Originally Posted by
Aesr
Step 1 - USA
I plan on taking the plane from Brussels to NYC, depart from there and go west to Los Angeles. To do so, I would follow the Transam to Pueblo, Colorado, then go towards LA to prevent going too much north with the upcoming winter. This would take 2.5 months, so October, November and the first half of December.
* As can be seen by my route, I am a bit concerned with the winter in western US, therefore the decision to not follow the Transam completely but deviating in Pueblo to take a more southern route. Is this route ok in your experience? I read that there were a lot of passes that could be closed off if snowfall occurred.
* I suppose most campings will close during winter. Are there any alternatives? Is it allowed to bivouac and if yes, are there special rules to it?
as you're traveling across the US, between the appalachian and the rockies, you can often find free camping opportunities in small towns. many will have a municipal park that allows cyclists to set up camp overnight, some will have swimming pools with showers. check in with the local police/sheriff office when you arrive for info. other times you can set up on the lawn at a church or fire station.
check historical weather for pueblo area. given your time frame, you might want to divert south sooner. the roads south to santa fe can get snowed under early. i might consider going thru amarillo and roswell and las cruces, then follow a more southerly route.