Another way of checking on the lay of the land, besides Google maps, is to see if you can find local bike club route maps that cover the area you're interested in. Some clubs list routes online. I did this, when I first moved into the area I'm living in now and found it helpful.

Cycle out there and have a look.



On a highway, ride completely on the shoulder or as close to the ditch as possible. On a highway, size matters. Cars are bigger than you and go faster than you ... therefore, they have the right of way.

And yes ... ride predictably and ride in a straight line. No wobbling, no veering here and there, no swerving ...

Depending on where you live you may be able to find alternative routes where you either do not have to share the road with other traffic, or the traffic there is limited to some low maximum speed. For example, living in Holland, you can pretty much go cycling around the entire country without ever having to be on a road that feels even remotely unsafe.

I think safety is important. But no-one can really assess the situation as good as you can yourself. Not over a messageboard. I would just go and check them out, if they do not feel right take another route.

+10

One of my favorite roads around here is MN10 from Fargo to Detroit Lakes. The speed limit is 65 mph but the shoulders are a full lane width so even in the middle of the shoulder I'm 6' - 8' from traffic. I ride a lot of rural roads where the speed limit is 55 but the shoulders are anywhere from 18" to non-existant. I'm still comfortable riding them but I'd much rather have a semi pass me at 65 with 6' of clearance than at 55 with <> 3' of clearance. Honestly, the only difference between a semi hitting you at 55 instead of 65 is hang time before you become part of the pavement. I've had a lot more close calls in town at 20-30mph, even with bike lanes, than I ever have on open highway.

Having spent a fair bit of time in the Land of the Dells, I'd say that where I ride now, western NC, is very similar - although a bit hillier. All of the roads I ride are 2 lane, no shoulder country roads with speed limits ranging from 25-50 mph. I hate and always have hated bike trails and avoid them like 3.2 beer. I'm a vehicle, dammit, and I have as much right to ride the pavement as any pickup, farm tractor or Coupe deVille. That said if you're going to venture into the land of the 2 ton behemoths, get a mirror and use it. You'll hear an approaching vehicle long before it gets close and can take appropriate action - from keeping on pedalling to getting off the road and letting it pass. I don't mess with dump trucks, semi's or logging trucks. The minute I lose by giving them the road is worth my life. Ride the road, biking is supposed to be fun. 45 miles on a gravel bike trail won't be very much fun.