I am bored with all 26 inch frames I have and likely will be selling them soon. If I stumble upon frame for 26 wheels I like I'd be happy to buy Rat Traps

ThermionicScott 

I have my doubts. That's really outside of their "optimal wheel size" zone. The 700x44C tires were already beyond what they felt was warranted. But they've surprised me before...

Faustocopious

Here is a map of the part of Jan's route that mere mortals can easily do. I plan to do it in the late Spring, when the snow is off the high parts. Start at Greenwater, spend the night at Whistlin Jack's resort, and finish next day at Cle Elum. Not much highway this way.


https://goo.gl/maps/gnsfnRyHrTN2


I rode the second part of it, after Wenas, the other way last Spring. Pics here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/837910...57666634378655

Bob Freeman
North Bend WA

gomango

28s in the summer will do the trick for sure.

Welch, Minnesota is a beautiful area and offers many gravel opps.

I've ridden three favorite routes down there this spring and summer with my fly rod in tow.

Multiple times. Beware the bluffs.

I'll be watching the winter and spring fly seasons as well, so I would be happy to ride down there this winter.

Don't have a legit fat bike but my Yeti would work pretty well I'd wager.

As for another local, I did a bunch of rides around Duluth, The BWCA and the Range in general.

I'm excited to to the prairie as well, so maybe I could scout some ride in southwestern Minnesota for us this winter.

I know some folks in Jackson that could point us in the right direction.

Heck, maybe we should bug Guitar Ted for some ideas in Iowa as well.

ColonelJLloyd 

Cool. Which version were you using? Tubes or tubeless? If the latter, what sealant?

himespau 

What frames fit that? Monstercross or something?

ColonelJLloyd 

Yeah, and this is becoming an increasingly max size for "all road" frames. i.e. A frame that utilizes a 395-400mm A-C fork. Soma Wolverine, BMC Monstercross, tons of CX bikes, etc.

CuttersRidge

Biggest rail to trail state.

ThermionicScott 

And Surly has been big on this for a while, too, whether they officially call the bike a "29er" or just slap the "Fatties Fit Fine" sticker on.

mongol777

I think I had Liteskins, with tubs first and switched to tubeless later, was using Schwalbe sealant (which is I think rebranded notubes). Cuts were nothing major but just bothered me a little bit

mongol777

Subject to rim's widths but I had Schwalbe big one and big apple, both in 29x2.35 fitted on Specialized AWOL, tight fit but worked.
Surly of course - Karate Monkey and 1x1 (tight fit on 1x1 and wheel was too far in the rear)
Kona Unit

Both KM and Unit were built with drop bars many times so yeah, sort of monstercross

mongol777

I don't discriminate my bikes and if I so happen to come across nice gravel road or pretty single track while say on my fixie with 25 or 28 tires - I'd still go for it, would be far from ideal but I can still ride it :-). But I have many bikes for a reason as some routes are comfy on 700x25 and some ask for big fat 26x4.8
Fatter 700 tires I think is the ticket for good all around balance. I tried many gravel tires and I think speed/comfort for me is somewhere around 38-41 but I wish for more variety, say 29er widths but fast rolling plush tires. I love my fat franks to bits, I think they strike almost perfect balance at 700x50 but riding them after lighter tires (say Schwalbe G-One or my recently bought Challenge Biancas) - I can feel the weight and a bit of sluggishness at lower pressure.
And yes, I'd love them with colored sidewall, say tan or grey

Wildwood 

Not top 10 for arson, according to FBI stats.
Flint, Toledo, Detroit, Buffalo, Cincy, Dayton, Rochester, Cleveland, Baton Rouge, Evansville

Anticipating you will next accuse the weather for making us the suicide capital of the world, not even top 10.
Las Vegas, Colorado Springs, Tucson, Sacratomatoe, Albuquirky, Mesa, Miami, Denver, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh.

Appropriate to point out a quote in a long time BF member's sig line = "Don't believe everything you think" or something like that.

Lascauxcaveman 

Thanks for the tip, and the map, Bob. That does look pretty doable. Be fun to get some of the Washington state cohort on this trip someday.

lonesomesteve

I'm not sure I agree with the "that mere mortals can easily do" assessment. The route from highway 410 to Wenas is pretty difficult to navigate and is little more than the suggestion of a road at times. Expect numerous pinch flats if you're riding anything less than 38 mm tires. After Wenas it gets much better.

Faustocopious

What part are you referring to? I can blow up the route in g-maps satellite view and it seems pretty straightforward. I'll take good print copies with me to refer to of course. I've done lots of riding on roads like this, starting in 1976 actually. Some much more gnarly than this looks to be. Lately been riding them mostly on 30 mm sewups, including the Cino Heroica. No pinch flats with those ever. Thought I would try my 38 mm 650Bs on this route though. But I haven't ridden that part yet so I may have to eat my words! Usually when a road has a road number and a name for its whole length that is a good sign that it is doable.

Here is a little adventure I did in Idaho in 1984, on 38 mm 650Bs by the way (you thought that was a new thing, didn't you?). I have to load it in a couple maps as google won't take all my data points. Here is the first https://goo.gl/maps/g3eXnVcjgRG2 and the second https://goo.gl/maps/fgumnzEWCeE2 Blow it up and follow it along. Looks like it was a little over 650 miles, and many thousands of feet of vertical. . Maybe 100 miles of it was paved. A lot of wilderness travel, camping most of the time of course. I fantasize about doing it again some day but if so, maybe with a 4 x 4 following us!