DOBRIE

So im riding from San Francisco to Crested butte Colorado starting July 13th. I hope to go about 80 miles a day and get there in a little over two weeks. I'm commited and am really doing this. Just seeing if anybody is interested in comming with.

raybo

You will be hard-pressed to do 80 miles the day you climb up to Carson Pass from the west.

Ray

ken cummings

No, but a long while ago I took a recumbent trike from Denver to SoCal to north of SF. And I traveled the route from SF to central Colorado in the 88 RAAM. What route are you planning? Hwy 88 over the Sierra Nevada Range then Hwy 50 almost the entire way to Crested Butte.

DOBRIE

Don't exactly have a definate route yet but i am totally commited. Any more help besides the 88 to highway 50 would be very much appreciated.

VeloVeg

DOBRIE,

If you're not following any particular route, you might consider going up Hwy 4 and Ebbett's Pass over the Sierra. Not taking anything away from beautiful Hwy 88, but Hwy 4 is even more of a cyclist's dream (IMHO). Great camping at Alpine Lake or Mosquito Lake, and Grover Hot Springs State Park at Markleeville. Take Hwy 4 over the pass and then descend (forever), and turn north on Hwy 89 near beautiful Markleeville, then up to Woodfords and turn east into Nevada. Be sure to pick up Emigrant Trail right out of Woodfords and then follow Foothill Rd and Rt. 206 thru quaint Genoa, NV (awesome sandwiches at the Country Store), on the way to Carson City and US 50 going east. It's a beautiful ride along the eastern slope of the Sierra.

Fifty miles east of Fallon, NV, Middlegate Station is pretty much a "must stop" place, where you can camp free under the Cottonwood trees in the back of the old Pony Express watering hole. The folks in the bar/restaurant are awesome friendly and make you feel right at home. When I camped there they happened to have an all-you-can-eat BarBQue and fixin's out back. That's a dangerous thing for a hungry cyclist!

A few miles east of Middlegate Sta., I recommend turning right on Rt. 722 which will take you up an awesome climb to Carroll Summit and some very unNevada-like scenery. You'll reconnect with US 50 at Austin.

It's been said many times, but it can't be emphasized enough--take plenty of water when crossing Nevada. There, I said it.

I'll be leaving from the San Joaquin Valley on the 14th. This time around I'll be heading up Hwy 4 over Ebbett's Pass (like I recommended to you) and Hwy 89 over Monitor Pass before heading across Hwy 50 in Nevada. I won't be rushing as I plan to stop to smell the roses and enjoy some hiking in Zion NP and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon on the way. Will also be riding thru awesome Monument Valley and northeast New Mexico before turning north over Wolfcreek Pass and Slumgullion Pass in Colorado before getting to Gunnison and then Crested Butte (where I have family). From Crested Butte I'll be paying Cottonwood Pass another visit enroute to Denver (where I have more family). The trip continues from Denver, up thru RMNP, thru western Wyoming/eastern Idaho to hike a little in the Tetons and Yellowstone, before continuing north up Montana Hwy 89 before reaching the eastern door to Glacier NP. Turning southwest from there to travel thru the Clearwater region of Idaho before continuing west to Eugene, OR and up to Portland (where I have more family!) If time permits, I'll take the coastal route back to sunny CA to return home.

Whew! I'm exhausted just typing the route! But, it's going to be another amazing trip.

Safe travels. BTW, you're going to love Utah. Some of the best riding in the U.S.

All the best,

raybo

I followed the ACA Western Express route as far as Carson City, NV with a detour out of Placerville to Jenkinson Lake. I wrote a tour journal without pictures.

I don't know if it will help but I hope it does and you enjoy it.

Ray

DOBRIE

just wanted to say thanks to both you guys. Its great to get advice from people that have already done what i plan to do.