Originally Posted by
Dahon.Steve
Riding on an expressway during the heat of the summer without any shade or trees smelling nothing but gas with high speed traffic traveling a few feet away is not my idea of a vacation. When the shoulder disappears, the fun ends too.
Out west, you might have no choice but, I find plenty of choices. It is true you add more miles riding through subdivisions. Alot more than taking an expressway and it can be hilly at times. However, there are stores, shops where you can reload on soft drinks and food. The stop lights and stop signs actually make it safer for the cyclist. One more thing, you actually get to meet people.
I definitely pick the interstate only when it is the only reasonable option. I wondered how safe it would be, but it wasn't that bad. The shoulder was plenty wide to be well away from traffic. The one section of interstate we rode on the TA was not horrible for a short while, but it was ugly, very noisy, and the shoulder was strewn with lots of sharp stuff. I definitely would not want to do a major portion of a tour on a road like that.